Today on the ESPN Daily podcast – hosted by Pablo Torre and downloaded nearly a half million times per month – ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap looks back 50 years at the build-up, historical context and legacy of Ali-Frazier I.

Episode Summary: Fifty years ago today, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier met in their first iconic boxing match, known as “The Fight of the Century.” It was 1971, with the civil rights movement in full swing and the nation divided over the war in Vietnam. Jeremy Schaap, boxing historian and host of E60 and Outside the Lines, shares how political and cultural views were projected onto Ali and Frazier, with their different personalities, history and fighting styles. The night itself was a grand celebrity spectacle (Frank Sinatra took a gig as a photographer, just to get in the building). And while Frazier won unanimously, the fight has a more complex and nuanced legacy. Half a century later, it remains one of sports’ biggest moments.

ESPN Podcasts can be found wherever you download your podcasts, and on ESPN.com: https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/27852002/the-espn-daily-podcast-how-listen-episode-guide-more

SAN ANTONIO, TX (March 7, 2021) – Last night, Prince Ranch Boxing’s featherweight prospect, Ricky “El Castigo” Medina of San Antonio, TX, continued his winning ways by picking up a dominant unanimous decision in Reynosa, Mexico. Medina defeated Jose Alfredo Cobos (7-4-2, 2 KOs) by way of unanimous decision, improving his unbeaten record to (9-0, 6 KOs). Scorecards read 60-54 across the board.

In the opening round, Medina landed a couple of powerful check left hooks that rocked Cobos, forcing him to get on his bike, and run for the remainder of the fight. Medina showed multiple facets to his game, as after rocking his opponent, he was able to stay patient, and stick to the game plan.

“I hurt him early, but he was tricky and knew how to survive,” said Medina after the fight. “This was a great learning experience and now I know I am ready for the next level. I’m hoping to get right back in the ring as soon as possible.”

“Medina is maturing nicely with these tough fights in Mexico,” stated Greg Hannley, CEO of Prince Ranch Boxing. “Medina has developed great and is getting the rounds needed to get better. Medina has proven that he is poised and able to stick to a strategy, showing signs of a high-level fighter, with a great boxing IQ.”

“Medina has a great fan-friendly style and he is now ready for a nice step-up fight,” said Rick Morones, President of TMB Promotions, who promotes Medina. “Because he’s only 20-years old, we have plenty of time to build him up. It is a true privilege to be a part of this journey with Medina. We started from the ground up, and now with hard work, we’re going to the top.”

Medina, who is building on his winning momentum, is now setting his sights on his home state of Texas, hoping to be a part of a card during the state’s reopening period.

“I am really excited about the state’s reopening in Texas, and I would love to get on a card when the fans are in-attendance,” Medina concluded. “I love entertaining the fans and that is my goal for this rest of this year. If a big fight comes to San Antonio, or any part of Texas, I’ll be ready to go.”

(Friday, March 5, 2021 – Flint, MI) Women’s superstar Claressa Shields furthered her claim as boxing’s “GWOAT” Friday night and became the unified WBC, WBO, IBF & WBA Super Junior Middleweight World Champion, by scoring a one-sided 10-round unanimous decision over Marie-Eve Dicaire of St-Eustache, Quebec, Canada, in the 10-round main event of the historic all-women’s “SUPERWOMEN: SHIELDS VS. DICAIRE event at the Dort Financial Center and live on pay-per-view in Shields’ hometown of Flint, Michigan.

Shields (11-0, 2 KOs) also became the first boxer in the four-belt era to become an undisputed world champion in two weight divisions by virtue of her shutout victory (100-90 by all three judges) over now former champion Dicaire (17-1).

Uncharacteristically, the 25-year-old Shields turned counterpuncher early in this fight, to offset Dicaire’s attempts to bounce in and out of range. Relying on her reflexes to punish any attempt at aggression by Dicaire, Shields shut the Canadian down and then turned back to her customary forward aggression later in the bout.

Dicaire landed a quality southpaw left on Shields in round four, possibly her only significant blow of the fight, and Shields simply shook it off to no effect.

I can’t be mad about my performance,” said Shields after the bout. “She just kept elbowing and headbutting me. I tried for the knockout and I almost had it a couple times, but we’ve got two minutes and the ref not breaking it up when she’s holding me and elbowing me. I’m happy but I still wanted the knockout. I just didn’t have enough time. At the end of the day, I am the new undisputed champ at 154 and the first boxer to be undisputed champ twice.”

Shields said she was happy to have accomplished her latest piece of history in front of her family and friends in Flint, even if the pandemic meant a lot fewer fans in attendance.

“With Covid, we couldn’t have a full capacity. There are 300 here and that’s the capacity of the day, so we have a full house. We couldn’t have full capacity, but I know if we could have, we would have had 6000 people in here. I’m happy to have been able to do it here (in Flint). I started boxing here at Berston Fieldhouse at 11 years old. Never in a million years did I think I’d be on pay-per-view and fighting for an undisputed title and be one of the biggest stars in boxing. I just wanted to win an Olympic Gold medal. God has given me two Olympic medals. I have 12 championship belts now. It doesn’t feel real to say undisputed twice.”

When asked about two of her remaining rivals in boxing, fellow superstar Katie Taylor of Ireland and her one-time conqueror in the amateurs, Savannah Marshall of the UK, Shields brimmed with confidence.

“Katie Taylor is not the worry. 147 pounds is. They’d have to pay me a lot to lose my butt and go down to 147. At the end of the day, I’m a woman. I don’t have big breasts, but I got a nice butt, so come with that dough and I’ll be there. At least a million and I’ll be there.

“Savannah Marshall can’t f* with me. Let’s keep it real. Savannah Marshall, you won a lucky decision when we were kids. Also London was hosting the Olympics. If you want to gloat about beating me 14 points to 8… come on now. And then I went on to become world champion in three different division and she broke. She knows she cannot and will not ever be able to f* with me. She can come to America. I will go to the UK. We can go to Mexico. We can go anywhere, and I will f*** her up. She knows that. She’s scared of me. Savannah Marshall can get it. Tell Eddie Hearn, he came that whack-ass 250K. Tell him to come with 500K… 750K if he wants me to go to the UK and smoke his girl. Pay me.”

Dicaire continued her graciousness in post-fight questioning and promised not to let the loss dampen her future in the sport.

“I think Claressa did a good job tonight,” said Dicaire. “Tonight, she was the best. Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn. Tonight, I learned. I think this is just going to allow me to grow stronger. I don’t box to protect my record or keep my record at 0 losses. I box to beat champions. Tonight, I had the chance to fight the real champion. She won this time but count on me to go back to the gym and work hard and be world champion again for sure.

Shields, who says her much-publicized MMA debut will likely be in Las Vegas in June, threw 409 punches in the fight and landed 128 including 34.9% of her power punches. Dicaire threw 263 punches in return but landed just 31.

“Flint Michigan got the baddest boxer in the world!” said Shields to her fans. “We two-time undisputed. Pacquiao who? Canelo who? When someone else does what I did let me know.”

In the night’s co-main event, Houston’s undefeated Danielle Perkins (3-0, 1 KO) showed marked improvement and had a much easier time in her rematch against Georgia’s Monika “Lay Em Down” Harrison (2-2, 1 KO), scoring a dominant eight-round unanimous decision while picking up the WBC Silver Heavyweight Championship in the process.

The former amateur world champion Perkins used every bit of her superior athleticism, 6’ height and 72-inch reach to move around the ring and keep the 5’ 10” Harrison at bay with a punishing southpaw right jab and a steady diet of strong left hands to the head and body. At times, Referee Michael Griffin appeared to be considering a stoppage, but the durable Harrison kept coming forward and swinging for the fences for all eight rounds, despite the firepower coming her way.

The scores were 80-72 from all three judges.

“I apologize for not getting a knockout. I swear next time I’ll come back and give it to you, Flint,” said Perkins, post-fight. “Monika made some adjustments this time. I hit her with some solid hammers and that girl stayed on her feet so kudos to her.”

Perkins threw 353 punches in the fight and landed 121 including 40.9% of her power shots. Harrison threw 273 shots, but only found a home for 21 of them.

“I want to be the undisputed female heavyweight champion of the world,” continued Perkins. “I want to be the best you’ve ever seen.”

Undefeated bantamweight Jamie “The Miracle” Mitchell (6-0-2, 43 KOs) of Pacific Grove, California, looked impressive in battering and stopping more-experienced veteran Noemi “La Rebelde / No-No” Bosques (12-16-3, 2 KOs) in five one-sided rounds.

With the two-fisted punishment from Mitchell steadily increasing with every passing round, Referee Gerard White decided the stumbling and retreating Bosques had had enough and mercifully waved the fight off at 1:49 of the fifth.

“I was just zoned out. I was doing whatever fit the moment,” said Mitchell, post-fight. “That’s how I got the knockout. Thanks to my coaches and thanks to Claressa Shields for putting me on this card. This is an unforgettable moment for women.”

Prior to scoring the technical knockout, Mitchell landed 48% (80/167) of her power punches, and 40% (94/234) of her total punches. Noemi Bosques only landed 24 of 153 punches.

“I like to pick on myself to do better,” said Mitchell of her performance. “There were certain things I wanted to do, but they don’t call this girl a gatekeeper for nothing. I wish I had gotten her out of there quicker and been crisper with my jab. She was a bit tricky.”

In the opening bout of the broadcast, 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Marlen Esparza (9-1, 1 KO) stayed busy ahead of her scheduled challenge of WBC Flyweight Champion Ibeth Zamora in April with a dominant six-round unanimous decision over Canada’s Shelly Barnett (now 4-4-2, 2 KO).

Barnett tried to be aggressive, but Esparza’s skills allowed her to pot shot her bigger opponent, nearly at will, especially as the fight wore on. “We knew she was tough and bigger,” said Esparza. “I wanted someone with more weight because I never fight above 112 lbs. and I think I handled it well. I’m happy about the way everything played out. I’m happy to have been part of this event and to be working with Claressa again.”

Esparza threw 352 punches in the fight, landing 126, including 26 body shots and 38.4% of her power shots. Barnett threw 291 and landed 49. The judges’ scores were 60-54, 6-53 x 2.

On the free pre-show portion of the pay-per-view, middleweight Timur Kerefov stayed undefeated (11-0, 6 KOs) with a TKO 3 over Saint Petersburg, Florida veteran Manny Woods (now 16-11-1, 6 KOs). Woods left eye couldn’t hold up under the onslaught of punches from the Russian former amateur star. The time was 1:06. Kerefov, Detroit via Shalushka, Russia and now training at Kronk Gym, threw 190 punches in the abbreviated encounter, landing 80, including 24 body shots. Woods threw 122 and landed just 17.

SUPERWOMEN: SHIELDS VS. DICAIRE was presented by Salita Promotions in association with Groupe Yvon Michel, dedicated to this year’s International Women’s Day (Monday, March 8, 2021) and proudly sponsored by online gambling titans Betonline.net and plant-based online marketplace Vejii.

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About International Women’s Day
The first National Women’s Day was observed in the United States on February 28, 1909. In 1910, Europe established a Women’s Day to honour the movement for women’s rights and to build support for achieving universal suffrage for women. After World War II, March 8 started to be celebrated in a number of countries. In 1975, during the International Women’s Year, the United Nations began celebrating March 8 as International Women’s Day. In 1995 the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a historic roadmap signed by 189 governments, focused on 12 critical areas of concern; and the inclusion of Goal 5: “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This year’s theme of #ChooseToChallenge looks to call out gender bias and inequity and celebrate women’s achievements.

For more information, please visit internationalwomensday.com.

About Salita Promotions
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

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.

Philadelphia, PA (March 5, 2021) – Weights for Saturday Night’s card at The Sportsplex in Feasterville, PA

CLICK FOR FULL WEIGH IN PHOTOS BY DARRYL COBB JR. / RDR PROMOTIONS

Shinard Bunch 140 1/2 – Cameron Krael 141 1/4
Rashiem Jefferson Jr. 130 – Darel Harris 130
Nahir Albright 136 3/4 – William Parra Smith 133 3/4
Edgar Joe Cortes 117 1/2 – Michael Stoute 117.3
Nasir Mickens 129 3/4 – Nathan Benichou 129 1/2

Promoter: RDR Promotions
1st Bell is at 7:30 PM
Stream: Flo Combat

All Covid-19 Protocols will be followed, and masks must be worn at all times.

The Sportsplex is located at 1331 O’Reilly Drive in Feasterville-Trevose, PA.

March 5, 2021 – In what many consider to be the greatest fight of the last half-century, the WBC/WBO Lightweight world title bout between Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo fight will air TONIGHT as part of Classic Fight Night on the fubo Sports Network beginning at 8 PM ET.

The fight, which took place on May 7, 2005 at The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, saw Corrales miraculously climb off the deck two times to score an improbable come-from-behind 10th round knockout, will be replayed to boxing fans all over the world.

Watch this all-time great thrilling contest at 8 PM ET.

About fubo Sports Network
Available on 75 million devices, fubo Sports Network is the live, free-to-consumer TV network featuring sports stories on and off the field. Launched by live TV streaming platform fuboTV (NYSE: FUBO) in September 2019, fubo Sports Network airs live sports, award-winning original programming and partner content from CampusLore, FanDuel, Stadium, The Players Tribune, USA TODAY and VSiN, among others. Stream for free on LG Channels, News on Tubi, Plex, Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel, Vizio Channels and XUMO or as part of fuboTV’s base subscription package of 100+ sports, news and entertainment channels.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please like the Banner Promotions Facebook Page, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing

BILOXI, Miss. (March 5, 2021) – Fort Worth (TX) middleweight John “The Phenom” Vera stopped Cleotis Pendarvis in the opening round of last night’s RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS main event at Biloxi Conference Center in Biloxi, Mexico.

RJJ Boxing was streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.

Vera vs. Pendarvis suddenly and surprisingly ended midway through the opening round, when Pendarvis (21-8-2, 9 KOs), a former USBA champion, stopped throwing punches and went to his knees. He was counted out with what is believed to be a hand injury.

“Well,” Vera (20-1, 12 KOs) said after the fight, “the way my fight ended was anticlimactic. I was feeling really good and calm in there. I was just finding my range, establishing my jab and calculating. He threw a jab to the body and I blocked it with my elbow. I felt his knuckle hit my elbow. Sucked ut ended that way, but what can you do?”

Vera has now won his last two fight since suffering his only loss as a professional back in 2018, when he traveled to France as a world rated fighter to take on Michel Soro (31-2-1) for the WBA Interim junior middleweight title, in which Vera lost a 12-round unanimous decision.

In Vera’s previous fight this past in August, “The Phenom” won a 6-round unanimous decision in Las Vegas over Ravshan Hudaynazarov (17-2), a former world-rated fighter from Uzbekistan.

“I would like to get in the ring as soon as possible,” Vera added. “I wanted rounds, so it’s time to get right back in there. I’m unscathed and in shape.”

In the co-featured event, ABF West super lightweight champion Christon Edwards (12-2, 6 KOs) won a 6-round unanimous decision from Texas welterweight Jonathan Steele (9-7-1, 6 KOs) in a non-title fight.

Eridson Garcia (11-0, 7 KOs), of Houston by way of the Dominican Republic, won a split decision against Jose Miguel Diaz Valenzuela (6-1, 1 KO), of Phoenix, in a battle of undefeated super featherweights. Scoring, though, was odd as Garcia won 60-54 and 59-55, but the third judge scored it a draw, 57-57.

Tennessee super lightweight Tyler “Short Fuse” Tomlin remained undefeated, improving to 10-0 (6 KOs) with a quick stoppage of over-matched Venezuelan veteran Ricardo Ocampo (12-11, 7 KOs), who was knocked out at the 53-seconds mark of round one.

Official results below:

OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAIN EVENT – WELTERWEIGHTS
John Vera (20-1, 12 KOs), Fort Worth, Texas
WKO1 (1:38)
Cleotis Pendarvis (21-8-2, 9 KOs), Lancaster, California

CO-FEATURE – WELTERWEIGHTS
Christon Edwards (12-2, 6 KOs), Houston, Texas
WDEC6 (59-55, 58-56, 58-56)
Jonathan Steele (9-7-1, 6 KOs), Duncanville, Texas

SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS
Eridson Garcia (11-0, 7 KOs), Houston, Texas
WDEC6 (60-54, 59-55, 57-57)
Jose Miguel Diaz Valenzuala (6-1, 1 KO), Phoenix, Arizona

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS
Tyler Tomlin (10-0, 6 KOs), Ashland, Tennessee
WTKO1 (0:55)
Ricardo Ocampo (12-11, 7 KOs), Curuzu Cuatia, Valenzuela

INFORMATION:

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

BILOXI, MS (March 5, 2021) – Last night at the Biloxi Civic Center in Mississippi on UFC Fight Pass as part of a RJJ Boxing card, lightweight prospect, Ty “Short Fuse” Tomlin (10-0, 6 KOs), remained undefeated with an impressive first round knockout against Ricardo Ocampo (12-11, 7 KOs). The scheduled 6-round bout was slated in the super lightweight division due to Ocampo coming in heavy.

Right from the opening bell, Tomlin was in full attack mode, as he went right at Ocampo with a ferocious assault. After some vicious body blow were landed in the first 30-seconds, Tomlin finished off Ocampo with a barrage of punches that ended with a devastating uppercut. The bout was halted at the :55 second mark of round one.

“I had a lot of family and friends make the trip from Nashville to Biloxi to see me fight so I wanted to make a statement against Ocampo,” said Ty Tomlin, a native of Cheatham County, Tennessee. “After I hurt Ocampo with a left hook to the body, I knew I had him hurt and got him out of there. I felt good to get the knockout in front of all my fans who traveled to see me fight. I’m going to get right back in the ring as soon as possible.”

Tomlin, who is only 21-years old, knows he has a long way to go before he can land a big fight with a top contender. His focus is to stay busy and develop his skill set as he builds on his momentous career.

“I know I have a long way before I land a meaningful fight against a top contender,” Tomlin stated, “I’m only 21-years old so I have plenty of time to sharpen up my tools in the ring. I’m starting to sit on my punches more and I can feel the added power when I’m in exchanges. My plan is to keep fighting as much as possible with a goal to get to 20-0 by the end of 2022.

Having built a tremendous fan base in his hometown of Ashland City, TN, Tomlin is looking to fight closer to home when the pandemic fully recovers.

“I’m hoping some of the local promoters back home will be able to put on a show in Nashville in the next few months,” continued Tomlin, who is trained and managed by his father Darryl Tomlin. “My dad and I have been working hard to build my fanbase in my hometown of Cheatham County, and so far, we are making a lot of progress. The whole community supports my career and I’m grateful that so many people are coming to see me fight. There is nothing like fighting in front of your hometown fans.”

“Ty had another great performance last night and I’m happy with the outcome,” said Darryl Tomlin. “We had a great turnout of hometown fans who came to see Ty fight and we are thankful for their support. We are also thankful to RJJ Boxing for putting us on their card and we hope to be back in the ring by the summer.”

New York, NY (March 5, 2021) DiBella Entertainment prospects Amron Sands and Juan Carlos Carrillo will travel to the Dominican Republic next week to compete on Friday, March 12, at Hotel Catalonia Malecon Center in Santo Domingo. The livestream of the event, promoted by Shuan Boxing Promotions, will be available via Shuan Boxing’s YouTube channel and DiBella Entertainment’s website.

Bahamian heavyweight power puncher Amron “The Sandman” Sands (11-0, 9 KOs) makes his ring return against local unbeaten Dominican Alexis Garcia (9-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-round contest.

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment and managed by Kevin Dever Sports Management, the six-foot-six Sands, born in Nassau, Bahamas, now based in Orlando, FL, accumulated a 40-3 amateur record before turning pro on August 5, 2017. After earning silver at the 2014 Independent Cup in the Dominican Republic, Sands moved to Florida in search of better training facilities. He also won first place at the 2015 Florida State PAL Boxing Championships and 2016 Sugar Bert Promotions Title Belt National Qualifier. He now trains out of Kissimmee Boxing Academy under the tutelage of coaches Rashad Mays and Jose Ramos.

Colombian Olympian Juan Carlos Carrillo (4-0, 2 KOs) will vie for the vacant WBA Fedecentro light heavyweight title against Reinaldo Gonzalez (16-2, 9 KOs), of Maturin, Venezuela, in an eight-round clash.

The 28-year-old Carrillo advanced to the second round at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Accumulating a record of 388-23, he was among Colombia’s most decorated amateurs, winning gold at the 2012 Colombian National Games, 2012 Pacific Cup Tournament, 2011 Colombian National Championships, 2010 Colombian Youth National Championships, and silver at the 2014 Central American & Caribbean Games. Carrillo comes from a boxing family and, at age nine, followed his father and older brother into the sport. His brother, Leonard Carrillo, is an active junior middleweight.

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Carrillo is now based in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and is trained by Luis Perez, who also works with Dominican Jeison Rosario. Managed by Felipe Gomez, of El Matador Management, he turned professional on May 17, 2019, with a second-round stoppage of Yendris Rodriguez Valdez, in Miami, FL.

Fans will have a chance to experience one of the most iconic fights in boxing history when ESPN on ABC debuts Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier 50^th Anniversary Special this Sunday, March 7, at 2 p.m. ET. The two-hour program will also air on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNEWS between Sunday and Monday, March 8.  The entire Ali-Frazier trilogy is also available on demand on ESPN+. ESPN Deportes will re-air the entire Ali/Frazier trilogy in primetime on Sunday, March 7. 

On March 8, 1971, Ali and Frazier met for the first time at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York in a transcendent boxing main event that could only be named “Fight of the Century.” Ali sought to reclaim the title he lost nearly four years prior when the state athletic commissions stripped him of his title after refusing induction into the army.  Until this fight, no unbeaten fighters had ever fought each other for the heavyweight title. 

“The ‘Fight of the Century’ will be presented to our viewers in a brand-new way,” said Norby Williamson, Executive Vice President, Event and Studio Production & Executive Editor, ESPN. “This was one of the most important and impactful sports events ever and fans now have the chance to experience it as never before.” 

Fans will be thrilled to see the results ESPN’s boxing production team achieved in Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier 50^th Anniversary Special through the intricate digital remastering of every second of both the original footage of the entire fight and the original ABC Wide World of Sports broadcast.  For the fight, this process included some 461 shots in which graininess was removed, color was corrected and enhanced, and images were sharpened. 

A team of producers, editors and reporters also worked on accompanying stories to further enhance the fight broadcast and transport fans to 1971. These include:

• Epilogue: What became of Ali-Frazier after their first fight and after their careers were over?
• Scuffle: Behind the scenes of the scuffle between Ali and Frazier at the ABC Studios in 1974.
• 50^th Anniversary Tease
• Biggest Crown Essay
• 15 Rounds Essay

ESPN Presents: Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier 50^th Anniversary Special

Ali-Frazier I had not been aired on U.S. television in nearly 30 years (it previously aired in August 1991) until it was shown on ESPN last June. Ali and Frazier met again on Jan. 28, 1974 — with no titles at stake — in what was called the “Super Fight II,” also at MSG. On Oct. 1, 1975, Ali and Frazier fought once again for the heavyweight championship in the “Thrilla in Manila” at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines.

Boxing fans can also re-live hundreds of the sport’s most historic fights on demand anytime.

EXCITING amateur star Josh Hargreaves has signed a long-term promotional contract with Queensberry.
 
The Batley boxer won National Senior Development titles at Under-60kg in 2018 and 2019, and was victorious in 15 of his 16 senior amateur bouts.
 
Hargreaves will box professionally at Featherweight and hopes to make his debut in April.
 
He wants to mirror his idol Gennady Golovkin with a rack of chilling performances and says: “I want to stop people and give fans watching a really good fight.
 
“TV networks and viewers want to see somebody knocked out. And, if fights go 12 rounds they want to see a war.”
 
Hargreaves, 26, started boxing aged nine, but drifted away when he was still at school and returned to the sport when he was 20.
 
“I had six or seven years out. Like a lot of kids I quit boxing because I was bored and then as I got older, I realised it was something I was good at,” added the Yorkshireman.
 
“I didn’t start boxing again to become anything. It was because I started enjoying it.”
 
Despite being a huge GGG fan his gym-mates have nicknamed Josh ‘Baby Canelo’.
 
Hargreaves, who is also a five-times Yorkshire champion, will be trained by Mo Patel at Purge Boxing Academy and his brother Ben will also help out.
 
He said: “In the gym I’m called ‘Baby Canelo’ because I have a similar style. I have had that nickname since I returned to boxing.
 
“I won’t change the nickname, but still don’t have one yet to go in the middle of my name like a lot of boxers.
 
“Lets see what people think and fans can give me a nickname. That is the way to go about it.
 
“I will definitely sell tickets when fans return. I have a lot of people behind me because I am exciting to watch.”
 
Hargreaves planned to have one more season as an amateur, but the COVID-19 pandemic persuaded him to turn professional sooner.
 
He explained: “Amateur championships are unlikely so this opportunity has come at the right time.
 
“There are a lot of kids turning over straight from the Juniors, but those Senior bouts were hard and prepared me for this.
 
“In the first 12 months, I want to win five or six fights and get a few stoppages.
 
“Everybody dreams of winning a world title, don’t they? But, I want to win a British title. I’ve definitely got the capabilities to do that.
 
“Once you win a British title you can move on from there and get into world title contention.” 

Providence, RI (March 4, 2021) – Nearly 20 years ago, Jimmy Williams, then a young, promising amateur boxer from Plainfield, NJ, honed his craft under the guidance of renowned trainer Joe Grier at Grier’s gym in nearby Patterson.

Though the two never worked together when Williams eventually turned pro in 2013, Grier’s tutelage has had a lasting impact on Williams’ career. Grier not only gave Williams his nickname, “The Quiet Storm,” he also gave him the opportunity to spar against some of his other top pupils, including a then 19-year-old Yuri Foreman, a decorated amateur about to make his own debut within the next year.

On Saturday night, Williams and Foreman renew acquaintances at the Kentucky Center for African Americans in Louisville in an eight-round bout for the vacant American Boxing Federation USA Super Welterweight Title, part of a stacked, 12-fight lineup in the hometown of “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali.

Saturday’s main-event showdown is an intriguing crossroads bout for two fighters who’ve traveled considerably different paths in their pro careers and would otherwise be considered a random pairing were it not for their inadvertent link to Grier. While Foreman is aiming to recapture old glory at the age of 40, Williams brings a whole new vibe to Kentucky this weekend in hopes of revitalizing a career that has hit a standstill since he last tasted victory in 2018.

“This is my opportunity to get back on track,” William said. “I take nothing away from Yuri. He’s a world champion and you can’t knock his skills, but I will always jump at the opportunity to fight someone who’s been there and done that.”

“Jimmy has been with us from Day 1 and we haven’t left one another’s corner since,” said CES Boxing president and Williams’ promoter, Jimmy Burchfield Sr. “There is no one who works harder or deserves this opportunity more than him. Like I tell all of our fighters, if you put in the work and effort, we will be with you until the end, and I’m excited to see where the rest of this journey takes Jimmy. We’re confident the best is yet to come.”

Few fighters at the age of 34 with more than 20 pro bouts under their belt would consider themselves in their “prime,” but Williams is a firm believer that a change of scenery can lead to a new beginning. The first five years of his career provided stability most fighters could only dream of – a solid management team, consistent trainers, and a well-rounded support system anchored by Burchfield, his first and only promoter. Not surprisingly, William surged to a 14-0-1 record and captured the WBC USNBC title as a welterweight before suffering his first pro defeat.

The last two years have lacked the balance that defined the early part of his career. Relationships with the people in his inner circle took on a strict business approach, forcing Williams – who lost his father to cancer at a young age – to search elsewhere for someone he could connect with on a more personal level. After Williams’ last fight in December, his promoter suggested he work with Brian Johnson, a Rhode Island-based trainer and manager whom Williams already had a decent rapport with.

Understanding the importance of the Foreman fight and what it could do in terms of putting him back on the right path, Williams decided to go all in; during the latter half of his training camp, he lived out of a hotel near his new gym to avoid the long commute between West Haven and Providence and to keep his mind focused on the task at hand. Being away from his wife and twin sons has been difficult, but Williams is confident the sacrifice and commitment will yield a big payoff in the end. This is the best he’s felt in years, both physically and mentally, and he attributes most of it to his connect with Johnson, whom he’s described as a “father figure.”

“When I lost my father at a young age, I felt like I never really grew up as a man,” he said. “Everything I learned was through trial and error. I’ve always looked for a ‘father figure’ in my trainers, but it was always just business. Brian and I can talk for hours. Now I’m growing as a man.

“I’m talking different, my swag is different – everything I wanted for myself when I first came into this game, I’ve got now. Brian’s like the father I never had. That’s why I call him ‘Pops.’ I respect everything he brings to the table.”

All positive vibes aside, there’s still the formality of having to face a hungry, ex-world champion Saturday night in what might be the most important fight of his career. The connection to Grier is a small part of what makes this fight so intriguing. Foreman, now 40 and fighting for just the second time in four years, worked with Grier for more than a decade after he turned pro; Grier was the one who famously threw in the towel during the eighth round of Foreman’s 2010 loss to Miguel Cotto when Foreman tripped and tore his ACL, only to have referee Arthur Mercante allow the fight to continue until Foreman got stopped by a body shot in the ninth.

Grier, as Williams remembers, showed similar compassion even back when Williams was an amateur. When Williams fought in the New Jersey Golden Gloves, Grier had commemorative jackets made for the entire team. Unable to attend the celebration, Williams received his jacket at a later date. When Grier finally presented it to him, it had “Quiet Storm” stitched onto the sleeve, unbeknownst to Williams, who had no idea at the time the nickname would stick with him throughout his career.

As pros, Williams and Foreman have enjoyed much success; Foreman, a 5-foot-11 Israeli right-hander and ordained rabbi since 2014, amassed an amateur record of 75-5 and rose to prominence in 2009 when he captured the WBA world super welterweight title from Daniel Santos, became Israel’s first world champion boxer. The loss to Cotto occurred just seven months later, leaving Foreman with a badly-damaged knee and swirling questions about his future in the sport. He fought sparingly over the next decade and appeared to be done for good following a 2017 knockout loss to Erislandy Lara in his attempt to recapture the WBA title, but he returned in December with a win over journeyman Jeremy Ramos, launching what he believes is another run at a world title after catching his “second wind.”

Where does Williams fit into the puzzle? The West Haven resident, who works full-time as a truancy officer in his city’s school district, firmly believes Foreman is looking past him, especially since Williams has lost four of his last five, including a surprising loss to Mexican journeyman Esteban Villalba in December.

As Williams puts it, “When you go to Mexico to fight, people know you aren’t going there to lose. When [Foreman] saw that, he probably thought, ‘Jimmy’s done,’ but I’ve got a lot left.”

The loss, while still a blemish on his record, might’ve actually been a blessing for Williams. Going the distance just two months after a brutal knockout loss to Brandun Lee reaffirmed his belief that the journey is far from over.

“That trip changed my whole life,” Williams said. “Win, lose, draw – it didn’t matter. I just needed the confidence to know I fully recovered from the previous fight and could finally put it behind me.”

Whether or not Williams can turn back the clock Saturday night may very well determine his next move. A win over Foreman proves there’s still a lot left in the tank and perhaps a light at the end of the tunnel as he enters what he feels is his “new” prime. Having sparred with the likes of reigning WBO world middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade and new stablemate Marqus Bates, Williams’ confidence – and comfort level – is at an all-time high. The “Quiet Storm” is back.

“The weight is off my shoulders now,” he said. “The gyms in the gym, they’re hungry just like me. I never had a team to train with before. It was always just me in the gym. I never had the motivation of seeing other guys work at it, picking one another up. It’s given me a whole new level of understanding and confidence.”

Visit CESFights.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

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

Unified WBC, WBO, IBF & WBA SUPER Junior Middleweight World Championships
Claressa Shields 153.6 lbs. vs. Marie-Eve Dicaire 152.6 lbs.

WBC Silver Heavyweight Championship
Danielle Perkins 196.8 Lbs. vs. Monika Harrison 202.8 lbs.

Jamie Mitchell 120 lbs. vs. Noemi Bosques 119.6 lbs.
Marlen Esparza 117.4 lbs. vs. Shelly Barnett 119 lbs.
Timur Kerefov 163 lbs. vs. Manny Woods 163.2 lbs.
Robert Simms 238 lbs. vs. Aaron Quintana 206.4 lbs.

Date: Friday, March 5, 2021
Venue: Dort Financial Center, Flint, Michigan

FIGHT NIGHT PRE-SHOW SPECIAL & FREE FIGHT (KEREFOV VS. WOODS)
(8:00 PM EST | 7:00 PM CST | 5:00 PM PST)
Livestreamed on FITE, Vive Network and Salita Promotions’ YouTube Channel

SUPERWOMEN: SHIELDS VS. DICAIRE BROADCAST BEGINS (USD $29.95)
(9:00 PM EST | 8:00 PM CST | 6:00 PM PST)
InDemand Pay-Per-View (cable, satellite, and telco providers including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, DirecTV/U-Verse, Dish, Fios, and Optimum)
Livestream: VIVE Network, and FITE.TV

FINAL QUOTES

Claressa Shields
The hard part is done. I had a great camp. I feel great. I was able to eat and drink all day yesterday and I’m ready to get in there and show what I could have been showing these whole 13 months.

I really prepared for this fight. I know my body looks a little different than it did before, but that just shows all the work I’ve been putting in.

This is what women need. I had to wait 13 months on the side, while other men were given a chance to fight on large platforms. If I would have kept waiting, who knows how long I would have been waiting. I love the fact that I took a risk. I bet on me and my manger and my promoter and now we’re here.

I think this I great for women’s boxing. We’ll have some numbers to work off of and build off of. I’m just happy I’m the person to be able to do it.

I hope that all my fans and all my hater all tune in to watch me be great tomorrow and help move women’s sports one more step to being equal.

Mare-Eve Dicaire
I feel great. I feel ready. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to represent my country. This is the first time in history that someone is going to fight for all four belts and for sure I will fight with all my pride.

I think everything I learned in my career and in my lifetime is going to be tested in the ring. This kind of fight will pad the way for women’s boxing. This is how we’re going to get popularity and get women’s boxing on the map.

I’m really thrilled to be part of this event and proud to be the headliner in the first all-female pay-per-view in US history.

It was a crazy year, a year of deception and everybody was living it with me. I was going to the grocery store and people were asking when are you going to fight shields? I’m here with all the support of my country and finally it’s here. That’s why I’m smiling.

SUPERWOMEN: SHIELDS VS. DICAIRE is dedicated to this year’s International Women’s Day (Monday, March 8, 2021) and presented by Salita Promotions in association with Groupe Yvon Michel.

BILOXI, MS (March 4, 2021) – Undefeated lightweight prospect, Tyler “Short Fuse” Tomlin (9-0, 5 KOs), better known as Ty Tomlin, will return to the ring tonight on UFC Fight Pass as part of a RJJ Boxing card as he faces Ricardo Ocampo (12-10, 7 KOs) in a scheduled 6-round bout. The card will take place at the Biloxi Civic Center in Mississippi.

Tomlin, a native of Cheatham County, Tennessee, is looking to reach double digits in the victory column as he goes for win number ten as a professional.

“I am excited to put on an exciting show for all my family, friends and fans, back home in Tennessee, who will be tuning in to watch this fight,” said the 21-year-old Tomlin, who is extremely popular in his community. “This is going to be another performance where I showcase what I bring to the table. I fight with a lot of passion and desire and my hard work will be on display tonight.”

Tomlin’s opponent, Richard Ocampo of Valenzuela, came in four pounds heavier, but despite him being overweight, Tomlin is ready to fight. Tomlin, who weighed in yesterday at 140 lbs., will campaign in this fight at super lightweight, as Ocampo came in heavy at 144 lbs.

“We came to fight, and Ocampo is getting a fight, regardless of him coming in heavy,” said Darryl Tomlin, the trainer, manager, and father of Ty Tomlin. “Ty worked really hard for this fight and nothing will take away this opportunity of showcasing his skills and abilities on a major platform like UFC Fight Pass, especially with all the support he has been getting back home. We have a caravan of fans who made the road trip from Nashville to Biloxi, so he is going to leave everything in the ring tonight.”

“The fact that I have a lot of fans coming to see me fight live is a tremendous blessing, especially during COVID,” Ty Tomlin continued. “The energy from my fans is something special and I’m happy they can attend these fights. I want to make a statement with an impressive win, and I’ll be looking to get my opponent out of there if I see him hurt.”

RJJ Boxing will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.

NEW YORK (March 4, 2021) -TONIGHT!!! Former NABA Super Welterweight champion, Split-T Management’s John Vera will be back in action tonight as he takes on veteran Cleotis Pendarvis in the main event of a card at the Civic Center in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Vera, 33 years-old of Fort Worth, Texas, has a record of 19-1 with 11 knockouts. The nine-year professional has wins over Alberto Robles (3-0), Radmir Akhmediyev (7-0), Joey Ruelas (10-1-1), Miorad Zizic (12-1), Daniel Rosario Cruz (11-2), Sunday Ajuwa (13-2) and his last bout when he won a unanimous decision over Ravshan Hudaynazarov (17-1) on August 2, 2019 in Las Vegas.

Pendarvis is 21-7-2 with nine knockouts. The 17 year-veteran has wins over John Lewis (5-1), Hector Sanchez (18-0), Rgelio Del Torro (6-0) and Michael Clark (43-7-1),

Both fighters weighed in at 160 lbs.

The fight can be seen live at 8 PM ET on UFC Fight Pass.

Vera is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. promotions.

NEW YORK (March 4, 2021) -Split-T Management is pleased to announce a partnership with well-respected fight manager Ricardo Figueroa.

Figueroa has worked in the sport for almost twenty years, and is widely recognized as one of the “good guys” in the industry. He has helped guide the careers of various top fighters including Daniel Alicea, Juan Manuel Lopez and Joel Torres to name just a few. In recent years, Figueroa has been focused on the development of youth boxing programs in Puerto Rico and helping the island recover after being hit by multiple natural disasters. He has worked closely with local trainers Emilio Lozada, head trainer of Monterey Boxing Academy in Bayamón, and the legendary Che Che Sanchez to assist those communities hit the hardest.

Ricardo will use his close ties to the Puerto Rican territory to provide Split-T Boxing with local expertise in logistics, recruitment, and translation services, among other activities.

Figueroa stated, “It is an honor to have an affiliation with the premiere boxing management company in the world, Split-T Boxing. I have a lot of respect for how Dave McWater approaches the sport and works tirelessly and passionately for his boxers. I operate in the same way – it is my job to put the boxer in the best position to succeed.”

Figueroa currently manages standout welterweight prospect Jose “Cheito” Roman (10-0, 5 KOs), as well as Juan Zayas (3-0, 3 KOs) and Yariel Santiago (3-0, 0 KOs). He also represents WBO Latino Champion Featherweight Bryan Chevalier (14-1-1, 11 KOs). Chevalier is currently ranked number 7 in the world with the WBO, and is the co-featured bout on Ring City USA’s NBC Sports event promoted by Cotto Promotions tonight. Chevalier will face off against former world champion Carlos Zambrano (26-1, 11 KO’s) in the highly anticipated return of live boxing in Puerto Rico.

BILOXI, Miss. (March 3, 2021) — All fighters made weight today for tomorrow night’s RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS event (Thurs., Mar. 4) at Biloxi Conference Center in Biloxi, Mexico.

RJJ Boxing will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com

Official fighters’ weights:

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS

MAIN EVENT – WELTERWEIGHTS (8)*
John Vera (19-1, 11 KOs), Fort Worth, Texas 160 lbs.
Cleotis Pendarvis (21-7-2, 9 KOs), Lancaster, California 160 lbs.

CO-FEATURE – WELTERWEIGHTS (6)*
Christon Edwards (11-2, 6 KOs), Houston, Texas 144 1/2 lbs.
Jonathan Steele (9-6-1, 6 KOs), Duncanville, Texas 144 lbs.

SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS (6)*
Eridson Garcia (10-0, 7 KOs), Houston, Texas 130 lbs.
Jose Miguel Diaz Valenzuala (6-0, 1 KO), Phoenix, Arizona 129 lbs.

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS (6)*
Tyler Tomlin (9-0, 5 KOs), Ashland, Tennessee 140 lbs.
Ricardo Ocampo (12-10, 7 KOs), Curuzu Cuatia, Valenzuela 144 lbs.

WELTERWEIGHTS (6)*
Michael Williams, Jr. (15-0, 10 KOs), Fayetteville, North Carolina 149 lbs.
Mike Tutt (10-3-1, 4 KOs), Houston, Texas 149 lbs.

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS (6)
Jonathan Montrel (9-0, 6 KOs), New Orleans, Louisiana 138 lbs.
Jose Abuel (8-8, 7 KOs), Monte Caseros, Valenzuela 140 lbs.

MIDDLEWEIGHTS – 6 ROUNDS
Quincy Lavallais (10-1-1, 5 KOs), Kenner, Louisiana 154 lbs.
Anthony Bowman (11-6-4-2, 3 Kos), Jackson, Tennessee 159 lbs.

SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS (4)
Randy Blythe (pro debut), Pascagoula, Mississippi 158 lbs.
Starr Johnson (6-32-1), Houston, Texas 154 lbs.

(card subject to change)
*denotes streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS

INFORMATION:

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

December 2, 2021 – Former world title-challenger and winner of The Contender, Brandon Adams (22-3, 14 KOs) weighed 153.8 pounds for his 10-round junior middleweight fight as he takes on undefeated Sehii Bohachuk (18-0, 18 KOs) in the main event of a Ring City USA boxing card at the Felix Pintor Gym in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

The fight, which is for the WBC Continental Americas and WBO NABO titles, will headline a card that will be seen live on NBC Sports Network at 9 PM ET.

Adams, of Watts, California, is promoted by Banner Promotions and The Tournament of Contenders, will be making his first start since stopping Sonny Duversonne (11-2-2) in the 2nd round on December 3rd, in a fight that was also part of a Ring City USA event.
Adams also has victories over Daniel Edouard (23-4-2); Raymond Gatica (14-2); Alex Perez (18-1); Vito Gasparyan (15-3-5); Tyrone Brunson (26-6-2); Ievgen Khytrov (17-1; Eric Walker (17-1) and Shane Mosley Jr (13-2).

Bohachuk of Los Angeles by was of Ukraine, also checked in at 154.3 lbs. has a perfect record of 18-0 with 18 knockouts, which includes stoppage victories over Kevin Ottley (5-1-1); Cleotis Pendarvis (21-4-2); Fernando Marin (16-3-3) and Alexandro Davila (21-1-2)

FINAL QUOTES:

ADAMS:
On his nickname: “I got my nickname ‘Cannon’ from the video game Fight Night Champions. I used to always create my character and every time I created my character; I would try to find a nickname that went with my name. One time I was playing, and I saw a cannon on the trunks, and it all went. Brandon ‘The Cannon.’ This was before I was even fighting.”

On his preparation: “I’ve been ready since December 3. Everyday that passes I am able to tame that inner beast and control myself a lot more. I feel that I am willing and able to get in the ring with anyone and this time around it’s Serhii Bohachuk. I believe that I have everything that I need to go into this fight and pull out a victory.”

On Bohachuk’s record: “For me, when I think of his record, it’s very impressive. If I was so worried about records, I wouldn’t have taken the fight with Jermall Charlo in his backyard. This was different, getting called out. I’ve never been called out before. Now we are living through it and it’s playing out. I am excited to fight. I am dialed in.”

BOHACHUK:
On his nickname: “When I started professional boxing, I started at 147 pounds. I have always been very skinny so I called myself ‘Flaco.’ I am a good boxer so it doesn’t matter if I am skinny.”

On getting COVID-19: “I am feeling very good. I am feeling fresh. I got Coronavirus before the last fight. At the beginning I was really, really upset. But then I gathered my thoughts together and rested. It’s all for the best so now I am ready. I rested a couple of weeks and now I am feeling fresh and hungry. I want to work, work, work and win this fight.

On Brandon’s last opponent: “(Sonny) Duversonne was not a hard opponent. Brandon does not have hard opponents. I knew it would only go a few rounds.”

On extending his knockout streak: “I don’t look for knockouts. I am boxing. I do my job. I will do 10 rounds, 12 rounds, knockout. It’s OK. Brandon Adams is a good boxer. I watched his fights. This is not an easy fight for me.”

On being from the Ukraine: “Ukraine has a lot of good professionals – Lomachenko, Usyk. I have a different style of boxing, but I have the same mentality.”

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run of events at UFC APEX with a compelling welterweight matchup as No. 3 ranked Leon Edwards and No. 13 Belal Muhammad collide in the main event. In the co-main event, ranked light heavyweights aim to steal the show as No. 10 Misha Cirkunov takes on No. 13 Ryan Spann.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: EDWARDS vs. MUHAMMAD will take place Saturday, March 13 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT and the prelims at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.

Perennial top contender Edwards (18-3, fighting out of Birmingham, England) makes his long awaited return to the Octagon almost two years since his last bout. The owner of the second-longest active win streak in the stacked welterweight division, Edwards secured his spot in the top five with victories over Albert Tumenov, Vicente Luque, Gunnar Nelson, and most recently, former champion Rafael Dos Anjos. He now intends to deliver his most impressive performance yet and declare himself as the next contender for the belt.

Muhammad (18-3, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) steps up on short notice following a dominant victory over Dhiego Lima on February 13 to compete in the biggest fight of his career. The winner of eight of his last nine bouts, Muhammad established himself as one of the best in the world with wins over Lyman Good, Takashi Sato and Curtis Millender. He now plans to shock the world in his first UFC main event by taking out Edwards.

Grappling specialist Cirkunov (15-5, fighting out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada) looks to build another impressive win streak and continue his climb up the light heavyweight ladder. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, he has finished all six of his UFC wins by stoppage, including five submissions over the likes of Ion Cutelaba, Nikita Krylov, and highly touted prospect Jimmy Crute. Cirkunov now aims to defend his spot in the rankings by becoming the first person to submit Spann in the UFC.

Spann (20-6, fighting out of Beaumont, Texas) has his sights set on beginning his 2021 campaign with a marquee victory. A veteran of Dana White’s Contender Series, Spann wowed fans by submitting Emiliano Sordi in just 26 seconds to earn his contract. Since joining the UFC, he has secured wins over Devin Clark, Sam Alvey and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Spann now seeks to break into the top 10 of the division by beating Cirkunov at his own game.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Heavyweight action sees Ben Rothwell (38-18, fighting out of Kenosha, Wisc.) battle Philipe Lins (14-5, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil)
• No. 12 ranked women’s strawweight Angela Hill (12-9, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) intends to defend her spot in the rankings against submission specialist Ashley Yoder (8-6, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.)
• Manel Kape (15-5, fighting out of  Phuket, Thailand by way of Porto, Portugal) steps in for the injured Tagir Ulanbekov looking to secure his first UFC win against Matheus Nicolau (13-3-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at flyweight
• An exciting featherweight bout sees No. 9 ranked Dan Ige (14-3, fighting out of Haleiwa, Hawaii) take on Gavin Tucker (13-1, fighting out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)
• Eryk Anders (13-5, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) looks to bounce back into the winners column against Darren Stewart (12-6, 1 NC, fighting out of London, England) at middleweight
• Cortney Casey (9-8, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) and JJ Aldrich (8-4, fighting out of Westminster, Colo.) intend to put on a show in the women’s flyweight division
• Nasrat Haqparast (12-3, fighting out of Hamburg, Germany) locks horns with Don Madge (9-3-1, fighting out of Midrand, Guateng, South Africa) in a lightweight bout guaranteed to deliver action
• Submission expert Rani Yahya (26-10-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) returns against Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Ray Rodriguez (16-6, fighting out of San Antonio, Texas)
• Featherweight Canadian standout Charles Jourdain (10-3-1, fighting out of Beloeil, Quebec, Canada) aims to spoil the debut of Marcelo Rojo (16-7, fighting out of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico)
• A bantamweight bout sees Jonathan Martinez (13-3, fighting out of Plainview, Texas) matchup with Davey Grant (12-4, fighting out of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, England)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Gloria de Paula (5-2, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) makes her UFC debut against Jinh Yu Frey (9-6, fighting out of Arlington, Texas) at strawweight
• Welterweight hopefuls collide as Matthew Semelsberger (7-2, fighting out of Ijamsville, Md.) takes on Jason Witt (18-6, fighting out of Overland Park, Kan.)

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 142 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 territories. 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 was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

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

FLINT (Wednesday, March 3, 2021) – The final press conference was held today for Friday’s (March 5, 2021) “SUPERWOMEN: SHIELDS VS. DICAIRE” pay-per-view boxing event, featuring the 10-round 154-pound unification showdown between undefeated three-division and current WBC/WBO Super Welterweight World champion Claressa Shields and also unbeaten IBF Super Welterweight World Champion Marie-Eve Dicaire from the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Mich.

The historic all-women’s boxing event will be livestreamed at 9pm EST | 8pm CST | 6pm PST on FITE.TV and VIVE NETWORK and distributed by InDemand through their existing cable, satellite, and telco providers for just $29.95.

Shields and Dicaire were joined on the press conference stage by event and Shields promoter, Dmitriy Salita, and Dicaire’s promoter Yvon Michel. Here is what they all had to say:

Claressa Shields
I want to thank all my fans who bought the pay-per-view. This a huge moment for me an Marie-Eve Dicaire. I’ve never been off boxing for 13 months ad I’ve never wanted to get back in the ring so much. Training is ok and sparring is cool, but I don’t have the same intensity that I have when it comes to the fight and the belts are on the line and I’m fighting against a whole other country.

To be honest, some of my hardest fights in the amateurs came from girls that were from Canada, even though I was very victorious in those fights. 77-1 in the amateurs. Canada has a strong background in boxing. I’m excited to be in the ring with someone like Marie-Eve Dicaire, who I feel wants to win as much a me and can accept how big this moment is.

Everybody is in for a good fight and this is just a great moment.

Thank you to all my friends and fans who reached out to me. I don’t box for a hobby. It’s not a hobby. It’s my career and I feel like people underestimate me when I speak about how great I am. But if I didn’t say how great I am, no one in this room would have ever called me great because they just don’t recognize it. Only the greats know that they’re great.

Like Muhammad Ali. Nobody called him the greatest of all time. They actually called him the ‘Louisville Lip’ because he talked too much. If he had never said he was the greatest of all time, he would have never been considered the greatest of all time. No matter what boxer comes along, nobody can get in front of Muhammad Ali. That’s how I feel about myself.

Muhammad Ali is the greatest of all time and Claressa Shields is second. I am the greatest woman of all time and 98% of men in the world can’t beat me.

I want you to know I’m not taking prisoners. This is a new era for me. My name from now on is Claressa “The Wolf” Shields. T-Rex has long gone. T-Rex was aggressive, but the greatest of all time has so much more. She possesses poise, power and punch placement.

I saw in an interview she said she’s not worried about the outcome, she’s worried about the task. Well, I’m worried about the outcome. I’ve known what the task is for the last 13 months. I’m concerned about the outcome because I don’t like losing. When I lost my first fight when I was 17, I didn’t sleep again until I was 21 when I won my second Olympics. That’s how personally I take this fight. I’m hoping she can bring out a different side of me because a lot of girls haven’t been able to take me to level three. I’m hoping she can take me to level 10.

Marie-Eve Dicaire
Honestly, I don’t know with the context we are in right now with the world, if it’s a good thing to be contagious, but I’ll take it as a compliment.

I’m happy and thrilled to here. Like Dmitriy and Yvon said before, it’s been a hell of a year, a year of postponement and disappointment but now it’s finally on. I’m here and I’m enjoying every moment of this adventure. When I became a world champion, I was like is that it? Is there something more? This is when I started focusing on being an undisputed champion.

Facing Claressa Shields is, for me, the opportunity of a lifetime. I worked all my life to get here. My work, my sweat and my blood got me here, so for sure I’m going to be 100% in the ring. I’m looking forward to Friday.

Dmitriy Salita
We specifically, scheduled this event for March 5, on the weekend of international women’s day, so that the best female fight of the year happens at an appropriate time that highlights the work of incredible women around the world.

This fight won’t only be broadcast in the United States. It’ll also be seen in China, Argentina, Panama, Canada, in Africa, Poland, Russia, The Philippines, and several other countries.

This event has been a year in the making. Literally a year ago, we were first supposed to have a press conference to announce this fight and then the pandemic came. The initial date of May 9 was cancelled. Shortly thereafter, we tried to reschedule the fight several times to no fruition. Then in December we decided the best way to do this fight was to do it ourselves on pay-per-view.

Marie-Eve Dicaire could have said no and not taken this fight, but she is a real world champion.

Claressa Shields vs. Marie-Eve Dicaire is truly one of the biggest fights of the year.
Claressa is not only known as ‘The GWOAT’ because she’s the only two-time medalist from the United States. She’s not only known as ‘The GWOAT’ because she’s a multi-time amateur champion, multi-time amateur world champion, multi-time professional world champion, or because she’s the fastest man or woman in the sport to become a three-division champion. She is the GWOAT because she uses her talent of boxing as a tool to grapple with social issues of significance. Claressa understands that her talent is God’s gift, and she is using it in every way possible to push forward important issues in our culture like equality, women’s empowerment and to take the sports world to new level. That’s what March 5 is about.

If Marie is contagious, I want to remind you that they just announced a one-shot vaccine, and her name is Claressa Shields.

Yvon Michel
I can’t believe how thrilled we are to be here today. Thank you to everyone involved.

Thank you to Dmitriy Salita and Mark Taffet. It has been very difficult we know. You had to have a lot of determination to put on this historic event and we have a lot of respect and admiration for you.

We have a lot of respect and admiration for Claressa Shields also, she did everything she had to do to have this event to be a special one for women. One day the women’s fights will be equal to any men’s fight because the quality of the athletes is nothing to be ashamed of compared to men.

I want to apologize for my strong French accent, but I can’t deny my roots and I’m proud of it. I think Claressa probably misunderstood me the other day when I spoke about Roy Jones Jr. I didn’t mean to compared Marie-Eve to Roy Jones’ skill or athleticism or what she has done. My comparison was about her commitment; her dedication and her desire to get better at everything.

You will find about Marie-Eve Dicaire… I was trying to find the words to describe Marie-Eve and I know she’s quick and dedicated and strong. But the best word I found… and forgive me… but she’s contagious. She beautifies everything she touches. She has enthusiasm for everybody who works with her. She can convince the most skeptical to her cause. And in the ring, she can persuade. She always convinces her opponents that she’s the best of the group. Be careful, Claressa, when she touches you in the ring. She’s very contagious.

The night’s co-main event will feature undefeated former amateur world champion Danielle Perkins (2-0, 1 KO) of Houston, Texas, fighting an eight-round rematch to her exciting non-stop slugfest with Waycross, Georgia’s Monika “Lay Em Down” Harrison (2-1, 1 KO) for the WBC Silver Heavyweight Championship.

Also appearing on the broadcast will be women’s star, former amateur world champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Marlen Esparza (8-1, 1 KO) of Houston returning to action against Canadian veteran Shelly Barnett (3-1-2, 2 KO) in a six-round bantamweight special attraction, and in the broadcast opener, undefeated bantamweight Jamie “The Miracle” Mitchell (5-0-2, 3 KO) of Pacific Grove, California, will look to continue her climb up the 118-pound rankings against tough Florida-based veteran Noemi “La Rebelde / No-No” Bosques (12-15-3, 2 KO) over six rounds.

SUPERWOMEN: SHIELDS VS. DICAIRE is dedicated to this year’s International Women’s Day (Monday, March 8, 2021) and presented by Salita Promotions in association with Groupe Yvon Michel.

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About International Women’s Day
The first National Women’s Day was observed in the United States on February 28, 1909. In 1910, Europe established a Women’s Day to honour the movement for women’s rights and to build support for achieving universal suffrage for women. After World War II, March 8 started to be celebrated in a number of countries. In 1975, during the International Women’s Year, the United Nations began celebrating March 8 as International Women’s Day. In 1995 the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a historic roadmap signed by 189 governments, focused on 12 critical areas of concern; and the inclusion of Goal 5: “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This year’s theme of #ChooseToChallenge looks to call out gender bias and inequity and celebrate women’s achievements.

For more information, please visit internationalwomensday.com.

About FITE.TV
FITE.TV is the premiere digital network for direct-to-consumer digital live streaming for combat sports, specializing in professional wrestling, mixed martial arts and boxing events. To millions of fans around the world, FITE.TV streams a rich array of live pay-per-view events, subscription packages and thousands of hours of live and on-demand free programs with a mission to help fans discover and watch premium live events. FITE.TV is the leading digital distributor for the industry’s marquee events, including AEW, Impact, WWE, KSI-Logan Paul 2 from Matchroom, Canelo vs GGG 1 & 2 from GBP / HBO, Pacquiao-Thurman from PBC / Fox, Top Rank / ESPN PPV, ROH, BKFC, NWA, GCW, ONE, Combate, RIZIN, MOTO FITE Klub and FMX FITE Klub, Rumble on the Rooftop, Major Concerts, Tennis, Basketball, Soccer events and more.

About VIVE Network
VIVE Network is a 4K HDR multi-channel, linear OTT TV network and live event platform as a service for third-party content creators available globally on every screen in every format. As a pioneer of the TV Revolution and UHD Initiative, VIVE Network’s mission is to facilitate the creation, proliferation, and monetization of UHD HDR entertainment to address the domain of the multi-millions of viewers around the globe, and in doing so, establishing the network as the ultimate UHD entertainment destination.

About Salita Promotions
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

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.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – March 3, 2021 – Undefeated rising star Serhii Bohachuk and former world title challenger Brandon Adams both made weight successfully ahead of their 10-round super welterweight fight, the main event of a three-fight card tomorrow, Thursday, March 4 on NBC Sports Network (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT), live from the Felix Pintor Gym in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

The undercard, featuring three additional bouts, will stream live in the U.S. and around the world on Twitch beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. 

In Thursday’s co-main event, undefeated prospect Danielito Zorrilla (14-0, 11 KOs) of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, will meet Kazakhstan’s Ruslan Madiyev (13-1 5 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight fight, while in the telecast opener on NBC Sports Network, Puerto Rico’s Bryan Chevalier (14-1-1, 11 KOs) will face Carlos Zambrano (26-1, 11 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight contest.

The Twitch undercard highlights Fernando Vargas Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) against Salome Flores Torres (0-2) in a four-round super middleweight fight, Harold Laguna (1-0, 1 KO) against Darwin Alvarez (pro debut) in a four-round super lightweight fight and two fighters making their professional debuts when Jorge Diaz faces Felipe Munoz in a four-round welterweight fight.

Super Welterweight Fight – 10 Rounds

Serhii Bohachuk – 153.8 lbs.

Brandon Adams – 153.8 lbs.

Referee: Ramón Peña

Judges: Chris Flores, Steve Weisfeld, Luis Ruiz

Junior Welterweight Fight – 10 Rounds

Danielito Zorrilla – 139.6 lbs.

Ruslan Madiyev – 139.6 lbs.

Referee: Janny Guzman

Judges: Chris Flores, Steve Weisfeld, Gerardo Martinez

Super Featherweight Fight at 128 lbs. – 8 Rounds

Bryan Chevalier – 127.4 lbs.

Carlos Zambrano – 127.0 lbs.

Referee: Ramón Peña

Judges: Ramon Solis, Luis Ruiz, Gerardo Martinez

Super Middleweight Fight at 163 lbs. – 4 Rounds

Fernando Vargas, Jr. – 159.8 lbs.

Salome Flores Torres – 162.0 lbs.

Referee: Janny Guzman

Judges: Ramon Solis, Luis Ruiz, Gerardo Martinez

Super Lightweight Fight – 4 Rounds

Harold Laguna – 135.2 lbs.

Darwin Alvarez – 138.8 lbs.

Referee: Ramón Peña

Judges: Ramon Solis, Luis Ruiz, Gerardo Martinez

Welterweight Fight – 4 Rounds

Jorge Diaz – 146.0 lbs.

Felipe Munoz – 143.0 lbs.

Referee: Janny Guzman

Judges: Ramon Solis, Luis Ruiz, Gerardo Martinez

Calling all the action ringside in Puerto Rico on NBC Sports Network will be former two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter joined by NBC Sports blow-by-blow commentator Bob Papa. Brian Campbell serves as fight night analyst with Curran Bhatia reporting from ringside.

Catch up on fight week in Puerto Rico ahead of tomorrow’s stacked card, including the Official Fight Week Trailer, Tuesday’s Virtual Press Conference and “The Story of Brandon Adams” with Curran Bhatia.

Subscribe to Ring City USA on Twitch for undercard action and an exclusive post-fight presentation following the evening’s main event. Follow Ring City USA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates during fight week in Puerto Rico or visit www.ringcityusa.com for more information. 

About Ring City USA

Ring City, which launched in 2020, is boxing’s newest sports media platform. Working in tandem with a variety of promoters and talent, its new boxing series places an emphasis on competitive matchups that genuinely test the fighters and excite the fight fans. Ring City provides great fights in the ring and compelling shoulder programming outside of the ring. Ring City is the proving ground where up-and-coming talent can earn their stripes and launch themselves into the upper echelon of boxing stardom. 

Indio, CA (March 3, 2021) Top Junior Middleweight Prospect Israil ‘The Dream’ Madrimov, (6-0, 5 KOs), of Khiva, Uzbekistan is recovering from surgery on his left shoulder to repair a tendon tear. The injury occurred early in his victory over Eric Walker on August 15, 2020 in Tulsa, OK.

Said Madrimov, “The rehabilitation from the surgery a couple of months ago is coming along very well. I look forward to starting my training again very soon and hope to be back in the ring in April or May.”

Acclaimed as one of boxing’s most exciting young fighters and projected as a future world champion, the 26-year-old former amateur standout proved his mettle in the Walker clash. Despite suffering the injury early in the bout, Madrimov seemingly scored a spectacular knockout in the ninth round, however referee Gary Ritter ruled that Walker was falsely pushed to the canvas. Forced to go the distance for the first time, Madrimov was declared the winner by scores of 116-111 and 116-110 twice.

Israil Madrimov/Eric Walker Highlights/DAZN

“Walker was badly hurt and the fight was over in the ninth round, the referee just mistakenly thought it was a push,” said the Joel Diaz trained Madrimov. “After the knockdown, Walker just went into survival mode to finish the fight.”

“But I’ll be back soon and continue to put on great fights for the fans as I continue towards my dream of becoming a world champion.”

Said Vadim Kornilov of Brigade Sports Management, “Israil didn’t want to make any excuses after the fight but it was clear when we talked afterwards that the injury affected his performance. Walker was a very tough opponent who had been avoided by many of the other world ranked junior middleweights.  Sometimes boxing politics will make for certain circumstances that will push us into making mistakes.  We learned from this one, and in the future, we will make sure that we do not take fights on 5-6 week’s notice against guys that have been training and anxiously waiting for their opportunity.”

“Now, three months after the surgery Israil is feeling much better and our goal stays the same for him, the biggest fights and the biggest opportunities. He has made a huge impact and garnered a wealth of international fans with his exciting fights since turning professional and we can’t wait for him to be in the ring again soon.” An announcement on Madrimov’s return to action will be forthcoming shortly.

BoxNation and Premier Sports have today announced live coverage this Friday evening of Heavyweight contender Tony Yoka as he returns to action against Joel Tambwe Djeko in a 12-rounder for the vacant European Union title.

Live broadcast of the event from Nantes, France begins at 7.40pm on BoxNation and Premier Sports 2 with the first fight expected at 7.55pm.  In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, Estelle Yoka Mossely (8-0, 1 KO), the other half of boxing’s most prominent husband-and-wife duo, will fight German contender Verena Kaiser (14-1, 6 KOs).

Undefeated French middleweight prospect Farrhad Saad (7-0-1), winner of six straight, will take on Bulgarian veteran Borislav Ivanov (9-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder right before the main event.

Yoka (9-0, 7 KOs) became an instant sensation in his home nation when he became the first French boxer to win an Olympic super-heavyweight gold medal. Following a six-round decision victory over Jonathan Rice in his second pro bout, he notched six consecutive stoppage wins, including a first-round blitzing of former world title challenger Johann Duhaupas last September. Yoka returned last November live on BoxNation and Premier Sports and scored a shutout 10-round decision over Christian Hammer. Djeko (17-2-1, 8 KOs) has never been stopped in a 20-fight career and has won eight consecutive bouts since a split decision defeat in 2016.

New customers signing up to watch this event can do so easily via the Premier Sports website. More upcoming fights for March and April are expected to be announced shortly.

ENDS

ABOUT PREMIER SPORTS

Premier Sports was founded in 2009 is available on Sky, Virgin TV and the Premier Player. In the Premier Sports bundle on Sky, Virgin TV and Premier Player, customers can enjoy Premier Sports 1, Premier Sports 2, BoxNation and LaLigaTV.

Premier Sports 1 is on Sky channel 412 and Virgin channel 551. Premier Sports 2 is on Sky channel 435 and Virgin Channel 552. FreeSports is available free on Sky Channel 422, Virgin Media Channel 553, on Channel 64 on Freeview and BT and on Freesat Channel 252.

The channels are also available to pubs, clubs and other commercial premises throughout the UK.

Premier Sports also broadcast LaLiga, Serie A, Scottish Cup football, 152 games from the Guinness PRO14, 15 games a week from the NHL, GAA and the home of NASCAR in the UK.

ABOUT BOXNATION

BoxNation began broadcasting in 2011 and has featured some of the best fights from home and abroad in the 8 years it has been on air. BoxNation is currently available on Sky channel 427, Virgin TV channel 546, BT TV and Talk Talk channel 415.

Premier Sports: www.premiersports.com                                            FreeSports: www.freesports.tv

NEW YORK – March 2, 2021 – Two-time world champion David Benavídez faces dangerous veteran Ronald Ellis in a 12-round WBC super-middleweight title eliminator Saturday, March 13 live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® telecast also features two under-25 lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Matías Romero in a 12-round co-main event bout. A 10-round super welterweight affair between Terrell Gausha and Jamontay Clark will open the telecast on SHOWTIME. The event is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing.

“The super middleweight division has quickly become red hot with so much talent bubbling to the top. David Benavídez is one of the most talented boxers at 168 pounds, which is proven by the fact that he’s an undefeated two-time 168-pound world champion,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Benavídez is fighting to reclaim his world championship and Ronald Ellis is fighting to claim his spot among the elite at 168 pounds. With that kind of motivation on both sides, this promises to be an explosive match. Isaac Cruz and Matías Romero are fighting to get to the top of the lightweight division and Terrell Gausha and Jamontay Clark are fighting to remain at the top of the super welterweight division. The entire show has intrigue that ripples through some of the best divisions in the sport.”

“On March 13, David Benavídez will move another step closer to regaining his beloved green and gold belt and remind the world he is the best super middleweight in all of boxing,” said Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing. “There will be no doubt in anyone’s mind after another spectacular performance by David ‘El Bandera Roja’ Benavídez.”

David Benavídez (23-0, 20 KOs), a boxing prodigy from Phoenix, Arizona, returns to the ring following a stoppage victory over Alexis Angulo at the “Fight Sphere” at Mohegan Sun last August. Benavídez turned pro at 16 and captured his first world title at age 20, becoming the youngest 168-pound world champion in history. An undefeated two-time super middleweight champion, Benavídez looks to earn another title opportunity at super middleweight. He was stripped of his WBC crown due to missing weight against Angulo. With nine of his 20 knockouts coming in the first round, the 24-year-old possesses one of the most devastating arsenals in all of boxing. It was on full display when he captured the super middleweight title for the second time via ninth-round TKO over fellow two-time champion Anthony Dirrell.

“I’ve had an amazing camp in Big Bear and this is the strongest I have ever felt so I’m looking to get an early stoppage against Ellis,” said Benavidez. “I’m glad this is a title eliminator and it’s going to be another step to being a world champion once again.”

The 31-year-old Ellis (18-1-2, 12 KOs) has been calling for the biggest fights at 160 and 168 pounds, and he has landed the toughest challenge of his professional career against Benavidez. Ellis, a native of Lynn, Mass., is fresh off a win over three-time world title challenger Matt Korobov who was forced to retire due to an injury during their December fight on SHOWTIME. Ellis has exhibited his slick boxing ability in recent outings but also possesses ferocious power, as evidenced by eight first round knockout victories in his career.

“It’s a fight but not just any fight,” said Ellis. “This is the type of fight I have trained for and wanted since I turned pro. He’s going to bring his best on March 13 and that will bring out the best in me.”

Cruz (20-1-1, 15 KOs) returns to the ring following the most impressive performance of his career – an emphatic first-round knockout against former world title challenger Diego Magdaleno in October. Fighting out of his hometown of Mexico City, the 22-year-old is quickly climbing the ladder in the lightweight division in pursuit of a world title. Cruz turned pro in 2015 at the age of 16 and suffered his lone defeat a year later, but his aggressive ring generalship has kept him unbeaten over the past five years.  

“I’m very excited to be fighting on SHOWTIME on March 13,” said Cruz. “The lightweight division is the hottest in boxing right now. This fight puts me one step closer to my dream of winning a world title for my Dad, Isaac Cruz, Sr. and my country, Mexico.”

Romero (24-0, 8 KOs) will put his perfect record on the line as he attempts to rise from prospect to contender with a win over Cruz. In his most recent fight this past November, Romero of Cordoba, Argentina defeated Javier José Clavero via unanimous decision in a fight at 130 pounds. The 24-year-old Romero’s most recent knockout came in March 2020 over Gabriel Gustavo Ovejero when he scored a fifth-round TKO in his last fight at lightweight. This fight will mark Romero’s U.S. debut and first appearance on SHOWTIME and Premier Boxing Champions.

“I’ve come so far from Argentina to bring myself one step closer to reaching my goal of being a world champion,” said Romero. “I know that Isaac Cruz is a big puncher but he’s never fought anyone with my speed and heart.” 

A decorated amateur who represented the United States at the 2012 London Games, Gausha (21-2-1, 10 KOs) continues his quest to win a world title. Following a sensational first round knockout against Joey Hernández in 2018, Gausha fought former world champion Austin Trout to a split draw and lost a decision against world title challenger Erickson Lubin in back-to-back bouts. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, the 33-year-old now lives and trains out of Encino, Calif., under the tutelage of accomplished trainer Manny Robles.

“I’m just blessed to be able to do what I love to do,” said Gausha. “I’m excited to be back on PBC and SHOWTIME thanks to Al Haymon. On March 13, I’m ready to go out there and show everybody what Terrell Gausha is made of and put on a show.”

Clark (15-1-1, 7 KOs) comes into this fight off a unanimous decision victory against Anthony Lenk last February. Fighting out of his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, the 26-year-old has only lost one professional fight, which came against former unified super welterweight champion Jeison Rosario in 2018. This will mark the southpaw’s first fight during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been a while since I was in the ring and I’m just excited to be back taking on someone like Terrell Gausha, who will bring a good challenge and let me display all of my talents,” Clark said. “This is the first step in getting back to regular action and I’m not going to waste this opportunity. I’m going on a big run after I beat Gausha. As McFadden and Whitehead said, ‘Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now.’”

Veteran sportscaster Brian Custer hosts the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo handles blow-by-blow action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and three-division world champion Abner Mares. Two Hall of Famers round out the telecast team: boxing historian Steve Farhood as unofficial scorer and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. The executive producer is four-time Emmy^® award winner David Dinkins, Jr. The director is Bob Dunphy, son of legendary Hall of Famer Don Dunphy. Former junior middleweight world champion Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez and sportscaster Alejandro Luna serve as expert analysts in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP).

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

BOSTON (March 2, 2021) – New Haven (CT) super welterweight boxer Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams will finally get what he calls “his world title fight” this Saturday night against former world champion Yuri Foreman in an 8-round bout for the vacant American Boxing Federation USA super welterweight championship, at the Kentucky Center for African Americans in Louisville, Kentucky.

Foreman (35-3, 10 KOs), fighting out of Brooklyn, captured the World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight World title in 2009, when he won a unanimous 12-round decision versus defending champion Daniel Santos (32-3-1).

“We sparred back when I was a kid when I trained at the Joe Grier Boxing Academy in Patterson, New Jersey,” Williams explained. “Joe was the one who gave me my nickname, ‘Quiet Storm.’ Yuri is a true world champion. I basically have come from nowhere to share the ring with a world champion. What we’re doing is what boxing is all about. It’s not about age; he’s 40 and I’m 34. Age doesn’t mean anything. I’m not a top dog, which is probably why they offered me the fight, but I’m a real fighter who will be in with a world champ. This is my world title fight! Win, lose, or draw, I’ll be fighting a world champion. I’m not scared of anybody. It’s not about money, it’s who I am, and I always step up to the challenge. This is going to be a great fight.”

Williams (16-5-2, 5 KOs) is proud to be one of the rare football players who has succeeded in boxing. He was a standout cornerback at Southern Connecticut State University and invited to several NFL tryout camps. He came close to making the cut with the then-Oakland Raiders.

“I’ve always been a boxer at heart,” Williams said, “so football was easy for me. It was great getting calls from NFL scouts. I walked away from football for boxing. I’m a former Division 2 college football player fighting a world champion. I knew when it was time to leave football, but I’m not ready to leave boxing yet. I don’t need to box. I’m educated, work in the community, and I’m a father. I’m blessed to be boxing and I’ll know when it’s time to hang up my gloves.”

Williams didn’t box until after his mother, Belinda, was murdered in 2008 and her case remains unsolved. He lost his father to cancer.

“This fight for Jimmy is by far the biggest of his career,” Williams manager Ryan Roach (Fighter Locker) remarked. “It’s a must win to get him back on track. He knows what he has to do. He made a move to Veloz Boxing in Rhode Island and he’s a different fighter from what he was in his last two fights. Just being around ‘Boo Boo’ (world champion Demetrious Andrade) and those guys there has Jimmy where he needs to be for this fight.”

Williams has been promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES) since he turned pro in 2013.

“We have a close relationship,” Burchfield commented. “I turned him pro, got him on national television a few times, and even attended his wedding. I’m very proud of him. He’s been tremendously loyal to CES as we have to him. This is a great opportunity. He didn’t hesitate a minute to take this fight. He has a new trainer, Brian Johnson, and Jimmy has been driving bad and forth from New Haven to Providence to train. I think he’s in the top shape of his life, because he knows the importance of this fight. He deserves to have this opportunity.

Something special about his fight this Saturday night against Foreman for Williams, an African American, is fighting at this venue (Kentucky Center for African Americans) in the hometown of his hero, Muhammad Ali.

“I’m paying homage to all people who’ve lived my dream,” Williams remarked. “It is what I represent. We’ve lost a lot of people in the last year. Fighting in Louisville is big for me because it’s the home of ‘The Greatest,’ Muhammad Ali. I look at Ali more for his character and what he stood for than his boxing. He stood for something and lost the prime of his career because of it. I try to be like him in terms of who I am. He gave me the confidence be who I want to be in life. I’ve read every book about him. I refuse to give up like Ali. I’m a throwback fighter.”

Fighter Locker’s growing stable of gifted boxers includes California super flyweight Rocco “So Cal Kid” Santomauro (20-1, 6 KOs), Troy, NY ABF American West super lightweight Ray Jay “The Destroyer” Bermudez (12-0, 9 KOs), super middleweight “The Amazing” Shawn McCalman (6-0, 4 KOs), U.S. Army super bantamweight Daniel Bailey, Jr. (2-0, 1 KO), lightweight Leonel de los Santos (2-0, 2 KOs), a2-time Dominican Republic Olympian, pro-debuting Boston featherweight Troy Anderson, Jr., pro-debuting Dominican Republic welterweight Juan Solano, and Salt Lake City, Utah brothers, super lightweight Ignacio Chairez (7-0-1, 4 KOs) and lightweight Gabriel Chairez (3-0, 2 KOs).

INFORMATION:
WEBSITE: fighterlocker.com, punch4parkinsons.com
FACEBOOK: /fighterlocker
TWITTER: @RoachRyan
INSTAGRAM: @RyanRoach82

ABOUT FIGHTER LOCKER:
Established in 2019, Fighter Locker is a comprehensive sports agency that manages professional boxers. Fighter Locker also helps to brand boxers by finding their voice with a 100-percent customized service. Fighter Locker does not really believe in working models. It believes in partnership optimization models in motion.

Fighter Locker uses four creative steps because it believes in “the foundation is everything”: 1. wisely conceived, 2. creatively restrained, 3. Proudly judged, 4. sharply targeted.

(March 2, 2021) — Two undefeated junior welterweight kings, one undisputed title. The stakes don’t get any higher.
 
WBC/WBO champion Jose Ramirez, the pride of California’s Central Valley, will fight Scotland’s IBF/WBA champion Josh Taylor for the undisputed world championship Saturday, May 22. The winner will become only the second undisputed junior welterweight champion of the four-belt era, joining pound-for-pound great Terence “Bud” Crawford.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, Ramirez-Taylor will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (and simulcast on ESPN+) starting at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT. The location, venue, and undercard information will be announced shortly.
 
“This is the best boxing has to offer, two elite fighters in the prime of their careers colliding in a legacy-defining matchup for the undisputed championship of the world,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “It’s a true 50-50 fight, one that the fans and both fighters demanded.”
 
Ramirez (26-0, 17 KOs) has been a world champion since March 2018, when he toppled Amir Imam via unanimous decision to win the vacant WBC strap. Following the Imam victory, he hired noted trainer Robert Garcia, and the duo has combined to go 4-0 in world title fights. Ramirez knocked out Maurice Hooker in July 2019 to unify world titles and defended his belts last August with a majority decision over former world champion Viktor Postol. Ramirez, a proud son of Mexican immigrants who hails from Avenal, Calif., is an agent of social change in his community. He’s devoted his time and resources to myriad causes, including cancer research, water rights for area farmers, and COVID-19 relief for Central Valley field workers.
 
“I look forward to making history by becoming the first boxer of Mexican descent to hold all four major world title belts,” Ramirez said. “I dedicate this fight to the Central Valley farm workers, who are out there every day helping feed the world. This fight is big, but nothing is bigger than getting vaccinations to the farm workers right now in the Central Valley.”
 
“No excuses, no fake social media promises, no grandstanding. This is the best fighting the best at their absolute best,” said Rick Mirigian, Ramirez’s manager.  “Jose will have his hand raised in the end, solidifying his status as a Hall of Famer.”
 
Like Ramirez, Taylor (17-0, 13 KOs) fought as a lightweight at the 2012 London Olympics, where he advanced to the Round of 16. While he didn’t turn pro until 2015, “The Tartan Tornado” won the Commonwealth 140-pound title in only his seventh pro bout. Taylor toppled Postol by unanimous decision in 2018 and won the IBF world title the following year with a decision over Ivan Baranchyk. He unified the IBF and WBA titles in October 2019, edging Regis Prograis by majority decision in a brutal masterpiece. He made his first defense as a unified champion last September, blasting out mandatory challenger Apinun Khongsong in the first round. Taylor hopes to make a little history of his own as the first undisputed, four-belt Scottish champion.
 
Taylor said, “I’m excited it’s been finalized and over the line. I can’t wait to get in there for the biggest fight of my career. Fighting for the undisputed title is something all boxers dream about.”
 
Use the hashtag #RamirezTaylor to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing; twitter.com/ESPNRingside.
 
 
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Greg Cohen Promotions proudly announces the signing of promising 22-year-old heavyweight puncher DaCarree “MacTruck” Scott to a long-term promotional contract.

Born in Denver and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Scott (4-0, 4 KOs) is already generating buzz as the subject of a viral sparring video, featured on ESPN Ringside, that showcases his impressive hand speed and destructive power.

Standing a squat 5’ 10”, but weighing over 250 pounds, Scott has become a master of taking on bigger and older opponents because his naturally husky frame always made it difficult to find foes that matched his age and weight. “I’ve always sparred grown men and professionals,” said Scott, “one day I was sparring a pro. I probably had four amateur fights at the time, and I dropped him and ran him out of the ring. My trainer said, ‘man you run people over like a Mack Truck!’”

Scott had a successful 35-fight amateur career that saw him take silver at the US Nationals and compete in the 2019 Olympic Qualifiers. However, realizing his heavy-fisted style would be better suited in the hurt-for-pay business, he turned professional in early 2020 and has already registered four quick-knockout victories.

Working hard at Champs Boxing and Fitness in Smyrna, Georgia with trainer Pete Crumpley, Scott has matured into an old-school technician in the James Toney realm with subtle but effective defense, superb hand speed, a penchant for attacking the body, pulverizing power and a crowd-pleasing flare for showmanship.

“When I get in the ring, you can expect flash and style,” Scott continued. “Everybody is begging for a new Mike Tyson – a short heavyweight who can dominate. I believe I can do that. I’m unique. I will bring some excitement to the heavyweight division. I’m not just some wild puncher; I have the skills and speed of a middleweight.”

Scott says signing with GCP is the first of many milestones on his journey to winning the heavyweight championship. “Greg has real experience in building heavyweights,” he said. “Talking to Greg made me feel very comfortable. He told me what he can do for me and I believe him. I’ll be fighting better competition to show all my skills. I need about three more years of developing and getting experience, but I’m here to stay. I’m not just an internet sensation. I want to be champion.”

“Mac is the kind of fighter people love,” said Greg Cohen. “He’s a shorter heavyweight with a big punch that can flatten men twice his size. He’s got a great personality and an entertaining style. The fans in Georgia already love him. We’re just going to show the rest of the world what they already know.”

Matchroom Boxing’s upcoming Spanish event taking place at the Pabellón de la Vall d`Hebron in Barcelona on Friday March 26 has been postponed to Friday April 23 due to extended travel restrictions in the country, owing to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

Matchroom return to Barcelona for a huge night of European Title action as local favourite Sandor Martin (36-2, 13 KOs ) puts his Super-Lightweight crown on the line against Kay Prosper (14-1-1, 7 KOs) and Featherweight Champion Andoni Gago (24-3-3, 7 KOs)defends his Featherweight belt against Gavin McDonnell (22-2-2, 6 KOs), live on DAZN. 

Also on the card, Torrelavega’s European Super-Welterweight Champion Sergio ‘El Nino’ Garcia (33-0, 14 KOs) keeps busy as he looks to defend his Title later in the year and Bilbao’s former European Welterweight ruler Kerman ‘Revolver’ Lejarraga (31-2, 24 KOs) aims to make it four wins in a row since losing his belt to David Avanesyan.

(March 1, 2021) — Heavyweight contender Tony Yoka, the 2016 Olympic gold medal sensation from Paris, has set his sights on his first professional belt. Yoka will battle Belgium-born Joel Tambwe Djeko in a 12-rounder for the vacant European Union title Friday at H Arena in Nantes, France.
 
In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, Estelle Yoka Mossely (8-0, 1 KO), the other half of boxing’s most prominent husband-and-wife duo, will fight German contender Verena Kaiser (14-1, 6 KOs).
 
The Yoka-Djeko card will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+ beginning at 2:40 p.m. ET/11:40 a.m. PT. 
 
“I am excited to once again showcase my talents live in the United States on ESPN+,” Yoka said. “Djeko is a formidable opponent who I cannot overlook as I continue to move up the rankings.”
 
Yoka (9-0, 7 KOs) became an instant sensation in his home nation when he became the first French boxer to win an Olympic super heavyweight gold medal. Following a six-round decision victory over Jonathan Rice in his second pro bout, he notched six consecutive stoppage wins, including a first-round blitzing of former world title challenger Johann Duhaupas last September. Yoka returned last November on an ESPN+-streamed bill and scored a shutout 10-round decision over Christian Hammer. Djeko (17-2-1, 8 KOs) has never been stopped in a 20-fight career and has won eight consecutive bouts since a split decision defeat in 2016.
 
In other streaming action:

• Undefeated French middleweight prospect Farrhad Saad (7-0-1), winner of six straight, will take on Bulgarian veteran Borislav Ivanov (9-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
   
• In a six-round junior lightweight bout, Khalil el Hadri (10-0, 6 KOs) will fight Jon Martinez (7-6-5, 1 KO). 

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LAS VEGAS (March 1, 2021) – Undefeated world light heavyweight contender and former world super middleweight champion, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (41-0, 27 KOs), recently signed an exclusive promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions, primarily because of the strong support he will receive from Oscar De Lay Hoya and his team.

“Ultimately,” the 29-year-old Ramirez explained, “Golden Boy understood the goals and agendas I set for myself and I felt the strong support from Oscar and his team. It’s a multi-fight deal with potential for something longer pending this first experience. From all the conversations my team and I have had with Golden Boy, I felt comfortable with them and the future opportunities that will arise from our relationship.

“Oscar is a great guy and it’s been nothing but a pleasure dealing with him and his team. As my relationship with Golden Boy continues to grow, I’m sure we (Oscar) will become closer. He’s a champion and one of the greatest to ever lace up the gloves. I look forward to working to him closely.”

Ramirez’ goal is to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion world, something he will have a better shot of accomplishing with Golden Boy in his corner.

“(WBA Super light heavyweight World champion Dmitry) Bivol (17-0, 11 KOs) is someone who has always been on the radar and I have full faith in (Golden Boy matchmaker) Robert Diaz to put together the best fights for me,” Ramirez added. “Unification has always been the goal. I know I’m the best in the division and hope to make this happens for the history books in the near future.”
This past December, Ramirez launched his own promotional company, Zurdo Promotions, which will remain active.

“Zurdo Promotions will continue and stay active,” Ramirez said. “Going forward, all my fights with Golden Boy will be in association with Zurdo Promotions. I will host fights in Mexico to be a bridge between Latin America and the United States. There’s tremendous talent in that region and I hope to use my platform to help and support the underserved fighters in Mexico.”

Ramirez, who is tentatively slated to return to the ring in May, is currently ranked No. 1 by the WBC, as well as No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, by the WBA and WBO.

INFORMATION:
Website: www.ZurdoPromotions.com
Instagram: @zurdoramirez, @zurdopromotions
Twitter: @ZurdoPromotions, @GilbertoZurdoRamirez

About Zurdo Promotions: Zurdo Promotions is the premier combat sports/event promoter with HQ in the United States and Mexico. Led by the undefeated World Champion, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. Zurdo Promotions strives to be the best in all areas to set the new standard in boxing. Visit us at www.ZurdoPromotions.com.