LONDON, ENGLAND – (September 21st, 2023) – A serious threat awaits Callum Simpson in London next weekend as dangerous Mexican Jose De Jesus Macias steps in to replace an injured Germaine Brown on the BOXXER: Breakthrough card at London’s York Hall on Saturday, September 30th, live and exclusive on Sky Sports. 

In June this year, Macias faced Erik Bazinyan – ranked #3 in the world at super-middleweight by the WBC and #2 by the WBA – and gave him a scare, nearly spoiling Bazinyan’s undefeated record and the big-money Canelo Alvarez showdown that Bazinyan has been linked with. 

Macias (28-12, 14 KO’s) has made a career of derailing contenders and spoiling the night for home fighters – such as his jaw-breaking 2021 TKO of recent WBO world title challenger Steve Butler in Canada – and he’s aiming to do the same to Simpson (12-0, 9 KO’s) next Saturday during his first-ever visit to the UK. 

For Barnsley man Simpson – considered one of the best under-the-radar talents in the UK by boxing insiders before he signed with BOXXER earlier this year – it’s a chance to test his mettle against a fighter who has faced some of the division’s toughest talents and score a win which will put his name on the international radar.

“Callum Simpson already had a tough opponent for September 30th and now he has an even tougher one. Jose de Jesus Macias is an excellent boxer who has caused a string of upsets over the years and gave the world-ranked #3 super-middleweight Erik Bazinyan all sorts of problems in June,” said Ben Shalom, BOXXER CEO.

“This is a serious test for Simpson. There aren’t many fighters who would step up to this level of opposition so early in their careers, especially on short notice, and I think he deserves a lot of credit for accepting this fight with Macias.”

BOXXER presents Simpson vs Macias in association with bet365 as the event’s bet365 Wildcard contest. 

BOXXER: Breakthrough at York Hall, London takes place Saturday, September 30 and airs live and exclusively in the UK and Ireland on Sky Sports.

This event is presented in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE, Village Hotels and Fastline Steel Services.

NEW YORK (September 19, 2023) – Three Split-T Management fighters got big victories over the weekend.

In Corpus Christi, Texas, Tiger Johnson remained undefeated with a eight-round majority decision over Ricardo Quiroz in a junior welterweight fight.

Johnson, 141,7 lbs of Cleveland won by scores of 79-73 twice and 76076 and is now 10-0. Quiroz, 141.6 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 13-3.

In Mexico, 2023 National Golden Glove champion in junior lightweight Tyshawn Denson was impressive in winning a four-round unanimous decision over Jesus Gutierrez.

Densom scored a knockdown in round two and won by scores of 40-35 on all cards.

Denson of Akron, Ohio took home the 132-pound title this past May in Chester, Pennsylvania.

The 19-year-old began boxing at the age of four as he followed his great grandfather (amateur), father (professional) and older brother (amateur) into the sport. He then racked up an impressive mark of 143-12. In addition to winning the National Golden Gloves, Denson also was a 2019 Junior Olympic Qualifier, and 2016 Junior Olympic champion.

Tyshawn Denson Knockdown
In the same card, super flyweight Trinidad Vargas of Grand Prairie, Texas went to 4-0 with a four-round unanimous decision over Angel Morales.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards.

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run of shows at UFC APEX with an exciting featherweight clash, as No. 11 ranked contender Sodiq Yusuff collides with No. 13 Edson Barboza. Also on the card, No. 13 ranked bantamweight contender Jonathan Martinez faces off with fellow standout No. 14 Adrian Yanez.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: YUSUFF vs. BARBOZA will take place Saturday, October 14 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will stream exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish with the prelims beginning at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT followed by the main card at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

Yusuff (13-2, fighting out of Bladensburg, Md.) intends to deliver his best performance yet in his first UFC main event. A signee from season two of Dana White’s Contender Series, Yusuff has proven himself as one of the toughest outs in the stacked featherweight division with wins over Alex Caceres, Andre Fili and Gabriel Benitez. He now looks to secure the biggest victory of his career by taking out Barboza in his first Octagon appearance of 2023.

Barboza (23-11, fighting out of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) returns to action planning to show that he can still compete with the best in the division. Owner of some of the greatest highlights in UFC history, he cemented himself as a devastating finisher in victories over Terry Etim, Beneil Dariush and Dan Hooker. Barboza now seeks to remain undefeated for the year and set himself up for a Top 10 bout in 2024.

Martinez (18-4, fighting out of Plainview, Texas) looks to defend his spot in the rankings and begin his run towards the bantamweight title. A rangy striker, he has quietly built an impressive five-fight win streak that includes victories over with Cub Swanson, Said Nurmagomedov and Vince Morales. Martinez now aims to extend his streak to six in his second UFC co-main event.

Always entertaining Yanez (16-4, fighting out of Houston, Texas) plans to make a statement with another signature KO. A top prospect since being signed from Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020, Yanez has secured a post-fight bonus in all five of his UFC wins, including those over Tony Kelly, Davey Grant and Randy Costa. He now has his sights set on snapping the win streak of Martinez in emphatic fashion.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 9 ranked flyweight contender Jennifer Maia (21-9-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) looks to secure the longest win streak of her UFC career against No. 10 Viviane Araujo (11-5, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil)
• Featherweight veteran Darren Elkins (27-11, fighting out of Portage, Ind.) takes on TJ Brown (17-10, fighting out of Little Rock, Ark.) in an all-action contest
• Entertaining middleweights collide as Marc-Andre Barriault (16-6 1NC, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada) faces Michel Pereira (28-11, fighting out of Tucuma, Para, Brazil)
• Bantamweight prospects Christian Rodriguez (9-1, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) and Cameron Saaiman (9-0, fighting out of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa) intend to make a statement in an early Fight of the Night contender
• Irina Alekseeva (5-1, fighting out of Chelyabinsk, Russia) aims to spoil the UFC debut of undefeated Melissa Dixon (5-0, fighting out of Coventry, England) in a bantamweight bout
• Terrance McKinney (14-6, fighting out of Spokane, Wash.) and Chris Duncan (11-1, fighting out of Alloa, Scotland, United Kingdom) lock horns in a battle of lightweight finishers
• Ashley Yoder (8-8, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.) and Emily Ducote (12-8, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.) meet in a strawweight tilt

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 233 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 active fighter roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global sports and entertainment company Endeavor and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

About ESPN

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

LOS ANGELES (SEPTEMBER 19, 2023)–Wise Owl Boxing Management has signed former world title challenger Brandon Adams.

Adams of Los Angeles has a record of 23-3 with 15 knockouts. The 34-year-old Adams is a distinguished fighter in the junior middleweight and middleweight divisions.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to manage Brandon. Brandon is an elite fighter at the pinnacle of his career and his time is now. He’s hungry and motivated and has a new team behind him to push him to the next level. He’s proven himself as a force to be reckoned with and has shared the ring with some of the very best fighters in the world. He showed that he is willing to fight anybody as he jumped in there with Charlo at middleweight on four week’s notice. His charismatic personality shines inside and outside of the ring. I can’t wait to see him in action where he can showcase his skills and show the world who he is,” said Mark Habibi of Wise Owl Management

“”I am super excited to be working with Mark and Wise Owl Boxing. This is an opportunity to start fresh and get straight to work. I am looking forward to seeing what is out there for me,” said Adams.

Adams began boxing at the age of 18 and had a very brief amateur career that saw him go 4-2.

Adams won his first 12 bouts before entering the Boxcino Tournament. Adams defeated distinguished fighters Daniel Edouard (23-4-2) and Raymond Gatica (14-2) before losing to Willie Monroe Jr. in the final.

The very next year, Adams dropped down to junior middleweight and made it to the finals of that tournament with wins over Alex Perez (18-1) and Vito Gasparyan (15-3-5).

The third time was the charm as Adams then starred on The Contender series as he was crowned champion as he defeated Tyrone Brunson (26-6-2), Ievgen Khytrov (17-1), Eric Walker (17-1) and 10-round beatdown of Shane Mosley Jr. (13-2) in the final.

That win parlayed Adams to a shot at WBC Middleweight champion Jermall Charlo.

After his spirited effort against Charlo on June 29, 2019, Adams came back with two impressive wins as he stopped Sanny Duversonne (11-2-2) in two rounds, and then on March 4, 2021, Adams stopped undefeated knockout artist Serhii Bohachuk in Puerto Rico.

Philadelphia (September 19, 2023) –For the second time in four months, Joey Dawejko won a unanimous decision over Colby Madison in a heavyweight bout a Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia.

The eight-round win garnered Dawejko the WBC U.S. Heavyweight title and headlined an eight-bout card that was promoted by King’s Promotions.

Dawejko dominated the action by landing quick power shots that kept Madison at bay. Dawejko’s shots had Madison thinking twice about trying to attack. in round eight, Dawejko scored two knockdowns to sew up the victory.

Dawejko of Philadelphia won by scores of 80-70, 79-71 and 78-72 and is now 26-10-4. Madison of Baltimore is 11-6-2.

The fight was a rematch of a May 2nd fight for which Dawejko also won a unanimous decision at the same venue.

Quadir Albright dropped Demarcus Layton twice en-route to an 82 second stoppage in a six-round welterweight bout.

Albright of Philadelphia is 9-1 with nine knockouts. Layton of Little Rock, Arkansas is 9-6-1.

Dewayne Williams scored a mild upset as he stopped Brendan O’Callaghan in round two of their six-round middleweight bout.

The time of the stoppage was 42 seconds for Williams of Philadelphia, who is now 4-7-1 with four knockouts. O’Callaghan of Philadelphia is 5-3-1.

Jackie McTamney made a successful pro debut with a fourth and final round stoppage over Brittany Dukes in a featherweight bout.

The time of the stoppage was 59 seconds of the final frame for the Philadelphia native McTamney who is 1-0 with one knockout. Dukes of Kansas City is 0-5-1.

Tevon Watson dropped Tyler Zwicharowski three times, and that was the difference in their four-round middleweight bout.

Watson of Fort Worth, Texas took the unanimous decision by scores of 38-35 on all cards to go to 1-0. Zwicharowski of Philadelphia is 1-2.

Najeem Johns won a six-round unanimous decision over Muhammad Robinson in a battle of undefeated super lightweights.

Johns of Philadelphia won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice and is now 5-0. Robinson of Baltimore is 6-1.

Canar Morrison won a four-round unanimous decision over Vincent Floyd in a middleweight bout.

Morrison of Harrisburg, PA won by scores of 40-36 twice and 40-35 and is now 5-1. Floyd of Philadelphia is 5-16-1.

Ibrahim Robinson took a six-round unanimous decision over Elizer Olmeda in a welterweight fight.

Robinson of Baltimore won by tallies of 60-53 twice and 59-54 and is 6-0-1. Olmeda of Gloucester, NJ is 3-4.

Orange County, CA; On July 20, 2000, Erin Toughill made her pro boxing debut on a Roy Englebrecht Promotions Battle in The Ballroom show at the Irvine Marriott. Today 23 years later, Roy Englebrecht, CEO of Englebrecht Promotions & Events announced that he has hired Erin Toughill to be the new Vice President of Fighter Relations and Matchmaking for his Southern California based company.

Erin will take over for Englebrecht’s boxing matchmaker Chuck Bosecker who is taking some time off, and current Englebrecht Promotions & Event MMA matchmaker Mel Valenzuela who will continue his matchmaking work for BYB Bare Knuckle and A1 Combat.

“Talk about coming full circle,” said Englebrecht. “Erin has been a friend since she debuted for me and she has attended many of our Fight Club OC shows over the years. What makes this hiring unique is that Erin will be the only boxing and MMA matchmaker that was a pro fighter herself and will be able to speak to fighters on their level. She will bring a skill level to her position that most matchmakers do not have in dealing with fighters and understanding them. I couldn’t be happier for her. This hiring is historic as Erin will be the first matchmaker in combative sports history that was both a pro boxer and pro MMA fighter.”

Toughill has been involved in combat sports for nearly 30 years, having competed in three disciplines: boxing, mixed martial arts, and bareknuckle boxing. She is the first and only woman to be ranked in the Top Five in both MMA and boxing simultaneously. She fought Laila Ali on national television for the first ever women’s WBC Super Middleweight belt in 2005. She was the #1 ranked MMA fighter at 155 pounds and was signed by Strikeforce in 2008 but did not compete for the San Jose company because of an injury. Erin knocked out future Bellator champion Marloes Coenon in a war in Japan in 2004. For the last 20 years Toughill has trained both male and female fighters in all combat sports and for the past four years has been mentoring under Hall of Fame boxing coach Buddy McGirt.

“I am honored that Roy Englebrecht has asked me to join his company as Vice President of Fighter Relations & Matchmaking,” said Toughill. “As a former fighter, I am extremely passionate about boxing and MMA as well as the welfare of the combatants. Female athletes have made huge advancements in combat sports over the last decade, and I am thrilled to be given the opportunity where I can continue to provide value to the sport in a different capacity. My goal is to cultivate strong relationships between myself and the fighters and to assist in their growth and visibility.”

“Without a doubt my son Drew and I have been blessed to have had Chuck and Mel handle our matchmaking over the past 10+ years and we have witnessed some of the best fights to date. They are one of the reasons Fight Club OC is considered the premier club fight promotion in the country and ‘the most fun you can have on a Thursday night in Orange County’ and I know with a doubt Erin will continue on with this tradition… Fights Guaranteed,” continued Englebrecht.

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – (Sept. 19, 2023) – Young wolf Adam Azim (9-0, 6 KO’s) is on the title trail: the 21-year-old prodigy heads to Wolverhampton on Saturday, November 18th to sink his teeth into defending EBU European Super Lightweight Champion Franck Petitjean (24-6-3, 6 KO’s), live and exclusive on Sky Sports. 

Having been guided by BOXXER into a position to fight for the EBU title – a slot hotly contested by other British promoters – Azim is gunning for European gold in just his tenth professional bout. If victorious, he will follow in the footsteps of his oft-cited inspiration ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed in winning an EBU title while barely into his twenties and will catapult himself towards major world title contention.

After winning the French national championship and mounting three successful defences, southpaw Petitjean successfully stepped up to European level for his first stint as EBU super-lightweight level then challenged for the IBO world championship in 2018. He reclaimed the EBU title in June this year and will make the first defence of his second championship reign against Azim on November 18th.

“I’ve always loved a challenge and the fact that I can take part in a major event abroad is very motivating. I’m looking forward to pushing Adam to the limit and, of course, returning to France victorious!” said defending EBU European Super Lightweight Champion Petitjean.

“I am so excited for this fight – fighting for the EBU title in just my tenth fight is massive for me. I’m ready to put on a show and bring that belt home with me on November 18th,” said Azim.

Also entering the wolf’s lair on November 18th is EBU European Middleweight Champion Matteo Signani (32-6-3, 12 KO’s). He will defend his title against the Black Country’s own Tyler Denny (17-2, 3 KO’s), who hails from nearby Birmingham and will have an enormous wolfpack of supporters behind him when he enters the ring. 

Known as “Il Giaguaro” (‘The Jaguar’), Italian veteran Signani has held the EBU Middleweight Championship twice, having reclaimed the belt in November with a TKO stoppage victory following a June technical decision loss. Signani is now 9-1 in his last ten outings.

Denny’s career resurgence in the last two years has thrilled British fight fans. The Midlands miracle man is 4-0 under the BOXXER banner, with three of those wins being successful English Middleweight Championship bouts, and now steps up another level and looks to add the European title to his collection.

“I feel very good and I will be stronger than ever for the challenge with Tyler Denny. I respect him and I have to recognize that he’s a tough guy for challenging me, but I’m Il Giaguaro, the champion, and I will stay that way for a long time to come. It will be a war – blood, sweat, glory!” said EBU European middleweight champion Signani.

Title challenger Denny said, “I’m expecting the hardest fight of my career but I’m more than ready and more than capable. I’m going to have an army of fans with me on fight night and the atmosphere is going to be incredible. I will become European champion on November 18th – that belt is staying in the Midlands!”

Ben Shalom, BOXXER CEO, said, “The journey with Adam Azim reaches new heights with every outing. Boxing knows what an incredible talent he is and to be challenging for the European title at 21 years of age, in just his tenth professional outing, speaks volumes about his ability inside the ring and the great work done by the BOXXER matchmaking team outside it. 

“Franck Petitjean has a lot of experience and is the toughest opponent Azim will have faced to date. It’s a huge test but if he passes it then the sky really is the limit – we’ll be looking at world title opportunities for him next year as he looks to keep that promise he made to Amir Khan and win a world title even quicker than he did.

“The Tyler Denny story is having another incredible and definitely the biggest chapter added to it. Two years ago we looked at him and saw a boxer who had great potential but who hadn’t had the right opportunities at the right time. He’s gone 4-0 with BOXXER, he’s the English middleweight champion and now he’s stepping up for a European title. I honestly can’t wait to see if Tyler Denny can achieve something more boxers can only dream of. His army of supporters will be in full force on fight night.” 

BOXXER: WOLVES AT THE DOOR takes place Saturday, November 18th at The Halls, Wolverhampton and airs live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland. Further bouts for the card will be announced in the near future.

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

Sign up for presale tickets at BOXXER.com. 

William Zepeda stopped former world title challlenger Mercito Gesta in round six of their 12-round lightweight bout at The Commerce Casino in Commerce, California.

Zepeda began his relentless offensive assault in round two and in round three began to swell the eyes of Gesta. In round five, Zepeda viciously battered Gesta all over the ring. Zepeda landed a staggering 217 power punches through five rounds. In round six, Zepeda beat up Gesta on the ropes as he landed about 20 unanswered shots and the fight was stopped at 1:31.

Zepeda, 134.3 lbs of San Mateo Attenco, MEX is 29-0 with 25 knockouts. Gesta, 134.2 lbs of Mandaue City PHI is 34-4-3.

“I am ready for the big fights out there – whether it be Devin Haney or even a Shakur Stevenson. Those are the guys who have the belts and that’s what I want next,” said William Zepeda. “There are incredible fights for me in my division, and I trust that Golden Boy will do what they can to get me to become a World Champion. I am ready to go home, rest and recover peacefully at home.”

Victor Morales remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Edwin Palomares in a featherweight fight.

In round 10, Morales was cut over his right eye.

Morales landed 162 of 434 punches. Palomares was 136 of 564.

Morales, 126 lbs of Vancouver, WA won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 96-94 and is now 19-0-1. Palomares, 125.4 lbs of Mexico City is 18-5-2.

“I hoped I showed Oscar and the team tonight that I am a warrior in the ring, and I can push through anything,” said Victor Morales Jr. “I am happy we get to take our belt back home with us.”

Yokasta Valle defended the IBF/WBO Minimumweight titles with a 10-round unanimous decision over Maria Santizo.

Valle landed 98 of 292 punches. Santizo was 79 of 435.

Valle, 105 lbs of Matahalpa, NIC won by scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice and is now 29-2. Santizo, 104.2 lbs of Gutamala City, GUA is 11-4.

“I knew she was going to bring everything,” said Yokasta Valle. “She was training in Los Angeles to get incredible sparring and I knew she was well prepared for our fight. I am going to take a week off and enjoy the Costa Rican beaches and get back to training so I can be ready to fight on November 4 no matter who the opponent is.”

Darius Fulgham remained perfect with a second round stoppage over Ricardo Luna in a scheduled eight-round light heavyweight bout.

In round one, Luna was cut on his forehead. In round two, Fukgham landed a left hook to the side of the head that put Luna on a knee. Luna got to his feet, but the fight was a waved off at 1:30.

Fulgham, 170.8 lbs of El Paso, TX is 7-0 with seven knockouts. Luna, 170.8 lbs of Mexico City is 25-11-2.

Eric Priest remained undefeated with an eight-round majority decision over Simon Madsen in a middleweight bout.

Priest landed 121 of 284 punches. Madsen landed 104 of 360.

Preiest, 158.8 lbs of Wichita Falls, TX won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 76-76 and is now 11-0. Madsen, 158.6 lbs of Cancun, MEX is 13-2.

Daniel Garcia won a six-round unanimous decision over Erick Benitez in a lightweight fight.

Garcia, 132 lbs of Denver, CO is 7-0. Benitez, 131.6 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 4-5.

Alejandro Reyes won a six-round majority decision over Roberto Gomez in a super lightweight bout.

In round five, Reyes was bleeding over the left eye.

Reyes, 139.6 lbs of Mexicali, MEX won by scores of 59-55, 58-56 and 57-57 and is now 11-0. Gomez, 140 lbs of Mexico City is 5-2.

Gael Cabrera won a six-round super lightweight bout over Juan Centeno in a super featherweight bout.

In round three, Centeno was cut on the lip. In the same round, Cabrera was cut on the right eyebrow.

Cabrera, 126.2 lbs of Sonora, MEX won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 2-0. Centeno, 127.6 lbs of Managua, NIC is 8-9-4.

Jordan Cervantes won a four-round unanimous decision over Giovanny Meza in a super lightweight bout.

Cervantes, 136.4 lbs of East LA, CA won by scores of 40-36 on cards and is now 1-0. Meza, 137.2 lbs of El Paso, TX is 0-5.

Fall River, MA (September 16, 2023)

Despite being a amateur boxing hotbed, Fall River, Massachusetts has not seen a professional bout in over 30 years. That all changes tonight when Boston Boxing Promotions presents “Fall River Brawl” at the legendary Fall River PAL, a venue which has seen the likes of legends such as Marvelous Marvin Hagler compete in its intimate setting.

In the main event, two Fall River natives will go head to head for local bragging rights and civic pride when Kyle Cusick takes on Johnny Kim just blocks away from where Lizzie Borden and her infamous axe put Fall River on the map.

For Cusick, who is trained by local boxing folk hero, Libby Medeiros and trains upstairs at the PAL, a throwback gym whose walls are covered in yellowed posters that showcase the town and the venue’s long boxing history, it’s a dream come true.

“Boxing has such a rich history in Fall River, from being home to the Southern New England Golden Gloves to multiple gyms and professional fighters currently in the city, it’s almost unreal that it has been 33 years since there has been a professional fight card here. To be the main event in my hometown, in the same building as my gym and to have my longtime trainer Libby Medeiros, who cornered Ray Oliveria in the last main event here, in my corner, it’s literally a dream come true.”, explains Cusick.

Boston Boxing Promotions President, Peter Czymbor agrees with Cusick.

“We always have fighters and fans from Fall River who appear on and attend our events in Northern Massachusetts and New Hampshire that have asked for us to head south and do an event here.The time has finally come and the excitement the city has already shown for the event has proven it’s long overdue. Kyle is one of our favorite fighters and people so it’s fitting he gets to be the main event.”

Along with Cusick vs. Kim, the night will also feature Fall River fighters, Stephen Langlais in his farewell fight and heavyweight, Chris Aiello in his professional debut as well the professional debut of Cuban transplant Raidel Rodriguez against 40 fight veteran Brandon Blue.

Handling the night’s PPV commentating duties will be Boston Boxing Promotions’ always lively team of BoxRec’s Grey Johnson and musician/fighter, Chris Jay as well as Fall River trainer Aaron Bernardo along with special guests.

Full Line Up

Kyle Cusick vs. Johnny Kim

(Fall River, MA)  (Fall River, MA)

4 Rounds – Middleweights

Stephen Langlais vs. Russ Kimber

(Fall River, MA)    (Peabody, MA)

6 Rounds – Cruiserweights

Raidel Rodriguez  vs. Brandon Baue

(Seekonk, MA) (St. Louis, MO)

4 Rounds – Welterweights

Chris Aiello vs. Aquilla Prote

(Fall River, MA)      (Boston, MA)

4 Rounds – Heavyweights

Mario “Christoper” Ramirez vs. Michael Taylor

(Simi Valley, CA)      (Cortland, NY)

4 Rounds – Junior Middleweights

Cusick vs. Kim takes place tonight Saturday, September 16 at The PAL in Fall River, Massachusetts. Limited tickets will be available at the door and fans can watch at www.CombatSportsNow.com

ABOUT BOSTON BOXING PROMOTIONS

Boston Boxing Promotions was founded in 2013 and is dedicated to the resurgence of professional boxing at the regional level, particularly in the New England area. Since that time, it has presented professional boxing events in places like Boston, Cape Cod, New Bedford and New Hampshire. In 2020, Boston Boxing Promotions was the first independent boxing promoter on the east coast to hold an event during the pandemic. The event led to a popular series of empty venue shows broadcast live and for free on YouTube watched by tens of thousands of fans around the world. Boston Boxing Promotions returned to live audiences with The Great American Boxing Bash in the summer of 2021 which featured 3 consecutive sold out weekends at the The Castleton

?in Windham, New Hampshire. Their annual Thanksgiving Eve Boxing Spectacular has become a tradition for hardcore boxing fans with 5 consecutive sellouts including the 2022 edition which received extensive news coverage on television and in print. 2023 marks Boston Boxing Promotions’ 10th Anniversary and the company, run by Peter Czymbor and Nick DiSalvo has become one of the most popular and well respected club boxing promoters in the country.

Ramon Cardenas stopped previously undefeated Rafael Pedroza in round two of their 10-round syper bantamweight bout at the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas.

In round two, Cardenas dropped Pedroza with a left hook. Seconds later, Cardenas landed a perfect left to the jaw that dropped Pedroza again and the fight was stopped at 1:22.

Cardenas, 121.8 lbs. of San Antonio, Texas is 23-1 with 12 knockouts. Pedroza, 122 lbs. of Panama City, PAN is 15-1.

Mirco Cuello remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Rudy Garcia in a featherweight bout.

In round one, Cuello was cut over the right eye. In round two, Garcia was cut over the left eye. In round five, Cuello was credited with a knockdown after landing a shot on the inside.

Cuello, 125.2 lbs. of Arroyo Seco, Santa Fe, ARG won by scores of 99-90 on all cards and is now 12-0. Garcia, 125.3 lbs. of Los Angeles is 13-1-1.

Freudis Rojas remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Saul Bustos in a welterweight fight

Rojas landed 150 of 417 punches. Bustos was 54 of 263.

Rojas, 146.8 lbs. of Las Vegas won by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice and is now 12-0. Bustos, 146.7 lbs. of Los Angeles is 15-2-1.

MIAMI, FL (September 15, 2023)—The World’s Greatest Promoter, Don King, just celebrated his 92^nd birthday, and while he’s been partying non-stop, he’s been working non-stop to put together another boxing card that is a night that fans will remember.  That birthday celebration will continue in his next non-stop promotion in his “Only in America 92 Celebration” as he has put together a boxing extravaganza like no other set for Saturday, Nov. 4 at Casino Miami Jai Alai.

“We are bringing the public a boxing card, where all the fights will be co-feature events,” said King.

“One great fight after another.  It will be an action-packed night to remember and we have more to come.”

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 Chris Howard (18-2-1, 8 KOs) for the “People’s Championship”.   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..

The clash of two titans will take place in the  WBC Cruiserweight Championship 12-round bout featuring the top two ranked fighters as the top ranked  and mandatory Silver Champion Noel Mikaelian (26-2, 11 KOs) from Miami via Armenia will get his toughest test as he takes on former champion Ilunga Makabu (29-3, 25 KOs) of 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.

On top of those two blockbusters will be two heavyweight attractions.

The  WBA NABA Gold Heavyweight Champion, Jonathan Guidry (19-1-2, 11 KOs) from Dulac, LA will defend his title against the WBC FECARBOX Heavyweight champion, Jesus Escalera (18-0, 18 KOs) from Riverview, FL via Puerto Rico.

The other heavyweight attraction will feature former WBA Heavyweight Champion Trevor Bryan (22-1, 15 KOs) returning to the ring after losing his title to face Cassius Chaney (22-1, 15 KOs) from New London, CT.

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 this spectacular night of boxing as he defends his title against Mark “The Bazooka”  DeLuca (30-4, 18 KOs) of Quincy, MA.

Tickets, priced from $50, go on sale and can be purchased at www.playcasinomiami.com. Ringside tables are $3000. next level tables $2500, ringside seats $750 and side seats are $200 and $100. General Admission tickets at $50.

Xander Zayas stopped Roberto Valenzuela Jr. in round five of their 10-round junior middleweight bout.

Halfway through round one, Zayas dropped Valenzuela with a left hook. Later in the round, the two got tangled, but Zayas landed a right hand that put Valenzuela down for a second time. Zayas continued to beat up and batter Valenzuela until the bout was stopped at 42 seconds.

Zayas, 153.7 lbs of San Juan, PR is 17-0 with 11 knockouts. Valenzuela, 153.4 lbs of Agua Prieto, MEX 21-5.

Emiliano Fernando Vargas stopped Alejandro Guardado in round three of a six-round lightweight bout.

Vargas hurt and landed a hard flurry and was very impressive until the bout was stopped at 1:37.

Vargas, 135.8 lbs of Las Vegas is 7-0 with six knockouts. Guardado, 136.3 lbs of Sevilla, SPA is 5-1.

Julio Luna won an eight-round unanimous decision over Omar Aguilar in a welterweight contest.

Luna, 146.6 lbs of Gomez Palcios, MEX won by scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75 and is now 21-1-2. Aguilar, 146.6 lbs of Ensenada, MEX is 25-2.

John Rincon remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Bryan Ismael Rodriguez Rivera in a welterweight fight.

Rincon, 143.4 lbs of Corpus Christi, TEX won by scores of 60-54 twice and 58-56 and is now 8-0. Rivera, 143.9 lbs of Caguas, PR is 4-2-1.

Jermaine Ortiz won a 10-round unanimous decision over Antonio Moran in a junior welterweight bout.

In round six, Moran began to bleed from the nose. In round eight, Ortiz was cut under the right eye.

Ortiz, 137.8 lbs of Worcester, MA won by scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93 and is now 17-1-1. Moran, 137.5 lbs of Mexico Cuty is 29-6-1.

Former world title challenger Ruben Villa IV won an eight-round unanimous decision over Brandon Valdes in a featherweight bout.

Villa, 126.7 lbs of Salinas, CA won by scores of 78-74 on all cards and is now 21-1. Valdes, 126.9 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is 15-4.

Tiger Johnson remained undefeated with a eight-round majority decision over Ricardo Quiroz in a junior welterweight fight.

Johnson, 141,7 lbs of Cleveland won by scores of 79-73 twice and 76076 and is now 10-0. Quiroz, 141.6 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 13-3.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (September 15, 2023) – The always entertaining John “Scrappy” Ramirez (12-0, 8 KOs) will co-headline the Zurdo vs. Smith Jr. card with a 10-round, WBA Super Flyweight Final Eliminator fight against Panama City, Panama’s Ronal Batista (15-3, 9 KOs). The winner of the scrap will move on to fight for a world title. The highly anticipated fight night is presented in collaboration with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, will take place live from The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and live around the world on DAZN beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Zurdo vs. Smith Jr. are priced at $200, $150, $100 and $50 plus applicable fees. A limited amount of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available for purchase with exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades included. Standard and VIP tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or GoldenBoyPromotions.com. 

Bektemir “The Bully” Melikuziev (12-1, 9 KOs) of Shoimbek, Uzbekistan, who also proudly represents Indio, California, will face Upper Marlboro, Maryland’s Alantez “SlyAza” Fox (28-4-1, 13 KOs). “The Bully” is returning after a successful rematch against boxing veteran Gabriel Rosado in April 2023 that saw him become the WBA Intercontinental Super Middleweight Titleholder which he will defend on October 7. Opening the DAZN broadcast, Tristan “Sweet T” Kalkreuth (11-1, 8 KOs) of Carolton, Texas will face a soon-to-be-announced opponent in a six-round cruiserweight fight. Kalkreuth’s last fight in July left fan’s jaws on the floor after a vicious knockout and a backflip to celebrate. 

On the preliminary undercard Golden Boy’s favorites are scheduled to return against soon-to-be announced opponents. Fort Lauderdale’s Eric Tudor (9-0, 6 KOs) will participate in an eight-round super welterweight fight. After an explosive, second round knockout on September 7, recently signed Daniel “Ikaika” Luna (3-0, 3 KOs) will hope to repeat history with a four-round super lightweight fight.

Also part of the preliminaries, in an eight-round junior middleweight fight is Star Boxing’s Jahyae “Golden Child” Brown (13-1 9KO’s), who will face off against Youngstown, Ohio’s Victor Toney (7-2-1 6KO’s). Also on the undercard is Star Boxing’s undefeated, New Jersey prospect, Rajon “Picasso” Chance (8-0-1 6KO’s), who will measure up in an eight-round featherweight fight against Orlando Perez Zapata (13-0 9KO’s) of Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic.

###

Zurdo vs. Smith Jr. is a 12-round cruiserweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Star Boxing. The event will be available worldwide to all subscribers on DAZN, both live and on demand.

Media interested in covering the fight can apply for a credential at: https://www.emccredentials.com/10-07-23. Applications are due EOD, October 2, 2023.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.StarBoxing.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @StarBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy, www.facebook.com/StarBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy, @StarBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #ZurdoSmith

NEW YORK (September 15, 2023) – TONIGHT, two Split-T Management fighters will be in action in North America.

In Corpus Christi, Texas, undefeated junior welterweight Delante Johnson takes on Roberto Quiroz in an eight-round bout.

Johnson of Cleveland, Ohio is 9-0 with five knockouts. The 25-year-old has wins over Xavier Madrid (3-0), Esteban Garcia (15-1), Mike Ohan Jr, (16-1) and his last bout when Johnson took an eight-round unanimous decision over Jonthan Montrel (15-1) on July 1st in Toledo, Ohio.

Quiroz of Oxnard, California is 13-2 with seven knockouts. The 26-year-old has defeated Jose Antonio Marino (5-1), Martin Leon Morales (15-1), and is coming off a first-round stoppage over Gabriel Smith on April 21st in Santa Ynez, California.

Johnson, who is promoted by Top Rank, weighed in at 141.7 lbs. Quiroz was 141.6.

The bout can be seen live on ESPN+ at 6:30 ET..

Photo by Ed Mulholland / Matchroom

In Tijuana, Mexico, Melissa Odessa Parker takes on former world champion Erika Cruz Hernandez in a 10-round bout for the WBA Continental Americas Super Bantamweight title.

Parker of Spring, Texas is 6-1 with two knockouts. The 36-year-old has wins over three undefeated fighters in Kathryn Julia Paprocki, Brittany Sims and Mikenna Tansley.

Hernandez is 15-2 with three knockouts. The 33-year-old native of Mexico City has wins over Aida Rodriguez (5-0-2), Vissia Trovato (12-1) and Jocalyn Morales Torres (5-1-2).

On April 22, 2021, Hernandez won the WBA Featherweight title with a technical decision over Jelena Mrdjanovich. Hernandez made two defenses as he defeated Mrdjanovich in the rematch and defeated Melissa Esquivek (12-1).

Hernandez had a very spirited effort in losing a unanimous decision to Amanda Serrano for the undisputed title on February 4th in New York.

The bout can be seen live on DAZN at 8 PM ET

New York, NY (September 15, 2023) – DiBella Entertainment has joined Holden Productions in signing a co-promotional agreement with heavyweight McKenzie Morrison, son of legendary heavyweight Tommy Morrison.

The 33-year-old Morrison (20-1-2, 18 KOs) is best known to boxing fans for his fifth-round stoppage of Hasim Rahman Jr. in April 2022 at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas. The fight, billed as “Sons of Legends,” saw Morrison win the WBC USA heavyweight championship.

Morrison began training when he was 19 years old, foregoing college basketball scholarships that he’d earned as a standout in high school. He made his professional debut in October 2014, scoring a first-round knockout over Marvin Babe, despite never having stepped into the ring as an amateur. He would go on to remain unbeaten until his last fight in October 2022, when he lost on points to Robert Sims. 

Family legacy is important to Morrison. He trained with his father before the elder Morrison’s death in 2013. His father’s lessons stuck with him, including a mantra that Tommy would drill into his son: “Speed generates power.”

His father’s death devastated him. “I still had a goal,” said Morrison. “I just lost the one person that was guiding me.”

Said Morrison of his signing, “I have spent these past few days with my family and in prayer. God has led me to a career-altering decision that I am beyond excited to announce. My father, Tommy Morrison, had a lot of good people in his circle, but one of the most pivotal being Tony Holden. Another man I have looked up to during my career is Lou DiBella, one of the most influential promoters in boxing. DiBella and Holden made a decision to partner together to co-promote me in my career. Deciding to sign with Lou DiBella and Tony Holden as co-promoters has been one of the most important moments in my career thus far. I am beyond blessed, and excited to continue my adventure with these two amazing men in my corner.”

Morrison went on to say that he’d known Holden since childhood, and he was pleased that their relationship had come full circle.

“I’m pleased to be working with Kenzie Morrison and I’m confident that I can help him get the opportunities he’s working so hard for,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “I knew his dad well; he was an unforgettable heavyweight fighter with a huge heart. It’s my pleasure to help Kenzie chase his dreams and honor his father.”

“Kenzie is very athletic and gifted. I’m excited to see where he goes in the near future,” said Tony Holden, President of Holden Productions. “I promoted his father, Tommy Morrison, and he was a dear friend of mine, so it’s always special to work with Kenzie. I’m happy to join forces with my good friend Lou DiBella.”

For the past several years, Morrison, who lives in Fayetteville, AR, with his partner, Kristen, and their son, Sebastian, has trained with Kevin Lightburn at Straight Right Boxing & Fitness in nearby Springdale, AR. Look for him in the ring under the DiBella Entertainment banner in the coming months. 

In a battle of undefeated heavyweights, Federico Pacheco Jr. stopped Carlos Cardenas in round three in a scheduled four-round bout.

In round three, Pacheco dropped Cardenas with a left to the body. Seconds later, Pacheco landed two more body shots that put Cardenas down again and the fight was stopped at

Pacheco, 262 lbs of Los Angeles is 5-0 with four knockouts. Cardenas, 224 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 4-1.

4 x 3 mins Heavyweight contest 
 
Federico Pacheco Jr. (262lbs)        vs.     Carlos Cardenas (224lbs)
(Los Angeles, California)                          Guadalajara, Mexico             
 
Followed by
 
10 x 2 mins Interim WBC World Featherweight title
 
Sabrina Maribel Perez (125.7lbs)  vs.     Skye Nicolson (125.7lbs)
(Buenos Aires, Argentina)                        (Queensland, Australia)
 
Followed by
 
10 x 3 mins Featherweight contest
 
Kevin Barron Crespo (125.7lbs)     vs.     Christian Olivi Barreda (125.7lbs)
(Tijuana, Mexico)                                     (Hermosillo, Mexico)   
 
Followed by
 
10 x 2 mins WBA Continental Americas Super-Bantamweight title
 
Erika Cruz (122lbs)       vs.     Melissa Oddessa Parker (122lbs)
(Mexico City, Mexico)  (Spring, Texas)
 
Followed by
 
10 x 3 mins WBO NABO Lightweight title 
 
Angel Fierro (134.5lbs)         vs.     Brayan Zamarripa (134.5lbs)
(Tijuana, Mexico)                            (Baja California, Mexico)

September 14, 2023 – Undefeated Panamanian prospect Rafael Pedroza and San Antonio’s own Ramon Cardenas both made weight on Thursday, a day ahead of their 10-round super bantamweight main event showdown on SHOBOX: The New Generation tomorrow night, Friday, September 15 live on SHOWTIME at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT from Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas.

The exciting tripleheader includes fighters with a combined record of 88-2-2 and 54 knockouts all stepping up in competition. The co-main event will feature hard-hitting undefeated Argentine Mirco Cuello who returns to the U.S. for the first time since 2020 to battle undefeated Los Angeles native Rudy Garcia. Rounding out the card, undefeated KO artist Freudis Rojas, who made his SHOWTIME debut in July, meets once-beaten Californian Saul Bustos in an eight-round welterweight bout to open the telecast.

The card is promoted by Sampson Boxing. The card is co-promoted by Paco Presents Boxing.

FINAL WEIGHTS

Super Bantamweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Rafael Pedroza – 122 pounds

Ramon Cardenas – 121.8 pounds

Featherweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Mirco Cuello – 125.2 pounds

Rudy Garcia – 125.3 pounds

Welterweight Bout – 8 Rounds

Freudis Rojas – 146.8 pounds

Saul Bustos – 146.7 pounds

FINAL QUOTES

RAFAEL PEDROZA

“I know that Ramon Cardenas is a really tough fighter and I know he has a lot of skills but I trained really hard for this fight. I had a super camp, and it’s a must-win for me. I had great preparations and each fight out I mature mentally and physically. This will be another challenge to overcome but I feel ready for it.

“I know I have to win the respect of the public. I want to be known as a showman and as someone who knows how to perform so that people want to see me again and I’m able to come back to the United States to fight again because people ask for it. I really want to stand out and get noticed with this performance.  

“As for my game-plan, I know I can adjust to whatever my opponent does. I don’t want the judges to play a role in this fight. I really want to finish early. But I will adjust. If I have to box or if I have to brawl will depend on what my opponent does. But I know I will be able to take my opponent out of his game-plan. I’m taller and have the longer reach. My opponent is shorter.

“One of my influences growing up in Panama was definitely Roberto Duran. He’s inspirational and he’s helped many people get off drugs and their delinquencies. They see him as a path to a better life. He influences a lot of people. We have met and he’s certainly given me advice. He tells me to go in there and take care of business and to stay disciplined and to train every day.

“I can’t really say if Cardenas will be my toughest opponent. He’s a good fighter and he can punch but let’s see what happens when we meet in the ring.”

RAMON CARDENAS

“I’ve fought like nine times here in San Antonio, but mostly smaller shows. This is the biggest one for me, and a main event.

“I can’t really say if I’m the favorite or the underdog. Everything that he brings, I’ve already seen it. To be honest, I have watched 10 seconds of him. I think he has a good jab, but I don’t watch film because I don’t see the point of it. I let my coaches handle that.

“I have Adam Lopez in my corner. He’s a local legend and fought the most times on SHOBOX [eight times]. I learned a lot from watching him when I was younger.

“I have 22 wins and 11 KOs. You would say that’s not a big KO ratio, but I have some pop and that’s what all the fans will see on Friday night.”

MIRCO CUELLO

“All Argentinian fighters are aggressive and I’m not an exception.  My boxing style is aggressive, and I can fight on the inside and the outside.

“I know Rudy Garica is very active. I know he has a good left hand. I am ready for him.

“I have fought all over the world – Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Panama, Mexico, and the United States. And also the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. I feel like that has given me the experience and has allowed me to step up the level of competition and opponents that I have faced.

“My last fights in the U.S. were my first two pro fights in South Carolina in 2020. I just feel like I’m so much more focused now, and more relaxed, more professional.

“It’s a dream to be here and fighting on SHOWTIME. As a kid I was always watching guys like Marcos Maidana on SHOWTIME. This is a true dream come true.”

RUDY GARCIA

“I like fighting fighters who are aggressive and it always brings the best out of me. I feel like I’m both a boxer and a puncher. I can bring it both ways. I can work well inside, and also try to be a real technical boxer. Sometimes you just get in that fight mode and you want to give the fans what they want.

“I can fight on the ropes or I can put pressure on. I love putting pressure in a smart way. I’m not one of those fighters that likes to get hit.

“I don’t see too much from my opponent. He has a lot of rounds in the amateurs and we have just been concentrating on being disciplined in camp and sticking to the game plan.

“I think I can outlast him and go the distance. I’m certainly in the best shape for it.

“I idolize guys like Juan Manuel Marquez. It’s his counter-punching. He was aggressive and technically sound.

“One thing a lot of people don’t know about me is that I’m a history buff. I’d like to become a history teacher. I was going to college, but I stopped to concentrate on boxing. It’s my goal to get back into it later, or maybe get into law enforcement.”

FREUDIS ROJAS

“We’ve been working a lot on the inside and sparring with people that way. I’ve been working on not being a one-dimensional fighter and someone who people can figure out. If I have to fight backwards, I’ll fight backwards. If I have to fight with lateral movement, I’ll fight with lateral movement. If I have to stay in there and box, I’ll stay in there and box. If I have to stay in there and bang with him, I will.

“If a knockout happens, it happens. But I have to stick to my game plan. I’ve been working with a lot of pressure fighters and we’re ready. I think people will see a different Freddy. Everyone is so used to seeing me box and move, box and move. But I’m going to stay in there and mix it up with him.

“We’ll see what kind of fight he brings. We have some tricks ready for him. I have to be ready to fight a boxer who’s going to stand in there.

“I couldn’t care less about the knockout streak and stuff like that. I’m not known to be a knockout artist.

“Fighting on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP was amazing [beating Diego Sanchez by TKO7 in July]. I was just so happy and I caught myself between rounds looking up at the screen and saying, ‘Damn, I’m really here.’ You know, as a kid you dream of being on that stage, but you never expect it will happen. I was so happy from the press conference to the end of the fight. I just had so much fun.

“I’m excited to face a guy with a famous coach like Freddie Roach. I mean, he’s Manny Pacquiao’s coach. He has an amazing coach in his corner.”

SAUL BUSTOS

“Rojas has the height and will try and use that to his advantage, but I’m not fearful of him. I know he’s undefeated and has a lot of knockouts, but I feel like I’m ready to rise to the challenge. I respect him for giving me this opportunity. I’m excited to showcase my skill set.

“I’ve been sparring taller guys, like 6-foot-2, and 154 pounders. I’m not really too worried about his size.

“I started working with Freddie Roach in August of 2021, but this will be my first fight with him in my corner because he wasn’t available for the others.

“I can’t say a lot about Rojas’ power, but I would say his power looks a little padded to me. In a way I don’t think it’s real, but I’ll soon find out.

“I’m more of a boxer. I wouldn’t say I’m a brawler. But I do like to bring the action.”

# # #

International Boxing Hall of Famer Barry Tompkins calls the blow-by-blow action for SHOBOX with fellow Hall of Famer Steve Farhood joining the team remotely as the unofficial scorer. Former world champion Raul Marquez and veteran combat sports reporter and MORNING KOMBAT co-host Brian Campbell will serve as ringside expert analysts. The executive producer of SHOBOX: The New Generation is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

# # #

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

About SHOBOX: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series SHOBOX: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The SHOBOX philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 90 fighters who have appeared on SHOBOX and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more. 

New York, NY (September 14, 2023) – DiBella Entertainment is proud to announce the signing of Australian heavyweight sensation “Big Bad” Joe Goodall (10-1-1, 9 KOs). With an impressive amateur record and an innate talent for the sport, Goodall brings with him world class experience and a determination to get to a world title. 

The six-foot-five Joe Goodall had an illustrious amateur career that included approximately 90 fights, of which he won nearly 70. His accomplishments in the amateur ranks include winning a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games, where he defeated the formidable Efe Ajagba in the semi-final, ultimately losing to Joe Joyce in the final. Notably, Goodall also secured a bronze medal at the World Championships, becoming the first Australian heavyweight to achieve such a prestigious feat.

A six-time Australian champion and four-time Oceania champion, Goodall’s remarkable journey in boxing also includes a gold medal victory at the prestigious Felix Sturm Tournament in Germany. His name now stands alongside legends like Lennox Lewis.

Goodall wasn’t the first professional athlete in his family. His father was a professional football player in the Australian Football League (AFL). The younger Goodall was following in his father’s footsteps when a hip injury sidelined the talented player. At 17, after trying different sports, he decided to focus on boxing. His decision to lace up the gloves was nothing short of transformative, as he traveled the world competing in world class matches. 

In April 2018, Goodall made his professional debut, and quickly demonstrated his prowess within the squared circle, knocking out his first four opponents in the opening round.

Goodall caught the attention of boxing fans worldwide in July, when he upset Stephan Shaw (18-2, 13 KOs), stopping the heavyweight prospect in the sixth round of a scheduled eight-round bout.

Recently, Joe joined Coorparoo Boxing Gym, enlisting head coach Harry Costi as his trainer, with Chris Rose handling strength and conditioning duties.

“Joe Goodall is a big, physically imposing, athletic heavyweight. I was extremely impressed with his emphatic win over Stephan Shaw. It wasn’t an accident, though; Joe defeated Efe Ajagba in the amateurs,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “I strongly believe that Joe Goodall is coming into his own and will be a heavyweight championship contender. I’m thrilled to be working with him and his manager, Steve Scanlan.

“I’m really excited to be joining DiBella Entertainment,” said Goodall of the signing. “There are some huge fights out there for me and I look forward to showing not just Australia, but the world, who I am and what I am capable of. Having someone like Lou DiBella believe in me and my future is priceless. He has taken multiple people to world titles and I believe I will be the next one to achieve it with him. I want to keep on improving and taking big fights. Australia’s pool is limited and heavyweight boxing is in England or America. I want to fight at Wembley or the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for a world title. This partnership helps me achieve that. All I have to do is keep winning and that dream will come true.”

Steve Scanlan, Goodall’s manager, said of the signing, “We are very lucky to be partnering with DiBella Entertainment for Joe’s quest toward becoming a world champion. The heavyweight division is so exciting at the moment and we strongly believe that, with Lou’s support, Joe can be in some of the biggest heavyweight bouts Australia has ever seen. We had multiple offers on the table for Joe, but Lou stood out for us. He is an International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee and someone who we trust and believe in to guide Joe to the top. There aren’t many people better to have in your corner. The whole team at DiBella Entertainment has been a pleasure to deal with. We have agreed on a great strategy that works very well for Joe and fast tracks his rise to the top. I truly believe Joe is capable of mixing it with the best in the world and, with DiBella Entertainment behind us, it’s only a matter of time until that happens.”

Joe Goodall’s signing with DiBella Entertainment marks the beginning of an exciting chapter in his career. Stay tuned for updates as Joe Goodall embarks on his journey to boxing greatness.

Social Media

DiBella Entertainment

Instagram: @DiBellaEnt

Twitter: @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEnt

Facebook: @DiBellaEntertainment

Davantae Kirk improved to 5-0 with a first-round knockout over Larry Moore this past Friday night at the Motor City Casino in Detroit, Michigan, in front of a standing room only crowd.

Standing at 5’11” tall, Kirk dominated from the opening seconds of the bout. His power and skillset proved to be far too much for Moore to handle. The fight was waved off at the 1:53 mark of the opening stanza. 

Kirk plans on remaining very active throughout the rest of the year. With the increased activity, he plans on stepping up another notch in 2024. 

“It’s always good to get experience under the lights. The goal is to excel and make every performance better than my last. No time to celebrate. We’re right back in the lab,” Kirk stated after the victory. 

His advisor, former title challenger Bj Flores, was very pleased with the performance. 

He said the plan is for the Michigan native to get right back into action next month.

“5-0, and we are only getting better. We have a long ways to go but we realize nothing in life comes easy and we are prepared to do the work required. Look for Davantae to be featured in October with a much more established opponent. Massive shoutout to all those supporting Davantae to be his best and you know who you are,” said Flores. 

“Davantae has proven to be a big ticket seller in his local area of Detroit and his fans are excited to see what’s next for him. He will be right back in a 6 round fight in October.  You won’t want to miss it!”

 •  Luis Alberto Lopez 125.2 lbs. vs. Joet Gonzalez 126 lbs
(Lopez’s IBF Featherweight World Title – 12 Rounds)

   •   Xander Zayas 153.7 lbs vs. Roberto Valenzuela Jr. 153.4 lbs
(Zayas’ NABO/NABF Junior Middleweight Titles — 10 Rounds)

   •   Emiliano Fernando Vargas 135.8 lbs vs. Alejandro Guardado 136.3 lbs
(Lightweight — 6 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT)

•    Omar Aguilar146.6 lbs  vs. Julio Luna 146.6 lbs 
 (Vacant WBC USA Welterweight Title — 8 Rounds)

•    John Rincon143.4 lbs  vs. Bryan Ismael Rodriguez Rivera 143.9 lbs 
 (Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

•  Jamaine Ortiz 137.8 lbs  vs. Antonio Moran 137.5 lbs 
 (Junior Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•  Ruben Villa 126.7 lbs vs. Brandon Valdes 126.9 lbs
 (Featherweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Tiger Johnson 141.7 lbs vs. Ricardo Quiroz 141.6 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

New York, NY (September 14, 2023) – Heavyweight contender Jerry “Slugger” Forrest (26-6-2, 20 KOs), of Newport News, VA, returns to the ring tomorrow night near his hometown headlining an event at John Marshall Hall, in Richmond, VA. He will take on Robert Hall Jr. (14-1, 11 KOs) in the eight-round main event. The card, titled “Ritz & Rumble” and promoted by River City Promotions, will be streamed live on FITE+ at 7:00pm ET.

“I’m thrilled to get back into the ring after taking some time off after my last fight. I’ve studied Hall and I know he’s not as fast as me nor can he keep up with my pressure. I believe that no one can beat me when I’m 100 percent healthy and in shape. I’ve had a great training camp with my new head coach, Eric Ash, out of his gym, Vintage Boxing Gym & Fitness, in Richmond, VA. The gym is actually down the road from where one of Lou DiBella’s MiLB baseball teams, the Richmond Flying Squirrels, play. We went to a few games and the team helped promote the event with their fans,” said Forrest.

“Last year, I was dealing with injuries going into both of my fights. Following the Jared Anderson fight, I took some time off to heal and now I am fully healthy. After I get this win, I’ll be looking to get right back into the mix. There are a lot of opportunities at heavyweight right now and I’ve already proven that I can compete at the top of the division.”

Last year, Forrest battled rising contender Jared Anderson and former world title challenger Kubrat Pulev. In 2021, Forrest engaged in back-to-back slugfests, both of which ended in controversial draws, against then-undefeated Chinese southpaw Zhilei Zhang and a rematch against top-rated contender Michael Hunter. Most observers felt that Forrest deserved to win both bouts.

The heavy-handed southpaw was given the nickname “Slugger” by his grandmother after he survived complications from his birth. Forrest, whose father is a master chief petty officer in the US Navy aboard the USS Nimitz, was employed as a nuclear electrician for 10 years, working on submarines and aircraft carriers at the outset of his boxing career.

Forrest’s opponent tomorrow, the six-foot-three Hall Jr., from Johnson City, TN, is a former WBC USA titlist. He is coming off of a three-fight winning streak, all by knockout, following his only defeat in 2017. He has shown that he is a dangerous adversary and is capable of causing an upset, evidenced by his 10-round unanimous decision victory against the previously unbeaten prospect Dimar Ortuz.

Philadelphia (September 14, 2023)–Weights for Friday Night’s King’s Promotions card at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia.

Photo by Marc Abrams / King’s Promotions

Joey Dawejko 253.1 – Colby Madison 241.7

(WBC US Heavyweight Title)

Quadir Albright 147.7 – DeMarcus Layton 148.8

Brendan O’Callagham 158.2 – Dewayne Williams 158.4

Jackie McTamney 125.9 – Brittany Dukes 118

Muhammad Robinson 139.6 – Najeem Johns 138.8

Tyler Zwicharowski 154.5 – Tevon Watson 155.2

Canar Morrison 156.3 – Vincent Floyd 156.9

Ibrahim Robinson 146.8 – Elizer Olmeda 147.4

Promoter: King’s Promotions

Stream: BXNGTV.com

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone: Lopez vs. Gonzalez will be presented live this Friday, September 15, at 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT, on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ from American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

In the main event, Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez will defend his IBF featherweight world title against former two-time world title challenger Joet Gonzalez.

Lopez (28-2, 16 KOs) earned his shot at the IBF title in 2021, dethroning Josh Warrington in his hometown of Leeds, England. In his first defense, the 30-year-old traveled to Belfast and beat Michael Conlan via fifth-round TKO with a dazzling right uppercut. He is now looking to defend his crown against Gonzalez, a division mainstay during the past several years. Gonzalez (26-3, 15 KOs) debuted in the pro ranks in 2012 and was 23-0 before facing Shakur Stevenson for the vacant WBO featherweight title in 2019. The 29-year-old will now have his third opportunity at a world title after defeating Enrique Vivas via 10-round unanimous decision in April.

In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, rising Puerto Rican sensation Xander Zayas takes on Mexico’s Roberto Valenzuela Jr.  Since signing with Top Rank at 16, Zayas (16-0, 10 KOs) has been on a rapid trajectory to super stardom. The 21-year-old will make his second 2023 appearance after a 10-round unanimous decision win over Ronald Cruz during Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend in June. Valenzuela (21-4, 20 KOs) is a six-year pro and, at 24 years old, is coming off a third-round TKO victory against Daniel Vega in April.

The undercard will air exclusively on ESPN+ at 6:00 p.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. PT.

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

Digital, On Demand and Exclusive to ESPN+

ESPN.com 

Out Thursday: A Look at the Rising Stars by Nick Parkinson.

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 Twitter TikTok

Lopez vs. Gonzalez (All Times ET)

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a thrilling bout in the lightweight division, as No. 10 ranked contender Grant Dawson takes on the always exciting Bobby Green. Also on the card, middleweights Joe Pyfer and Abdul Razak Alhassan lock horns.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: DAWSON vs. GREEN will take place Saturday, October 7 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims beginning at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Dawson (20-1-1, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) steps into his first UFC main event with high expectations of making the most out of the opportunity. Unbeaten in his last 12 fights, the Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus has quickly risen through the 155-pound rankings by delivering dominant wins against Damir Ismagulov, Jared Gordon, and Leonardo Santos. Dawson now sets his sights on fan-favorite Green with hopes of delivering a statement performance.

Veteran standout Green (30-14-1 1NC, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.) returns to action looking to steal the show. With an impressive decade-long resume, Green has collected wins against the likes of Nasrat Haqparast, Al Iaquinta, and Clay Guida. Fresh off a submission victory over former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson, Green aims on maintaining that momentum by spoiling Dawson’s night in emphatic fashion.

Dana White’s Contender Series breakout star Pyfer (11-2, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) makes his second appearance of the year. After delivering stellar finishes against UFC middleweights Alen Amedovski and Gerald Meerschaert, the Philly striker has yet to have a boring moment inside the Octagon. Pyfer returns to where it all started at the UFC APEX to test himself against fellow knockout artist Alhassan.

Alhassan (11-5, fighting out of Denver, Colo. by way of Accra, Ghana) looks to keep his 100% finish rate intact and position himself for a big opportunity down the road. Proudly representing Ghana, Alhassan has made a name for himself by delivering highlight reel knockouts against formidable foes such as Claudio Ribeiro, Alessio Di Chirico, and Niko Price. He now aims on taking out Pyfer and securing back-to-back wins.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Alexander Hernandez (14-6, fighting out of Denver, Colo. by way of San Antonio, Texas) squares off with jiu-jitsu black belt Bill Algeo (17-7, fighting out ofKing of Prussia, Penn.)at featherweight
• Welterweights Alex Morono (23-8, 1 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) and Joaquin Buckley (16-6, fighting out of St. Louis, Miss.) look to make a statement
• Former strawweight title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz (16-7, fighting out of Lodz, Poland) looks for her fourth straight win as she battles Romanian prospect Diana Belbita (15-7, fighting out of Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada)
• Electric lightweights Drew Dober (26-12, 1 NC, Denver, Colo. by way of Omaha, Neb.) and Ricky Glenn (22-7-2, fighting out of Des Moines, Iowa) go toe-to-toe
• Brazil’s Philipe Lins (17-5, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) takes on the heavy-handed Ion Cutelaba (17-9-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Chisinau, Republic of Moldova) in a light heavyweight bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks
• No. 15 ranked bantamweight contender Chris Gutierrez (19-4-2, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) is scheduled to take on Montel Jackson (14-2, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) for three five-minute rounds
• At bantamweight, Aoriqileng (24-10, fighting out of Shanghai, China) faces Johnny Munoz (12-3, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico by way of Norco, Calif.)
• An action-packed flyweight contest sees Nate Maness (14-3, fighting out of Morganfield, Kentucky) battle Mateus Mendonca (10-1, fighting out of Pindare Mirim, Maranhao, Brazil)
• Vanessa Demopoulos (9-5, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Kanako Murata (12-2, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan) collide in a strawweight bout
• At flyweight Montana De La Rosa (12-8-1, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) takes on Stephanie Egger (8-4, fighting out of St. Gallen, Switzerland)

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.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 233 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 active fighter roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global sports and entertainment company Endeavor and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+  

About ESPN

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

LONG BEACH, CA (September 12, 2023) – This past Saturday at the at Infinite Reality Studios in Long Beach, CA, CBN Promotions held its first boxing event titled “New Blood” in association with Camponovo Sports Inc. “New Blood” broadcasted live in Spanish on FOX Deportes and will air on tape delay on Estrella TV. “New Blood” also livestreamed the entire card on www.FightStars.Network where you can watch the replay in English.

In the 8-round featherweight main event, Rigoberto Hermosillo (14-4-1, 9 KOs) from Victorville, CA, defeated Alexis De Luna (10-2, 5 KOs) from Bakersfield CA, in a very close fight. Both fighters engaged in back-and-forth action, giving the fans an all-out war. The fight started with both fighters feeling each other out but got heated in the middle rounds when hands started to fly. Hermosillo was using his height advantage to win some rounds as De Luna was coming forward landing nice power shots of his own. As the fight headed into the final rounds, it was anyone’s fight. Hermosillo landed some decisive head shots in the last two rounds that gave him the edge. Hermosillo wins by majority decision. Scorecards read 76-76, and 77-75 twice in favor of Hermosillo.

“I had a very good training camp, and it showed in my performance,” said Hermosillo. “The fight was very close so my corner told me I had to win the final rounds. I pushed hard throughout the fight, and I give De Luna a lot of credit, he was a very tough opponent. I want to thank my team for all the hard work they put into me. I’m hoping this victory leads to a big fight. I had to dig deep and I’m happy I got the win.”

In the scheduled 8-round super lightweight co-main event, 18-year-old Emiliano Moreno (7-0, 4 KOs) from Long Beach, CA, defeated Levy Garcia Benitez (3-1-1, 2 KOs) from Jalisco, MX, by unanimous decision. Both fighters showed a lot of heart, and we were in some heated exchanges throughout the fight. Moreno used his height and reach to his advantage to land from the outside, while Benitez was doing his best to counter. Moreno’s aggression and accurate punches gave him the victory in an entertaining battle. Scorecards read 79-73 twice and 78-74 in favor of Moreno.

“Fighting and getting a victory in front of my hometown fans was everything I envisioned, and especially on FOX Deportes, where all my Mexican fans got a chance to see me in action,” said Moreno. “These are the type of fights I need to get me to the next level. I don’t want easy fights, so I’m glad Benitez stepped up to fight me in my backyard. I’m looking forward to my next fight, hopefully by the end of the year.”

The second televised fight saw a very entertaining fight between Tayden Beltran (7-0-1, 4 KOs) from Huntington Beach, CA, defeat Francisco Duque (2-3, 1 KO) from Baytown, TX. Both fighters showcased incredible durability and passion. Beltran was the aggressor from the opening bell, as Duque was counter punching from the southpaw stance. Both fighters landed some nice power shots, but it was Beltran that scored the cleaner punches. Beltran outworked Duque, edging him in most of the rounds as he went on to win a unanimous decision. Scorecards read 59-55, and 60-54 twice, all for Beltran. The bout was scheduled for six rounds in the lightweight division.

Opening up the FOX Deportes telecast, Juan Sanchez (7-0, 6 KOs) from South El Monte, CA, defeated Roberto Patron (2-1, 1 KO) from Turlock, CA. Sanchez landed two vicious left hooks the head, the first one scored a knockdown (Ropes held him up) early in the round, and the second one sent Patron to the canvas ending the contest at the 1:44 mark of the opening round. Sanchez wins the welterweight contest by knockout.

In the third bout of the evening, Nelson Oliva (9-0, 8 KOs) from Los Angeles, CA, made easy work of Selim Martinez (6-7, 2 KOs) from Matamoros, Mexico, scoring a first-round knockout. After battering Martinez around in the early part of round one, Oliva, a southpaw, landed a left hook to the head, ending the bout at the 2:20 mark. The bout was scheduled for six rounds in the middleweight division.

In bout number two, a 6-round super bantamweight contest, Deiniel Santiago Alegre (3-1, 1 KO), from Phoenix AZ, by way of Santa Clara, Cuba, defeated Sean Brewer (4-1-1, 3 KOs), from Las Veas, NV, by way of unanimous decision. Alegre came out aggressively, applied pressure from the opening bell, and landed an overhand right scoring a knockdown as Brewer’s glove touched the canvas. Alegre continued to work his way inside the taller Brewer throughout the fight and won a decisive victory. Scorecards read 60-53, and 59-54 all in favor of Alegre.

In the opening fight of the night, a scheduled 4-round super lightweight bout, Kevin Salgado (4-1, 2 KOs) from Murrieta, CA, defeated Osvaldo Negrete (6-6, 1 KO) of Matamoros, MX, knocking him out in the second round. After dominating round one, Salgado dropped Negrete with a left hook to the body early in round two. Negrete got up and Salgado quickly landed an over hand right-left uppercut combination from the southpaw stance, ending the fight at the 1:20 mark of round two.

This event is sponsored by, Bud Light, HUSTLER Casino, LA’s only luxury Casino, Shoe Palace and Tequilla Mandala, 100% Agave Azul

LONDON, ENGLAND – (September 12, 2023) – Commonwealth super-welterweight champion Louis ‘The Medway Mauler’ Greene (16-3, 10 KO’s) will make a third defence of his title when he meets Sam ‘Magic Man’ Gilley (16-1, 8 KO’s) in a highly-anticipated clash on the undercard of BOXXER: BUATSI VS AZEEZ – PATHS COLLIDE on Saturday, October 21 at The O2 in London which will also send the winner forward for a shot at the British title.

Greene scored a fifth-round knockout victory to win the Commonwealth title in November last year and defended it in May with another thunderous stoppage victory, travelling from Kent to challenger Paul Kean’s home city of Dundee and leaving nothing to the judges as he ended the Scotsman’s night in the sixth round.

English super-welterweight champion Gilley, fighting out of Walthamstow, booked this shot at Greene’s Commonwealth title in June, when he landed a blistering body-shot knockout of Ellis Corrie at London’s historic York Hall in what was the third stoppage victory of his last four outings.

2020 Olympics bronze medallist Karriss Artingstall (4-0) is also confirmed for the card, heading to The O2 in London for what will be her fifth professional outing and her second time competing over eight rounds as she works her way up the rankings and towards title contention. Her opponent will be revealed in the near future.

And sparks are set to fly in a ten-round super-welterweight encounter when Michael Hennessy (11-1, 2 KO’s) – son of veteran British boxing manager Mick Hennessy and brother to recent BOXXER signing Fran Hennessy – meets an opponent with an equally deep British boxing heritage: Harley Benn (9-2, 1 KO), son of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn.

BOXXER: BUATSI VS AZEEZ – PATHS COLLIDE takes place Saturday, October 21st at The O2, London and airs live and exclusively in the UK and Ireland on Sky Sports.

This event is presented in association with official partners, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE and Village Hotels.

The main event sees a decade-long friendship put to one side when top light-heavyweights Joshua Buatsi (17-0, 13 KO’s) and ‘Super’ Dan Azeez (19-0, 13 KO’s) put their unbeaten records on the line in all-domestic clash with world-level implications.

And the British cruiserweight championship is on the line when defending champion Mikael Lawal meets bitter rival Isaac Chamberlain at last, with the pair aiming to settle their differences in explosive fashion when they finally meet in the ring.

Tickets are on sale now and available via BOXXER.com 

ORLANDO, FL – CES Boxing founder Jimmy Burchfield, Sr. was in for a pleasant surprise on Saturday night, as the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) presented the legendary promoter with the “Promoter of the Year” award at their 53rd annual convention.   

The ceremony took place at the beautiful Caribe Royale resort in Orlando, Florida.  Other notable guests at the convention included hall-of-fame two-division world champion and ESPN commentator Tim Bradley, current WBC middleweight king Jermall Charlo, newly minted NABF super featherweight champion Jordan White, emerging Irish sensation Callum Walsh, promoter Tom Loeffler, and hall-of-fame manager, matchmaker and journalist Don Majeski.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman and NABF President Duane Ford presented Burchfield with the prestigious award.  

“I’m honored with this award,” said Burchfield, who founded Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES) in 1992.  “The NABF and WBC are very special to me, going back to Jose Sulaiman’s days.”

Burchfield related a story about how the late Don Jose Sulaiman, Mauricio’s father and longtime former WBC president, once called him to ask if he would serve on a ‘Rocky Marciano’ committee.  Don Jose sought to create a monument in Marciano’s likeness to honor the Brockton great.

“I never understood how Jose did this,” said Burchfield.  “He had the statue made in Mexico, had it brought to Boston on a ship like the Statue of Liberty, and if you are ever in Massachusetts, you have to make a stop in Brockton to visit this statue.”

The project culminated in a 2-ton, 20-foot statue of Marciano, the only heavyweight champion to retire with an undefeated record. The monument stands in Marciano Stadium near Brockton High School, where it was erected in 2012.

Burchfield thanked current NABF President Duane Ford and WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, and paid homage to beloved former NABF President and longtime NABF executive board member Sammy Macias, who passed away in 2018.

“When you got done coming to an NABF convention with Sammy Macias, you needed a 3-day vacation when you got back,” joked Burchfield to the delight of the crowd. “We had some great times together and I still speak to his wife when I think of him.”

Burchfield also reflected on some of the key topics discussed at the 3-day convention, which emphasized integrity and accountability in how fights are judged and officiated.  These themes were prominent in the event’s keynote speeches, several roundtable discussions, and immersive seminars for judges and referees.  

“Integrity is what I’m all about,” said Burchfield about what he values most in life.  “That’s how I run my life, and that’s how I run my business.”

Himself a former judge, Burchfield traded in his judgeship in 1992 for a promoter’s license, and he went on to build CES into a powerhouse in the Northeast.  Over 3 decades, Burchfield has developed and promoted several world champions, including Vinny Pazienza, Chad Dawson, Peter Manfredo Jr., and many others.  His current stable includes the likes of top lightweight contender Jamaine Ortiz, who faces Antonio Moran this Friday on an ESPN card out of Corpus Christi, TX, as well as many of the best prospects in New England.     

In closing, Burchfield reminisced about his past accomplishments and future goals with respect to CES boxers winning NABF championships, noting that over 100 NABF champions have gone on to also win world titles.

“I received this award several years ago when I had either 5 or 6 NABF champions on my roster,” recalled Burchfield.  “I’d love to have an NABF champion in every single one of the weight classes.  I said to Duane Ford yesterday that I’m planning a big card at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, and I would love to have 3 NABF championship belts on the line that night.  We’re going to work hard to do that. God bless you and I love you all.”

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

INFORMATION

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

LOS ANGELES (September 11, 2023) – Ten months after accepting a World Boxing Association (WBA) offer to fight in a title eliminator, electrifying super flyweight contender John “Scrappy” Ramirez  (12-0, 9 KOs) will finally get his opportunity October 7th in Las Vegas against Panamanian boxer Ronal Batista (15-3, 9 KOs).

The winner of the 12-round fight between No. 2-rated Ramirez and No. 7 Batista will become the No. 1, mandatory challenger for new WBA Super Flyweight World Champion Kazuto Ioka (30-2-1, 15 KOs), of Japan, who dethroned defending world champion Joshua Franco this past June by scores of 116-112 twice and 115-113.

Ramirez vs. Batista will be fighting in the co-featured event on a Golden Boy-promoted card to be headlined by his friend and mentor, former world super middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs), who takes on former world light heavyweight titleholder Joe “The Common Man” Smith, Jr. (28-4, 22 KOs).

All the action will be streamed live on DAZN from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan.

Ramirez was initially matched against then No. 3 rated Sirichai Thaiyen (64-4, 42 KOs), of Thailand, who has since dropped to No. 8 in the WBA rankings.

The 26-year-old Ramirez, fighting out of the mean streets of South-Central Los Angeles, has had his patience rewarded, and the entertaining fighter of Belizean and Honduran descent vows to take full advantage of this long overdue opportunity.

“It feels like I’m getting closer to my destination (to be world champion),” Ramirez said about the delay in his title elimination fight. “I didn’t have to fight my last two fights (he could have waited for the eliminator), but I risked it all. I’m in a good position (WBA #2) and would have lost my position if I had lost either of those fights. We went with it and now I’m going to take advantage of this opportunity.

“This will be my first time fighting in Las Vegas. I call it my destiny, The last time I was there, I watched David Benevidez fight (Caleb) Plant. It (Las Vegas’ boxing atmosphere) was inspiring. I still have a chip on my shoulder, because people don’t know who I am, and I’m not getting respect.”

In his most recent fight this past May, the 26-year-old Batista dropped down one weight class,  unsuccessfully challenging World Boxing Council (WBA) Flyweight Champion Julio Cesar Martinez (19-2), who registered an 11^th round technical knockout victory. Batista’s most notable victory to date is a ninth-round TKO of Antonio Guzman in 2018 for the International Boxing Association (IBA) Super Flyweight World title.

In addition to fighting in Las Vegas for his first time, “Scrappy” will also be in his first scheduled 12-round bout, in addition to fighting on the same card as “Zurdo” Ramirez.

“It’s a 12, we’re big boys,” Ramirez emphasized,” and I’m back together with ‘Zurdo’ on the same card. It’s an honor to share the ring with him again and I’m going to do the best I can do. I’m more comfortable now. We have the same competitive spirit and even though he’s in the main event, in a positive way, it’ll make me try to do better than him on October 7^th.

“I’m not planning for this fight to go 12 rounds. My last two fights were decisions, but I’m looking for a  knockout….I’m going to destroy this kid!”

“Scrappy” Ramirez is working with 3 Point Management (3 PM), a growing company based in Los Angeles that has a growing stable of gifted boxers including “Zurdo” Ramirez, light heavyweights Kareem Hackett (11-0, 6 KOs) and Darius “DFG “

Fulghum (6-0, 6 KOs), super middleweight Cem “Champ” Kilic (17-1, 11 KOs), and heavyweight Zach Spiller (3-0, 2 KOs).