LAS VEGAS (May 13, 2021) — Former two-weight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza has set his aim on another title. Pedraza, from Cidra, Puerto Rico, will take on the undefeated Julian “Hammer Hands” Rodriguez in a 10-round junior welterweight tilt Saturday, June 12 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
 
Pedraza-Rodriguez will serve as the co-feature to the WBO interim junior lightweight title bout between Shakur Stevenson and Jeremiah Nakathila. Both bouts will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
The undercard will showcase the return of undefeated Puerto Rican welterweight prodigy Xander Zayas (8-0, 6 KOs) in a six-round bout. Zayas is coming off a first-round knockout on April 24 in Kissimmee, Florida.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets priced at $200, $100, $75 and $50 go on sale Friday, May 14 at 12 p.m. PT, and can be purchased by visiting Etix.com.

“This is a classic matchup featuring a former world champion in Pedraza against a young kid in Rodriguez, who is eager to prove he belongs at the world level,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “I am also excited to see Xander Zayas, who has grown so much as a young man and a fighter since Top Rank signed him as a 16-year-old.”
 
Pedraza (28-3, 13 KOs) is 2-1 since moving up from lightweight, where he won the WBO world title over Ray Beltran before falling short in a unification matchup against Vasiliy Lomachenko. He had an inauspicious junior welterweight debut when he lost a one-sided decision to Jose “Chon” Zepeda, but he has since notched unanimous decisions over Mikkel LesPierre and Javier Molina. Ranked No. 6 by the WBO, Pedraza hopes a win over Rodriguez leads to another crack at world title glory.
 
“It has been almost a year without fighting.  I can’t wait to get back in the ring, to bring home another win that will bring happiness to my people,” Pedraza said. “I like that this fight is against a hungry contender like Julian Rodriguez. I always like the idea of facing the best opponents because they bring the best out of me. I know that with a big win on June 12, I will get closer to a world title shot. That’s what we are fighting for.”
 
Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs), from Bergen County, New Jersey, turned pro in 2013 following a storied amateur career that included a 2013 National Golden Gloves title and victories over the likes of former world champion Robert Easter Jr. He is 5-0 with four knockouts since returning from a nearly two-year layoff in July 2019, including a first-round knockout last August over the previously undefeated Anthony Laureano. Rodriguez has long called for a step-up bout, and if he beats Pedraza, he’ll immediately enter the ranks of the top 140-pound contenders.
 
Rodriguez said, “I know what I bring to the table. There’s not one thing in his arsenal that’s sharper than mine. He brings the experience, but he’s been broken a few times. This opportunity is a long time coming. I’m focused. It’s hard to look at my two children and not be determined to go in there and break that guy’s ribs.”
 
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 12.1 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 offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

Los Angeles (May 13, 2021) —- Nigel Lythgoe, the television mega-producer and creative force behind the powerhouse global television franchises “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” is joining forces with the disruptive technology platform Triller Fight Club to create a new series, “So You Think You Can Fight,” it was announced today. The weekly, hour-long series is part of a new overall relationship between Triller Fight Club and Lythgoe, who also becomes Creative Partner, Visionary and an Executive Producer of Triller Fight Club and will bring his celebrated skills as a television producer and entertainment impresario to Triller Fight Club events. The announcement was made jointly by Lythgoe and Ryan Kavanaugh, co-owner of TrillerNet, which is parent company to Triller Fight Club and the global AI-powered short video and music discovery app Triller. 

“So You Think You Can Fight” will follow in a similar format to “So You Think You Can Dance,” but with a unique twist. The series will pair a celebrity action star with a pro fighter, each who will select an amateur boxer through a global talent search and competition, along with audience voting and participation. The selected contestants will each go through rigorous mental and physical training, squaring off against each other with one winner for each category, lightweight, heavyweight and MMA. Each winner will go on to a pro bout on a Triller Fight Club main event that will launch their pro boxing career.

As the new creative partner and executive producer of Triller Fight Club events, Nigel will be responsible for blending the intense competition of world-class boxing with edge-of-your-seat entertainment by global music stars and celebrities to create the four-quadrant entertainment experience that defines Triller Fight Club.

Lythgoe is already at work on the Triller Fight Club’s upcoming June 19 event at Miami’s loanDepot park, which will be themed “The Greatest Showman” in recognition of boxing’s current showman, undefeated Teófimo López, who is putting his five championship belts on the line in the headline fight against the undefeated George Kambosos Jr. for the undisputed lightweight champion of the world. The June 19 event will make history by having men’s and women’s undisputed title fights on the same card for the first time ever, with Franchon Crews-Dezurn taking on Elin Cederroos in a four-belt title bout on the main card. 

The June 19 event will be followed by Triller Fight Club’s August event, in which one of the world’s most respected and accomplished athletes, Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield, the only person ever to win the World Heavyweight Title four times, will return to the ring to fight Kevin McBride in a six-round fight. The veteran McBride (35-10-1) is best known for ending the career of Mike Tyson in June of 2005 when Tyson retired in the sixth round in Washington, DC. The action will continue in September, when Triller Fight Club hosts the highly anticipated comeback of the Golden Boy himself, Oscar de La Hoya, in a match-up to be announced this summer.

“Nigel Lythgoe is a giant among giants, and his new role at Triller is a total game changer for us,” said Ryan Kavanaugh. “Nigel has changed the face of competition-based television around the world, and there is no one better to help us bring the excitement of Triller Fight Club to our global audiences, both through our exciting new streaming series and by adding his visionary storytelling abilities to our Fight Club events. We could not be more excited to welcome Nigel to the Triller team.”

Snoop Dogg, partner in Triller Fight Club, noted, “Boxing and dancing share the same movements and the same rhythm, and who better to take Fight Club to the next level that the person who brought the world ‘American Idol’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ the iconic talent discovery platforms where music, competition, movement and showmanship all count towards the victory, which in our case is hopefully by a knockout.”

Nigel Lythgoe commented, “Triller has built something extraordinary, and they truly have their finger on the pulse of where live event entertainment is headed. As a lifelong fan of music and boxing, I am thrilled to be getting into the ring with Ryan, Snoop and the whole Triller team to join their disruptive and innovative journey. Everyone is fighting for something in this world, and I’m excited to tell the many fascinating stories behind the raised gloves.” 

Nigel Lythgoe is the co-creator, executive producer and head judge of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” which launched in 2005. Lythgoe produced “Pop Idol” in the UK and its U.S. edition, “American Idol,” which helped change the face of American reality television. Nigel began his career as a dancer and later as a choreographer, eventually choreographing over 500 TV shows. He segued into producing television as Head of Entertainment and Comedy at London Weekend Television, where he commissioned and produced legendary TV shows including “Gladiators” (produced as “American Gladiators” in the US) and “Blind Date.”
“So You Think You Can Fight” is expected to launch later this year on Triller’s new live streaming platform Triller Verzuz TV, which was formed through TrillerNet’s recent acquisitions of Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s ground-breaking live-streaming channel Verzuz and premier global live-event streaming platform FITE (FITE.tv). 

The new series is inspired by the growing popularity of boxing among Millennials and Gen Z and by Triller’s successful expansion into boxing, which began with the now-legendary Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr fight and music spectacle that shattered records for digital Pay Per Views in November 2020. Formalized as Triller Fight Club in partnership with Snoop Dogg, the next event was the April 17 Jake Paul vs Ben Askren PPV fight, which became one of the most talked-about, most bet-on and most-pirated sporting events of 2021. The PPV featured nine additional fights as well as performances by music superstars Justin Bieber, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, The Black Keys, Doja Cat, Saweetie, Diplo, Major Lazer and commentators including “SNL”’s Pete Davidson and internet stars Charli and Dixie D’Amelio.

About Triller Fight Club:
Triller Fight Club is built around a new approach to four quadrant entertainment; bringing fans of music and boxing together for an unprecedented entertainment experience. Launched in 2020 with the Tyson vs. Jones PPV fight, which shattered all digital fight PPV records and became the 8th most successful Fight PPV in history, Triller Fight Club has continued to evolve into the vision of founders Ryan Kavanaugh and Snoop Dog. Triller Fight Club is redefining the sport of boxing as a media property by pairing some of the world’s hottest music and entertainment talent with a growing roster of elite, telegenic and eclectic athletes, including legends of their discipline and rising stars from around the world.

About TrillerNet:
Triller Fight Club is owned by TrillerNet, a first-of-its-kind company consolidating technology and content platforms to lead the move to Internet 3.0. TrillerNet pairs the culture of music with sports, fashion, entertainment and influencers through a 360-degree view of content and technology. TrillerNet—which owns the globally popular Triller app used by musicians, celebrities, athletes, and overall culture setters—has more than 300 million users worldwide. The Triller app—unlike other popular short-video apps it is often compared to, encourages its users to post the content created on the app across other social media platforms and websites. The app uses proprietary AI and Machine Learning technology which is uniquely tied to the content rather than the user. By tracking the content, Triller empowers its tastemakers and users to push their content virally to affiliated and non-affiliated sites and networks reaching hundreds of millions of additional users. Data and insights gleaned from the Triller network, its creators, artists and users (from the app and off network) are used to program longer-form content, connect users across the web with the content, and provide unprecedented opportunities for engagement and monetization. TrillerNet has developed highly successful campaigns that begin with the app and continue throughout the entire content and technology ecosystem with some of the biggest brands in the world, including Pepsi, McDonalds, Weedmaps, DraftKings, L’Oreal, and many others. TrillerNet offers brands a unique content and technology solution, including direct deals with the influencers and celebrities. This branded content journey starts with short-form video and can easily expand into valuable long-form content distributed through the Triller Network, such as live-event boxing and music PPVs, fashion shows, and episodic reality content on TrillerTV. Some of the more than 65 original half-hour TrillerTV shows include The D’Amelios Family’s “Ask a DAM Question,” Jennifer Lopez In The Morning, Jake Paul: Staying On Top, 2 Chainz Let’s Do It, DJ Khaled’s Spreading Love, Hype House’s Thomas Petrou’s Coffee Talks, Josh Richards’ Josh Pong, Ur Lov’d: the Noah Beck Show, Fat Joe’s Masterclass, The Perez Hilton Show, and Violet Benson’s Too Tired To Be Crazy, among others. TrillerNet additionally owns Verzuz, the massive live-stream music platform launched by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, and Triller Fight Club (www.TrillerFightClub.com), which launched last year with the highly successful Tyson-Jones Fight which shattered digital PPV records. Other holdings include leading AI-powered customer engagement platform Amplify.ai, and FITE, the premier live event and PPV, AVOD, SVOD streaming platform.

Eddie Hearn, Chairman of Matchroom Sport:

“We’re back in Manchester, hopefully the final event behind closed doors. Last Saturday, I’m not getting bored of telling you 73,000 fans were in the unbelievable AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas for the huge Canelo vs. Billy Joe Saunders fight. This will be the last time we’re behind closed doors. It’s been fun, the bubbles have been great, they’ve thrown up some unbelievable upsets and great fights as well. We will keep the bubble moving forward, but you will be allowed out – so good news for the fighters!”

Joshua Buatsi – Croydon, England – 13-0, 11 KOs – defending his WBA International Light-Heavyweight Title against Daniel Blenda Dos Santos:

“I’m ready to fight. The thing is there may be a target on me Eddie, but I’m really from the bottom so the build-up is great but that’s not my mentality. I started from nothing as well, moved from Ghana to England, I’ve also come from nothing. I always tell people when I fight, I’ve got nothing to lose, I’m gaining everything and when I go in there the mentally is different. I’ll be there to fight to, I’m there to fight and protect the little that I have.

“I keep laughing when I say this, prior to a fight you say you’re willing to do anything, but when it was time in the ring when that happened, I had to show up for it and I felt I gave a good account and got the win. Saturday night I’ll be there to do whatever it takes to win because I’m in here to fight. We’ll see how it goes.

“I think if you ask anyone, and they don’t say it, they must be thinking differently. You’re Eddie Hearn right, you’re sitting here, and I think you feel like you’ve signed the best Light-Heavyweight in the country – that speak for itself. For the others, they’re doing well, I’m doing what I’m doing and hopefully one day we can all get in and fight to see. For now, my man next door is who I’ve got to deal with, that’s what I’m concentrating on.

“It’s been good having Virgil on board, amazing, I said I could have 100 coaches in my corner but when that bell rings it’s just you. Nevertheless, having this man here added to the team, we’ll see how to goes – it’ll be good.”

Virgil Hunter, trainer of Joshua Buatsi:

“I’m back here in the UK, a place I like to think of as home. I’ve been exposed to some of the UK’s greatest fighters that I’ve had a chance to meet as well as work with. Joshua Buatsi is no exception to that, I think he’s a major talent, I think he has a tremendous upside, I’m hoping I can do everything to cultivate that and turn him into a World Champion.

“I think Joshua will apply some of the thing we worked on and show Saturday night that he’s been a good student.

“Anytime that you have the opportunity to fight a medallist from the Olympics, that medal has a bullseye on his back. He’s going to get a hungry opponent, that opponent is going to be dead serious because he knows it can change the trajectory of his career. We don’t have much footage on Dos Santos, but we take him serious on what we have seen, that he is a good fighter and to be taken serious, that’s how we’re approaching the fight.”

Daniel Blenda Dos Santos – Pont-Sainte-Maxence, France – 15-0, 8 KOs – challenging Joshua Buatsi for his WBA International Light-Heavyweight Title:

“This is the opportunity of my life; we know Joshua is a great champion and for me it’s a great opportunity – I appreciate the chance of being here.

“Boxing saved my life, a guy like me is supposed to be in jail or dead. Thank God I had the opportunity to leave prison, make a real change in my life and become a professional fighter. I changed 100% of my life, my city, everything, now all this work and dedication I’m in this place right now. I have to enjoy the moment.

“I have to be the best version of myself to beat Joshua Buatsi. That’s what I’m going to try Saturday night.” 

Lerrone Richards – New Malden, England – 14-0, 3 KOs – fighting Giovanni De Carolis for the vacant European Super-Middleweight Title:

“Like I’ve always said, I want to conquer Europe and being the European Champion has always been a big thing for me – ticking everyone single box. I won the British, Commonwealth, European is the next step and I’m very excited for this fight.

“He [Giovanni De Carolis] brings a lot of pedigree, he’s very experienced and a very good fighter. But this is a fight I believe I’m going win and win very well.

“This division is very sexy and I’m glad to be a part of it. I can’t wait to win this European Title and step on to bigger and better things.”

Giovanni De Carolis – Viterbo, Italy – 28-9-1, 13 KOs – fighting Lerrone Richards for the vacant European Super-Middleweight Title: 

“I’m proud to represent my country here, I’m happy. Two years of inactivity for me is bad but this is the situation and for me there isn’t any problem. I’m ready for Saturday and I’m happy to fight.

“I am happy because when I fight out of my country my heart in the ring is stronger. I would like the people to see my boxing.”

Gamal Yafai – Brimingham, England – 18-1, 10 KOs – defending his European Super-Bantamweight Title against Jason Cunningham:

“I had a horrible two years, but it was good to go to Italy and win the European Title. It’s good to back home defending it in the UK.

“I thought to myself this isn’t the end of me, I knew I was going to come back, win the European Title and go onto big things. That’s what I plan on doing and we start on Saturday night.

“He wanted the opportunity and I’ll give him the opportunity. The best man will win and I’m by far the best man, I’ll show that on Saturday night.” 

Jason Cunningham – Doncaster, England – 28-6, 6 KOs – challenging Gamal Yafai for the European Super-Bantamweight Title:

“Massive opportunity, another Yafai as well. Like I said, we were begging for the opportunity, I always stay ready. I kind of had an idea it was happening, I had to be prepared, be ready, I am. You’re going to see the best Jason Cunningham Saturday night, I’m ready for him and take that title.

“I got offered a few fights during the lockdown but I’m so glad I was patient because this is the opportunity I wanted. This is the biggest fight to date; this is my World Title fight. I’ve got all this experience, I’ve took my setbacks, I’ve come back, I’ve had plenty of success as well. They’ve all put me in good stead, there’s no starting again from here so everything is going into Saturday night. I’m very confident, I’ll be expecting the best Gamal Yafai but you should expect the best Jason Cunningham as well.”

Tommy McCarthy – Belfast, Northern Ireland – 17-2, 8 KOs – defending his European Cruiserweight Title against Alexandru Jur:

“I’ve been saying all week I’m expecting a tough test, as you say he’s got all the experience and boxed at the championship level for some time. He looks in good shape, it seems like he’s had a good camp and he seems like he wants to do his talking in the ring so I’m even more nervous.

“I was prepared for a tough fight but when I saw him [Bilal Laggoune] at the weigh-in he looked like he hadn’t trained properly so I kind of switched off a little bit. When it came to fight night, he was ready to go so he pushed me. There are no easy fights when you’re fighting for the European Title, at the time he was number seven in the world. It was a big win for me, a big confidence boost and I’m delighted I came out the winner.

“There’s so much potential for a massive future ahead of me, I need to put all of that in the back of my mind. James Tennyson, were from the same place, everything was set up for him to go onto bigger and better things but it didn’t go his way. That’s made me switch on even more, put anything past this out of my mind because this is going to be a tough fight on Saturday, and I can’t afford any slip ups.”

Alexandru Jur – Oradea, Romania – 19-4, 7 KO– challenging Tommy McCarthy for the European Cruiserweight Title:

“I’m already ready for the fight, I’m in good form. It’s a big opportunity for me.”

Dalton Smith – Sheffield, England – 7-0, 6 KOs – fighting Lee Appleyard for the vacant English Super-Lightweight Title:

“It’s starting to get exciting. When the fight fell through before I knew we were going to get it back on because it was a fight I wanted. It’s a fight I know I’m going to look good in, Lee and I have sparred before so I’m glad we could get it back on.

“When I win, I can turn round and say there’s no excuses, they’ve had a full camp. I’ve got a 100% prepared Lee Appleyard and that’s what I want – that’s what will bring the best out of me. 

“People forgot the World Series of Boxing, even though it’s not championship rounds. I’ve been in there with tough guys – the Kazakhs and Russians. Experience for me is the championship rounds, I’m confident in that and I believe Lee will take me to those rounds and that’s what I need.

“When it comes to pressure, there’s no pressure for me in this fight because each fight I take will be a step up – there’s always going to be pressure there. There’s more pressure on Lee’s shoulders because where does he really go after this fight. This is his World Title shot, this is where he can push on.”

Lee Appleyard – Rotherham, England – 16-5-1, 5 KOs – fighting Dalton Smith for the vacant English Super-Lightweight Title:

“This is a massive opportunity, it’s a pleasure to share the ring with Dalton. He’s one of the biggest prospects but we took the fight on three weeks’ notice last time and believed we were going to win. We’ve had nine weeks now and we have no doubt.

“It’s a hard fight, everyone’s writing me off, the bookies are writing me off. There’s no pressure on me whatsoever, all the pressure is on Dalton, and we’ll see how he deals with it on the night. When the fight goes into the later rounds, that’s where I’ve been and what I known, and I’ll come into my own.

“When I boxed for the Commonwealth, that was only three and a half weeks’ notice and I think that made the difference on the results on the night because I didn’t have time to properly prepare. It was a bit of a blessing getting Covid, having nine weeks preparation and getting sponsors behind me.

“I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in and I’m coming to win on Saturday night, there’s no doubt about it, Dalton’s got a tough night ahead of him.

“You can’t buy experience, there’s nothing between us, he’s a respectful lad and I’m respectful to him. It’s a pleasure to share the ring with him but I know what doors this can open; I want those doors open and keep moving on – fighting for the British Title. Respect to Dalton for taking the fight, this probably wouldn’t be happening if we weren’t in the COVID situation. This is a cracking fight for the fans, they’re in for a treat.”

Solomon Dacres – Birmingham, England – Professional Debut – fighting Mladen Manev in a six round Heavyweight contest:

“It’s long overdue, I thought I was going to get out March 20^th on the Okolie card. Long delays, I’ve been training overtime for the fight – I’ve had about three training camps worth of training just for this one fight. It’s all in the bank and I’m ready to let it all go Saturday.

“I don’t have to go too slowly; I can build myself up because I’ve got more experience so I can take little steps quicker than other fighters. Sam Jones and my coach will pick opponents where I’m being tested and improve all the time. We won’t go at a snail’s pace and look to pick things up in the next twelve months.

“All that experience, guys that have been then and done. Joshua, Joyce, Dubois, sparring those guys they’re 15/20 fights into their professional careers and well established. I’m sparring, gaining confidence, and knowing my own level. I haven’t had my first fight yet, but it gives you confidence seeing them fighting on big titles and gives me confidence knowing that I’m going to go forward and what I can do.

“It’s been a long time since there’s been a Heavyweight from Birmingham, and we haven’t never had a World Champion in the Heavyweight division. Hopefully I can emulate that and get the city behind me. We need to get that support in Birmingham and get behind me.” 

Mladen Manev – Sofia, Bulgaria – 3-8, 3 KOs – fighting Solomon Dacres in a six round Heavyweight contest:

“I’m ready to fight, I’m ready for a boxing match Saturday. I feel very good to be here in Manchester, it’s a nice city. I’m ready.” 

Ellis Hopkins – Leicestershire, England – Professional Debut – fighting Borislava Goranova in a four round Super-Welterweight contest:

“It’s a massive time to come into female boxing, the last few years female boxing has gone from strength to strength and I’m excited to be a part of it and make my debut this weekend.

“Everyone looks up to Katie Taylor, you can’t get better than that, she’s won everything and done everything. The likes of Terry Harper and Natasha Jonas, they’re all big inspirations as well.

“I can box, I can fight, so whatever happens on the night happens on the night, we’ll see.”

Borislava Goranova – Sofia, Bulgaria – 11-64-4 – fighting Ellis Hopkins in a four round Super-Welterweight contest:

“I’m happy to see Ellis, I’m happy to be here and I feel strong. I’ll show you my boxing on Saturday night.”

Salita Promotions proudly announces the signing of former Ghanaian Olympian and highly touted super bantamweight prospect, Prince Octopus Dzanie, to an exclusive promotional contract.

A native of his country’s capital city of Accra, the undefeated Dzanie (21-0, 17 KOs) is a tall (5’9”), rangy fighter with excellent power and, similar to his all-time-great countryman Ike Quartey, a busy, piston-like left jab that sets up his often fight-ending right hands.

Octopus was a name given to him at birth by his grandfather, a former fighter who fought under the same moniker. Dzanie went 87-15 as an amateur and was a three-time Ghanaian Champion and an All-Africa Bronze Medalist before representing Ghana at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing China. He also spent time training in Canada with Emile Awe Rudan and former Olympic bronze medalist Chris Johnson.

As a professional, he is trained by Abdul Ramany Iddrisu and managed by well-known boxing insider Vincent Scolpino of VMS Boxing. He won the WBO Africa Bantamweight Championship in 2017 with an eight-round knockout over countryman Isaac Quaye.

“The road to becoming a world champion is long when you’re in Ghana, but all the necessary preparation has been done here,” said the confident Dzanie, “Getting signed on to VMS and Salita Promotions means I’ll be a world champion in just a few fights.”

Scolpino, who with Dzanie is hoping to match the work he did with Ghanaian former two-time bantamweight world champion Joseph ‘King Kong’ Agbeko, says he’s optimistic about the pact with Salita.

“I’m pleased that we have signed a promotional agreement with Salita Promotions, one of the premier up-and-coming promotional companies,” said Scolpino. “I’m sure they will move him into a title shot. I saw the potential in Prince Octopus, that’s why I signed him to a long-term management agreement. I know he has the power to become a world champion.”

One great Ghanaian warrior, perhaps the greatest of all time, who already believes in Dzanie is two-weight world champion Azumah Nelson, who says he likes his countryman’s chances on the world stage.

“Prince Octopus Dzanie is a tough boxer with a hunger for glory, who will take the world by storm,” said Nelson. “He is clearing every obstacle to become world champion.”

New promoter Salita, known for his work with bringing several international prospects to successful runs in the United States, says Dzanie is a blue-chip prospect with tremendous possibilities.

“Prince Octopus Dzanie is that rare fighter tucked away across the globe who can make a big splash over here,” said Salita. “I’d like to thank him and his manager Vinny for bringing him to my attention. I’m excited for the work we will be doing to bring Prince to his dreams of a world championship.”

This weekend, Dzanie will have his first fight under the new promotional banner by taking on veteran countryman Kamarudeen Boyefio on the 15th. Salita says plans are already underway to bring him to the United States to live and train.

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Check the Salita Promotions YouTube Channel for regular video updates of boxing’s greatest legends, its best fighters, toughest contenders and brightest prospects in action.

LAS VEGAS (May 13, 2021) — RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS®, presented by Roy Jones, Jr. Boxing Promotions and De La O Promotions, returns to Mexico on Thursday, June 10, to showcase some of the top Mexican boxing prospects.

All the action will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT from Benito Juarez Auditorium in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. To sign-up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.

“RJJ Boxing continues to showcase some of the best prospects in Mexico,” RJJ Boxing CEO/co-founder Keith Veltre said. “The future of Mexican boxing will be in action once again on UFC FIGHT PASS. We have been able to continue promoting during the pandemic by following COVID-19 protocols, working with Emanuel Romo (DLA O Promotions), a dedicated staff and young fighters anxious to prove themselves in the boxing world outside of Mexico.”

The main event finds 23-year-old Mexican super middleweight Manuel “El Meno” Gallegos (17-1, 15 KOs) matched against his Las Vegas opponent, Kevin “The Second Coming” Newman (11-2-1, 6 KOs), in a 10-round bout.

Gallegos, who has stopped 15 pf his opponents in his 17 pro wins, is coming off his only loss as a pro last October, by way of an 8-round unanimous decision to 10-1-1 (7 KOs) Oziel Santoyo. Gallegos’ most impressive victory to date was an 8-round unanimous decision over 37-7 Marco Reyes. Upset-minded Newman has won four of his last five fights.

In the co-featured event, World Boxing Organization (WBO) Latino featherweight champion Alan “Cacharro” Solis (13-0-1, 7 KOs), rated No. 12 by the WBO, will face the toughest test of his young pro career, Pablo “Diamente” Robles (14-2, 9 KOs), in a 10-round, non-title fight. Solis, also from Mexico, has become a semi-regular fighter on RJJ Boxing cards in Mexico.

Another Mexican fan favorite, World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth Silver Lightweight Champion Luis “Koreano” Torres (11-0, 8 KOs) faces fellow Mexican, Diego “Pato” Eligio (20-5-1, 8 KOs), in a 10-round Special Featherweight Attraction. The 19-year-old Torres is another familiar fighter on RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS in Mexico.

Card subject to change. Additional fights to soon be announced.

INFORMATION:

Websites: http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com, www.ufcfightpass.com
Facebook: /UFCFightPass, /KeithVeltre
Twitter: @UFCFightPass, @Keith_Veltre, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial
Instagram: @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

ABOUT ROY JONES JR, BOXING PROMOTIONS: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is on its way to reinventing boxing. RJJ has already made a huge impact in the boxing community in a few short years. Creating exhilarating content for UFC Fight Pass, CBS Sports, Showtime, ESPN and beIN Sports in some of the finest venues across the country, RJJ has proven it is conquering the sweet science of the sport.

Based in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, NV, Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions is climbing to the top at a fast pace, adding young talent to its growing stable: NABF super flyweight champion, IBF #8 and WBC # 14 Jade “Hurricane” Bornea (15-0, 10 KOs); two-time world title challenger, bantamweight “Mighty” Aston Palicte (26-4-1, 22 KOs); NABF welterweight champion, WBC #15 and Santiago “Somer” Dominguez (24-0, 18 KOs); former NABA welterweight champion Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (17-3, 8 KOs), former Interim World middleweight title challenger John “The Phenom” Vera (20-1, 12 KO), unbeaten super middleweight prospect Juan “Just Business” Barajas (11-0-1, 7 KOs), and former WBC World Youth heavyweight titlist Alexander “The Great” Flores (18-3-1, 16 KOs).

ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS®: 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 20,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access UFC FIGHT PASS 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. For more information, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 12, 2021) — The Boxing Task Force (BTF) announced today the 49 quota places, originally to be awarded at the Road to Tokyo Americas Qualifier, that were awarded to boxers to compete in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 this summer. The quota places included six Team USA boxers, which was based off the BTF Rankings.

“These six boxers have been staples within our program and have established themselves amongst the world’s best by their performances during the past quad,” stated USA Boxing High Performance Director Matt Johnson. “Now it is time for them to perform at the world’s biggest stage in Tokyo.”

Representing Team USA at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, pending United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee approval, will be Rashida Ellis (Lynn, Mass.) Virginia Fuchs (Houston, Texas), Naomi Graham (Fayetteville, N.C.), Delante Johnson (Cleveland, Ohio), Oshae Jones (Toledo, Ohio) and Richard Torrez Jr. (Tulare, Calif.). All six boxers will be competing in their first Olympic Games.

2019 Elite Women’s World Championships bronze medalist Ellis will compete in the women’s lightweight (132 lbs./60 kg) division. Ellis won bronze at the 2019 Pan American Games to add to her BTF rankings to solidify her position in Tokyo as the second highest ranked America’s boxer and 12th overall in her weight class. Ellis will be looking to win Team USA’s first women’s lightweight Olympic medal.

“Qualifying for the Olympics has been one of my deepest dreams,” mentioned Ellis. “I never doubt my ability. I have stopped being afraid of what could go wrong and start being excited about what could go right. So, I embrace my mistakes and learn from them, as my mistakes have helped me improve and reach the Olympics. I don’t do easy; I make things happen. The hard work and dedication with effort and determination, I can succeed.”

Fuchs will represent Team USA in the flyweight division (112 lbs./51 kg). The 33-year-old will be looking to earn USA Boxing its second medal in the women’s flyweight division since the introduction of the event in London 2012. Fuchs brings an impressive resume to the ring, including a bronze medal at the 2018 Elite Women’s World Championships and silver medal from the 2019 Pan American Games, which places her as the second highest America’s flyweight boxer and 16th overall in the BTF rankings.

“I have been waiting for this moment for a very long time. I am so excited I can finally call myself an Olympian,” stated Fuchs. “With all this world has been through and having to postpone the Olympics a whole year, I am proud to say I am one of the participants in what will be known as the most recognized Olympics in history. I am ready to represent my country in the most respected way and bring home the gold!”

2019 Pan American Games Graham is the highest seeded America’s female middleweight (165 lbs./75 kg) boxer in the BTF rankings, where she currently sits eighth overall. Graham earned points from her Pan American Games title, as well as her third-place finish at the 2018 Elite Women’s World Championships and top five finish at the 2019 edition. Graham, who will become USA Boxing’s first active female military member to compete in an Olympic Games, will be in contention to grab Team USA’s third straight Olympic gold medal in the women’s middleweight division.

“It feels unreal that I am going to the Olympics,” Graham stated when talking about earning her place to Tokyo. “I continue to surprise myself by finding my own limits, and then having the courage to blow past them.”

Jones will step into the ring in one of the two newly added women’s weight classes, the welterweight (152 lbs./69 kg) division. Jones, who made history in 2019 with her gold medal performance at the Pan American Games, will look to continue making history by becoming the first Olympic gold medalists in her weight division. The 23-year-old added valuable points to her rankings with her top five placement at the 2019 Elite Women’s World Championships to finish as the top America’s boxer and seventh in the overall BTF rankings for the welterweight division to punch her ticket to the Olympics.

“I may only take up one spot, but my one spot represents so much,” shared Jones. “I’m beyond grateful for the chance to represent women, African Americans, my small city of Toledo, but most importantly, my country.”

The second Ohioan to represent Team USA, Johnson, extends the streak of Cleveland-native boxing Olympians to four, following in the footsteps of Charles Conwell (2016), Terrell Gausha (2012) and Raynell Williams (2008). The welterweight (152 lbs./69 kg), who first caught the attention of the boxing world with his gold medal performance at the 2016 Youth World Championships, earned his ranking points through his bronze medal finish at the 2019 Pan American Games and top 16 placement at the 2019 Elite World Championships. Johnson was the third highest seeded America’s boxer and 19th overall.

“My struggles are my stripes, and I wear them on my back, so that the people around me can see that even when you’re living in a jungle, you can still chase your dreams,” stated Johnson. “I am not only doing this for my city, but for my two coaches, Dante Benjamin Sr. and Clint Martin, whom I lost during my journey to these Games.”

Torrez, the highest ranked super heavyweight (201+ lbs./91+ kg) boxer from the Americas and 11th overall, earned his place through his third-place performance at the 2019 Pan American Games and top five standing at that year’s Elite Men’s World Championships. Torrez, a former Youth World Championships bronze medalist, will be the first American boxer to compete in this weight class since 2012.

“Everyone is happy they’re going to the Olympics, it’s everyone’s dream, but I need to be there,” said Torrez. “The fire that was instilled in me before I could even walk, that drives me to be the best, the fire that has been in my family for generations, has overflowed. It has set ablaze all my second options, and it has made ashes of any other possibility besides that of success.”

Team USA will be guided by USA Boxing National Head Coach Billy Walsh during these Olympic Games.

“It is fantastic news for our six boxers who have worked endlessly for the past five years to become an Olympian,” Walsh shared. “We now focus on the next stage of the process, to become an Olympic Champion.”

The boxing competition will begin on Saturday, July 24th (JST). Continue to check usaboxing.org and USA Boxing’s social media platforms to stay updated on more information regarding the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

All team nominations are subject to USOPC approval.

INFORMATION:
www.usaboxing.org
Twitter: @USABoxing
Instagram: @USABoxing
Facebook: /USABoxing

ABOUT USA BOXING: To promote and grow Olympic-style amateur boxing in the United States and to inspire the tireless pursuit of Olympic gold and enable athletes and coaches to achieve sustained competitive excellence. Additionally, USA Boxing endeavors to teach all participants the character, confidence and focus they need to become resilient and diverse champions, both in and out of the ring. USA Boxing is one team, one nation, going for gold!

HOUSTON (May 12, 2021) – Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo will 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.

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 will fight in Houston for the fourth time as a pro and look to keep his undefeated record intact against the upset-minded Montiel.

The event is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions. Tickets for the live event go on sale tomorrow, Thursday, May 13 at 12 p.m. CT and can be purchased at toyotacenter.com. Leo vs. Alameda is promoted in association with Mayweather Promotions.

Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs) will return to fight in his hometown for the first time since a June 2019 unanimous decision victory over Brandon Adams on SHOWTIME. The 30-year-old most recently scored an impressive victory over top middleweight contender Sergey Derevyanchenko in their September 2020 showdown. Charlo has held the WBC middleweight belt since 2019, after a championship reign at 154-pounds that lasted from 2015 through 2017. He has compiled a perfect 6-0 record since moving up to middleweight and owns victories over former champions Julian Williams, Austin Trout and Cornelius Bundrage at super welterweight.

“It’s great to be back in the ring, headlining on SHOWTIME and defending my title in front of my hometown fans in Houston,” said Charlo. “Fighting on Juneteenth means a lot to me because there is a battle going on far greater than this. That said, I have to handle my business on June 19. Montiel is a tough, young, power puncher. I know he wants my crown, but I’m hungrier than ever and ready to put on a show for my fans. Get ready for a special, explosive night.”

Representing his native Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, Montiel (22-4-2, 22 KOs) has earned knockouts in all 22 of his pro victories, as the heavy-handed brawler established himself as a hard-hitting force. The 27-year-old has put together an unbeaten streak since moving up to middleweight, first competing at the weight in September 2017, and most recently scoring a first-round knockout victory over longtime contender James Kirkland in December 2020. He owns stoppages of Marco Reyes and Gustavo Castro, and a draw against Hugo Centeno, Jr. at middleweight. Montiel had previously campaigned at welterweight and super welterweight, dropping a February 2017 bout to former champion Jaime Munguia in a 147-pound fight.

“I know that I am fighting the best middleweight in the world, but he has never faced someone who can punch like I can,” said Montiel. “All my losses in the past are from not training properly and trying to win by one-punch knockout. I’ve grown up and become a man since then. I proved that I was different when I beat Marco Reyes in 2019, and I haven’t left the gym since then. I’ve worked hard every day to become world champion and I will display everything I’ve learned on June 19.”

The 22-year-old Cruz (21-1-1, 15 KOs) shot up the lightweight rankings in 2020, announcing his presence with an electrifying first-round knockout over veteran Diego Magdaleno in September. Cruz followed that up this March, when he won a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Matias Romero. Since making his U.S. debut on the undercard of Jermall Charlo vs. Dennis Hogan in December 2019, the Mexico City-native has been unbeaten in his four ring appearances. This will mark his fifth fight in 20 months, the last four of which will have come on SHOWTIME, including headlining ShoBox: The Next Generation in February 2020.

“Me and Vargas are going to show the fans true Mexican-style boxing on June 19,” said Cruz. “He is also from Mexico City, so I know this fight will be toe-to-toe. It’s my time to show the fans that I’m the best Mexican lightweight in the world. In with the new, and out with the old. I want to thank my promoter, Senator Manny Pacquiao, for his support and belief that I will become world champion very soon.”

Also a native of Mexico City, Vargas (27-2-2, 19 KOs) won a 130-pound title in 2015 by defeating Takashi Miura in one of the year’s best fights. The 36-year-old would go on to fight Orlando Salido to an action-packed draw before losing his title to Miguel Berchelt in another memorable affair. Vargas went on to defeat Stephen Smith and Rod Salka before losing in his rematch with Berchelt in 2019. Most recently, Vargas began campaigning at lightweight, scoring back-to-back victories with a technical decision over Ezequiel Aviles in October 2019 and a TKO over Otto Gamez in November 2020.

“I only know how to fight wars and the fans should expect nothing less on June 19,” said Vargas. “I am a warrior, and people are going to remember the reasons why I was in two Fight of the Year battles when they see me in the ring with Isaac Cruz. I want to thank my whole team for putting together this fight that I know the fans will enjoy.”

Leo (20-1, 9 KOs), who fights out of the Mayweather Promotions stable, became the first world champion from his hometown of Albuquerque, N.M., since legendary three-division champion Johnny Tapia, when he defeated Tramaine Williams by unanimous decision in August 2020. The 26-year-old dropped the belt when he lost a decision to unbeaten Stephen Fulton Jr. in January on SHOWTIME. Leo, who trains in Las Vegas, will look to re-establish his position in the stacked 122-pound division on June 19.

“I’m excited to get back in the ring for this fight,” said Leo. “I wasn’t the same fighter in my last fight, as I was when I won the title. That’s given me a big chip on my shoulder. I figured out my mistakes and learned a lot about myself. I’m here to show people that I’m still a top contender and a threat in this division. Alameda is a real contender and he’s not an opponent I’m taking lightly. Whoever comes out on top in this fight will be right there for another title shot and I plan on that being me.”

The 27-year-old Aaron Alameda (25-1, 13 KOs) was able to stop Luis Nery’s knockout streak but came up on the short end of the decision in their super bantamweight title fight last September. Prior to the Nery fight, the Sonora, Mexico native had back-to-back knockouts over Jordan Escobar and Breilor Teran. A pro since 2014, his previous action in the U.S. saw him earn a sixth-round knockout over Andre Wilson in 2016.

“I can’t wait for another big fight on June 19,” said Alameda. “I showed that I belong with the best in my last fight against Luis Nery, and I will be even better against Leo. My goal is to become world champion and I plan on displaying everything I’ve worked on in this fight. I’m excited to battle Leo and give the fans a great show.”

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

LIVEWIRE FEATHERWEIGHT DYNAMO Louie Lynn has let Leigh Wood know personally that he is gunning for his British title holder status.

‘Loco’ Lynn got on the title trail himself in March when he won the WBC International Silver belt by peppering the tough Spaniard Sebastian Perez for 10 rounds to win a clear points verdict. Having acquired a taste for title action, the 25-year-old has quickly turned his attention to domestic matters and Nottingham man Wood is the man currently ruling on the home front.

Wood, who won the vacant title in a shootout against Reece Mould in February after being defeated by Jazza Dickens a year previously, got wind of his name being mentioned and fired back a message marked for the attention of the 9-0 Lynn from Banstead.

“I did an interview a few weeks ago with a boxing podcast that was only put up last week, where I said I would happily take the British title fight,” revealed the Peacock Gym-trained Lynn. “Wood came back on Instagram saying I was not ready for the level yet, but he is sure we could get the fight made.

“I posted back ‘let’s go champ!’

“I am more than happy to jump straight in with him, it is not a problem for me. The thinking was, after talking to Francis (manager, Warren), was to defend my belt, but when I saw that from Wood I rang him and asked if we could get the fight. He said he would talk to Wood’s promoters.”

Lynn accepts that jumping in with Wood with less than 10 fights on his clock would represent a considerable risk to his immediate career progression and that a number of touted prospects have been overwhelmed by more seasoned campaigners in recent times.

However, this in no way puts him off the job, with Lynn pointing out that the ambitious and resilient Perez provided him with ideal preparation for such a challenge.

“Of course, that is why I am grateful for that last fight. I’ve shown I can do 10 hard rounds with Perez and I know Leigh Wood is a top fighter and didn’t win the British title for nothing. Even if he is like Perez and can keep coming and coming, then it is up to me to hit and not get hit and make sure I am on point.

“We’ll see, if it comes next it would be nice, if not maybe I will have one more fight before going in for it. I don’t mind.”

Birmingham Heavyweight debutant Solomon Dacres is promising an explosive performance when he takes on Mladen Manev over six rounds at the AO Arena, Manchester this Saturday May 15, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the US and more than 200 countries and territories.

The 6ft 5ins 27-year-old, who is managed by Adam Morallee and Sam Jones of S-JAM Boxing, has been a regular sparring partner of Unified Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua, and shared sparring with Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois ahead of their November clash. 

In an impressive stint in the amateurs, Dacres won gold in the 2017 National Championships, before joining the Team GB squad in April 2017 and representing the British Lionhearts in the World Series of Boxing during a successful spell in Sheffield. 

Trained by Max McCracken alongside former WBA Super-Flyweight World Champion Kal Yafai and European Super-Bantamweight Champion Gamal Yafai – who puts his Title on the line against Jason Cunningham on the same bill – ‘The Real Deal’ plans on using his brute power and strength to make a mark in the thriving domestic Heavyweight scene.

“I’m looking forward to some solid performances and hopefully some big knockouts,” said Dacres. “I’m in the fight game to have good fights at the end of the day. The main thing for me is progression. I need to make sure that I’m learning and improving with each fight. I want to look good as well. 

“I’m not delusional, I know there’s a lot of hard work to go, but when you’ve got that grounding and experience from the amateurs – it gives you a great platform to push forwards from. I know there’s a lot of hard work to be done and lots to learn but I’m confident I can go all of the way.

“You’ve got to stay grounded. When you’re sparring guys like Joshua who’s a unified World Champion, Joyce and Dubois, they’re having big high-profile fights. You’re sparring with them and you haven’t even had your pro debut. You’re rubbing shoulders with guys that are at that top level and you’re thinking, ‘that’s where I want to get to’. I want to do the best that I can. Seeing that firsthand gives you that hunger to get there. 

“I want to make a statement when I turn over and put on a good performance. I’m not messing around in the Heavyweight division. You want to put the guys out and move onto the next one. That’s how it’s going to be really. You’ve got to put your head down and work very hard. When you get to the top of the Heavyweight division, you’re there for a reason. The rewards are huge, but you’ve got to put the work in. 

“I’m coming to make my mark on the Heavyweight division. I’m an educated boxer. Being from the Team GB squad, I can box. I can move a bit on the backfoot, but I like going on the front foot. I will look to go forwards, be explosive and let my hands go. I’m looking for an explosive fight and an explosive finish.”

Dacres vs. Manev is part of a huge night of boxing in Manchester, Joshua Buatsi (13-0, 11 KOs) fights under Virgil Hunter for the first time against unbeaten Frenchman Daniel Blenda Dos Santos (15-0, 8 KOs),three European Title fights feature on the bill with Gamal Yafai (18-1, 10 KOs) defending his Super-Bantamweight Title for the first time against Jason Cunningham (28-6, 6 KOs), Tommy McCarthy (17-2, 18 KOs) defending his Cruiserweight crown against Romania’s Alexandru Jur (19-4, 7 KOs) and Lerrone Richards (14-0, 3 KOs) taking on Italy’s Giovanni De Carolis (28-9-1, 13 KOs) for the vacant Super-Middleweight strap, Dalton Smith (7-0, 6 KOs) takes on Lee Appleyard (16-5-1, 5 KOs) for the vacant English Super-Lightweight Title and Ellis Hopkins makes history when she becomes the first female from the traveller community to turn professional.

Lerrone Richards says he will be able to call himself a genuine world level contender if he captures the vacant European Super-Middleweight Title against former WBA World Champion Giovanni De Carolis at the AO Arena, Manchester this Saturday May 15, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the US and more than 200 countries and territories.

The undefeated Dave Coldwell-trained talent (14-0, 3 KOs) has cleaned up at domestic level, outpointing Tommy Langford to claim the Commonwealth and WBO International Titles in April 2019 before decisioning Birmingham’s Lennox Clarke to add the vacant British Title to his growing collection in November 2019. 

‘Sniper The Boss’ began life as a Matchroom fighter with a wide points decision over Time Laine at The SSE Arena, Wembley last December, and the slick 28-year-old southpaw is confident he can make an impression on the world scene once he captures the European crown against Italy’s De Carolis. 

“The European Title is a belt that I have always wanted,” said Richards. “I have always wanted to achieve things and do things the traditional way – British, Commonwealth and now European. Once I’ve won this Title then we’ll start looking above, but my main focus in on the European Title. I can’t wait to get in the ring and showcase my skills. 

“I know that Giovanni De Carolis is a former WBA Regular World Champion. He’s strong, he can box a bit and fight a bit. He can punch a little bit. It’s a good test for me. He’s very experienced as well. It’s not an easy fight – it will be a tough fight but it’s a fight that I know I am capable of winning and winning well. 

“I just focus on what I do. Whatever happens on the night, happens. You’ve got to be able to adjust in the ring and I’m very good at doing that. When it comes to fighting opponents, I do what it takes to win the easiest way possible. If I have to walk someone down for 12 rounds, trust me I’ll do that. If I have to box on the back foot, pop and move to make the fight easier, then I’ll do that.

“I’ve just been solely focused on this fight. Winning this Title does bring a lot more opportunities for me. I can officially say I’m a world level contender after this fight. I’ll be in a position for bigger fights, which I’m very excited for. With my career I’ve always believed in stepping up. Stepping up the opposition and stepping up the levels in terms of belts. I’m going to continue doing so until I retire. 

“When it comes to skillset, trust me, I’m on a higher level. You can ask a lot of these world class fighters that I’ve sparred with. They’ll tell you the same thing. With me now, it’s about gaining experience and learning at every level. When I earn my opportunity at the world level, I’ll be able to showcase my abilities and get the win.”

Richards vs. De Carolis is part of a huge night of boxing in Manchester, Joshua Buatsi (13-0, 11 KOs) fights under Virgil Hunter for the first time against unbeaten Frenchman Daniel Blenda Dos Santos (15-0, 8 KOs), three European Title fights feature on the bill with Gamal Yafai (18-1, 10 KOs) defending his Super-Bantamweight Title for the first time against Jason Cunningham (28-6, 6 KOs) and Tommy McCarthy (17-2, 18 KOs) defending his Cruiserweight crown against Romania’s Alexandru Jur (19-4, 7 KOs), Dalton Smith (7-0, 6 KOs) takes on Lee Appleyard (16-5-1, 5 KOs) for the vacant English Super-Lightweight Title, Birmingham Heavyweight Solomon Dacres makes his professional debut and Ellis Hopkins makes history when she becomes the first female from the traveller community to turn professional.

FORMER AMATEUR SENSATION George Bance has signed a promotional contract with Frank Warren’s Queensberry.

The 18-year-old, who took up boxing at the age of six, built up a stellar CV during his time in the amateur code, amassing a record of 95-6 – over a third of his wins coming via stoppage – and a reputation for being explosive.

Hailing from Atherstone in North Warwickshire, Bance has represented England on many occasions and gathered significant international experience. He is a British ABA champion, multi-time National champion, Box Cup gold medallist and won the silver medal at two European championships.

Bance is trained by Richard Yeomans and his father Danny in Nuneaton at Lightweight.

“I am absolutely buzzing to have signed up with Frank and I just can’t wait to get in the ring and fight now,” said the pro newcomer. “I found out about it a month or two after my eighteenth birthday in August and now I want to show everyone what I am about.

“Fighting is in the family and I have just done it from a young age. I was doing it even earlier but not in the gym until I was six.

“I went to the Europeans three times – in Croatia, Russia and Bulgaria – and have travelled to lots of other nations and done everything really,” added the thick-set puncher with a liking for a speedy stoppage.

“Probably about 30-40, which sounds a lot, but it is quite easy to get stoppages in the amateurs.

“We’re hoping to fight as soon as possible now and I am ready for whenever. I am quite well known around where I live and I have a really big following already, so I hope it will get bigger and bigger now.”

Style-wise, Bance reports that all-out attack is his favoured tactic.

“Unorthodox and very much on the front foot – just attacking! I like getting in there, getting the job done, having a good tear-up and hopefully getting the stoppage or a knockout.

“I’ve taken shots as well like everyone does as part of the game and I would say I’ve got a mint chin, to be fair.

“I got a bit fed up in the amateurs and wanted to get in the pro game because I think it is more my style. I didn’t think about taking it further because I wanted to turn pro as soon as possible.

“You will always learn on the job so I will take everything as it comes and do my best to smash it.”

Promoter Frank Warren commented on his newest recruit: “George is an exciting addition to our ranks.

“George brings with him a big reputation and he is the sort of fighter the fans love to get behind because he will be entertaining and fun to watch.

“I am looking forward to getting him going and getting him the experience he needs to make a big impact in the professional game.”

LAS VEGAS (May 11, 2021) — Before Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor clash for the undisputed junior welterweight world title Saturday, May 22 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, two featherweight firefights will get the action going.
 
Mexican contender Jose Enrique Vivas will battle the Robert Garcia-trained Louie Coria in a scheduled eight-rounder.
 
And, in an eight-rounder with a touch of gold, two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez will face Juan Tapia, the fighting pride of Brownsville, Texas.
 
Vivas-Coria and Ramirez-Tapia are among the undercard fights scheduled to stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.
 
Ramirez-Taylor headlines a junior welterweight tripleheader starting at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+. The main card will also showcase Jose “Chon” Zepeda in a 10-rounder versus “Hammerin” Hank Lundy and unbeaten sensation Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez against former U.S. amateur star Kenneth “Bossman” Sims Jr. in an eight-rounder.
 
Vivas (20-1, 11 KOs) went 2-0 last year inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble, outlasting Carlos Jackson in a Fight of the Year contender and knocking out John Vincent Moralde in the opening round. A former Mexican amateur standout, Vivas has won three straight bouts since a points loss to Ruben Villa. Coria (12-4, 7 KOs), from Moreno Valley, California, hopes to break a two-bout losing skid, although both defeats came in brawls that could’ve easily gone his way. Last June, he dropped a majority decision to Adam Lopez, and four months later, he knocked down 2016 Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceicao en route to a disputed unanimous decision verdict.
 
Ramirez (6-1, 4 KOs) turned his career around following a shocking decision defeat to Adan Gonzales in his professional debut. He avenged that loss last July via shutout decision and most recently knocked out Brandon Valdes (13-1 at the time) in the sixth round. Ramirez makes his 2021 debut against Tapia (10-3, 3 KOs), a seven-year pro who has gone the distance against 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Vladimir Nikitin and pound-for-pound standout Shakur Stevenson.
 
In other undercard action:

• Las Vegas native Andres Cortes (13-0, 7 KOs) will make his 11^th consecutive hometown appearance, this time against Eduardo “Thunder” Garza (15-3-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-round junior lightweight tilt. Cortes made a memorable impression inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble last July, recovering from a fourth-round knockdown to outpoint Alejandro Salinas.
   
• Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (11-0, 9 KOs), the Robert Garcia-trained lightweight prospect from Fontana, California, will fight Jose Luis Gallegos (20-10, 15 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Muratalla is coming off a third-round stoppage win over Luis Porozo last November on the Terence Crawford-Kell Brook card, his sixth consecutive knockout win.
   
• Middleweight prospect Javier “Milwaukee Made” Martinez (3-0, 1 KO), who was once the top-ranked American amateur at 165 pounds, will fight veteran Calvin Metcalf (10-5-1, 3 KOs) in a six-rounder. Martinez last fought Feb. 20 and knocked out Billy Wagner in the first round.

About Ramirez vs. Taylor

Promoted by Top Rank, Ramirez vs. Taylor is a 12-round showdown for the undisputed junior welterweight world championship, which will take place Saturday, May 22 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. The event will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (and simulcast on ESPN+) at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT. Undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.

The telecast will also feature a 10-round junior welterweight battle between Jose “Chon” Zepeda and “Hammerin” Hank Lundy, in addition to an eight-round junior welterweight tilt between knockout artist Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez and Kenneth “Bossman” Sims Jr. 

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 12.1 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 offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

LOS ANGELES AND MIAMI (May 11, 2021) – Triller Fight Club today announced that they will again make history by having men’s and women’s undisputed title fights on the same card for the first time ever, with an elite boxing Pay-Per-View card co-headlined by the title fight between ‘The Takeover’ Teófimo López and ‘Ferocious’ George Kambosos Jr., which has four belts on the line—IBF, WBA, WBO, WBC and the prestigious Ring belt, and a four-belt title bout between Franchon ‘The Heavy-Hitting Diva’ Crews-Dezurn and Elin Cederroos. The PPV event will be the first-ever boxing event held at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida, home of the Miami Marlins. PPV pre-sales are now underway.

“This is truly a historic moment having both the male and female undisputed title fights on the same card,” said Peter Kahn, Chief Boxing Officer, Triller Fight Club. “We are excited to have Franchon and Elin join a night of boxing that already has one of the most anticipated fights of the year, López and Kambosos, along with a strong undercard that will appeal to true boxing fans.”   

”We’re excited to bring boxing’s biggest event of the year to loanDepot park,” said Adam Jones, Miami Marlins Chief Revenue Officer. “This will be another milestone event for South Florida’s jewel venue, as we host one of the most exciting and unique experiences for boxing fans.”

Tickets to attend the event will go on sale Thursday, May 20. More info at TrillerFightClub.com.

The four-hour show, which will kick off at 8:00pm EDT with the live PPV main card starting at 9pm EDT, will also feature a WBA World Title Heavyweight Eliminator bout between Michael Hunter (19-1-1, 13 KOs) and Mike Wilson (21-1, 10 KOs), as well as the WBC International Super Featherweight Silver Championship matchup between Andy Vences (23-2-1, 12 KOs) and Ireland’s Jono Carroll (19-2-1, 5 KOs). Additional fights will be announced in the coming weeks.

López, 23, (16-0, 12 KOs) is the current undisputed lightweight world champion, having held the IBF title since 2019 and the WBA, WBO, WBC and Ring magazine titles since defeating Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020. López is considered to be one of, if not the, best active boxers, pound for pound, by ESPN and Boxing Writers Association of America, and The Ring. He is also ranked as the world’s best active lightweight by BoxRec, ESPN and the TBRB. The Australian Kambosos has held the IBF Pan Pacific lightweight title since 2017. Kambosos (19-0, 10 KOs) became the IBF mandatory challenger after defeating Lee Selby by split decision in October.  

The co-main bout will feature a four-belt undisputed super middleweight championship between WBC/WBO titlist Franchon Crews-Dezurn and Elin Cederroos, who holds the WBA and IBF belts. The winner will become a true women’s undisputed champion in the sport.

In a heavyweight clash, Las Vegas, NV resident Michael ‘The Bounty’ Hunter II will battle Michael ‘White Delight’ Wilson, of Medford, OR in a ten-round WBA Heavyweight World Title Eliminator.

Competing for the WBC International Super Featherweight Silver Championship, Andy ‘El Tiburon’ Vences of San Jose, CA meets Jono ‘King Kong’ Carroll of Dublin, Ireland in a scheduled 10-rounder.

FITE, the world’s premier streaming PPV platform for sports and entertainment recently acquired by TrillerNet, will handle worldwide live pay-per-view streaming distribution online for the June 19 event, and via FITE mobile and Smart TV apps, game controllers and all major OTT devices as well as power TrillerFightClub.com.

iNDemand, the leading transactional video-on-demand and PPV programming provider in North America, will serve as the exclusive U.S. and Canadian cable, satellite, and telco PPV provider for the Lopez vs. Kambosos fight. Fans will be able to order the event on PPV through their existing cable, satellite, and telco PPV providers across the U.S. and Canada.

This marks the third time that FITE, iNDemand and Triller will have partnered to bring value-packed, world-class PPV events to boxing, music, and entertainment fans. iNDemand also served as the cable, satellite, and telco PPV distributor for Triller Fight Club’s November 2020 Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. event (which landed as the 8th best PPV event of all time), as well as the April 17, 2021 Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren event. FITE handled global digital sales for both events and powered the TysononTriller and TrillerFightClub sites.

Mark Boccardi, iNDemand’s SVP Programming & Marketing, said, “Pay Per View remains the king for monetizing premier fighting events. PPV is in the DNA of fight sports, and our alliance with Triller allows us to reach the widest possible audience by incorporating music and entertainment stars into the mix, along with top-notch boxing talent.” 

The PPV retail price for the event is $49.99 (U.S. & Canada) plus processing fee. Fans outside North America can check the FITE link at https://www.fite.tv/watch/teofimo-lopez-vs-george-kambosos/2p97b/ for international pricing.

**HOW TO WATCH THE June 19, 2021, TRILLER FIGHT CLUB PPV EVENT**

TV: Cable, satellite & telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, DirecTV, AT&T TV, Dish, Fios, and Optimum (U.S.), as well as Rogers, Bell, Shaw, Videotron, and Sasktel (Canada).

Worldwide Streaming: FITE.TV and all FITE mobile, Smart TV, game controller and OTT apps as well as the event microsite hub: TrillerFightClub.

In addition to being a co-owner, Snoop also provides strategic counsel to Triller Fight Club, helping to select fighters and musical acts for the show-stopping events. An entertainment expert who has successfully maneuvered through a range of projects in a variety of different fields, Snoop secured his spot as a fan favorite during Triller’s first sporting event, Tyson vs. Jones.

About FITE:

FITE is the premier global platform for live sports and entertainment offering many of the industry’s marquee PPV events and SVOD packages with over 4.4MM registered users. FITE is available worldwide through its iOS and Android mobile apps, Apple TV, Android TV, ROKU, Amazon Fire TV and Huawei apps. In addition, FITE supports Samsung, LG, Cox Contour, Vizio SmartCast™, Foxxum, Chromecast, PS4, XBOX, ZEASN, Netrange, Vidaa/Hisense, VEWD, Netgem TV, Virgin Media, Comcast’s Xfinity 1 and Xfinity Flex as well as 7,000 models of Smart TVs. Available online at www.FITE.tv. Follow FITE on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. If it Happens, it’s on FITE.

About iNDemand:

iNDemand is an innovative partnership between three of the leading cable companies in the U.S.—Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, and Cox Communications. iNDemand is a company of trusted content aggregators and licensing experts, with unparalleled technical expertise and long-standing relationships with MVPDs, major sports leagues, Hollywood studios, and other entertainment and sports companies across North America. iNDemand delivers great content to more than 80 million homes and has distribution deals with more than 150 companies. For more information, go to indemand.com.

About loanDepot park:

loanDepot park is a state-of-the-art retractable roof ballpark located in the heart of Miami. Built in 2012 and located fewer than two miles from downtown Miami, loanDepot park’s uniqueness and attractiveness, including unobstructed views of Miami’s skyline made possible by six operable glass panels, have made the venue a go-to destination for world-class entertainment, hosting a variety of sporting events as well as many business and entertainment events.

About TrillerNet:

FITE and Triller Fight Club are owned by TrillerNet, a first-of-its-kind company consolidating technology and content platforms to lead the move to Internet 3.0. TrillerNet pairs the culture of music with sports, fashion, entertainment and influencers through a 360-degree view of content and technology. TrillerNet—which owns the globally popular Triller app used by musicians, celebrities, athletes, and overall culture setters—has more than 300 million users worldwide. The Triller app—unlike other popular short-video apps it is often compared to, encourages its users to post the content created on the app across other social media platforms and websites. The app uses proprietary AI and Machine Learning technology which is uniquely tied to the content rather than the user. By tracking the content, Triller empowers its tastemakers and users to push their content virally to affiliated and non-affiliated sites and networks reaching hundreds of millions of additional users. Data and insights gleaned from the Triller network, its creators, artists and users (from the app and off network) are used to program longer-form content, connect users across the web with the content, and provide unprecedented opportunities for engagement and monetization. TrillerNet has developed highly successful campaigns that begin with the app and continue throughout the entire content and technology ecosystem with some of the biggest brands in the world, including Pepsi, McDonalds, Weedmaps, DraftKings, L’Oreal, and many others. TrillerNet offers brands a unique content and technology solution, including direct deals with the influencers and celebrities. This branded content journey starts with short-form video and can easily expand into valuable long-form content distributed through the Triller Network, such as live-event boxing and music PPVs, fashion shows, and episodic reality content on TrillerTV. Some of the more than 65 original half-hour TrillerTV shows include The D’Amelios Family’s “Ask a DAM Question,” Jennifer Lopez In The Morning, Jake Paul: Staying On Top, 2 Chainz Let’s Do It, DJ Khaled’s Spreading Love, Hype House’s Thomas Petrou’s Coffee Talks, Josh Richards’ Josh Pong, Ur Lov’d: the Noah Beck Show, Fat Joe’s Masterclass, The Perez Hilton Show, and Violet Benson’s Too Tired To Be Crazy, among others. TrillerNet additionally owns Verzuz, the massive live-stream music platform launched by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, and Triller Fight Club (www.TrillerFightClub.com), which launched last year with the highly successful Tyson-Jones Fight which shattered digital PPV records. Other holdings include leading AI-powered customer engagement platform Amplify.ai, and FITE, the premier live event and PPV, AVOD, SVOD streaming platform.

Las Vegas – For the first time in over two years, UFC^® returns to Arizona and welcomes fans back at full capacity with a pair of highly anticipated championship rematches. Headlining the event will be middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, as he looks to fend off No. 3 ranked contender Marvin Vettori. In the co-main event, flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo and No. 1 contender Brandon Moreno seek to settle the score following their thrilling majority draw in December.

UFC 263: ADESANYA vs. VETTORI 2 will take place Saturday, June 12 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz. All bouts will be streamed on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The early prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass. The prelims will be distributed on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The UFC 263 main card will stream exclusively on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

UFC 263: ADESANYA vs. VETTORI 2 tickets will go on sale Friday, May 14 at 10 a.m. PT and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, May 12 at 12 p.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, May 13 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC middleweight champion Adesanya (20-1, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) returns to his natural weight class looking to successfully defend his title for the third time. Since joining the UFC roster in 2018, Adesanya has developed into one of the top ranked pound-for-pound fighters in the world, a distinction he earned with impressive victories over Paulo Costa, Robert Whittaker and Anderson Silva. He now intends improve on his 2018 win over Vettori and continue his quest to become the greatest middleweight in UFC history.  

Vettori (17-4-1, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif. by way of Mezzocorona, Italy) plans to make the most of his first UFC title shot by becoming the first middleweight to defeat Adesanya. Undefeated since his split decision loss to the current middleweight champion in 2018, Vettori climbed through the ranks with dominant wins over Karl Roberson, Jack Hermansson and Kevin Holland. He now seeks to show off his evolution as a fighter and secure the biggest win of his career.

UFC flyweight champion Figueiredo (20-1-1, fighting out of Condor Belem, Para, Brazil) returns to action aiming to make a statement and show that he is the best 125-pounder in the world. A renowned finisher, he is currently tied for the most stoppages in UFC flyweight history with seven, a number he accumulated with victories over Alex Perez, Joseph Benavidez (twice) and Tim Elliott. Figueiredo now looks to continue his title reign with a record-breaking performance.

Top ranked Moreno (18-5-2, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) has his sights set on shocking the world in his second chance at UFC gold. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Moreno secured his first shot at Figueiredo following notable wins over contenders Kai Kara-France, Jussier Formiga and Brandon Royval. He now hopes to leave no doubt that he is the true flyweight champion and begin building his own legacy at the top of the 125-pound ladder. 

Additional bouts on the card include:

• In a historic first non-main event, five-round fight, No. 3 ranked welterweightLeon Edwards (18-3, 1 NC, fighting out of Birmingham, England) welcomes back fan favorite Nate Diaz (21-12, fighting out of Stockton, Calif.)
• Ranked light heavyweights collide as No. 14 Paul Craig (14-4-1, fighting out of Coatbridge, Scotland) and No. 15 Jamahal Hill (8-0, fighting out of Kentwood, Mich.) vie to break into the top 10
• In a battle of welterweight contenders, No. 8 ranked Demian Maia (28-10, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) locks horns with No. 12 Belal Muhammad (18-3, 1 NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.)
• Drew Dober (23-10, 1 NC, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) and Brad Riddell (9-1, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) face off in an action-packed lightweight bout
• In a light heavyweight bout, Eryk Anders (13-5, 1 NC, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) meets Darren Stewart (12-6, fighting out of London, England)
• No. 3 ranked women’s flyweight Lauren Murphy (14-4, fighting out of Houston, Texas) seeks to secure her first UFC title shot by taking out No. 6 Joanne Calderwood (15-5, fighting out of Glasgow, Scotland)
• An intriguing featherweight bout sees undefeated No. 14 ranked Movsar Evloev (14-0, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Ingushetia, Russia) take on No. 15 Hakeem Dawodu (12-1-1, fighting out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
• No. 11 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Pannie Kianzad (15-5, fighting out of Helsingborg, Skane County, Sweden) goes for the biggest win in her career against former title challenger Alexis Davis (20-10, fighting out of Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada)
• Frank Camacho (22-9, fighting out of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands) and Matt Frevola (8-2-1, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y.) clash in a lightweight bout all but guaranteed to entertain
• No. 14 ranked women’s bantamweight Sijara Eubanks (7-6, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.) duels with No. 14 Karol Rosa (14-3, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Featherweight prospect Chase Hooper (10-1-1, fighting out of Enumclaw, Wash.) plans to show off his evolving skillset when he battles veteran Steven Peterson (18-9, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
• Fares Ziam (11-3, fighting out of Givors, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France) and Luigi Vendramini (9-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) compete in an exciting lightweight bout
• Heavyweights Carlos Felipe (10-1, fighting out of State of Bahia, Brazil) and Jake Collier (12-5, fighting out of Cuba, Mo.) look to steal the show and climb the ranks

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

###

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 Gila River Arena

Gila River Arena is a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility situated on 13.5 acres in the City of Glendale, Arizona. The Arena is home to the Arizona Coyotes NHL Hockey team and entertains over one-million visitors annually through concerts, family shows and sporting events. The arena anchors the Westgate Entertainment District located on 223 acres for shopping, dining, entertainment and commercial offices. www.gilariverarena.com

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 12.5 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 offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

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. 

After a whirlwind few days where young Heavyweight superstar Daniel Dubois has been unexpectedly thrust back into the media spotlight, ‘Dynamite’ has now said it is “time to move on”.

Daniel was last seen in the ring on November 28 when he suffered a horrific eye injury at the hands of Joe Joyce.

In the wake of that shock defeat internet trolls, and even some within boxing, were keen to put the boot in on Dubois by questioning his decision to take a knee and end the bout.

One such figure was Billy Joe Saunders, who was vociferous in his criticism of the 23-year-old mild-mannered bruiser.

Those remarks would come back to bite Bill, who would fall to Canelo Alvarez after suffering a very similar injury.

Daniel says he understands why the fans and press alike have jumped on this ironic twist of fate but has insisted it is time to move on.

The ever-classy Dubois said: “I understand why everyone has wanted to make comparisons between me and Billy, but it’s time to move on now.”

Saunders is currently awaiting treatment at a hospital in Dallas and Dubois says it’s time to give him space to recover and regroup.

“Billy has had his injury, people have said what they’ve had to say but now it’s time to let him rest, heal and be with his family.

“It’s important for me to move on too. I’ve got a fight on June 5^th with Bogdan Dinu that I need to get ready for.”

The Heavyweight collision with Romania’s Bogdan Dinu will be Dubois’ first taste of action since suffering his injury and he is keen to put the memories of that fateful night behind him.

“Over six months of frustrations are ready to come out. You are going to see the best version of Daniel Dubois in that ring on June 5^th. I will beat Bogdan Dinu up and knock him out.”

Some may have expected young ‘Dynamite’ to have taken an easier fight for his return, but Dubois was keen to jump back in the mix and take on #2 ranked WBA Heavyweight Dinu with the WBA Interim title on the line.

“Dinu is a decent test. He does some things very well. He has fast hands and can move. He’s ranked #2 for a reason, and he’ll see this as a chance to get a title.”

Whilst Dubois is keen to move on from both the events of this past weekend in Texas and his own defeat in November last year, he understands that the only way to truly do that is deliver something spectacular in the ring.

At just 23-years-old, he will be looking to add a 15^th career KO to his record and improve to 16-1 as a professional.

Dubois is fully aware of the question marks that surround him after the nature of his last defeat and he is confident he has all the answers.

“I need to do what I do, show people why they called me ‘Dynamite’ in the first place” Dubois said, “It’ll be a devastating performance, I promise you. A huge knockout to put myself back on the map.”

‘BACK STRONGER: DUBOIS vs DINU’ IS LIVE ON BT SPORT 1 HD ON SATURDAY JUNE 5^th

Fast-rising Super-Lightweight sensation Dalton Smith says he carries the power to knockout local rival Lee Appleyard when they clash for the vacant English Title at the AO Arena, Manchester this Saturday May 15, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the US and more than 200 countries and territories.

‘Thunder’ has finished six of his seven professional contests inside the distance, and the 24-year-old former Team GB star kept his six-fight KO streak running last time out when he retired Birmingham’s Ishmael Ellis in three rounds on the Josh Warrington vs. Mauricio Lara undercard. 

Smith, Sheffield’s most successful amateur boxer of all time, was originally scheduled to face Rotherham’s Appleyard in February before the Stefy Bull-trained 33-year-old was forced to withdraw after contracting COVID-19 a week out from the fight – but Smith believes now is the perfect time to take on the former English Champion.

“In my eighth fight, to be boxing for the English Title is great,” said Smith. “The belt has been around for so many years and when you look at the people that have won it – some have gone on to become greats. They all started off with the English Title. That’s the route I want to go down – English, British and European. I want to go the traditional route and pick up all of those belts along the way. 

“Lee Appleyard is a local derby and it’s the perfect matchup to have for the English Title. Each fight for me is a steppingstone. The English Title is not my end goal; it’s the start. The amateur days and the golds are in the past now; I’ve achieved those goals and now I’ve got new goals that I’ve set out. I work hard every single day because I want to achieve those goals. I’ll be happy when one day I can bring a World Title back to Sheffield.

“Take nothing away from Lee, he’s a very good fighter and he’s experienced. He’s got a very good engine. I think that’s what he’s going to be relying on in this fight. Just having a good engine isn’t enough. I’m maturing and I’m punching harder. I’ve always been able to carry power but now I feel like a different animal. I think it’s a perfect fight for me. 

“I think I can knock him out. We’ve both sparred, and we both know how those spars went. Don’t get me wrong, Lee is tough and he’s strong. He’s going to try and take me into the deep waters in those later rounds. No disrespect to Lee, I think he’s a great fighter in and out of the ring, but I feel confident that I can get him out of there. 

“The Nathan Bennett fight – top fighter. I had no footage on him whatsoever so when I was training, I didn’t really know what style I was preparing for. I went in there and showed whatever they bring to the table, I can adapt. It only took me a few rounds to get his number. I’ve sparred Lee, we’ve had lots of rounds together. I’ve been to shows where I’ve seen him fight live. I know a lot about Lee. If I can work somebody out without any footage, once I’ve got their blueprint it can be dangerous.”

Smith vs. Appleyard is part of a huge night of boxing in Manchester, Joshua Buatsi (13-0, 11 KOs) fights under Virgil Hunter for the first time against unbeaten Frenchman Daniel Blenda Dos Santos (15-0, 8 KOs), three European Title fights feature on the bill with Gamal Yafai (18-1, 10 KOs) defending his Super-Bantamweight Title for the first time against Jason Cunningham (28-6, 6 KOs), Tommy McCarthy (17-2, 18 KOs) defending his Cruiserweight crown against Romania’s Alexandru Jur (19-4, 7 KOs) and Lerrone Richards (14-0, 3 KOs) taking on Italy’s Giovanni De Carolis (28-9-1, 13 KOs) for the vacant Super-Middleweight strap, Birmingham Heavyweight Solomon Dacres makes his professional debut and Ellis Hopkins makes history when she becomes the first female from the traveller community to turn professional.

Super-Middleweight Zach Parker insists he will be more than up for the task of toppling Canelo when his shot comes around and says the Mexican superstar will never have been in with a ‘tank’ like him.

The 20-0 Derby banger burned the midnight oil in the early hours of Sunday morning taking in the unification battle between Canelo and British WBO belt holder Billy Joe Saunders, a clash which came to a close after eight rounds due to eye socket damage inflicted on the two-weight world champion.

The previously unbeaten Saunders was always going to have a big job on his hands against the supersized multi-weight champion and, as suspected, elusivity could not trump raw power in Texas.

However, Parker feels Saunders gave a good account of himself at the home of the Dallas Cowboys and exposed a few minor discomforts in his celebrated opponent.

“I thought it was a good fight and Billy did a lot better than I thought he would, but size was obviously against him at super middleweight,” considered the 26-year-old ranked at No.1 by the WBO. “He did show that Canelo still doesn’t like southpaws and movers.

“I had it at almost level before it was stopped. Hopefully he has a speedy recovery.

“I said to a lot of people that it would be a better fight than the Callum Smith one because Smith hasn’t got the movement or slickness. He stands there in front of you where he can hit and be hit. He waited for punches and tried to come back but you can’t do that with Canelo because you’ve got to have that movement and make it awkward for him.”

Parker confirmed that he viewed the fight through professional eyes with a focus on what he would do if he gets to share a ring with the mighty Mexican. He insists he would bring size and power to the party.

“I watched closely and if Billy Joe had a bit more size on him and a bit more punching power he could have done even better. With extra power he could have kept him off a bit and made it a different fight.

“You need that power at this weight. You can box, but that won’t take you the whole way, you need to hurt and push him back a bit.

“Billy’s punching power wasn’t bothering him at all and he was just walking through it. He got him in the end.

“That is what I am looking at myself. I am a lot bigger than both of them at 6ft 2” and I am still growing as a lad. I am a tank at super middleweight and when I punch I make sure it hurts them, I’m not gonna be tip-tapping or nothing like that.

“I have said it to a lot of people because they don’t know what I’ve done with coming under the radar a little bit, but my trainer will tell you I hit like a heavyweight.

“I am just going to keep getting my wins up, keep getting my name out there more so I can get in with these bigger names. If people don’t know who you are they will not put a lot of money up for fights, so I need to keep pushing my case.”

So is the key to overcoming Canelo throwing bombs and being prepared to go to war?

“Yeah and be slick with it, but when you do hit him you have to make it count. Every shot counts when you are in with Canelo. You have to have that bit of spite behind you and not just tap him.

“I am more confident over my chances, especially after the other night. Most super middleweights are not as slick as me and I’ve got a really awkward style with being a switch-hitter. Watching that made me a lot more confident because I could see holes. He doesn’t like people moving and likes people to stay in front of him like Callum Smith did.

“I ain’t gonna stand there and just trade with him, I can box and then trade when I want to trade. Stick and move, that is what you’ve got to do. Tactical warfare.”

Parker knows that, despite his top of the charts status with the WBO, his name is not in the frame and he is likely not head of the queue for a tilt at the 30-year-old veteran of 59 professional fights, who weighed in at under 10 stone for his debut back in 2005.

The now WBC, WBA and WBO champion wants to complete the jigsaw by adding the IBF belt to finalise his domination of the division, so Parker will have to bide his time and top up his experience for if Canelo retains possession of his titles.

“Yeah he wants the Caleb Plant fight, which will be a hard one as he’s not going to just stand there either because he is a slick boxer. I’m just gonna keep doing what I’m doing, keep getting my resume up against top fighters and wait for my time.

“They don’t want to put it on the line for nothing, they want the big name fights, so I’ve got to get my name bigger and keep making noise here in Britain.”

And when his time does come, Parker knows just the place where he would like it to happen and intends to avoid being the eighth Brit to take an ‘L’ to the same man.

“It would be amazing if he wants to fight in England and, if he did want that, Frank is the man to make it happen. Pride Park would be filled out and they would love it.

“He has beaten seven already, but he ain’t boxed Zach Parker yet! A different sort of boxer.

“I wouldn’t be towing the line wherever we fight. People think you’ve got to go over there and thank him, whereas I would go over to take what I have been working for all my life. I would be the same as Billy in that I wouldn’t go over and give him all this respect.

“I would respect him as a boxer but that is where it stops and you’ve got to do your own thing. You can’t be thankful for the opportunity, you’ve got to take it for yourself.”

JONATHAN KUMUTEO celebrated his successful professional debut by handing himself a social media ban.

The Finchley Super-Welterweight made a winning start to his professional career by easily outpointing Dale Arrowsmith last month, an experience he compared to being like a “video game”.

Kumuteo has over sixty thousand Instagram followers but decided on a temporary exile after his win on the Queensberry show televised live on BT Sport.

His battles beating a skin disease over the last six years that needed three surgeries and once left him bed bound for eight months threatened his boxing career, but Kumuteo defied the odds.

He said: “For the last few years my body has not been able to relax. I have been able to put my body to rest, shut my eyes and sleep but my mind is never at ease.

“For the first time I have ticked off every single box in terms of my aims and objectives in 2016 when I fell severely ill for the second time.

“In this generation that we live in when people achieve great things, good things, bad things the very first thing they do is go to social media and announce it to the world.

“In my case the last thing I wanted to be was on social media even though I have just achieved my childhood dream to become a professional fighter, win and box on one of the biggest platforms in the world.

“I have just wanted to spend time with my three little sisters and my Mum. They are why I do this.

“I couldn’t care less about social media right now. I know I won after three years out of the ring. I came out and beat a good opponent for my introduction to the world of professional boxing.

“Over the last few years I have had a lot of pressure from family to pursue a different career, but I stuck by my guns even though at times I may have looked stubborn, ignorant and naïve.”

Kumuteo is enjoying short break in Scotland, but returns to the gym next week and hopes promoter Frank Warren will give him a date for his second professional fight.

Even though his debut was on a behind closed doors show, Kumuteo was shocked when he stepped between the ropes at York Hall, Bethnal Green and saw Arrowsmith across the ring.

“I honestly thought I was in a video game,” explained the 25-year-old who arrived in London aged seven after escaping war-ravaged Democratic of Congo.

“I am not generally a nervous person because I have been through so much. It’s like they have been taken out of me.

“Doing my short ringwalk I was fine, but when I got in the ring and saw the bright lights around the venue. I thought I was in a video game.

“I saw the 32Red logo, a bright blue canvas and everything on point. I seriously thought I was in a game.

“Then it hit me, and I thought, ‘I’m in a fight.’ I still didn’t feel like I was actually in the fight — just the video game.

“As soon as we touched gloves it hit me that fight time had come.

“I believe I controlled the fight and everything was off my jab. The foundations were there, but next time I need to up the gears.”

BELL GARDENS, CALIF. (May 10, 2021) – Former unified super bantamweight world champion Danny Román will look to take one step closer to regaining his champion status when he takes on Ricardo Espinoza Franco in the co-main event of action live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) this Saturday, May 15 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The 31-year-old Román (27-3-1, 10 KOs) made his ring return after losing his unified titles in January 2020 last September, when he bested former champion Juan Carlos Payano on his way to a unanimous decision. The Los Angeles-native captured his first title with a 2017 stoppage of Shun Kubo, before unifying belts with a triumph over T.J. Doheny in 2019, and eventually lost the belts via a narrow decision against Murodjon Akhmadaliev.

Here is what Román had to say about his training camp, his matchup Saturday and more:

On his recent training camp:
“The final days of camp are wrapping up now before we head to the bubble. As always, the sparring we got was top notch. My coach Eddie González and I have relentlessly been working every day to get me in the best shape of my life. These last two months have been demanding, but I know all the hard work will all pay off on fight night.”

On fighting in Southern California on SHOWTIME:
“Everyone knows Southern California is a breeding ground for boxers and the fans always show support for their hometown fighters. SHOWTIME has had some tremendous fights showcased out here and I plan to keep that tradition going strong. I plan to put on an entertaining fight for the fans by being explosive with my effort.”

On his matchup with Ricardo Espinoza Franco:
“This is not going to be an easy fight because I know my opponent is a tough fighter from Tijuana who is coming with everything he’s got. He’s got a lot of power, so I must be smart on how I throw my combinations. I believe my experience in big fights is going to be the difference on May 15. I’m expecting a rough fight and I’m ready for an intense battle.”

On his quest to become a world champion once again:
“Everything I do in boxing from here on out is to regain my status as a world champion. I’ll do whatever it takes to put me back in that position. A victory on May 15 will get me one step closer to that goal. I know in my heart I will become a world champion once again.”

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ABOUT NERY VS. FIGUEROA
Nery vs. Figueroa will see two elite undefeated 122-pound champions meet as Luis Nery defends his WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship against Brandon Figueroa in a 12-round showdown live on SHOWTIME Saturday, May 15 from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature, former unified super bantamweight world champion Danny Román faces Ricardo Espinoza Franco in a 10-round battle at 122 pounds, while undefeated rising star Xavier Martínez meets former world title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos in a WBA Super Featherweight Title Eliminator scheduled for 12 rounds to open the telecast.

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Martinez vs. Burgos is promoted in association with Mayweather Promotions.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com. Dignity Health Sports Park will be open to fans in a limited capacity, with all guests remaining socially distanced and subject to local and state health guidelines throughout the event.

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.

LAS VEGAS (May 10, 2021) — The countdown is on, and WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez is 12 days away from a legacy-defining undisputed showdown against Josh Taylor, Scotland’s IBF/WBA/Ring Magazine kingpin.
 
It’s business as usual for Ramirez, the 2012 U.S. Olympian from California’s Central Valley who hopes to become the first four-belt undisputed champion of Mexican descent. He’s spent the better part of two months training in Riverside, California, with Robert Garcia, who has guided his career inside the ring since after his March 2018 title-winning effort over Amir Imam.
 
With fight week seven days away, Ramirez (26-0, 17 KOs) is the prohibitive underdog for the first time in his professional career, as Taylor (17-0, 13 KOs) is a more than 2-to-1 favorite at most sportsbooks. Ramirez is aware of public perception, but it doesn’t faze him as he enters the sixth world title fight of his career. Taylor earned the prestigious Ring Magazine belt with his October 2019 decision over Regis Prograis, but on May 22, the sport’s loftiest prize will be on the line.
 
As training camp winds down, this is what Ramirez had to say:
 
“I’ve always been the underdog. That’s my mentality. I am fighting for my place in boxing history. No boxer of Mexican descent has ever held all four world title belts. I’m aware that most people are picking against me, but that only fuels me further.”

“In my mind, I’m supposed to win this fight. I don’t let the outside noise get to me. No matter what you do, or who you beat, there’s always going to be somebody else out there. At this moment, that person is Josh Taylor.”
 
“We both wanted the fight, and I respect him for taking on the challenge. Josh and I are out to make history, and I know I will be the better man on May 22.”

“The odds are what they are, but the best junior welterweight, the undisputed champion, will be crowned May 22.”
 
About Ramirez vs. Taylor

Promoted by Top Rank, Ramirez vs. Taylor is a 12-round showdown for the undisputed junior welterweight world championship, which will take place Saturday, May 22 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. The event will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (and simulcast on ESPN+) at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT

The telecast will also feature a 10-round junior welterweight battle between Jose “Chon” Zepeda and “Hammerin” Hank Lundy, in addition to an eight-round junior welterweight tilt between knockout artist Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez and Kenneth “Bossman” Sims Jr.

LOS ANGELES, CA (May 10, 2021) – Thompson Boxing Promotions’ super featherweight prospect, George “El Yuyu” Acosta (12-1, 1 KO), picked a career-defining win this past Friday, May 7, 2021, as he defeated Gadwin Rosa (11-2, 9 KOs), at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, FL. With the win, Acosta captured the vacant WBA Fedecentro Super Featherweight title. The event was promoted by All-Star Boxing and televised by Telemundo.

“I ready to step up and challenge all the top contenders at 130 pounds,” said Acosta. “I have never been one to call out names, but I know that I am deserving of a high-profile fight. I have fought above my weight for most of my career and took this fight on late notice and got the victory. I am ready for anyone and anything and am grateful to Thompson Boxing for believing in me.”

“We’re so proud of George Acosta,” were the first words of promoter Ken Thompson, “Acosta has been in tough early in his career, and now has found a weight class he is supremely confident in. I see Acosta as a fighter who will be getting a big fights as he marches on at super featherweight.”

“George Acosta has grown as a boxer and is the perfect example of a Thompson Boxing fighter,” said Alex Camponovo, Thompson Boxing’s general manager. “George has faced tough competition and learned from a loss, and now he is one of the exciting up-and-comers of Thompson Boxing. We are immensely proud of George.”

“I know that it takes a team to get to the next level and it also takes experience,” concluded Acosta. “I am 24-years-old, and I am right where I need to be. I have never been a disrespectful fighter. I do not call people out, or disrespect them, but I want people to know I am ready to fight anyone. I believe in my team and my promoter, and know good things are coming my way.”

George Acosta won by the following scores 96-94, 97-93 and 98-92, as he defeated Gadwin Rosa by unanimous decision.

Philadelphia, PA (May 10, 2021)– A very special day and night of professional boxing will take place on Saturday, June 5th as King’s Promotions will present a stacked day/night doubleheader at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

The start times are 3 PM and 8 PM ET.

In the afternoon main event, undefeated Devar Ferhadi takes on Blake Mansfield in a super middleweight contest scheduled for eight-rounds.

Capping off the night portion of the card will be a fantastic eight-round super middleweight clash featuring Brandon Robinson and Genc Pllana in a bout scheduled for eight-rounds.

Ferhadi of Frederick, Maryland, has a perfect record of 8-0 with seven knockouts. Ferhadi came to the United States from Iraq, and is also a medical doctor. Ferhadi is coming off a fifth-round stoppage over previously undefeated Vincent Baccus (4-0-1) on December 6, 2019 at the 2300 Arena.

Mansfield of Burlington, North Carolina has a record of 7-3-1 with four-knockouts. The 32 year-old Mansfield is a six-year pro who has wins over Hakeem Atkinson (1-0) and Antowyan Aikens (10-2-1). In his last outing, Mansfield lost to Aaron Casper on November 7th in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Filling out the rest of the matinee card:

In six-round bouts: Greg Outlaw (8-0, 3 KOs) of Bowie, Maryland takes on Andrew Rodgers (4-9-2, 2 KOs) of Elkhart, Indiana in a super lightweight bout; Joseph Jackson (16-0, 12 KOs) of Greensboro, NC fights Terrence Williams (5-4-1, 1 KO) of York, PA in a junior middleweight clash; Kashon Hutchinson (7-5, 1 KO) of Reading, PA fights undefeated Edgar Torres (8-0-1, 4 KOs) of Woodbridge, VA in a welterweight contest.

In four-round bouts: Yahu Gavriel Blackwell (3-1, 2 KOs) of Baltimore, MD fights Nicoy Clarke (2-6) of Jersey City, NJ in a heavyweight bout. Also seeing action against opponents to be named will be debuting fighters in super lightweight Quadir Albright of Chester, PA against an opponent to be announced, and bantamweight LeAnna Cruz of Allentown, PA. fights Marissa Messer Belenchia (1-1) of East Haven, Connecticut.

Robinson of Upper Darby, PA has a record of 15-2 with 10 knockouts. The 32 year-old Robinson is a five-year professional. Robinson has wins over Brandon Clark (2-0), Ernest Amuzu (25-3) and Martez McGregor (8-2). Robinson, who has won four in a row, is coming off a 2nd round stoppage over Josue Obando on March 7, 2020 at The 2300 Arena.

Pllana of Hagerstown, Maryland by way of Kosovo, has a record of 8-3-1 with four knockouts. Pllana, 27 years-old is a four-year professional known as “The Sexy Albanian” and has wins over Jason Bell (3-0) and Kevin Newman II (11-1-1). Pllana is coming off a loss to Raphael Igbokwe on November 28th in Houston, Texas.

In six-round bouts: Rasheed Johnson (7-3, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia fights Rafiq Muhammad (4-0, 2 KOs) of Richmond, VA in a welterweight clash; Jonathan Rodriguez (8-1, 3 KOs) of Bethlehem, PA takes on Sebastian Baltazar (1-4) of Tacoma, WA in a bantamweight fight; Khainell Wheeler (4-1, 4 KOs) of Bethlehem, PA will fight Vincent Baccus (4-2-1, 3 KOs) of Okmulgee, OK in a super middleweight fight.

In four-round bouts: In a battle of undefeated lightweights James Bernadin (3-0-1, 2 KOs) of Lancaster, PA fights Osvaldo Morales (4-0, 2 KOs) of Harrisburg, PA; Elijah Morales (7-0, 4 KOs) of Trenton, NJ fights Andres Abarca (2-4) of Normandy Park, WA in a welterweight contest; Eric Monroe of Philadelphia will make his pro debut against Roudly Lolo (0-0-1) of Camp Hill, PA in a super middleweight affair.

Both cards will be streamed live on BXNGTV.com

Tickets start at $50 (for General Admission), $75, $100, $150 for Table Seating of 6 (Matinee Show Tables are Sold out) and can be purchased by calling 610-587-5950 or at Pivott Boxing (2807 North 6th Street in Philadelphia, 215-398-5766)

CHEATHAM COUNTY, TN (May 10, 2021) – Undefeated lightweight prospect, Tyler “Short Fuse” Tomlin (10-0, 6 KOs), is scheduled to make his promotional debut with DiBella Entertainment on May 14, 2021, in Murfreesboro, TN, against Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey.

With under a week left until fight night, Tomlin gives his thoughts on training camp, making his DiBella debut, fighting in front of this home state fans, and more.

On his recent training camp:

“All the hard work is done and now it’s time to get a lot of rest during this final week of training camp. This camp has been very vigorous, but after today, I’ll be in recovery mode till fight night. In sparring, my timing is right on, and I’m feeling strong. I got some good rounds in with Austin Dulay, and I’m in great shape.”

On his matchup with Tyrone Luckey:

“Luckey has been in the ring with some big names like Ryan Garcia and Tevin Farmer. He’s also fought a lot of guys with undefeated records, so I know he’s coming to fight. My father has a great game plan that we’ve been executing during camp. I’m going to stay disciplined to that strategy and make adjustments as the fight goes on. If I get him hurt, I’m taking him out.”

On making his DiBella Entertainment debut:

“This is a big deal for me and my family. All we wanted was a promoter to believe in us and help build my brand in our home state of Tennessee. Lou DiBella stepped up and presented a deal that we couldn’t refuse. As soon as we signed, he put me in as the main event bout for this upcoming card. I’m ready to take the next step in my career with a seasoned promoter who knows the business.”

On fighting in front of his home state fans:

“Because I’ll be the final bout of the evening, all my hometown fans will be able to see some good action fights from the ladies. This is going to be a fun event, a big party, and I’m happy to be the special attraction. I’m expecting a lot of family, friends and sponsors to be in attendance. I can’t wait to put on a great show.”

Matt Young of Tri-Star Boxing Promotions is the co-promoter of this event and Tomlin is advised by noted boxing manager Peter Fernandez, of Tampa, Florida.

Tomlin vs. Luckey is scheduled for eight-rounds and will be the main event on a “Broadway Boxing Presents: Ladies Fight” extravaganza. Tomlin’s bout will not be streamed on UFC Fight Pass®, which will be showcasing all the women’s fights, so local fans wishing to see his fight are encouraged to buy tickets well in advance to ensure entry.

Tickets, starting at $35, are On Sale Now and can be purchased online at Broadway Boxing Tickets. Fans wishing to support Team Short Fuse should purchase seats or tables labeled “Tomlin.” The event is co-promoted by Matt Young’s Tri-Star Boxing. Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville SE is located at 1200 Conference Center Boulevard, Murfreesboro, TN 37129, just outside of Nashville, TN. Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:30 p.m. local time.

The remainder of the May 14 event will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading streaming service for combat sports, at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT, and will feature a world class, historic evening of exclusively women’s boxing. Broadway Boxing Presents: Ladies Fight is headlined by an eight-round lightweight contest between popular, former WBO featherweight world champion Heather “The Heat” Hardy (22-1, 4 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, and Montreal, Canada’s Jessica “The Cobra” Camara (7-2).

To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS®, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com, or download the UFC app.

Social Media
DiBella Entertainment
Instagram: @DiBellaEnt
Twitter: @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEnt
Facebook: @DiBellaEntertainment

Tyler Tomlin
Instagram: @_TyTomlin
Twitter: @_TyTomlin
Facebook: @TyTomlin123

Ellis Hopkins is set to make history at the AO Arena, Manchester this Saturday May 15 after landing a last minute spot on the Joshua Buatsi vs. Daniel Blenda Dos Santos undercard. 

The former amateur standout from Coalville in Leicestershire will become the first woman from the traveller community to make the move from amateur to professional boxing when she clashes with Borislava Goranova on her highly-anticipated pro debut.

Hopkins represented England for a number of years and won numerous accolades such as the Youth National Championship and a Tri Nations Silver medal in 2017, and is now delighted to be making her pro debut on such a big stage.

“I’m really excited to make my professional debut,” said Hopkins. “It’s been a long time coming with delays due to COVID, but it’s been worth the wait as I now get to make my debut on a Matchroom show and you can’t really get any better than that, so a huge thanks to Matchroom and MTK Global for allowing it to happen.

“The last year has been so hard to keep focused, especially when I’ve had four or five fight dates that all got cancelled due to COVID, so now I can’t wait to get in the ring and get started.

“When I first started boxing, women’s boxing wasn’t really a thing. There weren’t any girls in the gym and now nearly every card has a women’s bout on. The women’s fights are usually more exciting than the men’s fights, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.

“It’s a very proud achievement to be the first woman from the travelling community to turn professional. When you compare it to the amateurs, there isn’t a lot of traveller boys that turn over, so to be the first ever girl to do it is a massive thing for our community, and I hope more travelling girls can follow in my footsteps.

“I’d like to say I have an exciting style as I can box and I can fight too. Things move fast with female boxing so I want to be busy this year, and hopefully next year I’ll be boxing for titles.”

Hopkins vs. Goranova tops a huge night of boxing in Manchester, Joshua Buatsi (13-0, 11 KOs) fights under Virgil Hunter for the first time against unbeaten Frenchman Daniel Blenda Dos Santos (15-0, 8 KOs)three European Title fights feature on the bill with Gamal Yafai (18-1, 10 KOs) defending his Super-Bantamweight Title for the first time against Jason Cunningham (28-6, 6 KOs), Tommy McCarthy (17-2, 18 KOs) defending his Cruiserweight crown against Romania’s Alexandru Jur (19-4, 7 KOs) and Lerrone Richards (14-0, 3 KOs) taking on Italy’s Giovanni De Carolis (28-9-1, 13 KOs) for the vacant Super-Middleweight strap, Dalton Smith (7-0, 6 KOs) takes on Lee Appleyard (16-5-1, 5 KOs) for the vacant English Super-Lightweight Title after their February clash fell through at short notice and Birmingham Heavyweight Solomon Dacres makes his professional debut.

(Hoboken, NJ)–May 10, 2021– Silver Bow signs 18 year-old European amateur standout Valeriy Zagrafov to a multi-year promotional agreement. Zagrafov recently escaped war in Crimea to find a home in the birthplace of boxing, Athens Greece. Before he left Crimea, Zagrafov won gold medals at 56kg (123-pounds) in several tournaments in Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and now in Greece.

“It is my job and my hobby. It’s what I love to do. All I do is train and fight,” said Zagrafov.

“There really is something special about Valeriy. I feel he will do major things in the sport,” said Bill Halkias of Silver Bow.

“It is with great honor and joy that our athlete Valerios is about to commence his journey in the world of professional boxing. After a great amateur career, Valerios will take on the professional rankings with great ambition and aspirations to become a top contender in his division. As a manager, I am very proud and honored for him and for the agreement with the prestigious promotion of Bill Halkias,” stated Giannis Moustakas, the manager of Zagrafov

Said trainer, Nikos Gidakos,”After nine years of hard work, patience and dedication, we are delighted to have one of our best athletes Valerios Zagrafov on his way to the US, the Mecca of boxing and sports! Valerios is a virtuoso of the sport, with great fighting spirit and great character! I am extremely enthusiastic, and it means the world to me that Valerios will be given the chance to showcase his boxing ability on the world boxing stage. I am also honored, and I’d like to warmly thank Bill Halkias for his contribution to the agreement, and we are looking forward to our cooperation! It is a great feeling as a coach to see our athlete achieving his goals and fulfilling his dreams and we will be beside him always!”

Zagrafov plans to come to the USA this summer for sparring and to discuss his pro debut on Silver Bow’s ChampBox Boxing Series.

Joshua Buatsi says he is excited to showcase his improvements under new trainer Virgil Hunter when he defends his WBA International Light-Heavyweight Title against unbeaten Frenchman Daniel Blenda Dos Santos at the AO Arena, Manchester this Saturday May 15, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the US and more than 200 countries and territories.

Croydon’s Buatsi (13-0, 11 KOs) came through the toughest test of his career as he stopped brave Croatian Marko Calic in seven brutal rounds to retain his WBA ranking belt in the main event at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes last October.

The 28-year-old has since travelled to San Francisco in the US to team up with renowned coach Hunter, who guided the career of pound-for-pound star Andre Ward – and former Olympian ‘JB’ is confident the move will strengthen his pursuit of a World Title fight. 

“In my last fight I found out that if I have to dig deep because it’s not going my way, I’m capable of doing it,” said Buatsi. “That’s in the bank now. Before that fight I thought it was in the bank, I was convinced it was in the bank, but I’d never been tested. Now that I have been tested and I had to show a bit of guts, I know it’s there.

“I met Virgil Hunter at the first Joshua vs. Ruiz fight in New York in 2019. I went over to him to introduce myself and he told me he knew who I was. I told him I was going to come and train with him one day, and he said the door to his gym was open whenever I was ready. After my last fight in October I said, ‘I’m out of here’. I’ve come out here to learn more and add things to my game. 

“It’s totally different living out here. It’s great, it’s nice and the views are amazing, I’ve never seen anything like it, but I’m here just for boxing. The main goal is purely to come out here to gain experience and learn as much as I can. It’s going really well so far. 

“I wasn’t really watching a lot of professional boxing in the amateurs. I started to watch it when I was about 17 or 18. I came across Andre Ward and started watching his fights, listening out for what he was being told in the corner and stuff like that. I knew then Virgil was a good trainer. I said at the time I’d love to be trained by Virgil, but I didn’t ever think in a million years I’d be in the States training with him. 

“Sometimes in the corner, it’s not really even boxing advice that he’s giving me, it’s just something totally different. It’s linked to boxing, so I’ll do it and I’ll be like, ‘cool, that worked’. It’s a whole different spin and approach from him but I’m really enjoying it. 

“As always, I look to go in there, and I look to handle business. I don’t really go too much into reading about opponents and their previous fights, because how they boxed someone else is not how they’re going to box me. I’ll be there listening to the instructions that Virgil is going to give me. I’m very excited. I’m looking forward to showing people what I’ve been learning out here. 

“Ultimately, I’m fighting to win. However it looks, my primary goal is to always win. We’ll be stepping up. Whoever they put in front of me, I’ll look to get rid of them and to keep building and learning. I’ve got older heads around me to guide what I’m doing. You have to consider what they’ve got to say because they’ve been there and done it. 

Buatsi vs. Dos Santos tops a huge night of boxing in Manchester,three European Title fights feature on the bill with Gamal Yafai (18-1, 10 KOs) defending his Super-Bantamweight Title for the first time against Jason Cunningham (28-6, 6 KOs), Tommy McCarthy (17-2, 18 KOs) defending his Cruiserweight crown against Romania’s Alexandru Jur (19-4, 7 KOs) and Lerrone Richards (14-0, 3 KOs) taking on Italy’s Giovanni De Carolis (28-9-1, 13 KOs) for the vacant Super-Middleweight strap, Dalton Smith (7-0, 6 KOs) takes on Lee Appleyard (16-5-1, 5 KOs) for the vacant English Super-Lightweight Title after their February clash fell through at short notice, Birmingham Heavyweight Solomon Dacres makes his professional debut and Ellis Hopkins makes history when she becomes the first female from the traveller community to turn professional.

London, UK (10 May 2021) Sam Eggington’s shootout against Carlos Molina for the WBC Silver Middleweight Championship headlines the Hennessy Sports show on Saturday 22nd May at the Coventry Skydome Arena, live and free on Channel 5, but chief-support Kaisee Benjamin and Martin Harkin are promising to eclipse that and deliver the fight of the night in their hotly anticipated British Welterweight Title Eliminator*.

Birmingham talent Benjamin, 25, is known for his laid-back manner, but he’s fired up like never before for the biggest fight of his career against the granite Scotsman who is equally hyped up and intent on causing a major upset on the night.

Midland’s Area Champion Benjamin knows a victory over Harkin, the reigning Celtic Welterweight Champion, will put him within touching distance of the British title holder Chris Jenkins and a dream shot at the Lonsdale belt – and he’s going all out on the night.

It’s a ‘pick ‘em’ fight with both boxers quite evenly matched; both have 14 fights apiece, silky skilled Benjamin has slightly more Championship experience, whilst Harkin has a small edge in power with three more stoppages than Benjamin.

“I’ve been accused of being too ‘chilled’ in my fights, but this British Title Eliminator has got me really pumped up and you could see something special,” Said Benjamin.

“Maybe the fights before haven’t really excited me, don’t get me wrong, all fights are important but maybe I needed that something extra to lift me to the next level and knowing that a win over Harkin will lead to the British title has given me that extra ‘oomph’,”

“It’s a big show that I’m featuring on, Sam’s in the main event in a big fight and I’m the chief supporting bout with the Channel 5 cameras on me so the stakes are a lot higher this time. Maybe that has a lot to do with it, but I can feel the heat already and I really want to get out there and perform,”

“I can’t wait to get in there and start doing my thing. Let’s see what Harkin is like for real in the ring. I know that I’ve got a solid chin, great work-rate and skills, can he match that? I don’t believe he can,”

“Sam’s fight against Molina is going to be a cracker, but I believe that me and Harkin will also be a real fire fight, we both want it bad and the one who wants it most will come out on top.”

Harkin, 29, from Dumbarton, says he’s ready to go right now and has had ample time to prepare for Benjamin, with plenty of top quality sparring against O’Hara Davies, Lewis Ritson and Mason Cartwright in the build up.

He said, “This is a great opportunity on a massive platform on Channel 5 for me to break my way in and get in a prime position to get a British title shot and I’m not going to blow it,”

“I’ve had plenty of notice for this fight so I’ve prepared like never before. Usually fights get sprung on you a last minute to catch you off guard or not in full training, but I’m fight ready for Benjamin. I’ve had the best sparring with some of the leading names in Davies, Ritson and Cartwright so I’m leaving no stone unturned,”

“Benjamin is a good fighter, he’ll be ready and so will I, it will be real tasty, but I’m coming to win.”

*British Welterweight Title Eliminator awaiting approval by BBBofC.

Presented by Hennessy Sports in association with William Hill, Infinitum, Numan, Everlast and King Carlos Promotions, Eggington v Molina will headline the exciting nine-fight card exclusively live and free-to-air across the UK and Ireland on Channel 5.

Main event features Birmingham warrior Sam Eggington (29-7-0, 17 KO’s) against Mexico’s hard-as-nails Carlos Molina (37-11-2, 12 KO’s) for the Vacant WBC Silver Middleweight Championship. Chief support features a cracking showdown between Birmingham’s Kaisee Benjamin (11-1-1, 2 KO’s) and Dumbarton’s Martin Harkin (13-1-0, 5 KO’s) in an Eliminator for the British Welterweight Championship (Subject to BBBofC approval).

Also on the card, Coventry sensation River Wilson-Bent (8-0-0, 4 KO’s) makes the first defence of his Midlands Area Middleweight title against Derby’s George Farrell (5-0-0, 1 KO). Former British Light-Heavyweight Champion Shakan Pitters (14-1-0, 4 KO’s) has his first back against Bradford’s Jermaine Springer (7-2-0, 1 KO) in an eight-rounder since losing his title to Craig Richards last December. County Monaghan super-lightweight dynamo Stephen ‘The Hitman’ McKenna (7-0-0, 7 KO’s) features in a six-rounder, but the undefeated red-hot 24-year-old prospect has not needed to go the distance yet with all his fights ending inside. Birmingham middleweight bombshell Idris ‘The Bodybreaker’ Virgo (9-0-1, 1 KO) goes in over six-rounds. Sevenoaks all-action super-welterweight Michael Hennessy Jr. (5-1-1) is in a six-rounder against Warminster’s Paul Cummings. Irish super-welterweight ace Brett McGinty (1-0) follows up his thrilling pro debut last December when he features in a four-rounder against Birmingham’s Josh Hodgins. Brighton heavyweight talent Tommy Welch (1-0-0, 1 KO), son of the former British, Commonwealth and World Heavyweight title challenger Scott, follow’s up his explosive debut last December when he stopped Matt Gordon in the second round and features in a four-round contest.

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

JAMES HENEGHAN BELIEVES he thrived in the brightly lit environment of making his first appearance under the Frank Warren banner a couple of weeks back.

The Mersey middleweight – although he states an intention to make it down to super welter – took himself to 5-0 in the pro ranks with a decision victory over Dwain Grant at York Hall.

However, he acknowledges that his hands-low, snappy punching style will be far more ideally suited to taking on an ambitious opponent, rather than one focused on survival and employing a high, tight guard.

That, Heneghan suspects, is when the stoppages will be added to his armoury.

“I enjoyed it,” reflected the 22-year-old. “I would have liked an opponent who was more into coming forward and wanted a bit more of a fight with me, but that will come in the next few fights.

“It was different from what I’ve been used to, it was a lot more high production and there was all the media, weigh-ins and stuff. I am just looking forward to doing it again.

“I think you have got to take it all in your stride because it is all part of it, so enjoying it is the main thing. Some fighters let it faze them a bit but you have got to go out there and take it all in.”

The stylish southpaw from the Wirral quite literally shoots from the hip when trading leather, a tactic less pleasing on the eye when an opponent is reluctant to return fire.

“It is definitely not,” concurred the John Gillies-trained puncher who was having his first pro fight outside of Liverpool. “My style looks the most effective when people are throwing at me and I’m making them miss. When they stop throwing at me it becomes less effective and I’ve got to go looking for it a bit more, which I can do, but prefer not to.

“We weren’t expecting it from him because he has taken rounds off good fighters and has even beaten an unbeaten one. We heard in the build-up he was coming to win so we were expecting a bit more from him, but people expect me not to hit hard because of my style and when I hit them I can see it in their faces that they are hurt and then they cover up.

“Maybe that is a factor,” added Heneghan, who now wants to get cracking onto more meaningful assignments with potentially titles on the table.

“Yeah definitely, I have said from the beginning that I am not in it just to build up a record that looks good. It will be hard, tough fights that bring the best out of me and you will see how effective my style is against people who come to win.

“I think being in competitive fights is the only way to show people how good I am. What I would like is to fight people of a similar age with a similar record and I have said that from the start. I want someone who will come to fight, another good prospect.”

Meanwhile, Heneghan went on to explain why the stage name of ‘The Wizard’ has been added to his ring moniker.

“When I first joined up with Warren Boxing Management they started calling me the ‘Whizz Kid’ but that one didn’t stick. I’ve changed it to ‘The Wizard’ now and hopefully it is because I am doing good things in the ring, so we will see how we go.”

FULL LINE UP

Alejandro Paulino vs. Earnest Walls
4 Rounds, Lightweights

Danny Robles vs. Michael Gaxiola
4 Rounds, Super Featherweights

Harry Gigliotti vs. Jader Oliveria
4 Rounds, Welterweights

Brandon Higgins vs. Calvin Glover
4 Rounds, Welterweights

Kris Jacobs vs. Robert Bricks
4 Rounds, Welterweights

Travis Gambardella vs. Antonio Chavez Fernandez
6 Rounds, Middleweights

Matt Doherty vs. Paulo De Souza
4 Rounds, Welterweights

Joshua Raineri vs. Montoyia Swilling
4 Rounds, Super Middleweights

Nick Molina vs. Bruno Dias
4 Rounds, Super Featherweights

James Perkins vs. Jesus Cintron
4 Rounds, Cruiserweights

Rico Depaolis vs.Francisco Neto
4 Rounds, Light Heavyweights

Laquan Lewis vs. Nate Charles
4 Rounds, Welterweights

Michael Bulger vs. Jay Gregory
4 Rounds, Middleweights

Kevin Walsh vs. Henry Garcia
4 Rounds, Lightweights

Christian Andrade vs. Kyle Massoth
4 Rounds, Bantamweights

Aaron Bernardo vs. Andrew Nolan
4 Rounds, Heavyweights
ABOUT BOSTON BOXING PROMOTIONS

Boston Boxing Promotions was founded in 2013 and is dedicated to the resurgence of professional boxing at the regional level, particularly in the New England area. Since that time, it has presented professional boxing events in places like Boston, Cape Cod, New Bedford and New Hampshire. Boston Boxing Promotions was the first independent boxing promoter on the east coast to hold an event during the pandemic, last August when they held an empty venue show in Windham, New Hampshire that was broadcast for free on YouTube and watched live by thousands of boxing fans worldwide. After the successful event, that featured numerous safety protocols including Covid-19 testing, Boston Boxing Promotions returned with 2 more matinee events again for free and broadcast online at www.youtube.com/bostonboxing. May 8th will be Boston Boxing’s final empty venue event before returning this July with back to back weekend shows with fans back in attendance.

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