NEW YORK – April 16, 2024 – Combat sports superstars Nate Diaz and Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal continued “THE BADDEST TOUR” on Tuesday night as they went face-to-face at an open to the public event in New York City before they meet in the ring on Saturday, June 1 headlining “LAST MAN STANDING” presented by Fanmio PPV from The Kia Forum in Los Angeles.

Two of sports and entertainment’s biggest personalities, Diaz and Masvidal will square off in a 10-round professional boxing light heavyweight showdown marking the first time two true MMA stars will go toe-to-toe in a boxing ring. They kicked off their four-city press tour last Friday night in Las Vegas, with stops ahead in Miami tomorrow night and Los Angeles on Friday night.

Thousands over the past week have joined the presale to be there to witness this mega event live. General reserved seating and a limited number of VIP Ringside packages featuring unprecedented fighter access and all-inclusive hospitality will be available for purchase via presale. To secure your chance to purchase the best seats, sign-up for the presale now at Fanmio.com/Fight. Presale tickets will be available tomorrow, Wednesday, April 17 beginning at 10 a.m. PT through Ticketmaster.com.

The general public on sale begins Thursday, April 18 at 10 a.m. PT, with reserved tickets available starting at only $60 plus applicable fees through Ticketmaster.com.

Diaz vs. Masvidal headlines a PPV available for purchase at Fanmio.com/PPV and Fanmio.com/DiazVsMasvidal. Fanmio will present “LAST MAN STANDING” in association with Diaz’s Real Fight Inc. and Masvidal’s Gamebred Boxing Promotions.

Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday from Palladium Times Square:

NATE DIAZ

“This is part one really because we’re boxing now. We’re working to go in there and whoop his ass in the boxing ring.

“I knew I’d end up back here and that the time would come. I got right back to doing what I had to do after our first fight. I still feel like I’m the real BMF. I’m gonna continue on until the end of time.

“I take every fight seriously. I had too long of a camp for Jake Paul, but this time we’re starting closer. Regardless of who it is, we’re taking every fight seriously.

“I’m not going in there trying to get hit. My plan is to hit and not get hit. I’m coming to win. That’s what it’s all about.

“I’ll fight anyone in any combat sport. We got a fight to fight and we have to figure this all out on June 1.”

JORGE MASVIDAL

“I’m thankful that I’m blessed that I don’t have to compete for the money. It’s more for legacy at this point than anything else. There was some small speculation that our first fight got stopped early, so cool, let’s find out.

“I’m gonna go in there and do my job, get my hand raised and take his ass out. It’s nothing personal right here. I signed up for one thing, to be as brutal as I can.

“I’m fast and explosive. We’re boxing, and I’ve got these hands that are explosive. He’s getting the whole buffet.

“He called me a coward and quitter, which didn’t sit well with me. Tell me one time I’ve quit? I’ve never quit or tapped. Anyone else with 50 fights who never tapped?

“Usually the guy who won the last fight gets to decide a lot of things in negotiations. But I don’t care at the end of the day, because I wanted this fight. I’m a fighter.

“I’m a bigger dog. I have more heart than anyone in front of me. In boxing I have more hand speed, better head movement and I’m more explosive. It’s gonna come down to my speed and power.”

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a thrilling clash of featherweight contenders that will see legendary KO artist and No. 12 ranked Edson Barboza take on undefeated Lerone Murphy. Also, No. 9 ranked flyweight Tim Elliott aims to become the first fighter to beat No. 13 Tatsuro Taira.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: BARBOZA vs. MURPHY takes place Saturday, May 18 in Las Vegas and will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card will begin at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT, with the prelims kicking off at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC octagon girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.

Barboza (24-11, fighting out of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has proven himself among the most devastating strikers in MMA history. Throughout his impressive career, he has delivered spectacular KO victories over Beneil Dariush, Billy Quarantillo and Terry Etim. Barboza now has his sights set on earning his third consecutive win by handing Murphy his first loss.

Murphy (13-0-1, fighting out of Manchester, England) intends to secure the biggest victory of his career. A talented striker with seven knockouts under his belt, he has earned notable wins against Makwan Amirkhani, Douglas Silva de Andrade and Ricardo Ramos. Murphy now hopes to make the most of his first UFC main event by stopping Barboza in emphatic fashion.

Elliott (21-13-1, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) looks to utilize his unorthodox style and veteran savvy to turn away another rising contender. A former UFC flyweight title challenger, he holds memorable victories over Sumudaerji, Tagir Ulanbekov and Louis Smolka. Elliott now plans to defend his spot in the rankings and halt Taira’s momentum.

Taira (15-0, fighting out of Okinawa, Japan) has wasted no time climbing the flyweight ladder since joining the roster in 2022. Among the youngest competitors in the UFC at 24 years old, he has netted impressive finishes against Carlos Hernandez, Jesús Santos Aguilar and CJ Vergara. Taira now intends to add a decorated veteran to his resume and continue his undefeated run.

Additional bouts on the card include: 

• Adrian Yanez (16-5, fighting out of Houston, Texas) meets Vinicius Salvador (14-6, fighting out of Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil) in an entertaining bantamweight tilt
• Unbeaten Oumar Sy (9-0, fighting out of Paris, France) debuts agains Rodolfo Bellato (12-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at light heavyweight
• Victor Martinez (12-5, fighting out of Pharr, Texas) squares off with Tom Nolan (8-1, fighting out of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) in a lightweight bout
• Themba Gorimbo (12-4, fighting out of Johannesburg, South Africa) goes for his third straight win when he takes on Ramiz Brahimaj (10-4, fighting out of Dallas, Texas by way of the Bronx, N.Y.) at welterweight
• Abus Magomedov (25-6-1, fighting out of Düsseldorf, Germany) locks horns with Warlley Alves (15-7, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in a middleweight tilt
• Khaos Williams (14-3, fighting out of Detroit, Mich.) meets Carlston Harris (19-5, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by way of Skeldon, Guyana) in an intriguing welterweight matchup
• No. 9 ranked women’s strawweight contender Luana Pinheiro (11-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) clashes with No. 12 Angela Hill (16-13, fighting out of San Diego, Calif. by way of Clinton, Md.)
• Vanessa Demopoulos (10-5, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) faces Emily Ducote (13-8, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.) at strawweight
• Hailey Cowan (7-3, fighting out of Robinson, Texas) meets Tamires Vidal (7-2, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in a bantamweight bout
• Piera Rodriguez (9-1, fighting out of Maracaibo, Venezuela) squares off with Ariane Carnelossi (14-3, fighting out of Presidente Prudente, Sao Paulo, Brazil) at strawweight

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click?here?to apply for the event. 

### 

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 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 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+ 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus

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. 

Las Vegas (April 16, 2024) – WBO Super Lightweight Champion Teofimo Lopez has confirmed that he will appear at the Seventh Annual Box Fan Expo on Saturday May 4, 2024 at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Expo will also coincide with the mega fight between Canelo Alvarez vs Jaime Munguia, 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 Cinco De Mayo 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, Canelo vs. Jacobs and Canelo vs. GGG III. 

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

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available at Eventbrite –https://bit.ly/BOXFANEXPO2024

Lopez will make his third appearance at this years’ Expo and will be signing gloves, photos, personal items and memorabilia. Lopez will also have merchandise to sell for fans to enjoy at his TakeOver Promotions booth. Boxing fans will also have an opportunity to take pictures with this boxing star also known as the “The TakeOver”. 

Lopez joins, Lennox Lewis, Devin Haney Mia St. John, Edgar Berlanga, Franchón Crews-Dezurn, Roy Jones Jr., Erik Morales, Shawn Porter, Fernando Vargas, Juan Manuel Marquez, Michael Spinks, Claressa Shields and Marco Antonio Barrera 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 and a two-division world champion. He represented as an amateur, his parent’s native country of Honduras at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Lopez is the former Undisputed Lightweight world champion. He held the IBF title from December 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 champion. This monumental victory over Lomachenko, alongside winning two lineal titles by the age of 25, propelled Lopez into a true boxing star, as well as being the youngest four-belt champion in boxing history. Lopez recently moved up in weight at the Super Lightweight division and defeated Pedro Campa on August 13th, 2022 in Las Vergas. On April 8, 2023, it was officially announced that Lopez would attempt to become a two-division world champion by challenging pound for pound great, undefeated WBO and The Ring Magazine Super Lightweight champion Josh Taylor. The anticipated showdown took place on June 10 at the Hulu Theater in New York City. Lopez dominated the fight and won by spectacular fashion, to become a two-division world champion. This incredible achievement, was followed by Lopez retaining his world championship title, versus top contender Jamaine Ortis on February 8, 2024 in Las Vegas

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, David Benavidez, Teofimo Lopez, Andre Ward, Ryan Garcia, Marcos Maidana, Devin Haney, Mikey Garcia, Errol Spence Jr, Fernando Vargas, Rolando Romero, Sergio Martinez, Tim Bradley, Jose Ramirez, Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Abner Mares, James Toney, Jessie Vargas, Floyd Mayweather sr., Claressa Shields, Vinny Paz, Mia St.John, Franchón Crews-Dezurn, Seniesa Estrada, Jorge Linares, Leo Santa Cruz, Badou Jack, Terry Norris, Riddick Bowe, Earnie Shavers, Michael & Leon Spinks, Brandon Rios, Anthony Dirrell, Danny Jacobs, 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 few weeks leading up to the Event, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo.

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available at Eventbrite –

https://bit.ly/BOXFANEXPO2024

To request information on exhibiting and sponsorship at the Expo:

For media credentials:

Contact us:

Telephone number: (702) 997-1927 or (514) 572-7222

For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com

More information on Box Fan Expo visit: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

Follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter and Instagram at: @BoxFanExpo

Follow Box Fan Expo on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced that after two years, Matchroom’s undisputed super lightweight world champion Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs), will step back in the ring for the most anticipated rematch in women’s boxing history against boxing trailblazer and unified featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs). Taylor vs. Serrano 2 will stream live globally, exclusively on Netflix on Saturday, July 20, 2024 from the 80,000-seat capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. 

Taylor vs. Serrano 2 will be the co-main event to the recently announced heavyweight match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson as part of Netflix and MVP’s first-ever partnership. This will mark Taylor and Serrano’s long-awaited rematch following their historic bout at Madison Square Garden in 2022, where they made history as the first ever women fighters to headline an event in the iconic venue’s history. The bout ended in a narrow split decision in favor of Taylor and garnered global acclaim for both fighters earning Sports Illustrated’s Fight of the Year and The Ring’s Event of the Year for 2022. Taylor vs. Serrano was also nominated for Sports Business Journal’s Event of the Year, a testament to the global reach and power of the event. The rematch between the ESPN-ranked pound-for-pound powerhouses, #2 Taylor and #3 Serrano, will be contested for the undisputed super lightweight championship marking a jump of three weight classes from Serrano’s normal featherweight division as Taylor puts all her super lightweight belts on the line. The women’s undisputed megafight will be contested across 10, two-minute rounds, Serrano’s only break from fighting 12×3, the men’s championship standard, for the remainder of her career. Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2 is anticipated to be the biggest boxing event in modern history, and fans can sign up for presale ticket access at mostvaluablepromotions.com. 

Irish sensation Katie Taylor once again reaches for greatness as she meets Amanda Serrano in a rematch – with Taylor looking to add another remarkable chapter to her incredible boxing career as she defends her undisputed Super-Lightweight title. Taylor defeated Serrano at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in April 2022 in a stunning fight of the year contest that saw Taylor successfully defend the undisputed Lightweight title that she won in the same arena in June 2019 against Belgian Delfina Persoon. Taylor became a two-weight undisputed champion in her last outing in November, overcoming Chantelle Cameron in a rematch of their closely fought battle in April, with both fights taking place at a sold-out 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. She first got her hands on world honors in her seventh pro fight, claiming the vacant WBA Lightweight title in Cardiff against Anahi Sanchez in October 2017, and has been in 17 straight world title contests since that night en-route to becoming a two-weight undisputed ruler.

“This is the rematch the world has wanted to see and I’m delighted that it’s finally happening,” said Katie Taylor. “The first fight in New York was obviously an epic occasion and it more than lived up to the billing, and I’m sure the rematch will be no different. I want to thank Matchroom and DAZN for their help in making the fight possible and I’m looking forward to defending my titles as Undisputed World Champion in Dallas on Saturday, July 20.”

Amanda Serrano, the first-ever Puerto Rican undisputed world champion and seven-division world champion, started her current featherweight title reign by defeating Heather Hardy in a brutal 10-round fight in 2019 to win the WBO belt, and has since defended her WBO belt six times. Serrano offered Hardy a chance at redemption in August 2023, but successfully defended her undisputed featherweight world champion title for the first time in a decisive 10 round unanimous decision victory. Serrano also won a blood-soaked war against WBA featherweight champion Erika Cruz in February 2023, which made her the undisputed featherweight champion. Serrano’s decisive win against Cruz followed her previous win over Sarah Mahfoud in Manchester, England that added the Dane’s IBF title to her WBO, WBC, and IBO featherweight belts. Most recently, Serrano took home a unanimous decision victory against her mandatory WBO challenger Danila Ramos, making history in the first-ever women’s unified world championship to be fought over 12, three-minute rounds, equal to any men’s championship fight, and marking the first time a women’s fight has gone the full 12×3. Serrano threw a career high 1,103 punches in the bout. In a true commitment to change for women’s boxing, Serrano recently vacated her WBC title, as the sanctioning body does not support women’s choice for 12×3. Serrano, whose natural weight is 126 pounds, now steps up to super lightweight to face Taylor for the second time, aiming to add the Irish fighter’s belts to her current featherweight hardware in what would be a championship in her eighth weight class.  

“I promised my fans they would see this rematch after we made history at MSG and it feels like a dream come true to know that Katie and I are finally making it happen on the biggest stage possible to show the world what elite women’s boxing is all about,” said Amanda Serrano. “While my focus continues to be on giving women the choice to fight with the same rules as men, I’ve always said that this is the one fight I’d go back to 10×2 for if that’s what Katie wanted. I’m coming for her belts, she wants 10×2, so that’s what we will do. I believe I won our first fight, but I didn’t get the decision, so this time I’m not leaving it to the judges. I am honored to share this iconic MVP card in the biggest stadium, on the biggest streaming platform in the world. Thank you Nakisa, Jake, Mike and Netflix for making this happen. And to all the young girls and women watching, I want you to know that anything is possible. Keep dreaming, keep working hard, and never let anyone tell you otherwise. It took me 15 years of blood, sweat and tears to get here, but it’s all worth it because I’m living my dreams.”

Taylor vs. Serrano 2 marks the latest in MVP’s series of significant women’s championship fights as the company works to establish equity across the sport. The event follows Amanda Serrano’s first-ever 12×3 unified championship fight vs. challenger Danila Ramos in October and the Paul vs. August special championship feature of MVP’s Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green vs. Franchón Crews-Dezurn for the WBC and WBA super middleweight world titles.

“When we announced Paul vs. Tyson, we stated that this would be the most-watched boxing event in modern boxing history and we’re here to deliver on a card worthy of that greatness,” said Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor have proven they are two of the biggest names in the sport, male or female and their rematch is one of the biggest fights in boxing, so it’s only fitting for them to be a part of this massive global event. Anyone who witnessed their first battle knows the unforgettable atmosphere and performance Amanda and Katie bring when they step into the ring together,and this is sure to be a fight of the year contender again. Bringing attention to women’s boxing has always been a priority for MVP and we are thrilled to give the world’s most-anticipated women’s boxing fight ever a crowning moment on Netflix. Thank you to Matchroom and DAZN for working with MVP and Netflix to make this historic fight come to fruition.”

“Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are two of the best boxers in the world,” said Mike Tyson. “I know they can both put on an incredible show, and I’m thrilled to have them join this card. These remarkable athletes will undoubtedly elevate the event with their global appeal and fan bases. Adding one of the greatest fights in women’s boxing history to this unforgettable event is a true gift to fans. Saturday, July 20 can’t get here soon enough.”

Netflix is the premier home for great sports entertainment with hits like Emmy-nominated Untold that featured Jake Paul the Problem Child episode last year, along with Formula 1: Drive To Survive, Full Swing, Beckham, NASCAR: Full Speed, Quarterback, Tour de France: Unchained, Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team and Six Nations: Full Contact. And beginning in 2025, Netflix will become the new home of WWE Raw. Paul vs. Tyson and Serrano vs. Taylor II will be Netflix’s third live sports event, following The Netflix Cup and The Netflix Slam. 

“Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano captivated  the sports world during their first fight two years ago, and fans have been clamoring to see them in the ring together again ever since,” said Gabe Spitzer, Vice President, Nonfiction Sports, Netflix. “We are thrilled to partner with MVP to bring this epic rematch to Netflix subscribers all over the world on Saturday, July 20th, in what will be an unforgettable night alongside Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson.”

Additional information, including the additional undercard bouts, will be announced at a later date. For the opportunity to sign up for presale tickets, click here.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, 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 Netflix

Netflix is one of the world’s leading entertainment services with over 260 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.

About AT&T Stadium

AT&T Stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year-round. Outside the stadium, the Miller Lite® House is a branded destination that boasts a 70-yard Cowboys turf field featuring field games, four video boards and over 60 television screens, two fantasy football screen walls and over 87,000 outdoor square-footage for event day experiences. The space also features two beer gardens and a walk-in beer cooler. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 92 works of art by 62 established and emerging artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Final Four, the 2015 inaugural College Football Playoff Championship Game, the 2015 50th Anniversary Academy of Country Music Awards show and WrestleMania 32 & 38. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches and other special events. For more information, go to attstadium.com.

LONDON (April 15, 2024) — WBO/WBC/IBF unified champion Artur Beterbiev and WBA ruler Dmitry Bivol met face-to-face at today’s kickoff presser in London ahead of their undisputed light heavyweight showdown on Saturday, June 1 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

This battle of 175-pound titans will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. as a special one-fight broadcast.

Beterbiev-Bivol will be promoted by Top Rank, Queensberry Promotions, Matchroom Boxing, World of Boxing Promotions and Sela.

Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs), boxing’s only current world champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio, stopped Enrico Koelling in his 12th pro fight to win the IBF world title. He added the WBC championship to his collection in 2019 with a 10th-round TKO over Oleksandr Gvozdyk and captured the WBO strap in 2022 by stopping Joe Smith Jr. in two rounds. He returns after vanquishing former world champion Callum Smith in seven rounds in January.

Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is a 10-year pro who captured the WBA interim title with a decision victory over Felix Valera in 2016. The following year, he was elevated to full champion and has since made 11 defenses with victories over the likes of Jean Pascal, Smith Jr., Sullivan Barrera and Canelo Alvarez. Last December, Bivol fought on the historic “Day of Reckoning” card in Riyadh, shutting out British challenger Lyndon Arthur.

At Monday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Artur Beterbiev

“I just see another belt. I’m collecting belts, and I need one more.”

“I don’t know why {it’s taken so long to make this fight}. He knows better. Ask him.”

“We’ll see {if this is the biggest challenge}. I’m not thinking about it. I’m preparing for it. I will prepare and try to be at 100 percent.”

Dmitry Bivol

“When I signed a contract to be a pro boxer, I had a goal to become undisputed. Everything that I have gone through has been for that. I did it to achieve my goal. Even the fight against Canelo. It was my ticket for big fights. And now I’m happy that I will have this fight on June 1 for all the belts.”

“For every training camp, I think my opponent is the most dangerous opponent in the world. This helps me to be focused and serious in my training. Of course, he’s one of my most dangerous opponents. You see his record and his fights. He is powerful. It makes me more excited to fight against him because I love challenges. I love to be tested. This fight is a huge test for me.”

“Every person is different. Not only me. I have good skills. I just believe in my skills. I have been in boxing for 28 years. I’ve been in boxing ever since I can remember. I love this sport, and I think my experience will help me. And my mentality, skills, and camp. I believe I can be undisputed.”

Todd duBoef (Top Rank President)

“I’ve always been a fan of destruction. And this guy is destruction. Every time you turn on the television, my phone would ring and friends from all over the world would call me and say, ‘Who is this monster?’ And, I think he gets better with each fight.”

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (April 15, 2024) — An undisputed light heavyweight king will soon be crowned in The Kingdom. WBO/WBC/IBF unified champion Artur Beterbiev will battle WBA ruler Dmitry Bivol on Saturday, June 1 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The victor will become the division’s first undisputed champion since Roy Jones Jr. defeated Reggie Johnson in 1999. 

This battle of 175-pound titans will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. as a special one-fight broadcast.

Beterbiev-Bivol will be promoted by Top Rank, Queensberry Promotions, Matchroom Boxing, World of Boxing Promotions and Sela.

“This a dream matchup between two of the best light heavyweights we’ve ever seen,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “The beautiful city of Riyadh will play host to this legacy-defining fight. Thank you to His Excellency Turki Alalshikh for his vision and determination in bringing boxing fans the fights they want to see.”

Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) is boxing’s only current world champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio, a human wrecking ball who entered the pro ranks in 2013 following Olympic berths in 2008 and 2012. Beterbiev wasted little time establishing his pro credentials, knocking out former world champion Tavoris Cloud in his sixth fight and stopping Enrico Koelling in his 12th outing to capture the IBF world title. Beterbiev picked up the WBC strap with a 10th-round TKO over Oleksandr Gvozdyk in 2019 and added the WBO title in June 2022 with a second-round TKO of Joe Smith Jr. He made his eighth title defense on January 13 in Quebec City, Canada, knocking out former super middleweight world champion Callum Smith in seven rounds.

Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is a 10-year pro with 11 consecutive world title defenses, tied for third most in light heavyweight history. A decorated amateur who tallied more than 250 victories, he picked up his first regional title in his fourth pro fight. Following two defenses of the WBA interim title, Bivol was elevated to full champion in 2017 and began his reign of dominance. He notched wins over Jean Pascal, Joe Smith Jr., and Sullivan Barrera, among others, before a career-defining triumph that vaulted him up the pound-for-pound rankings. In May 2022, Bivol neutralized living legend Canelo Alvarez en route to a unanimous decision win. Six months later, he bested former super middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. Last December, Bivol fought on the historic “Day of Reckoning” card in Riyadh, shutting out British challenger Lyndon Arthur.

Helmand Alekozai will face Digari Mahesh from India on April 19, manager Trifon Petrov confirmed this morning. The eight-round bout will be for the vacant WBC Middle East title. 

The fight will take place in La Perle, Dubai, United Arab Emirates as part of a big event promoted by Rahul Suri. 

Alekozai (12-0, 5 knockouts) who resides in Toronto, Canada, last fought on January 27th in Dubai, defeating Ibrahim Makubi (10-1-2, 6 knockouts) via 5th round stoppage. In December of 2023, Alekozai knocked out previously unbeaten Alonso Ceja (12-0, 4 knockouts) in the 3rd round of their 8-round scheduled contest. 

Helmand Alekozai is building momentum after a near fatal car accident he suffered in November of 2021. He won 5 fights over the last 12 months since his comeback to boxing.

“I can’t wait to show the world on April 19th that I’m one of the best fighters in my weight class. Winning a WBC Regional title would allow me to enter the world ratings and put me another step closer to achieving my dream of becoming a World Champion,” said Alekozai.

Alekozai is what you call a true road warrior, having fought in 4 different continents and 6 different countries in his 12 fight career.  

NEW YORK (April 15, 2024) –Undefeated Irishman Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (13-0, 10 KOs), the reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) Continental Welterweight Champion, is fully focusing on his next opponent, former British lightweight champion Lewis “Sandman” Ritson (23-3, 13 KOs), and not his rumored showdown later this year with Northern Ireland’s Lewis “The Croc” Crocker (19-0, 11 KOs).

Donovan vs. Ritson is the 10-round co-featured event May 25^th on a Matchroom Boxing card, headlined by a domestic clash between UK super lightweights Josh Taylor (19-1) and Jack Catterall (28-1), to be streamed on DAZN live from First Direct Arena in Leeds, United Kingdom.

The 25-year-old Donovan, who is now ranked No. 11 in the world by the World Boxing Association (WBA), will defend his title belt for the second time after a TKO win over William Andres Herrera (15-2) in his last fight this past January 27.

Donovan vs. Crocker has been percolating and if both fighters continue winning it will be one of the most anticipated 2024 fights in Ireland and the UK. The key is for both fighters to continue winning without a hiccup. Donovan understands that he needs to avoid any distractions as he prepares to fight Ritson, especially with the possibility of a future fight against Crocker as it continues to build exponentially into an epic super-fight.

“I do not look past any opponent,” Donovan said. “I know Lewis Ritson is a really good opponent for me at this stage of my career. I’m really excited to be ranked No. 11 in the world and I’m checking all the boxes in training to be ready for any fighter, Lewis first, and then we can move on to beating whoever my managers and promoter put in front of me. Ritson is a very good opponent for me. This is the fight I need, the challenge that will prepare me for bigger fights, especially against Crocker, or anyone else. For me, it doesn’t matter who the opponent is, I will be ready mentally and physically, and just be me.

“This is the biggest test of my career, every fight from now is like my world title fight. I believe he will throw caution to the wind early in the fight, but I will match him for everything he does, and I’m going into the ring to win every battle, every moment, every round, and every fight.”

Ritson, also a former WBA Inter-Continental Super Lightweight Champion, lost his last fight on March 4^th, stopped by a body shot from Ohara Davies (24-2) in the ninth round. Donovan has finished-off his last two opponents with crushing liver punches.

“Under the trusted eye of trainer and co-manager, Andy Lee, I am confident Paddy will be primed and ready to showcase his boxing skills and punching power on May 25^th,” commented NYC-based attorney Keith Sullivan, Donovan’s co-manager. “This is Paddy’s breakout year. I don’t envy anyone we match him against, because he’s on a mission to fight for a world title. He’s hungry, and he’s earned it, but first he has to handle business in the ring with a very formidable Ritson.”

Ideally, Paddy Donovan would like to put “Sandman” Ritson to sleep, then and only then, look toward Crocker, or whomever else stands in his path to a world title.

INFORMATION:

X (formerly Twitter): @PaddyDonovan23

Instagram: @paddy_realdeal_donovan

Facebook: /PaddyRealDealDonovan

Sunny Edwards and Adrian Curiel will clash in a 12-round Flyweight battle as the chief support bout for the blockbuster World title clash between Juan Francisco Estrada and Jesse Rodriguez at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday June 29, live worldwide on DAZN.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW AT TICKETMASTER.COM

Both men will be looking to bounce back to winning ways and get back to World champion status, and for Edwards (20-1 4 KOs), it’s an immediate return to the state where he met headline star Rodriguez in a unification clash in December.

The Briton faced ‘Bam’ in Glendale with his IBF title on the line against the WBO king, but was stopped in the ninth round of a thrilling battle, leaving the states with a first career defeat. The 28 year old, who also penned a new deal with Matchroom today, will be looking to regain the IBF belt after Bam vacated it to face Estrada, a title that he took from Moruti Mthalane in London in April 2021 and successfully defended four times before facing Rodriguez.

Curiel (24-5-1 5 KOs) moves up in weight after two dramatic World title clashes with Sivenathi Nontshinga. The Mexican challenged the South African in Monte Carlo for the IBF World Light-Flyweight title in November and stunned the champion with a KO of the year contending right hand in the second round to rip the crown away. The pair met again in a rematch in February in Oaxaca, Mexico, but this time it was the former champion that exacted revenge in a thrilling battle with a 10th round stoppage.

“I’m really excited to get the next chapter of my career underway,” said Edwards. “Agreeing another deal with Matchroom which confirms my future here for the foreseeable future.

“With the belief I’ve got in me from the promotional team and the events I’ve been involved in, I know I’m in the right place.

“Me vs Curiel is a hell of a fight. He is a former World Champion, like myself, and we’re both fighting to get back into World title contention.

“I’m going to Arizona again and fighting in front of an even bigger crowd this time, filled with passionate Mexican and American boxing fans. 29 June, I’m looking forward to being back.”

“I have a brand-new opportunity for my career,” said Curiel. “When you lose, you learn, and I will prove it against Edwards on June 29. 

“If they want to make it 112lbs we will take it even though this is not my weight, all because I am thirsty for revenge. Viva Mexico!!”

“This is a great fight between two men desperate to get back to the top,” said Hearn. “Sunny was a World champion for a long time and when that feeling goes, you want to get it back as soon as possible, while Adrian only just tasted that for himself for a short time, so both men know that this is a must-win fight to get back into the mix, and comes as the chief support to one of the biggest fights of the year.”

Las Vegas ­– UFC^® today announced that the classic 2010 fight between middleweights Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Fight Wing’ as a part of the class of 2024. The 2024 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place as part of the 12^th Annual UFC International Fight Week^Ô, on Thursday, June 27, at T-Mobile Arena, and will be streamed live exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“The first fight between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen was incredible,” said UFC President & CEO Dana White. “This is the fight that made Anderson a star and showed the world that Chael could compete with anyone in the division. This incredible dogfight had everything you want in a five-round title fight, and it will be an honor to induct this fight into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.

As the main event of UFC^® 117: SILVA vs. SONNEN, which took place on August 7, 2010, at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., both Silva and Sonnen entered the event on winning streaks of 12 and three, respectively.

Silva entered the Octagon as UFC middleweight champion with a 28-4 record (11-0 UFC) that included wins over future UFC Hall of Famers Forrest Griffin, Rich Franklin, and Dan Henderson (fight wing); former UFC welterweight champion Carlos Newton; former WEC^® middleweight champion Chris Leben; former WEC heavyweight champion James Irvin; former Strikeforce^® welterweight champion Nate Marquardt; and former Shooto^® welterweight champion Hayato Sakurai.

Sonnen entered the match as the top-ranked middleweight contender with a 26-10-1 record (7-4 UFC / WEC) and previous wins over former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Renato Sobral, former WEC light heavyweight champion Jason Lambert, former WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho, and former Strikeforce^® welterweight champion Nate Marquardt.   

Both athletes met at the center of the Octagon, exchanging punches and kicks to begin the first round. 52 seconds into the round, Sonnen landed a straight left, stunning the champion and knocking him back to the cage. Sonnen began to pressure Silva, landing several additional punches and takedowns to control the pace of the fight. With 3:23 left in the first, Sonnen took Silva down and mounted him, controlling the action in half guard and landing punches from the top position. Sonnen would move into full guard with 1:45 remaining, staying on top of the champion through the end of the round. Sonnen secured 31 significant strikes in the round, more than any previous opponent landed against Silva in a full UFC fight.

Silva came out firing for the second round, landing several punches and kicks before being taken down by Sonnen. Sonnen controlled the pace of the second round from the full mounted position, landing punches and elbows with Silva responding with shots from his back periodically. With 15 seconds left in the second, Silva would attempt a Kimura on the fence, with Sonnen countering from top position.

Both athletes raced to the center of the Octagon for round three, with Silva immediately landing an overhand right. Sonnen would advance and take Silva down 20 seconds into the round, continuing his dominance on the canvas. Sonnen would continue his ground assault on Silva, landing punches and elbows from the top position.

Silva opened the fourth round by taking control and landing a series of punches, kicks, and an elbow that stunned Sonnen. The two traded punches before Silva took Sonnen down 30 seconds into the round. Sonnen used his wrestling background to secure a reversal and take control via top position with four minutes remaining. Sonnen would control the fourth round via top control, consistently landing punches and elbows.

The fifth round opened with both athletes in the center of the Octagon, measuring each other up until Sonnen landed an overhand left that knocked Silva down. Sonnen secured the top position and attempted to submit Silva via side choke 45 seconds into the round, but Silva evaded the effort. Sonnen continued to control the fight from the ground, consistently landing punches with Silva evading from the ground.

With 2:05 remaining in the fight, Silva began to land several punches from his back and slipped Sonnen into a triangle armbar, submitting Sonnen via TKO with 1:50 seconds remaining to retain the UFC middleweight title. Silva’s triangle armbar submission was only the second in UFC history, and in terms of time elapsed, was the second latest at that time. Silva’s submission came with a -60 significant strike differential and remains the greatest statistical comeback finish in UFC championship history.

Sonnen’s 320 strikes landed against Silva set a UFC record that ranks fourth today. Silva had only absorbed 166 total strikes in his previous 11 fights combined.

Silva’s win earned him his 12^th consecutive UFC victory, breaking Royce Gracie’s UFC record for longest winning streak. The fight also won Fight of the Year honors during the Fighters Only World MMA Awards.

Silva and Sonnen would each win their next two respective fights before meeting in a rematch in the main event of UFC^® 148: SILVA vs. SONNEN II. Silva would win their second meeting via second-round TKO.

To view this fight on UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/playlist/20542

To see a complete list of UFC athletes and fights enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame, as well as details regarding the UFC Hall of Fame format, please visit UFCHOF. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.

LAS VEGAS – April 13, 2024 – Combat sports superstars Nate Diaz and Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal kicked off “THE BADDEST TOUR” on Friday night as they went face-to-face at an open to the public event in Las Vegas and predicted fireworks for when they meet in the ring on Saturday, June 1 headlining “LAST MAN STANDING” presented by Fanmio PPV from The Kia Forum in Los Angeles.

Two of sports and entertainment’s biggest personalities, Diaz and Masvidal will square off in a 10-round professional boxing light heavyweight showdown marking the first time two true MMA stars will go toe-to-toe in a boxing ring. They kicked off their four-city press tour Friday night in Las Vegas, with stops ahead in New York, Miami and Los Angeles.

The press event also featured the announcement of two undercard showdowns, as MMA legend Anthony “Showtime” Pettis will take on Diaz’s teammate and all-action brawler Chris Avila in a six-round light heavyweight fight, while unbeaten prospects Sean Garcia, the younger brother of boxing star Ryan Garcia, and Amado Vargas, the son of former longtime boxing champion Fernando Vargas, will battle in an eight-round lightweight attraction.

Thousands over the past week have joined the presale to be there to witness this mega event live. General reserved seating and a limited number of VIP Ringside packages featuring unprecedented fighter access and all-inclusive hospitality will be available for purchase via presale. To secure your chance to purchase the best seats, sign-up for the presale now at Fanmio.com/Fight. Presale tickets will be available on Wednesday, April 17 beginning at 10 a.m. PT through Ticketmaster.com.

The general public on sale begins Thursday, April 18 at 10 a.m. PT, with reserved tickets available starting at only $60 plus applicable fees through Ticketmaster.com.

Diaz vs. Masvidal headlines a PPV available for purchase at Fanmio.com/PPV and Fanmio.com/DiazVsMasvidal. Fanmio will present “LAST MAN STANDING” in association with Diaz’s Real Fight Inc. and Masvidal’s Gamebred Boxing Promotions.

Here is what the fighters had to say Friday from Zouk Nightclub inside Resorts World Las Vegas:

NATE DIAZ

“The first fight is what it is. I’m better, I lost and it was how it was. It got stopped, those were the rules. I’ll fight to the end of time. There’s no stopping me ever. The tank is full now and it was full then.

“I’m training hard as always and staying ready for the next big move. I’m getting ready to rock.

“My tank’s full. I’m gonna try to beat his ass the best I can in this sport and go from there.  

“We’re boxing this time, so it’s a whole other sport. It’s a whole new fight we’re getting into.”

JORGE MASVIDAL

“Y’all know what you’re gonna get June 1. Nothing but violence. That’s what I’m gonna deliver.

“I was busy chasing world titles after our first fight, so here we are now in boxing and I can’t wait to get in there and do my thing.

“I don’t think Nate really trained for Jake Paul and I don’t blame him. I don’t think it was his best performance. You know you better get in shape for this one. I’m a good athlete who’s mean. I’m coming to take your head off every time.

“I always felt I was the best boxer to come out of UFC and Nate’s bread and butter is his boxing. So it’s time to roll, I love it.

ANTHONY PETTIS

“Avila is on a winning streak and I’m always down to fight anyone, anytime, anywhere. This is nothing new for me.

“He comes to bang. He’s not afraid to exchange. I’m gonna go out there and bite on my mouth piece, so you know it’s gonna be a good one.

“I come from a great training camp with Jorge Capetillo and we’ve trained together for a long time. I’m ready for this next chapter of my career.”

CHRIS AVILA

“Boxing is something that’s natural for me. I’ve got an opportunity in this sport and I’ve been killing it. I’m looking forward to getting in the ring with Anthony.

“This is a really good opportunity. I’m gonna take advantage as much as I can and do what I have to do to get my hand raised.

“I know he’ll be good. He’s got a lot of experience as a former UFC champion. I’m focused on what I showcase in the ring. I’ll be ready for June 1.”

AMADO VARGAS

“We’re here on the big stage and I can’t wait. I know Garcia well from fighting in the amateurs, but it’s a whole new ball game in the pros. I can’t wait for June 1.

“He’s a clown and he has no power. I’m gonna stop him in the later rounds. I have more pro experience and I’m gonna stop him just like how his brother got stopped. His family are quitters.”

SEAN GARCIA

“We’re 1-1 against each other in the amateurs, but he knows I’m 10 times better than him. Deep down inside he knows. I’m gonna knock him out on June 1. His whole family knows that I’m better than him.”

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Follow the conversation leading up to this unique boxing duel on all social media platforms with the hashtag #DiazMasvidal and through @Fanmio, @NateDiaz209 and @GamebredFighter on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to stay tuned for more exciting announcements leading up to June 1.

SUPERIOR, Colo. (April 13,  2024) – Toro Promotions, Inc. went three-for-three again last night on a pro boxing card, presented by Airtight Boxing in association with Toro Promotions, at Blue Sport Stable in Superior, Colorado.

Arizona heavyweight Dante Stone (16-1, 11 KOs) extended his win streak to 16 in his first scheduled 10-round fight versus Matthew “El Matador” McKinney (16-8-3, 12 KOs) in the main event.

A southpaw who lost his pro debut and hasn’t suffered defeat since, battered McKinney from the opening bell, blasting him with a barrage of punishing punches and dropping McKinney with a left uppercut to the head. Stone used his superior speed, picking his opponent apart with a stiff jab, until the fight was dropped and stopped at the end of the opening round when Stone unloaded on a hurt and trapped McKinney, flooring him with a body shot that signaled the end.

The beat continued for 2016 Ukraine Olympian Tsotne Rogava (7-0, 7 KOs), who needed only 36-seconds to put Jesse Bryan (21-9-2, 16 KOs) in the  co-featured event. An overwhelming overhand right closed the show, decking Bryan who was unable to beat the count.

In his continued march upwards in the heavyweight division, Rogava has fought a total of only nine rounds in seven pro fights, stopping his last four opponents in the opening rounds. The 30-year-old native of Georgia, who now lives and trains in southern California, is on an accelerated course to potential greatness.

2016 Armenia Olympian Aram “Warrior” Avagyan (11-1-2, 5 KOs), who had been idle since his only loss on July 23, 2021,was the third member of Team Toro who was victorious last night in a lightweight match.

Avagyan took on veteran Juan “Chago” Santiago (17-25-3, 10 KOs) in a bout that the Armenian controlled with his boxing skills, pounding Santiago with crisp combinations until Santiago was unable to answer the bell for round four.

Toro Fighter Results Below:

_______________________________________________________________________ 

OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAIN EVENT — HEAVYWEIGHTS

Dante Stone (16-1, 11 KOs), Chandler, AZ

WTKO1 (2:54)

Matthew McKinney (16-8-3, 12 KOs), Escondido, CA

CO-FEATURE — HEAVYWEIGHTS

Tsotne Rogava (7-0, 7 KOs), Marina del Rey, California by way of Ukraine and Georgia

WKO1 (0:36)

Jesse Bryan (21-9-2, 16 KOs), Jefferson City, MO

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Aram Avagyan (11-1-2, 5 KOs), Burbank, CA by way of Armenia

WTKO4 (0:01)

Juan Santiago (17-25-3, 10 KOs), Denver, CO

 ______________________________________________________________________

INFORMATION:

Instagram: @ToroPromotionsInc

Facebook: /ToroPromotionsInc

You Tube: @ToroPromotionsINC

X (formerly Twitter): @ToroPromotions

TikTok: @ToroPromo

Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Lampley will once again be co-hosting his popular and exclusive live viewer chat, in real time, during PPV.COM‘s live stream of next Saturday’s, April 20 (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT) world championship boxing event headlined by the Devin Haney – Ryan Garcia WBC super lightweight world title fight.  The crystal-clear HD live stream, available to viewers in the U.S. and Canada, priced at $79.99, can be ordered by clicking here PPV.COM | Haney vs. Garcia.  Jim will also be providing fight week commentary and reports from Brooklyn forPPV.COM‘s website and platforms. Below, is his analysis of Haney vs. Garcia.  PPV.COM does not require a subscription.

JIM LAMPLEY’S HANEY vs. GARCIA PREVIEW ANALYSIS

“In the last four and a half years Devin Haney achieved dominant control of boxing’s 135-pound weight level, en route to becoming the undisputed World Lightweight Champion, with an impressive series of performances, in clear victories, over Yuriorkis Gamboa, Jorge Linares, Joseph Diaz, George Kambosos (twice) and Vasyl Lomachenko.  Every single one of those opponents can, through one filter or another, be seen to have a more meaningful background in the ring than Ryan Garcia, especially Lomachenko, who as both an amateur and a pro, was one of the landmark boxing craft talents of the past few decades.  In comparison to Garcia, Haney has the more stable lifestyle, the far more impressive boxing resume, the greater proven focus, and the more visible motivation to work hard toward a lofty goal. 

“Ryan Garcia?  He is the livelier and more exotic social media figure, has the prettier face, and may possibly possess more one-punch power, particularly with his left hook.  Since the time when these two split six amateur fights 3-3, Haney, who last December moved up in weight to dethrone WBC super lightweight champion Regis Prograis, has gotten steadily better and steadily more focused, and Garcia has amassed huge numbers of social media followers and raised logical questions regarding his level of mental health.  What else do you need to know?  The logical choice is Haney by quality unanimous decision.  It won’t be at all shocking if Haney wins 10, 11 or all 12 rounds.  It WILL be shocking, to this observer, if Haney finds a way to lose.”     

***************************

JIM LAMPLEY

Jim is a recipient of the Boxing Writers Association of America’s (BWAA) Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcasting Journalism and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in its 2015 class.  He served as anchor and commentator for “HBO World Championship Boxing” for 30 years and has covered numerous Olympic Games during his long and distinguished career in sports broadcasting.      

About iNDEMAND and PPV.COM

iNDEMAND is an innovative partnership among three of the leading cable companies in the U.S.– Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, and Cox Communications. iNDEMAND is a company of trusted content aggregators and licensing experts, with unparalleled technical expertise and long-standing relationships with MVPDs, major sports leagues, Hollywood studios, and other entertainment and sports companies across North America. iNDEMAND delivers great content to more than 60 million cable homes and has distribution deals with more than 90 companies.  In December 2021, iNDEMAND launched PPV.COM, an innovative streaming PPV service and the first of its kind to offer interactive fan engagement during live-action sports.  With the addition of PPV.COM, which does not require a subscription, to its existing cable PPV infrastructure, iNDEMAND has consolidated all forms of PPV distribution under one roof, making the company the only provider of turn-key PPV solutions for both industry partners and consumers.  For more information, go to indemand.com.

LOS ANGELES – April 12, 2024 – Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, April 18 for the hotly-anticipated showdown between combat sports superstars Nate Diaz and Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal as they renew their epic rivalry in a professional boxing clash Saturday, June 1 from The Kia Forum in Inglewood headlining “LAST MAN STANDING” presented by Fanmio PPV.

Thousands over the past week have joined the presale to be there to witness the showdown live. General reserved seating and a limited number of VIP Ringside packages featuring unprecedented fighter access and all-inclusive hospitality will be available for purchase via the presale. To secure your chance to purchase the best seats, sign-up for the presale now at Fanmio.com/Fight. Presale tickets will be available on Wednesday, April 17 beginning at 10 a.m. PT through Ticketmaster.com.

The general public on sale begins Thursday, April 18 at 10 a.m. PT, with reserved tickets available starting at only $60 plus applicable fees through Ticketmaster.com.

The June 1 main event will mark the first time two true MMA stars will go toe-to-toe in a boxing ring as they square off in a 10-round light heavyweight bout. Diaz and Masvidal will look to close their rivalry in emphatic fashion after their UFC clash ended with a cut over Diaz’s eyebrow resulting in a TKO for Masvidal.

This mega event will include a loaded undercard and shoulder programming bringing fans inside the fighters’ camps (details to be announced).

Follow the conversation leading up to this unique boxing duel on all social media platforms with the hashtag #DiazMasvidal and through @Fanmio, @NateDiaz209 and @GamebredFighter on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to stay tuned for more exciting announcements leading up to June 1.

   •  Jared Anderson 250.9 lbs. vs. Ryad Merhy 235.6 lbs
(Anderson’s WBO International and WBC USA Heavyweight Titles – 10 Rounds)

   •  Efe Ajagba 241.2 lbs vs. Guido Vianello 244.5 lbs
(Ajagba’s WBC Silver Heavyweight Title — 10 Rounds)

•  Robson Conceição 131.6 lbs vs. Jose Guardado 131.5 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 5:50 p.m. ET/2:50 p.m. PT)

•  Julian Delgado 159.3 lbs vs. Juan Tamez 159 lbs
 (Middleweight— 4 Rounds)

•  Ruben Villa 125.6 lbs vs. Cristian Cruz 125.1 lbs
 (Vacant WBC Silver Featherweight Title — 10 Rounds)

•   John Rincon 143 lbs vs. Yainel Alvarez 143.5 lbs
 (Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

•   Abdullah Mason 134.6 lbs vs. Ronal Ron 134.7 lbs
 (Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Charly Suarez 131.8 lbs vs. Louie Coria 131.7 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Jalen Walker 131.2 lbs vs. Alejandro Guerrero 131.8 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Ali Feliz 219.1 lbs vs. Anthony Woodson III 280.2 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 4 Rounds)

FRESNO, CALIF. (April 12, 2024) – In an already jam-packed doubleheader featuring Jose Ramirez vs. Rances Barthelemy and Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Thomas Dulorme scheduled for Saturday, April 27, Golden Boy announced today the collision course of the mighty Oscar “La Migraña” Duarte (26-2-1, 21 KOs) and U.S. Olympian and former world champion Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. (33-5-1, 15 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight match. The decisive fight will feature two hungry title contenders who are looking to prove that they still have much to give to the sport. Parral, Mexico’s Duarte is coming back into the ring after a valiant dance with super lightweight world title contender Ryan Garcia last December; JoJo is coming off an upset split decision loss against Jesus Perez last February. The event will take place live from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, and broadcast worldwide on DAZN.

Also on the DAZN broadcast, Unified WBA, WBC, WBO and Ring Magazine Flyweight World Champion Marlen Esparza (14-1, 1 KOs) will put her titles on the line yet again in a bad-blood rematch against the former WBC Champ of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Gabriela “La Chucky” Alaniz (14-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-round championship bout. Esparza has her eyes set to become undisputed champion, however she has “La Chucky” in her way looking for revenge and will plan to give Esparza a nightmarish evening.

Opening the DAZN broadcast, NABF Welterweight Title Holder Raul “El Cugar” Curiel (14-0, 12 KOs) will defend his regional title against Jorge Marron Jr. (20-4-2, 7 KOs) in a 10-round affair. Curiel has been on a consecutive knockout streak, his last outing in January he was seen dismantling Elias Diaz last January.

On the preliminary card and making her highly anticipated professional debut, Jennah “The Gem” Creason of Visalia, California will make a splash in a four-round welterweight fight against a soon to be announced opponent. Creason is USA Boxing’s No.1-ranked, two-time USA Boxing National Champion, and has excelled in a diverse array of combat sports including wrestling, jiu jitsu, grappling and karate. Jennah’s accolades also include becoming a two-time Desert Showdown champion, a Junior Golden Gloves Champion, a Gold/Silver States Champion and a National Silver Gloves Champion. Her corner includes HOF and trainer of the year Robert Garcia and UFC HOF legend Bob Cook.

Also on the preliminary card, Madera, Calif.’s Brian Lua (8-0, 3 KOs) will participate in a six-round lightweight fight, and Figo Gonzalez (5-0, 2 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will square up in a four-round super flyweight fight. Opponents for both will be announced soon.

Media interested in a fight night credential can apply at: https://forms.gle/dXHszVLXctEMJhRW7.
Credential applications are due by Wednesday, April 24.

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Ramirez vs. Barthelemy is a 12-round super lightweight fight. Ortiz Jr. vs. Dulorme is a 10-round super welterweight fight. The event will take place on Saturday, April 27 on DAZN live from Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.

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 #RamirezBarthelemy

SUPERIOR, Colo. (April 11, 2024) – Toro Promotions, Inc. weighed-in three boxers today for tomorrow evening’s event, presented by Airtight Boxing in association with Toro Promotions, at Blue Sports Stable in Superior, Colorado.

Arizona heavyweight Dante Stone (15-1, 10 KOs) is riding a 15-fight win streak into his first scheduled 10-round fight versus Matthew “El Matador” McKinney (16-7-3, 12 KOs) in the main event.

Stone is part of Toro Promotions’ growing stable of promising heavyweights that also includes 2016 Ukraine Olympian Tsotne Rogova (6-0, 6 KOs), who is fighting Jesse Bryan (21-8-2, 16 KOs) in the eight-round co-featured event.

Toro has one other fighter on Friday night’s card, 2016 Armenia Olympian Aram “Warrior” Avagyan (10-1-2, 4 KOs), who has been idle since his only loss on July 23, 2021, takes on 44-fight veteran Juan Santiago in a six-round lightweight bout.

Official Weights Below:

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS

MAIN EVENT – HEAVYWEIGHTS — 10 ROUNDS

(L) DANTE STONE

Chandler, AZ

15-1, 10 KOs

271 lbs.

vs.

(R) MATTHEW “El Matador” McKINNEY

Escondido, CA

16-7-3, 12 KOs

295.8lbs.

CO-FEATURE — HEAVYWEIGHTS – 8 ROUNDS

(L) TSOTNE ROGAVA

2020 Ukraine Olympian

Marina del Rey, California by way of Ukraine and Georgia

6-0, 6 KOs

265.8 lbs.

vs.

(R) JESSE BRYAN

Jefferson City, MO

21-8-2, 16 KOs

240.4 lbs.

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 6 ROUNDS

(L) ARAM “Warrior” AVAGYAN

Burbank, CA by way of Armenia

10-1-2, 4 KOs

135 lbs.

vs.

(R) JUAN “Chago” SANTIAGO

Denver, CO

17-24-3, 10 KOs)

133.6 lbs.

INFORMATION:

Instagram: @ToroPromotionsInc

Facebook: /ToroPromotionsInc

You Tube: @ToroPromotionsINC

X (formerly Twitter): @ToroPromotions

TikTok: @ToroPromo

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Hall of Fame promoter Don King on the passing of Gary Shaw:

“I was sad to learn today about the passing of Gary Shaw. Gary’s contributions to the world of boxing were immense, and his passion for the sport was truly inspiring. He will be remembered not only for his expertise as a promoter but also for his dedication to the athletes he represented.

“Gary was always a stand-up guy who kept his word, and his spirit will live on.  I loved him and we are going to miss him. My thoughts and condolences go out to his family.”

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 11, 2024) – In one week, DiBella Entertainment (DBE) will debut its Broadway Boxing series in Philadelphia, PA, on Thursday, April 18. The stacked card will feature some of the city’s top prospects, as DBE brings the 121st edition of the longest-running grassroots boxing series to the 2300 Arena.

Tickets for Broadway Boxing are on sale now and can be purchased via www.2300arena.com (click HERE) or by calling (267) 273-0945. Tickets are priced at $150.00 for VIP Ringside, $125.00 Premium Ringside, $100 Ringside, and $60 for General Admission seating. The 2300 Arena is located at 2300 S Swanson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148. Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:00 PM ET, with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 PM ET.

Junior featherweight Romuel “Cuco” Cruz (10-0-1, 4 KOs) will take on Robin Ellis (6-3, 5 KOs), of Las Vegas, Nevada, in a six-round bout.

Cruz, 30, was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, but moved to Philadelphia, PA, as a toddler. He began boxing as a teenager and has been under the tutelage of world championship trainer Stephen “Breadman” Edwards since his pro debut in December 2017. He is promoted by Hard Hitting Promotions.

Edwards will also be in the corner of six-foot-tall middleweight southpaw Erron “JYD” Peterson (5-0-1, 4 KOs). The 28-year-old Peterson will take on Raheem Davis (1-2), of Morgantown, West Virginia, in a four-round bout.

Peterson was an All-City linebacker in high school before turning his full attention to boxing at the age of 21. Following a brief-but-successful amateur campaign, Peterson, managed by his father Salah, turned pro in July 2022.

Previously announced, heavyweight contender “Gentleman” George Arias (18-1, 7 KOs), of Bronx, New York, battles unbeaten Skylar Lacy (8-0-1, 6 KOs), of Indianapolis, Indiana, in an eight-round bout.

The 32-year-old Arias has already defeated seven previously unbeaten opponents, including world-ranked Cassius Chaney and Alante Green. Arias suffered his lone blemish at the hands of highly regarded Jared Anderson on April 8, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey.

Lacy, 29, fought to a spirited draw with former National amateur champion, six-foot-nine Antonio Mireles. In his last outing, Lacy stopped Hector Conrado in two rounds on March 16, in Mexico.

The card will also feature a high-powered heavyweight clash between Cleveland’s Roney Hines and Johnson City, Tennessee, native Robert Hall Jr., scheduled for eight rounds. The fight is a step-up for Hines (13-0-1, 8 KOs), who trains with veteran trainer Eric Brown in Los Angeles and is co-managed by Robert Diaz and Sheer Sports. He is coming off of a unanimous decision win against Jonathan Gruber last November. The 28-year-old Hines had an extensive amateur career that included over 90 fights and a win at the National Golden Gloves, before making his professional debut in July 2018. Hall Jr. (14-2, 11 KOs), a former WBC USNBC titlist, last entered the ring in September when he faced contender Jerry Forrest, losing a unanimous decision over eight rounds.

Jamaican super welterweight southpaw Kestna “Hardball” Davis (5-0), based out of Vauxhall, New Jersey, will box in a four-round bout facing Abdalla Nagy (1-0). He is advised by former undisputed heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Davis moved to the U.S. in 2018. Davis has been mentored by the former world champion since they met in July 2016 through the Lennox Lewis League of Champions Foundation. Nagy, born in Egypt and now based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, made his pro debut last December, earning a four-round unanimous decision against Kijonti Davis.

Also seeing action in an eight-round bout will be undefeated bantamweight Wilver Hernandez. Hernandez, 21, of Kansas City, Kansas, is 8-0, with two knockouts. He will take on Filipino Merlito Sabillo, who is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Media Credentials: www.DBE1.com/credentials

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (April 11, 2024) — Unbeaten heavyweight phenom Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs) looks to overcome his biggest challenge to date against Belgian contender Ryad Merhy (32-2, 26 KOs) this Saturday, April 13, in the 10-round main event at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

In the 10-round heavyweight co-feature, Nigerian puncher Efe Ajagba (19-1, 14 KOs) and Italian standout Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (12-1-1, 10 KOs) will clash in a battle of 2016 Olympians.

The eight-round televised opener features Brazilian three-time world title challenger Robson Conceição (17-2-1, 8 KOs) against Mexico’s Jose Guardado (15-1-1, 5 KOs).

Anderson-Merhy, Ajagba-Vianello and Conceição-Guardado will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard (5:50 p.m. ET/2:50 p.m. PT) will feature hometown heroes Julian Delgado and John Rincon. Delgado will make his pro debut in a four-round middleweight tilt against Juan C. Tamez (1-0), while Rincon (8-0, 2 KOs) faces Yainiel Alvarez (3-3-2, 1 KO) in a six-rounder at welterweight. 

The undercard also features a gamut of Top Rank’s up and coming talent, including lightweight prodigy Abdullah Mason (12-0, 10 KOs), who puts his unbeaten record on the line against Ronal Ron (14-4, 11 KOs).

Newly-signed prospects Jalen Walker (12-0-1 10 KOs) and Ali Feliz will make their debuts under the Top Rank banner. Walker takes on Alejandro Guerrero (12-4, 9 KOs) in a eight-round junior lightweight fight, while Team USA heavyweight Feliz enters the paid ranks in a four-rounder versus Anthony Woodson III (1-1, 1 KO).

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.

At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Jared Anderson

“Expect the best version of me. Expect to see me shine. Expect to see me dominate and show why I belong here.”

“Merhy has a different level of experience. But, everything from my amateur pedigree and what I’ve always done to everyone, whether they have experience or not, will play a different role.”

“The challenge {with smaller fighters} is that you have to sometimes deal with their speed, which we trained for. But I don’t really see to many challenges with this. I don’t really see too many challenges. I’m used to fighting all types of different people. I’m used to training with all types of people. So, if you don’t prepare properly, then you won’t perform properly. So, just know that we came prepared for sure.”

Ryad Merhy

“I’m very happy to be here. What a great opportunity. Who would have ever thought that from a small country like Belgium I would be able to show my talent in America? I hope to represent my country.”

“I’m not looking for anything. They’re looking for me. I’m a cruiserweight who has moved up to the heavyweight division because I was called out. They keep calling me, and now I’m here.”

“Jared is a very talented fighter. He is a great prospect. But this Saturday I’m going to show that he still has a long way to go. I have gone 177 rounds as a pro, while Anderson has only gone 46.  So, we’ll see if that plays a big difference on Saturday.”

Efe Ajagba

“We know each other well. We’ve sparred each other. So, we know each other a lot. We have Olympic backgrounds, so that’s how it happened.”

I want to see what he brings to the table. We sparred. But that’s sparring. That’s different from an actual fight. He thinks that I’m going to fight like I how sparred. But it’s not going to be like that. This fight means a lot because it is a stepping stone.”

Guido Vianello

“We know each other. We are two aggressive fighters in the ring, I can’t wait to fight. I can’t wait to see what happens in there.”

“I expect a good fight. This is a great opportunity. I’m really happy. The happiness is the strongest power I have. So, let’s see who is the best and fight.”

“I have zero pressure because I always just think about me. I’m happy because Top Rank has a lot of heavyweights. This is good for us because we can make a lot of good fights.”

Robson Conceição

“For sure it was a tough fight with Emanuel Navarrete. It was a war. And I learned a lot from it. I also prepared a lot for this fight. And I think I will get another title shot soon.”

John Rincon

“I’m excited to be back in my hometown. I just gotta keep doing what I’m doing. The sky is the limit for me. I’m ready, and I’ll see you all on Saturday.” 

Ali Feliz

“This is huge. I’ve been waiting for this moment for years. And there’s no better place to start it than Top Rank. I’m excited to start the journey.”

Saturday, April 13
 

ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)
 

Jared Anderson vs. Ryad Merhy, 10 rounds, Anderson’s WBO International and WBC USA Heavyweight Titles

Efe Ajagba vs. Guido Vianello, Ajagba’s WBC Silver Heavyweight Title

Robson Conceição vs. Jose Guardado, 8 rounds, junior lightweight
 

ESPN+ (5:50 p.m. ET/2:50 p.m. PT)
 

Julian Delgado vs. Juan C. Tamez, 4 rounds, middleweight

Ali Feliz vs. Anthony Woodson III, 4 rounds, heavyweight

Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman:
 
“Welcome to Manchester ahead of another big night of boxing, live and exclusive around the world and part of an incredible schedule on DAZN. We were in Las Vegas last weekend for a great show, we’re in Manchester this week and next week, Devin Haney takes on Ryan Garcia in Brooklyn before we’re back for the NXTGEN in Liverpool. Then it’s the small matter of Canelo vs. Munguia live on DAZN on Cinco de Mayo, then we’re in Mexico and then off to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for Fury vs. Usyk with Opetaia vs. Breidis and Cordina vs. Cacace on a fantastic card. A week later, Josh Taylor takes on Jack Catterall in Leeds before we go back to Riyadh for what will be announced on Monday with Bivol vs. Beterbiev and the Matchroom-Queensbury 5 vs 5, and I can confirm that is the best card I’ve ever seen from top to bottom on June 1. On June 15 we’re in Puerto Rico for Subriel Matias defending his World title against Liam Paro and at the end of that month, Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez challenges Juan Francisco Estrada in what I believe will be the fight of the year.
 
“We’re here to talk about Manchester though and what a cracking main event we’ve got. Exactly the type of fight we should be making as the hometown kid Zelfa Barrett takes on Jordan Gill, fresh from his stunning victory over Michael Conlan. Ellie Scotney is in a huge unification match-up against Segolene Lefebvre, Rhiannon Dixon goes for her first World title against Karen Carabajal, and there’s great talent on the card and real ding-dong match-up between Michael Gomez Jr and Kane Baker.”
 
Jordan Gill:
 
“It’s the biggest fight of my career so far, I am super-chilled, we’re having a good time. We had a good time in Belfast, we’re having a good time in Manchester, it’s a good city. I’m just looking forward to fighting and rolling the dice again. I went to Belfast to fight Conlan, I’m coming to Manchester to fight Zelfa, I’m just enjoying myself and long may it continue. 
 
“I feel very calm, everything in my life is good now. I’ve got a good team behind me, I feel happy, I feel settled, 130 is making me live a normal life. I don’t have to weigh everything I’m eating in and out of camp, it’s fantastic. I’m in a good place and I’m ready to fight, it’s going to be a great fight.
 
“I’m a non-puncher, Eddie. I think it’s going to be a great fight. It depends, there’s a lot of variables, Zelfa is versatile, he does a lot of things well, has lots of strings to his bow. He’s a good mover, he can punch, he’s good on the counter, he’s very fast, so I can’t see a way this fight isn’t going to be exciting. As a boxing fan and a boxer myself, that just makes me excited for it. There’s going to be a bit of everything in this fight, moments where it’s cagey, moments where we’re boxing, moments when he’s pressuring, when I’m pressuring, so it’s exciting, there will be blood and guts and I’m here for it.
 
“Imagine how much power I’d have if we got Barry to dress up as Spider Man?! I think we missed a trick there! I feel like I’m punching hard, I’m strong at the weight, I’m developing. I turned pro so young; I had my debut 7 days after my 18th birthday. I feel like I’m a late developer, and now you are seeing the best of me, the true Jordan Gill. I’m not restricted at the weight, I feel solid, so I am punching hard.
 
“For sure it’s must-win. If either of us want to fight for a World title, we’ve got to win this fight. That’s why it’s so exciting because there’s a lot on the line. It’s a fight everyone has been looking forward to, two Brits that are above British and European level, it makes it exciting, there’s a lot on the line for us both. When the fight was put to me, I said yes straight away. Not because I dislike Zelfa, I like him, he’s a good guy and I have respect for him and his team, but when we get in the ring on Saturday, the person you are fighting isn’t a person, they are just a target, and you have to go for that target.”
 
Zelfa Barrett:
 
“It’s a dream come true, thank you to yourself and the team. I’ve been running past the Manchester Arena, was there when Anthony Crolla boxed Darleys Perez twice, Jorge Linares, when Scott Quigg beat Kiki Martinez, watched Ricky Hatton there. So, it’s a nice achievement to headline there myself.
 
“Jordan is a good fighter and he’s got a good team around him, but I believe I’m better than him in every way, shape, and form. He said he’s going knock me out, crazy, but we’ll see.
 
“I’m expecting a great fight. He’s a good fighter and he’s got a new team around him, some tricks up his sleeve. I can just see what he comes out and brings, and I will adapt from that. I’m expecting a good fight, and there’s only one winner, and that’s me. 
 
“My left hook is crazy but we’re not relying on that. It’s hard work and dedication, but I’ve got the power to destroy him. He’s a good fighter, I’m not going to take that away from him, he’s going to be calculated, but there’s one winner and that’s me.
 
“Defeat doesn’t cross my mind. I just think about what I am going to eat after the fight when I’ve won.”
 
Ellie Scotney:
 
“As soon as I won the World title we sat down, and the unification was what I wanted next. Obviously, there was one fight in-between, but all that matters is Saturday night, and that’s the next step and I’m ready to go.
 
“Shane and I have watched Segolene, she’s someone that I’ve looked at before I even won the World title, we tried to make the fight and it didn’t align, but we’re fighting for even more on Saturday night.
 
“I think that these are the fights where you will see the best of me. I’ve got to show a side of me that I haven’t done previously, this is the fight that’s going to bring it and I’m excited for you all to see.
 
“It’s massive, but all that matters is Saturday, that’s all I’ve got my eyes on.”
 
Segolene Lefebvre:
 
“Thank you to you Eddie and for the welcome in England. It’s obviously a big boxing country and I’m delighted to be here to unify the division, and there’s no doubt in my mind, I’m not here to surrender my belt, the plan is to take both back belts to France.
 
“The win is the win, that’s the objective. If it comes by KO, fantastic, so much the better, but the most important thing is to give everything I can and show people here what a French fighter can really do.”
 
Rhiannon Dixon:
 
“I’m really excited for this, and I can’t thank you enough for it. You took a risk on a girl from white collar boxing, I was a pharmacist at the time, and I’m going to repay the favour on Saturday and show that I belong at this level. 
 
“Confidence was a massive thing when Anthony and I got together, he believed in me, so it was just me believing in myself. You can see from my walk-ons, I cringe at myself it’s so embarrassing and I’ll do it on Saturday as well, but I know I am at this level and I can’t wait to show it and bring a World title back to Warrington.
 
“I’m excited for those big opportunities but with women’s boxing, you don’t know who is going where, girls go up and down the weights, so I am excited, and we’ll see what opportunities are out there after that.”
 
Karen Carabajal:
 
“I want to say thank you for this opportunity to once again have this chance to fight for a World title. We’re completely ready for this opportunity, we’ve been preparing extremely hard and we’re totally ready for Saturday night.
 
“It was a great opportunity to come here and fight Katie Taylor for the World title. It was almost an opportunity that was new to us, but it made us extremely sure that we belong at this level. Going away from our country to fight Katie was a fight we needed, and we’re really prepared and hungry to do well on Saturday.”
 
Michael Gomez Jr:
 
“I can’t wait, let’s go, there’s nothing else to say. Everyone’s ready for this, from the first bell, it’s going off, for as long as it lasts it’s going to be fun. 
 
“He can only go to the ropes anyway, we’re either head-to-head or on the ropes, nowhere else to go. I’m going to be in his face, and someone is going to get hurt. 
 
“One of us is going to get stopped, it could be me, I’m not stupid and saying it can’t be, but one of us is getting stopped and more than likely, it’s going to be him.”
 
Kane Baker:
 
“Our styles are going to gel and 100 per cent you are going to get a great fight on Saturday night. It’ll be a non-stop, crowd-pleasing fight, engines, and punching, and that’s what we want.
 
“The experiences and being a late starter in boxing, I’ve learnt on the job, and I’ve had some tough experiences, but I think it’s made me a better fighter and it’s all prepared me for Saturday to become the English champion, so I am happy. In Mexico, there were no tacos or tequila, just sparring, and it’s all going to show on Saturday night.
 
“Put us in a phone box and let’s go.”
 
Jordan Flynn:
 
“Thank you to Matchroom and everyone involved for keeping me on the card. We’ve got a lot of people traveling up from Oxford, hundreds coming with their hotels booked so it’s a big thing that I am still on the card.
 
“On to Cameron, I don’t really know what’s happened to him, he’s pulled out with a minor injury, with no explanation as to what that injury is. He was talking about playing with me with only one hand, but he’s pulling out with a minor injury, so he must be playing with something else with one hand.
 
“It’s important to be active so if anything, it’s worked out great for me, I’m getting a fight in and then I’m going to fight him in June, if that’s when it’s happening. The main thing is getting active, if I wasn’t still fighting, I’d be very annoyed, but the fact is that I am so thank you to yourself and 25/8 Management for making that happen.”
 
William Crolla:
 
“This is my fifth fight 11 months after my debut, it’s flown by, and I believe that you only have to watch my recent performances to see I’m a totally different fighter from my debut. I’m coming into my element now, I’m sitting down on my shots, and on paper, Saturday night is a step-up in rounds and opponent, so I should get some rounds in, but if I go about my business like I have in the gym, I believe it will be another early night.
 
“At the minute, the gym is flying, there’s a lot of new signings in there, and I am just trying to better myself every day to compete at their level and I believe I have been doing that and on Saturday it will show a massive improvement from when you last saw me.
 
“It’s the biggest night for Anthony since he started the gym and I believe it will be a good one.”
 
Jimmy Sains:
 
“Just shy of 100 people coming up from Essex and London to Manchester. I’m not really looking for the knockout, but it would be nice, hopefully we can go 4-0 with four KOs. 
 
“I learnt loads in Las Vegas and Santa Monica, but Tony Sims has definitely brought us back down to reality very quickly, straight on the triangle runs, but it was a great experience to live like a pro for five weeks in a camp house with John Ryder and Joe Cordina, I learnt loads and I want to show everyone that. It’s my first six rounder, so I want to take my time a little bit more and show everyone my boxing ability.”
 
Ste Clarke:
 
“I’m buzzing to be on such a big card again and thanks to everyone that’s bought a ticket. I’ve always had big support and I’m looking to put on a good performance on Saturday night.
 
“I just want to get out, be as active as possible, gain experience and we’ll go from there.”
 
Jack Turner:
 
“Thank you to my team, Eddie and Matchroom for getting me on such a big show. Come Saturday, you can expect a big knockout. It’s been hard getting sparring lately, I’ve had a tough Mexican over, but I’ve just been playing with them. 
 
“Everyone thinks that I can just fight, but it’s not me that picks my opponents, all I have is someone in front of me and I just keep knocking them out and I’m not here to mess around, I’m here to put a statement on this Saturday night and go on to win titles.”
 
Brandon Scott:
 
“Sunny Edwards will be working alongside Lee Eaton to co-manage me which is crazy to think about. I remember meeting Sunny at The O2 when Lomachenko fought Luke Campbell, and then he was in my corner in my last fight at The O2, and now he’s co-managing me and sat in a Spider Man costume, this is just proof that we live in a simulation.
 
“This is it now, I’ve got both of my hands, and whatever you see on Saturday, I can confidently say ‘that’s me’. You probably live in Groundhog Day Eddie, you go to another country, you do a press conference, so I thought I’d spice it up a little bit, but I’m also going to be entertaining in the ring, showing everyone how good I am.”

This Thursday, April 11, Gary Shaw, a member of the World Boxing Association (WBA), who was a visionary mind within boxing world and an extremely important character for the sport as a great planner and creator of multiple projects that revolutionized the industry, passed away.

After his recent passing, it is necessary to remember that Shaw, a native of New Mexico in 1944, who was trained in Physical Education at the University of Miami and who gained great organizational experience working with several hotel, restaurant and architectural chains with great renown in different states, which enabled him to enter boxing in 1971. 

 In August 2021, Shaw joined the WBA family when he was named Chief of Staff to the pioneering body’s presidency and advisor to President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza. He was instrumental in the resurgence of the North American Boxing Association (NABA) and a great liaison between the U.S. market and the WBA. 

Shaw created the first concept and was instrumental in developing the television series “ShoBox: The New Generation,” a show that gained huge ratings on the Showtime network and produced some of the biggest stars in the boxing world. He collaborated with networks such as HBO, Showtime, ESPN and SKY with top-level events. 

In 2009, he was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame and also the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame for his contribution to the boxing world and his great role in the development of the sport worldwide. 

The WBA and its president Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, deeply regrets his departure, and joins in a strong embrace to his family and friends, to whom he extends his solidarity and condolences. We will miss you, Gary!”

ATLANTIC CITY, April 11, 2024. —  South Jersey’s own Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna is ready to hit camp hard to prepare for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) Gold Middleweight World Title fight against Dominican Republic’s Juan Carlos Abreu in the main event in a twelve-round bout on Saturday, June 8 at Bally’s Atlantic City.

This World Championship Boxing Event is being promoted by Main Events in association with LaManna’s Rising Star Promotions.

Tickets, priced at $75, $120, $150 and $250, are on sale and available HERE

“I’ve been in the gym a few times a week just keeping in shape, but camp goes full-on beginning Monday. Then the real training begins – lots of conditioning and starting to get the weight down. In a couple weeks we ramp it up more when we begin sparring and working the game plan in. I have sparred with Juan Carlos Abreu so I am a little familiar with him knowing that he is a power guy.”

Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (37-5, 16 KOs) born and raised in Millville, NJ, just down the road from Atlantic City, is on a seven fight win streak that propelled him onto the world stage. He is undefeated in Atlantic City, 21 wins, no losses and one draw overall and seven wins with no losses at Bally’s.  He made his professional debut in 2011 and has an impressive collection of belts, including the New Jersey State Welterweight Title, World Boxing Council (WBC) FECARBOX title, WBA Fedecentro title, WBA Fedecaribe title and the WBA Fedalatin title. He has won two titles in AC and made two successful defenses. His string of seven wins began after his 2021 world title fight defeat to Erislandy Lara.

Juan Carlos “Merengue” Abreu (26-7-1, 24 KOs) is from La Romana, Dominican Republic. He is a former World Boxing Council International Super Welterweight Champion and two-time International Boxing Federation Youth Super Lightweight Champion. The heavy-handed Dominican will come into the June 8 title fight having knocked out five of his last seven opponents.

ABOUT MAIN EVENTS

Main Events has been promoting fights in Atlantic City since 1982. Their first was a WBC light heavyweight title fight between Dwight Muhammad Qawi and Eddie Davis. Their first event at Bally’s AC was in April of ‘95 with Gatti in the co-feature of an IBF Super Featherweight World Title fight between Eddie Hopson and Moises Pedroza. Since then they have promoted bouts with many notable world champions, including Evander “Real Deal” Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, Arturo “Thunder” Gatti, Mark Breland, Meldrick Taylor, Sergei Kovalev and Dmitri Bivol. Amongst the most notable fights promoted by Main Events in Atlantic City include, “The Battle of the Ages,” Holyfield-Foreman for the World Heavyweight Championship, which was the first TVKO (HBO PPV) event; Bivol-Smith which was the last HBO fight to take place in Atlantic City, Kovalev-Hopkins—the last World Championship fight at Boardwalk Hall; Gatti-Ward II & III and Gatti-Mayweather.

ABOUT BALLY’S CORPORATION

Bally’s Corporation is a global casino-entertainment company with a growing omni-channel presence of Online Sports Betting and iGaming offerings. It currently owns and manages 16 casinos across 10 states, a golf course in New York, a horse racetrack in Colorado, and has access to OSB licenses in 18 states. It also owns Bally’s Interactive International, formerly Gamesys Group, a leading, global, online gaming operator, Bally Bet, a first-in-class sports betting platform, and Bally Casino, a growing iCasino platform. With 10,500 employees, the Company’s casino operations include approximately 15,000 slot machines, 600 table games and 5,300 hotel rooms. Upon completing the construction of a permanent casino facility in Chicago, IL, and a land-based casino near the Nittany Mall in State College, PA, Bally’s will own and/or manage 17 casinos across 11 states. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “BALY”.

QUINCY, Mass. (April 11, 2024)  – A title fight between USBF Middleweight Champion Julien “Black Dragon” Baptiste (6-4, 3 KOs) and Ricky Ford (5-1-2, 3 KOs) could very well steal the show on May 11^th as Granite Chin Promotions (GCP) presents “Rumble at the Rink” at Quincy Youth Arena in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Baptiste vs. Ford has all the makings for a potential “Fight of the Night,” matching a pair of New England 160-pounders who promise to have fans standing and yelling from the opening bell until the eventual end.

“What a fight this is going to be,” GCP president Chris Traietti predicted. “I knew all along I wanted to get Julien on this show and after competing at Madison Square Garden, I didn’t want to take a step back and do a ‘fluff’ fight. I wanted to challenge Julien and see what he has learned from that experience. I reached out to Ricky ,and he jumped on the chance. Ricky looked way better than I expected back in February in Bridgewater, you can tell while he might have been inactive competing, it was obvious he stayed in the gym. This fight alone will be worth the price of admission.”

Baptiste, fighting out of Woburn (MA), is coming off a solid fight at Madison Square Garden Theater, in which he lost a six-round decision to undefeated Isaah Flaherty (7-0, 3 KOs).

“I learned that I had a lot more in the tank than I had thought,” Baptiste said. “It was scheduled for eight rounds, but it was changed to six, but I had trained to fight eight. He won the fight within the limits, credit to Isaah. It was a great fight and I felt that I was turning things around, but that’s been my Achilles heel, I didn’t let loose until it was late.”

The reigning Massachusetts Middleweight Champion in addition to wearing the USBF crown, Baptiste respects Ford and is preparing for a memorable fight, which could catapult him into another high-impact fight like he recently had in MSG.

“It’s going to be a good fight,” he predicted. “He’s a good opponent. We both fought Ryan Clark in the amateurs, and each went 1-1. I wasn’t there live, but he fought Travis Gambardella to a draw when I was still an amateur, and I watched it afterwards. I’m sure that he’s going to bring it. He was out the past few years, but I do respect him as a game fighter, and for stepping up to fight me. He’s a great technical fighter who keeps distance and knows how to box.”

Fighting out of Claremont (NH), Ford was a 2012 New England Golden Gloves silver medalist who was inactive from late 2019 to his ring return this past February, when he knocked out Erick Matheus Alves in round three. After the fight, in the middle of the ring, Clark dropped to one knee and proposed marriage to his longtime girlfriend, Katie, who also boxed. Ford was undecided in terms of retiring or continuing to fight, explaining at the time that he’d likely fight again if the offer was good enough.

“There was a lot of emotion in my last fight, and I did look good,” Ford remembered. “People thought I was away from boxing for years, but I was always in the gym, and I do love boxing. I took time off because I have a family with kids, and a good job. I met Katie through boxing, and I thought my last fight was the perfect way to propose,

because boxing is how it all started for us. I was out of the ring 4 ½ years and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy shaking off the rust. Nobody has ever pushed me to reach my full potential. I thought my last fight was a good way to end my career, but Chris (Traietti) called and asked if I’d fight Julien for his title. Let’s see how it goes, If I win, I’ll defend my title, and if it ends in a draw, we’ll have to do it again. This is boxing and one punch can change everything.”

Ford noted that he’s a relatively small middleweight who should really be fighting at junior middleweight or even welterweight. He’s excited to fight Baptiste and believes they may steal the show.

“It’s going to be one of those fights,” Ricky concluded. We have two different styles. He boxes more than me. I’ll give him that and in power, but I have better hand speed. I have a lot more to show to people who haven’t seen it in me, and a lot have forgotten that I had a lot of amateur fights. I was a four-time Northern New England champion and runner-up at the 2015 Ringside Tournament in Kansas. I’ve seen Julien fight and I respect him. I took the fight and I’m stepping up. He’s the perfect guy for me to fight because we both come forward. Right now, I’m at my strongest point.”

In an equally compelling match. undefeated Irish boxer Thomas “The Kid” O’Toole (9-0, 6 KOs) meets dangerous Russell Kimber (2-1, 1 KO) in a six-round bout for the vacant Massachusetts Light Heavyweight Championship.

The innovative one-night tournament, “Granite Chin Box Off,” is the event headliner that features a quartet of New England super middleweight fighters – Lynn’s (MA) James “Pitbull” Perkins (13-1-1, 9 KOs), Swansea’s (MA) Anthony “The Gentle Savage” Andreozzi (5-3, 2 KOs), Dorchester’s (MA) Bernard Joseph (6-1, 4 KOs), and Barrington’s (ME) Ryan Clark (4-5, 2 KOs) – who will  be matched (in a blind draw at the weigh in) in three-round bouts (4^th round of sudden death if needed in case of a draw) early in the evening with the two winners advancing to the five-round main event (6^th round of sudden death in the event of a draw) to determine the inaugural champion.

Additional matches will soon be announced.

Card subject to change.

Tickets are on sale to purchase at www.granite-chin-promotions.ticketleap.com.

Doors open at 6:00 p.m. ET, first bout at 7 p.m. ET.

INFORMATION:  

Facebook.com/GraniteChin

IBF World Champion Ellie Scotney says her nan will have the best seat in the house when she aims to unify the Super-Bantamweight division against France’s undefeated WBO ruler Segolene Lefebvre at the AO Arena in Manchester this Saturday – live worldwide on DAZN.

The 26-year-old Catford native, who fights in Manchester for the first time this weekend, won the IBF crown against Australia’s Cherneka Johnson on a memorable night at Wembley Arena last June and proudly raced it around to her super-fan nan.

Sadly Eileen passed away at the age off 99 at the end of August, but she witnessed her granddaughter achieve her lifetime goal of becoming a World Champion after walking into the renewed Lynn AC in South London as a small girl. Scotney says her nan will be at the front of her mind as she looks to add to her legacy by becoming a unified World Champion on Saturday’s World Title doubleheader.

“I always had this thing where I’d go down to my nan’s the week before a fight and I still did that for this one,” said Scotney. “I still went down to my nan’s; I still went in the room, and I chatted rubbish to her like I usually do. She always used to tell me that she’d say a prayer for me. I know that she’s got the best seat in the house as always. Nan always told me you’ve got to finish the collection, and we’re onto the second part of that collection and I’ve got to deliver.”

Lefebvre (18-0, 1 KO) will be making the fourth defence of her WBO crown after winning the vacant title against Mexico’s Paulette Cuesta in November 2021 on home soil. ‘Majestic’ will be fighting outside of her homeland for the first time in her career and Scotney acknowledges her 30-year-old opponent will be her toughest test to date. 

“Even before the Cherneka Johnson fight, Lefebvre was someone that we targeted,” said Scotney. “We tried to make the fight previously but it just didn’t align. Now I’ve got more to offer on the table and we’re both young, we’re both undefeated and we’re both World Champions. I believe that’s going to make for a great fight.

“I promise you now, whatever I’ve got to go through I’ll go through on that night. I’ll be walking out as unified Champion of the World. I just believe that these are the fights where you’ve got to show that you’re different. She’s 18-0 and I’m 8-0. You’d look at that and think that she’s got the more experience. I just think that it’s quantity versus quality in some respects.

“It’s my hardest fight without a doubt but believe me I’m more than ready to show that I’m there. I really am. I believe that this camp has showed me there’s more to me that I haven’t really even seen myself. I’m not just talking about in that boxing ring – I’m talking out of it. I feel like I’ve really grown as a person. I think it’s happening at the right time for me. Timing is everything and on Saturday night it will be my time.”

Scotney vs. Lefebrve is part of a huge night of boxing in Manchester, Jordan Gill (28-2-1, 9 KOs) and Zelfa Barrett (30-2, 16 KOs) clash in a must-win Super-Featherweight showdown at the top of the bill, Warrington’s Rhiannon Dixon (9-0, 1 KO) looks to win her first World Title when she takes on Argentina’s KarenElizabeth Carabajal (21-1, 3 KOs) for the vacant WBO 140lbs crown, Manchester’s Michael Gomez Jr (20-1, 5 KOs) defends his English Super-Featherweight Title against Birmingham’s Kane Baker (19-10-2, 1 KO), Liverpool Middleweight prospect Ste Clarke (1-0, 1 KO) meets Swindon’s Jensen Irving (4-9) over four rounds, Oxford Lightweight JordanFlynn (9-0-1, 1 KO) fights Tanzania’s Tampela Maharusi (10-4-4, 5 KOs) over 8 rounds, Liverpool Super-Flyweight Jack Turner (5-0, 5 KOs) goes for another knockout against Abdul Kesi Ngaoma (7-5-1, 6 KOs), Brentwood Middleweight Jimmy Sains (3-0, 3 KOs) has his fourth pro fight against Mateusz Kalecki (2-1, 1 KO), Manchester Super-Welterweight William Crolla (3-0, 2 KOs) faces Italy’s Fabio Cascone (4-9, 1 KO) over six rounds and Swansea Super-Bantamweight Brandon Scott (6-0, 1 KO) returns for his first fight since last August when he takes on Rodrigo Matias Areco (5-5-2) over six rounds. 

OTX’s next fight card will feature its first-ever tournament in addition to other exciting fights. We’re hosting

a winner-takes-all tournament featuring fighters with heritage from all across the globe, including

Uzbekistan, Argentina, Mexico, Greece, USA, and the Dominican Republic, all at the 154-pound weight

class. Beyond moving up in the rankings and earning bragging rights, the winner will also take home a cash

prize and an OTX contract. 

As part of OTX’s partnership with DAZN, all fights will be available to watch on the DAZN app FOR FREE, 

and streamed on DAZN and Overtime’s social media channels. 

Visit https://otboxing.com for more info and for tickets visit here. 

OTX 6, OTE ARENA, ATLANTA (April 19)

Kurt Scoby vs. Dakota Linger, 8 rounds, super lightweight

Brandon Adams vs. Ismael Villareal, 10 rounds, super welterweight (ROUND 1 TOURNAMENT FIGHT)

Francisco Vernon vs. Angel Ruiz, 10 rounds, super welterweight (ROUND 1 TOURNAMENT FIGHT)

Avious Griffin vs. Ricardo Salas Rodriguez, 8 rounds, welterweight

David Lopez vs. Anthony Mora , 6 rounds, super lightweight

Nathan Lugo vs. Robert Lartigue, 4 rounds, super middleweight

OTX TOURNAMENT FIGHTERS

Brandon Adams vs. Ismael Villareal, 10 rounds, super welterweight 

Francisco Vernon vs. Angel Ruiz, 10 rounds, super welterweight

Andreas Katzourakis vs Kudratillo Abdukakhorov, 10 rounds, super welterweight 

Robert Terry vs. Vladimir Hernandez, 10 rounds, super welterweight 

ADDITIONAL INFO

In our main event, Kurt Scoby* (13-0, 11 KOs), fresh from his TKO victory over Narciso Carmona at OTE Arena last year, is poised for a showdown with seasoned pro Dakota  “The Lone Wolf” Linger (13-6-3, 6 KOs) from West Virginia. Linger, distinguished as one of the most formidable gatekeepers in the sport, with his previous five opponents amassing a combined record of 73-2, is set to challenge the meteoric rise of another rising star.

The co-main event will be an intriguing match-up in the OTX Tournament, Brandon “The Cannon” Adams (23-3) is set to battle Bronx talent Ismael Villarreal (13-2, 9 KOs) in a compelling bout. Adams, a former World Title challenger, squares off against Villarreal, celebrated for his readiness to take on tough challenges. This fight marks one of two tournament bouts on the card.

In the OTX Tournament, Tijuana’s Angel Ruiz (18-2, 13 KOs) battles Argentinian Olympian Francisco Veron (13-0, 10 KOs) in a compelling 10-round super welterweight bout. With Ruiz coming off a big win against Luis Collazo, this match promises intense competition as both seek tournament dominance.

Last year at OTX, David Lopez* (4-0, 3 KOs) delivered a knockout against Joseph Suero, capturing one of the event’s most viral moments. This time, he faces Anthony “Toro Rojo” Mora (3-1-1), in a clash that promises to ignite the ring, as both fighters aim for a victory to propel their early careers into the spotlight.

Nathan Lugo, a 2024 Olympic Trial Champion and the active leader in forced stoppages in USA amateur Boxing, will make his highly anticipated professional debut against Robert Lartigue (1-1, 1 KOs). This bout, a showcase for Lugo’s transition to the professional ranks, pits his considerable amateur experience against Lartigue, who’s already tasted both victory and defeat in his short professional journey. One thing is certain: Lugo will enter the ring hungry for his first professional win.

PHILADELPHIA, April 10, 2024  —  Undefeated cruiserweight Muhsin Cason will be featured on a Philadelphia Boxing Card titled “Let’s Settle,” which includes ten of Philly’s Finest biggest name fighters on Saturday, April 27 at Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. The card will be streamed live on BLK Prime, beginning at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT.

LET”S SETTLE is promoted by Dominic Walton’s Teflon Promotions, their first promotion. Tickets – priced $50, $115, $175, $240 and $325 – are on sale and available at TicketMaster, at this link Here

Muhsin, The Muslim Boxer” Cason (11-0, 6 KOs) was born in Baltimore and calls Philadelphia home. “I love that so many of our Philly natives get to be on one card and show their skills,” said Muhsin.  “I haven’t fought in Philly since 2022 and I can’t wait till April 27. It’s going to be a really fun night of boxing.”

Muhsin is one of seventeen and Hasim “The Rock” Rahman is his oldest brother. While Muhsin lived and trained in Las Vegas for some time, “We now live on opposite coasts, but when I was in Vegas I saw Hasim all the time. He would come to the gym. He continues to give me insight on how to be focused and overcome the obstacles.”

Muhsin is presently juggling training while also in the Philadelphia Police Academy but will be prepared for his eight-round cruiserweight bout against DeShon Webster (12-7, 6 KOs). “Every  opponent is different, so however he comes out, I’ll adjust and get the win inshallah.”

Muhsin is trained by Philadelphian Rashiem Jefferson. Rashiem, who attended Dobbins/Randolph High School and graduated from Strawberry Mansion, was 15-1 as a professional, said this about Muhson: “I think Muhsin is becoming a more complete fighter as his career continues to grow, The experience he’s getting sparring fighters like Boots Ennis,  Jesse Hart and Junior Malachi and all the other experienced fighters that he gets to share the ring with and learn from is a privilege.”

“I think the sky is the limit for Muhsin as long as he keep working hard and he and his team make the right fights at the right time. Thus far he’s had some great opportunities and he made the best out of them all. I see him as a contender for a big title soon and making a lot of money. He’ll be ready for whatever this guy brings to the ring the night of the 27th.”

Jefferson has this to say about the card: “I think if everything holds up the way it’s presenting itself this card and the future cards will be the new way of boxing in Philadelphia. I love the way they are giving fighters an outlet to shine and that’s what it’s all about.”

Fight Night Media Credential Requests

THE BLK PRIME CARD

Jesse “Hard Work” Hart (30-3, 24 KOs) Philadelphia born and raised will fight in a eight-round light heavyweight bout following the main event. Hart will ride a four-fight win streak into April 27. He is the former NABF Super Middleweight Champion, the IBF USBA Super Middleweight Champion and the WBO NABO Super Middleweight Champion.

In the main event will be a ten-round heavyweight bout between Andrew “Beast” Tabiti (20-2, 16 KOs), former world title challenger, former NABF Cruiserweight Champion and former IBF Cruiserweight Champion and Junior Anthony “Hurricane” Wright (20-5, 17 KOs).

In the co-main event, an eight-round middleweight bout, undefeated Nikitia “White Chocolate” Ababy (12-0, 6 KOs) battles former WBF Intercontinental Welterweight Champion, IBF USBA Super Lightweight Champion and WBC USA Super Lightweight Champion Cleotis “Mookie” Pendarvis (22-20, 9 KOs)

Philadelphia born Dylan Price (17-0, 11 KOs) will open the BLK Prime show when he battles Argentinean Ernesto Sebastian “Tito” Franzolini (19-14-2, 1 KO) in an eight-round bantamweight bout.

The non-Televised Portion

Joey “Tank” Dawejko (27-11, 15 KOs), born and raised in the City of Brotherly Love, will battle a one-loss Michigander Walter Burns in a eight-round heavyweight bout.

“Hank” Lundy (31-14, 14 KOs), born and raised in Philadelphia will fight Juan De La Cruz (11-22-1, 7 KOs) from Front Royal, Virginia in a six-round super lightweight bout.

Tariq Green (5-2-1, 3 KOs), also born and raised in Philadelphia, will be looking to complement his three-fight win streak in a four-round middleweight bout against Rancy Slanger (1-0), born in Ghana who now resides in nearby Levittown, PA.

Seifullah Jihad Wise (4-8, 1 KO), born and raised in Philadelphia, will fight in a four-round super lightweight bout against Atlantic City native Aaron Newsome (2-4).

Philadelphian Shamsuddeen Justice (2-0, 2 KOs) returns to the ring after multi-year layoff to fight in a four-round super lightweight bout against Puerto Rican Kelvin Diaz.

Frankie Lynn (3-0, 3 KOs), a Chester, PA native, will fight in a four-round welterweight bout, anticipating that he adds to his perfect record.

Opening the show will be nineteen-year-old Philadelphian Richard Johnson (1-0, 1 KO), who made his professional boxing debut on February 17 with a first round knockout. He will battle Deron Eillis, making his pro debut, in a four-round super welterweight bout.

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