SMITH vs EUBANK II: REPEAT OR REVENGE? – PHASE 1 UNDERCARD ANNOUNCEMENT

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – July 27, 2023 – BOXXER, the next generation boxing promotion, are delighted to announce four exciting additions to the undercard for the highly-anticipated rematch between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr on Saturday, September 2nd at the AO Arena, Manchester,live and exclusive on Sky Sports Box Office.  

Bitter middleweight rivals Smith and Eubank Jr will meet in the middle of the ring for a second time following their epic January encounter, which saw ‘Beefy’ claim a stunning fourth-round stoppage victory. 

Hostilities have escalated since their first fight and are set to reach boiling point when they return to the AO Arena on September 2nd. 

Eubank Jr is out for revenge, believing Smith used an elbow in the combination that sent him to the canvas, while Smith is eager to secure another decisive win to put an end to their rivalry and Eubank Jr’s career once and for all.

Demand for the rematch is huge, with over 70% of tickets snapped up during a record-breaking pre-sale, and is set to become even bigger following the announcement of four exciting additions to the undercard.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Bronze Medallist Frazer Clarke returns to action having banked 10 invaluable rounds against former world title challenger Mariuz Wach at York Hall in June and is set to lock horns with ‘The White Rhino’ Dave Allen. 

Now 7-0, Burton’s Clarke will be aiming to continue his transition from highly-regarded amateur to successful pro as he takes on Allen in a tantilising ten round domestic heavyweight dust up. 

Allen, who is undefeated in his last four contests, has brought in the expertise of sought after coaches Jamie Moore and Nigel Travis to work alongside Roger Sampson to prepare him for this fight. 

Having previously shared the ring with the likes of David Price, Tony Yoka, Luis Ortiz and Dillian Whyte, and secured high-profile wins over Lucas Browne and Nick Webb, the Doncaster fan favourite will be looking to claim another sizable scalp in front of a raucous Manchester crowd.

‘The Albanian King’ Florian Marku will take on Ireland’s Dylan Moran in a ten round welterweight contest. 

Marku has recovered from the hand injury he took into his memorable homecoming fight against Miguel Parra at Air Albania Stadium last year and will want to continue to showcase improvements made under coach Grant Smith.

Like Marku, Moran is fresh from his own homecoming fight having secured a stoppage win against Mauro Maximiliano Godoy at the WIT Arena in Waterford in April. The 28-year-old southpaw now has the opportunity to prove if he is ‘The Real Deal’, as his ring moniker suggests, and to boost his profile against his popular opponent.

2020 Olympic Silver Medallist Ben Whittaker continues to dazzle and delight with his stylish approach to the sweet science. Trained by SugarHill Steward, the Wolverhampton wonderkid secured his fourth professional win with the eighth-round stoppage of Vladimir Belujsky on the undercard of Savannah Marshall’s undisputed clash against Franchón Crews-Dezur in Manchester. Whittaker will make a swift return to the AO Arena on September 2nd and have the chance to showcase his star power on the big stage once again. 

In another mouth-watering domestic clash, Oldham’s Mark Heffron will defend his British and Commonwealth Super Middleweight titles against Jack Cullen.

Heffron, who trains out of Manchester’s Champs Camp gym under the guidance of Joe Gallagher, was forced to pull out of a scheduled defence of his British title against Zak Chelli on July 2 due to injury. Now fully fit, the 31-year-old will defend his belts against ‘Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver’, the former WBO and IBF International Champion, who is looking to bounce back from a stoppage loss to dangerous Californian Diego Pacheco. 

Ben Shalom, BOXXER’s promoter and CEO, said “We’re delighted to announce the first four additions to what promises to be an action-packed undercard. The response to Smith-Eubank II has been incredible. Manchester is going to be rocking on September 2nd. We look forward to releasing more undercard announcements soon.” 

SMITH vs EUBANK II: REPEAT OR REVENGE? is presented in association with official partners bet365, WOW HYDRATE, Everlast and Village Hotels. 

Tickets for the blockbuster clash at the AO Arena in Manchester are available via Boxxer.com




YARDE RETURNS ON ZHANG VS JOYCE II

ANTHONY YARDE HITS the comeback trail towards his next world title challenge on 23 September with an all-British clash against Ricky Summers at the OVO Arena, Wembley on the big Zhilei Zhang-Joe Joyce rematch card, live on TNT Sports.

Tickets to see the heavyweight clash between Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce at the OVO Arena, Wembley on Saturday 23 September, are on sale now available from AXS.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.

Yarde, the self-styled Beast from the East, won the admiration of the boxing public back in January when he gave unified world light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev his toughest fight to date before being retired by his own corner in the eighth round in front of a packed and enthralled crowd at the same Wembley venue.

For Yarde (23-3, 22 KOs) it represented a second world title challenge after previously going up against the formidable Sergey Kovalev in the then champion’s home town back in 2019.

Summers (19-3-1, 6), from Staffordshire, was most recently in big fight action in March when he defeated Joel McIntyre to win the English light heavyweight title. It was his second tilt at the English belt, having dropped a split decision against the current British and European champion Dan Azeez in April 2021.

Also featuring on the Wembley card, headlined by The Big Bang seeking to once again knock The Juggernaut off course, is WBC International Silver and Commonwealth lightweight champion Sam Noakes (11-0, 11) defending his titles, along with WBC International super lightweight champion Pierce O’Leary (12-0,7) making a second defence of his belt.

Also in the light heavyweights, the undefeated and flamboyant Nottingham stylist Ezra Taylor (6-0, 4) takes a significant step up when he faces Portsmouth man Joel McIntyre (20-7, 5) over eight rounds.

Former two-time European Amateur champion Royston Barney-Smith will have fight No.7 on his professional journey over six rounds.

Powerhouse cruiserweights and social media enemies Tommy Fletcher (5-0, 4) and Aloys Jr (4-1, 4) will brew their growing rivalry by both fighting in six-round fights to complete the card.

“I am delighted to be getting Anthony Yarde back in business following his January exploits against Artur Beterbiev,” said promoter Frank Warren. “He wants to be and we want him to be in a major fight again before the end of the year so a tough domestic opponent like Ricky Summers is the perfect test in order to bring Anthony back to his best.

“While Ricky will be an obvious outsider, we all know he will give his absolute all and make it as uncomfortable as possible for the favourite.

“A huge heavyweight showdown like Zhilei Zhang v Joe Joyce deserves a compelling undercard and that is what the fans will be getting on 23 September, live on TNT Sports.

“In Sam Noakes and Pierce O’Leary you will see two of the most exciting young fighters in the country and we also have the charismatic future light heavyweight star Ezra Taylor in a tough one against the experienced Joel McIntyre.

“The elite young super featherweight Royston Barney-Smith is also back on parade alongside our two explosive cruiserweight hopes in Tommy Fletcher and Aloys Jr.”

Tickets to see the heavyweight clash between Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce at the OVO Arena, Wembley on Saturday 23 September, are on sale now available from AXS.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.




Coyle to defend NABA title vs Joey Bryant August 19 in Biloxi

Tampa, FL (July 26, 2023) – NABA middleweight champion Connor “The Kid” Coyle will make the third defense of his title when he faces Joey Bryant Saturday, August 19 at the Blind Tiger in Biloxi, MS.

Coyle is 19-0 with 8 wins coming by knockout. Representing Derry, Northern Ireland and training out of Pinellas Park, FL, Coyle’s ranked fifth by the World Boxing Association. On April 29, Coyle successfully defended his NABA belt for a second time by shutting out rugged veteran Christian Rios over ten rounds.

A native of Memphis, TN, Bryant has an impressive 17-1 record. The hard-hitting Bryant’s scored 13 of his victories by knockout.

“I’m excited for this fight and Connor will be sharp against a very hungry fighter in Joey Bryant,” said Coyle’s promoter Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. “Connor has been training extremely hard with (trainer and manager) Jim McLoughlin. This is the biggest fight of Bryant’s career, so we’re expecting a good challenge.”

Coyle-Bryant headlines a card promoted by Rite Hook Promotions, T&K Boxing Promotions and Tri-Star Boxing Promotions.




Top Rank Presents Unified Minimumweight World Championship Seniesa Estrada vs. Leonela Yudica

Top Rank presented by AutoZone: Estrada vs. Yudica will be live this Friday, July 28 at 11 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. PT exclusively on ESPN+. The event takes place at Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada.

In the main event, pound-for-pound dynamo Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (24-0, 9 KOs) will defend her WBC and WBA minimumweight world titles against Argentina’s former world champion Leonela Yudica (19-1-3, 1 KO).

Seniesa is a 12-year pro who has competed at the world class level in three weight classes. She recently added the WBC belt to her collection in March with a shutout win over the previously unbeaten Tina Rupprecht. Yudica, from San Juan, Argentina, turned pro in 2012 and held the IBF flyweight title for nearly eight years before losing it in a tightly contested split decision loss to Arely Muciño in October 2022. She’s coming off a 10-round decision victory over Tamara Elisabet Demarco in April. 

In the co-feature, unbeaten Las Vegas native Andres “Savage” Cortes (19-0, 10 KOs) will take on Sacramento-born contender Xavier Martinez (18-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round junior lightweight clash.

Cortes was a standout amateur, defeating Teofimo Lopez twice in the unpaid ranks. Now a seven-year pro, he has built a reputation for engaging in action-packed affairs. Martinez returns to action following an 11-month layoff, intent on proving he belongs in the junior lightweight title conversation.

ESPN’s Joe Tessitore will call the action with Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr.  Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna?will serve as reporters.

ESPN.com

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All Times ET

Date Time Event Bouts Network Titles
Fri. July 28 11:00 PM Main Seniesa Estrada (C) vs. Leonela Yudica ESPN+ WBA, WBC Minimumweight
Co-Feature Andres Cortes vs. Xavier Martinez  
7:30 PM Feature Karlos Balderas vs. Nahir Albright
Undercard Rohan Polanco vs. Cesar Francis
Undercard Abraham Nova vs. Jonathan Romero
Undercard Subaru Murata vs. Juan Centeno
Undercard Dante Benjamin Jr. vs. William Langston
Undercard Charlie Sheehy vs. Kaylyn Alfred

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About ESPN+  

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 25.3 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).   




RICHIE RIVERA SECURES 25TH VICTORY WITH FIRST ROUND TKO IN COLOMBIA

White Plains, NY (July 24, 2023) — Star Boxing kept busy over the weekend as top world rated light heavyweight RICHIE “POPEYE THE SAILOR MAN RIVERA (now 25-1 19KO’s) and cruiserweight LYUBOMYR “DEMOLITION MAN” PINCHUK (now 14-4-2 8KO’s) laced up the gloves in separate shows from different parts of the globe.

Richie Rivera in Colombia

In Malambo Colombia, Richie Rivera took on Yuri Mendez in a scheduled 10-round light heavyweight bout, in which Rivera wasted no time slugging away at the outgunned Mendez. A thudding body shot just 54 seconds into round number one, sent Mendez to the canvas, where he remained forcing referee Leonel Mercado to wave off the action. With the TKO victory, Richie Rivera, who is currently world rated #6 (WBA), #6 (WBO – at cruiserweight), #8 (WBC), #11 (IBF), 8 (WBC), improved to 25-1 with 19 wins coming by way of knockout. Rivers is looking ahead to a significant fight that will lead him to a world championship opportunity  in the very near future.

Lyubomry Pinchuk in Pennsylvania

Simultaneously in Washington, Pennsylvania, another  “Summer Slugfest” was presented as Star Boxing’s Lyubomyr Pinchuk went to battle with Anthony Holloway over a competitive 8-round cruiserweight bout. Both men remained active over the course of the bout, with Pinchuk seemingly getting the better of most exchanges. While Holloway had his moments in the bout, Pinchuk’s ring generalship dictated the fight. To the surprise of many in attendance, the bout was declared a draw. 79-72 Pinchuk, 75-77 Holloway, 76-76 draw. Pinchuk is now 14-4-2 8KO’s.

The full “Summer Slugfest” fight card is available  on demand replay this week on StarBoxing.TV.

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HOLLYWOOD FIGHT NIGHTS: SERHII BOHACHUK SCORES FIRST ROUND KNOCKOUT AT CHUMASH CASINO

Santa Ynez, CA (July 24, 2023) Saturday night at the Chumash Casino Resort and broadcast globally on UFC FIGHT PASS, WBC #2 Ranked Super Welterweight Serhii ‘El Flaco’ Bohachuk, (23-1, 23 KOs), continued his knockout streak through the division with a stunning, one punch, first round knockout (2:32) of World Title Challenger, Patrick Allotey, (42-5, 32 KO), of Accra, Ghana.

Presented by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions, Bohachuk vs. Allotey headlined another installment of the acclaimed Hollywood Fight Nights series.

Said Loeffler, “Serhii continued to prove why he’s the most exciting fighter in the super welterweight division. He’s ready for a world title fight now.”

“The entire card was full of action-packed fights, the crowd here at Chumash Casino was tremendous and we look forward to returning in the future.”

In the evening’s co-feature, Southern California favorite Omar Trinidad, (13-0-1, 10 KOs), continued to shine with a sixth-round stoppage of Roberto Meza, (15-4-1, 8 KOs). Dropping Meza in the third and fifth round, Trinidad earned the victory with a dominant performance as the fight was stopped at the 1:16 mark of the sixth round.

In a battle of undefeated light heavyweights, Umar Dzambekov, (6-0, 5 KOs), of Austria, defeated Kwame Ritter, (10-1, 8 KOs), over eight rounds. Scores were 79-73, 79-73 and 78-74.

The hard-hitting southpaw took control of the fight after an even first two rounds using an aggressive body attack to score throughout the second half of the fight.

Junior welterweight Cain Sandoval, (10-0, 10 KOs), fighting for the second time under the 360 Promotions’ banner, stopped the valiant Jose Marruffo, (14-12-2, 2 KOs), in the sixth round (2:28). Sandoval dropped Marruffo at the end of the second round and earned the stoppage victory from a barrage of unanswered punches in the sixth stanza of their scheduled eight-rounder.

Bantamweight veteran Narek Abgaryan, (16-1, 6 KOs), made his long-awaited return to action with a sixth round (0:41) knockout of Manuel Manzo, (9-8-3, 4 KOs) in a fight scheduled for eight rounds. Abgaryan used excellent counter punching throughout and forced the referee’s stoppage from a multiple punch combination which badly hurt Manza.

Opening the UFC FIGHT PASS broadcast, fast-rising star, 21-year-old Daniel ‘Chucky’ Barrera, (3-0-1, 2 KOs), knocked out Eduardo Alvarez, (0-3-1) in the first round (1:42) of a scheduled six-rounder flyweight bout. A battering left hook to the body dropped Alvarez for the count.

Prior to the start of the broadcast, Jorge Maravillo, (8-0, 8 KOs), stopped Terry Fernandez, (6-2, 6 KOs), in the first round (0:43) of their scheduled six round super welterweight bout.

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

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September 15: Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez to Defend IBF Featherweight World Title against Joet Gonzalez at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi LIVE on ESPN

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (July 24, 2023) – Mexico’s featherweight king is set to put his crown on the line during Mexican Independence Day Weekend. 

Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez will defend his IBF world title against former two-time world title challenger Joet Gonzalez on Friday, September 15 at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Lopez returns stateside after back-to-back championship showdowns abroad.

In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, rising Puerto Rican sensation Xander Zayas takes on Mexico’s Roberto Valenzuela Jr.

Lopez-Gonzalez and Zayas-Valenzuela will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $30 go on sale Tuesday, July 25 at 3 p.m. CST via Ticketmaster.com.

“The fight fans in Corpus Christi and everyone watching on ESPN are in for a real treat. Luis Alberto Lopez is one of Mexico’s emerging champions, and Joet Gonzalez is a seasoned pro who is a difficult night at the office for anyone,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “I am also pleased to see Puerto Rico’s next superstar, Xander Zayas, back in the ring against a step-up opponent in Valenzuela.”

Lopez (28-2, 16 KOs) overcame numerous challenges in his quest to become a world champion. After early-career losses to Abraham Montoya and Ruben Villa, he defeated Andy Vences via split decision in July 2020 and dominated then-unbeaten junior lightweight prospect Gabriel Flores Jr. over 10 rounds in September 2021. Lopez then moved down to featherweight and stopped another undefeated foe, Isaac Lowe, in seven rounds at London’s York Hall. After two stay-busy wins, he earned his shot at the IBF title, dethroning Josh Warrington in his hometown of Leeds, England. In his first defense, the 29-year-old once again traveled to enemy territory and beat Michael Conlan via fifth-round TKO with a dazzling right uppercut in Belfast.

“We’re going to bring a memorable all-Mexican war to Corpus Christi on Mexican Independence Day Weekend,” Lopez said. “Nothing but respect to Joet, but he’s not leaving Texas with my belt. I guarantee an exciting fight, but the IBF world title will still be wrapped around my waist.”

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. He dominated veteran Miguel Marriaga in his September 2020 return before losing his second attempt at the WBO strap in a 2021 Fight of the Year contender against Emanuel Navarrete. Gonzalez then stopped Jeo Santisima via ninth-round TKO in March 2022 before dropping a split decision to Isaac Dogboe in July of that year. The 29-year-old will have his third opportunity at a world title after defeating Enrique Vivas via 10-round unanimous decision in April.

Gonzalez said, “I am thankful to Top Rank that I am receiving another shot at the world title. I plan on taking full advantage of this opportunity and fulfilling my dream. Lopez is an excellent champion, but I’m coming to Texas with every intention on hearing the words, ‘And NEW!’”

Zayas (16-0, 10 KOs) has been on a rapid trajectory to super stardom since signing with Top Rank at 16. He has maintained an unblemished record since debuting as a pro 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. The 20-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 who has given stiff tests to Alexis Rocha, Souleymane Cissokho and Bakhram Murtazaliev. The 24-year-old Mexican is coming off a third-round TKO victory against Daniel Vega in April.

Xayas said, “I am excited for the next big step in my career that will take place on September 15 in Corpus Christi, Texas, against a Mexican warrior that I know will come prepared to give his best and will bring out the best in me. I am training hard to continue showing Puerto Rico and all of Latin America what I am capable inside the ring.”

The ESPN+-streamed undercard includes an all-Mexico showdown, a U.S. Olympian, and the return of three of Top Rank’s top contenders. 

Mexican standouts Omar Aguilar (25-1, 24 KOs) and Julio Luna (20-1-2, 11 KOs) will collide in an eight-round welterweight battle. Both are on the comeback trail following losses to two of Top Rank’s finest. Aguilar suffered his first career setback against Lindolfo Delgado last August and returned with a second-round TKO win over Cristian Sonora Soltero in May. Luna dropped a 10-round decision to Giovani Santillan last August, but he bounced back with a third-round knockout win against Hassam Valenzuela in March.

Lightweight contender Jamaine Ortiz (16-1-1, 8 KOs) returns in a 10-rounder. Last October, the 27-year-old took an early lead against former lightweight champion Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko before losing the tightly contested battle via unanimous decision. 

Brazilian Olympic gold medalist and former two-time title challenger Robson Conceicao (17-2, 8 KOs) will see action in an eight-round junior lightweight tilt. Conceicao heads to the ring for the second time this year following a no contest against Nicolas Polanco in June.

Former world title challenger Ruben Villa (20-1, 7 KOs) returns in an eight-round featherweight clash against Colombia’s Brandon Valdes (15-3, 7 KOs). Villa dominated Maickol Lopez Villagrana en route to a fifth-round KO in May.

U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson (9-0, 5 KOs) makes his third appearance of 2023 in an eight-round junior welterweight fight against an opponent to be named. He scored a dominant decision win over Jonathan Montrel in July.




CLOSED CIRCUIT TICKETS GO ON SALE TODAY FOR ERROL SPENCE JR. VS. TERENCE CRAWFORD SHOWDOWN ON SATURDAY, JULY 29 IN LAS VEGAS

LAS VEGAS – July 24, 2023 – Closed circuit tickets for the much-anticipated blockbuster showdown between undefeated boxing superstars Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and Terence “Bud” Crawford will go on sale TODAY at 10 a.m. PT ahead of their matchup on Saturday, July 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast at the MGM Grand Garden Arena can be purchased at AXS.com.

Doors at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the exclusive CCTV location for fans to watch Spence vs. Crawford on the Las Vegas Strip, will open at 4:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, July 29, with the pay-per-view telecast beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT.

#         #         #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV® clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

The event is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions.

For more information visit sho.com/ppv and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.




BOXING PRODIGY AND RISING HOLLYWOOD STAR JAVON “WANNA” WALTON JOINS MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS

NEW YORK, NY – July 24, 2023 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced it has signed Javon “Wanna” Walton, boxing prodigy and actor best known for his role as “Ashtray” on the Emmy-winning series Euphoria. Fighting at 125 pounds, Walton has over 80 amateur bouts under his belt, which include wins in multiple junior amateur tournaments and five Georgia state titles. MVP, founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021, will utilize Bidarian’s media, sports and finance acumen to advise Walton on brand building, content creation, and marketing of events along with Paul’s viral content creation and marketing genius. MVP will advise him as he finishes out the remainder of his amateur career and prepares to make his professional debut in 2024. Walton will make his first MVP appearance as a participant in the open workouts on Wednesday, August 2nd, in Dallas, TX, as part of the Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz fight week.

“I’ve been training so hard and working for the majority of my life for this moment. MVP feels like family and that’s very important to me. I know they can help me reach my goals in professional boxing and do it in a way that feels special to me.” said, Walton.

Walton, who turned 17 two days ago, will remain an amateur boxer in development with MVP, and will join MVP’s elite roster of superstar athletes and up-and-coming stars including Jake Paul, undisputed Featherweight World Champion Amanda Serrano, prolific top boxing prospect Ashton Sylve, and power-puncher Shadasia Green. As the youngest-ever athlete to sign with Nike’s Jordan Brand, Walton will continue to excel as a boxer and compete in MVP’s future marquee events and Most Valuable Prospects showcase series. He will continue training under his father and coach, DJ Walton.

Walton got his start at the age of four when he became one of America’s youngest amateur prospects. His skill and hard work earned him the title of multi-time Junior Regional Champion and two-time Junior Olympic national silver medalist. In addition to his boxing chops, Walton was also a USA Gymnastics-ranked elite rising star and was named to their exclusive Future Star program at age eight, one of only seven in the southeast. Walton continued on to compete at the elite level in trampoline and floor tumbling (TNT), finishing with top three in the nation with a silver medal in all-round in 2016. Walton is the first and only athlete in the state of Georgia to hold the youth gymnastics all-around and USA Boxing/Silver Gloves boxing champion state titles simultaneously. 

The Atlanta native is also a world-renowned actor who captured international attention with his debut role as the beloved drug dealer “Ashtray” in the HBO Max Emmy-winning series Euphoria starring alongside Hollywood icons Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney. Walton’s credits also include roles in Season 3 of Netflix’s Umbrella Academy, the Amazon Prime Video series Utopia, MGM’s SAMARITAN, where he starred opposite Sylvester Stallone, and BRON Studios and MGM’s animated comedy The Addams Family 2, where he made his voice acting debut as Pugsley Addams. Walton will also star in Hulu’s upcoming true-crime mini-series release, Under the Bridge, where he plays a main character alongside Riley Keough. 

Walton has garnered an impressive social audience of over 13 million followers across his platforms and has become one of the most marketable names for premiere athletic and consumer brands. At only eight years old, he was the youngest athlete identified by Under Armour and became one of seven athletes to be crowned ‘NEXT,’ Under Armour’s youth athlete elite development program. Walton was also featured in the advertising campaign for the Muhammed Ali Collection in 2018 and was prominently highlighted in UA’s Will Finds A Way campaign alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. 

“We see this as an incredible opportunity to make a big impact on Wanna’s entrance into professional boxing. The way Nakisa and Jake have been able to disrupt the boxing promotion business in such a considerably short period of time is inspiring. We’re honored to be MVP’s youngest signee.” Said Walton’s coach and father, DJ Walton

In addition to acting, Wanna has attracted the attention of major brands like Essentia Water and PSD Underwear. Drake’s OVO then tapped Walton to model another of their collaborations with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Additional brand partnerships for the young star include collaborations with Gap and Venmo, as the face of its new teen card. 

“Wanna Walton is uniquely positioned to become the face of combat sports over the next decade. With an unmatched blend of skills and pedigree, strong values, and a large highly engaged fan base before turning pro, he embodies a true superstar in the making,” said MVP co-founders Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul. “We’re honored to welcome Wanna into our family of exceptional athletes and under MVP, he will be headlining global pay-per-view events in no time. MVP is leading a new era of boxing and Wanna is the future. We can’t wait to see his greatness unfold.”

Founded with the mission to give athletes creative control, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its talent partners and events. As one of the most successful and iconic creators in the world, Paul has one of the largest followings on YouTube, with over 70 million followers across his digital platforms – creating an invaluable built-in marketing system that coordinates with his efforts in the ring. His co-founder, the former CFO of UFC, former CEO and Co-Founder of Fertitta Capital and founder of BAVAFA Sports, Bidarian, has demonstrated a deep understanding of corporate finance, content creation and operational strategy working together to build successful businesses. 

Together, Paul and Bidarian have architected Jake Paul’s meteoric rise in combat sports. In 2021, MVP signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano and since signing with the company, she has become Undisputed Featherweight Champion. Her historic clash against Katie Taylor at Madison Square Garden in 2022 earned recognition as Sports Illustrated’s Fight of the Year, The Ring’s Event of the Year and was further nominated for Event of the Year by Sports Business Journal. The event marked a pivotal point in women’s sports history as the first-time women have headlined a main event at the world-renowned venue in New York City. MVP’s other signees include the prolific undefeated young boxing prospect Ashton “H20” Sylve and one of boxing’s most powerful female punchers, Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green.

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

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 has produced Jake Paul’s last four global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Fury match, which surpassed 800,000 Pay-per-view buys worldwide. 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.




 Weigh-In Results:Stephen Fulton vs. Naoya Inoue

 •  Stephen Fulton Jr. 121.9 lbs. vs. Naoya Inoue 121.7lbs
(Fulton’s WBO & WBC Junior Featherweight World Titles— 12 Rounds)

   •   Robeisy Ramirez 125.7 lbs vs. Satoshi Shimizu 125.7 lbs
(Ramirez’s WBO Featherweight World Title — 12 Rounds)

•    Kanamu Sakama107.5 lbs vs. Ryu Horikawa 107.8 lbs 
 (Light Flyweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Yoshiki Takei 118.8 lbs vs. Ronnie Baldonado 117.5 lbs 
 (Junior Featherweight — 8 Rounds)




Giovani Santillan and Stephan Shaw in Action in Shawnee, Oklahoma

NEW YORK (July 22, 2023) – TONIGHT at The Firelake Arena Shawnee, Oklahoma, two Split-T Management fighters will be in action in fights that will be streamed live on ESPN+ at 6:15 PM ET.

Undefeated welterweight Giovani Santillan will take on veteran Erick Bone in a 10-round bout, while Stephan Shaw will take on Joe Goodall in an eight-round scrap.

Santillan of San Diego has a perfect mark at 30-0 with 16 knockouts. The 31 year-old Santillan has built his record by defeating tough opponents such as Peter Haro (2-0), Michael Balasi (10-2), Daniyar Hanyk (10-0), Osenohan Vazquez (7-1-1), Eduardo Rivera (9-1-2), Ernesto Ortiz Centeno (10-2), Omar Tienda Bahana (18-3), Sammy Valentin (12-0), Dodzi Kemeh (19-1), Alejandro Barboza (11-1), former world champion Antonio DeMarco (33-8-1), Cecil McCalla (23-4), Angel Ruiz (17-1), Jeovanis Barraza (23-2) and on August 20, 2022 when Santillan won a 10-round unanimous decision over Julio Avila (19-0-2) in San Diego.

Bone of Ecuador is 27-6 with 14 knockouts. The 34 year-old Bone has defeated the likes of Luis Carlos Tejedor (3-0) and Mahonri Montes (29-3-1). Bone has won seven straight fights, which includes a fifth round stoppage of Roberto Verdago on March 18th in Quito, Ecuador.

Santillan, who is promoted by Top Rank, weighed 147.8 lbs. Bone was 147.6.

Shaw of Saint Louis is 18-1 with 13 knockouts. The 30 year-old Shaw is looking to re-establish himself in the heavyweight picture as he already has wins over Danny Kelly (9-2-1), Jonathan Rice (4-1-1), Joel Caudle (7-1-1), Donovan Dennis (12-3), Willie Jake Jr. (8-2-1), Gregory Corbin (15-2), Lyubomyr Pinchuk (12-1-1) and Rydell Booker (26-6-1). Shaw is coming off his first setback as he dropped a decision to Efe Ajagba on January 14th in Verona, New York.

Goodall of Brisbane, Australia has a record of 9-1-1 with eight knockouts. The 31 year-old has defeated Sumit Rangi (4-1-1) and his last bout when he Arseno Fosso in three rounds in Queensland, Australia on September 15, 2022.

Shaw is co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Top Rank.

Shaw checked in at 244 lbs. Goodall was 238 lbs.

Photo Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images




Louie Lopez stops Benjamin Lamptey in 3 to Close Out Thompson Boxing

Thompson boxing ended it’s 23-year round with an entertaining five bout card that was headlined by Louie Lopez stopping Benjamin Lamptey in round three of their eight-round junior middleweight bout at the Doubletree in Ontario, California.

In round three, Lopez dropped Lamptey with a series of body shots. Seconds later, it was more body work that put Lamptey down for the 10-count at 1:22.

Lopez, 149.2 lbs of Corona, CA is 14-2-1 with five knockouts. Lamptey, 152.7 lbs of Accra, GHA falls to 13-12-2.

George Acosta stopped Edy Valencia Mercado after round five of their six-round junior lightweight bout.

At the end of round four, Acosta dropped Mercado with a right. Mercado quit on his stool after round five.

Acosta, 130.5 lbs of Whittier, CA is 16-1 with three knockouts. Mercado, 130.8 lbs of Culican, MEX is 20-12-2.

Nelson Oliva stopped Jeremaine Chico Whittington in round two of their four-round super middleweight fight.

In round two, Oliva landed a right hook that made Whittington take a knee. Seconds later, it was another right hook that put Whittington down again. Finally it was a left to body that put Whittington down for a third time and the fight was stopped at 1:57.

Oliva, 166.2 lbs of Los Angeles is 8-0 with seven knockouts. Whittington, 165.3 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 2-2.

Kevin Salgado stopped Iziah Vargas in the opening round of their four-round welterweight fight.

Salgado dropped Vargas with a body shot in the opening frame. Salgado scored another knockdown and the fight was stopped at 2:08.

Salgado, 144 lbs of Murrieta, CA is 3-1 with one knockout. Vargas is 1-7.

Esteban Munoz won a six-round unanimous decision over Nelson Morales in a welterweight bout.

Munoz, 142.4 lbs of San Bernadino, CA won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 7-3. Morales, 144.4 lbs of Scranton, PA is 4-8.

This was Thompson Boxing Promotions final show. The company, who generally was regarded as the best and most consistent boxing series in the country, produced five world champions and countless contenders. The company was headed by Ken Thompson, who passed away in February. Alex Caamponovo did a masterful job building those fighters as well as putting many fan-friendly and completive fights.




Weights from Washington, PA

Pittsburgh, PA (July 21, 2023) – Weights for Saturday night’s fight card at The Meadows Race Track and Casino in Washington, PA

Lyubomyr Pinchuk 200.2 – Anthony Holloway 196.8

Joseph Turk 202 – Michael Manna 199.8

Mary Cassamassa 164.6 – Christianne Fahey 164.6

Khama Worthy 160.2 – Martin Bills III 160.4

Paul Palombo 150.4 – Jessie Addison 153

Steve Cunningham Jr. 156.4 – Tyrone Albert Adams 160.8

Promoters: Integrity Fighter Management & Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing

Venue: Meadows Race Track and Casino

First Bell: 7 PM ET

The fights will be streamed live on BXNGTV.com and Starboxing.tv

Tickets are available at bit.ly/SummerSlugfest for more info call 412-728-3409




Weights from Philadelphia

Philadelphia (July 21, 2023)–- Weights for Saturday night’s R and B Promotions card at the 2300 Arena.

Daiyann Butt 142.2 – Michael Crain 142.9

Tahmir Smalls 148.3 – Andres Vierra 151.2

Oluwafemi Oeyeleye 157.5 – Javier Maciel 166.9

Ezri Turner 171 – Milton Volter 177.8

Josh Jones 133.7 – Carlos Rocha 133.8

Allen Otto 155 – Tim Tyler 157.7

Juan Marrero 137.1 – Jose Fracica Baron 141.1

Anthony Dill 150.6 – Ghandi Romain 147.5

Jahron Williams 120.4 – Devin Gantt 123.3

Daniel Bean 237.5 – Rob Perez 238.2

Promoter: R and B Promotions

Venue: 2300 Arena

1st Bell: 7 PM ET

Stream: BXNGTV.com (Marc Abrams and LeAnna Cruz on the Call)




 Weigh-In Results: George Kambosos Jr. vs. Maxi Hughes

 •  George Kambosos Jr. 134.6 lbs. vs. Maxi Hughes 134.7 lbs
(IBF Lightweight Title Eliminator — 12 Rounds)

   •   Keyshawn Davis 134.3 lbs vs. Francesco Patera 134 lbs
(Lightweight — 10 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT)

•    Giovani Santillan147.8 lbs  vs. Erick Bone 147.6 lbs 
 (Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•  Jeremiah Milton 255.3 lbs  vs. Willie Harvey 296.5 lbs 
 (Heavyweight — 8 Rounds)

•  Troy Isley 158.8 lbs vs. Antonio Todd 159.2. lbs
 (Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Amron Sands 300 lbs vs. Hemi Ahio 247 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 8 Rounds)

• Stephan Shaw 244 lbs vs. Joe Goodall 238 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 8 Rounds)




Breakfast with The Monster: Stephen Fulton-Naoya Inoue Junior Featherweight Super Fight Headlines Tuesday Morning Extravaganza from Tokyo LIVE on ESPN+

(July 21, 2023) — American fight fans will be treated to “Breakfast With The Monster” this Tuesday, July 25, as Naoya “Monster” Inoue attempts to dethrone WBC/WBO junior featherweight world champion Stephen Fulton at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs) aims to become a four-weight world champion after attaining undisputed status as a bantamweight. Many experts regard him as the world’s pound-for-pound king, and he looks to bolster that claim with a win over Philadelphia native Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs). “Cool Boy Steph” has not fought since June 2022, when he dominated former unified world champion Danny Roman over 12 rounds.

Fulton-Inoue and undercard action will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. starting at 4:30 a.m. ET/1:30 a.m. PT.

The ESPN+ stream is also scheduled to include the following bouts:

  • Cuban sensation Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez (12-1, 7 KOs) will make the first defense of his WBO featherweight world title against Japanese contender Satoshi Shimizu (11-1, 10 KOs). Ramirez snatched the vacant title in April with a one-sided decision over former junior featherweight world champion Isaac Dogboe. Shimizu, a 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, has won three straight bouts since a 2019 TKO defeat to Joe Noynay.
     
  • In an eight-round light flyweight attraction, unbeaten knockout artist Kanamu Sakama (7-0, 6 KOs) steps up against Ryu Horikawa (3-1-2, 1 KO), who is coming off an eight-round draw against former flyweight world champion Sho Kimura.
     
  • Japanese junior featherweight phenom Yoshiki Takei (6-0, 6 KOs) looks to make it lucky number seven in an eight-rounder versus Filipino veteran Ronnie Baldonado (16-4-1, 9 KOs). 

# # #
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 25.3 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).  




PACKED LINEUP OF UNBEATEN PROSPECTS ENTER THE RING FOR SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD NON-TELEVISED UNDERCARD SATURDAY, JULY 29 IN PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS EVENT FROM T-MOBILE ARENA IN LAS VEGAS

LAS VEGAS – July 21, 2023 – A stacked lineup of unbeaten prospects will enter the ring for the non-televised undercard of the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford event on Saturday, July 29 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The card will see lightweights Jabín Chollet and Michael Portales duel in a six-round bout, unbeaten prospects Justin Viloria and Pedro Borgaro battling in a six-round super featherweight fight, lightweight prospect Demler Zamora in an eight-round showdown against Nikolai Buzolin and welterweight power-puncher Kevin Ventura facing DeShawn Prather in a six-round attraction.

The event is topped by a four-fight SHOWTIME PPV lineup featuring WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBO Welterweight World Champion Terence “Bud” Crawford meeting to crown the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era.

The pay-per-view telecast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features Mexican fan-favorite Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire takes on Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. The pay-per-view opens up with top prospect Yoenis Téllez dueling Spanish contender Sergio García in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

Prior to the pay-per-view, live streaming action will begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing® Facebook page and see undefeated 168-pound contender Steven Nelson take on Rowdy Legend Montgomery in a 10-round showdown, plus Mexican super bantamweight prospect José Salas Reyes faces former world title challenger Aston Palicte in a 10-round bout.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

Fighting out of his native San Diego, Chollet (7-0, 6 KOs) went the distance for the first time as a pro the last time he entered the ring, scoring a shutout of Daniel Perales in May. The 21-year-old has already fought three times in 2023 and will step up in competition when he faces Hayward, California’s Portales (3-1-1, 1 KO). The 26-year-old Portales bounced back from his first career defeat, which took place in February, to earn a unanimous decision over Margarito Hernandez in April.

The 18-year-old Viloria (2-0, 2 KOs) turned pro in April and has delivered a pair of stoppages in each of his first two matchups. The Whittier, California-native most recently stopped Pedro Pinillo in four rounds in May. He’ll step in against the 18-year-old Borgaro (4-0, 2 KOs), who represents Sonora, Mexico and made a successful U.S. debut in July by stopping Martin Cardona in two rounds.

The 20-year-old Zamora (11-0, 9 KOs) turned pro in 2019 as a teenager and delivered knockouts in eight of his first nine matchups. The Las Vegas-native has fought in his hometown twice previously as a pro, including his most recent outing that saw him KO Jesus Ibarra in March. He will be opposed by the Brooklyn-based Buzolin (9-4-1, 5 KOs), who’s only defeats have come against previously unbeaten fighters. In his last fight, Buzolin knocked out Gonzalo Carlos Dallera in three rounds in July 2022.

A training partner of Terence Crawford, Ventura (11-0, 8 KOs) fights out of Omaha, Nebraska and will compete in Las Vegas for the first time as a pro on July 29. The 26-year-old returned to the ring off of a four-year layoff in September 2022, emerging victorious via unanimous decision over Gilbert Venegas. He will face the 25-year-old Prather (15-1, 2 KOs), who made a successful 2023 debut by earning a decision over Brandon Clark in February. The Kansas City, Missouri-native turned pro in May 2018 and is unbeaten since a one-point decision loss in his second pro fight.

#         #         #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

For more information visit sho.com/ppv and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.




“SUMMER SLUGFEST” IN WASHINGTON, PA: PINCHUK vs HOLLOWAY ENTIRE FIGHT CARD TO AIR LIVE ON STARBOXING.TV SATURDAY JULY 22, 2023 AT 7PM ET

As a current Gold Subscriber, be sure to tune in Saturday, July 22 at 7PM ET as the entire ‘Summer Slugfest’ fight card presented by Integrity Fighter Management and Star Boxing will air live and direct on StarBoxing.TV!

Star Boxing’s Ukrainian born cruiserweight Lyubomyr “Demolition Man” Pinchuk makes his return to the ring in his adoptive home of Pennsylvania against Anthony Holloway of Illinois. If you miss the live fight card, within 24 hours of the show, you will be able to rewind the action via your Gold Subscription video on demand feature!




Weights From Ontario, CA LOUIS LOPEZ vs BENJAMIN LAMPTEY

Louie Lopez 149.2 vs Benjamin Lamptey 152.7

George Acosta 130.5 vs Edy Valencia Mercado 130.8

Nelson Oliva 166.2 vs Jeremaine Whittington 165.3

Kevin Salgado 144 vs Izaiah Vargas 146.8

Esteban Muñoz 142.4 vs Nelson Morales 144.4

“One Last Time” will take place at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA on Friday, July 21, 2023. Doors open at 6:45 pm PT with the first fight starting at 8:00 pm PT. Tickets priced $50, $75, $100, and $125, are available for purchase by calling 714-935-0900 or online at www.thompsonboxing.com. 

Fight fans will be able to watch all Thompson Boxing fights, weigh-ins, and behind-the-scenes content, via their new Mobile App downloadable on Apple and Google.

Beto Duran will operate as the blow-by-blow commentator with expert commentary by Doug Fischer and Rich Marotta. Jessica Rosales will serve as the onsite ringside reporter.

This event is sponsored by HUSTLER Casino, LA’s only luxury casino; 

Thompson Building Materials, Transforming spaces into beautiful places; Omega Products International, The leading stucco manufacturer in the United States; Belgard, Paves the way; and Makita, Rule the outdoors.

For more information, regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. You can also follow the conversation on social media, please use #ThompsonBoxing.

Please check our Facebook Page, watch our YouTube channel on Thompson

Boxing TV, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.




THE RECONQUEST KIM CLAVEL V. EVELIN BERMUDEZ IBF/WBO UNIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP Saturday, October 7 at Place Bell in Laval

Montreal, Quebec, Canada – July 20, 2023 — Groupe Yvon Michel in collaboration with O.R.  Promotions are pleased to confirm that Montreal’s Kim Clavel (17-1-0, 3 KOs) is finally back in the World Championship! The current WBC International and WBO International champion will try to dethrone the IBF and WBO light flyweight champion Argentina Evelin “La Princesita” Nazarena Bermudez (18-1-1, 6 KOs) on Saturday, October 7 at Place Bell in Laval. Clavel, 32, will fight his 3rd world championship fight, (1-1) and for Bermudez, 26, the 10th (7-1-1).

This will be Clavel’s 3rd fight in 2023, she returned to victory on May 12 against Naomi Arellano Reyes (9-3, 5 KOs) in another breathtaking performance. We remember the incredible clash on January 13 against WBA champion Yesica Nery Plata (29-2-0, 3 KOs) when the Quebecer had to lose by decision of the judges and give up her title of WBC world champion.

On October 7, it is the real RECONQUEST for Clavel who gets a 2nd chance to be crowned with two major titles, she is ranked number 1 contender in both the WBO and the IBF.

Aspiring Clavel and champion Bermudez met with the media in a virtual conference this morning:

“I saw how hungry Bermudez was, with the knife between her teeth, when she faced the undefeated Tania Enriquez (20-1, 9KO) to regain her titles after her loss to Valle 4 months earlier,” said former WBC champion Clavel. It is with exactly this state of mind that I approach this fight with Bermudez, with fire in my eyes. I know that Evelin is a great champion and that our fight has all the ingredients to be the fight of the year, but it is me who will come out victorious.”

Bermudez replied: “While I agree with Kim on my attitude against Enriquez and the big world championship fight, we’re about to fight, I differ on the result. Unlike Kim I have already succeeded in my reconquest and I am even more equipped, more seasoned than ever and there is no question of taking away these titles so important in my life and my career. I will come back home to Argentina with my 2 belts I assure you.”

Evelin Bermudez, originally from Santa Fe, Argentina, began his career in 2016 at the age of 19. Thus, she won her first world championship fight in 2018 at just 21 years old by dethroning Mexico’s Maria Guadalupe Bautista (21-11-2, 4 KOs) at home in Argentina for the IBF light flyweight title. In 2022, she added the WBO title with a brutal knockout over Debora  Rengifo  (19- 11-1, 11 KOs) of Caracas, Venezuela. After seven successive IBF defenses and a WBO, she lost by majority decision to Costa Rican Yokasta Valle (28-2, 9 KOs), who is also IBF and WBO champion in the minimum division (105 pounds), in Carson, California. The latter immediately gave up her two new light flyweight titles (108 pounds) which allowed Bermudez to regain them, in Buenos Aires against the undefeated Mexican Tania Enriquez (20-0, 9 KOs), last March.

Tickets will be on sale and available starting this Friday, July 21 at noon on www.ticketmaster.ca and  directly at GYM in info@groupeyvonmichel.ca.

LA RECONQUEST is a presentation of Mise-O-Jeu in collaboration with Bell Media.

Clavel won her WBC crown on July 29, 2022, in Montreal, defeating defending champion Yesenia Gomez (19-5-3) by unanimous decision in 10 rounds at the Casino de Montréal, in a dazzling performance that unanimously delighted the people of Quebec.

We remember that at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Clavel returned to nursing to help seniors in Montreal. On the international stage, his courage and generosity have been recognized. She received the prestigious 2020 Pat Tillman Award at that year‘s ESPY ceremony on ESPN, Time Magazine recognized her as the “Next Generation Leader,” and the WBC presented her with the “Humanitarian Award.”

Sébastien Bouchard, Marie-Pier Houle, Caroline Veyre, Derek Pomerleau will also be featured, and 2 other fights will also be added:

Quebec’s Sébastien Bouchard (20-2-1, 9KO) will be back in the ring after his inspiring and dazzling performance on May 12 at Place Bell when he knocked out Fernando Marquez (11-2, 9KO) in the 6th round. Bouchard had to adjust to a lively and incisive Marquez early in the fight. This is a 2nd fight in less than 4 months for the friendly welterweight. A victory in this 10-round clash could open the doors to a return to Quebec City in late 2023 or early 2024.

The sparkling Marie-Pier Houle (8-1-1, 2KO)  of Terrebonne may have lost by decision in the WBO welterweight world championship in Cardiff last April against the excellent Sandy Ryan (6-1, 2KO) but the experience acquired and the new international influence that earned her solid performance will be important assets she who decided to attack of the super lightweight division. Houle is now recognized as a legitimate global aspirant according to the 4 major associations; #3 WBO, #6 IBF, #6 WBA and #11 WBC. On October 7, it will be his debut in his new division in a fight of 10 assaults.

The talented Caroline Veyre (4-0, 0KO) does not want to waste her time and she accumulates significant victories since the beginning of her career. This is why the independent Boxrec ranking already ranks it 5th among the best feathers in the world. Veyre will be in the ring at the Casino de Montréal on September 7 against Karina Chavez (5-1, 0KO) and if all goes well 4 weeks later she will be in action at Place Bell. This Olympian has her destiny all mapped out; she will be world champion!

Young middleweight Derek Pomerleau (5-0, 3KO) of Châteauguay will also be in action in a 6-round fight.

There will also be 2 other fights that will be added to the program. Participants will be chosen based on their performance on September 7 at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal. During this gala the prodigy and world kickboxing champion Jonathan Di Bella (2-0, 1KO) faces the tough Mexican Lamberto Macias (16-8-1, 12KO) in an 8-round bantamweight while the charismatic Terry Osias (12-0, 6KO) of Longueuil will meet Abraham Mejia (9-5-2, 4KO) of Monterrey.

Provincial Tour:

As announced a few weeks ago, Groupe Yvon Michel in collaboration with Les Cages Brasseries sportives, Radio Énergie and RDS Kim Clavel’s team with the president of GYM and other boxers to be confirmed in a few days, will go on a one-week provincial tour from August 8 to 12,

The formula is a 5 à 7 where the team will meet the many fans of Quebec in La Cage – Brasserie sportive, where there will be speeches by Kim and participants recounting their journeys and experiences then photo sessions and autographs.

Here are the dates and locations:

·       Monday, August 7: La Cage Quebec City Lebourgneuf

·       Tuesday, August 8: La Cage de Rimouski.

·       Wednesday, August 9: La Cage de Saguenay

·       Thursday, August 10: La Cage de Trois-Rivières.

·       Friday, August 11: La Cage Bell Center in Montreal.

The last tour of this kind was carried out by Lucian Bute’s team in 2011 and was a resounding success. We suggest that all those interested contact La Cage – Brasserie sportive in your area and reserve your seats.

#GroupeYM #LARECONQUÊTE #ClavelBermudez

About Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM)

Groupe Yvon Michel is a professional boxing promotion organization, founded in 2004 by Yvon Michel, Alexandra Croft and Bernard Barré, still active in the company, the most prolific in the history of professional boxing in  Canada. Since its founding, GYM has organized 167 galas in Quebec, all broadcast in Quebec on RDS, TVA Sports or Radio-Canada, and participated in 37 international galas outside Quebec. Eight boxers have become world champions, Joachim Alcine, Jean Pascal, Adonis Stevenson, Artur Beterbiev, Eleider Alvarez, Marie-Eve Dicaire (2 times), Oscar Rivas and Kim Clavel. Nineteen boxers from the organization have fought 56 world championship fights, maintaining an excellent record of 30 wins, 24 losses and two draws. During this period, the major American television networks were more active than ever coming to Quebec to broadcast the organization’s most important events.




FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH BETWEEN (C) ALEXA GRASSO AND (#1) VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO HEADLINES INAUGURAL NOCHE UFC EVENT

Las Vegas – UFC® brings an action-packed card to T-Mobile Arena to celebrate Mexican Independence Day with a thrilling flyweight championship rematch between champion Alexa Grasso and No. 1 contender Valentina Shevchenko. The co-main event will see No. 6 ranked welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov take on Kelvin Gastelum.

A great tradition in combat sports is to hold big fights on September 16th, and this year UFC is honoring its fans and fighters from Mexican communities with an inaugural Noche UFC event. In addition to the incredible fights, the fight week celebration will include a UFC Fan Experience, special appearances, community activities, commemorative merchandise, and much more.

“Mexican fans are some of the biggest and most passionate fans in all of combat sports,” said UFC President Dana White. “For years, I’ve wanted to truly honor their love for the athletes and the sport by bringing an incredible UFC event with Mexican athletes. It’s happening this year and we are bringing a MASSIVE Mexican card to Las Vegas on Mexican Independence Day. This card will be headlined by our Mexican champion in an insane rematch and it will be stacked from top to bottom with the best Mexican athletes in the world. Let me tell you something – I cannot wait for this event!”

NOCHE UFC: GRASSO vs. SHEVCHENKO 2 takes place Saturday, September 16 in Las Vegas and will be available exclusively on ESPN+ (English and Spanish). The prelims will start at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT, followed by the main card at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

NOCHE UFC: GRASSO vs. SHEVCHENKO 2 tickets go on sale Friday, July 21 at 10 a.m. PT and are available for purchase at axs.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, July 19 at 10 a.m. PT via www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, July 20 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Media members wishing to apply for NOCHE UFC: GRASSO vs. SHEVCHENKO 2 fight week credentials may sign up here.

Mexico’s own Grasso (16-3, fighting out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico) sets out for her first title defense against the woman she took the belt from in March. The elite flyweight has secured notable wins against Maycee Barber, Viviane Araújo, and Joanne Wood and now intends to defeat former champion Shevchenko for a second time to cement her place as the best flyweight in the world.

Longtime resident of Peru, Shevchenko (23-4, fighting out of Bishkek, Chuy Province, Kyrgzstan) aims to recapture the flyweight title and become a two-time champion at 125 pounds. A Master of Sport in taekwondo, boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai, Shevchenko has claimed highlight-reel victories over Lauren Murphy, Jéssica Andrade, and Katlyn Chookagian. The Kyrgyzstan fighter steps back inside the Octagon more motivated than ever as she looks for redemption against Grasso.

Undefeated welterweight Rakhmonov (17-0, fighting out of Kokshetau, Kazakhstan) looks to further his climb up the rankings by delivering another impressive performance. A Master of Sport in Combat Sambo and MMA, he has delivered memorable wins against Geoff Neal, Neil Magny, and Carlston Harris. Rakhmonov aims on keeping his 100% finish rate intact as he squares off with former middleweight title challenger Gastelum.

Mexican-American Gastelum (17-8 1NC, fighting out of Yuma, Ariz.) is determined to secure back-to-back wins as he takes on a rising contender. A decade-long Octagon veteran, Gastelum has defeated Chris Curtis, Ronaldo Souza, and UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping. The Arizona-native is determined to break Rakhmonov’s perfect record and insert his name in the title picture at 170 pounds.

Athletes of Mexican descent on the card include the following:

  • Anthony Hernandez (11-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Dunnigan, Calif.) collides with Chris Curtis (30-10, 1 NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Cincinnati, Ohio) in a high-stakes bout set for the middleweight division
  • Loopy Godinez (10-3, fighting out of Langley, B.C., Canada by way of Aguascalientes, Mexico)battles Sam Hughes (8-5, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) at strawweight
  • Edgar Chairez (10-5, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico)squares off with Daniel Lacerda (11-5, fighting out of Valença, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at flyweight
  • Cynthia Calvillo (9-6-1, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) returns to the Octagon and faces Elise Reed (7-3, fighting out of Princeton, N.J.) at 115 pounds
  • Tracy Cortez (10-1, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) faces Jasmine Jasudavicius (9-2, fighting out of Niagara, Ontario, Canada)in an exciting 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 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 T-Mobile Arena

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

About ESPN+  

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 25.3 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).      

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.




August 26: Efe Ajagba-Zhan Kossobutskiy & Bakhodir Jalolov-Onoriode Ehwarieme Round Out Heavyweight Tripleheader at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa LIVE on ESPN

TULSA, OK (July 20, 2023) — Heavy-hitting Nigerian contender Efe Ajagba will take on unbeaten Kazakh southpaw Zhan Kossobutskiy in the 10-round co-feature on Saturday, August 26 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. Ajagba-Kossobutskiy will be the co-feature to the heavyweight showdown between Toledo-born phenom Jared Anderson and Andriy Rudenko.

Uzbek Olympic gold medalist Bakhodir Jalolov will make his Top Rank debut in the eight-round televised opener against Nigeria’s Onoriode Ehwarieme.

Anderson-Rudenko, Ajagba-Kossobutskiy & Jalolov-Ehwarieme will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Holden Productions, tickets starting at $49.50 are on sale now at www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.

Ajagba (17-1, 13 KOs), a 2016 Nigerian Olympian, has solidified himself as one of the division’s fiercest punchers. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound slugger debuted as a pro in July 2017 and secured six first-round knockouts in his first eight bouts. He suffered his first defeat in October 2021 against Frank Sanchez. Following the loss, Ajagba had surgery on both his elbows, returning in August 2022 to stop Hungarian veteran Jozsef Darmos in the second round. The 29-year-old is coming off a 10-round decision win against previously unbeaten contender Stephan Shaw in January.

“This is a great test for me as I continue my quest to become Nigeria’s next heavyweight champion,” Ajagba said. “I am coming to Tulsa to score a devastating knockout and remind everyone what I’m capable of doing inside the ring.”

Kossobutskiy (19-0, 18 KOs) is a 34-year-old southpaw from Kostanay, Kazakhstan. He has only gone the distance once in his career, a six-round decision win over Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko in September 2018. In 2021, he went 3-0 with three knockouts. In 2022, he dispatched former world title challenger Johann Duhaupas in the fifth round and is coming off a third-round knockout over previously unbeaten contender Hussein Muhamed last November.

Kossobutskiy said, “I’m ready to make my debut in the United States against a very strong opponent. I want to show that I can beat the best in the heavyweight division, and to do that, you must overcome very tough challenges. I look forward to showing the world my abilities on August 26.”

Jalolov (12-0, 12 KOs) represented Uzbekistan at the 2016 Olympics before turning pro in May 2018 with a third-round TKO over Hugo Trujillo. He built an 8-0 record before returning to the amateur ranks in the summer of 2021 to capture an Olympic gold medal. Jalolov then tallied four knockout wins in the paid ranks before continuing his remarkable amateur run in May with a gold medal at the 2023 World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The 29-year-old wrecking ball returns to the pro ranks following his fourth-round TKO over Curtis Harper last November.

Ehwarieme (20-2, 19 KOs) debuted as a professional with a decision win over Junior Maletino Iakopo in December 2010. He defeated his next 16 opponents by knockout, all within five rounds. He suffered his first loss against Rodney Hernandez in June 2019, but returned in December to stop Ariel Esteban Bracamonte via first-round knockout. Ehwarieme suffered a fourth-round stoppage loss against Kossobutskiy in February 2021, and he is 2-0 with two knockouts since. The 35-year-old, who represented Nigeria at the 2008 Olympics, blasted out Jeff Holcomb in only one round in February 2022.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard includes some of the sports brightest up-and-coming talents.

Rising featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (8-0, 5 KOs), the latest fistic talent to come from Brownsville, Brooklyn, will fight an opponent to be named in an eight-rounder. Carrington will make his fourth 2023 appearance following an eighth-round TKO win over Luis Porozo in June.

Undefeated middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (8-0-1, 5 KOs), grandson of Muhammad Ali, will face Sona Akale (7-1, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder. Ali Walsh will fight in Tulsa for the third time as a pro following an eight-round draw against Danny Rosenberger on the Devin Haney-Vasiliy Lomachenko undercard.

19-year-old lightweight prodigy Abdullah Mason (9-0, 8 KOs) will make his fourth appearance of 2023 in a six-round duel. Mason was considered one of the brightest U.S. amateur talents before signing with Top Rank in October 2021. The southpaw returns after a second-round TKO win over Alex de Oliveira on July 1.

In a 10-round junior lightweight tilt, Filipino Olympian Charly Suarez (15-0, 9 KOs) will put his unbeaten record on the line against hard-hitting Dominican Yohan Vasquez (25-3, 20 KOs). Suarez heads to Tulsa following a 12th-round TKO win against then-unbeaten Australian Paul Fleming on enemy turf.

Kazakh Olympian Ablaikhan Zhussupov (3-0, 2 KOs) returns in a welterweight clash scheduled for eight rounds.




ELECTRIFYING WELTERWEIGHT SHOWDOWN BETWEEN (#10) VICENTE LUQUE AND (#5 – LW) RAFAEL DOS ANJOS HEADLINES AT UFC® APEX

Las Vegas – UFC® returns to UFC APEX with an electrifying welterweight showdown as No. 10 ranked contender Vicente Luque takes on former UFC lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos. Also on the card, fan favorite Cub Swanson looks to deliver another exciting performance against Hakeem Dawodu.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: LUQUE vs. DOS ANJOS will take place Saturday, August 12 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire event will air on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (English and Spanish) with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The prelims will begin at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

The always exciting Luque (21-9-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) looks to secure the biggest win of his career with a signature performance. A well-rounded competitor who has finished 19 of his 21 victories, he has delighted fans with wins over Michael Chiesa, Tyron Woodley and Mike Perry. Luque now intends to defend his spot in the rankings by stopping Dos Anjos in emphatic fashion.

Former UFC lightweight champion Dos Anjos (32-14, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) plans to secure another memorable win in the 170-pound division. The record holder for the most fight time in UFC history with over eight hours spent in the Octagon, Dos Anjos has defeated some of the best to ever compete in MMA, including former UFC champions Robbie Lawler, Anthony Pettis and Benson Henderson. He now seeks to make another run up the welterweight ranks by taking out Luque.

A member of the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing for his epic battle with Dooho Choi, Swanson (28-13, fighting out of Palm Springs, Calif.) returns to action aiming to secure a record-breaking 10th post-fight bonus at featherweight. A staple of the 145-pound division since 2011, he holds thrilling victories over Daniel Pineda, Darren Elkins and Kron Gracie. Swanson now seeks to start his 2023 campaign by becoming the first man to KO Dawodu.

Dawodu (13-3-1, fighting out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada) looks to steal the show and announce himself as the next contender to watch in the stacked featherweight division. A former Muay Thai champion, Dawodu has shown off his skills in victories over Michael Trizano, Zubaira Tukhugov and Yoshinori Horie. He now hopes to break into the Top 15 ranks and begin his run towards a title shot.

Additional bouts on the card include:

  • No. 13 ranked light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr. (12-5 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) aims for another signature KO against former heavyweight standout Chris Daukaus (12-6, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.)
  • Lando Vannata (12-7-2, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) battles Mike Breeden (10-5, fighting out of Blue Springs, Mo.) in an exciting lightweight matchup
  • Thrilling strawweights meet as Polyana Viana (13-5, fighting out of State of Para, Brazil) faces Iasmin Lucindo (14-5, fighting out of State of Bahia, Brazil)
  • Heavyweights collide as Josh Parisian (15-6, fighting out of Howell, Mich.) returns against Martin Buday (12-1, fighting out of Nitra, Slovakia)
  • Josh Fremd (10-4, fighting out of Westminster, Colo.) takes on Jamie Pickett (13-9, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) in a middleweight matchup
  • The Ultimate Fighter season 30 flyweight winner Juliana Miller (4-2, fighting out of Lakeside, Calif.) seeks to spoil the UFC debut of Luana Santos (5-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
  • AJ Dobson (6-2 1NC, fighting out of Columbus, Ohio) and Tafon Nchukwi (6-3, fighting out of Temple Hills, Md.) clash in a middleweight contest
  • JP Buys (9-5, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) returns to bantamweight to face Marcus McGhee (7-1, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.)
  • Featherweights Francis Marshall (7-1, fighting out of Freehold Township, N.J.) and Isaac Dulgarian (5-0, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) lock horns
  • Jaqueline Amorim (6-1, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) intends to impress against Montserrat Conejo (10-2, fighting out of El Paso, Texas) at strawweight
  • A gritty bantamweight matchup sees Da’Mon Blackshear (13-5-1, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) face off with Brady Hiestand (8-2, Spokane, Wash.)

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




MCGREGOR VS ROBLES WEIGH-IN 

Lee McGregor is 24 hours away from a potentially “life changing” moment when he fights for the vacant IBO world super bantamweight world title.

‘Lightning’ faces the big-punching Mexican Erik Robles at the Meadowbank Sports Centre tomorrow evening, on a packed night of action at the Wasserman Boxing event, which is delivered in association with Ladbrokes, Numan and Infinitum Entertainment.

Fans in the UK and Ireland can watch McGregor from 10pm, live and free-to-air on Channel 5, with the undercard being shown on the Wasserman Boxing YouTube channel.

Viewers in the rest of the world, can enjoy a huge Edinburgh fight night, live on DAZN from 7pm local time.

First bout 6pm local time

Weigh-In Results

4×3 Super welterweight contest 

Ryan Clark – weighs in tomorrow 

Dale Arrowsmith – tomorrow 

4×3 Middleweight contest 

Aston Brown 161.9lbs 

Vasif Mamedov 167.3lbs 

4×3 Super lightweight  

Jesse Brandon 147lbs 

Liam Fox – tomorrow  

8×3 Featherweight contest 

Isaac Lowe 127.2lbs 

Jonathan Santana 127.6lbs 

4×3 Light heavyweight contest 

Ben Andrews – tomorrow 

Darryl Sharp – tomorrow  

6×3 Heavyweight contest  

Kash Ali 253lbs 

Bohdan Myronets 216.5lbs 

10×3 Super featherweight contest 

Sultan Zaurbek 132lbs 

John Carter 134lbs 

6×3 Heavyweight contest  

Matty Harris 259lbs 

Kostyantin Dovbyshchenko 243lbs 

8×3 Super lightweight contest 

Harlem Eubank 142lbs 

Ishmael Ellis 139.8lbs 

Vacant IBO world super bantamweight title 

Lee McGregor 122lbs 

Erik Robles 121lbs 




CES Boxing Announces “Summer Heat 2023” details ‘Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Invitational’ Amateur Showcase & Pro Boxing Show in One Special Night

STAMFORD, CT – In front of a jam-packed crowd consisting of fans, family and media at Bobby V’s in Stamford on Tuesday night, Jimmy Burchfield Sr. unveiled the details of “Summer Heat 2023,” an absolutely stacked boxing card taking place on August 12th at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

Featured at the podium were Stamford pro boxers Chordale ‘The Gift’ Booker and Slawomir Bodhziewicz, as well as a pair of amateur fighters from New Haven, Chad Dawson Jr. and Troyveon Allen.  

“August 12 is going to be special, because not only will fans be treated to a great night of professional boxing, but they’ll get a 2-for-1,” stated CES Founder Jimmy Burchfield Sr.  “Their ticket will also allow them to attend the ‘Jimmy Burchfield Classic Invitational,’ a USA Boxing sanctioned Amateur showcase that will take place before the pro card on August 12th.”

The pro boxing card will be headlined by newly minted WBC US Super Welterweight champion Booker (19-1, 8 KOs), who won the title at Mohegan Sun Arena in April with a spectacular 4th round knockout.  

Booker will be one step closer to a title shot with an impressive victory over Puerto Rico’s Nicolas Hernandez (27-6-3, 12 KOs), especially if undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo vacates his belts after moving up two divisions to challenge undisputed super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on September 30th in Las Vegas.   

“This is going to be one of my best performances,” exclaimed Booker.  “I haven’t been this locked in since 2018.  However long it goes, it’s gonna be bad for Nicolas Hernandez.  You’re going to see a great performance and a great show.  This fight is not going 10.”      

The pro card will also feature Hall-of-Famer and former two division champion Jaime ‘The Hurricane’ Clampitt (24-6-2, 7 KOs) and many of the best prospects that New England has to offer, including Anthony ‘ATV’ Velasquez (12-0-1, 11 KOs), Alejandro Paulino (14-0, 12 KOs), Angel Gonzalez (12-0, 7 KOs) and Wilson Mascarenhas (7-1, 2 KOs) in separate bouts.  

“All of New England will be represented on the card in competitive match-ups,” said Burchfield Sr.  “From top to bottom, this will be one of the best shows of the year.”  

Another fighter CES boxing is excited to showcase is Polish prospect Slawomir Bohdziewicz (1-0, 1 KO), who scored a tremendous 3rd round knockout in his debut at Mohegan Sun Arena in April.

“I’m very thankful to Jimmy Burchfield for putting on this event,” said Bohdziewicz.  “I know my Polish fans will come out to support me and I will not let them down.”

The event kicks off with “Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Invitational” amateur showcase beginning at 4:30pm.  Topping that card will be Ali Feliz, the #1 ranked Heavyweight in the United States.  Feliz is from a fighting family: his father, Fernely Feliz, was a heavyweight puncher who retired with a record of 23-9 with 16 KOs and fought the likes of former heavyweight champions Oleg Maskaev and ‘The Quiet Man’ John Ruiz.  Ali’s brother, Fernely Feliz Jr. (6-0, 5 KOs) is a power punching heavyweight who will also see action on the undercard of the pro show.

The Invitational will also feature Chad Dawson Jr., son of former 2-time light heavyweight champion ‘Bad’ Chad Dawson, and Troyveon Allen, a 22-year-old who won the Western New England Golden Gloves at 132lbs this February.   

“My Dad stepped down, so now I’m here to take his place and have fun,” joked Dawson Jr. to the delight of the crowd. “Fun destruction!”.  

Join us at Mohegan Sun Arena for a fantastic night of boxing.  Tickets for this event are priced at $46, $66, $140 and $165.  Tickets are quickly selling out, so fans are encouraged to buy them at CESfights.com, Ticketmaster or at the Mohegan Sun box office.  Doors open at 4pm, with the first amateur bout starting at 4:30pm and the pro card beginning at 6:30pm.

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”.

ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the U.S. regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named “2021 Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency.  In recent years, the “Most Beloved Venue in America” has also been the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven – time national award – winner for “Arena of the Year.”  For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.




World rated featherweight Lisandro Barazarte signs promotional pact with Kings Promotions

Reading, PA (July 20, 2023)–Reading, Pennsylvania; The WBA Fedelatin champion Lisandro “El Gato” Barazarte (10-0 7KOs) has inked multi-year promotional agreement with Kings Promotions. The WBA number 15 rated featherweight is slated to appear this fall in the United States, marking his first fight under the promotional banner. 

“This is the right move for Lisandro at this point of his career. He is a world class talent and at the age of 25 he is ready to make the jump to the United States and chase a world title.” said Trifon Petrov who manages Lisandro Barazarte. 

On July 1st of 2022 in his hometown of Maracay, Lisandro Barazarte scored his most impressive win to date as he captured the WBA Fedelatin title with a 10 round unanimous decision win over undefeated Colombian knockout artist Kevin Piedrahita. Barazarte last fought in February of 2023 in Caracas, where he defended the WBA Fedelatin title with a first round knockout win over Marlembron Acuna. El Gato as he is known in his native Venezuela holds wins over previously unbeaten Kevin Piedrahita, hard hitting Yoni Blanco (14-2) and Otto Gamez (19-6). 

“When my manager Trifon Petrov presented me with the opportunity to sign with Kings Promotions, it was a no brainer. Marshall Kauffman works closely with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) and Showtime, so I know I will be getting my well deserved TV time and big opportunities in the next year. I am excited to show the American audience that I’m one of the best fighters in the world.” said Lisandro Barazarte. 

“This is another excellent signing for Kings Promotions. Lisandro has all the tools to be the next world champion coming from the country of Venezuela. We are excited to have him as part of the Kings Promotion family” stated Marshall Kauffman. 

Once Lisandro Barazarte makes the move to the United States later this summer, he will be training alongside the hottest prospect in boxing Euri Cedeño in Kings Gym under the guidance of world renowned trainer Sensei Rivera in Reading, Pennsylvania. 




UNBEATEN CONTENDER STEVEN NELSON AND RISING PROSPECT JOSE SALAS REYES HIGHLIGHT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD SHOWTIME PPV® COUNTDOWN SHOW IN SEPARATE BOUTS ON SATURDAY, JULY 29

LAS VEGAS – July 19, 2023 – A pair of showdowns featuring an unbeaten super middleweight contender and a rising super bantamweight prospect will enter the ring on the SHOWTIME PPV COUNTDOWN SHOW on Saturday, July 29 leading up to the much-anticipated Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford SHOWTIME PPV taking place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Undefeated 168-pound contender Steven Nelson will top the lineup as he takes on Rowdy Montgomery in a 10-round showdown, plus Mexican super bantamweight prospect Jose Salas Reyes competes in a 10-round attraction against former world title challenger Aston Palicte opening up the live stream at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing® Facebook page.

The show will be hosted by award-winning MORNING KOMBAT live digital talk show co-host Luke Thomas, who will be accompanied by a pair of special guests. Sports broadcaster Kate Abdo, who covers UEFA Champions League for CBS Sports and is a former PBC studio host, and Ariel Helwani, renowned combat sports journalist and SHOWTIME Basketball podcast host, will both join Thomas in what should be a memorable night of streaming.  

These fights lead into a four-fight pay-per-view telecast beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT headlined by WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBO Welterweight World Champion Terence “Bud” Crawford meeting to crown the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com.

Nelson (18-0, 15 KOs) is an Omaha, Nebraska native and longtime training partner of Terence Crawford who will look to keep his unblemished pro record intact on July 29. The 35-year-old turned pro in 2016 after an accomplished amateur career and most recently fought on Crawford’s undercard in December 2022. That outing saw Nelson shake off the rust from a nearly two-year layoff to KO James Ballard in round one. He will be opposed by the Victorville, California-native Montgomery (10-4-1, 7 KOs), who enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak. Montgomery’s last defeat came via decision against rising middleweight sensation Elijah Garcia in May 2022.

A 21-year-old who turned pro in November 2020, Reyes (12-0, 9 KOs) carried an eight-fight KO streak into his U.S. debut this April. That outing saw the Tijuana, Mexico-native earn a shutout 10-round unanimous decision victory over the previously unbeaten Prince Dzanie. He will face the Bago City, Philippines born Alicte (28-5-1, 23 KOs), who has twice vied for the super flyweight world championship, including a split-draw for the vacant belt in a 2018 matchup against Donnie Nietes. Alicte would later drop a 2019 title fight against Kazuto Ioka and most recently had a three-bout winning streak snapped when he lost to current bantamweight world champion Jason Moloney in June 2022.

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ABOUT SPENCE VS. CRAWFORD

Spence vs. Crawford will see unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz facing unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, plus future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire battles Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight Title. Kicking off the telecast is top prospect Yoenis Tellez dueling Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.

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




Top Rank Signs Olympic Gold Medalist Bakhodir Jalolov to Multi-Year Promotional Contract 

(July 19, 2023) – Undefeated heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov, a 6-foot-7, 250-pound southpaw wrecking ball, has signed a multi-year promotional contract with Top Rank. The 29-year-old Olympic gold medalist will make his Top Rank debut in an eight-rounder Saturday, Aug. 26, on the ESPN-televised undercard of the Jared Anderson-Andriy Rudenko heavyweight showdown at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.
 
Jalolov’s opponent will be announced shortly.
 
“I am excited for this new chapter in my career and to present my boxing skills to boxing fans worldwide,” Jalolov said. “Top Rank is one of the elite boxing promoters, and I look forward to a prosperous relationship.”
 
“Bakhodir Jalolov is one of the finest heavyweight talents in boxing today,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “His tremendous amateur credentials speak for themselves, and as a professional, he has proven to be equally devastating. I truly believe he will be a heavyweight champion one day.”
 
“Our team is looking forward to working together with our new partner in Top Rank,” said Vadim Kornilov, Jalolov’s manager. “We are very confident and aligned in our plans and goals on taking Bakhodir to the world championship level.” 
 
Jalolov (12-0, 12 KOs) represented Uzbekistan at the 2016 Olympics, losing to eventual silver medalist Joe Joyce before turning pro in May 2018 with a third-round TKO over Hugo Trujillo. He scored three additional knockout wins that year, all within four rounds. Following a pair of knockout wins in 2019, he stopped Wilfrido Leal in December 2020 and returned to Uzbekistan in April 2021 to knock out Kristaps Zutis in only two rounds. Jalolov re-joined the amateur ranks later that summer and captured Olympic gold, besting current Top Rank stablemate Richard Torrez Jr. in the championship match. He continued his remarkable amateur run in May with a gold medal at the 2023 World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Jalolov comes back to the paid ranks following his fourth-round TKO over Curtis Harper last November.
 



IT’S ON! ‘SMITH vs EUBANK II: REPEAT OR REVENGE?’ SET FOR SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd AT THE AO ARENA IN MANCHESTER, LIVE ON SKY SPORTS BOX OFFICE

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – (July 19, 2023) – The highly-anticipated rematch between bitter middleweight rivals Liam ‘Beefy’ Smith and Chris Eubank Jr has a new date, with the two now set to collide in at the AO Arena, Manchester on Saturday, September 2nd.

Airing live and exclusively on Sky Sports Box Office, the SMITH vs EUBANK II: REPEAT OR REVENGE? pay-per-view blockbuster event will bring the heated rivalry to a fiery conclusion, nine months after their first electrifying encounter.

Smith and Eubank Jr first fought in January, meeting in the middle of the ring for a frenetic firefight which lasted just one minute into the fourth round before Smith secured victory with a stunning pair of knockdowns. 

Upset at the referee’s intervention and determined to avenge the defeat, Eubank Jr immediately activated the contracted rematch clause and went into a protracted training camp focused on handing a loss to Liverpool man Smith.

With a prior date having been postponed due to Smith suffering a minor injury in training camp, the simmering rivalry has reached new heights with each passing month and is set to reach boiling point on September 2nd.

“I’m glad that the date is set now and we can look forward to getting rid of this itch that needs scratching. I’m fully healed up now, injury-free, and I’m looking forward to finishing Chris Eubank Jr’s career on September 2nd,” said Smith.

“No more excuses, no more postponements. Smith can’t run forever. September 2 is the day of my revenge,” said Eubank Jr.

Ben Shalom, BOXXER’s promoter and CEO, said, “The rivalry between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr has quickly become one of the most heated in British boxing. Their January fight was one of the most exciting encounters in BOXXER history. We’re expecting tickets to fly out for September 2nd at the AO Arena as fans rush to be ringside for what is guaranteed to be another unbelievable firefight.”

Kalle Sauerland, Global Head of Boxing at Wasserman Boxing, said: “Good things come to those who wait, and so the postponements will only make victory that bit sweeter for Chris, when he finally meets Liam Smith on September 2. Chris has had to remain patient and disciplined but what has been clear, in our conversations over the last few weeks and months, is that he is laser-focused on setting the record straight. Chris is going to deliver an electric performance.”

SMITH vs EUBANK II: REPEAT OR REVENGE? is presented in association with official partners bet365, WOW HYDRATE, Everlast and Village Hotels. 

Tickets for the blockbuster clash at the AO Arena in Manchester will go on sale on Tuesday July 25th. 

Fans can sign up at Boxxer.com for exclusive access to presale tickets before general sale.




Top Rank Presents Lightweight Doubleheader George Kambosos, Jr. vs. Maxi Hughes Keyshawn Davis vs. Francesco Patera

Former unified and lineal lightweight world champion George Kambosos Jr. (20-2, 10 KOs) makes his Top Rank debut in a 12-round IBF world title eliminator against English southpaw Maxi Hughes (26-5-2, 5 KOs).

Kambosos is a 10-year pro who has traveled the globe in his efforts to conquer the lightweight division. In a triumph that was named ESPN’s 2021 Upset of the Year, Kambosos toppled Teofimo Lopez via split decision and captured three lightweight world titles. Following his first career setbacks in 2022, Kambosos has ambitions of reclaiming his throne, but he’ll first need to get past Hughes.

Hughes, a 33-year-old veteran hailing from the United Kingdom, debuted in the paid ranks in 2010. He lost a November 2019 showdown for the WBO European title against Liam Walsh, but rebounded impressively, winning all seven of his subsequent fights, including a 10-round decision win against then-unbeaten Kazakh standout Viktor Kotochigov in 2020. Hughes is coming off a 12-round majority decision win against former world champion Kid Galahad last September.

In the 10-round co-feature, U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis (8-0, 6 KOs) takes a seismic step up in class against Belgian contender and former European champion Francesco Patera (28-3, 10 KOs).

Davis, from Norfolk, Virginia, went 3-0 in the pro ranks before capturing a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. In his most recent outing, the 24-year-old outclassed Anthony Yigit en route to a ninth-round TKO. Davis looks to continue his rapid lightweight ascent against his stiffest test to date.

Patera is an eight-year pro from Belgium. Since 2017, the 30-year-old has won 10 straight fights and is coming off a first-round knockout against Irakli Shariashvili in April.

The undercard streams exclusively on ESPN+.

ESPN’s Joe Tessitore will call the action with Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr. Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna?will serve as reporters.

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Kambosos, Jr. vs. Hughes (all times ET)

Date Time (ET) Event Bouts Platform
Thu., July 20 2 p.m. Press Conference ___  ESPN+
Fri., July 21 Weigh-In ___
Sat., July 22 10:00 p.m. Main George Kambosos Jr. vs. Maxi Hughes ESPN, ESPN Deportes
ESPN+ (simulcast)
Co-Feature Keyshawn Davis vs. Francesco Patera
5:45 p.m. Feature Giovanni Santillan vs. Erick Bone ESPN+
Undercard Jeremiah Milton vs. Willie Harvey
Undercard Troy Isley vs. Antonio Todd
Undercard Amron Sands vs. Hemi Ahio
Undercard Stephan Shaw vs. Joe Goodall
Undercard Roney Hines vs. Michael Pirotton

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