4 x 3 mins Heavyweight contest
 
Federico Pacheco Jr. (254lbs) vs.   Oscar Heredia (252lbs) 
Los Angeles, California                      Monterrey, Mexico
 
Followed by
 
8 x 3 mins Flyweight contest
 
Neider Valdez (108lbs)         vs.     Isaias Ortiz (109lbs)
Monterrey, Mexico                           Mexico City, Mexico
 
Followed by
 
10 x 3 mins Bantamweight contest 
 
Jonathan Rodriguez (115lbs) vs.    Israel Gonzalez (115lbs)
San Luis Potosi, Mexico                     Los Cabos, Mexico
 
Followed by
 
10 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
 
Eduardo Hernandez (137lbs)         vs.     Hector Garcia (137lbs)
Mexico City, Mexico                                    Tijuana, Mexico
 
Followed by
 
10 x 3 mins WBO International and USWBC Super-Middleweight titles
 
Diego Pacheco (168lbs)        vs.     Manuel Gallegos (168lbs)
Los Angeles, California                     Los Mochis, Mexico

DALLAS – July 6, 2023 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Real Fight Inc. (RFI) announced that two super middleweight powerhouses, Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator Green” (12-0, 11 KOs) and Olivia Curry (7-1, 2 KOs) will be joining the Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz pay-per-view card live on August 5th. The 10-round matchup will be contested at 168 Ibs at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. Green, the universally recognized number one contender, comes to the ring off her latest dominating victory, a 6th round TKO, over former unified world champion, Elin Cederroos, back in February. Curry, who boasts a decisive five-bout winning streak, will put her power and skill to the test as she steps in against the powerful Green. Rounding out the card will be Real Fight, Inc.’s  Alan Sanchez (22-5-1, 10 KOs) vs. Angel Beltran Villa (17-1, 10 KOs) as they go head-to-head in an 8-round welterweight bout. 

The Paul vs. Diaz pay-per-view is presented by Celsius Essential Energy drinks and will be distributed globally by DAZN PPV. In the US and Canada in addition to DAZN PPV, Paul vs. Diaz will be available on all major cable and satellite pay-per-view providers. All tickets can be purchased at https://www.ticketmaster.com/mvp-jake-paul-v-nate-diaz-dallas-texas-08-05-2023/event/0C005EA581B12549

Green, the former Team USA star who boasts an impressive 12-0 record with 11 KO’s and the record for fastest KO in a women’s fight, joined MVP after a trailblazing few years in the sport. She is currently the mandatory challenger for Undisputed champion Savannah Marshall’s newly earned WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF belts, which sets up a bout that would be the biggest women’s fight in UK history. As a former standout college basketball star, Green spent years as a starter for Old Dominion University (ODU) where she was impressively named Third Team All-CAA and ranked top 20 in the CAA in scoring. The Paterson, NJ native later broke out into the amateur boxing scene when she joined the U.S. National Team as a heavyweight after just five fights, earning a silver medal at the 2016 World Championships in Kazakhstan. In 2019, Green transitioned to professional boxing where she quickly gained notoriety as a top female contender, ranking #1 in the WBC and IBO, and #2 in the WBA, ultimately earning her the Paterson Laila Ali Award. 

“I’m at the top of my game right now,” said Shadasia Green. “I may be next in line for the super middleweight title, but right now, I’m strictly focused on knocking out Olivia Curry. The August 5^th card boasts an impressive lineup of fights and it’s an honor to share center stage with female boxing legends like Amanda Serrano and Heather Hardy. I can’t wait to show fans in Dallas and at home exactly why they call me ‘The Sweet Terminator.’”

Curry, the professional boxer out of Chicago, originally hailing from Cincinnati, OH, comes to the ring after winning her last five fights. The 33-year-old began her amateur fighting career in Muay Thai, winning the TBA Classic and fighting the best Class A competition in North America. As an amateur boxer, she won the Chicago Golden Gloves and went on to represent Chicago at the National Golden Gloves three times. Curry was nationally ranked as an elite female and competed at the 2018 USA National Tournament. As a pro, she is ranked in the top 5 middleweight contenders by major sanctioning bodies and The Ring Magazine. Outside the ring, Curry is a commercial filmmaker. She is managed by Trinidad Garcia and Rick Ramos.   

“I’m grateful to MVP and Real Fight, Inc. for the opportunity to fight Shadasia and introduce myself to the world with a bang,” said Olivia Curry. “I’m coming to Dallas to win. I want to show that women’s boxing at the higher, more dangerous weight classes is leveling up.”

RFI’s 32-year-old Alan Sanchez (22-5-1, 10 KOs), hails from Guadalajara, Mexico and has conducted his camp in Stockton, CA. He is the former WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Champion and is coming off consecutive victories that include wins over Saul Bustos (15-0-1) and Jose Miguel Borrego (18-2). Defined by the area’s toughness,  Sanchez is a 147 Ib standout who will take on Angel Beltran Villa who boasts an impressive record of 17-1 with 10 KOs. The 27-year-old from Mexicali, Mexico is currently training in Indio, CA and is entering this fight after an eight-fight winning streak, following his June knockout of Abraham Afful and unanimous decision upset win against Luis Lopez in March. He is managed by Francisco Garcia. 

“Shadasia Green vs. Olivia Curry promises to be an exciting fight from start to finish. I am excited for the world to see why Jake and I are such big believers in Shadasia,” said MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. “For the first time, every member of our current MVP talent roster will be fighting on one card, and I couldn’t be prouder of the team we’ve built. Between the energy of the American Airlines Center, our incredible PPV production with DAZN, and the quality of the Paul vs. Diaz fighters- this night will be legendary.”

“These fights are the final pieces of a main card that showcases the best in boxing, Real Fight, Inc. and Most Valuable Promotions,” said RFI President, Zach Rosenfield. “We wanted to ensure that fans who attend this event and watch it all over the world through DAZN are treated to the best that boxing has to offer, and together we know that is what we are delivering”

Most Valuable Promotions, founded by Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, and Real Fight, Inc., founded by Diaz, are partnering to bring Paul vs. Diaz to global audiences. The strategic partnership will combine the star power and international reach of both fighters to promote the year’s biggest fight. The event is presented by Celsius Essential Energy drinks and will be distributed globally by DAZN PPV. In the US and Canada in addition to DAZN PPV, Paul vs. Diaz will be available on all major cable and satellite pay-per-view providers.

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

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP 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.

About Real Fight, Inc.

Founded by mixed martial arts legend Nate Diaz, in 2022, Real Fight Inc. promotes exactly what the name suggests — the fights people want to see, featuring the realest fighters from all over the world. Since his departure from the UFC, Diaz is extending his business empire with a true all-around combat experience that will focus on boxing, MMA, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The inaugural event under the Real Fight, Inc. banner is set to take place on August 5, 2023, when Diaz makes his long-awaited professional boxing debut against Jake Paul at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.  The card will also feature RFI fighters, Chris Avila, Alan Sanchez, Jose Aguayo and Luciano Ramos

About DAZN:

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

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

?

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

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

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

About American Airlines Center:

Designed by architectural wizard David M. Schwarz and Dallas based HKS, Inc., American Airlines Center is considered one of the nation’s top arenas. Since opening its doors in 2001, the Center has been setting the precedent for sporting and live entertainment events. Bringing in a wide variety of big name shows as well as being home of both the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, American Airlines Center consistently displays its unique versatility. Billboard Magazine named American Airlines Center the 6th busiest arena in the world in 2022.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (July 6, 2023) – Undefeated contender Raymond “Danger” Muratalla is ascending the lightweight ladder without any delay. 

The 26-year-old Muratalla, who blasted out Jeremia Nakathila in only two rounds in May, makes his third appearance of 2023 in a 10-round clash against unbeaten Mexican standout Diego Torres on Saturday, August 12 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. 

Muratalla-Torres will serve as the co-feature to the junior lightweight title showdown between WBO world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and former two-division world champion Oscar Valdez. U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. opens the televised tripleheader in a six-round heavyweight tilt against Willie Jake Jr. 

Navarrete-Valdez, Muratalla-Torres, and Torrez-Jake will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $50 are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.

Muratalla (18-0, 15 KOs) is quickly becoming a major threat in his division. He made his pro debut in 2016 in Mexico, and two years later he debuted in the U.S. He has stopped 12 of his last 13 opponents, and he is on track to have his most impressive year yet. In March, he survived a first-round knockdown to stop Humberto Galindo with a body shot in round nine. In May, he opened the Devin Haney-Vasiliy Lomachenko pay-per-view broadcast with his devastating showing against Nakathila. 

Muratalla said, “I couldn’t be more excited to get back in that ring on such a great card. I can’t wait to put on another great performance for the fans. I believe this is my time now, and I will continue to show the hard work that’s being put in.”

Torres (17-0, 16 KOs) is a 25-year-old powerhouse from Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. The oldest of four boxing brothers, he began his pro career in 2019 and unleashed a streak of 13 knockout victories. In February 2022, he took on fellow Zapopon native Jonathan Escobedo Martinez, going the 10-round distance for the first time in an all-action slugfest. Torres is 3-0 with three knockouts since the Martinez war. In his last fight, he beat Jose Segura Torres via fifth-round TKO in March. Torres is now set to celebrate his 26^th birthday by making his long-awaited U.S. debut. 

“I am very excited about this fight. I think this is a big opportunity for me,” Torres said. “Fighting against another undefeated fighter is something that I was looking for. It is my way of showing that I am made for this, and I am here to achieve great things. I am not afraid. I’m going to give it my all and come out with a great victory.”

Isaac Lowe is the latest addition to the undercard of Lee McGregor’s huge homecoming world title fight next month. 

Live and free-to-air on Channel 5, on Friday, July 21, McGregor battles it out with Mexico’s Erik Robles for the vacant IBO world super bantamweight title. 

The Wasserman Boxing event, delivered in association with Ladbrokes, Numan and Infinitum Entertainment sees McGregor box in front of his home fans for the first time since his pro debut, five years ago. 

And supporting McGregor’s big night, is a packed undercard which now includes Lowe taking on Jonathan Santana in a featherweight dust-up. 

Unfortunately, a small set-back in training has forced the former cruiserweight champion of the world, Mairis Briedis, to withdraw from the Meadowbank Sports Centre event. 

But fans can still enjoy the latest outing for the UK’s most fearsome heavyweight prospect, Matty Harris as he aims to become the first man to stop Kostyantin Dovbyshchenko. 

Sultan Zaurbek, the world ranked Kazak with 10 knockout wins on his record, takes on former European super featherweight champion, John Carter. 

And with further big names, emerging talents and local favourites to be confirmed in the coming days, McGregor’s huge Edinburgh homecoming is one not to be missed. 

Lowe said: “This won’t just be a typical Isaac Lowe performance, I am going to show people I am a good boxer.

“People know I have the heart of a lion and I come to have a fight but there are other ways to win a fight. 

“I provide value for money, there is guaranteed entertainment in my fights. I am far from finished and I plan to put on a good show for the fans.” 

Briedis said: “I was really looking forward to fighting in Edinburgh on July 21. 

“Sadly, I have suffered a small set back in training and so I won’t be ready in time.  

“But I can promise my fans that big fights are coming later this year, and they will put me, and my beloved country of Latvia, back at the top of the sport.”

MONTRÉAL – (July 6, 2023) — In his Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) contract debut, former world kickboxing champion, Jonathan Giovanni Dibella (2-0, 1 KOs) will face veteran Mexican bantamweight Lamberto Macias (16-8-1, 12KOs) in the eight-round main event on Thursday, September 7,  at Montreal Casino.

Di Bella, 26, has had a flawless career in combat sports, whether in amateur boxing (6-0), pro kickboxing (11-0) or pro boxing. This will mark Di Bella’s third pro boxing fight, knocking out Jesus Velazquez (3-3, 2 KOs) in his last outing in July 2022, at Montreal Casino.

Macias lost his last fight by way of a 10-round decision against Carlos Cuadras (40-5-1, 27 KOs), the former World Boxing Council (WBA) world champion who is currently ranked No. 5 in the world by the WBC.

In the co-featured event, Canadian light heavyweight Terry Osias (12-0, 6 KOs), who only needed two rounds in both of her last two fights, stopping Swedish Niclas Elfstedt (11-2-1, 6 KOs) and Francy Ntetu (17-5, 4 KOs), will meet Abraham Hernandez Meja (9-5-2, 4 KOs) in an eight-round bout. Osias will be in his 12th fight at Montreal Casino.

Toronto’s Steven Rolls (22-2, 12 KOs), promoter Lou DiBella’s protege, will defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) North American middleweight title against Sladan Janjanin (36-15, 25 KOs) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a 10-rounder.

The elite card will also showcase world welterweight contender Marie-Pier Houle (8-1-1, 2KO), ranked No. 2 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO), who will be in her first fight since her superb performance against world champion Sandy Ryan last April in Cardiff, Wales. Houle is matched against solid super lightweight Cindy Reyes Espinoza (4-1) in an eight-round clash. Espinoza and Houle have one common opponent, Marisol Moreno, who lost twice to Espinoza, and once to  Houle in a very tough fight this past January.

Multi-talented Caroline Veyre (4-0) will participate in her fifth fight in less than a year. She was very impressive in her last two fights, defeating Anaelle Angerville (5-2-1), of France, and Emma Gongora (6-3)..Veyre fights a quality opponent, Karina Travieso “The Relentless” Chavez (5-1), in an eight-round bout.

Popular Montreal light heavyweight Abed Almoty El Safadi (4-0, 1KO) will take on Dylan Rushton (3-9-2, 4 KOs) in a four-rounder, while light heavyweight Mohamed Zawadi (6-1, 5  KOs), who is promoted by  Lee Baxter, squares off against Edison Demaj (10-2, 5 KOs), of Germany, in a six-round confrontation.

DiBella began training very early at the age of two under the guidance of his father. Angelo Di Bella – two-time world kickboxing champion – in the family gym he founded. Jonathan’s first kickboxing fight was at age 10, his first professional fight the following year. He fought all over North America including in the iconic Madison Square Garden. Everyone in Quebec gyms knows Di Bella, as well as throughout the United States, where he served as a training partner for many boxers including several world champions. He received other offers from promoters in boxing, but he chose GYM.

Tickets for the Sept. 7 event are on sale now at ticketmaster.ca or directly from GYM at info@groupeyvonmichel.ca.

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

SAN ANTONIO, TX (July 6, 2023):

Statement from Golden Boy Promotions:

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our fighters, and we of course support Vergil’s decision 100 percent. This unfortunate event does however open the door for one of Golden Boy’s top prospects, Floyd Schofield, to accelerate his profile by headlining in his home state of Texas. We will, as always, put on a high-action card from top to bottom on July 8 and look forward to showcasing all of our fighters both in San Antonio and on DAZN.”

More information on the July 8 event will be announced shortly.

DEERFIELD BEACH, FL  (July 5, 2023) – Two of Don King Productions’ longtime members—Vonda Carson and John Moceyunas—were elected to the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.

Carson and Moceyunas were honored this past weekend in St. Petersburg, FL.

“I am thrilled that the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame has recognized two of Don King Productions’ most dedicated members,” said the World’s Greatest Boxing promoter Don King.  “Vonda Carson and John Moceyunas have always gone above and beyond the call of duty in staging every fight we have presented to boxing fans around the world.  They are certainly true boxing Hall of Famers.”

Vonda Carson has won numerous marketing and sales awards including becoming the first African American women to win the prestigious American Eagle Award for outstanding performance in Sales and Marketing. In her statement.

“I am honored to receive such prestigious recognition, but our achievements in life don’t define our character,” said Carson.  “We must all strive for a greater Good. Changing lives, making a difference in the service of others as was mentioned in my acceptance speech Sunday.  I consider myself a servant of this Great Sport of Boxing.  We are people behind the scenes.

“I am thankful for the Guidance and training I acquired from Don King, Dana Jamison and the Late Bobby Goodman, who inspired and groomed most of us, in Boxing OPS at DKP.  He taught me how to handle opposition and face my challenges head – on!  I would often hear Don say things like failure is not an option!  And “Working Together Works.”  

“It is indeed good to be a Trail Blazer first to be nominated in this Category by the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame class of 2023. I speak for all the Unsung Heroes, who never Fades nor Falter, always able to do what is necessary and needed to get the job done!  It is a tedious job of self-sacrifice, long hours, hard work and dedication, however with all of that we are willing to do It again, an again! 

“We are the servants of this Great Sport! with every Promotional Contract, Bout Agreement, Medical Report, Eye Exam, MRI, EKG, through every travel record, room reservation.  Through our many vast travels from country to country, our many encounters with Bellman, Concierge’s desks, Tramrails, countless numbers Hotel stays from City-to-City countless number border Custom Checks.

“We wouldn’t change a thing! For this is who we are! 

“With every victory and every agonizing defeat the Unsung Heroes knows his or her roll in consoling’s a child after his fathers has been K.O ED! Giving expressions of Love and care to a distraught Wife or Mother. Going to the hospital with the fighter who has a Detached Retina or a Head Concussion, 

“We are Guardians at the Gate, that brings the agonizing news of the bleak report of the Prize fighters, Fate.      For we are the Servants of this Great Sport!  

“I speak for all the Unsung Heroes behind the scenes, I thank you for this opportunity to serve and when my time is done… as I pass the baton on to a younger generation for it is  my prayer that they have, the Passion and Love of this Great SPORT!

“I leave Mahatma Gandhi’s quote “that the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Moceyunas has been Don King’s compliance coordinator for more than 29 years.  He rose through the ranks to Director of Operations.

Moceyunas has worked on more than 340 World Championship events including four of nine of the biggest pay per view events of all-time, which results in more than 1 billion dollars in revenue.   

Moceyunas also worked in DKP International Sales and handled the accounting of international sales for 19 years as well as IT operations for the organization.

John and the DKP team worked to digitize and manage the entire Don King Productions fight library consisting of 18,000 tapes including more than 632 events with more than 4,250 bouts and more than 300,000 photographs of some of the most iconic fights in the history of professional boxing.   Moceyunas and the DKP team also developed DonKingTV.com, the very first online streaming portal for boxing back in 2006.  He has streamed events with total views of more than 25 million over his tenure.  John Moceyunas and Team DKP continue to help direct legendary promoter Don King’s television operations.  He directed the first boxing event ever streamed from wireless public internet, worldwide to more than 52 countries on Jan. 29, 2022.

QUINCY, Mass. (July 5, 2023) – Undefeated prospects Gabriel “The Menace” Morales (7-0, 4 KOs), a lightweight, and middleweight Luke “The Quiet Storm” Iannuccilli (6-0, 3 KOs) have been added to the already stacked “Veterans Stadium Showcase” Pro-Am card, presented by Granite Chin Promotions (GCP), on Friday night, August 11th (Aug. 12th rain date), at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Former New England Welterweight Champion Mike “Bad Man, Ohan, Jr. (18-2, 9 KOs), of Holbrook, and Haverhill’s Harry “The Hitman” Gigliotti (9-4, 3 KOs), reigning ABF Atlantic super lightweight title holder, will battle in the eight-round, main event in a non-title fight.

Gigliotti, Morales and Iannuccilli are Reyes Boxing stablemates.

“The future of local boxing is promoters working together not against each other,” GCP president Chris Traietti remarked. “When we combine resources, we can make the shows that fans want to see. Mike Reyes has been great to work with and we are honored to have three of his fighters on this card, one of which is headlining, Gigliotti.”

“It’s a pleasure for Reyes Boxing to be pairing up with Granite Chin to make amazing local fights that people deserve,” Promoter Micheal Reyes added. “Gabby, Harry and Luke all look forward to offering the crowd an amazing show.”

Morales, a union carpenter from Lowell (MA), is fighting in a six-rounder.

“I’m pretty excited about fighting on this show,” Morales said. “I think fighting outdoors will help. I do all my running outside. No roof and cleaner air than if we were fighting indoors in a crowded room. I’m a boxer-puncher who has good output and I can box. I want to keep this train rolling. I was supposed to fight a 5-0 opponent on a show a couple of weeks ago that was canceled. I’m fighting on this show to stay active. I’ll take my time, pick my spots, and get more comfortable in the ring.

“Lowell has always been a special part of me. I want to continue what Micky (Ward) did for our city. There’s no added pressure on me. I’m more honored because Lowell people chose me to watch. I’ve always been around Micky and his brother (Dicky Eklund), because a lot of my family grew up with them.”  

Iannuccilli meets the always tough Maine middleweight Ryan Thomas Clark (2-4, 1 KO) in a six-round fight. Luke recently changed jobs and his position as janitor for the Town of Methuen has enabled him to be fresher during training sessions.

“It’s (changing jobs) made a tremendous difference,” Iannuccilli explained. “I worked manual jobs and then would go straight to the gym after work. That was physically draining. This job isn’t as physically demanding and I get out at 2 o’clock, so I get a nice break, and go to the gym refreshed.

“I’ve never fought outdoors, and I’m really excited about it. I’ve seen posts and pictures of outdoor shows and it’s always been an interest of mine. Outside will help with fresh air, no AC or heat, or fighting in a stuffy room. It’ll play big unless we have a super sunny, hot night.

“I respect all my opponents, but want to fight bigger names, and go after a local title. I was supposed to fight Baptiste (Julien, USBF Middleweight Champion), but it didn’t happen. If we both win on August 11^th, I’d definitely be interested in fighting him down the road.”

Baptiste (5-3, 2 KOs), of Woburn, and Massachusetts titleholder Jamer Jones (3-1, 3 KOs), of Pittsfield, are in a middleweight unification bout for their two titles in the eight-round co-featured event.

Undefeated middleweight prospect Francis “Frank The Tank” Hogan (14-0, 13 KOs), of nearby Weymouth (MA), will provide chief support in an eight-round bout. Hogan, who was a 2020 USA Boxing Olympic Team alternate, will bring “Tank Time” to Quincy.

Also slated to fight on the undercard are undefeated Irish light heavyweights Tommy “The Governor” Hyde (5-0, 4 KOs) and Thomas “The Kid” O’Toole (7-0, 4 KOs) in a pair of six-round matches, as well as Scituate heavyweight Kevin Nagle (2-0, 2 KOs).

Card subject to change.

Tickets for “Veterans Stadium Showcase,” are on sale and available for purchase online at www.EventBrite.com.

Sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Traietti at chris@granite-chin-promotions.com for details.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET with the amateur matches starting  at 6:30 p.m. ET, pro card commences at 8 pm. ET.

INFORMATION:  

Facebook.com/GraniteChin

Twitter: @Granite_Chin

(July 5, 2023) — Mexican former two-division world champion Luis “Pantera” Nery returns in a 10-round main event against Filipino former title challenger Froilan “The Sniper” Saludar this Saturday, July 8 at Recinto Ferial Metepec in Metepec, Mexico.

The 28-year-old Nery will look to continue his campaign towards another title run in the competitive junior featherweight division.

Promoted by Zanfer Promotions, Nery-Saludar and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Nery (34-1, 26 KOs) burst onto championship scene in October 2017 with a fourth-round TKO against then-unbeaten champion Shinsuke Yamanaka to capture the WBC bantamweight crown. Three years later, he defeated Aaron Alameda to win the WBC junior featherweight title via 12-round unanimous decision. Nery suffered his first defeat in a title unification bout versus WBA king Brandon Figueroa in May 2021. He is 3-0 with two knockouts since the Figueroa loss and is coming off a 11^th-round knockout over former title challenger Azat Hovhannisyan in a Fight of the Year-level battle. Saludar (33-6-1, 23 KOs) is a 13-year pro who unsuccessfully challenged Sho Kimura for the WBO flyweight title in 2018. He has given stiff tests to former world champs Andrew Moloney and Daigo Higa. The 34-year-old is coming off a first-round TKO win over countryman Crison Omayao last October.

In other streaming action from Metepec, Mexico:

• Junior welterweight standout Carlos Sanchez (24-1, 19 KOs) will take on Marcos Gonzalez (22-3, 11 KOs) in a 10-round clash. Both are coming off April wins, with Sanchez beating Alexander Duran via six-round technical decision and Gonzalez defeating Josue Veraza via 10-round unanimous decision.
   
• In a 10-round junior middleweight fight, Jorge Garcia Perez (25-4, 21 KOs) will square off against Ricardo Bañuelos (18-9-1, 7 KOs). Both fought on the same card last month. Perez scored a seventh-round knockout win over Hector Andres Reyes, while Bañuelos lost to Mexican Olympian Misael Rodriguez via eight-round unanimous decision.
   
• Rashib Martinez (20-2-1, 9 KOs) will face Ernesto Garcia Flores (10-2, 9 KOs) in an eight-round bantamweight tilt.
   
• In a swing bout, flyweights Luis Rodriguez (8-3, 3 KOs) and Juan Carlos Barrientos (5-2, 3 KOs) will collide in a fight scheduled for four or six rounds. 

# # #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).  

NEW YORK, NY (July 4, 2023) – The Frisco RoughRiders and DiBella Entertainment are bringing the biggest fight of the year and a night of live boxing to the fight fans of Frisco, TX. On Saturday, July 29, Riders Field will host a viewing party for the long-awaited Errol Spence Jr. versus Terence Crawford undisputed welterweight championship.

Before Spence and Crawford get it on via the jumbotron, a night of live boxing will take place on the field beginning at 7:30 PM. In the main event, scheduled for 10 rounds, Fort Worth’s own Edward “Kid” Vazquez (14-1, 3 KOs), fresh off a big win on Showtime, will fight for the IBF Intercontinental featherweight championship versus hard-hitting Brayan “La Roca” De Gracia (29-2-1, 25 KOs), of Panama, who represents the most experienced opponent of Vazquez’s career.

Once the night of live action is complete, attention will turn to the biggest scoreboard in all of Minor League Baseball, where Spence and Crawford will battle from Las Vegas. All concessions will be open, making this the biggest and best watch party in town.

International Boxing Hall-of-Famer Lou DiBella is also an important figure in Minor League Baseball as the President and Managing General Partner of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the AA-affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, and the CEO and Managing Owner of the Montgomery Biscuits, the AA-affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.

“Spence-Crawford is the biggest fight in many years; the two top welterweights in the world, both undefeated and in their prime, will collide to determine who is the best of their era. I am thrilled to bring this tremendous fight to the fans in attendance at Frisco’s Riders Field via the closed-circuit telecast,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “As a special treat, DiBella Entertainment will also deliver a night of live world class boxing, featuring Fort Worth’s Edward Vazquez facing Panamanian KO artist Brayan De Gracia in the main event. Undefeated Armenian welterweight Aram Amirkhanyan and Dallas female boxing star Shurretta Metcalf will highlight the undercard. Boxing at the ballpark, both live and via closed-circuit, was once a longstanding tradition in the sport. On July 29, we will bring that back.”

“It will be peanuts, crackerjacks and fisticuffs on Saturday, July 29 at Riders Field,” said Chuck Greenberg, General Partner and CEO of the Frisco RoughRiders. “Spence vs. Crawford is the biggest boxing event in years and the RoughRiders are thrilled to host a special closed-circuit viewing of the fight for our loyal fans at Riders Field. In addition to the Spence-Crawford fight, DiBella Entertainment will present a live bout card to complement the action-packed evening. This is a truly special and unique event for us and we can’t wait to provide a great night of entertainment.”

Tickets, starting at $35 plus service fees, are on sale NOW and can be purchased through Tickets.com. VIP Ringside seating, including food and drink in the Founders Club presented by Baylor Scott & White Health, are $150. Riders Field is located at 7300 Rough Riders Trl, Frisco, TX 75034. Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:30pm CT, with the first bout scheduled for 7:30pm CT. The Spence-Crawford main event closed-circuit broadcast will be shown immediately following the conclusion of the live bouts.

Leading into the Vazquez-De Gracia main event, rising female talent Shurretta Metcalf (11-4-1, 2 KOs), from Dallas, TX, will fight in the co-featured attraction. Metcalf, once ranked the #1 USA super bantamweight as an amateur, is trained by Ozell Nelson, who worked with former undisputed middleweight world champion Jermain Taylor.

Also highlighting the undercard will be undefeated Armenian welterweight prospect Aram Amirkhanyan (14-0-1, 4 KOs). He is a former IBF International, WBO International, and WBA Continental champion. Prior to the pandemic, Amirkhanyan had been world ranked by three of the major sanctioning bodies and the combined record of his last five opponents was 61-3-1. He returned in July 2022 with an eight-round unanimous decision win.

Further details on this event will be announced shortly.

NEW YORK (July 3, 2023) – Three Split-T Management fighters from the state of Ohio emerged victorious on Saturday night with wins in their home state at The Huntington Center in Toledo.

2020 United States Olympian Tiger Johnson remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Montrel in a junior welterweight bout.

In round three, the left eye of Montrel began to swell.

The eye continued to worsen as the doctor checked on it before round seven commenced. The right side of Montrel’s forehead became a bloody mess in round seven.

Johnson, 141.2 lbs of Cleveland, OH won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 9-0. Montrel, 140.6 lbs of New Orleans is now 15-2.

Dante Benjamin Jr. remained undefeated by stopping Mirandy Zola in round one of their six-round light heavyweight bout.

In round one, Benjamin landed a big left hand that was followed by a right to the chin that put Zola on his back. Benjamin came forward and landed a big right that snapped Zola’s head back and the bout was stopped at 1:56.

Benjamin, 173.3 lbs of Cleveland is 7-0 with six knockouts. Zola, 173.9 lbs of Columbus, OH is 4-3..

DeAndre Ware won a six-round unanimous decision over DeCarlo Perez in a super middleweight bout.

Ware, 167.9 lbs of Toledo, OH won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 16-4-2. Perez, 167.5 lbs of Atlantic City, NJ is 19-9-1.

Johnson and Benjamin are promoted by Top Rank.

The fights were streamed live on ESPN+.

Jared Anderson went the distance for the first time and won a 10-round unanimous decision over former IBF Heavyweight champion Charles Martin at The Huntington Center in Anderson’s hometown of Toledo, Ohio.

At the end of round three, Anderson dropped Martin by flinging a left from the southpaw stance that hit the top of Martin’s head. Anderson continued to pound away and rock Martin. In round five, Martin hurt Anderson with some hard left hands.

In round nine, the mouth of Martin began to bleed. Anderson was able to dominate the second half of the fight alternating from orthodox to southpaw, landing jabs and some solid punches to the jaw. Martin tried to make a last second stand as he landed a perfect left to the jaw that sent Anderson back, but time ran out.

Anderson landed 157 of 369 punches; Martin was 85 of 324.

Anderson, 243.4 lbs of Toledo, OH won by scores of 98-91 and 99-90 twice and is now 15-0. Martin, 259.5 lbs of St. Louis, MO is 29-4-1.

Anderson said, “It felt great. I had my team with me. I got my family with me. I got Toledo with me. They showed up and they’re in the building. They were with me the entire 10 rounds. I heard them all the way through. I’m grateful for my opponent. He took the fight on short notice. He came and performed really good. I think we put on a hell of a show for Toledo.

“I wanted to go the distance. It was my first time. I just wanted to make sure that I could go the distance and especially be able to withstand power the whole 10 rounds. He had power until the last round, and I was happy to get the rounds in.

“I think I took his best shots very well. I don’t think there was a time in the fight where I looked unsteady or where I couldn’t hold my own. Did feel like he got me with a good shot and stunned me? No. But do I feel like he got me with a good shot and made me aware? Yes, so I had to readjust and get back to the game plan.”

Martin said, “I took the fight on 11 days’ notice. I did the best I could. He’s a real champion. He’ll be making his way to the top soon. I’m proud of him.

“He’s really good. He’s a crafty boxer. Usually, when I catch somebody and hurt them, I can finish them. If they don’t fall, usually I can follow up and put them away. But he is like a little middleweight. He is crafty. He was able to get out even when he was rocked. He was able to maneuver and get out the way. He’s going to be a champion.

Makhmudov Stops Akepejiori in 2

In a battle of heavyweight sluggers, Arslenbek Makhmudov stopped Raphael Akepejiori in round two of their 10-round bout.

In round one, Makhmudov came out fast and dropped Akepejiori with a perfect right uppercut. At the end of the round, Makhmudov dropped Akepejiori again with a left hook while Akepejiori’s right hand was caught in the ropes. In round two, Makhmudov landed several devastating uppercuts that wobbled Akepejiori and then sent up down with a hard right. Akepejiori got to his feet, but the fight was waved of at 1:43.

Makhmudov, 263.4 lbs of Montreal, CAN is now 17-0 with 16 knockouts. Akepejiori, 255.5 lbs of Lagos, NIG is 15-1.

Abdullah Mason stopped Alex de Oliveira in round two of their six-round lightweight bout.

In round two, Mason landed three fast and hard left hands that put de Oliveira down and the fight was stopped at 2:18.

Mason, 135.2 lbs of Cleveland is 9-0 with eight knockouts. de Oliveira, 135.8 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is now 20-5.

Mason said, “It was amazing. I felt amazing. I felt great in this camp. Right now, there is no cap on my ceiling. I’m just focused, and I’m going hard.”

2020 United State Olympian Tiger Johnson remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Montrel in a junior welterweight bout.

In round three, the left eye of Montrel began to swell.

The eye continued to worsen as the doctor checked on it before round seven commenced. The right side of Montrel’s forehead became a bloody mess in round seven.

Johnson, 141.2 lbs of Cleveland, OH won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 9-0. Montrel, 140.6 lbs of New Orleans is now 15-2.

Dante Benjamin Jr. remained undefeated by stopping Mirandy Zola in round one of their six-round light heavyweight bout.

In round one, Benjamin landed a big left hand that was followed by a right to the chin that put Zola on his back. Benjamin came forward and landed a big right that snapped Zola’s head back and the bout was stopped at 1:56.

Benjamin, 173.3 lbs of Cleveland is 7-0 with six knockouts. Zola, 173.9 lbs of Columbus, OH is 4-3.

DeAndre Ware won a six-round unanimous decision over DeCarlo Perez in a super middleweight bout.

Ware, 167.9 lbs of Toledo, OH won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 16-4-2. Perez, 167.5 lbs of Atlantic City, NJ is 19-9-1,

Rance Ward scored a six-round majority decision over previously undefeated Husan Al Mashhadi in a junior middleweight bout.

Ward, 153.6 lbs of Houma, LA won by scores of 59-55, 58-56 and 57-57 and is now 8-5-1. Al Mashhadi, 151.2 lbs od Dearborn Heights, MI is 6-1.

Tyler McCreary came back after a two-year layoff with a six-round unanimous decision over Deivi Julio in a junior lightweight bout.

In round two, Julio was docked a point for holding.

McCreary, 131 lbs of Toledo, OH won by scores of 59-54 and 57-56 twice and is now 18-2-1. Julio, 130.9 lbs of Monteria, COL is 26-14.

Nicklaus Flaz upset previously undefeated Jahi Tucker via eight-round majority decision in a junior middleweight bout,

Flaz was cut on his right eyebrow in the final round.

Flaz, 151.2 lbs of Bayamon, PR won by scores of 78-74, 77-75 and 76-76 and is now 11-2. Tucker, 151.8 lbs of Deer Park, NY is 10-1.

Dalton Smith scored an explosive seventh round stoppage over Sam Maxwell in a 12-round super ligh1tweight fight in Sheffield, England.

In round seven, Smith uncorked a perfect right to the side of the head that sent Maxwell down on his back with his right leg folded underneath and the fight was stopped mid-count at 1:34.

Smith, 139.4 lbs of Sheffield is 15-0 with 11 knockouts. Maxwell, 139.4 lbs of Liverpool, ENF is 17-2.

Pat McCormack remained undefeated with a stoppage of Tony Dixon after round four of their 10-round super welterweight bout.

McCormack landed a booming right on the jaw that put Dix on his back just before the bell rang for the end of round four. The towel was thrown in from Dixon’s corner in between rounds.

McCormack, 150.2 lbs of Washington, ENG is 5-0 with four knockouts. Dixon, 148.7 lbs of Mountain Ash, WAL is 14-5.

Hopey Price stopped James Beech Jr. after round seven of their 10-round featherweight bout.

Price beat down Beech until the fight was stopped in the corner following the seventh frame.

Price, 125.5 lbs of Leeds, ENG is 11-0 with four knockouts. Beech, 125.2 lbs of Bloxwich, ENG is 15-5.

Junaid Bostan went the distance for the first time, but was able to win a eight-round decision over Ryan Amos in a fight between undefeated junior middleweights.

Bostan, 155.4 lbs of Rotherham, ENG won by a 79-73 score and is now 6-0. Amos, 155 lbs of Nottingham, ENG is 10-1-1.

In a fight featuring undefeated lightweights, Lewis Sylvester won a razor-thin 10-round unanimous decision over Adam Cope.

Sylvester, 134.3 lbs of Hill. ENG won by scores do 96-94 twice and 96-95 and is now 12-0. Cope, 133.9 lbs of Hartlepool, ENG is 7-1.

In round eight, Sylvester had a little swelling under his left eye.

Beatriz Ferreira remained undefeated with a eight-round decision over Karla Ramos Zamora in a super featherweight fight.

In round eight, Zamora was bleeding from her mouth.

Ferreira, 132 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA won by a 8-72 score and is now 3-0. Zamora, 130.4 lbs of Chimalhuacan, MEX is 10-10-1.

In a fight between undefeated super bantamweights, Nico Leivers won a six-round decision over Alberto Motos.

Leivers, 123.1 lbs of Mansfield, ENG won by a 59-55 score and is now 4-0-1. Matos, 121.1 lbs of Madrid, SPA is 4-1.

Cory O’Regan remained undefeated with a six-round decision over Jordan Ellison in a lightweight contest.

O’Regan, 137.5 lbs of Hackmondwike, ENG won by a 60-54 score and is now 10-0. Ellison, 138.8 lbs of Seaham, ENG was fighting for the 65th time.

NEW YORK (July 1, 2023) – Three Split-T Management fighters will be in action in their native Ohio as Tiger Johnson, Dante Benjamin Jr. and DeAndre Ware will fight at the Huntington Center on ESPN+.

Earlier in the day, Kandi Wyatt will make her third attempt at a world title as she takes on Natasha Jonas for the IBF Welterweight title in Manchester, England (ESPN+).

Johnson will take Jonathan Montrel in an eight-round welterweight bout.

Johnson, the 24 Year-old, 2020 United States Olympian is 8-0 with five knockouts is starting to appear on some top prospect lists. Johnson already has wins over Xaver Madrid (3-0), Esteban Garcia (15-1), Mike Ohan Jr. (16-1) and his last bout when he defeated Alfonso Olvera on April 1st in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Montrel of New Orleans is 15-1 with 10 knockouts. The 33 year-old Montrel has won two in a row, which includes a fourth round stoppage over Aristides Perez on January 14th in Cartagena, Colombia on January 14th.

Johnson was 141.2 lbs. Montrel weighed 140.6

Dante Benjamin Jr. will square off with Mirady Zola in a six-round heavyweight bout.

Benjamin, 21 years-old of Cleveland already has four wins over undefeated opponents in Henron Rendon (2-0), Kevin Johnson (2-0), Corey Thompson (4-0) and Emanuel Austin (6-0). Benjamin stopped Jasper McCargo in two rounds on April 1st in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Zola of Canal Winchester, Ohio is 4-2 with one knockout. Zola is capable as he has already defeated undefeated foes James Quiter (4-0-1) as well as Shaman Baxter (1-0) on January 21st in Newark, Ohio.

Benjamin checked in at 173.3 lbs. Zola was 173.9.

The Toledo-based Ware will fight veteran DeCarlo Perez in a six-round super middleweight bout.

Ware is 15-4-2 with nine knockouts. The 35 year-old has never backed down from a challenge and has had his hand raised over Derrick Adkins (5-1-1), Enrique Collazo (11-0-1) and Ronald Ellis (16-0-2). Ware is coming off a loss to Christian Mbilli on September 9, 2022 in Montreal.

Perez of Atlantic City, New Jersey is 19-8-1 with six knockouts. The 32 year-old Perez has wins over Shamone Alvarez (21-5), Donte Moore (8-0-2), Jamar Freeman (9-1-2), Marcus Willis (13-3-2), Tyrone Brunson (22-2-1), Jessie Nicklow (24-5-3), Jose Ubaldo Cabrera (23-0) and Lanell Bellows (16-1-1). Perez is coming off a loss to Frederic Julan on February 23rd in New York.

Ware weighed in at 167.9 lbs. Perez was 167.5.

Johnson and Benjamin are promoted by Top Rank. The three fights will be streamed on ESPN+ at 6:15 PM ET.

Johnson and Benjamin photos by Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images.

In Manchester, England, Kandi Wyatt will make her third attempt at a world title when she takes on Natasha Jonas for the IBF Welterweight title.

Wyatt of Calgary, Canada is 11-4 with three knockouts. Wyatt has a win over undefeated Dallia Velazquez (5-0) and her last bout when she defeated Kirstie Bevington on March 10th in Wolverhampton, England. Wyatt lost to Kali Reis and Jessica McCaskill in her two previous attempts at world titles.

Jonas of Liverpool, England is 13-2-1 with eight knockouts. The 2016 Olympian won the WBO Super Welterweight title with a second round stoppage over Chris Namus (25-6). Jonas added the WBC belt with a unanimous decision over Patricia Benghult (15-0). In her last bout, Jonas added the the IBF title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Marie Eve DiCaire (18-1) on November 12, 2022 in Manchester, England.

Wyatt weighed 146 lbs. Jonas was 146.5 lbs.

The fight will be streamed live on ESPN+ at 2 PM ET

10 x 2 mins WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO World Super-Middleweight Championship @12st

Savannah Marshall 11st 13lbs 

Franchon Crews-Dezurn 11st 13lbs 5oz 

10 x 2 mins Vacant IBF World Welterweight Championship @ 10st 7lbs  

Natasha Jonas 10st 6lbs 5oz

Kandi Wyatt 10st 6lbs

8 x 3 mins Light-Heavyweight Contest @12st 9lbs

Ben Whittaker 12st 6lbs 5oz 

Vladimir Belujsky 12st 7lbs 5oz

10 x 3 mins Super-Middleweight Contest @12st 2lbs

Callum Simpson 12st 1lb 

Boris Crighton 11st 13lb 

10 x 3 mins Vacant Commonwealth Silver Super-Middleweight Championship @ 12st

Zak Chelli 11st 12lbs 5oz 

Mark Jeffers 11st 13lb 5oz

6 x 2 mins Super-Welterweight Contest @11st 

April Hunter 10st 13lbs

Kirstie Bavington 10st 9lbs 5oz

4 x 3 mins Heavyweight Contest

Will Howe 17st 13lb 

Jake Darnell 17st 10lb 5oz

 •  Jared Anderson 243.4 lbs. vs. Charles Martin 250.5 lbs
(Heavyweight — 10 Rounds)

   •   Abdullah Mason 135.2 lbs vs. Alex de Oliveira 135.8 lbs
(Lightweight — 6 Rounds)

   •   Arslanbek Makhmudov 263.4 lbs vs. Raphael Akpejiori 255.5 lbs
(Heavyweight — 10 Rounds )

(ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT)

•    Tiger Johnson141.2 lbs  vs. Jonathan Montrel 140.6 lbs 
 (Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

•  Dante Benjamin Jr. 173.3 lbs  vs. Mirady Zola 173.9 lbs 
 (Light Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

•  DeAndre Ware 167.9 lbs vs. Decarlo Perez 167.5 lbs
 (Super Middleweight — 6 Rounds)

•   Husam Al Mashhadi 151.2 lbs vs. Rance Ward 153.6 lbs
 (Junior Middleweight — 6 Rounds)

• Tyler McCreary 131 lbs vs. Deivi Julio 130.9 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 6 Rounds)

•   Jahi Tucker 151.8 lbs  vs. Nicklaus Flaz 151.3 lbs
 (Junior Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

June 29, 2023 – Four of six fighters will make their return to SHOBOX: The New Generation to further build a name for themselves as hard-hitting prospect and amateur standout Jordan White (14-1, 10 KOs) and undefeated ex-Navy man Eridson Garcia (17-0, 11 KOs) square off in a 10-round super featherweight main event on Friday, August 4 at 9 p.m. ET/PT live on SHOWTIME from Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

The exciting tripleheader includes fighters with a combined record of 75-2-2 and 49 knockouts all stepping up and trying to come into their own as top prospects. Philadelphia’s undefeated prospect Paul Kroll (10-0-1, 6 KOs) will mix it up with fellow SHOBOX^® alum Guido Schramm (16-1-1, 9 KOs) of Argentina in the eight-round super welterweight co-feature. The telecast opener pits two up-and-coming unbeaten Pennsylvania fighters with Reading’s Julian Gonzalez (10-0-1, 9 KOs) and Pittsburgh’s Johnny Spell (8-0, 4 KOs) facing off in an eight-round super featherweight battle. White and Gonzalez are also SHOBOX returnees.

It’s the second time that SHOBOX will travel to Wind Creek Event Center this year under promoter Marshall Kauffman’s King’s Promotions.

“SHOBOX is a developmental series that prides itself on uncovering today’s top prospects who are looking to become tomorrow’s world champions,” said Gordon Hall, executive producer for SHOBOX: The New Generation. “The August 4^th card includes four returning fighters who we feel are all worth a second look. The ceiling is high for these young and talented fighters trying to raise their profiles on SHOBOX. Credit to the returning fighters for continuing to seek out the toughest challenges and good luck to the fighters experiencing SHOBOX for the first time.”

Here is more on each of the three bouts:

White vs. Garcia – 10-Round Super Featherweight Main Event

The Washington, D.C. native White, 25, was a former No. 1-ranked amateur, amassing a 145-16 record with wins over contenders Brandun Lee and Vergil Ortiz, Jr. He was teammates with future world champions Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson on the Junior National travel squad, competing in the Junior World Championships in Kiev, Ukraine in 2013. White turned professional at 18, winning his first four bouts, three by knockout before losing a decision to fellow undefeated foe Adam Lopez. White has since bounced back by winning 10 fights in a row, including a seventh-round TKO over previously unbeaten prospect Ronaldo Solis and an impressive sixth-round TKO over previously undefeated Misael Lopez (11-1, 5 KOs) in his SHOBOX debut in March of 2021.

“This is my time, but Garcia is coming into our territory,” White said. “He is another in front of me on the way to where I need to be. A win over Garcia gets me ranked high in the WBC and another big opportunity on SHOWTIME to be able to showcase all my skills. I will show the world what they have been missing.”

The Dominican Republic native Garcia started boxing at 14 and is a former highly decorated amateur. Currently living and training in Houston, the southpaw Garcia, 29, has sparred with former Olympian and unified champion Stevenson and up-and-coming SHOBOX alum Giovanni Marquez. Garcia was 270-30 and won multiple medals in national events in the early 2010s in the amateurs. From 2012-2017, Garcia served in the Dominican Republic Navy and won two second-place medals in the Military Games. He turned professional in 2017 and came to the United States in 2020 after seven pro bouts. Garcia won a 10-round unanimous decision over Armando Frausto two years ago to capture the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Super Featherweight Championship.

“I feel great about this fight on August 4,” Garcia said. “I have been watching videos on White, and he looks like a good fighter. I feel extremely grateful, happy and excited about fighting on SHOWTIME. This is the biggest fight of my career. This is a stepping-stone to enhance my career, and it’s a great opportunity to show everybody what a great fighter I am.”

Kroll vs. Schramm – Eight-Round Super Welterweight Bout

Representing the fighting city of Philadelphia, Kroll is a five-year pro who already owns impressive wins over highly regarded SHOBOX alum Shinard Bunch and previously undefeated Philadelphian southpaw Mark Dawson. In his SHOBOX debut in February of 2022, Kroll and Marquis Taylor fought to a spirited split draw. Kroll also owns a 10-round victory over Lucas Santamaria as he overcame a knockdown in the second round to earn the unanimous decision. A highly touted amateur with a record of 123-17, Kroll won the U.S. Olympic Boxing Trials in 2015 and has sparred with standout former champions Julian Williams, Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia.

“It’s another good opportunity for me fighting on SHOBOX,” Kroll said. “This time I will capitalize on it and look like I am supposed to. This is an opportunity to get bigger and better fights. I love fighting close to home and in front of my family, fans and friends. I get a lot of love from the people that want to see me win. I am looking to win a world title in under 15 fights and become unified in about 20-25 fights.” 

The 27-year-old Schramm (16-1-1, 9 KOs) is promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz’s Sampson Boxing. Known as a pressure fighter who comes forward, Schramm started boxing late at 17 and finished his amateur career with a record of 45-4 and won six amateur titles in Argentina. For the past three years, Schramm has trained in Los Angeles under Lionel Lara, and previously trained alongside former world champion Brian Castaño. In his last fight on SHOBOX in April, Schramm won a majority decision over previously unbeaten Jahyae Brown (13-1, 9 KOs) coming on strong in the later stages of the fight with his aggressive style.

“I am working hard on a daily basis for this fight on August 4, and hopefully I will get the victory and impress the viewers at home and fans in attendance,” Schramm said. “Being on SHOBOX, I want to show the world what I have. I have a lot to prove still, and I want to show why I’m going to be the next Argentinian world champion.”

Gonzalez vs. Spell – Eight-Round Super Featherweight Bout

Gonzalez, from Reading, Pa., just over 40 miles from Bethlehem, will feel right at home on August 4. The 21-year-old has fought three times already at Wind Creek Event Center in his young career, scoring first and second-round stoppages before a fourth-round TKO in his SHOBOX debut against Rosalindo Morales, his toughest opponent to date, in January. Gonzalez showed his power punch early dropping Morales in the first round and halting him with a stiff right hand to all but end the contest in the opening seconds of the fourth round. Gonzalez fought five times in 2021, the year he turned pro. The lone blemish on Gonzalez’s record is a six-round draw against Cuban prospect Ivan Jimenez. Going by the ring moniker “Gifted,” Gonzalez has sparred with Philadelphia’s unified 122-pound world champion Stephen Fulton Jr.

“We are back on SHOWTIME and back on the big stage,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t know much about Spell. I know he is an undefeated fighter and now I have to take another undefeated guy from Pittsburgh out. My profile went up with a knockout on SHOBOX but that does not go to my head – that can mess with you. This is just another person that is in my way.”

The unbeaten 27-year-old Spell from Pittsburgh is trained by his father Johnny Spell, Jr., a former professional fighter. Spell has been a regular in camp with multiple world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and has sparred with world-ranked super bantamweight (WBA No. 5) Oleh Dovhun. He last fought in March when he decisioned Antonio Dunton El Jr. at Wind Creek Events Center over six rounds.

“I am ready for this and know it’s a big fight with another good fighter,” Spell said. “This will show who is built for the next level. The story line is that I am the underdog. This is my first TV fight and I am excited. I have seen him fight two times. He fought my friend from my city of Pittsburgh [Rosalindo Morales] and I feel like he is a good fighter who I have seen make a couple mistakes that I know I can capitalize on. Fighting on SHOBOX is a big opportunity for my city, as not many from Pittsburgh have fought on SHOWTIME. A win will put my career on the next level.”

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

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

About SHOBOX: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series SHOBOX: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The SHOBOX philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 89 fighters who have appeared on SHOBOX and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more. 

HEAVYWEIGHT GIANTS Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce are all set for a highly anticipated rematch at the OVO Arena, Wembley on Saturday 23 September, live on TNT Sports.

Tickets go on general sale at midday on Friday 30 June (tomorrow) from AXS.com.

Big Bang Zhang and Juggernaut Joyce first collided in mid-April at the Copper Box Arena, where it was Zhang who left the venue in possession of the WBO Interim Heavyweight World Championship strap.

Referee Howard Foster stopped the fight in the sixth round due to the heavy swelling around the right eye of defending champion Joyce.

The Chinese hero Zhang lived up to his stage name in Stratford, ending the unbeaten professional record of the fellow Olympic silver medallist.

New York-based Zhang, 25-1-1 (20 KOs), turned in a career-best performance in London to elevate himself into challenging the elite band of heavyweights, but first he must once again repel the powerful advances of Joyce, 15-1 (14 KOs), who will be determined to regain his lost property and place himself back at the top of the WBO rankings.

“I created history last time,” said Zhang. “And I believe the best way to inherit history is to create new ones. I look at the rematch as if it was a new fight; I look at Joe Joyce as if I never fought him before. I started from zero and this is the new self.”

“I’m coming back to take back what’s mine,” declared Joyce. “September 2nd I am leaving everything in that ring. No compromises. No underestimating my opponent. Nothing, but a win.

“Last time out I lost my undefeated professional record. It was hard to take. But after the dust settled, all that will do is make me better. I’ve learned lessons. I’m ready. And I am coming for everything.”

“This is a fight with high stakes written all over it,” stated promoter Frank Warren. “The first fight in April was the best heavyweight fight made this year and I am expecting more of the same at the OVO Arena on September 23.

“Joe will acknowledge that Zhilei did a number on him at the Copper Box and he has a lot to work on to put it right. But he knows what he has got to do, and his immediate future depends on him regaining his position as WBO Interim world champion.

“Thankfully, for Joe’s sake, the rotation system for mandatory challenges with the governing bodies means the WBO contender against the unified champion has yet to be called, so victory in September will put Joe right back in the frame to fight whoever emerges victorious out of the current champion Oleksandr Usyk and his next challenger, Daniel Dubois.

“This is why the stakes are so incredibly high for both fighters and I hope and expect that Wembley will be packed to the rafters for such a significant heavyweight match.”

Tickets to see the heavyweight clash between Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce at the OVO Arena, Wembley on Saturday 23 September, go on general sale at midday on Friday 30 June from AXS.com.

From 18th July, TNT Sports will be the new name for BT Sport.

Undefeated Super-Bantamweight slickster Shabaz Masoud has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. 

One of the brightest talents in Britain, Shabaz has won all eleven on his professional contests since turning over at the Bolton Whites Hotel with a third round TKO win over Stefan Sashev back in May 2018.

The 27-year-old from Stoke is trained and managed by Ben Davison out of the Ben Davison Performance Centre in Harlow, Essex alongside two-time Featherweight World Champion Leigh Wood and rising Super-Welterweight star Pat McCormack.

‘Maverick’ (11-0, 4 KOs) picked up the WBA Intercontinental Title last time out in November by stopping fellow unbeaten rival Jack Bateson in the twelfth and final round of their clash at the Utilita Arena Sheffield. 

Masoud, a former Sports Development student at Staffordshire University, hopes to follow in the footsteps of Prince Naseem Hamed and Amir Khan as a new wave of British-Asian fighters rise to the top of the sport.

“Alhamdulillah this is a huge step in the right direction for my career,” said Masoud. “Inshallah I’m a future World Champion and Matchroom have put together the path to make that happen. I want to thank Ben, Eddie and Frank for this opportunity. I’ve worked my whole life to seize it with both hands and that’s what I will be doing!

“To get the deal over the line there was a lot of back and forth. I wanted to be at the right place and I feel like this is the right time as well. I just can’t wait for a fight date now. I want to show the world what I’m about. It’s time to shine now. 

“Training down at the Ben Davison Performance Centre, a lot of the guys there are signed with Matchroom. We all bounce off each other, we learn from each other and I feel like you’ve got to surround yourself with winners. We’re all coming to do big things. We want to be the best gym in Britain.

“When fans tune in to watch me live on DAZN all around the world they should expect slickness, beautiful boxing, power and speed. You’re going to get a bit of everything. I want to bring those big nights up to Stoke. Don’t blink.”

“I’m incredibly excited about signing one of the brightest Super-Bantamweight contenders in Britain.” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “He is a special talent with a big future in the sport. Ben Davison is very confident that Shabaz has what it takes to become a multi-weight World Champion. He showed what he’s capable of in his last fight, impressively stopping the undefeated Jack Bateson in the final round to pick up his first pro title. There’s plenty more to come from Shabaz and I can’t wait to get this journey started.”

“I’m excited for this partnership,” said Ben Davison. “Shabaz is a special talent with remarkable potential, he has a great blend of style with plenty of substance. Say hello to Matchroom and DAZN’s soon to be World Champion. Shabaz will underachieve if he doesn’t become a World Champion, if not a multi-weight World Champion. 

“Shabaz is a very good student and he’s great to worth with. He’s a dedicated lad, travels a long way down here to the gym in Essex to work. He has the type of style that you don’t regularly see from the UK. He’s aggressive at times, he’s versatile, he’s slick, flamboyant and he has a little habit of showboating here and there which we’re not too keen on! There’s a lot he can offer.”

You can follow Masoud’s journey on Twitter: @ShabzMasoud and Instagram: shabaz_maverick_masoud

NEW YORK, NY (June 28, 2023) Tomorrow night, standout prospect Kurt Scoby (11-0, 9 KOs) will enter the ring for the first time since signing a multi-year promotional deal with DiBella Entertainment. Scoby will face Hank Lundy in the eight-round main event at Sony Hall in Times Square, New York City. 

When he steps into the ring on Thursday, among the many eyes who will tune in to see him embark on this next chapter in his career are a multitude of foster parents and additional trainers and mentors that Kurt Scoby has called his village over the course of his 27 years.  

Growing up in Duarte, CA, Scoby endured a hellish childhood, rife with abuse and neglect. He threw himself into sports, becoming a standout in basketball, football, and eventually boxing, craving the mentorship and stability that being an athlete offered. At 12 years old, after one too many close calls at the hands of his family, Scoby entered the foster system, determined to not become a statistic like so many of his peers. 

Scoby would live in 14 different foster homes over the years, sometimes for two weeks, sometimes for two months or more. He would lose his mother, who passed away from Lupus shortly after he entered the system. Much like the proverbial baggage he carried throughout these homes, he rarely unpacked his things, knowing that a move to the next foster home could be minutes away. He would grow to depend heavily on his intuition as he struggled to stay out of trouble, a skill that would come in handy as his boxing career developed.

Throughout his childhood, his coaches kept an eye out for him, particularly Joe Lopez, a football coach who would pick up Scoby from the motel he stayed in to take him to football games at the local college. Lopez considered adopting Scoby, but sadly he lost his life in a motorcycle accident when Scoby was 14. It was yet another tragic loss for the young man, who by now was learning to think with his head and not his heart.

Scoby first stepped into a boxing gym at 10 years old. Fighting in the streets was a way of life for the youngster, and while en route to an after-school brawl, he heard the ding of a boxing bell. His curiosity was piqued. He quickly fell in love with boxing, and would go on to amass an impressive amateur record of 130-20, including a win at the 2019 California Golden Gloves tournament.

In 2017, Scoby’s life changed forever when his daughter, Leo Noelle, was born, giving him a purpose beyond himself, and even more motivation to be successful.

Despite receiving a scholarship to Fresno State University for football as a running back, followed by three years studying criminal justice at Azusa Pacific University, Scoby continued to fight, ultimately leaving football to pursue his boxing career.

In 2020, at the height of the Covid pandemic, Scoby caught a flight to New York City for $11 to begin a new life on the East Coast. He quickly began training out of Brooklyn’s Gleason’s Gym, under the tutelage of head coach Don Saxby, and made his professional debut in September of that year, earning a first-round knockout against Pablo Luna.

In February 2023, he fought on a DiBella Entertainment-promoted event in Topeka, KS, dropping John Mannu twice en route to a second-round knockout, impressing both DiBella and viewers watching Showtime’s “ShoBox” series.

“I am hugely excited about signing Kurt Scoby. He has the talent and punching power to become a star. Everyone will love him as they watch his career progress,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “He is an intelligent, well-spoken young man who has overcome every obstacle that has been put in front of him, while establishing longstanding relationships with everyone that has crossed his path. Scoob looks like a walking, talking action figure and has the charisma and smarts to succeed both inside and outside of the ring. His manager, Daniel Gonzalez, and I will work together to bring Kurt the right opportunities to reach his full potential and become the champion I know he is capable of becoming.”

“There’s no ‘side of the street’ talk when signing with DiBella Entertainment. Lou is a Hall of Fame promoter who has proven that he can make the big fights,” said Scoby. “Signing with DiBella makes all the sense in the world in my mind. I am very excited to work with DBE and am confident that their team, along with my trainers and management, will guide me toward achieving my dreams of being a world titleholder.”

“Lou DiBella and DiBella Entertainment are true professionals in the sport of boxing,” said Scoby’s manager, Daniel Gonzalez, Esq. “I know that, as a team, we will work together to make sure Kurt Scoby has the storied career that we envision for him. Lou’s track record for making boxing stars in New York City is undeniable. We are excited for this partnership and know that Kurt is going to be a force in the 140lb. weight division.”

If sports were a lifeboat during Scoby’s childhood, boxing is now his ship to command. When he begins his journey with DiBella Entertainment this Thursday at Sony Hall, he does it with the support of the village that helped raise him, and the poise and confidence of a fighter who has walked through fire and not only lived, but thrived

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (June 28, 2023) – Golden Boy Fight Night: Mexico Edition has been slated for a return on Saturday, July 15 with a spectacular main event featuring No. 3 WBC-ranked Alan “Rey David” Picasso (24-0-1, 13 KOs) fighting in his hometown of Mexico City against Sabelo Ngebinyana (15-6-1, 11 KOs) of Cape Town, South Africa. The 10-round WBC Super Bantamweight Eliminator clash, presented in association with Zanfer Boxing, will be broadcast on Azteca TV in Mexico and worldwide on DAZN. 

Picasso has jumped the ranks in the past three years having defeated strong rivals such as Víctor Proa, Alexander Mejía, Edixon Pérez, Luis Millán and Kevin Villanueva. With a powerful liver hook, a strong left hand and the footwork to match, Picasso is hungry to prove to the world that he is world championship ready.

“I am ready to face the most important fight of my career. Sabelo is a strong, accurate and experienced fighter. But through my 25 fights, I have acquired qualities to be able to take this fight,” said Alan Picasso. “I am happy for the opportunity. Thank you Fernando Beltrán, Oscar De La Hoya and DAZN for placing their trust in me. After July 15, no one will be able to hide that I am the strongest super bantamweight in Mexico, and I will go for the world title. Nery, Inoue and Fulton should take care of themselves, because Picasso is in the division.”

Ngebinyana is familiar with stepping onto rival territory as the underdog and securing a victory. He has faced some of the strongest super bantamweights of his country. He has the endurance, strong chin, and upper left that can potentially prove to be challenging to Picasso. 

“It will be my first time in Mexico and the only thing I think about is that I will be the No. 2 mandatory of the World Boxing Council once again. I respect David a lot, he is a great boxer, complicated and knows how to work round by round, but I am not going to leave anything to the judges,” said Sabelo Ngebinyana. “I don’t know if they are underestimating me, but I come to do my job. I worked very hard and although I have defeats in my record, this will be my greatest victory. Thank Zanfer and Golden Boy for the opportunity, I will not let them down.”

Information on the complete undercard will be announced soon. 

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Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event will be available worldwide to all subscribers on DAZN, both live and on demand.

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

Toledo’s knockout king Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (14-0, 14 KOs) returns home to headline a 10-round main event against former world champion “Prince” Charles Martin (29-3-1, 26 KOs).

Fighting in the main event for the first time as a pro, 23-year-old Anderson has yet to go beyond the sixth round, having stopped five of his opponents in the first round and another five in the second round. In 2020, he garnered global attention as Tyson Fury’s primary sparring partner, but he is now carving his own path as he prepares to face the top names of the division. Martin, a 37-year-old St. Louis native, captured the IBF heavyweight world title in January 2016 with a third-round TKO over Vyacheslav Glazkov. Martin is coming off a fourth-round knockout against Devin Vargas last September in Los Angeles.

Rounding out the heavyweight doubleheader is the 10-round co-feature with Montreal-based wrecking ball Arslanbek Makhmudov (16-0, 15 KOs) taking on Nigeria’s Raphael Akpejiori. (15-0, 14 KOs).

The undercard streams exclusively on ESPN+.

Calling the action will be Andre Ward, a Hall of Famer and 2004 U.S. Olympic gold medalist, and Timothy Bradley Jr., a Class of 2023 Hall of Famer.  Serving as reporters will be Mark Kriegel, Bernardo Osuna, and Crystina Poncher.

Original Programming:

Prior to the event, ESPN will air RELENTLESS: Jared Anderson, 30-minute candid look at the next great American heavyweight Jared Anderson ahead of his homecoming in Toledo, OH. Fight fans will get to know “The Real Big Baby” before he reps “The Glass City” in his first-career headliner against former IBF Heavyweight world champion Charles Martin (29-3-1, 26 KOs). Still just 23 years young, the undefeated 2021 “Prospect of the Year” Anderson holds a perfect 100% finish rate with 14 knockouts in 14 professional victories, which he looks to keep intact in his main event debut.

RELENTLESS: Jared Anderson (All Times ET)

ESPN.com

Out Friday: The Most Intriguing Tier of the Heavyweight Division: The Next Generation, by Mike Coppinger

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Anderson vs. Martin

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. 

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).   

DALLAS – June 28, 2023 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Real Fight Inc. (RFI) announced that undefeated lightweight Ashton “H20” Sylve (9-0, 8KOs) will face off with the much more experienced veteran lightweight William “Baby Face” Dos Santos Silva (30-4, 18 KOs) on the Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz pay-per-view card live from the American Airlines Center on August 5th in Dallas, TX. Sylve is coming off a dominating win over Adam Kipenga as the main event of MVP’s inaugural Most Valuable Prospects event, while Silva is fresh off a TKO victory over Diego Gonzalo Luque. The two will take the ring in an action packed eight-round matchup contested at 135 lbs. The Paul vs. Diaz pay-per-view will be distributed globally by DAZN PPV. In the US and Canada in addition to DAZN PPV, Paul vs. Diaz will be available on all major cable and satellite pay-per-view providers. All tickets can be purchased at https://www.ticketmaster.com/mvp-jake-paul-v-nate-diaz-dallas-texas-08-05-2023/event/0C005EA581B12549

Sylve, the first prospect signed by MVP and ESPN Ringside’s 2022 prospect of the year, has knocked out eight of his nine opponents and has not shied away from fighting more experienced names in the ring, leveraging his formidable pound-for-pound power and fast twitch agility to deliver decisive victories in each of his professional bouts. The Long Beach, California native was a gifted amateur who turned pro at 16 with over 100 wins and 10 national titles to his credit. Sylve first rose to fame as an eight-year-old when a training video made by his father, Ivan, went viral, leading to an invite to Floyd Mayweather’s storied gym in Las Vegas.

“It has always been a dream of mine to fight among legends and shine under the brightest lights,” said Ashton Sylve. “MVP has continually given me the opportunity to do so, and I couldn’t be more excited about stepping back into the ring in what promises to be the event of the year. “I’ve been grinding like crazy to get ready for this fight, and trust me, my technique and skills will be on full display on August 5th. Dallas, get ready ’cause I’m coming for you! See you soon!”

Silva, a Brazilian native from Sao Paolo, and current resident of St. Petersburg, FL, holds the impressive title of former WBO Latino welterweight and WBO Latino lightweight champion. In 2016, Silva put his lightweight championship on the line, but was defeated by the powerful Felix Verdejo, but has since won a regional belt for the IBO. Silva continues to fight the best in the game with only four losses in his 17 year career by Verdejo, Arnold Barboza, Cletus Seldin, and two-weight world champion Teofimo Lopez who all had a combined record of 75-1 at the time of their fight against Silva. Silva steps into the ring with Ashton Sylve coming off two straight wins, most recently a TKO against Diego Gonzalo Luque. He is training under Jim McLaughlin, a member of the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame and is promoted by Reyes Boxing and Fire Fist Promotions. 

“There will be fireworks during this fight,” shared William Silva. “I’m fighting for my family and country.”

Most Valuable Promotions, founded by Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, and Real Fight, Inc., founded by Diaz, are partnering to bring Paul vs. Diaz to global audiences. The strategic partnership will combine the star power and international reach of both fighters to promote the year’s biggest fight. The event will be distributed globally by DAZN PPV. In the US and Canada in addition to DAZN PPV, Paul vs. Diaz will be available on all major cable and satellite pay-per-view providers.

“Ashton continues to impress and entertain at such a young age and will bring his unique combination of knockout power and agility to the ring on August 5th,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions. “This fight represents his toughest test to date against a battle tested and dangerous Silva, who has only lost to some of the best fighters in the game. Sylve vs Silva is just one of many thrilling bouts on this card that promises to keep fans in the arena and at home on the edge of their seats, and we are thankful to our partners Real Fight, Inc., DAZN, and the American Airlines Center for their consistent hard work as we continue to build out an unforgettable night.”

For more information, follow on Twitter via @MostVPromotions, @realfightinc, @AshtonSylveh2o, @WillBabyFace, and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @ashtonsylveh2o, @willbabyface, @MostValuablePromotions, and @DAZNBoxing.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP 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.

About Real Fight, Inc.

Founded by mixed martial arts legend Nate Diaz, in 2022, Real Fight Inc. promotes exactly what the name suggests — the fights people want to see, featuring the realest fighters from all over the world. Since his departure from the UFC, Diaz is extending his business empire with a true all-around combat experience that will focus on boxing, MMA, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The inaugural event under the Real Fight, Inc. banner is set to take place on August 5, 2023, when Diaz makes his long-awaited professional boxing debut against Jake Paul at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.  The card will also feature RFI fighters, Chris Avila, Alan Sanchez, Jose Aguayo and Luciano Ramos

About DAZN:

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

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

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

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

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

About American Airlines Center:

Designed by architectural wizard David M. Schwarz and Dallas based HKS, Inc., American Airlines Center is considered one of the nation’s top arenas. Since opening its doors in 2001, the Center has been setting the precedent for sporting and live entertainment events. Bringing in a wide variety of big name shows as well as being home of both the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, American Airlines Center consistently displays its unique versatility. Billboard Magazine named American Airlines Center the 6th busiest arena in the world in 2022.

QUINCY, Mass. (June 28, 2023) – East meets West! On August 19^th on the “Pandemonium at The Palladium” pro boxing card, presented by Granite Chin Promotions (GCP), a pair of unbeaten boxers, James “Pitbull” Perkins (12-0-1, 9 KOs) and Steve “The Savage” Sumpter (8-0, 7 KOs), put their sterling records on the line at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Perkins vs. Sumpter will be the eight-round main event for the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) Super Middleweight Championship.

“Pandemonium at The Palladium” will be streamed live on www.bxngtv.com.

Perkins is a gravedigger from Lynn, which is located on the east coast of the Bay State, while Sumpter hails from Pittsfield in Western Massachusetts. they will be fighting in Central Mass., in Worcester.

It’s so rare in boxing today that unbeaten prospects square off against each other, rather than take the less risky route to build-up records.

“I am excited to be hosting my first show in Worcester at the historic Palladium,” GCP president Chris Traietti said. “The Palladium hosted a bunch of unforgettable events, and this is going to be added to the list.”

An old saying in boxing is that styles make fights. If that’s the case, Perkins vs. Sumpter has the potential to be an instant classic, because Perkins is a seek-and-destroy fighter and Sumpter a solid boxer-puncher.

Perkins, 30, fought to a draw in his 2019 pro debut and he’s won his last 12 fights in a row, including a four-round knockout of Larry Smith this past June 30.

“I’m looking forward to this fight with Sumpter,” Perkins said. “I think it’s going to be my toughest test so far and I welcome the challenge. I think it’s going to be a fun fight night for the fans as well.”

The 29-year-old Sumpter moved up in weight last November, capturing the vacant Massachusetts light heavyweight title by taking an eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Edet Mkpanam (8-0). Sumpter recently knocked out Miguel Angel Suarez in the opening round of his most recent fight.

“I think this fight is a great opportunity,” Sumpter remarked. “Another chance at fighting yet another undefeated fighter early in my career just makes me go even harder than I did before. To be headlining a good distance away from home is still a good feeling. I have a lot of supporters and I know they’ll make the trip regardless.

“I don’t know a lot about Perkins. I’ve seen him fight once and I wasn’t impressed. I think he’s a pretty good fighter, but I don’t think he has what it takes to come out on top.”

Other fighters slated to be in action on “Pandemonium at The Palladium” include two undefeated Holyoke boxers, Massachusetts Welterweight Champion Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (11-0, 6 KOs) and super welterweight Carlos Castillo (7-0, 4 KOs), two unbeaten Springfield fighters, super featherweight Isaiah “Baby Warrior” Cruz (6-0, 4 KOs) and (his brother) super lightweight Calixto Cruz (2-0, 0 KOs), and former celebrated amateur Felix Parrilla (7-0, 6 KOs), the New Haven (CT) featherweight.

Additional fights and fighters will soon be announced.

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

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

INFORMATION:  

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New York, New York, June 6, 2023 – Undefeated New Yorker Kurt Scoby will face his toughest test to date when he goes up against battle tested and Philly Tough Hammerin’ Hank Lundy in an eight-round super lightweight match-up in the June 29 main event at Sony Hall.

The fiull card, presented by Boxing Insider, will be streamed live, with no paywall, beginning at 7:30, at BoxingInsider.com

Tickets, priced at $95, $125, $200 and $325, are available at Ticketweb here

This edition of Broadway Boxing will also air on SNY on a delayed basis.

The card . . . 

Main Event – 8 Rounds – Super Lightweights

Kurt Scoby, 143.1 lbs. (11-0, 9 KOs) from New York, NY

Hammerin’ Hank Lundy, 139.8 lbs. (31-13, 14 KOs), Philadelphia, PA

8 Rounds – Super Welterweights

Brian Ceballo, 154.8 lbs. (14-1, 7 KOs), Brooklyn, NY

Mitch Louis-Charles, 153.2 lbs (7-3-2, 4 KOs), Quebec, Canada

8 Rounds – Super Lightweights

Terell Bostic, 139.8 lbs. (7-1, 1 KO), Wyandanch, NY

Matthew “Lefty Gunz” Gonzalez, 140.2 lbs. (12-0-1, 8KOs), Ridgewood, NY

6 Rounds – Weltwerweights

Arnold Gonzalez, 150.6 lbs. (11-0, 6 KOs), New York, NY

Alejandro Munera, 146.2 lbs. (8-7-4, 7 KOs), , Medellin, Colombia

Opener – 4 Rounds – Super Featherweights

Raymond “The Scientist” Cuadrado, 130.8 lbs. (7-0, 3 KOs), Ridgewood, NY

Yeuri “Dinamita” Andujar, 131.4 lbs. (5-5-1, 3 KOs), San Cristobal, Dominican Republic

10 Rounds Super Fly – Main Event

Pedro ‘Pedrin’ Guevara, 115.5 lbs. 39-3, 22 KOs, Mazatlan, Sinaloa

Miguel ‘Joyita’ Herrera, 115.1 lbs. 22-5-5, 8 KOs, Valladolid, Yucatan

Guevara is a former WBC World Light Flyweight Champion with two successful defenses. He also was WBC Silver light flyweight champion prior to winning the world title. He has not lost since 2017, winning nine consecutive fights. Herrera is counting on a victory to get him back on the road to title contention.

8 Rounds Super Bantamweights

Alexis “El Chapito” Molina, 117.7 lbs. 8-0-2 KO’s, Culiacan, Sinaloa

Jesus Ivan “Rafaguita” Mercado, 116.4 lbs. 5-0-1 4 KO’s, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico

10 Rounds Bantamweights – Opener

Juan Ramirez “Tubo” Marquez, 121.5 lbs. 15-6, 8 KOs, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico

Nazario “Pantera” Castro, 120.8 lbs. 10-2-1, 5 KO’s, Angostura, Sinaloa                                  

A ProBox TV subscription is $1.99 per month

How to Watch ‘Wednesday Night Fights”:

1. ProBoxTV.com

2. The ProBoxTV app available on all app stores

3. Available on Roku TV, Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV

About ProBoxTV: ProBox TV is a digital subscription service which gives fans exclusive access to ProBox TV Content including live streaming of fights and on-demand videos. You can also watch daily talk shows with Juan Manuel Marquez, Paulie Malignaggi and Chris Algieri. ProBox TV can be accessed using your favorite streaming devices, including mobile devices, or any personal computer. ProBox TV is a global product and available in all countries.

Fact: Kissimmee, located in Central Florida has the largest Puerto Rican population of any region in Florida and the fastest-growing Puerto Rican population in the country.

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https://twitter.com/ProBox_TV and https://www.youtube.com/c/ProBoxTV

For more ProBox TV info click here https://proboxtv.com/what-is-probox-tv/en

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a classic striker versus grappler matchup in the bantamweight division, as No. 3 ranked contender Holly Holmfaces off with No. 10 Mayra Bueno Silva.In the co-main event, middleweights look to steal the show as Albert Duraev locks horns with Junyong Park. 

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: HOLM vs. BUENO SILVA will take place Saturday, July 15 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 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The prelims will begin at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

Former UFC bantamweight champion Holm (15-6, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) looks to build another win streak and earn her way back into the title conversation. Among the most credentialed strikers in UFC history, she holds dominant victories over Ronda Rousey, Irene Aldana and Raquel Pennington. Holm now has her sights set on defending her spot in the rankings by becoming the first person to stop Bueno Silva.

Bueno Silva (10-2-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) plans to earn the biggest victory of her career in her first UFC main event. An exciting submission specialist who isn’t afraid to mix it up, Bueno Silva has secured stoppages over Gillian Robertson, Lina Lansberg and Stephanie Egger. She now intends to keep her momentum going with a statement performance against Holm.

Duraev (16-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Grozny, Russia) returns to action determined to show he can compete with the top of the middleweight division. The winner of 11 of his last 12 bouts, he holds UFC victories over Roman Kopylov and Chidi Njokuani. Duraev now strives to snap Park’s hot streak and set himself up for a run up the rankings.

Always entertaining Park (16-5, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) aims to earn the longest win streak of his UFC career with another signature finish. A well-rounded competitor, Park has impressed with wins over Eryk Anders, Marc-Andre Barriault and Denis Tiuliulin. He now looks to deliver another crowd-pleasing outing that will put the Top 15 on notice.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Walt Harris (13-10 1NC, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) returns to the Octagon to face Josh Parisian (15-6, fighting out of Howell, Mich.) at heavyweight
• A featherweight bout sees Norma Dumont (9-2, fighting out of Minas Gerais, Brazil) face Chelsea Chandler (5-1, fighting out of Stockton, Calif.)
• Ottman Azaitar (13-1, fighting out of Rabat, Morocco) aims for another finish when he battles Francisco Prado (11-1, fighting out of Santa Fe, Argentina) at lightweight
• Terrance McKinney (13-5, fighting out of Spokane, Wash.) seeks another highlight-reel finish when he locks horns with Nazim Sadykhov (8-1, fighting out of Brooklyn, N.Y.) in a lightweight tilt
• Exciting featherweights collide as Tucker Lutz (12-3, fighting out of Reisterstown, Md.) matches up with Melsik Baghdasaryan (7-2, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.)
• Strawweight action sees Viktoriia Dudakova (6-0, fighting out of Volgograd Oblast, Russia) face off with Istela Nunes (6-4 1NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Austin Lingo (9-2, fighting out of Mesquite, Texas) and Melquizael Costa (19-6, fighting out of Para, Brazil) look to return to the winner’s circle in a featherweight contest
• Evan Elder (7-2, fighting out of Hillsboro, Miss.) meets Genaro Valdez (10-2, fighting out of Baja California, Mexico) in a lightweight bout
• Tyson Nam (21-13-1, fighting out of Wahiawa, Hawaii) plans to spoil the UFC debut of undefeated Azat Maksum (16-0, fighting out of Almatinskaia Oblast, Kazakhstan) at flyweight
• Grappling specialist Alex Munoz (6-2, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) and Carl Deaton (17-6 2NC, fighting out of Mt. Pleasant, Mich.) clash at lightweight
• Ashlee Evans-Smith (6-5, fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif.) and Ailin Perez (7-2, fighting out of Entre Rios, Argentina) look to leave it all in the Octagon in a bantamweight bout

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