Camden, New Jersey (August 27, 2022)–Weights for Sunday Night’s R&B promotions card on board the Battleship New Jersey in Camden.
Photo By Marc Abrams R&B Promotions
Tahmir Smalls 162 – Joel Guevara 155.6
Danny Murray 140.1 – Michael Gibbons 139.7
Eliezer Olmeda 147.9 – Aaron Newmones 148.4
Timothy Tyler 168.8 – Davon Hall 171.4
Tyrone Arzeno 119.8 – Eder Clervoix 120
Anthony Dil 152.7 – Ramses Brown 150.5
Greg Hackett 199.6 – Tunde Fatiregun 190.3
Drew Aguilar 136.5 – Carlos Nunez 138.3
Promoter: R&B Promotions
Venue: Battleship New Jersey
1st Bell: 5 PM ET
Stream: www.bxngtv.com
Tickets are $100 and $50 and can be purchased at The Following Link https://randbpromo.ticketleap.com/pro/
Damian Sosa Shines with Decision Victory against Ronald Cruz in Main Event of Toscano Boxing Promotions Card in Stockton, Calif.
STOCKTON, Calif. (Aug. 28, 2022): Rising 154-pound Mexican contender Damian “Samurai” Sosa (21-1, 11 KOs) scored a unanimous decision victory over Ronald “Diablo” Cruz (18-2-1, 12 KOs) in the 10-round main event of a Toscano Boxing Promotions card Friday evening.
The fight took place at San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton, California and headlined a card that was streamed live in English on FightHype and in Spanish via TV Boxeo.
Sosa was quicker, stronger and more effective with his combinations throughout fight. The native of Mexico City, Mexico who lives in Tijuana and represents both cities won with scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 97-93.
“I knew that Ronald Cruz would be very strong,” said Damian Sosa. “I knew he was going to come after me. But I appreciate him because you can’t have a fight without an opponent, and I feel he was a great challenge. It was a tough fight, but I had the boxing skills to win round by round and come out with the victory.”
In the co-main event, Giovannie Gonzalez (15-6-1, 12 KOs) of Stockton California defeated Arturo Cortez (7-1-2, 6 KOs) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico via unanimous decision in an eight-rounder in the lightweight division. Gonzalez won with scores of 79-73, 77-75 and 77-75.
Hector Madera (10-0, 6 KOs) of Stockton, California scored a four-round technical decision win over Timothy Parks (3-3, 2 KOs) in a welterweight battle. An accidental headbutt that took place in the third round eventually forced the action to be stopped at the very beginning of the fourth round. Madera won with three scores of 40-35.
Victor Torres (8-10-1, 5 KOs) of Modesto, California scored a second-round knockout victory over Israel Luna (2-2, 1 KO) of Fontana, California in a bantamweight battle initially slated for four rounds. Torres pummeled Luna easily, and due to the severity of the beatdown, the referee halted the action at 2:22 of the second round.
Super bantamweight prospect Irving Xilohua (3-0, 2 KOs) of Stockton, California scored a four-round unanimous decision against Rodolfo Medina (0-1) of Antioch, California. Xilohua managed to score an impressive knockdown in the third round, which helped him win the bout with three scores of 40-35.
Damon Cato Cain (7-0, 6 KOs) of Oakland, California defeated Christian Aguirre (8-11, 4 KOS) of Salt Lake City, Utah in a super welterweight fight originally scheduled for four rounds. Cain dominated each round, but the fight was stopped by Aguirre’s corner at the end of round two.
Arturo Cardenas (4-0-1, 4 KOs) of Riverside, California scored a stoppage victory over James Mulder (0-1) of Antioch, California in a scheduled four-rounder in the super bantamweight division. After several rounds of action, the referee deemed Mulder unable to continue at :01 of fourth round.
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Sosa vs. Cruz was a 10-round junior middleweight fight presented by Toscano Boxing Promotions. The event took place on Friday, Aug. 26 at San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton, California. The event was streamed live in English on FightHype and in Spanish via TV Boxeo.
About Toscano Boxing Promotions
Toscano Boxing Promotions is a promotional company based out of Stockton, California that was founded by Jorge Toscano in 2018. The company has hosted events both in the United States and in Mexico, including the 2021 battle between Anderson Silva and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. The Toscano Boxing stable includes rising stars Damian Sosa, Manuel Jaimes, Jose Alvarado, Jose Carrillo and more.
Weigh-In Results & Photos: Nathan Rodriguez vs. Moises Flores
Hongke Zeng (145.6 lbs.) vs. Keith Carson (142.6 lbs.), 4 rounds, welterweights
· Raquel Miller (167.2 lbs.) vs. Irais Hernandez (167 lbs.), 6 rounds, super middleweights
· Daniel Cruz (142.8 lbs.) vs. Antonio Wattell (147.6 lbs.), 4 rounds, welterweights
· Jacob Macalolooy (147 lbs.) vs. Josue Zamora (144.4 lbs.), 4 rounds, welterweights
· Scott Alexander (218.6 lbs) vs. Jaime Solorio (233.4 lbs.), 8 rounds, heavyweights
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About MarvNation Promotions
MarvNation Promotions was founded in 2014 by Marvin Rodriguez and was created with a vision to not only create concerts or boxing events, but to also create experiences for the fans. In 2018, after noticing a lack of support for many young and hungry prospects without an extensive Olympic and amateur background, MarvNation involved itself in the sport of boxing with a mission to make a way for these young prospects and develop them into top contenders and champions in the sport. Established both on a national and international level, MarvNation is here to bring you the best of boxing and live entertainment.
For more information, visit www.MarvNation.com. Follow on Instagram and on Twitter @Marvnation_.
Tiger Johnson, and Dante Benjamin Jr. in action on Saturday Night
NEW YORK (August 22, 2022)–Saturday night, two Split-T Management fighters will look to stay undefeated in at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Undefeated junior welterweight Tiger Johnson and light heavyweight Dante Benjamin Jr. will all see action on a card that will be streamed live on ESPN+ at 7 PM ET..
Johnson of Cleveland, Ohio will take on Harry Gigliotti in a six-round bout.
Johnson is 4-0 with three knockouts. The 2021 United States Olympian will be making his fifth start in nine months and already has defeated undefeated Xavier Madrid (3-0), In his last outing, Johnson stopped Agustin Gerbaldo Kucharski on may 21st in Las Vegas.
Johnson began boxing at the age of seven as he had uncles and cousins who were professional boxers, including former light heavyweights Darrel Johnson (11-3-1, 8 KOs) and Ronald Johnson (17-1, 4 KOs).
Tiger Johnson had a highly decorated amateur career finishing with a record of 188-17, and saw him win a Gold Medal in the 2016 Youth World Championships; a Bronze Medal at the 2019 Pan Am Games; a 2019 Last Chance Qualifier Championship; Four 2017 Elite National Championships; a 2016 Elite National Championship; a 2015 Youth National Championship; and a 2014 National Junior Olympic Championship.
Johnson made it to the quarterfinals of the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo before losing to the eventual Gold Medal winner, Cuban Roniel Iglesias.
Gigliotti of Harvhill, Massachusetts, has a record of 8-3 with three knockouts.
The 27 year-old is a three professional, and has a win over Brandon Higgins (7-1). he is coming off a split-decision loss to Antonio Williams (14-0-1) on September 10, 2021 in Delray Beach, Florida.
Johnson Weighed 141.3 lbs; Gigliotti was 140.6
Benjamin of Cleveland is 3-0 with two knockouts, and will battle Leandro Silva in a four-round contest.. All of the 20 year-old Benjamin’s wins are over undefeated fighters such as Herman Rendon (2-0), Kevin Johnson (2-0) and Corey Thompson (4-0).
Benjamin amassed over 100 wins as an amateur, and was a seven-time national champion as he was a 2016 and 2017 Junior National Champion, 2017 Eastern Regional Champion, and a 2018 Youth National champion. He also took first place in the Emil Jechev International tournament in Botevgrad, Bulgaria.
In 2017, he was named the Under Armour Fighter of the Year.
As an amateur, Benjamin competed in the 176-pound division, but he will begin his professional career fighting the super middleweight division.
Silva of Woburn, Massachusetts is 3-6 with two knockouts.
Benjamin weighed 174.2 lbs. Silva was 175 lbs.
Weigh-In Results: Jose Pedraza vs. Richard Commey
• Jose Pedraza 139.8 vs. Richard Commey 138.8 (Junior Welterweight — 10 Rounds)
• Jared Anderson 241.4 lbs vs. Miljan Rovcanin 230.6 lbs (Heavyweight — 8 Rounds)
• Richard Torrez Jr. 225.4 lbs vs. Marco Antonio Canedo 215.8 lbs (Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)
(ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT)
• Tiger Johnson 141.8 lbs vs. Harry Gigliotti 140.6 lbs (Junior Welterweight — 6 Rounds)
• Abdullah Mason 135.2 lbs vs. Angel Rebollar 133.6 lbs (Lightweight— 4 Rounds)
• Dante Benjamin Jr. 174.2 lbs vs. Leandro Silva 175 lbs (Light Heavyweight — 4 Rounds)
* The Haven Brady Jr.-Manuel Guzman fight was called off after Brady missed the 128-pound contract weight by three pounds
ISMAEL “MAELO” VILLARREAL UNDEFEATED SUPER WELTERWEIGHT SIGNS MULTI-FIGHT DEAL WITH MAIN EVENTS
Totowa, NJ, August 26, 2022 – Ismael “Maelo” Villarreal (12-0, 8 KOs) coming off the biggest win of his professional career, has re-upped on a new promotional deal with Main Events.
The Bronx native’s most recent bout, on July 30 at Barclay’s Center on the undercard of Garcia vs Benavidez Jr., was against fellow undefeated super welterweight LeShawn Rodriguez (13-1, 10 KOS). “Maelo” knocked Rodriguez down twice, once in round two and again in round six, when the bout was stopped just twenty-six seconds in (TKO-6). It was Villarreal’s fifth consecutive stoppage.
The two-time New York Golden Gloves Champion’s original Main Events deal began with his 2017 pro debut and lasted till January 31, 2020. He was promoted by Main Events again for the Rodriguez fight. (There were three non-Main Events fights in that gap). Following his impressive win, they move forward with the new multi-fight deal.
“The entire Ismael “Maelo” Villarreal team is very happy to be back with Main Events for more than one reason,” said Ismael’s manager José Santiago. “First of all, we feel great appreciation and respect for Main Events. We also know that they have the experience and the best intention of taking Ismael to places that many still cannot imagine. As Ismael’s manager and boxing lover that I have been all my life, I understand that this 25 years old humble young man from the Bronx, who also has a Bachelor’s degree from Lehman College, has the potential to be not only a world champion at 154 and 160 pounds, but that he can do it while becoming one of the best fighters of this era. This might seem premature, but with the discipline, the self-confidence, the desire to keep learning the game and the hunger with which “Maelo” approaches his career, the chances of him reaching the top are immense. The entire 154-pound division needs to start paying some attention to “Maelo”. We come to fight!”
“We pushed Ismael Villarreal throughout his career until the pandemic hit,” said Joseph Rotonda, the New Jersey-based company’s director of operations. “We know what he’s capable of and we really believe he’s going to be a 154-pound champion. He has power in both hands, a granite chin, and an aggressive, straight-forward fighting style. Ismael has never turned down a fight – we know he will fight anyone, anytime, anywhere.”
“One of the best parts of having a fighter like Ismael in your stable is that he treats every fight like it’s a title fight, and you know he’ll be in phenomenal shape,” said Main Events CEO Kathy Duva. “He’s a true professional with an old school work ethic and excellent mental strength that will take him places in this sport. It won’t be long before he moves up the rankings and starts to build some enthusiasm in the Super Welterweight division,” she concluded.
About Main Events Boxing
Main Events entire fight library can be seen at www.watchboxing.tv – Main Events is recognized as one of the top boxing promotional firms in the world, Main Events has promoted the careers of boxing legends Evander Holyfield, Arturo Gatti, Lennox Lewis, Pernell Whitaker and many more. Founded in 1978 by Hall-of-Fame promoter Dan Duva, who passed away in 1996, Main Events is now helmed by his widow, Kathy Duva, who in June was also inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
September 23: Keyshawn Davis-Omar Tienda Lightweight Co-Feature Confirmed for Shakur Stevenson-Robson Conceição Card at Newark’s Prudential Center LIVE on ESPN
NEWARK, N.J. (Aug. 26, 2022) — Norfolk’s Olympic silver medal star, Keyshawn Davis, now has an opponent for his long-awaited ring return. Davis, who shined for Team USA last summer in Tokyo, will fight Mexican veteran Omar Tienda in an eight-round lightweight showdown Friday, Sept. 23, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Davis-Tienda will be the co-feature to WBC/WBO junior lightweight world champion Shakur Stevenson’s hometown title defense against Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição.
Stevenson-Conceição and Davis-Tienda will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
The undercard — streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT— features an eight-round junior lightweight bout between unbeaten prospect Henry “Moncho” Lebron and Andy “El Tiburon” Vences.
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $50 are available at Ticketmaster.com.
Davis (5-0, 4 KOs) is back following April’s sixth-round TKO over Esteban Sanchez on the Oscar Valdez-Stevenson card. His proposed July bout against Jair Valtierra was postponed, but with a clean bill of health, Davis seeks to make waves once again before Stevenson takes center stage. Tienda (25-5, 18 KOs), from Guadalupe, Mexico, has won seven straight fights — all by knockout — since a 2017 decision loss to Dennis Galarza. His only stoppage defeat came in his seventh pro fight back in 2013.
Lebron (16-0, 10 KOs), from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, ranks among his island nation’s top prospects, but he’s looking to notch a signature victory. In his last outing, he won a clear eight-round unanimous decision over Luis Lebron (no relation). Vences (23-3-1, 12 KOs) is a 10-year pro from San Jose, California, who has battled a slew of top-rated fighters. His July 2020 split decision defeat to Luis Alberto Lopez — now the IBF No. 1 featherweight contender — ranked among the year’s best action fights. He makes his comeback little more than one year removed from a majority decision loss to former world title challenger Jono Carroll.
In other undercard action, Shakur Stevenson protégé Antoine Cobb (1-0-1, 1 KO) will fight an immediate rematch against Jaylan Phillips (1-2-1, 1 KO) in a four-rounder at welterweight. Cobb and Phillips fought to a crowd-pleasing draw April 30 on the Valdez-Stevenson undercard.
The undercard is also scheduled to include the following bouts:
Jahi Tucker (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. Jose Luis Sanchez (11-2-1, 4 KOs), 8 rounds, welterweight
Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (4-0, 3 KOs) vs. Jose Argel (9-4, 3 KOs), 6 rounds, featherweight
MONTANA LOVE HEADLINES AT HOME IN CLEVELAND AGAINST STEVIE SPARK ON NOVEMBER 12
Montana Love will headline at home in Cleveland, Ohio for the first time in his career as he defends his IBF North American Super-Lightweight title against Stevie Spark at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Saturday, November 12, live worldwide on DAZN.
Ticket pre-sale begins Tuesday, August 30 at 10 a.m. with public on-sale beginning on Wednesday, August 31 at 10 a.m. at RocketMortgageFieldHouse.com.
Love (18-0-1 9 KOs) boxes in his backyard for the fourth time in his career but first time as the star attraction and does so making the first defense of the strap he landed in his last outing, outpointing Gabriel Valenzuela in Las Vegas on May 7, on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez’s clash with Dmitry Bivol.
The 27 year old is ranked at #7 in the IBF and will be looking to put on a statement performance ahead of the vacant IBF World title being claimed by either Jeremiah Ponce or Subriel Matias this fall – and the man Love will need to impress against is Australian puncher Spark, who has plenty at stake himself.
‘The Viking’ (15-2 14 KOs) penned a promotional pact with Matchroom and Eddie Hearn, and his first bout under the deal sees him straight into the Lion’s den on his US debut.
The 25 year old from Toowoomba in Queensland has ended 14 of his 15 wins inside the distance, and the former IBF and WBC Australasia Champion will be out to ruin Love’s homecoming and leap into World title contention.
“From neighborhood hero to superstar – Cleveland we did it baby!” said Love. “I am happy to announce I will be defending my title here in my hometown.
“This is something I dreamed of as a kid. I’m looking forward to putting on a superstar performance. I need everybody in my city to come out – let’s defend the land!”
“I’ve been working very hard for a lot of years for this moment,” said Spark. “I have the best team in the world who I can’t thank enough for making this possible. I’m looking forward to exploding into the international boxing scene with a spectacular win. The American boxing fans are in for a treat, as I believe they will love my all-action style.
“We respect the fighter Montana Love is, he is highly credentialed but that’s why we took this fight. We are coming prepared, and we are coming to win. Come November 12, there will be no Love!”
“This is the stage and moment that Montana has been waiting for – and now he needs to take it with both hands,” said Hearn. “The chance to headline at home in a fight that can lead to World title action makes this the biggest night of his life, and with the Cleveland’s fans behind him, this is the moment to prove he belongs in the elite.
“But Stevie has other ideas. Australia is one of the fastest growing markets for boxing, and we’re looking to build stars Down Under. If ‘The Viking’ can pack his punch power and bring it to Ohio, he could become a major player at 140lbs overnight.”
Early undercard news will be released soon.
BOXXER PARTNERS WITH ENGLAND BOXING AHEAD OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED FEMALE FIGHT OF ALL TIME
London, England – (August 26th, 2022) –BOXXER, the next generation boxing promotion founded by Ben Shalom, has today announced an exciting partnership to invite England Boxing members to the most anticipated female fight of all-time.
On Saturday, September 10th, Savannah Marshall will fight bitter enemy Claressa Shields for the undisputed world middleweight titles on what will be a historic night of legacy for the sport.
With the groundbreaking event expected to be a sell-out at The O2 in London, BOXXER has held back a number of tickets exclusively for England Boxing members to be seated together. And for every ticket purchased by an England Boxing member, BOXXER is pledging to donate £5 back to England Boxing to be invested in gyms across the country.
To help inspire the next generation, BOXXER feels it is important to remove barriers for the amateur boxing community to attend these huge events and have access to moments of such historic nature in order to. This ‘Legacy’ show, screened live and exclusively on Sky Sports, is just the beginning of that.
England Boxing is the National Governing Body for the sport of Boxing in England. Its vision, supported by BOXXER, is to ‘Inspire and transform lives through boxing’. It currently oversees more than 980 affiliated clubs, 24,000 members and 100,000 recreational boxers across the country.
This generous contribution from BOXXER will benefit England Boxing members enormously, enabling gyms to invest the donation towards much-needed kit and equipment.
Fundamentally, it will help to inspire the next generation to participate in grassroots Boxing – particularly among young female amateurs, where there is a real opportunity for the sport to grow.
WBO world middleweight champion Savannah Marshall said: “It’s a brilliant, groundbreaking initiative that I think a lot of young aspiring female boxers will benefit from.
“For them to know they have this kind of support and encouragement, will mean a lot. Because in recent times, the sport has come a long way in celebrating its female participants.
“And this move here with England Boxing is a way to continue that positive movement and lay the foundations for future amateurs, pros and world champions.”
Ben Shalom, BOXXER Founder and CEO, said: “We are proud to support England Boxing. Every professional fighter will tell you just how important their amateur story is to them. So it is important for today’s amateur boxers to have access to moments of such historic nature.
“September 10th will be a historic night for boxing. The fighters will leave a lasting legacy for the sport, one that will inspire the next generation. It will be an event not to be missed.”
Tickets for BOXXER: Shields vs Marshall can be purchased at Boxxer.com
MARKU MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO ALBANIA, CAPTURES WBC SILVER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Tirana, Albania – (August 25th, 2022) – Florian Marku (12-0-1, 7 KO’s) made a triumphant return to his Albanian homeland on Thursday night, with over 12,000 fans packing the Tirana Air AlbaniaStadium to see him win a unanimous decision in the main event.
It was a gruelling war with Mexican opponent Miguel Parra, who had travelled to Albania intent on shattering Marku’s dreams and the crowd’s hopes. He very nearly accomplished that in the eighth round, putting Marku down with a left hook, only for the Albanian to shrug it off and return to the fray.
Marku scored a knockdown of his own in the fourth round only to suffer a cut moments later as the two boxers clashed heads. Unfazed, Marku battered Parra with hooks which sent his gumshield flying and made the fourth round one of the most dynamic of the fight.
Still undefeated, Marku’s record now stands at 13-0-1 and he now adds the Silver Welterweight Championship to his collection.
“[Fighting in Albania] was unbelievable. I want to thank everyone who is supporting me. The crowd is amazing, I wanted to perform much better than this, but I didn’t want an easy opponent for here,” he said afterwards.
“It was a good fight, I made some mistakes and made it harder than it was. I traded with him without reason and Mexicans come to fight. The cut was a problem because I couldn’t really see from my left eye. I started really good and the cut affected me a lot.”
As for his next opponent, Marku said he is open to all challenges.
“I don’t care – I will fight whoever they bring me,” he said.
Marku is part of the BOXXER stable, with BOXXER holding exclusive promotional rights for the explosive Albanian.
Former Heavyweight World Champion Charles Martin Returns to Battle Devin Vargas In Non-Televised Undercard Showdown September 4 in PBC Action on Labor Day Weekend from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES – August 25, 2022 – Former heavyweight world champion Charles Martin will highlight non-televised undercard action when he takes on former U.S. Olympian Devin Vargas in an eight-round attraction on September 4 in PBC action during Labor Day Weekend from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The event is topped by a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT featuring former unified heavyweight world champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. battling top contender Luis “King Kong “ Ortiz in a WBC Heavyweight Title Eliminator in the main event.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online at AXS.com.
The non-televised lineup will also include unbeaten Mexican flyweight Juan García (10-0-2, 7 KOs) in a four-round bout taking on Gilberto Mendoza (19-13-3, 19 KOs), plus a battle of unbeaten lightweights as Los Angeles’ Anthony Cuba (4-0-1, 3 KOs) faces Houston’s Óscar Pérez (5-0, 4 KOs) in a six-round attraction.
Rounding out the card is San Francisco’s Anthony Garnica (9-0-1, 5 KOs) in a six-round super bantamweight matchup against Anthony Casillas (8-2, 4 KOs), super lightweight Jesús Carrillo (10-7-2, 4 KOs) in an eight-round attraction and lightweight prospect Kel Spencer (1-0), the younger brother of rising super welterweight Joey Spencer, stepping into the ring for a four-round duel.
Martin (28-3-1, 25 KOs) became heavyweight champion in January 2016 when he won by TKO against then unbeaten Vyacheslav Glazkov. After losing his title to Anthony Joshua, Martin won five of six fights, with all of those wins coming inside the distance. Originally from St. Louis, now living in Las Vegas and currently training in Southern California with Manny Robles, Martin most recently challenged Luis Ortiz in a New Year’s Day showdown that saw him send Ortiz to the canvas twice before eventually losing in round six.
A 2004 U.S. Olympian, Vargas (22-7, 9 KOs) has fought professionally since 2004 and was a two-time National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion as an amateur. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Vargas last fought in November 2020, dropping a contest to unbeaten Zhilei Zhang. Throughout his career, Vargas has challenged champions and top prospects and contenders including Andy Ruiz Jr., Dominic Breazeale and Junior Fa.
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ABOUT RUIZ VS. ORTIZ
Ruiz vs. Ortiz will see former unified heavyweight champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. and top contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz meet in a 12-round WBC Heavyweight Title Eliminator headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View on September 4 in a Labor Day Weekend clash from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The pay-per-view telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and feature a stacked lineup of rising and accomplished stars in high-stakes matchups. In the co-main event, hard-hitting Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz will step in to take on fellow Mexican and veteran contender Eduardo Ramírez in a 12-round WBC Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event.
The action will also see the return of popular three-division champion Abner Mares in his first action in three years as he battles former title challenger Miguel Flores in a 10-round super featherweight attraction, plus exciting rising star José Valenzuela duels former world champion Jezreel Corrales in the 10-round lightweight pay-per-view opener.
Tulsa Heavyweight Jeremiah Milton Returns Home this Saturday at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
LAS VEGAS, NV (August 25, 2022) – Undefeated heavyweight boxing sensation, Jeremiah “Dreamland” Milton (5-0, 4 KOs), returns to his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, this Saturday Aug. 27, at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Milton is set to face Nick Jones (9-4, 6 KOs), in a scheduled 6-round bout.
Milton, who’s knockout of Jayvone Dafney went viral, took place in his birthplace of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The heavyweight slugger has big plans to bring forth another great performance when he steps in the ring this Saturday night.
“Few fighters ever get to fight in their hometown, so this is a privilege for me, and I will treat it as such. To my team and Top Rank, I am appreciative for this opportunity. Tulsa Oklahoma let’s get it!”
Standing 6? 4?, Milton, who is promoted by Holden Productions, is considered one of the top heavyweight prospects in the sport of boxing. He fights out of Las Vegas where he’s gained the respect of all the top heavyweights who train there.
“I’ve been in the ring with the best heavyweights in the world,” continued Milton. “Training in Vegas is no joke. I’m getting better and it’s showing in my performances.
“Jeremiah is rapidly establishing himself as one of the top guys coming up in the heavyweight division,” said Milton’s manager Mike Leanardi. “Top Rank has been great, letting us fight numerous times on their cards here in Tulsa. Jeremiah’s fans show a lot of support, and we want to continue building his brand here in his hometown.”
The main event will feature Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (29-4, 14 KOs) vs. Richard “RC” Commey (30-4, 27 KOs) in a 10-round junior welterweight showdown. Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment and and Holden Productions will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. Tickets starting at $49 are on sale now at www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.
Jonathan Rodriguez Takes on Oscar Vazquez on Friday, September 23rd at The Wind Creek Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa
Reading, PA (August 25, 2022)– Popular and local bantamweight Jonathan Rodriguez will take on tough veteran Oscar Vazquez in the main event of a tremendous night of professional boxing on Friday, September 23rd at The Wind Creek Events Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The card is promoted by King’s Promotions.
Rodriguez of Bethlehem, has a record of 10-1-1 with three knockouts. The 23 year-old is a four-year professional, and will be looking for his biggest win of his career, and doing it in front of his hometown fans.
This will be his fifth appearance at The Events Center, and he is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Jose Flores Canez on March 11th at The Wind Creek Events Center.
Vazquez of Sun Valley, Nevada is 15-3-1 with three knockouts. The 35 year-old has a win over Jose Toribio (6-1), and is now looking to get back in the win column after losing a unanimous decision to undefeated Ja’Rico Quinn on January 17, 2020 in Sloan, Iowa.
A slew of King’s Promotions undefeated prospects will be featured in undercard bouts.
In a eight-round co-feature, surging lightweight James Bernadin takes on Jairo Lopez.
Bernadin of Lancaster, Pennsylvania is 7-0-1 with four knockouts. The 29 year-old has been matched tough and has come through with flying colors as he has defeated Osvaldo Morales (4-0), Edgar Torres (8-2-1) and his bout when he took a unanimous decision over Kenny Robles (9-1) on May 20th in Philadelphia.
Lopez of Leon, Mexico is a veteran of the sport as he has a record of 27-17 with 18 knockouts.
Lopez, 31, is a 11-year veteran and has wins over Edgar Alejando Lomeil (10-1-2), Two wins over Marcos Vilasana (11-1) and (12-2), Jesus Antonio Rojas (9-0-1), former world champion Juan Salgado (26-4-1), Sergio Puente (27-2) & Eduardo Escobedo (34-7). Lopez is coming off a defeat to undefeated Trini Ochoa on July 30th in Phoenix, Arizona.
Also in an eight-round bout will be undefeated junior middleweight Joseph Jackson taking on Anthony Lenk.
Jackson of Greensboro, North Carolina is 17-0 with 13 knockouts. Jackson, 33 has defeated Monreco Goldston (5-0-1) and a nationally televised win over Derrick Colemon Jr. (11-0). In Jackson’s last bout, he stopped Terrance Williams in the opening round on June 5, 2021 in Philadelphia.
Lenk of Niagara Falls, New York is 17-9 with seven knockouts. Lenk, 34, has quality wins over Rufino Flores (1-0),Danny Escobar (6-0), Boyd Henley (8-0-1) and Edwin Soto (13-2-2). Lenk is coming off a 10-round defeat to Ian Green on June 11th in Miami.
In a six-round bout, Julian Gonzalez (6-0-1, 6 KOs) of Reading, PA takes on Rondale Hubbert (14-23-3, 8 KOs) of Duluth, Minnesota in a lightweight contest.
In Four-round bouts,
Thanjhae Teasley (3-0, 2 KOs) of Allentown, PA takes on an opponent to be named in a welterweight bout.
Jetter Burgos (1-1) of Bronx, NY fights Tyriek Gainey (0-2) in a super lightweight bout.
Tickets are $50, $75, $100 and $150 and can be purchased at the below link:
This Saturday: Nathan Rodriguez to Fight Moises Flores at Smith Park in Pico Rivera Calif. and LIVE on FITE TV
PICO RIVERA, Calif. (Aug. 25, 2022): Undefeated featherweight prospect Nathan Rodriguez (8-0, 7 KOs) is set to fight in the United States for the first time this Saturday, Aug. 27 in the eight-round main event of BoxFest 7 against Moises Flores (25-7-1, 17 KOs) at Smith Park in Pico Rivera, California. The fight will be streamed live on FITE TV Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
BoxFest 7 is the seventh installment of a year-round series of boxing events presented by MarvNation Promotions that focuses on putting its rising stars in tough, competitive fights.
“I’m confident that Nathan Rodriguez will shine this Saturday against Moises Flores,” said Marvin Rodriguez, CEO and Founder of MarvNation Promotions. “This is his first time fighting in front of his friends and family in Pico Rivera, so he’s more motivated than ever to put on an impressive performance against the toughest test of his career.”
Rodriguez made his pro debut in January 2021 when he was only 16. Since then, he has fought six times in Costa Rica and two times in Mexico. While still 17, he even secured a Number 40 world ranking within the WBC’s featherweight division.
Earlier this month, however, Rodriguez turned 18, and as a result he can now fight in his hometown of Pico Rivera, California for the first time. The young prodigy is ready to show the progress he’s made since turning pro and plans to rise quickly among the aforementioned rankings.
The fight will headline a full card of action that will be streamed live on FITE TV Pay-Per-View. The following undercard bouts are scheduled to take place:
· Alejandro “Pin Pon” Reyes (8-0, 5 KOs) of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico will participate in a six-round super lightweight battle against Raymundo “El Ruso” Rios Cardiel (4-8-2, 3 KOs) of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico. Reyes, who trains out of the Westside Boxing Club in Los Angeles with the Saucedo Brothers, is a rising prospect who has already amassed a dedicated fanbase in Southern California.
· Raquel Miller (11-0, 4 KOs) of San Francisco, California will return in a six-round super middleweight battle against Irais Hernandez (4-4-2, 3 KOs) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Miller is a former WBA Interim Champion at 154 pounds and is on the comeback after a two-year layoff between 2019 and 2021. In her last fight, she defeated Sonya Dreiling via unanimous decision.
· Chinese prospect Hongke Zeng (1-0, 1 KO) will fight against Keith Carson (0-6-1) of Pomona, California in a super lightweight contest scheduled for four rounds.
· Daniel Cruz (5-0, 2 KOs) of San Bernadino, California will put his undefeated record on the line against Antonio Wattell (3-10-3, 2 KOs) of Houston, Texas.
· Jacob Macalolooy (2-0, 2 KOs) of San Diego, California will take on undefeated Salvadoran Josue Zamora (1-0) in a four-round welterweight clash.
· Scott Alexander (16-5-2, 8 KOs) of Los Angeles, California will take on Jaime Solorio (12-4-2, 9 KOs) of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico in a heavyweight fight scheduled for eight rounds.
· Matthew Rodriguez (5-0-1, 3 KOs) of Saginaw, Michigan will face a soon-to-be-announced opponent in a scheduled six-round super welterweight bout.
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About MarvNation Promotions
MarvNation Promotions was founded in 2014 by Marvin Rodriguez and was created with a vision to not only create concerts or boxing events, but to also create experiences for the fans. In 2018, after noticing a lack of support for many young and hungry prospects without an extensive Olympic and amateur background, MarvNation involved itself in the sport of boxing with a mission to make a way for these young prospects and develop them into top contenders and champions in the sport. Established both on a national and international level, MarvNation is here to bring you the best of boxing and live entertainment.
For more information, visit www.MarvNation.com. Follow on Instagram and on Twitter @Marvnation_.
Nueva Era Management is looking to sign top Latino talent
There is a new entity in the boxing world that features a boxing veteran along with some fresh blood that plans on giving the sport a much needed injection of new school vision along with old school boxing ideology.
Nueva Era Management is a Las Vegas based company that was formed by Luis Acosta, a businessman based out of Monterrey, Mexico, sports medicine doctor Johnny Gallardo of Aguascalientes, Mexico and Las Vegas based boxing veteran Oscar Vasquez.
In addition to being part of the management team, Gallardo will also serve as the official doctor of the fighter’s and make sure their welfare is taken care of.
The company is looking to start out with 5-6 top prospects from Latin America and build from there.
“Latin America has a lot of good fighters that have been underrepresented,” said Vasquez. “A lot of times the fighters don’t have the best training conditions and don’t have access to getting visas to fight in the United States. We are looking to change that.”
Vasquez is affiliated with Premier Boxing Champions and has several fighters signed to the entity. His plan is to bring more Latino fighters to the company and produce the next generation of champions.
“I have many fighters fighting with PBC and we plan on bringing more to the company. They treat the fighters how they deserve to be treated and I am confident that we will bring them several future champions. We have the infrastructure in place to set up fighters with the best training facilities and get them visas in an expedited manner. They will be in big fights sooner rather than later,” said Vazquez.
Parties interested in working with Nueva Era Management should contact Oscar at oscarvasquez15@yahoo.com
MARKU EXPECTED TO MAKE RINGWALK 8:30 PM UK TIME
Tirana, Albania – (August 25th, 2022) – Florian ‘The Albanian King’ Marku fights in his Albanian homeland on Thursday night, with thousands of partisan fans in the Tirana Air AlbaniaStadium to witness their hero’s homecoming.
British fans can watch his fight with highly-rated Mexican rival Miguel Parra Ramirez for free via the Sky Sports Boxing YouTube channel and the Sky Sports Boxing Facebook page.
Marku is expected to make his entrance to the ring around 8.30 PM UK time for his WBC Silver Welterweight Title fight and will be the second of two fights airing on the Sky Sports Boxing social platforms.
The full Tirana card can be watched in the UK and Ireland via FITE.tv
Marku’s homecoming will also be screened live by the following broadcasters across the world:
– Oversport – Albania & Kosovo (host broadcaster, innovative OTT platform)
– Sky – UK & Ireland (streaming on Sky Sports Boxing FB and YT)
– TV3 – Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia
– Canal+ – Poland
– Mola TV – Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore
– Nova – Bulgaria
– SportKlub – Ex-Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia)
– ESPN – Latin America & Caribbean (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela)
– FITE – Rest of World
Boxing Promoter Don King on Dispute with Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions; Copy of Agreement and Wire Transfer Provided by King
Boxing Promoter Don King on the dispute with Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions:
For two months DKP has been requesting bank wire instructions for Queensberry Promotions in order to pay Daniel Dubois’s purse. Yet, never received them.
The pretender Frank Warren spoke to IFLTV in the UK, “Frank Warren wants to make clear that none of that dispute should involve him.” And more importantly, Warren says King is trying to distract from having to pay Dubois what he’s owed.”
Don King: “That statement from the pretender Frank Warren is totally false!!! And that what Frank Warren said is completely untrue.”
Frank: “They (King and Dubois) are the contracting parties, not me. He owes the money to Daniel Dubois. This is all smoke screens – the usual bullshit you get.”
Don King: “The money is owed to Dubois’s promoter (Queensberry Promotions) Frank Warren for Dubois contractually.
“The fact is He’s (King) got a contract and that contract’s between them. That’s who he owes money to. I’m nothing to do with that contract. I’m not his manager. I’m his promoter.
Don King: “If all the above statements from the pretender to be Frank Warren are true… then how can the pretender Frank Warren, direct me to deduct $475,000 from Daniel Dubois’s purse to purchase the TV broadcast rights for the UK for BT Sports TV??? For Frank Warren’s (Queensberry Promotion) I have never talked to Daniel Dubois, and all of the business that I have conducted for Daniel Dubois has been conducted through his promoter Frank Warren (Queensberry Promotions). Enclosed are the paragraphs:
Congratulations Frank, to you for your new WBA heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois. He is a very fine young man and a potentially great heavyweight champion. However, Frank, he deserves much, much better treatment than he is receiving from that guy who says, “it’s all bullshit”, pretending to be Frank Warren. I am sorry to say this Frank, but I don’t know who that guy is?? Nor, do I want to know who that guy is.
However, I asked the honorable Frank Warren, my friend, to tell me what amount he wants me to deduct or to apply as a partial payment on the old debt that you owed me. I also mention that if you did not want to make any payment at this time, just let me know, either way your word and your directions was good enough for me. So, I reached out to your new champion, Daniel Dubois, through another party, and the champion Dubois advised me to go through Mr. Leon Margules. So, I am sending Mr. Margules a check, or a bank wire for the entire amount of what I had deducted as payment of the old debt between Frank Warren and Don King. Which will result into the honorable Frank Warren’s old debt owed to me being put back on the shelf again. But I have no doubt that Frank will pay me the old debt, and that we will work together again. Working together works!!!
Thanks Frank,
Don King
Only In America
ALL-OUT WAR: WOOD DEFENDS FEATHERWEIGHT CROWN AGAINST LARA ON SEPTEMBER 24
Leigh Wood will defend his WBA Featherweight World Title against Mauricio Lara at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Saturday September 24, live worldwide on DAZN (excluding Australia and New Zealand).
Wood (26-2, 16 KOs) memorably stopped Michael Conlan in the 12th and final round of his epic first defence of the WBA 126lbs title back in March, knocking the Irishman out of the ring in brutal fashion to end their Fight of the Year battle.
‘Leigh-thal’ was heavily dropped in the opening round and looked to be heading towards his third loss in the pros before brilliantly fighting back to earn a stunning win that will be talked about for many years to come.
After a fight with WBA ‘Super’ Champion Leo Santa Cruz failed to transpire, in an incredibly gutsy move, Wood has chosen to prove himself against one of the most feared knockout artists in world boxing.
Lara (24-2-1, 17 KOs) floored and ruthlessly finished Josh Warrington in a sensational upset behind closed doors at The SSE Arena, Wembley in February 2021, ending the IBF Featherweight World Champion’s unbeaten record
‘Bronco’ rematched Warrington in front of a sold-out Headingley Stadium in Leeds seven months later, but a nasty cut over the left eye of the Mexican in round two caused by an accidental clash of heads resulted in the contest ending in a technical draw.
The power-punching 24-year-old blitzed Emilio Sanchez in three rounds earlier this year on the undercard of Roman Gonzalez vs. Julio Cesar Martinez in another destructive show of brute force to put the 126lbs division on notice.
Rossington’s IBO Lightweight title holder Maxi Hughes (25-5-2, 5 KOs) aims to continue his incredible run of form when he takes on Sheffield’s former IBF Featherweight World Champion Kid Galahad (28-2, 17 KOs) in a Yorkshire derby.
‘Maximus’, who is undefeated since November 2019, landed the IBO crown with a shutout points win over dangerous Mexican Jovanni Straffon in September last year before making a successful first defence against Ryan Walsh in March.
Galahad will be looking to return to winning ways up at Lightweight after suffering a shock knockout loss to Spanish veteran Kiko Martinez in what was supposed to be a routine maiden defence of his IBF title at the Sheffield Arena in November 2021.
Denaby Main’s Terri Harper (12-1-1, 6 KOs) leaps up in weight to challenge Scotland’s Hannah Rankin (12-5, 3 KOs) for her IBO and WBA Super-Welterweight World Titles in an intriguing England vs. Scotland clash.
Former IBO and WBC Super-Featherweight World Champion Harper lost her titles at the hands of the USA’s Alycia Baumgardner on the undercard of Galahad vs. Martinez last year before landing the WBA Intercontinental Lightweight Title against Yamila Belen Abellaneda in March.
Rankin captured gold by decisioning Maria Lindberg over 10 rounds at the Tottenham Hotspur FC Banqueting Hall in November 2021 before defending her belts against Mexico’s Alejandra Ayala at The SSE Hydro, Glasgow in May.
“I maybe have a handful of fights left and I want them to be my biggest,” said Wood. “I want to be tested. I’m filling arenas now and I want to keep that momentum going. Every fight should be a step forward, not backwards. Mauricio Lara is dangerous but high risk high reward, I’m confident I can do what Josh Warrington couldn’t do and get the job done.” “I’m very excited,” said Lara. “This is the opportunity that I have worked so hard for and I am not going to miss it. I am aware that Leigh Wood is a great fighter, but no one is going to take away the possibility of me becoming a World Champion. I’m going to England for the third time and it’s like I’m fighting at home.”
“This is an unbelievable fight and Leigh Wood has massive cojones for stepping up to the plate again in Nottingham,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “Last time out he gave us one of the most dramatic fights for many years and fans can expect all the drama again on September 24. It’s a huge card with Terri Harper stepping up the divisions attempting to become a two division champion against Hannah Rankin and a brilliant Yorkshire derby for the IBO title between Maxi Hughes and Kid Galahad with lots more to be announced. Expect another incredible atmosphere at the Nottingham Arena on September 24.” “This is an all-action card from top to bottom and a great way to kick off our UK autumn schedule,” said Joe Markowski, EVP at DAZN Group. “Wood vs. Lara will be an absolute humdinger of a fight and in Hughes vs. Galahad and Rankin vs. Harper we have two fights that are worthy of headlining shows by themselves. Do not miss this fight night! Live and exclusive, on DAZN.” Tickets for Wood vs. Lara are priced at £40, £60, £100, £150 and £250 (VIP)
Matchroom Fight Pass members will be able to purchase tickets from midday on Thursday August 25. Priority ticket info will be emailed directly to eligible members ahead of the on sale time.
General Sale tickets can be purchased via Stage Front and Motorpoint Arena Nottingham from midday on Friday August 26.
Nahir Albright Takes on Estivan Falcao on Friday, September 23rd at The Clarion Hotel in Essington, PA
PHILADELPHIA PA (August 23, 2022)–A big lightweight bout will headline RDR Promotions debut at The Clarion Hotel on Friday night, September 23rd as Nahir Albright will take on undefeated Estivan Falcao in a bout scheduled for six-rounds.
Albright of Sicklerville, New Jersey has a record of 14-2 with seven knockouts. The 26 year-old Albright is a six-year professional, and has a slew of good wins which include getting his hand raised against Danny Murray (1-0), Glenford Nickey (4-1-1), Roy McGill (6-1), Dante Cox (6-1), former world title challenger Cosme Rivera, Jeremy Hill (15-1) and Michael Dutchover (15-1). In his last bout, Alright came up short as he dropped a unanimous decision to undefeated Jamaine Ortiz on February 18th in Orlando. The bout headlined a ShoBox: The New Generation card on SHOWTIME.
Falcao of Sao Paulo, Brazil is 11-0 with six-knockouts. The 26 year-old Falcao will be making his United States debut. In Brazil, he defeated undefeated fighters Eduardo Costa Do Nascimento (1-0) and Jefferson Da Silva (5-0). He is coming off a unanimous decision win over Rodolfo Franz on July 24, 2021 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Falco is the brother of Brazil’s Olympic Silver Medal winner Esquiva Falcao (30-0 as a professional) and Bronze Medal Winner Yamaguchi Falcao (21-1-1 as a professional).
A packed undercard is being assembled and already will feature some Philly favorites and prospects.
In Six-Round Bouts:
Cameron Krael (19-22-3, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas takes on Temirlan Raimkulov (5-1-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in a junior middleweight bout.
In a welterweight rematch, RDR Promotions signee Mark Dawson (9-1-1. 3 KOs) fights Vincent Floyd (4-13-1, 2 KOs) in a battle of Philadelphian’s.
Undefeated Romuel Cruz (7-0-1, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia fights Roberto Pucheta (10-21-3, 6 KOs) of Jalisco, Mexico in a super bantamweight rematch.
In Four-Round Bouts:
Dominique Mayfield (1-1) of Philadelphia will take on debuting Jeremiah Wiles of Philadelphia in a heavyweight contest.
Erron Peterson (1-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia fights an opponent to be named in a middleweight contest.
Famous Wilson (1-0) of Deer Park, NY takes on Tyler Jaques (0-4-1) of Bennington, Vermont in a middleweight contest.
Nimal Farmer (1-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia squabbles Kaywann Sistrunk (0-7-1) of Detroit in a welterweight bout.
Rahiem Cooke (1-2) of Philadelphia fights Joshua Zimmerman (0-9) of Baltimore in a super lightweight contest.
Prized amateur standout Marvelous Corbin of Philadelphia will make his pro debut in a junior welterweight.
Tickets are $65, $75, $100 and $175 can be purchased by emailing RDRboxing@yahoo.com
The Clarion Hotel is located at 76 Industrial highway in Essington, PA
Falcao-Adriel set for September 17
Tampa, FL (August 24, 2022) – Super middleweight boogeyman Yamaguchi Falcao looks to continue his winning ways Saturday, September 17 when he battles iron-chinned Argentine Abel Adriel at the Alessi Gym in Tampa, FL.
Representing his native Brazil, Falcao won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. As a pro, the skilled southpaw’s an excellent 21-1-1 with 9 wins by knockout. In the last 12 month, Falcao won the WBC Latino, WBA Fedecaribe, WBC Feconsur and NABA super middleweight championships. In his most recent bout, the Florida-based Falcao defeated Damian Bonelli by unanimous decision.
Falcao’s also repeatedly expressed his willingness to fight any top super middleweight on the planet but is yet to find a dance partner.
A 53 fight veteran, Adriel’s fought in Argentina, Brazil, Russia, Abidjan, Canada and the United States. The 33-year-old’s record is 26-24-3 with 5 KO’s. He’s battled the likes of Marcelo Coceres, Sergei Vorobev, Alejandro Silva, Billi Godoy and Michael Olivera.
Falcao-Adriel is scheduled for eight rounds.
“We went through a couple of opponents already so we appreciate Adriel’s willingness to fight,” said Falcao’s promoter, Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. “Yama trains for every fight like it’s the biggest of his career so I expect a strong showing on the 17th because we’re still targeting the elite super middleweights.”
The card is promoted by Alessi Promotions. Tickets are available by calling 813-927-0501. For more information, visit AlessiPromotions.com.
2020 Olympian Eric Tudor set to return on 10/20 on Schofield-Rosas undercard
MIAMI, FLA – Highly touted super welterweight prospect Eric Tudor (5-0) will return to the ring on October 20th on the Floyd Schofield-Daniel Rosas undercard in Indio, Calif. The fight is part of Golden Boy’s monthly prospect series that stream live on DAZN.
Tudor’s opponent will be the battle tested Isiah Jones (9-7). The Detroit native has only lost to undefeated opponents.
If all goes well, Tudor will return to action on a major card in December.
“I’m very focused on taking care of business in October against against Jones. There is a lot on the line. I’m grateful to the opportunities Golden Boy has given me and I believe that another victory should earn me a long term promotional agreement,” said Tudor.
The 2020 Romanian Olympian made his pro debut in February when he stopped Dalton Duncan in the opening stanza of their bout scheduled for four rounds.
He has followed that up performance with four more victories including three by knockout. He was last in action in February when he stopped fellow unbeaten prospect Edgar Valenzuela (now 7-1) in two rounds.
Tudor’s trainer Derik Santos is very pleased with the progress his young charge has made in the professional ranks.
“You can see he is growing as he has progressed from four to six rounds,” said Santos. “He already had a pro style and we are just developing it more every time he steps in the ring. I’m very happy with the improvements he’s made.”
Joe Joyce vs. Joseph Parker Heavyweight Super Fight Lands on ESPN+
(Aug. 24, 2022) — Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker, the WBO’s top-rated heavyweight contenders, will collide Saturday, Sept. 24, from the AO Arena in Manchester, England.
The unbeaten Joyce (14-0, 13 KOs) – a 2016 Olympic silver medallist — holds the WBO International and WBC Silver heavyweight titles and is a former British, Commonwealth and European champion.
Parker (30-2, 21 KOs) previously held the WBO world title, winning the vacant belt against Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2016 and making successful defenses against Razvan Cojanu and Hughie Fury before losing on points in a unification fight against Anthony Joshua.
Joyce-Parker headlines a loaded UK fight night that will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. Joyce vs Parker is promoted by Frank Warren for Queensberry Promotions in association with BOXXER.
The ESPN+ stream also features the return of seven-weight world champion Amanda Serrano (42-2-1, 30 KOs), who will attempt to unify her WBO and WBC featherweight world titles against unbeaten IBF champion Sarah Mahfoud (11-0, 3 KOs). The fight will be promoted by Frank Warren for Queensberry Promotions in association with Most Valuable Promotions.
Serrano returns to the featherweight ranks after her valiant stand against undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor in April, which she lost by disputed split decision. Serrano has won world titles in every weight class from 115 to 140 pounds and is among the most decorated fighters in women’s boxing history.
‘Nowhere to Run’, Joyce vs. Parker, will be broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport Box Office.
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 22.8 million subscribers.
Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of the Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads). Subscribers to Hulu + Live TV also receive ESPN+ at no additional cost.
BRYAN ACOSTA RETURNS TO HEADLINE ON DAZN
Lee Baxter Promotions is proud to announce another night of professional boxing in Toronto, live on DAZN. After the success of the first Canadian boxing event presented on DAZN in May, Lee Baxter Promotions is back again to put on another fantastic event full with top quality talent and evenly matched fights
Headlining the event is Bryan Acosta (17-0 6KOs) as he arguably faces his toughest test to date as he takes on Jon Martinez (12-6-5 2KOs) from Bilbao, Spain. Acosta boxed for the WBC Continental Americas Featherweight title last time out, a spectacular stoppage in the 10th round saw Acosta crowned champion, live on DAZN. Acosta is a slick, skilful but ruthless opponent and would be a challenge for anyone in the division. Martinez is in fantastic form, as he is unbeaten in 6 fights and will look to use his experience to upset the younger prospect.
An undefeated show down between Josh Lupia (6-0 6KOs) and Jesus Solis Reyes (3-0) is co-main event on the night. A life threating incident caused Lupia to have a 2-year break from the ring, Lupia stayed mentally strong and dedicated to getting back in the ring again. Lupia returned to the ring in July with a dominant performance and another knockout. The 2x Canadian Amateur Champion has phenomenal power, as his 100% knockout rate shows.
A brilliant matchup that could go either way. As they say, someone’s 0 has got to go.
This fight is one for the fans as Uriel Perez (19-5 18KOs) battles it out with Edwing Davila (19-2 11KOs). Last time out Perez took on Maurice Hooker in a bout that was scheduled for 10 rounds. Since his fight with Hooker, Perez has been training at Hardknocks Boxing Club in Toronto with head coach Billy Martin, perfecting his craft. Perez already possesses lightning-fast hand speed, and his outrageous power speaks for itself as 18 of his 19 wins come by way of knockout. Edwing Davila also has 11 knockout wins on his record. Davila is a former challenger for the NABA, WBO Latino and WBA Inter-Continental titles. This match has potential for fight of the night as the two fighters put it all on the line for what looks to be a war that could go either way.
Adrian Bembridge (6-0 3KOs) will be kicking off the live broadcast on DAZN as he looks to continue his unbeaten streak. Bembridge has looked like an unstoppable force in the Super Welterweight division as he’s been dominating his opponents. Last time out Bembridge won with a first round KO, a monster left hook that could have caused heavyweights problems.
Probellum’s Spencer Wilcox (3-0 2KOs) will also be on the card, the 4x National Canadian Amateur Champion takes on Victor Cosmopulos Perez (5-5-1 2KOs) in a lightweight bout. Wilcox is exceptional talent from a true boxing family, with 4 brothers all boxing professionally.
Starting off the night will be Ruben Perez Vallejo (7-1-1 3KOs) scheduled for a 4-round match against Slovakia’s Kristian Patko (4-3-1 4KOs). Ruben has been training alongside brother Uriel Perez and stablemate Adrian Bembridge with Billy Martin as he prepares for the fight.
The event at REBEL Entertainment Complex, Toronto will be the start of an iconic weekend of boxing on DAZN as Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin go head-to-head for the third time. The event falls on Mexican Independence weekend, a historic and important part of Mexican culture and tradition as Mexico gained independence from Spain. In recent years it has also been celebrated with Mexican athletes boxing on Independence weekend. In the past we have seen many historic events and we are set to see two more this year.
Tickets can be purchased on ticketmaster.com. For VIP Booths, please email sales@leebaxterpromotions.com. REBEL Entertainment Complex is located at 11 Polson Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1A4. On the night of the event doors will open at 6:30 pm ET, with the first bell at 6:45 pm ET. DAZN broadcast will start at 8pm ET for the Adrian Bembridge bout.
Follow us on our social media accounts for updates on our fighters and events.
FAST RISING IRISH STAR CALLUM WALSH FEATURED ON 360 PROMOTIONS / HOLLYWOOD FIGHT NIGHTS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3
Los Angeles, CA (August 23, 2022) Following up another star-studded, sold-out event, Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions has announced the next Hollywood Fight Nights boxing card set for Thursday, November 3. The event will be broadcast globally on UFC Fight Pass live from the Quiet Cannon / Montebello Country Club. The show will feature the return of fast-rising Irish Star ‘King’ Callum Walsh in an eight-round junior middleweight bout.
Advance tickets priced at $200 (First Row), $150 (Second Row), $100 (Premium Reserved Seating) and $80 (Reserved Seating) are Now On-Sale and can be purchased online at 360 Promotions.us. The Quiet Cannon / Montebello Country Club is located at 901 via San Clemente, Montebello, CA 90640. Doors will open on the night of the event at 5:00 p.m.
Among the stars in attendance at the last Hollywood Fight Nights event on Thursday, August 4 were UFC President Dana White, actor/TV host Mario Lopez, Academy Award Winning Actress Halle Berry with Grammy Award Winner Van Hunt, UFC Stars Tony Ferguson and Kevin Holland, UFC veteran referee Mike Beltran, award-winning photographer and music video director Estevan Oriol, Women’s Boxing World Champion Seniesa ‘Superbad’ Estrada, Mother of Amateur Star, Manny Pacquiao Jr. Jinkee Pacquiao in addition to Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Sean Sweeney.
Said Tom Loeffler, “Since we started the Hollywood Fight Nights series the events have truly turned into must-attend for boxing fans in Southern California. Right after our last event three weeks ago fans were contacting me about purchasing tickets to the next one. There’s no question this one will sell-out as well and I strongly encourage fans to buy their tickets early.”
‘King’ Callum Walsh, (4-0, 3 KOs), of Cork Ireland won his fourth professional bout on August 4 against durable veteran Benjamin Whitaker, (15-9, 3 KO’s), in the featured fight of 360 Promotions’ Hollywood Fight Nights, broadcast live internationally on UFC FIGHT PASS. Fighting in front of a sold-out venue of passionate supporters, Walsh dropped Whittaker in the first round of their six round bout and displayed his full arsenal of world-class talents dominating every round with scores of 60-53 on all three cards.
Further details on this event will be announced shortly.
RETURN OF THE KING: FLORIAN MARKU’S ALBANIA HOMECOMING WILL STREAM LIVE AND FREE TO UK FANS ON SKY SPORTS
Tirana, Albania – (August 24th, 2022) – Fight fans can stream Florian Marku’s huge homecoming tomorrow night for free on Sky Sports Boxing.
Still undefeated, ‘The Albanian King’ will fight in Tirana, the capital city of his native Albania, this Thursday, when he faces highly-rated Mexican rival Miguel Parra Ramirez for the WBC Silver welterweight title at the Air AlbaniaStadium.
And the main event on the BOXXER show live from Albania will be beamed back to boxing fans in the UK for free via Sky Sports Boxing YouTube and Facebook channels.
The former kickboxer is a huge star in his homeland and has been steadily working his way up the welterweight ranks. In his last outing, Marku halted former British champion Chris Jenkins in just four rounds to pick up the IBF International strap, a ranking belt for that sanctioning body.
And on Thursday he plans to continue his rapid rise by adding another belt to his growing collection.
“I’m happy with my results,” said Marku, speaking to Sky Sports.
“I’m new in this game, you know I was a kickboxer and boxing is a little bit different, but I’m improving a lot and I have much more to show to the people.
“To fight in Albania was my dream from when I was a child. [There’ll be] thousands of people there and I can’t wait. It’s unbelievable and all Albanians will be there.”
Starting at 5pm, UK time, Sky Sports will showcase the following fights live on their digital platforms:
6×3 Light-Heavyweight
Aleksandar Petrovic (SRB) v Stiven Leonetti Dredhaj (ALB)
8×3 Super-Welterweight – WBC Youth Intercontinental Title
Borislav Velev (BUL) v Amarildo Vraja (ALB)
10×3 Welterweight – WBC Silver Interim Title
Miguel Parra Ramirez (MEX) v Florian Marku (ALB)
Florian Marku’s homecoming will also been screened live by the following broadcasters across the world:
– Oversport – Albania & Kosovo (host broadcaster, innovative OTT platform)
– Sky – UK & Ireland (streaming on Sky Sports Boxing FB and YT)
– TV3 – Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia
– Canal+ – Poland
– Mola TV – Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore
– Nova – Bulgaria
– SportKlub – Ex-Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia)
– ESPN – Latin America & Caribbean (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela)
– FITE – ROW
FURY VS HUNTER HEADLINES MONSTER HALLOWEEN WEEKEND CARD AT BIRMINGHAM RESORTS WORLD ARENA ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29th
Birmingham, England – (August 24th, 2022) – The long-awaited WBA World Title Final Eliminator clash between British contender Hughie Fury and US rival Michael Hunter now has a new date confirmed.
The two are set to face off at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England on Saturday, October 29th with the winner emerging as the next contender to challenge for the WBA heavyweight title held by Daniel Dubois.
Register for tickets now via Boxxer.com for this monster Halloween weekend card to be announced, which will air live and exclusively across the UK on Sky Sports.
Fury (26-3-0, 15 KO’s), ranked at #4 in the WBA, has been gunning for a second shot at heavyweight gold ever since his September 2017 challenge for the WBO World Title ended in a points defeat by Joseph Parker.
Now aged 27, Fury – managed by Mick Hennessy – has steadily honed his skills in the interim and is now ready to take his second run at world title contention. In October last year, his most recent outing, he was on blistering form as he forced the rugged Christian Hammer to retire on his stool after just five rounds.
Hammer has taken the likes of Alexander Povetkin and Luis Ortiz the distance; his loss to Hughie Fury was the first time he had been stopped in the ring since 2015 – that defeat came at the hands of Hughie’s cousin Tyson Fury.
Now Fury is taking on a very tough test in the form of Michael Hunter, who has a reputation as one of the most avoided fighters in the division, who has not yet reached his potential.
“I take the fights everyone avoids,” said Fury. “Michael Hunter has fought the best and is up there with the best. These are the fights I want, to show who is the best fighter out there. I’m looking forward to this challenge. I believe I’m one of the best fighters in the world and this is another big fight to prove I stand with the top three in the world heavyweight division.”
WBA #2 ranked Hunter (20-1-2, 14 KO’s) has been swerved by many of the big names in the division and is targeting his first world heavyweight title shot after a points loss to Oleksandr Usyk in 2017 for the WBO World Cruiserweight title.
Boxing is the family business – Michael’s father Mike had his name in the heavyweight contender conversation during the 1980s and 90s, facing some of the big names of the era including Buster Mathis Jr., Tyrell Biggs and Frans Botha.
The younger Hunter represented America in the London 2012 Olympics and turned pro shortly afterwards, starting out in the cruiserweight ranks and quickly putting together an undefeated run before running into Oleksandr Usyk in 2017 and suffering his first defeat.
Currently riding a seven-fight win streak, Hunter caused a huge upset on his last visit to the UK, stopping the unbeaten Martin Bakole in the 10th round of a thrilling fight, the referee being forced to intervene when Bakole was defenceless under a flurry of heavy blows .
Ben Shalom, BOXXER Founder and CEO, said: “We’re excited to make our first visit to Birmingham for a fight which has everything on the line. Hughie Fury has patiently built his way back to world title contention and has overcome big obstacles along the way. This is another huge test for him against one of the most avoided fighters in the division.
“Hughie is about to enter his prime. If he can get past Hunter, he puts himself in the mix for world titles in the coming months and years. Michael will also believe this is the chance he is waiting for, and with such a massive opportunity on the line for the winner, both fighters will be giving it their all. It promises to be an epic battle.”
Adam Smith, Sky Sports Head of Boxing Development Adam Smith, said: “This is a superb match up in boxing’s flagship weight class and will be worth the wait. It’s a serious test for Hughie Fury against the excellent Michael Hunter and will require absolute peak performance from him. A win here will set the stage for Hughie to step up and take his place on the world stage among the best of the best. He’s heading to Birmingham ready to take his destiny in his hands.”
BOXXER: Fury v Hunter is proudly presented by BOXXER in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE and Village Hotels.
Register for tickets today at Boxxer.com. Media accreditation and further fight night announcements to be released in due course.
Please note: Fury vs Hunter is moving to October 29th at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham. For any fans who purchased tickets for this fight, originally stated for July 2nd, your ticket for the AO Arena will still be valid for our big, upcoming BOXXER show in Manchester – with a headliner announced very shortly. Refunds are available, if preferred.
Former Undisputed Lightweight World Champion Teofimo Lopez Confirmed for Sixth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 17, in Las Vegas
Las Vegas (August 23, 2022) – Former undisputed lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez has confirmed that he will appear at the Sixth Annual Box Fan Expo on Saturday, September 17, 2022, at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Expo will also coincide with the mega trilogy fight between Canelo Alvarez vs Gennady Golovkin, that will take place later that evening at the T-Mobile Arena.
Lopez will hold a Meet & Greet with his fans at his booth during the fan event held over the Mexican Independence Day weekend.
The Box Fan Expo is an annual fan event that coincides with some of the sports’ legendary, classic fights in Las Vegas, including Mayweather vs. Maidana II, Mayweather vs. Berto, Canelo vs. Chavez Jr., Canelo vs. GGG II, and Canelo vs. Jacobs. Centered in boxing’s longtime home – Las Vegas – this year’s Expo is a must-do for fight fans coming in for this legendary weekend, with dozens of professional fighters, promoters, and companies involved in the boxing industry. The Expo is the largest and only Boxing Fan Expo held in the United States. http://boxfanexpo.com – @BoxFanExpo.
Lopez will make his second appearance at this years’ Expo and will be signing gloves, photos, personal items and memorabilia. Lopez will also have merchandise on sale at his booth, and fans will also have an opportunity to take pictures with this boxing star also known as “The Takeover”
Lopez joins Juan Manuel Marquez, Michael Spinks, Franchón Crews-Dezurn, Marco Antonio Barrera, Rolando Romero, Jose Ramírez, David Benavidez, Shawn Porter, Jessie Vargas and Erik Morales as an early commitment to this year’s Box Fan Expo, with more Boxing stars to be announced.
About Teofimo Lopez
Lopez is an American professional boxer from Honduran descent. He is the former undisputed lightweight world champion. Lopez held the IBF title from 2019 to November 2021. Lopez defeated pound for pound great Vasyl Lomachenko on October 17, 2020 to become the WBA (Super), WBO, WBC Franchise and Ring magazine belt. As an amateur, he represented Honduras at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He recently moved up in weight at the junior welterweight division and defeated Pedro Campa on August 13th, 2022 in Las Vergas, Nevada
About Box Fan Expo
Box Fan Expo is the ultimate boxing fan experience event, which allows fans to meet the stars of boxing that represent the past, present and future of the sport. With hosted autograph signings, meet-and-greets with current and former boxing world champions, limited edition merchandise for sale, giveaways and more, this is the ultimate event for fans of the sport.
Past boxing stars that have participated include: Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez, Juan Manuel Marquez, Tommy Hearns, Roy Jones Jr, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Andre Ward, Mikey Garcia, Marcos Maidana, Devin Haney, David Benavidez, Errol Spence Jr, Sergio Martinez, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Tim Bradley, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, Fernando Vargas, Abner Mares, James Toney, Jessie Vargas, Vinny Paz, Mia St.John, Leo Santa Cruz, Badou Jack, Terry Norris, Riddick Bowe, Earnie Shavers, Michael & Leon Spinks, Danny Jacobs, Claressa Shields, Teofimo Lopez, Brandon Rios, Jorge Linares, and many more.
Exhibitors include boxing promoters, gear, apparel, equipment, energy drinks, supplement products, broadcasting media, sanctioning bodies, and other companies who showcase their brand to fans and the boxing industry as a whole.
Throughout the next several weeks leading up to the Event, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo
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Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available at Eventbrite –
SUPER WELTERWEIGHT SENSATION SEBASTIAN FUNDORA TAKES ON RISING CONTENDER CARLOS OCAMPO LIVE ON SHOWTIME® ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 HEADLINING A PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS EVENT
CARSON, CALIF. – August 23, 2022 – Unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno’’ Fundora will seek to continue his dominance and demonstrate why he’s one of the most feared fighters in boxing when he defends his Interim WBC Super Welterweight Title against former title challenger Carlos Ocampo live on SHOWTIME on Saturday, October 8 from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California headlining a thrilling Premier Boxing Champions event.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will see top middleweights Carlos Adames and Juan Macias Montiel square off for the Interim WBC Middleweight Title in the co-main event, while IBF Junior Bantamweight World Champion Fernando Martinez meets former champion Jerwin Ancajas in a highly-anticipated 12-round rematch to open the telecast at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, go on sale TOMORROW, Wednesday, August 24 at 12 p.m. PT and can be purchased at axs.com.
“Sebastian Fundora has proven that he’s more than just an all-action brawler and has stamped his place as one of the most dangerous fighters in the stacked 154-pound division,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “He’s a perfect match for the Dignity Health Sports Park, which has brought the best out of fighters for years, and he’ll return in an intriguing showdown against Carlos Ocampo and his 12-bout winning streak. Combined with two evenly-matched duels on the undercard, October 8 shapes up to be another memorable night in Carson, California.”
Fundora (19-0-1, 13 KOs) has rocketed to the top of the super welterweight division with a fan-friendly style and bruising toughness in the ring. At 6-foot-6, the unbeaten 24-year-old southpaw from Coachella, Calif., towers over his opponents, but has displayed an appetite for toe-to-toe combat from short range. Fundora showed his mettle in his last fight, battling the hard-hitting Erickson Lubin in an instant 2022 Fight of the Year contender. Despite both men hitting the canvas, Fundora stood tall in the end, prompting Lubin’s corner to stop the fight at the end of the ninth round.
“I’m very pleased and honored to be back in action on October 8,” said Fundora. “I’m excited to be back on a big PBC show at Dignity Health Sport Park and on SHOWTIME defending my WBC interim title against a quality ranked fighter like Carlos Ocampo. On top of things, my sister Gabriela Fundora will be performing on the same card, and we’re training hard to give everyone a great show.”
Ocampo (34-1, 22 KOs) is riding a 12-fight win streak dating back to his first and only career setback, a KO loss to current unified welterweight champion and pound-for-pound great Errol Spence, Jr. in 2016. During the 12-fight stretch, nine of the victories have come by stoppage. The 26-year-old from Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico will have to be at his best if he wants to keep that streak alive against one of the hottest boxers in the super welterweight division in Fundora. In his last fight Ocampo scored a victory by first round KO over Vicente Martin Rodriguez on June 11, his first U.S. action since the Spence bout for his eighth stoppage in his last 10 bouts.
“I’m very happy to have the opportunity to be fighting on the big stage again and it’s even better that it is against a great fighter like Fundora,” said Ocampo. “I know that he is a warrior inside the ring, just like me. This is going to be a can’t-miss fight for the fans. I would like to thank everyone involved in making this fight, but especially my daughter, who is my inspiration every time I step into the ring.”
Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) is quickly becoming a force in the middleweight division as he nears his first world title opportunity at 160 pounds. He fought three times in 2021, scoring two KO victories and earning a majority decision over top contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko in his last fight on December 5. The 28-year-old Adames was born in Comendador, Dominican Republic and now lives in Washington Heights, New York. He established himself as a contender with a slew of victories over the likes of former champion Carlos Molina, Frank Galarza, Joshua Conley and Alejandro Barrera, with his only defeat coming by narrow decision in a 2019 154-pound title fight against Patrick Teixeira.
“I’ve been waiting patiently to get back in the ring and bring the fans another war,” said Adames. “Being in a fight like this has me motivated like never before. A win against a tough fighter like Montiel will do wonders for my career. I’ve been eager to showcase what I’ve been working on and show the fans that I’m the next middleweight star. On October 8, I’m going to get one step closer to becoming the first Dominican middleweight world champion of all time.”
The 28-year-old Montiel (23-5-2, 23 KOs) showed his grit and determination in the ring as he battled for 12 grueling rounds against middleweight champion Jermall Charlo in June 2021. He slugged it out with Charlo and came up short in a unanimous decision loss to the world champion, but improved his stock as a contender. Fighting out of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico he bounced back six months later with a third round KO victory over Christian Soto Valvarde on December 22.
“I made the mistake not taking it up another level against Jermall Charlo,” said Montiel. “That will never happen again. I’m thankful to my team for another great opportunity and I’m going to make the most of it. This time when Carlos Adames is hurt, and he will be, he is going to sleep. I learned my lesson about letting opponents escape.”
The unbeaten Martinez (14-0, 8 KOs) became the first world champion promoted by his countryman, former two-division world champion Marcos Maidana, with a scintillating victory over Ancajas on SHOWTIME in February. The 31-year-old from Avellaneda, Argentina made the most of the opportunity, landing a division record 421 power shots of the 427 total punches landed to secure a unanimous decision victory over Ancajas. Now he will look to repeat that feat and establish himself as one of the division’s best.
“I’ve been having an excellent training camp ahead of this rematch,” said Martinez. “I proved that I was up to the challenge back in February, and now I am ready to defend my title with all of my heart. The fans are going to see an even better Fernando Martinez when I step into the ring on October 8.”
The 30-year-old Ancajas (32-2-2, 22 KOs) decided to exercise his right to a rematch against Martinez and will now get a chance to wrestle back a world title that he held for six years and defended nine times before the loss to Martinez. Fighting out of Panabo City, Davao Del Norte, Philippines, Ancajas won the title in a lopsided unanimous decision victory over McJoe Arroyo in 2016 where he dropped his opponent in the eighth round and cruised to victory.
“It’s very weird to be in the challenger position after holding the title for over six years,” said Ancajas. “This has motivated me to work even harder preparing for this fight. I’ve made some adjustments in my training and can assure everyone that I’m going to show that the first fight was a fluke. I’m going to win on October 8 and become a two-time world champion!”
UFC® RETURN TO MADISON SQUARE GARDEN HEADLINED BY HIGHLY ANTICIPATED CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER
Las Vegas – On the anniversary of the first, record-breaking UFC event at Madison Square Garden, UFC returns to the iconic venue with an event headlined by two highly anticipated championship matchups. In the main event, UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya looks to settle the score with former kickboxing foe and No. 5 ranked contender Alex Pereira. In the co-main event, UFC women’s strawweight champion Carla Esparza intends to defend her newly won title for the first time against former champion and No. 2 ranked contender Zhang Weili.
UFC® 281: ADESANYA vs. PEREIRA takes place Sat., November 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York City with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV. The prelims will be seen on ESPNNEWS, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with the night’s action starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with Early Prelims on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) and UFC Fight Pass.
UFC® 281: ADESANYA vs. PEREIRA tickets will go on sale Fri., August 26 at 10 a.m. ET and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com and msg.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wed., August 24 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thurs., August 25 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.
Reigning middleweight king Adesanya (23-1, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) plans to deliver another statement performance in his second MSG appearance. Arguably the most popular champion in the UFC today, he has established himself as one of the most skilled strikers to ever compete in MMA with wins over former champions Robert Whittaker (twice) and Anderson Silva, as well as Derek Brunson, Marvin Vettori and Paulo Costa. Adesanya now seeks to avenge a pair of kickboxing losses to Pereira and prove he is the best martial artist on the planet.
Pereira (6-1, fighting out of Danbury, Conn. by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil) aims to make the most of his first UFC title opportunity. A former Glory kickboxing middleweight and light heavyweight champion, he has burst onto the MMA scene with impressive finishes over Sean Strickland and Andreas Michailidis. Pereira now has his sights set on showing that he is the best striker in MMA by defeating Adesanya once again and claiming 185-gold.
Two-time UFC strawweight champion Esparza (20-6, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) looks to start her new campaign at the top with a dominant victory. Currently on a six-fight win streak, Esparza fought her way back to the title with notable wins over Yan Xiaonan, Marina Rodriguez and Michelle Waterson. She now expects to secure her first successful title defense by neutralizing Zhang.
Former title holder Zhang (22-3, fighting out of Beijing, China) seeks to regain her lost crown and cement herself as one of the best fighters in MMA. The first and only Chinese champion in UFC history, she has entertained fans with victories over Joanna Jedrzejczyk (twice), Jessica Andrade and Jessica Aguilar. Zhang now plans to add another UFC champion to her resume by vanquishing Esparza.
Additional bouts on the card include:
Former light heavyweight title challenger and No. 7 ranked contender Dominick Reyes(12-3, fighting out of Victorville, Calif.) returns to action against No. 12 ranked Ryan Spann(22-7, fighting out of Beaumont, Texas)
No. 12 ranked women’s flyweight Erin Blachfield (9-1, fighting out of Elmwood Park, NJ) looks to halt the momentum of streaking No. 15 ranked Molly McCann (13-4, fighting out of Liverpool, England)
Fan favorite Karolina Kowalkiewicz (14-7, fighting out of Lodz, Poland) meets Silvana Gomez Juarez (7-4, fighting out of Tucuman, Argentina) in a women’s strawweight bout
An exciting lightweight bout sees Matt Frevola (9-3-1, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y.) lock horns with Ottman Azaitar (13-0, fighting out of Rabat, Morocco)
The Ultimate Fighterseason 27 winner Michael Trizano (10-3, fighting out of Ramsey, N.J.) battles SeungWoo Choi (10-5, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) at featherweight
For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click here to apply for the event.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment) is a leader in live entertainment. The Company presents or hosts a broad array of events in its diverse collection of venues: New York’s Madison Square Garden, Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; and The Chicago Theatre. MSG Entertainment is also building a new state-of-the-art venue in Las Vegas, MSG Sphere at The Venetian. In addition, the Company features the original production – the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes – and through Boston Calling Events, produces the Boston Calling Music Festival. The Company’s two regional sports and entertainment networks, MSG Network and MSG+, deliver a wide range of live sports content and other programming. Also under the MSG Entertainment umbrella is Tao Group Hospitality, with entertainment dining and nightlife brands including: Tao, Marquee, Lavo, Beauty & Essex, Cathédrale, Hakkasan and Omnia. More information is available at www.msgentertainment.com.
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 22.8 million subscribers.
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Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of the Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads). Subscribers to Hulu + Live TV also receive ESPN+ at no additional cost.
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.
LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD TITLE CONTENDER OSCAR DUARTE RE-SIGNS MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-FIGHT DEAL WITH GOLDEN BOY
LOS ANGELES, CA (August 23, 2022) – One of the lightweight division’s up-and-coming contenders and certified brawler, Oscar Duarte (23-1-1, 18 KOs) of Parral, Mexico has re-signed a multi-year, multi-fight deal with Golden Boy.
“I am very happy and feel super enthusiastic about staying with Golden Boy,” said Oscar Duarte. “We faced very difficult times during the pandemic where I didn’t get to have a lot of activity inside of the ring. But I am feeling very hungry to show the world who Oscar Duarte is. I am coming into this with firm steps and everything I have inside of me. I have momentous gratitude for Oscar De La Hoya and all of the Golden Boy team for trusting me and for the opportunity to be a part of their great company.”
Duarte’s last appearance as the co-main event of Munguia vs. Kelly solidified what many had seen in him: a physically tough fighter with natural power that will continue to make waves in the division.
“We signed Oscar Duarte as a young prospect with only five fights under his belt, and have developed him to become a world title contender,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya. “We are proud to have him continue to be a part of the Golden Boy family and one day become a World Champion representing Mexico.”
“We feel very excited about this new deal and are filled with utmost gratitude for Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya and his entire staff for the confidence in Oscar Duarte,” said manager Gabriel Soto. “Without a doubt we have a future star in our hands, a future world champion, and a future idol who 100 percent represents Mexico. As his manager, alongside Memo Rocha, we are fully confident that after a brief pause due to the pandemic, Duarte will come back into the ring with everything.”
Managed by one of the biggest Latino celebrities, actor Gabriel Soto, Mexican fighter Oscar Duarte made his professional debut on the undercard of Victor Terrazas vs. Cristian Mijares in 2013, defeating Manuel Isaias via first round technical knockout. In September of 2015, Duarte made his introduction to U.S. fans with an impressive four-round win over previously unbeaten Alejandro “Po Po” Salinas. He formally signed with Golden Boy in 2016 and has since built out his fighter profile becoming a two-time WBC Latino Light interim title holder in 2019 and then captured the vacant NABF Lightweight title in 2020. Duarte will be looking to fight for a future world championship in the stacked division.
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For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy.
