LAS VEGAS (June 22, 2021) — After a close call in his last fight, Giovani Santillan is set to add to his name to the ranks of the top welterweight contenders. Santillan will return from a yearlong layoff to fight seasoned pro Cecil McCalla in a crossroads battle scheduled for eight or 10 rounds this Saturday, June 26 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
 
Santillan-McCalla will be among the undercard bouts streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 7:15 p.m. ET/4:15 p.m. PT.
 
The return of former pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko in a 12-round lightweight bout against Masayoshi Nakatani, and a 10-round middleweight contest between unbeaten sensation Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly and former world champion Rob “Bravo” Brant will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $75 are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Etix.com.
 
The San Diego-born Santillan (26-0, 15 KOs) developed his craft on the Southern California club show circuit, and the 29-year-old is now a welterweight contender closing in on a world title opportunity. He last fought on June 16, 2020, escaping via majority decision over former lightweight world champion Antonio DeMarco in a pitched two-way battle. It represented the closest call of the southpaw’s career, and he hopes to put forth a more dominating effort against McCalla (23-4, 10 KOs), a 13-year pro who has never been stopped in the paid ranks. McCalla, from Maryland, has won two straight bouts since a decision defeat to Madiyar Ashkeyev.
 
In other undercard action on ESPN+:

• Heavyweight knockout artist Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (7-0-1, 7 KOs), a 2016 Italian Olympian, makes his return against Marlon Williams (6-1, 3 KOs) in a bout scheduled for four rounds. Vianello hopes to bounce back from last October’s draw to Bubble fan-favorite Kingsley Ibeh.
   
• Bantamweight puncher Robert “Biggie” Rodriguez (9-0-1, 5 KOs), who shined with a pair of devastating knockouts last year inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble, will fight Mexican veteran Luis Fernando Saavedra (8-6, 3 KOs) in a six-rounder. Saavedra last fought in February 2019, when he bested the previously undefeated Mario Hernandez over eight rounds.
   
• One of Japan’s most promising young fighters, Subaru Murata, will make his professional debut in a four-round junior featherweight tilt against Keven Monroy (1-1, 1 KO). Murata had a reported 68-12 amateur record and defeated the likes of undefeated bantamweight contender Lee McGregor.
   
• Flashy bantamweight prospect Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz (1-0), who turned pro in February, returns against fellow unbeaten Jaime Jasso (2-0) in a four-rounder. Diaz, from Las Vegas, was mentored by Floyd Mayweather Jr. as an amateur and is managed by James Prince.

About Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is a reimagined and re-conceptualized casino resort. The property is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. The integrated resort intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture and features three hotel towers totaling over 1,500 Chambers and suites; the 60,000 sq. ft. Mohegan Sun Casino, operated by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment; a five-acre desert pool oasis including a multi-functional event lawn; live music and entertainment theater with 4,500 capacity; 24 Oxford showroom accommodating 650 guests; an exclusive portfolio of twelve food and beverage venues including Todd English’s Olives, Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market, the legendary Nobu, Michael and David Morton’s One Steakhouse, Kassi Beach House from restauranteur Nick Mathers, Casa Calavera by global hospitality company Hakkasan Group, the sports entertainment, daylife and nightlife venue Money, Baby! from Justin Massei and Mikis Troyan of Clive Collective, famous Afters Ice Cream, Pizza Forte by the Ferraro Family and signature Virgin Hotels restaurants and bars including The Kitchen at Commons Club, The Bar at Commons Club, The Shag Room and Funny Library Coffee Shop. The property is owned by JC Hospitality, LLC, in partnership with Juniper Capital Partners, Virgin Group, LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, Dream and Orlando Development. The off-Strip playground is located at 4455 Paradise Road. For more information, visit www.virginhotelslv.com.
 
About Virgin Hotels
Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value, and a seamless, personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson’s global Virgin Group has pioneered for 50 years. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. Virgin Hotels Chicago – named the “#1 Hotel in the United States” in 2016 and “#1 Hotel in Chicago” in 2016, 2017, and 2020 by the Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards – Virgin Hotels Dallas – named the “#16 Hotel in Texas” – Virgin Hotels Nashville and Virgin Hotels Las Vegas are now open. Locations in New York, New Orleans, Miami, Edinburgh and Glasgow to follow. Virgin Hotels continues to explore hotel and office conversions and ground-up development in Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and London.
 
About Curio Collection by Hilton
Curio Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of nearly 100 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts. Curio Collection properties offer travelers authentic, curated experiences through distinctly local offerings and elevated amenities, while providing the benefits of Hilton and its award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors. Read the latest brand and hotel stories at newsroom.hilton.com/curio, and connect with Curio Collection on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
 
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 13.8 million subscribers.
 
Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $12.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $18.99/month (Hulu w/o ads). 
 
About ESPN
ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine 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 Hears

ATLANTA (June 22, 2021) – Super welterweight contender Carlos Adames will take on Mexico’s Alexis Salazar in a 10-round showdown on the SHOWTIME PPV undercard this Saturday, June 26 from the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Adames vs. Salazar replaces the previously scheduled Julian Williams vs. Brian Mendoza fight, after Williams was forced to withdraw because of an elbow injury.

The event is headlined by four-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis as he seeks a title in a third weight class against unbeaten WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios in the main event of a SHOWTIME PPV telecast that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event at State Farm Arena, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at https://www.ticketmaster.com.

A native of Comendador, Dominican Republic, Adames (19-1, 15 KOs) fights out of New York City as he seeks to earn a second shot at a world championship. The 27-year-old defeated a slew of contenders on his way to a 2019 title shot that he lost by narrow decision to Patrick Teixeira. Adames defeated former champion Carlos Molina, and contenders Frank Galarza, Joshua Conley and Alejandro Barrera to earn that opportunity at a title.

The 25-year-old Salazar (23-3, 9 KOs) rides a 15-fight winning streak into this matchup. Most recently, Salazar earned a unanimous decision over Ruben Barajas in their December 2020 clash. Originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and now fighting out of Norwalk, Calif., Salazar will fight in the U.S. for the sixth time Saturday night. His previous stateside outing saw him dominate Abraham Cordero to earn a unanimous decision in May 2019.

The non-televised undercard will feature Cuban contender Leduan Barthelemy (16-1-1, 8 KOs) meeting unbeaten Viktor Slavinsky (12-0-1, 6 KOs)in an eight-round super featherweight fight, former title challenger Andres Gutierrez (38-2-1, 25 KOs) in an eight-round super lightweight attraction, unbeaten prospect Dalton Brodie (1-0, 1 KO) competing in a four-round super middleweight duel against fellow-unbeaten Trever Bradshaw (1-0) and undefeated Washington, D.C. born prospect Stacey Selby (2-0, 2 KOs) entering the ring in a four-round super lightweight bout.

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ABOUT DAVIS VS. BARRIOS

Davis vs. Barrios will see four-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis set his sights on capturing a title in a third weight class when he faces undefeated WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios in a SHOWTIME PPV main event Saturday, June 26 at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature a battle of two top 154-pound contenders as Erickson “Hammer” Lubin faces former unified champion Jeison Rosario in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. Super welterweight contender Carlos Adames will take on Mexico’s Alexis Salazarin a 10-round showdown and hard-hitting Olympian Batyr Akhmedov steps in against former world champion Argenis Mendez in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view telecast.

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions. The Akhmedov vs. Mendez fight is promoted in association with World of Boxing.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotions, @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions/.

EKOW ESSUMAN has declared he is “gunning for” domestic rivals Conor Benn and Michael MicKinson.

Essuman has been frustrated after an injury to double champion Chris Jenkins delayed their fight especially after seeing rivals Benn and McKinson win recently.

The Nottingham boxer explained “When I saw the competition winning it got me itching to show people what I have been working on and how much I’ve improved.

“While I’ve been waiting for the fight to be rescheduled Conor Benn and Michael McKinson have had good wins.

“After I take the  British and Commonwealth title from Jenkins there are a lot of tasty fights out there.

“They are the fights I have to aim for, but as soon as I win those titles they will be coming for the jugular.

“Conor’s matchmaker has been spectacular. They have picked the right opponents to help him build his confidence in what he does.

“No disrespect to his opponents, but a lot of the things they did complimented what Conor does as opposed to putting him in there with a good mover.

“Take Benn v McKinson. Despite Benn’s strengths McKinson would win all day. He is awkward and wouldn’t play up to Conor’s strengths

“I will meet them both. I am gunning for them. It’s just when and where.”

Essuman (14-0, 5 KOs) believes that he will finally face Swansea’s Jenkins (22-3-3, 8 KOs) on a Queensberry card next month.

Normally mild mannered Essuman is even doubting whether Jenkins suffered a perforated ear drum before their scheduled clash in March.

“I have had perforated ear drums before and they clear up in two weeks. When I heard he needed longer I asked myself, ‘Is this guy playing games?’, he added

“I did a lot of rounds with David Avanesyan before he fought Josh Kelly and I remember sitting down with him. I asked him how he coped mentally with the all the postponements over two years.

“He said that it had been a long time, but he was able to work on things that he needed to. That sat with me.

“I have taken that on board and I just have longer to cement the things I need to do against Jenkins.

“By the time I get to fight Jenkins things will be instilled in me and I will do them without even thinking.

“I see myself winning in good fashion. I don’t want to give too much away, but it won’t reach the final bell.”

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 21, 2021) – Undefeated welterweight, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (15-0-1, 10 KOs), wants a big fight after his TKO victory over Brad Solomon (29-3, 9 KOs), a 10-round bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions that took place this past Saturday on DAZN at the University of Texas at El Paso’s Don Haskins Center.

Cobbs, who is managed by Greg Hannley of Prince Ranch Boxing, stopped Soloman by way of fifth round TKO, and feels his victory over the crafty veteran garners a big fight with a meaningful name.

“I believe I showed that I deserve a big fight against a named opponent after my stoppage of Solomon,” said Cobbs. “There’s a lot of big fights out there for me and I just want an opportunity. I’m ready to fight all the big names in the welterweight division. Anyone who is ranked in the top ten, I’m coming for you.”

Training out of the Wild Card Boxing gym in Los Angeles with Freddie Roach was something new for Cobbs going into this fight, and he believes he has the right team intact to make a championship run.

“First I want to say that Freddie Roach has been a tremendous help in my development over the past year during the pandemic,” Cobbs continued. “All of the Wild Card fighters came out on top this past weekend and the vibe we share in the gym is unbelievable. When your around great fighters at Wild Card, it gives you a confidence like you wouldn’t believe because you know you’re training at the best boxing gym in the world, with the best trainer. When I land that big fight, everyone will see that I belong with the elite in boxing.”

MINNEAPOLIS (June 21, 2021) – Unbeaten super welterweight prospect Leon Lawson will battle hard-hitting Nathaniel Gallimore in a 10-round showdown that headlines FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Sunday, June 27 from The Armory in Minneapolis.

FS1 PBC Fight Night begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and will feature unbeaten light heavyweight prospect Atif Oberlton taking on Jasper McCargo in an eight-round bout, and undefeated super welterweight prospect Travon Marshall in a four-round contest against Ruben Torres.

The FS1 telecast will precede FOX PBC Fight Night which begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by unbeaten WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. taking on undefeated contender Mario Cazares.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Warriors Boxing, are on sale now and can be purchased at The Armory at http://ArmoryMN.com/ and through Ticketmaster.

A towering six-foot, five-inch super welterweight, Lawson (14-0, 7 KOs) will face the toughest test of his young career against Gallimore. The 21-year-old most recently knocked out Ramal Amanov in the fourth-round of their February showdown, making it three-straight knockout victories for Lawson. A native of Flint, Michigan, Lawson is the cousin of two-time champion Anthony Dirrell and longtime contender Andre Dirrell. He will be making his third career appearance at The Armory in Minneapolis, after scoring victories there in 2018 and 2019.

Gallimore (21-5-1, 17 KOs) has made a name for himself challenging the best fighters at 154-pounds and using his power and skill to present stiff competition. The 33-year-old owns a stoppage victory over former unified champion Jeison Rosario, and has also faced former unified champion Julian Williams, former champion Patrick Teixeira, and top contenders Erickson Lubin and Sebastian Fundora. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Gallimore has fought out of Chicago as a pro.

Oberlton (1-0, 1 KO) made his pro debut in January as the 22-year-old stopped Nathan Sharp in the third round, before most recently knocking out Larry Pryor in May. Representing the fighter-rich city of Philadelphia, Oberlton won the 2018 and 2016 National Golden Gloves tournaments and reached the finals of the 2018 U.S. National Championships prior to turning pro. He will be taking on the Monterey, California native McCargo (4-1-2, 2 KOs), who most recently fought to a majority draw against Josh Hernandez in February of 2020. The 34-year-old turned pro in 2016 and was unbeaten in his first four bouts.

The 20-year-old Marshall (1-0, 1 KO) turned pro on April 20 after an impressive amateur career, and delivered a quick first-round knockout of Christian Marron on FS1. Marshall was born in Landover, Maryland and now resides in Capitol Heights, Maryland as he prepares to take on the 30-year-old Torres (4-1, 1 KO). A native of Sacramento, California, Torres won a unanimous decision over Donnis Reed in February 2020 in his last outing.

In non-televised undercard attractions, a pair of Twin Cities natives will step into the ring in separate showdowns as Minneapolis fan-favorite VeShawn Owens (11-2, 10 KOs) fights at The Armory for the fourth-time in a six-round super lightweight contest, while St. Paul’s Joe James (8-0, 5 KOs) puts his undefeated record on the line in a six-round welterweight attraction. Plus, 19-year-old prospect Angel Chavez (3-0, 3 KOs) will make his U.S. debut in a four-round non-televised attraction.

#

ABOUT MORRELL VS. CAZARES
Morrell vs. Cazares will see Cuban sensation and unbeaten WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. defend his title against undefeated challenger Mario Cázares in a 12-round duel that headlines FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Sunday, June 27 from The Armory in Minneapolis.

The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features cruiserweight knockout artist Efetobor Apochi taking on fellow unbeaten Brandon Glanton in the 10-round co-main event, and rising super lightweight contender Omar “El Relámpago” Juárez battling All Rivera in a 10-round attraction to kick off the telecast.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions @WarriorsBoxingProm, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

SAN ANTONIO, TX (June 21, 2021) – San Antonio’s featherweight prospect,
Ricky “El Castigo” Medina (10-0, 6 KOs) remained undefeated with a dominate unanimous decision victory against a game Omar Castillo (6-3, 3 KOs), an eight-round bout that took place this past Saturday, June 19th, on the undercard of Jermall Charlo vs Juan Macias Montiel, from the Toyota Center, in Houston, Texas.

Medina, who is managed by Greg Hannley of Prince Ranch Boxing, and promoted by Rick Morones of TMB Promotions, faced adversity for the first time in his career as he had to get up off the deck from a flash knockdown in round two. Medina, who was a decorated amateur, dominated round one, and made the proper adjustments needed to take over the rest of the fight.

“In boxing you must stay calm when adversity presents itself,” said Medina. “I got caught with a right hand, but wasn’t hurt, and hit the canvass off balance. I knew I had to dig deep to overcome the knockdown and dominated the rest of the fight. I’m surprised Castillo was able to handle the punishment I was giving him in the final rounds. He showed great heart and I’m a better fighter after fighting him.”

“A true champion will always get back up and find a way to win,” Greg Hannley said. “Other then the flash knockdown, it was a dominant performance. I’m happy with Medina’s performance and I’m looking to get him right back in the ring, hopefully next month or August.”

“I’m very happy with Medina and how he held his composure in this fight,” stated Rick Morones. “He showed all the great qualities of a veteran fighter, event though he’s only in his tenth pro fight. I’m very thankful to everyone at the PBC for putting us on. We have big plans for him. He’s on his way to some big fights.”

HOUSTON (June 21, 2021) – Unified WBC, WBA and IBF World Champion Jermell Charlo and his trainer Derrick James spoke with the press on Saturday at the kickoff press conference for Charlo’s battle against WBO World Champion Brian Castaño for undisputed status at super welterweight. All four 154-pound belts hang in the balance for the first time in history on Saturday, July 17 live on SHOWTIME from AT&T Center in San Antonio in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will also feature unbeaten Interim WBA Lightweight Champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero taking on Austin Dulay in the co-main event, plus unbeaten middleweight Amilcar Vidal matching up against veteran contender Immanuwel Aleem in a 10-round bout that opens the telecast.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through www.attcenter.com. Romero vs. Dulay is co-promoted with Mayweather Promotions.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Saturday. Quotes from Castaño, who was unable to attend in person due to travel issues, are also below:

JERMELL CHARLO

“Once you lose a fight, that’s the hardest thing. I lost before and it separates me from my twin brother. He’s never lost. He’s an undefeated champion right now. I was an undefeated champion that lost and I had to figure the ropes out. That loss made a big difference for me.

“After I avenged my loss, I came back to fight Jeison Rosario who was supposedly the new guy. We really trained differently for him because he was a bigger guy. But we stayed strong and we got it done.

“I’m excited to be fighting in San Antonio. We’re going to get on the road for three-and-a-half hours, listen to some good R&B music on the way and we’re going to take care of business and have a good time in San Antonio.

“He’s shorter than me. I’m expecting him to try to throw a lot of body shots. Have you ever seen somebody get slept by me? If he runs into the wrong punch, we have a great game plan. We will make the adjustments. We don’t stop. We will continue to do what we do. I’m not afraid of any man. There’s nothing that can stop me right now. I’m all the way up.

“If he’s saying he’s going to make me risk my life, what do you think I’m going to make him do with his? If you make me risk my life, you better be willing to put your life on the line. I’m not the one to play with. I’m not just devastating with my punches. I’m devastating with my mental. There’s nothing he can do to me that I haven’t seen already. I’ve been in boxing way longer than he can even imagine.

“Tonight, on Juneteenth, my brother will show what I’m worth because that’s my twin. Everything he can do, I can do. We are going to do this together. On July 17, when it comes to my fight, I’m working twice as hard as you can even imagine. I’m going to be different. I’m going to be amazing. I will move. I will box. Whatever he wants, I’m with it. Whatever he does, I will take him out of his game plan. That’s my job.

“Brian Castaño is a great fighter. He comes to fight. He doesn’t stop. He does a lot of things that are impressive to the rest of the crowd and I feel that he will fight. He will bang. He will box. He will move back. He will move forward. Lateral movement. Derrick and I have been working hard to prepare for everything. It takes a lot to jump in the ring and become an undisputed champion and with that being said, I’m going to do everything I can in my willpower to win this fight.

“When I win on July 17 and I unify the belts and become undisputed, that’s just another trophy for me. I want to keep it going. I want to win another world title in the same weight class as my brother. We won them at 154. I want to win them at 160. We’re not done.”

BRIAN CASTAÑO

“I feel great, I’m having a great training camp and looking forward to stepping into the ring. This is the fight of my life and I feel so good about it.

“This fight is such an honor and a privilege. To have the chance to unify the four belts is such a unique opportunity. It’s about making history. Only a few fighters have been able to achieve it and write a golden page in the history books of boxing. I plan to be the first Latino to do so.

“Fighting in San Antonio is quite big and everybody knows that Manu Ginobili is such a hero there. We all admire and love Manu, who is one of Argentina’s best-ever in any sport. If you go to San Antonio and you were born in Argentina like myself, you better be ready to give it your all to keep his legacy.

“It’s going to be a tough fight between two great champions. Charlo is strong and a good boxer but he never suffered in the ring before. He will on July 17.

“My prediction is that I am going to win and he will suffer.”

DERRICK JAMES, Jermell Charlo’s Trainer

“Everything about success is about overcoming adversity. The adversities of training. The adversity of preparing for fights. The heat in Texas is insane, and for him to just continue to push through all of that is impressive.

“We know the type of fighter that Brian Castaño is and we’re preparing for the best version of that. He’s a good fighter. A good boxer. Good technically. Jermell is going to show what we’ve been working on and how he’s progressed from his last fight until now. You will see his greatness.

“Castaño is a good fighter and you have to respect his abilities. But at the same time, Jermell is more athletic. He’s faster. His athleticism and his intellect will be the difference. Our goal is to be at our best and take away all of Castaño’s attributes. With everything that he does well, my job is to make sure that we don’t get a chance to see how good he is.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

“This will be Jermell’s 14th appearance on SHOWTIME. He started on ShoBox through SHOWTIME Extreme, through Championship and all the way through pay-per-view. This is an important fight for the history of the sport. It’s an important fight for getting the momentum back after the pandemic for the sport and Jermell graciously agreed to put this on SHOWTIME and make this available to the biggest audience possible.

“We will be supporting this fight with an All-Access special we are filming now, where Jermell will be his usual entertaining self. But more than All-Access and more than all of that, this is the consensus No. 1 fighter in the division versus consensus No. 2. People say nowadays the best aren’t fighting the best. I’m here to tell you it happens. It’s been happening and right here is a great example of that. An undisputed title is at stake in the 154-pound division. It does not get bigger than this. A good solid event on the undercard, this is really the event of the summer. Looking forward to it and glad to have Jermell back on SHOWTIME.”

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

ANTHONY YARDE is delighted that arch rival Lyndon Arthur is number one in the WBO Light-Heavyweight ratings, but will still demand their rematch takes place after their respective fights next month.

Arthur won a narrow split decision when they fought last December taking Yarde’s Commonwealth title and capturing the vacant WBO Inter-Continental title.

Both are in action on Queensberry’s big show at London’s splendid Royal Albert Hall on Saturday July 10, live on BT Sport.

‘King’ Arthur (18-0, 12 KOs) headlines the bill in the first defence of his WBO Inter-Continental title against Italian champion Davide Faraci (15-0, 7 KOs).

Manchester’s Arthur is now ranked number one for the WBO World crown worn by American Joe Smith.

“I am actually happy that Lyndon has reached number one,” said 29-year-old Yarde.

“I like to see progress and elevation. It’s the sport of boxing so when someone is doing well I am not a person to hate, but I do want the rematch.”

Yarde previously held top spot with the WBO and earned a crack against Sergey Kovalev when he was World champion in August 2019. He performed superbly before losing in the 11th round.

He added: “I wanted the rematch immediately, but will search for that straight after this fight.

“As far as I know there is a contract for the rematch, but we know how boxing works.

“Hopefully we can get the rematch on and I can get back my number one spot.”

Yarde’s who is still in the WBC, IBF and WBO rankings has fought twice behind closed doors during the pandemic –  against Dec Spelman who he beat in six rounds and Arthur.

When he faces Atra it will be his first contest in front of British fans since a fifth round stoppage of American Travis Reeves in March 2019, which also took place at the Royal Albert Hall.

Yarde says: “I can’t wait to blow away the cobwebs and get back into action, but for me the main thing will be having fans at the Royal Albert Hall.

“I am looking forward to getting back to normal, thriving off the crowd and the atmosphere that brings. It will make me feel like I am in a competitive boxing match.

“Against Spelman it was weird because there was no audience. In the Arthur fight, he had about 50 people making noise, but it was different. I just bought my sister and niece.

“With the crowd back I will feel like life is getting back to normal.”

Commonwealth Light-Heavyweight champion Lyndon Arthur (18-0, 12 KOs) headlines the July 10th Royal Albert Hall bill and makes the first defence of his WBO Inter-Continental title against Italian Davide Faraci (15-0, 7 KOs).

The Mancunian’s bitter rival Anthony Yarde (20-2, 19 KOs) faces unbeaten German Emin Atra (17-0, 12 KOs) in a non-title ten rounder.

Also on the bill WBO ranked number one Super-Middleweight Zach Parker (20-0, 14 KOs) will defend his WBO International belt against Uzbek Sherzod Khusanov (22-2-1, 10 KOs).

 WBO ranked number four Super-Featherweight, Archie Sharp (19-0, 9 KOs) meets Nicaragua’s Marcio Soza (21-6-2, 12 KOs) with the vacant WBO Global championship on the line.

Prodigious bantamweight talent Dennis McCann (9-0, 5 KOs) faces Tanzanian John Chuwa (20-4, 10 KOs).

Elsewhere on the card, 2016 Olympian Muhammad Ali (2-0) will have his third professional assignment against Lee Glover (11-4, 3 KOs), with Lightweight KO-artist Sam Noakes (5-0, 5 KOs) and Light-Heavyweight former Olympic Youth champion Karol Itauma (2-0, 1 KO) also featuring.

WBO #1 Ranked Super-Middleweight tank Zach Parker has sized up his Queensberry Light Heavyweight stablemates and confidently declared: “They ain’t much bigger than me, I’d love to fight any of them!”
 
Parker had chance to stand alongside Britain’s best 175lb’ers when he attended last week’s press conference for the July 10th show at the Royal Albert Hall.
 
Headlining that show will be ‘King’ Lyndon Arthur, who is battling Italy’s Davide Faraci, but also in attendance at the media event was ‘The Beast from the East’ Anthony Yarde and ‘The One’ Callum Johnson.
 
Parker said of the potential for joining them in a fatal fourway knockout competition: “I’m a massive super-middleweight, so if the opportunity comes up I’d definitely go up and fight any of them.”
 
Title hungry Parker even had a suggestion for how Hall-Of-Fame Promoter Frank Warren could brand such a tournament, telling Dev Sahni it should be called “The four kings.”
 
Super-Middleweights adding 7lb’s of muscle and joining the Light-Heavy ranks is a hot topic at the minute, with suggestions in the press that John Ryder is being lined up for a shot at Dmitry Bivol.
 
Parker couldn’t hide his disappointment at a potential fight with Ryder being taken off the table for himself – saying he was “pissed off” – and even poured cold water on the Islington man’s chances against Bivol: “I’m big enough for the Light Heavies, Ryder ain’t”, he said.
 
He did say, however, that he hoped his fellow Brit could pull off the upset.
 
Before he can think of any potential move up in weight, though, Parker must deal with the immediate threat in front of him.
 
That challenge falls on July 10th when he squares up against battle-hardened Uzbekistani bruiser Sherzod Khusanov – a bout the Derby ace insists he is not taking lightly.
 
“He’s coming to win and he wants my WBO #1 spot. It’s a tough opponent, I’ve seen a little bit of him. He’s won 22, lost 2 and he’s a former Olympian. He’s a former silver medallist at the world championships, too, but at my A game no one beats me.”
 
Parker’s confidence stems in part from a professional record of 20-0, with 14 KO’s. Most recently, he impressed on his Queensberry debut when he dominated Vaughn Alexander and blasted the previously unfinished man out in just two rounds.
 
Zach is aware of the importance of such showings, especially now he has the support of a platform the size of BT.
 
“I want to get everyone excited about me, even more than after the Vaughn Alexander fight” said Parker, adding ominously: “I’m planning another knockout.”
 
“Every performance I want to be my best and with these sort of opponents I’ll perform better. The better the opponent, the better I’ll perform.”
 
“I know my own ability; I know what I can do in the ring. I just need to show everyone now.
 
“I’m with BT and Frank Warren, it’s my time now and I can’t wait.”

To watch the full interview with Zach Parker on the official Queensberry YouTube page, click here

Commonwealth Light-Heavyweight champion Lyndon Arthur (18-0, 12 KOs) headlines the July 10th Royal Albert Hall bill and makes the first defence of his WBO Inter-Continental title against Italian Davide Faraci (15-0, 7 KOs).

 The Mancunian’s bitter rival Anthony Yarde (20-2, 19 KOs) faces unbeaten German Emin Atra (17-0, 12 KOs) in a non-title ten rounder.

 Also on the bill WBO ranked number one Super-Middleweight Zach Parker (20-0, 14 KOs) will defend his WBO International belt against Uzbek Sherzod Khusanov (22-2-1, 10 KOs).

 WBO ranked number four Super-Featherweight, Archie Sharp (19-0, 9 KOs) meets Nicaragua’s Marcio Soza (21-6-2, 12 KOs) with the vacant WBO Global championship on the line.

 Prodigious bantamweight talent Dennis McCann (9-0, 5 KOs) faces Tanzanian John Chuwa (20-4, 10 KOs).

 Elsewhere on the card, 2016 Olympian Muhammad Ali (2-0) will have his third professional assignment against Lee Glover (11-4, 3 KOs), with Lightweight KO-artist Sam Noakes (5-0, 5 KOs) and Light-Heavyweight former Olympic Youth champion Karol Itauma (2-0, 1 KO) also featuring.

NEW YORK (June 20, 2021)-Split-T Management is proud to announce the signing of amateur standout Dante Benjamin Jr. to a managerial contract.

Benjamin, 19 years-old of Cleveland, Ohio amassed over 100 wins as an amateur, and was a seven-time national champion as he was a 2016 and 2017 Junior National Champion, 2017 Eastern Regional Champion, and a 2018 Youth National champion. He also took first place in the Emil Jechev International tournament in Botevgrad, Bulgaria.

In 2017, he named the Under Armour Fighter of the Year.

As an amateur, Benjamin competed in the 176-pound division, but he will begin his professional career fighting the super middleweight division.

“Dante has great potential and we see big things from him,” said David McWater of Split-T Management. We see him as a future champion and look forward to getting him started towards all of his goals.”

“I signed with Split-T Management as I feel they can do the most for me and my career goals, which includes winning world titles,” said Benjamin.

I wanted to make this announcement specifically on Father’s Day as my father passed a way a couple of months ago, and I feel this is a gift to him to announce that I am going pro on this day.”

In 2010, at the age of eight, Benjamin’s father steered him towards boxing as he used to fight a lot in the playground.

Benjamin describes his style as being a boxer-puncher, who can do everything in the ring.

“I can’t wait to get started. I am looking to get my first fight sometime in August or September.

Benjamin is trained by famed trainer Renard Safo.

“Dante has all of the skills to become a world champion. I am happy to have Dante signed with Split-T Management. I have known David McWater a long time, and I know he will have Dante’s best interest,” said Safo.

NEW YORK (June 20 2021)-Lightweight Eric Puente and junior welterweight Omar Rosario remained perfect by scoring big wins at The Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The duo are managed by Split-T Management.

Puente had to shake off an opening round knockdown to win a unanimous decision over Jose Antonio Meza in a lightweight bout.

In round one, Puente was sent to the canvas from a left hook. Puente showed a tremendous heart and determination as he fought himself back into the contest. By round three, Puente seized control of the bout, and won by scores of 58-55 twice to raise his perfect mark to 6-0. Meza falls to 7-6.

Rosario was very impressive by stopping previously undefeated JJ Mariano in the fourth and final round.

In the opening round, Rosario buckled Mariano. In round two, Rosario registered a knockdown, and later in the round he landed a hard hook that had Mariano staggering back yo his corner.

Rosario hurt Mariano several times in round three, and finished off Mariano with a left that sent Mariano down again, and the fight was stopped at 2:13.

Rosario of Caguas, PR is now 4-0 with two knockouts. Mariano is now 3-1.

Rosario said, “We took full advantage of the opportunity and put on a good performance on a great card. We got the job done against an opponent who was undefeated and who came to put up a great fight.”

Puente and Rosario are promoted by Top Rank.

Photo Credit: Mikey Williams (Top Rank via Getty Images)

NEW YORK (June 18, 2021)-Two undefeated fighters from the Split-T Management stable will be in action tomorrow night at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas.

Puente will take on Jose Antonio Meza in a six-round lightweight fight, while Rosario squares off with JJ Mariano in a four-round battle of undefeated junior welterweights.

Puente, 21 years-old of Vista, California is 5-0 and is coming off a unanimous decision over undefeated Sergio Vega on February 13th in Las Vegas.

Puente was a 2016 National Youth Open Champion, and was a member of Team USA. Puente was a favorite to be a member of the 2020 United States Olympic Team

Meza of Durango, Mexico, will be the most experienced foe of Puente’s young career as he has record of 7-5 with two knockouts. The 24 year-old Meza has wins over Arturo Montes (1-0-2) and Juan Funez (11-0-1). Meza is coming off a distance defeat to hotshot prospect Keyshawn Davis on May 8th in Arlington, Texas.

Puente was 136 lbs at Friday’s weigh-in; Meza was 136.6

Rosario of Caguas, Puerto Rico is 3-0 with one knockout. The 23 year-old is coming off of a 2nd round stoppage over Uriel Villanueva on February 20th in Las Vegas,

Rosario, 23 years-old, was the Puerto Rican Olympic Trial Champion at 152 lbs., and was the island’s favorite to win a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Mariano of Reno, Nevada is 3-0 with two knockouts. The 27 year-old is coming off an opening round stoppage over Matthew Reed October 3rd in Las Vegas,

Rosario was 140.5 lbs; Mariano was 140 lbs.

The bouts will be streamed live on ESPN+ at 8 PM ET

Puente and Rosario are promoted by Top Rank.

GUADALAJARA, MEXICO (JUNE 18, 2021)– Weights for Saturday night’s Tribute to the King’s Pay-Per-View featuring Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs Anderson Silva

PAY-PER-VIEW WEIGHTS (9 pm ET)
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. 184.4 – Anderson Silva 182
Julio Cesar Chavez 143 – Hector Camacho Jr. 160 lbs
(Exhibition)
Omar Chavez 161.1 – Ramon Alvarez 160
Damian Sosa 153.4 – Abel Mina 153.6
Kevin Torres 138.4 – Jorge Melendez 137.8

BeIN Sports Weights (7 PM ET)
Jesus Acosta 129.8 – Leonardo Padilla 129.2
Cesar Gutierrez 140 – Oscar Mejia 137.8
Mario Ramirez 128.6 – Pedro Castro 127.2
Johan Alvarez 129.8 – Erick Hernandez 131.6
Jose Vazquez 133.2 – Jonathan Perez 134.2
Diego Torres 136 – Jose Pacheco 134.2
Oscar Murguia 123.6 – Ricardo Badillo 122.2
Gamilel Perez 142.8 – Ismael Moreno 148.4

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

    •   Naoya Inoue 118 lbs vs. Michael Dasmarinas 117.4 lbs 
(Inoue’s WBA/IBF Bantamweight World Titles — 12 Rounds)
Judges: Tim Cheatham, Patricia Morse Jarman and Don Trella
Referee: Russell Mora

•     Mikaela Mayer 129.8 lbs vs. Erica Farias 128.2 lbs 
(Mayer’s WBO Junior Lightweight World Title— 10 Rounds)
Judges: Max De Luca, Eric Cheek and Lisa Giampa
Referee: Mike Ortega

•    Adam Lopez 126 lbs vs. Isaac Dogboe 125.4 lbs 
(Lopez’s NABF featherweight title— 10 Rounds)
Judges: Chris Migliore, Dave Moretti and Don Trella
Referee: Celestino Ruiz

(ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT)

•    Lindolfo Delgado 141.6 lbs vs. Salvador Briceno 141.2 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Eric Puente 136 lbs vs. Jose Antonio Meza  136.6
(Lightweight  — 6 Rounds)

   •   Omar Rosario 140.5 lbs vs. JJ Mariano 140
 (Junior Welterweight — 4 Rounds)

Providence, RI (June 18, 2021) – Featherweights Angel Luna and Adan Ochoa face one another for the vacant WBC USNBC title and Jaime “Hurricane” Clampitt makes her long-awaited return in a special showcase bout against fellow Canadien Olivia Gerula as CES Boxing promotes its first event in front of a live audience since February of 2020 tomorrow at noon.

Listed below are the official weights for “The Thriller at the Stadium,” which begins tomorrow at noon at the historic Cranston Stadium in Cranston, RI, followed by the main card streaming live at 1 on UFC FIGHT PASS®. CES publicist and matchmaker Michael Parente handles play-by-play alongside the legendary “Sucra” Ray Oliveira and Fun 107 radio host and veteran ringside correspondent Madelyn Grimaldi.

The Thriller at the Stadium features the highly-anticipated return of the four-time world champion Clampitt (22-5-1, 7 KOs) fighting for the first time in eight years in a six-round special attraction against fellow former world-title holder Gerula (18-19-2, 3 KOs) of Ontario, plus the eight-round main event between the Dominican Republic native “El Gato” Luna (14-6-1, 7 KOs) and 23-year-old Los Angeles prospect Ochoa (11-2, 4 KOs).

Additional fight card details are available online. Visit CESFights.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter at @CESBOXING. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, visit ufcfightpass.com, or download the UFC app.

WEIGH-IN RESULTS
ANGEL LUNA
East Haven, CT14-6-1, 7 KOs
125

ADAN OCHOA
Los Angeles, CA
11-2, 4 KOs
125

JAMES PERELLA
Mansfield, MA
6-0, 4 KOs
146

GAEL IBARRA
Douglas, AZ
5-3, 4 KOs
149

WILSON MASCARENHAS
New Bedford, MA
3-1
140

GEOFFREY THEN
Danbury, CT
1-0, 1 KO
140

VICTOR REYNOSO
Providence, RI
6-0, 5 KOs
153

MARTEZ JACKSON
Macon, GA
5-4-3, 2 KOs
153

JAIME CLAMPITT
Warwick, RI
22-5-1, 7 KOs
133

OLIVIA GERULA
Ontario, Canada
18-19-2, 3 KOs
133

GARY BALLETTO III
Cranston, RI
1-0, 1 KO
170

WILLIAM DUNKLE
Boise, ID
Pro debut
170

INFORMATION
CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC Fight Pass, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience.

Sprout CoWorking is a membership-based co-working facility used by entrepreneurs, start-ups, remote corporate workers, innovation teams, established small businesses, freelancers, community organizations, and home-based workers that are looking for supplemental business resources.

UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combat sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHTPASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.

WBC Middleweight World Championship – 12 Rounds

Jermall Charlo – 160 lbs.

Juan Macias Montiel – 159.6 lbs.

Referee: Jon Schorle; Judges: Steve Morrow (Calif.), Nathan Palmer (Ind.), Chris Tellez (N.M.)

Lightweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Isaac Cruz – 133 lbs. 

Francisco Vargas – 134 lbs.

Referee: James Green; Judges: Kellie Isaac (Texas), Jesse Reyes (Texas), Randy Russell (Texas)

Super Bantamweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Angelo Leo – 122 lbs.

Aaron Alameda – 123.4 lbs.* 

Referee: Gregorio Alvarez; Judges: Jesse Reyes (Texas), Randy Russell (Texas), Eva Zaragoza (Texas)

*Alameda came in over the contracted weight. The fight will proceed as scheduled.

#          #          #

ABOUT CHARLO VS. MONTIEL

Charlo vs. Montiel will see undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo enter the ring for a Juneteenth Day celebration in his hometown when he takes on hard-hitting Juan Macías Montiel on Saturday, June 19 at Toyota Center in Houston headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event live on SHOWTIME.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and feature rising lightweight contender Isaac Cruz battling former world champion Francisco Vargas in the 10-round co-main event. Kicking off the telecast, former world champion Angelo Leo returns to take on Mexican contender Aaron Alameda in a 10-round super bantamweight bout. 

The event is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions. Leo vs. Alameda is promoted in association with Mayweather Promotions.

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

London, UK (18 June 2021) Iron-fisted heavyweight prospect Tommy Welch has his first pro fight on foreign soil tomorrow night (Saturday 19 June) in Brussels, Belgium, as he looks to take his record to 3-0.

The 25-year-old hot talent from Brighton has a great opportunity to keep active and get another fight under his belt when he features on the Maatala Production event and takes on Hungary’s Gyorgy Kutasi over four rounds.

Powerhouse Welch has made quick work of his first two opponents, just last month he destroyed Dmitrij Kalinovskij in the opening round and prior to that on his pro debut in December he stopped Matt Gordon in the second round.

All-action Welch doesn’t intend to rack up the rounds and wants to wipe out Kutasi in quick time to show he means business on his rise up the heavyweight division.

He said, “I know what I’ve got in front of me and I don’t want to be going in there doing rounds with this guy. At this early stage of my career it’s not about the rounds, that will come later as I step up, it’s about getting in there and unloading my punches and taking him out quickly, effectively and in devastating style.”

For further information go to www.hennessysports.com or social media: Facebook @HennessySports, Twitter @HennessySports and Instagram @hennessysports

Wasserman Boxing is delighted to announce the signing of a hat-trick of top UK talent as Hosea Stewart, Linus Udofia and Razor Ali ink promotional deals.  

Hosea Stewart, the explosive heavyweight handpicked by Anthony Joshua for sparring ahead his world title fight with Kubrat Pulev and proposed bout with Tyson Fury, will enter the professional ranks with Wasserman Boxing. 

Stewart hails from a family that has boxing running through its veins, and has already proven his pedigree as an amateur. The 24-year-old is a two-time Midlands champion, ABA finalist and GB Amateur Championship winner. 

“Let’s get to work,” said Stewart. “Throughout this whole pandemic, and even before it I told myself, keep working, keep doing what you do, keep making moves – and now I’m making moves with the biggest players in the game!”

On sparring with Anthony Joshua, Stewart says he believes the experience has teed him up perfectly for a move into the pro game.

“I know I’m ready for this. I wouldn’t let myself do it if I didn’t know 100% I was ready,” he said. “Sparring with AJ and other top class professionals has left no doubt in my mind that I can do this. I have a lot of work to do, I need to focus on my game, but that’s what I’ve been doing for years now. I’m here on the heavyweight scene and I’m here to cause some problems!”

English Champion ‘Lightning’ Linus Udofia (16-0, 8 KOs) has also put pen to paper as he looks to progress his already impressive career. The hard-hitting middleweight is hot off the back of a TKO win over John Harding Jr, and has his eyes set on moving up the ranks and challenging for more belts.

“My team are the best in the business and now we’ve joined Wasserman we will become a real force in the sport,” he said. “The idea of signing with Wasserman and working with the Sauerland brothers really excited me! 

“Look at the moves they’re making. They’re expanding and showcasing the very best talent in the country. The next generation as well as the most exciting fighters currently. This is what boxers dream of. It’s what I dreamed of and I’m excited and raring to go!”

Completing a hat-trick of signings is British Iranian Alireza ‘Razor Ali’ Ghadiri (3-0). The undefeated featherweight has overcome adversity and homelessness to become one of the most sought after young talents in the sport after arriving in the UK as a political refugee.

“I’ve been dreaming of this situation for years – I’ve worked every day for the last 5 years, no days off, to get into this position,” said Ali. “When I came to the UK, I had no money – I was literally penniless, couldn’t speak any English and was sleeping on the streets.

“I want to inspire people. When you’re Mr Nobody you can’t inspire people, but I feel now I can become someone who can share a story. Even if it’s just one person, I can say life tried to KO me, but I came back and I’m here.”

Promoter Nisse Sauerland says today’s signings are a signal of intent from Wasserman Boxing as they look to deepen their stable by developing the best young talent alongside established stars. 

“We’re delighted to welcome Hosea, Linus and Ali to the team,” said Sauerland. “Today’s signings are statements of where we are moving with Wasserman Boxing. We want to work with the most exciting young talent who are hungry to develop. We will be continuing to grow our stable and will have more exciting announcement coming soon.”

CALLUM JOHNSON says it’s “a gutter” not to be boxing alongside Light-Heavyweight rivals Lyndon Arthur and Anthony Yarde next month.

WBO number one contender Arthur and Yarde return to the ring at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Saturday July 10, live on BT Sport.

Former British and Commonwealth champion Johnson believes he may have stolen their thunder but injury means he cannot box on the bill as planned.

“I have had a few niggles that I thought would heal quicker, but I am back in training and will be ready for August,” said Johnson who came through a two round war against Emil Markic in April.

“It is a little bit of a gutter not being on the same bill as Lyndon and Anthony on July 10, but not the end of the world.

“It will only be another few weeks before Frank Warren has me out again, but I would have liked to be on that card.

“Firstly for the excitement of all three of us being on it and secondly to get out a bit quicker.

“I don’t think Lyndon or Anthony are as exciting as I am. I don’t think there are many fighters out there who are as exciting as me.

“The Markic fight brought a lot of excitement and everyone was talking about it. There are a lot of people who can’t wait to see me back out again.

“It’s a good card Queensberry are putting on at the Royal Albert Hall and they both have business to take care of. It looks like they are going to be having a rematch.”

Arthur took a split decision over Yarde when they met last December and promoter Warren has announced that a rematch is set to take place in the autumn.

If Johnson doesn’t get a second world title fight earlier, he will certainly be in the mix to fight the pair.

“They have both got to look good at the Royal Albert Hall trying to prove they are the best out of each other and to get people thinking they are the best in the country,” added Johnson who suffered his only loss in a thrilling World title challenge against Artur Beterbiev in October 2018.

“I think I would favour Arthur in the rematch, but it is a tough fight for both of them.

“Arthur deserved to win the first fight, but it wasn’t clear cut. He never dominated it massively, but did enough.

“These are exciting times because we all have a point to prove and all chasing the same thing.”

Commonwealth Light-Heavyweight champion Lyndon Arthur (18-0, 12 KOs) headlines the July 10th Royal Albert Hall bill and makes the first defence of his WBO Inter-Continental title against Italian Davide Faraci (15-0, 7 KOs).

 The Mancunian’s bitter rival Anthony Yarde (20-2, 19 KOs) faces unbeaten German Emin Atra (17-0, 12 KOs) in a non-title ten rounder.

 Also on the bill WBO ranked number one Super-Middleweight Zach Parker (20-0, 14 KOs) will defend his WBO International belt against Uzbek Sherzod Khusanov (22-2-1, 10 KOs).

 WBO ranked number four Super-Featherweight, Archie Sharp (19-0, 9 KOs) meets Nicaragua’s Marcio Soza (21-6-2, 12 KOs) with the vacant WBO Global championship on the line.

 Prodigious bantamweight talent Dennis McCann (9-0, 5 KOs) faces Tanzanian John Chuwa (20-4, 10 KOs).

 Elsewhere on the card, 2016 Olympian Muhammad Ali (2-0) will have his third professional assignment against Lee Glover (11-4, 3 KOs), with Lightweight KO-artist Sam Noakes (5-0, 5 KOs) and Light-Heavyweight former Olympic Youth champion Karol Itauma (2-0, 1 KO) also featuring.

HAMZAH SHEERAZ has moved his training base to California and insists: “I now know that I belong at the top.”

The WBO European Super-Welterweight champion is training under experienced Ricky Funez at the Ten Goose gym in Los Angeles.

Sheeraz (12-0, 8 KOs) switched to his new base two months ago and believes the results will show when he returns to action this Summer.

The Ilford man said: “If I came here and got my arse kicked in sparring I would have come home and not wasted time and money.

“The sparring whether it’s in our gym, going to the Wild Card or Justin Fortune’s gym is great. I have been sparring Olympians, Mexicans, South Americans and Cubans.

“It’s good to get a taste of all the styles because you know where you are at.

“I know for sure that I belong at the top after sparring here. It’s now about making the right adjustments and moves at the right time.

“In terms of training over here it is how you are outside as well as inside the ring.

“It’s not like I’m a wild child. I’m well behaved, but watching boxing, living it and breathing it is all I do out here.

“So many people come in and out the gym like the Ruelas brothers and I pick up a bit of knowledge from everyone.

“It takes a few camps for massive changes, but I’ve been learning a hell of a lot especially when it comes to work rate.”

Honduran born Funez learned the boxing business under Dan and Joe Goossen and worked with some of the sport’s biggest names.

That list includes the late Diego Corrales, Shane Mosley, Azumah Nelson, Michael Nunn, Gabe Ruelas, Rafael Ruelas, James Toney and Israel Vazquez.

Hamzah who is world ranked number 13 by the WBO for Brian Castano’s world title set out to chase the American dream after meeting with Funez in London in 2019.

Sheeraz explained: “Before my fight with Ryan Kelly, Ricky was around as he had a YouTuber fighting on a charity event.

“I was asked to do a session with him so I could get a taste of what it was like working with an American coach and didn’t think anything of it.

“I thought I’d do the session and crack on with my day. Ever since then I have always wanted to come to America.

“At the time I didn’t have the funds and sponsorship in place, but got that thanks to my sponsors in Dubai.

“That allowed me to come over here and once we got the funds I made the move straight away. I am fully based here training wise with Ricky.

“It is pure camp life and I’m usually too tired to do much when I have time so it is Netflix and rest. It isn’t boring because I am enjoying it.

“I have given up so much. Unfortunately, my Uncle passed away and I had to miss his funeral, my birthday and a couple Religious festivals.

“I have been away for what seems so long that whoever is in the ring with me has to pay for it.

“We plan to fly back into the UK soon and allow plenty of time to get used to the eight hours time difference before the fight.”

There are plenty who expect Hamzah to reach the top, but before then he is involved in a thriving domestic scene.

A showdown with Queensberry stablemate Troy Williamson has been discussed but his rival is next in line to challenge British champion Ted Cheeseman.

.Hamzah added: “I have never set out to go out and win a British title, but if the opportunity came I wouldn’t knock it down.

“Whatever route Frank Warren and my manager Andy Ayling chooses I’ll go with. I will get in with whoever is in my way.”

ATLANTA (June 17, 2021) – Top contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin and former unified champion Jeison Rosario, plus former unified champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams and Brian Mendoza previewed their respective showdowns during a virtual press conference Thursday before they enter the ring on the Gervonta Davis vs. Mario Barrios SHOWTIME PPV undercard Saturday, June 26 from the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Lubin and Rosario will meet in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, while Williams and Mendoza square off for a 10-round super welterweight showdown on the pay-per-view telecast. The telecast also features hard-hitting Olympian Batyr Akhmedov stepping in against former world champion Argenis Mendez in the opening bout at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event at State Farm Arena, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday:

ERICKSON LUBIN

“This has been the best camp of my life. I know it sounds cliché, but it really has been. I’ve been in the gym since my last fight. I made a few mistakes in that fight, but Kevin Cunningham and I have been at it since last year and we’re coming to make a statement.

“This is a stacked card and we’re excited to be a part of it. I’m ready to show everyone that I’m the best fighter in this division.

“This is going to be a fan-friendly fight. I can mix it up, box or bang. Rosario always comes forward. The fans are going to love it. I’m not the fighter who tries to find an easy way out. I’m looking to make a statement.

“I think that I’m a totally different fighter than when I trained with his coach, Herman Caicedo. Me and Kevin have worked on a lot of things that regular southpaws don’t have. I’m coming in with a game plan that’s like a jigsaw puzzle. I think this is the wrong fight for Rosario to take coming off a knockout loss.

“This fight comes down to who wants it more and who prepared better. I have power too. He’s got to have the skills and have his mind there. I know I’m ready mentally. I can’t wait to fight.

“I gained a lot of experience fighting Nathaniel Gallimore and Terrell Gausha. Those are top contenders. I don’t want any tune-up fights, that’s why I took this fight against Rosario. I gained a lot of confidence and everything is clicking for me right now.

“When I become world champion, I want to be able to say that I’ve beat all the top guys in the division. That’s just how I am. I’m a competitor. Make sure you tune-in on June 26.

“It doesn’t matter if I knock Rosario out or if I don’t. My job is to look good and come out victorious. I’m going to go in there and show the world that I can make anyone in this division look bad.”

JEISON ROSARIO

“I feel very healthy and very strong. It’s been a great camp so far and probably one of the best camps I’ve had in my career. I’m already at the weight and I am ready to go. The Jermell Charlo fight is the past. That’s over with. This is a new camp and I feel very strong. We’re moving forward.

“I changed trainers just because I was looking for a change. Not necessarily because I lost, but because it was just the right timing. Unfortunately, it came with a loss, but that was not the reason for the change. We’ve known each other for some time. I know Herman Caicedo’s style. It’s no nonsense. No excuses. It’s all or nothing and that’s what I wanted moving forward.

“First and foremost, I have the power to knockout Lubin and anybody in the 154-pound division. The camp that I’ve had, and the little tidbits of southpaw knowledge that I’ve picked up on, make me confident that I can knock Lubin out.

“What happened in the Charlo fight was the fluke. Me winning the titles was not the fluke. I’m going to show everybody that I will bounce back from that loss and win my next fight. I have no problem taking this fight. It’s not a mistake at all. This is what we do. We fight. I’m very excited for June 26 and I expect Lubin to bring his best.

“I actually watched the Charlo fight for the first time last night. Obviously, I learned from my mistake and worked to correct it in this camp. I’m looking forward to showing what I’ve learned from that defeat on June 26.

“At 154 pounds, I can knock anybody out. I have seen some of Lubin’s fights just as a fan and he is a great fighter. It’s not easy to land shots on him or land a home run shot. So that’s not the game plan. Obviously, there is a game plan and if I do land on him, I feel that I can knock him out. But I won’t just go in there trying to land a shot on the chin.

“I’m the type to take advantage of an opportunity when it presents itself. This is another opportunity to get right back in the picture and fight for a title, so you have to take this. Not everybody would. Erickson did and I’m cut from the same cloth. It’s the opportunity and the pride of fighting the best.”

JULIAN WILLIAMS

“Camp is going really well. I’ve been out in Las Vegas with SugarHill Steward grinding and putting in the work. The fans can expect an explosive performance and a victory for myself on June 26.

“I just have to be myself on June 26. I think I’m more skilled than anyone else in the division and I plan on proving that again against Brian Mendoza.

“I’ve known who Brian Mendoza is. I expect him to get beat. He’s a decent fighter, but victory is the only thing on my mind.

“I don’t want to talk about what happened before the Rosario fight because it’s in the past. I don’t want to make any excuses. It wasn’t that I didn’t focus or train hard. Right now, I’ve had a great camp and I’m prepared to win.

“With me, you’re always going to see a hungry and focused fighter in the ring. I don’t know if I’ll look much different. I think with a new coach it takes some time for the changes to start setting in.

“I went through a four-week training camp before my fight in December was cancelled because I got COVID-19. It was almost a full camp and it definitely kept me motivated going into this next training camp for this fight.

“I’m the best fighter in the division. I just lost, that’s all. LeBron James and Michael Jordan had bad nights, I can have a bad night too. I’m still the best in the division and I’m anxious to get back in the ring.”

BRIAN MENDOZA

“Training camp has been going great. I’m out here in Las Vegas, too. I’ve just been grinding. This is a very big opportunity for me and I plan to take full advantage of it. Everybody can expect one hundred percent and everything I have in me.

“It’s not about looking back at the one blemish on my record and crying about what happened in the past. There’s always a million excuses behind the scenes, but it is what it is. I learned from that loss and you guys have seen the change in my performances since that fight and how I was more comfortable at 154 pounds in my next fight. I feel like this next fight will pull out even more from me. You guys will see another big jump in my skill level on June 26.

“I do feel that I have everything to gain in this fight and nothing to lose. I keep telling people on fight night that you’re not going to see somebody that’s just happy to be here and happy to get to this point. I have big goals and this is the perfect fight. So you’re going to see me coming with everything I have and coming for the victory. I have everything to gain.

“I feel like I’m catching Julian Williams at the right time because of where I am in my career. It’s about me. This is the right time. I’m 27-years-old and I’ve been a pro for many years now. I just feel like the schooling that I’ve had is really starting to come out and I’m hitting that next level. I’m not worried about what’s going on with Williams. I know he’s still coming with everything he has to prove that he still has it and that he’s still in the mix.

“A lot of people get to this point and they get a big fight like this and they think they’ve made it. They get happy just to be here, but you won’t see that at all with me. I’ve always visualized being at the top of this sport and climbing to the very top. I’m taking full advantage of this opportunity and you’re going to see somebody very hungry on June 26.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“This is a really terrific card from top to bottom. Julian Williams is one of my favorite fighters. He’s a former unified champion who’s going to take on the tough Brian Mendoza. Williams is looking to make a big statement that he’s still a force and that he’s ready to get back in the mix with the other top 154-pounders.

“The co-main event could be a main event on its own. With Lubin and Rosario, we’re really excited to see who will emerge from that fight ready to challenge for a world title once again. We can’t wait for June 26.”

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ABOUT DAVIS VS. BARRIOS
Davis vs. Barrios will see four-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis set his sights on capturing a title in a third weight class when he faces undefeated WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios in a SHOWTIME PPV main event Saturday, June 26 at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature a battle of two top 154-pound contenders as Erickson “Hammer” Lubin faces former unified champion Jeison Rosario in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. Former unified super welterweight champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams returns to the ring to take on Brian Mendoza in a 10-round showdown and hard-hitting Olympian Batyr Akhmedov steps in against former world champion Argenis Mendez in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view telecast.

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions. The Akhmedov vs. Mendez fight is promoted in association with World of Boxing.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotions, @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions/.

GUADALAJARA, MEXICO (JUNE 17, 2021)–A world class broadcast team will be ringside calling the live boxing action for the “Tribute to the Kings” Pay-Per-View event taking place from Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico this Saturday, June 19th.

Tribute to the Kings, featuring Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. “The Spider” Anderson Silva will be available for live viewing on cable, shown on cable, satellite and digital Pay Per View, starting at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, on for a suggested retail price of only $39.99. Integrated Sports Media and Joe Hand Promotions will distribute throughout North America via DirecTV, iN Demand, Vubiquity, DISH, SaskTel, Rogers, Shaw PPV and via the FITE.TV website and app in the United States, Canada and select markets world-wide

Handling the blow-by-blow commentary will be Brandon Kyle. Known in the Muay Thai fight business as a broadcaster with Triumphant Combat Sports, he is now a fixture on the Global Sports Streaming (GSS) boxing series, “Best in Boxing.”

The expert analysis will be the work of former junior welterweight world champion, Chris Algieri. In addition to his championship pedigree, Algieri has quickly established himself as one of the best analyzers of fights with his work on Top Rank’s ESPN broadcasts.

Also handling commentary will be longtime boxing analyst, Jaime Motta.

Marcos Villegas will provide the unofficial scorecard.

Comedian Crystal Marie Denha will handle the reporting. Denha had her own sports show titled “The Fumble”. She left that to start a comedy career, and now is returning to broadcasting since selling The Fumble. She also hosted Australia Breakfast News Program “Sunrise”. She is a first-generation US citizen born to Iraqi parents.

Performing play-by-play calls on the Spanish broadcast will be Hall of Famer, Marco Antonio Barrera. Barrera who can be seen and heard on many of the major fights throughout Mexico, will be the team lead for Tribute to the Kings.

He will be joined by former world champion Cristian Mijares as well as analyst Goyitp Perez. Gerardo Rodriguez will handle the hosting duties at the desk.

Former featherweight contender, Chris Martin, will analyze the fights on the beIN SPORTS undercard pre-show, while Rodriguez and Motta call the beIN SPORTS undercard show in Spanish.

LAS VEGAS (June 17, 2021) — Naoya “Monster” Inoue is a man of few words, but his devastating knockouts, climb up the pound-for-pound rankings and cult hero status among combat sports fans have elevated the Japanese prodigy to main event status. Inoue will defend his WBA and IBF bantamweight world titles Saturday against Filipino mandatory challenger Michael “Hot and Spicy” Dasmarinas from The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Inoue, who also captured titles at light flyweight and junior bantamweight, is 15-0 in world title bouts and looks to continue his dominance against a man who has not tasted defeat since 2014.

In the co-feature, Mikaela Mayer will make the first defense of her WBO junior lightweight strap against former two-weight world champion Erica Farias. Mayer dethroned Ewa Brodnicka last October as the co-feature to the Inoue-Jason Moloney main event. Mayer has her sights on the top names in and around her weight class.

The 10-round featherweight televised opener will see the return of action star Adam Lopez, who will defend his NABF strap against former WBO junior featherweight world champion Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe. Lopez has won toe-to-toe battles against Louie Coria and Jason Sanchez since his valiant effort against Oscar Valdez, while Dogboe returned last July with a one-sided victory over Chris Avalos.

It was crowded dais Thursday, as Top Rank chairman Bob Arum and all six fighters participated in the final press conference. This is what they had to say.

Bob Arum

“Monster is back in the United States, and he’s fighting a tough Filipino. And I know from experience how tough Filipino fighters are. So this should be a very, very enjoyable fight. I can’t wait for Saturday night because the fists will be flying.”

Naoya Inoue

“Basically, {becoming undisputed champion} means I’m the best in that weight class, the bantamweight division. To prove that, that’s why I’m going after all four belts.” 

“I feel the expectations, and I want to answer those expectations, and I want to have a performance Saturday night to answer to those expectations.”

“I’m very happy that the nickname ‘Monster’ comes before Naoya Inoue. I’m very happy and honored, and I’ve taken it in myself as far as ‘Monster’ in the United States as my name.”

Michael Dasmarinas

“I did everything I am supposed to do in training, and I am prepared, and I will do whatever it takes to give a good fight to Naoya Inoue.”

“It was a long, hard wait {after winning the IBF title eliminator in March 2019}, but patience and perseverance allowed me to get here. I am thankful to everyone that I’ve been given the chance to fight a great fighter in Naoya Inoue.”

“America has to learn about my very hot and spicy punches!”

Mikaela Mayer

“We need to hear that promoters and networks want us to go those three-minute rounds and that they see the benefits it would have for women’s boxing. And if that’s what you want, I’ll give it to you, and if that’s what will grow women’s boxing, we will do it.”

“I don’t have anything bad to say about Erica Farias. She has been a champion for a long time. She fought at 140 and 147, and now she is coming down in weight. She has a ton of experience, but this is a new era in women’s boxing. The experience and the skill that I bring, even though I have less fights than her, is on another level thanks to the Olympics and for women being able to fight at the highest level in the amateurs. This will also be a test for her. I prepared very well and we studied her fights. We always go into fights with a good game plan. If she studied my last fight, it’s not going to really help her because every single fight we keep learning and building. I’m looking to become a better fighter every time I go out to the ring.”

Erica Farias

“I will take full advantage of this opportunity. I already became world champion in two divisions, and now I’m looking to become champion in the division that I debuted in a couple of years ago. I feel great at this weight.”

“I’m very calm. I’ve been working hard for seven months because I was going to get another opportunity in a higher weight class. That’s why we took this challenge. We were close to the division since I’ve been working very hard for the last couple of months.”

Adam Lopez

“This is the perfect name I need right now. Isaac is a great champion. He’s dedicated to the sport just like I am, and I’m excited to show you what I’ve been working on. Tune in. It’s going to be a great fight.”

“That fight alone {against Oscar Valdez} showed me that I got what it takes to be at the top. I took the fight on a day’s notice. I was going through a lot of management issues beforehand. I was in a shaky spot in my life. I was not 100 percent there mentally, physically, but it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. It was a fight I always wanted. The way it presented itself was something you never see happen. Nobody comes in 11 pounds heavy {like Valdez’s original opponent, Andres Gutierrez}. That’s unheard of, so I thought it was meant to be. I jumped on it. I did my thing. I think I showed the world what I got, and that was me on three weeks of training. Saturday night, I got a full camp, so I’m excited.” 

“I put everything into this camp. I know Isaac is a tough competitor, so you will see the best Adam Lopez Saturday night.”

Isaac Dogboe

“{You can expect} a firefight as usual. What can I say? I bring excitement. That’s exactly what they are expecting. They’re expecting Isaac Dogboe to come and fight, so I am going to come and fight. Obviously, the fans are looking forward to an exciting fight, and that’s why we’re here. At the end of the day, we just want to keep the excitement going. After the fight, they’ll be like, ‘Yeah, that’s Adam Lopez and Isaac Dogboe. That was the fight of the night.'”

“I love working with them, Barry {Hunter} and Boogie {Harris} and Brady. These guys, they are family. I feel great. At first, I was just supposed to pass through a couple of weeks. I ended up telling them, “You know what, I’m gonna stay.’ That’s how everything began. I feel great. The boys down there are really sharp. They’re motivating me. They keep me in shape. I’ve had a relaxed camp. I feel calm. Saturday, I’m ready to put everything on the line.”

“The best Adam Lopez can also be an undisciplined Adam Lopez. I know he is a great fighter. He’s gonna stick and move. But at the end of the day, sometimes Adam Lopez gets cute in the ring, so we’re looking to exploit that. When he gets a little cute, we’ll let him know that it’s not a time to get cute.”

SATURDAY, June 19, 2021

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

Naoya Inoue vs. Michael Dasmarinas, 12 rounds, Inoue’s WBA/IBF Bantamweight World Titles

Adam Lopez vs. Isaac Dogboe, 10 rounds, Lopez’s NABF featherweight title

ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT

Lindolfo Delgado vs. Salvador Briceno, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

Eric Puente vs. Jose Antonio Meza, 6 rounds, lightweight

Omar Rosario vs. JJ Mariano, 4 rounds, junior welterweight

HOUSTON (June 17, 2021) – Unbeaten WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo went face-to-face with the hard-hitting Juan Macias Montiel Thursday during the final press conference before they meet live on SHOWTIME this Saturday, June 19 from Toyota Center in Houston headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

Thursday’s press conference also featured rising lightweight contender Isaac Cruz and former world champion Francisco Vargas, who meet in the 10-round co-main event, plus former super bantamweight world champion Angelo Leo and Mexican contender Aaron Alameda, who battle in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Saturday’s event is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions. Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased at toyotacenter.com.

Charlo has established himself as a force in two divisions and will seek to thrill his hometown crowd against Mexico’s Montiel, in a first-of-its-kind Juneteenth Day boxing celebration. Charlo and his twin brother Jermell Charlo were given a proclamation from Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday, declaring this Juneteenth Day “Jermall and Jermell Charlo Day” in their hometown.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:

JERMALL CHARLO

“I’m blessed to be in this position to showcase my talent. Camp was awesome. I’ve had great sparring throughout and I’m ready.

“On Saturday you can expect a hard fight. If he comes at me the same way everyone comes at me, you’re going to see the same Jermall Charlo. I can deliver explosive knockouts, go 12 rounds or beat you down from start to finish.

“If he’s strong like they say he is, I’ll show you my movement and attack the body. I have all the skills and ability of every other great middleweight throughout history.

“He’s strong, but I fight strong fighters. I spar heavy fighters all the time. I’m strong too, right? I’m not worried about his power. This is my hometown, and I’m going to stay champion. The talk about his power is just going to make me fight harder.

“This is a real fight. This isn’t James Kirkland or Hugo Centeno Jr. You’re only as good as your last fight. There are levels to this and I’m going to show what level I’m on Saturday. If he’s that good and if his team has a game plan that no one else has used before, then I’ll accept it. But I’ve trained hard for this fight and I’m going to show it.

“I’m honored to be fighting on Juneteenth with the opportunity to represent my people. I get to fight for all my ancestors who fought before me. I love it and I’m focused.

“Every fighter wants the belt. I remember being in that position, but I’m even hungrier now. I’m not sleeping on anybody. I’m still young in my career. I can’t make any mistakes right now. I know he’s coming to fight.

“I am not overlooking Montiel. Saturday is a holiday and that’s great. But I put my life on the line every time I get into the ring. I can’t overlook this guy. He says he trained hard, but I trained way harder.

“June 19 is going to be a party. Everyone get ready for a show. I’m coming for a fight. I’m putting it all on the line. This is going to be one of the fights where I do what I say I’m going to do.”

JUAN MACIAS MONTIEL

“I had an unbelievable training camp. It was the best camp of my entire career. It was very tough physically, but I feel great right now. We’ve worked hard to bring another world champion to Mexico.

“I plan to show everything we’ve worked on in training camp on Saturday night. We’ve worked on a variety of techniques and styles to use in this fight. I’m excited to show them in the ring.

“I was the underdog in the James Kirkland fight and everyone saw what happened. I wasn’t training the way I do now when I fought Hugo Centeno Jr. to a draw. I know that I have the best middleweight in front of me, so I knew that I had to train harder than ever for this fight.

“I believe that if he wants to trade punches with me, he’s going to be sorry that he chose that strategy.

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity. On Saturday night I’m going to fulfill my dream of becoming a world champion. No matter what it takes.”

ISAAC CRUZ

“I had a great two and a half months of training and I’m ready for Saturday night. Vargas has a similar style to mine. We both like to stand in front of our opponent, so it’s going to be a great fight.

“I’m planning to put Mexico on top once again. ‘Pitbull’ Cruz is going to show up like I always do. This is going to be a war.

“I plan to deliver a wonderful gift for all of the fans in Houston. Just like I delivered in San Antonio two fights ago, I’m going to show everyone that same power.

“I’m coming to win and I’m ready to have my hand raised. I’m not looking past Vargas, but I’ll be ready for whoever is next after I win.”

FRANCISCO VARGAS

“I’m very motivated and I can’t wait for Saturday night. I had a great training camp and I know that this is going to be an action-packed fight for the fans.

“We both want to win for our country. Everyone knows what kind of fight this is going to be. Cruz is a strong fighter who comes forward, so I’d say our styles are definitely similar.

“There’s not much that needs to be said. People might think I don’t have anything left, but I’m going to prove on Saturday night that there’s plenty in the tank. Everyone is going to see on June 19.

“This is going to be a very entertaining fight. It definitely could steal the night. It’s shaping up to be that type of fight.

“When you’ve got two Mexican warriors, you can expect another Fight of the Year. Don’t miss it on Saturday.”

ANGELO LEO

“It’s a pleasure to be fighting in Houston, Texas. I came up short in my last fight, but this camp we’ve improved my strength and conditioning. I’m a lot stronger and a lot wiser from the experience I had against Stephen Fulton.

“Training camp with my dad has been great. We’re ready to go and put on a show for Houston on Saturday.

“I had COVID-19 about six weeks before the Fulton fight. As a fighter, I wanted to put on a show for the fans no matter what. In that fight, I didn’t have the same stamina that I had in the previous fight. I feel fully healed now and we’re going to deliver a good performance.

“I have a lot of motivation knowing that I’ve been champion once and that I can reach that height again. I just want to prove to everyone that I’m still at the top level of this division and a serious threat to anybody.”

AARON ALAMEDA

“We trained very hard for this fight. I got a lot of good experience from the Luis Nery fight and on Saturday I’m going to show everything that I’ve learned.

“It was a great opportunity against Luis Nery. I’m going to let my hands go, leave it all in the ring and be victorious on Saturday night.

“I’m very motivated by my previous experience against Nery. Everyone will see that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win in this fight.”

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ABOUT CHARLO VS. MONTIEL
Charlo vs. Montiel will see undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo enter the ring for a Juneteenth Day celebration in his hometown when he takes on hard-hitting Juan Macías Montiel on Saturday, June 19 at Toyota Center in Houston headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event live on SHOWTIME.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and feature rising lightweight contender Isaac Cruz battling former world champion Francisco Vargas in the 10-round co-main event. Kicking off the telecast, former world champion Angelo Leo returns to take on Mexican contender Aaron Alameda in a 10-round super bantamweight bout.

The event is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions. Leo vs. Alameda is promoted in association with Mayweather Promotions.

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

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 17, 2021) —- Triller today announced that 11-time Boxing World Champion Oscar De La Hoya will return to the ring to face Former UFC Superstar Vitor Belfort on Saturday, September 11, 2021 in Las Vegas, NV as part of the new TrillerVerz, the first-ever festival bringing together the power of Verzuz and Fight Club into one massive weekend festival. This will be the first of the TrillerVerz festivals.

The inaugural TrillerVerz will launch Friday, September 10 with a live Verzuz, followed by a full Saturday festival concert lineup with fight night entertainment produced by “So You Think You Can Dance” co-creator Nigel Lythgoe with the festival continuing on Sunday and Sunday Night.

De La Hoya and Belfort, two of the most respected and followed tacticians in their respective disciplines, will meet in a boxing ring for the first time Saturday, September 11.

TrillerVerz is a partnership developed between Triller-owned Verzuz and Triller owned Fight Club bringing together the cultural phenomenon the two have created throughout the music and sports worlds.

“We continue to create the biggest and most talked about events of the year, and we’re thrilled to introduce TrillerVerz, a spectacular weekend of music and events programmed by the legends themselves, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland,” said Bobby Sarnavesht, Triller co-owner, co-founder and Chairman. “There is no more anticipated and talked about return to the ring than Oscar De La Hoya, and his matchup with a legendary UFC Champion in Vitor Belfort will be a must-watch for entertainment and athleticism,” said co-founder Ryan Kavanaugh.

“I am ready to return to the ring and I am proud to be part of Triller and Verzuz and their game-changing model of reimagining the boxing business as four-quadrant entertainment,” De La Hoya said. “I have nothing but the utmost respect for a champion like Vitor Belfort as we show the world what high level boxing is all about.”

“It was incredibly important to me my comeback was on this date as it represents such an important moment in history for me, my fans and the words culture. This is much bigger than just me and this event, for all those with ties and or roots in and to Mexico.”

Said Belfort, “It will be a pleasure to represent MMA again, this time in the ring against one of the biggest names in the history of boxing. It will be a war not to be missed and a fight my kids will be talking about. This is certain to make combat sports history.”

Known as ‘The Golden Boy’ Oscar De La Hoya won 11 world titles in six weight classes, including the lineal championship in three weight classes as well as being an Olympic gold medalist. He’s one of the best drawing boxers in the sport’s history and was named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year in 1995, and was its top-rated fighter in the world, pound for pound, in 1997 and 1998. He announced his retirement as a fighter in 2009, following a professional career spanning 16 years.

Brazilian MMA fighter Vitor Belfort is known to fight fans as “The Phenom” for his explosive striking power that helped him secure the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship title and tie for third for the most finishes in UFC history. His fights became part of two of the biggest all-time best-selling UFC Pay-Per-View events in a successful career that includes fighting in UFC’s Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight and Middleweight divisions, fighting for the Strikeforce, Pride and Affliction promotions and winning the Cage Rage championship.

The full festival lineup and details will be announced shortly accompanying the world class boxing card.

The TrillerVerz weekend festival comes on the heels of the Triller’s record-breaking Tyson-Jones event in November followed up by the chart-topping Jake Paul-Ben Askren event Triller Fight Club event in April.

Verzuz, recently acquired by Triller, has become a cultural phenomenon breaking barriers in music with co-founders Swizz Beatz and Timbaland and 43 of the world’s top hip hop artist as partners including, John Legend, DMX, Alicia Keys, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross, Too $hort, Patti LaBelle, Gucci Mane, Jeezy, E-40, Bounty Killer, D’Angelo, Ludacris, RZA, The Dream, Babyface, Nelly, Jagged Edge, Fred Hammond, Jadakiss, Fabolous, Brandy, Monica, Gladys Knight, Boi-1da, Hit-Boy, Ne-Yo, Johnta Austin, Scott Storch, T-Pain, Lil Jon, DJ Premier, Mannie Fresh, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, 112, Kirk Franklin, Sean Garrett and D’Angelo and has shattered social records often breaking millions of concurrent views across triller, fite.tv and Instagram.

“This is a first step in expanding the Verzuz ecosystem but certainly not the last. It has not only changed culture but is the center of a paradigm shift. We listened carefully to the audience and are giving them what they asked for.” Said Sarnavesht.

CEO and chairman Mahi de Silva said “Triller changed social media, Fight Club changed boxing, Verzuz changed music. The TrillerVerz will shift culture”.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Las Vegas with a pair of heavyweight bouts, headlined by a clash between elite strikers as No. 3 ranked contender Ciryl Gane battles No. 5 Alexander Volkov. In the co-main event Canadian standout Tanner Boser battles Ovince Saint Preux.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: GANE vs. VOLKOV will take place Saturday, June 26 from UFC APEX is Las Vegas. The entire card will be available in English and Spanish on ESPN+, starting with the prelims at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT and continuing with the main card at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Undefeated Gane (8-0, fighting out of Paris, France) is coming off his first successful UFC main event, having bested fellow contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik in February. The former kickboxer immediately turned heads upon joining the UFC roster in 2019, picking up sensational wins over former champion Junior Dos Santos, Don’Tale Mayesr and Raphael Pessoa. Gane now hopes to continue his momentum with another high-level performance to stake his claim for a title shot.

Seasoned veteran Volkov (33-8, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) kicked off his 2021 campaign with a spectacular TKO victory over Alistair Overeem this past February. With 22 knockout victories on his resume, Volkov has also stopped former UFC champion Fabricio Werdum, Walt Harris and Stefan Struve in emphatic fashion. Volkov now has his sights on cementing his status as a title threat by handing Gane his first career loss.

Dynamic striker Boser (19-8-1, fighting out of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) is wasting no time returning to the Octagon with his sight set on delivering another spectacular KO win. Throughout his UFC run he has earned impressive finishes against Raphael Pessoa and Philipe Lins. Boser now hopes to make the most of his second co-main event spot by stopping Saint Preux.

Talented finisher Saint Preux (25-15, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) has proven to be just as skilled at striking as he is on the mat. A former interim light heavyweight title challenger, he has netted memorable wins against Tyson Pedro, Corey Anderson and Shogun Rua. Saint Preux now aims to deliver another highlight-reel victory to secure his first UFC win at heavyweight.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Kennedy Nzechukwu (8-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) goes for his third consecutive win when he faces Danilo Marques (11-2, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif. by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil) in a light heavyweight bout
• Featherweight finishers collide as Andre Fili (21-8, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) returns to the Octagon against Daniel Pineda (27-14, 2 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas).
• Renato Moicano (14-4-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) meets Jai Herbert (10-2, fighting out of Wolverhampton, England) in an intriguing lightweight bout
• Raoni Barcelos (16-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) faces Timur Valiev (17-2 1NC, fighting out of Toms River, N.J. by way of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia) in a battle of promising bantamweights
• Unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov (13-0, fighting out of Kokshetau, Kazakhstan) takes on returning Michel Prazeres (26-3, fighting out of Belem, Para, Brazil) at welterweight
• Nicolas Dalby (19-3-1 2NC, fighting out of Copenhagen, Denmark) squares off with Tim Means (31-12-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) in a welterweight bout
• Marcin Prachnio (14-5, fighting out of Krasnodar, Russia) meets Ike Villanueva (17-11, fighting out of Houston, Texas) at light heavyweight
• No. 15 women’s bantamweight contender Julia Avila (8-2, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.) battles Julija Stoliarenko (9-5-1, fighting out of Kaunas, Lithuania)
• Charles Rosa (13-5, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Peabody, Mass.) takes on Justin Jaynes (16-7, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) in a featherweight bout guaranteed to deliver action
• An exciting lightweight fight sees veteran Yancy Medeiros (15-7, 1 NC, fighting out of Makaha, Hawaii) lock horns with Damir Hadzovic (13-6, fighting out of Copenhagen, Denmark)

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 155 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 approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 13.8 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $12.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $18.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine 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.

PHILADELPHIA (June 17, 2021)-A highly anticipated lightweight showdown between “Philly Favorites” Steven Ortiz and Damon Allen Jr. headlines a gigantic night of boxing on Saturday, July 24th at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

The fight card, dubbed “Crossroads” will feature the much talked about fight, which has been scheduled twice, but postponed by the Pandemic and then an injury.

The fight will headline the second night of back-to-back massive shows at the 2300 Arena promoted by RDR Promotions. The Friday, July 23rd show was announced yesterday

The Ortiz-Allen showdown is promoted in association with DiBella Entertainment.

The bout is the most anticipated “Philly vs. Philly” main event matchup since Derek Ennis took a 12-round majority decision over Gabriel Rosado on July, 30 2010 at the same venue.

Ortiz is 12-0 with three knockouts. The 27 year-old is a six-year professional, who has wins over Tyrome Jones (4-0), Joshua Davis (11-2), Wesley Ferrer (12-0-1), Jeremy Cuevas (11-0), Alejandro Salinas (10-2) and his last out when he took an eight-round unanimous decision over Jeremy Hill (14-0) on March 10th in Uncasville, Connectcut.

Allen is 16-1-1 with five knockouts. the 28 year-old Allen is an eight-year professional who has victories over former world champion Gamaliel Diaz, Jayro Duran (10-2), former world title challenger Martin Honorio and his last outing, when Allen took a six-round unanimous decision over Diemerci Nzau on October 25, 2019.

Taking part in the eight round co-feature will be undefeated welterweight Mark Dawson Jr..

Dawson of Philadelphia is 8-0-1 with three knockouts. The 24 year-old former amateur standout is coming off a win over Rodrigo Solis on May 8th at the 2300 Arena. Dawson’s opponent will be announced shortly.

In a six-round bout, Rasheen Brown (9-0, 6 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Roberto Pucheta (10-18-2) of Jalisco, Mexico in a super bantamweight contest.

In four-round bouts:

Paul Koon (4-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia squares off with Antonio Robertson (4-7-1, 2 KOs) of Raleigh, NC in a heavyweight fight.

Also appearing against opponents to be named will be super lightweight Nicolas Sullivan (3-0, 1 KO) of Norfolk, VA; light heavyweight David Stevens (5-0, 4 KOs) of Reading, PA and pro debuting super featherweight Iman Lee of Yonkers, NY.
Tickets are $75, $100, $150 and $250 for VIP Box, and can be purchased from the fighters or emailing rricerivew@yahoo.com

1st Bell is at 7 PM

EL PASO, TEXAS (June 17, 2021): Jaime Munguia (36-0, 29 KOs) and Kamil Szeremeta (21-1, 5 KOs) hosted their final press conference today ahead of their 12-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Championship. The fight will take place at The University of Texas at El Paso’s Don Haskins Center and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, excluding Mexico beginning at 12:30 p.m. PT/1:30 p.m. MDT/3:30 p.m. ET.

Below are what today’s main event fighters had to say:

JAIME MUNGUIA, WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Champion:
“Thank you to all. I’m excited to be fighting in El Paso. It’s been a dream of mine. It’s a place where many great fighters have fought. It fills me with pride to be able to deliver a great show. I think I need to make a statement. I’m on the rise, so I have to keep doing things better with each fight. We have a great fighter in front of us. We have a lot of respect and admiration towards him, so we have to make sure we do things correctly so that we get a big fight next.”

KAMIL SZEREMETA, Former World Title Challenger:
“This fight will be great. I’m happy to fight against such an amazing fighter. On Saturday, I will do my best to give you all a great show. I am very happy that I am fighting an undefeated boxer. It makes it more meaningful. I’m not worried about being in a place that will be full of Jamie Munguia’s supporters. I don’t even care. I’m used to this. I’m always fighting in other territories.”

ERIC GOMEZ, President of Golden Boy:
“We have a rich history here in El Paso. We’ve done many shows here, and many champions have fought here. Texas is a great state for boxing, but there’s also something special about El Paso. This will be a great show, and it’s stacked from top to bottom. We’re going to kick off the broadcast with Blair Cobbs, one of the top rising stars. He’s a very exciting fighter. We also have Marlen Esparza, who bounced back from her first loss and now fighting for a world title. The co-main event is also going to be great with Bektemir taking on Gabriel Rosado. And, of course, it will be topped off by the main event with Jaime Munguia. He’s Mexico’s next biggest star.”

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Munguia vs. Szeremeta is a 12-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions and Warrior’s Boxing. The event is sponsored by Tecate “The Official Beer of Boxing,” Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, June 19 at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, excluding Mexico beginning at 12:30 p.m. PT/1:30 p.m. MDT/3:30 p.m. ET. Additional undercard bouts will be streamed live on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page beginning at 4:30 p.m. PT/5:30 p.m. MDT/7:30 p.m. ET.

Tickets for Munguia vs. Szeremeta are on sale now and are priced at $200, $100, $60 and $35 not including applicable service charges. In an effort to promote social distancing, tickets will be sold in pods/groupings of 2, 3, 4 and 6 people only. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 915-747-5234. Tickets will also be available for purchase at http://www.utepspecialevents.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For fans who have already purchased tickets for Saturday, April 24 and would like to still attend Munguia vs. Szeremeta your tickets and seating location are still valid for the new date and no further action is required.

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 #Munguia Szeremeta.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/MunguiaSzeremeta into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.

LAS VEGAS (June 17, 2021) — Undefeated WBC super featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez, the fighting pride of Nogales, Mexico, has signed a new multi-fight promotional agreement with Top Rank. 
 
Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs), a two-time Mexican Olympian, turned pro with Top Rank following the 2012 London Olympics and continues a partnership that has seen him win world titles in two weight classes and become one of the faces of Top Rank on ESPN. 
 
A former WBO featherweight world champion, the 30-year-old Valdez upset the odds and boxed a brutal masterpiece in his last bout, knocking out Miguel Berchelt in a historic all-Mexican showdown to win the WBC super featherweight world title. Valdez is scheduled to return this fall on an ESPN platform. 
 
Valdez said, “I am proud to be part of the Top Rank family. I want to thank Bob Arum and Todd duBoef for their confidence in my abilities. I will not let them down. I also want to thank my manager, Frank Espinoza, for securing a great deal for me. This is a wonderful moment in my career, and I’m grateful to God for my blessings.”
 
“It’s a pleasure to promote a young athlete like Oscar Valdez. He is a true gentleman who is grateful for the help we’ve provided, and he works collaboratively with the company for the mutual benefit of both parties,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “I have been very fond of Oscar from the moment we signed him, and I am proud of everything he has accomplished. I would like to recognize Frank Espinoza, a fantastic manager who has been integral in helping Oscar reach this point.”
 
Added Espinoza, “We are ecstatic that Top Rank and Oscar Valdez are continuing what has been a long and successful partnership. Bob Arum and Todd duBoef recognize Oscar as a special fighter with all the characteristics to make him an all-time great. Oscar has the discipline and passion it takes to reach the top levels of the sport. We’re very proud of what Oscar has achieved so far, and we’re confident he will delight boxing fans with more exciting and memorable fights.”
 
Valdez has been involved in many of this generation’s most savage ring battles, participating in 12-round championship wars against the likes of Genesis Servania and Miguel Marriaga. His March 2018 victory over Scott Quigg represents one of the great feats of fistic courage. Quigg shattered Valdez’s jaw in the fifth round, and Valdez finished the fight to secure a convincing decision win. After six defenses of his featherweight world title, he moved up in weight and set his sights on Berchelt, considered the top fighter at 130 pounds. As a roughly 3-to-1 underdog, Valdez knocked out Berchelt with a left hook in the 10th round to solidify his place as a modern Mexican great.