AARON ‘THE SILENCER’ McKENNA: “HOW GOOD WE WILL BE A FEW YEARS DOWN THE LINE WITH FREDDIE ROACH BEHIND US?!”
London, UK (7 December 2020) They might call unbeaten Monaghan super-welterweight Aaron McKenna ‘The Silencer’, but the classy 21 year old box-fighter intends kicking up an almighty rumpus when he makes his UK debut on Friday.
The 10-0 Freddie Roach protégé, who is based in Woodland Hills, California, joins big brother Stevie, courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions and Sheer Management, on the big Sam Eggington-Ashley Theophane undercard, televised exclusively live on Channel 5.
And the U.K fight fraternity certainly won’t want to miss taking a butchers at the highly touted former two-time European champion (Schoolboy and Cadet) who has already got the US cognoscenti raving.
‘Outside the ring I don’t say a lot. I’m a different man, humble. But inside, I shut a few mouths, silence opponents. I produce the goods inside the ring, take opponents out of there,’ states 6ft 2in Irish ace who, though two years younger than his crunch-punching brother Stevie (5-0, all count outs), actually made his pro bow 16 months earlier and can boast five more fights and 25 extra pro rounds on his resume.
Six of Aaron’s victims were sent for an early shower (all since three rounds) while five were subjected to the full 10 count.
‘It’s in our nature to get rid of opponents as soon as we can,’ continues Aaron who warns of further carnage ahead.
‘Stevie and I have been sparring each other since I was six and he was eight. We’d go at it every day. Occasionally it got heated but Dad made sure it didn’t get out of control. I can vouch that Stevie punches frighteningly hard.
‘As a pro, I’ve boxed a bit more. Fans haven’t fully seen it but, once I fill out, fully get my man strength, more spectacular kayos will come. There’s no better feeling than sinking a man with a left hook to the body.’
Born in Smithsborough, County Monaghan, McKenna the Younger had long been feted as a 2020 Irish Olympian but, aged just 18, spurned the opportunity in favour of a pro contract with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.
‘I actually did well in school but I always, always wanted to be a professional world champion,’ explains the lad who triumphed in 152 of his 161 contests in a singlet.
‘Even as a top amateur, I never boxed around. I developed a pro style and knew that longer pro fights would suit me better. I’m always as fit in the last round as I am in the first and that’s with me sustaining a very high pace.
‘In my final amateur tournament, I won a mini world championship in Russia. I fought four times in four days, beating both a Russian and the Uzbek world champion along the way.
‘But it was my dream to make it as a pro in the US and so many world champions were based around the California area. I first went over aged 16 and dabbled with the thought of turning pro immediately under a Mexican licence. I opted against that but turned pro shortly after my 18th birthday.
‘Oscar is a great man, a gentleman now and one of the best promoters in the world. But, in his time, he was one of the most vicious fighters there’s ever been and I watch a lot of his tapes. He has seen all my pro fights and gives real positive feedback and advice before and after every one which I always try to act on.’
Though Aaron’s class was patently evident, it was still a brave and bold move to uproot and kick start his pro innings in the austere and unforgiving fight factories of America’s West Coast.
‘Stevie and I are very lucky that we have each other and our dad (co-coach Fergal) for support and company because it’d be very hard for a talented British or Irish teenager to succeed over here on their own. It’s not a holiday camp. I’ve sparred world class guys like Jose Ramirez, Jose Zapeda, Ivan Baranchyk, Vergil Ortiz and Amir Khan. They don’t mess around in these top US gyms,’ claims McKenna.
‘Freddie takes us on the pads every week day, and oversees our bag work and sparring. How good will we be a few years down the line with him behind us? Before that, we worked out at Buddy McGirt’s Gym – Buddy’s a really nice fella, extremely knowledgeable – and Robert Garcia also trained us and worked our corner for a few fights but, unfortunately, the two-hour drive to his gym became too much.’
Aaron’s explosive antics between the ropes have even started to court attention with the glitterati around Tinsel Town.
He explains: ‘(Singer)Cyndi Lauper actually requested a selfie from me after I boxed on a Sugar Ray Leonard Charity Fight Night. We’ve bumped into (legendary hip-hop star) Kendrick Lamar a few times at the gym – he loves to watch our sparring – and we’ve have had a couple of proper chats with (actor) Adam Sandler.’
Upon entering the paid brigade, the silent one set a goal of securing a major world title strap by the age of 22. Thus far, Covid 19 has served as the stiffest opponent to realising his ambition.
‘This year was meant to be massive for me but the pandemic came,’ explains Aaron.
‘Now Mick Hennessy has kindly given me an opportunity to show UK audiences what I can do. Over the next 12 months, I’ll cram in as many fights as I can and still intend being world champion by 22. The current WBO champ Patrick Teixeira is also with Golden Boy so it’s an easy fight to make.’
With Channel 5 cameras reeling, McKenna is accorded a gilt-edged opportunity to showcase his considerable talent on a fresh continent.
‘U.K fans will witness a very experienced fighter,’ he concludes.
‘I started at six, was a highly accomplished and decorated amateur, who’s already had 10 pro fights and all the very best sparring you can get. Most boxers in their late 20s don’t have the experiences I bring.
‘I don’t know who my opponent is but I do know that I’m more than ready. I want to put on a great performance in an exciting fight and hopefully get another knock out. I’ll certainly get the job done in style.’
Sam Eggington versus Ashley Theophane headlines the Hennessy Sports card in an International Super-Welterweight Contest. Chief-support features the Vacant Midlands Area Welterweight Title between Birmingham derby between Kaisee Benjamin and Ben Fields. The undercard includes: undefeated super-lightweight and red-hot talent Stephen McKenna from Monaghan, Ireland against Brierley Hill’s MJ Hall, in a six-round contest; his equally talented brother Aaron McKenna (appearing courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions) takes on Islington’s Jordan Grannum over six rounds at light-middleweight; Sevenoaks middleweight prospect Michael Hennessy Jr. meets Hyde’s Dale Arrowsmith and the flash, brash and exciting unbeaten Birmingham star Idris Virgo faces Stourbridge’s Kevin McCauley in a four-round middleweight contest. For further information go to www.hennessysports.com or social media: Facebook @HennessySports, Twitter @HennessySports and Instagram @hennessysports
RJJ Boxing FACT SHEET for this Wednesday in Mexico on UFC FIGHT PASS
WHAT: Roy Jones, Jr. Boxing Promotions (RJJ Boxing) streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS
MAIN EVENT – VACANT WBC LATINO SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (8)* Lester Martinez (6-0, 6 KOs), Guatemala City, Guatemala vs. Uriel “Big Bang” Gonzalez (20-6-1, 16 KOs), Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, México
CO-FEATURE – FEATHERWEIGHTS (8)* Pablo “The Lethal Mosquito” Cruz (20-2, 6 KOs), Houston, Texas, USA vs, Eddy “Dinamita” Valencia (15-5, 5 KOs), Culiacan, Sinaloa, México
FEATHERWEIGHTS (8)* Alan “Cachorro” Solis (11-0-1, 6 KOs), Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México vs. Abelardo “Bolito” Sanchez (7-1-2, 4 KOs), Los Mochis, Mexico
SUPER BANTAMWEIGHTS (6)* Ariel Perez De La Torre (3-0, 3 KOs), Camaguey, Cuba by way of Guatemala vs. Isaac Buitimea (9-6, 4 KOs), Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México
(card subject to change) *denotes streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS
WHERE: Maninaterra Hotel & Spa Event Center in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico
WHEN: Wednesday, December 9, 2020
CO-PROMOTERS: RJJ Boxing Promotions and De La O Promotions
LIVE STREAM: Streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, boxing starts at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com
BROADCASTERS: TJ De Santos (blow-by-blow) and James “Smitty” Smith (color commentator)
Ryan Roach’s Fighter Locker Signs Boston featherweight Troy Anderson, Jr.
BOSTON (December 7, 2020) – Ryan Roach’s Fighter Locker has signed Boston featherweight Troy Anderson, Jr. to an exclusive managerial contract.
Anderson, a union Sheetmetal worker in local 17, was a decorated amateur who won a gold medal at the 2016 Rocky Marciano Tournament, as well as The New England’s Tournament twice in 2018-2019, and won Central Division of the New England Golden Gloves Tournament twice and runner-up twice during his four-year (2016-2019) run. He also competed in three national tournaments.
Anderson, though, didn’t start boxing until he was 23, when he walked into a gym for the first time, 10 years after his two best friends introduced him to boxing. “I started in boxing because I hoped to succeed and reach my goals through boxing,” Anderson explained. “I train at Nonantum Boxing Club in Newton (MA), where Marc Gargaro is my coach. He’s one of the best in New England. He coaches for USA Boxing. I wouldn’t be in this business without him because he’s built me from scratch. I’m so glad to be coached by him and we’ve developed a bond like family.”
At the age of 28, Anderson has decided to turn pro, which, of course, is relatively late in boxing. But he still feels 21 because of the way he moves and that he wasn’t on the wrong end of beatings in the amateurs. He’s also gained confidence sparring with some of New England’s top pros and amateurs.
“I put a lot of hard work in the gym the past 5 or 6 years and I got tired of the amateurs,” Anderson explained why he decided to turn pro now. “It’s not too late for me; others have started late like me and went on to become world champion. I want to be in that group.
“I thank Ryan Roach for giving me this opportunity to join Fighter Locker. He’s honest and I was comfortable with him. I like him and know he’s going to keep an eye on me. Why not sign with a Boston manager to help put boxing here back on the map?”
“I’m excited about signing Troy Anderson, Jr.” Roach said. “I’ve been watching him for years and he’s developed well under Marc. Troy has fought the best in the country. He’s a very well-rounded fighter. I’m excited about adding him to the stable. He’s a BOSTON fighter and a great young man. It’s a win-win for us.”
Anderson realizes that he needs to move to set up his shots, throw multiple punches, and change angles. He’s a slick southpaw who normally doesn’t rush in the ring. Anderson is thrilled to know that ripping body punches will score points, unlike in the amateur ranks, and breakdown his opponent. He predicts that he’ll display more power than he did as an amateur.
“I’m driven to reach my goals,” he concluded. “I hope to make my pro debut early next year, pending pandemic restrictions. Ryan has kept his fighters busy, some fighting in Mexico. I love the challenge and can’t wait!”
Fighter Locker’s growing stable of gifted boxers includes Dorchester, MA welterweight Gabriel Duluc (15-3, 4 KOs), Troy, NY super lightweight Ray Jay “The Destroyer” Bermudez (10-0, KOs), Toronto, Canada welterweight Jeff “The Trouble 1” Tabrizi (8-3, 7 KOs), West Haven, CT super welterweight Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams (16-4-2, 5 KOs), super featherweight Jesus Vasquez, Jr. (6-0, 2 KOs), super middleweight “The Amazing” Shawn McCalman (4-0, 2 KOs), U.S. Army super bantamweight Daniel Bailey, Jr., and lightweight Leonel de los Santos, a 2-time Dominican Republic Olympian
RICKY “EL CASTIGO” MEDINA Remains Undefeated with Hard Fought Win in Mexico
SAN ANTONIO, TX (December 7, 2020) – Prince Ranch Boxing’s undefeated rising featherweight prospect, Ricky “El Castigo” Medina (8-0, 6 KOs), remained unbeaten after defeating game veteran banger, Gabino Hernandez (7-8-3, 2 KOs), on Friday, December 4, 2020, from the Salon de Eventos in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Medina, who is promoted by TMB Entertainment won by a decisive six-round decision in which he won each round against a fighter with two-and-half-times the experience as himself. Hernandez, who has been in the ring with several undefeated fighters, did his best to make the fight rough, but was unsuccessful as he was unable to handle the lateral movement and superior boxing skills that Medina possessed. Scorecards read 60-54 across the board in Medina’s favor.
“It was great to get the rust off after such a long layoff,” said Medina. “This year has been difficult for everyone, and as an athlete it is hard to be patient. I’m grateful that I have a great manager and promoter that got me back in the ring. Now I want a big opportunity to fight a good step up fight in America soon, if not next.”
“Medina is ready for a big fight,” said Greg Hannely, CEO of Prince Ranch Boxing, who manages Medina. “Medina has proven that he is an elite fighter and now we will work to get him a fight in America against a fellow unbeaten prospect so he can become a contender.”
“Medina finished the year strong,” said Rick Morones, of TMB Entertainment. “Medina has the work ethic, will-power and tenacity to put forth a solid fight against anyone. I think everyone who faces Medina is in trouble.”
Top 10 heavyweight contender Michael “The Bounty” Hunter On mission starting with”Battle of Rio Grande” PPV
GALVESTON, Texas (December 7, 2020) — World-rated heavyweight and 2012 U.S. Olympian, Michael “The Bounty” Hunter, is on a mission to position himself for a world heavyweight title shot in 2021.
Keeping busy is the key for promotional free agent Hunter (18-1-1, 12 KOs) and it all starts for him December 18th, when he faces West Virginia’s Shawn Laughery (10-3, 6 KOs), who has replaced veteran Chauncy “Hillyard Hammer” Welliver, in the 10-round co-featured event on “Battle of Rio Grande” card, airing live on pay per view from Galveston Island Convention Center in Galveston, Texas.
The “Battle of Rio Grande,” main event pits undefeated, former world super middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (40-0, 26 KOs), who challenges North American Boxing Federation (NABF) light heavyweight titlist Alfonso “El Tigre” Lopez (32-3, 25 KOs).
“Battle of Rio Grande” will be available for live viewing on digital, cable and satellite, starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, on pay per view for a suggested retail price of only $24.99. FITE will stream worldwide on the FITE mobile apps, all major OTT apps and website (www.FITE.tv), and Integrated Sports Media will distribute throughout North America via DirecTV, iN Demand, and DISH in the United States, as well as in Canada on Shaw and SaskTel.
In addition, preceding the live pay-per-view broadcast at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT, fans may view a free LIVE PPV PRE-SHOW featuring some undercard bouts. “Battle of Rio Grande” Pre-Show will be available at FITE, DirecTV, DISH, Shaw and select cable operators.
“I think that dealing with Zurdo Promotions and getting this first fight off as a free agent really sets the tone,” Hunter said. “I plan to stay busy the next couple of months Teaming up with ‘Zurdo’ and having such a big name next to mine is a great way to put myself in position for the world heavyweight title.”
The 32-year-old Hunter, who fights out of Las Vegas, was a decorated amateur boxer who represented the United States at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He captured gold medals at the 2012 U.S. National Championships and 2011 National Golden Gloves, silver medal at the 2006 National Golden Gloves, and bronze at the 2006 World Junior Championships.
The son of a former pro boxer, the late Mike “The Bounty” Hunter, Michael turned pro March 9, 2013, stopping Chad Davis in the third round. Hunter won his first 12 pro fights, including a 10-round decision over previously undefeated Isiah Thomas (15-0), before losing by way of a 12-round unanimous decision to Oleksandr Usyk (11-0) for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior heavyweight title. He is unbeaten in the following seven fights, moving up to heavyweight to collect six victories and a 12-round split decision versus Alexander Povetkin (35-2) in his most recent bout a year ago. Povetkin, a 2004 Olympic gold medalist from Russia, currently is the reigning WBC Interim world heavyweight champion.
Hunter is a top 10-ranked by all four major sanctioning bodies — #4 International Boxing Federation (IBF), #7 WBO, #10 WBC and World Boxing Association (WBA) – in addition to being # 8 in The Ring magazine’s independent ratings.
Card subject to change.
Tickets are priced at $65.00, $135.00, $250.00 and $400.00 for VIP are on sale and available to purchase at www.zurdopromotions.events.com.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. LOGAN PAUL SET TO SQUARE OFF IN HISTORIC PAY-PER-VIEW EVENT ON FEBRUARY 20, 2021
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (December 7, 2020) – Undefeated, 12-time, five division boxing superstar Floyd “Money” Mayweather and social media sensation Logan “The Maverick” Paul announced today that they will face each other in a special exhibition match that is expected to shatter pay-per-view records on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. The highly anticipated match-up will pit two of the world’s most renowned and popular personalities together in the ring in a must-see event for sports and entertainment fans alike.
The fight was put together by Fanmio, an online platform that connects fans with celebrities by creating one-of-a-kind online fan experiences. Fanmio is entering into high profile boxing events with its new division, Fanmio Boxing. Mayweather vs. Paul will be the first fight promoted, produced and distributed exclusively on Fanmio Boxing. Fanmio Boxing will become an innovative leader in the sport of boxing, creating lucrative and exciting fight opportunities for fighters and the fans by making fights accessible worldwide.
Tickets for the pay-per-view are available now at a discounted early rate of $24.99. A limited supply of tickets can be purchased online at www.fanmio.com/MayweatherVsPaul. Fans are encouraged to lock in the special deal as the price will increase after the buys reach 1 million purchases. The venue for this exhibition fight is still to be named.
“This is going to be a great night for the fans worldwide as we are bringing something special to them through sports and entertainment,” said Mayweather. “I have never shied away from doing things differently throughout my career and fighting Logan Paul in this special exhibition is just another opportunity for me to do it again.”
“I am always searching for the ultimate challenge and it is a dream to go toe-to-toe with the greatest boxer alive,” said Paul. “I am ALL IN, and on February 20th, the world could witness the greatest upset in the history of sports.”
“We have been working hard to make this fight happen for a very long time and we are thrilled to finally announce this special exhibition between Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul,” said Solomon Engel, CEO and Founder of Fanmio. “This fight will be an incredibly exciting match between two of the biggest stars in sports and entertainment and we know this will be an outstanding debut for Fanmio Boxing.”
Mayweather has a perfect 50-0 record with 27 knockouts. He completed his illustrious career with 12 world titles in five weight divisions that includes wins over world champions including Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya and Canelo Alvarez. Smashing pay-per-view records along the way, the global superstar also defeated UFC superstar Conor McGregor in a must-see boxing event watched the world over. During his career he was named the world’s highest paid athlete multiple times and single-handily drove the sport of boxing for over two decades.
Logan Paul has explored and conquered multiple social media platforms and has become a social media megastar who is always leading the way and taking his legion of devotees along with him. His bold vision and fearless approach directly correlate to his continued achievements in the social space and beyond. Using his unparalleled online popularity, Logan sold out the Staples Center in Los Angeles in his first professional bout, thrilling fans around the world with six action-packed rounds. He now looks to continue to smash records as he takes on his biggest challenge yet – facing undefeated boxing legend Mayweather. The Ohio-native will enter the ring significantly larger and taller than his opponent, which the former high school wrestler will use to his advantage. He actively trains in Los Angeles under the guidance of world class trainer Milton Lacroix. A digital native, Paul truly understands his audience and instinctually, how to connect with them. Unafraid to take risks and explore new platforms and opportunities, Logan has always had a clear understanding of how technology, entertainment and social media work together. In addition, Logan hosts his own podcast, “ImPaulsive,” featuring celebrity guests, athletes, comedians, business moguls, etc. The podcast, which has aired more than 200 episodes, brilliantly balances humor with tough subjects and life lessons.
For more information on Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul, please visit www.fanmio.com/MayweatherVsPaul.
JOSHUA VS. PULEV UNDERCARD UPDATE
The full undercard to Anthony Joshua’s long-awaited return to UK soil against Kubrat Pulev at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday December 12, has now been confirmed. All of the action will be shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and Ireland and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories on its just-launched Global platform.
Following Krzysztof Glowacki’s positive COVID-19 test last week, Hackney Cruiserweight star Lawrence Okolie (14-0, 11 KOs) will now take on Poland’s undefeated Nikodem Jezewski (19-0-1, 9 KOs).
London-based Albanian Welterweight sensation Florian Marku (7-0, 5 KOs) makes his keenly anticipated Matchroom debut in an eight round contest with Derby’s Alex Fearon (9-2) just over a week on from signing promotional terms with Eddie Hearn. Northampton Super-Welterweight contender Kieron Conway (15-1-1, 3 KOs), who was originally slated to fight Frenchman Souleymane Cissokho, will now clash with Wythenshawe’s Macaulay McGowen (14-1-1, 3 KOs) over ten rounds.
Ramla Ali’s (1-0) second professional fight against Vansea Caballero (3-9-3) has been removed from the show after the Somali-British fighter, who made a winning start to life in the paid ranks in October, returned a positive COVID-19 test.
Anthony Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) defends his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO Heavyweight World Titles against Mandatory Challenger KubratPulev (28-1, 14 KOs), Manchester Heavyweight Hughie Fury (24-3, 14 KOs) returns against Poland’s Mariusz Wach (36-6, 19 KOs), Martin Bakole (15-1, 12 KOs) and Sergey Kuzmin (15-1, 11 KOs) fight for the vacant WBC International Heavyweight Title and Leeds Super-Bantamweight Qais Ashfaq (8-1, 3 KOs) looks to return to winning ways against Ashley Lane (14-9-2, 1 KO).
LIAM WILLIAMS OUT TO SHOW MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION WHO’S THE DADDY
LIAM WILLIAMS won’t be playing happy families with ring rivals in 2021, but is ready for a new arrival at home.
First to land next year is a shot at Demetrius Andrade’s WBO World Middleweight title and in May an altogether different championship delivery is due as Williams and partner Carys are expecting a baby boy.
American Andrade must face the Welsh ace early next year. If he doesn’t defend his title against Williams he’ll be forced to relinquish or get stripped of the WBO belt he has held since October 2018.
Williams (23-2-1, 18 KOs) said: “It’s looking like 2021 could be something special for me and my family.
“I’m looking forward to fighting Andrade, beating him and then becoming a Dad once again.
“I am told that the Andrade fight is pretty much done and it’s just a case of finding out where and when it will be.
“I am confident it will be Andrade that I face, but it doesn’t matter to me either way because I will be challenging for the WBO World title in my next fight.
“Things change all the time in boxing though. I don’t even mind going to fight Andrade in his hometown Providence.
“I want to take Andrade’s belt from him, but even if it’s for a vacant title there will be massive fights down the line.”
Things are certainly looking up for Williams who has knocked out his last seven opponents and he is jubilant at becoming a parent once more.
He added: “We only found out on Saturday that my partner will give birth to a baby boy that is due on May 21st. I am over the moon.
“I worship my little girl and my children will get equal love, but a little boy is all I have ever wanted.
“It is a first child for Carys so the sex doesn’t matter to her, but I have a girl and I’m just excited that she is having a boy.
“I am already asked if he is going to box, but I will leave that to him. I’ll be happy if he does, but there will be no forcing him into anything if he wants to take another path.
Williams, 28, last boxed in October hammering mandatory challenger Andrew Robinson inside a round when he made a final British title defence before relinquishing.
He has started training for his world title challenge at Dominic Ingle’s Sheffield gym, but returns home every weekend.
“I go home on a Friday afternoon and return to Sheffield every Sunday afternoon ready for Monday training,” explained Liam.
“I come home to see Myla and spend as much time as a I can with Carys during her pregnancy.
“Even when the fight is announced I will probably still come home every weekend. I think it works best for me.
“For my last fight I stayed in Sheffield for three weeks on the bounce and it didn’t do me any favours. To be honest it cracked me up.
“I didn’t get any release and I didn’t enjoy it one bit. I don’t need looking after at all. It’s just the appeal of being at home, seeing Myla and familiar faces.”
ATLANTIC CITY BOXING HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES ITS 2021 CLASS
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (December 7, 2020) – The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame (ACBHOF) today announced the honorees for the 2021 Induction Ceremony to be held in Summer 2021.
The legendary boxers, trainers, promoters, matchmakers, media, and special contributors are being enshrined into the 2021 ACBHOF inductees includes:
Felix Trindad, Kelly Pavlik, Simon Brown, Ivan Robinson, Aaron Snowell, Joey Eye, Ed Keenan, Frank Cappuccino, and Nino Delbuno.
We’re extremely excited about the Class of 2021 and are very much looking forward to paying tribute to the new inductees as well as celebrate the Class of 2020 in a combined induction ceremony during our annual celebration weekend next August in Atlantic City,” said President Ray McCline
2020 Class: Roy Jones Jr., Riddick Bowe, Pernell Whitaker, Al Cole, Ernest Bing, Tony Thornton, Sr., Calvin Grove, Percy Richardson, Tommy Parks, Earl Morton, Steve Weisfeld, Ron Katz, Murad Muhammad, Marc Abrams, Al Bernstein, and Ms. Laoma Byrd.
The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Celebration will offer boxing enthusiasts a weekend full of great programming which will include a kick-off cocktail reception, meet & greets, spectacular artwork, and exhibits: ACBHOF will be partnering with New Jersey Give A Kid A Dream “Girls in Gloves” non-profit and CareSparc Consulting to bring an all-inclusive Sustainable Health & Wellness and Fitness Village “Going the Distance to a Healthier Atlantic City,” the village will offer screenings, seminars, pop-up vendors, healthy foods choices, music, and fitness as well as a live amateur boxing show and much more. The finale of the weekend will be the Combined Induction Ceremony Dinner honoring the 2020 & 2021 Classes. Also, many of our previous honorees, as well as VIP/celebrity guests, will be in attendance. So, all roads lead to Atlantic City in Summer 2021!
For more information please call +1.609.829.8711 or visit the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame website at www.acbhof.com.
A special thanks to our partners, sponsors and supporters: Mayor Marty Small, City of Atlantic City, FantaSea Resorts, SparBar, Expressions Graphic Designs, The Claridge – A Radisson Hotel, Icons of Boxing, Adams Boxing, WBC, IBF, and Fight Night Apparel.
FURY: I BELONG AT WORLD LEVEL
Hughie Fury wants to show that he belongs at world level by “doing a job” on Mariusz Wach when he collides with the former World Title challenger on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday December 12, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories on its just-launched Global platform.
The only defeats on Fury’s 27 fight slate came at world level – a majority 12 round decision dropped in a close and controversial WBO World Title challenge to New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in 2017, a gallant and gory 12 round points loss to Pulev in an IBF Final Eliminator in Sofia and a points loss to Alexander Povetkin last summer.
At just 26, Fury believes that his best years are ahead of him, and the Manchester contender is confident that there’s still plenty of time left to mount a fresh assault at world honours. Polish veteran Wach took Dillian Whyte the distance in Saudi Arabia a year ago, and Fury knows the former World Title challenger still has plenty to offer.
“He’s a tough man Mariusz Wach,” said Fury. “He’s been in with some great fighters, pretty much everyone, including a World Title challenge. I’m looking forward to doing a job on him. This is definitely one not to miss. It’s been a while and I’m ready to show what I’m all about.
“Wach brings power and size, you can’t switch off for a second. I want these kind of fights as these fights will help me achieve what I need in boxing. I’m expecting a tough fight with Wach. I’ve seen a few of his fights and we’ve done our studying, training and sparring.
“I’m ready for all the serious fights out there, I’ve had vast experience and I belong on the world level. I expect to be knocking on the door for another shot at world honours again very soon. I’ve been living in the gym, working on a lot of different aspects of my game, perfecting what I needed to do.
“Everything happens for a reason. You’ve just got to stay patient and fight whoever they put in front of you. Boxing is about learning and taking fights. If you believe that you are the best, then you will take on anyone and everyone.”
Fury vs. Wach is part of a huge night of action in London, Anthony Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) defends his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO Heavyweight World Titles against Mandatory Challenger KubratPulev (28-1, 14 KOs), Martin Bakole (15-1, 12 KOs) and Sergey Kuzmin (15-1, 11 KOs) fight for the vacant WBC International Heavyweight Title, Hackney Cruiserweight Lawrence Okolie (14-0, 11 KOs) returns to action and Leeds Super-Bantamweight Qais Ashfaq (8-1, 3 KOs) looks to return to winning ways against Ashley Lane (14-9-2, 1 KO), with more fights confirmed tomorrow.
CASTRO, PACHECO, ESPINO AND WILLIAMS LAND ON CANELO-SMITH CARD
Marc Castro, Diego Pacheco, Alexis Espino and Austin Williams will perform on the biggest of stages on the undercard of the World title clash between Canelo Alvarez vs. Callum Smith at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday December 19, live on DAZN in 200+ countries and territories worldwide and on TV Azteca in Mexico.
It’s third time lucky for Castro as the amateur sensation makes his professional debut after false starts in Tulsa and Florida. The Fresno talent amassed a 177-7 record in the amateur code and won countless titles all over the world, and now the 21 year old will finally step through the ropes having missed out in Oklahoma due to COVID and in Hollywood with an ankle strain.
“It’s been a crazy year but I’m ready to get my pro career started on one of the best cards of the year, God willing,” said Castro. “The positive COVID result and the ankle injury were just little setbacks that I have fully recovered from and I cannot wait to get started in the pros on December 19.”
Pacheco (10-0 8 KOs) moved into double figures in Mexico City in October with his eighth stoppage win – and the powerful and rangy teen takes another big step on his pro journey, with his first eight rounder against Rodolfo Gomez Jr (14-4-1 10 KOs) in Texas.
“I’m really happy and excited that I get to close out the year on the biggest show of the year,” said Pacheco. “I’m moving up to eight rounds which is exciting for me, and I really hope I can push on and on from here into 2021.”
Espino (6-0 4 KOs) completes the trio of Mexican-American Matchroom talents on the card, and the 20 year old will fight for the seventh time in the paid ranks in Texas against Ashton Sykes (5-3 1 KO) and for the first time since fighting in the Lone Star state in February.
“I’m so excited for the opportunity to be on the biggest card of year,” said Espino. “I’ve been working harder than ever and I’m ready to put on a great show.”
‘Ammo’ Williams (6-0 5 KOs) recorded his fifth KO win from six pro-outings in Mexico City alongside Pacheco, and the Houston native faces Isaiah Jones (9-3 3 KOs) in his home state for the second time having fought in Arlington in June 2019.
“2020 was the toughest and most unexpected year of my life,” said Williams. “I was tested mentally, physically and emotionally but I overcame all my trials! Now I get to put a guy to sleep on the biggest card of the year! Hard work, faith, and dedication always pays off!”
Castro, Pacheco, Espino and Williams take their place on a blockbuster night, topped by Canelo (53-2-1 36 KOs) challenging Smith (27-0 19 KOs) for the Briton’s WBA and Ring Magazine World Super-Middleweight titles, and exciting Mexican pocket powerhouse Julio Cesar Martinez (17-1 13 KOs) defends his WBC World Flyweight title against Francisco Rodriguez Jr (33-4-1 24 KOs) – with more action to be added.
LYNDON ARTHUR WARNS ANTHONY YARDE: IGNORE MY POWER AT YOUR PERIL
LYNDON ARTHUR FIRMLY rejects the suggestion that his encounter with Anthony Yarde on Saturday falls into the classic ‘boxer vs puncher’ category of fight.
The light heavyweight pair collide with Arthur’s Commonwealth title at stake but, more importantly, there is a lofty ranking with the WBO up for grabs that Frank Warren is confident of converting into a mandatory world title shot for the winner.
Arthur being labelled as the boxer in the bargain most likely stems from his patient breaking down of Dec Spelman in July in a fight Yarde condemned as ‘boring’, whereas Yarde himself took on Arthur five weeks later and forced a sixth round stoppage with a more aggressive approach.
To tag Arthur as a technician probably doesn’t do him justice, given that 12 of his 17 opponents to date have not heard the final bell and nine of them have not made it to the third round.
‘King Arthur’ is not happy over people failing to recognise his punching prowess.
“I know I am good enough to be here and don’t need to worry about anything,” growled the Manchester man, who is trained by former European champion Pat Barrett. “I can punch too! Everyone keeps saying this. Do you want to feel my punches?
“Everyone keeps saying I can’t punch and it is starting to p**s me off. It is just that I can box as well,” added Arthur, who went on to address the sharing of Spelman as an opponent.
“I believe I beat Spelman better because I am a me fan, a Lyndon fan. Yarde did well but we have seen it many times and we knew what he would do. I’d already beaten him.
“When I fought him and it was the winner gets to fight Yarde, he was coming in on my fight week, on my interviews and was just around. Then the loser fought him. For what purpose?
“The day he fought Dec Spelman he could have fought me, so I thought it was a pointless fight and he was going to beat him and prove to himself he could knock out someone who everybody knows he could knock out – after I had already beaten him.
“Go and fight somebody else. It made no sense to me,” continued the 29-year-old, before getting around to the ‘boring’ jibe.
“So it was boring because I didn’t get hit? He likes to say ‘I knock people out and it’s entertainment’ but it depends what boxing you like. For me watching it back it was a fun fight to watch. If you like boxing you’ll watch that fight and like it. You’ll see certain skills in there that you will like, while if you just like knockouts you’ll watch Yarde.
“He has had better marketing than me and is bigger than me in the sense that he’s had the (Sergey) Kovalev fight and the backing of BT a little bit more than me. Really and truly, when it comes down to it, it doesn’t make a difference.
“We’re both going to get in the ring and that is where it matters.”
Anthony Yarde (19-1, 18KOs) vs Lyndon Arthur (16-0, 12KOs) for the Commonwealth light heavyweight title headlines a night of boxing live on BT Sport 1 on Saturday, which also features a super bantamweight battle with the WBC International title at stake between Michael Ramabeletsa (18-17, 8KOs) and the unbeaten Southern Area champion Chris Bourke (8-0, 5KOs).
Bantamweight starlet Dennis McCann (7-0, 5KOs) takes on Pedro Matos (7-3) over eight rounds. 2016 Olympian Muhammad Ali has his second fight in the pro ranks and there is a debut for Olympic Youth gold medallist Karol Itauma, who will campaign at light heavyweight.
December 12: Clay Collard and Robeisy Ramirez to Return on Stevenson-Clary Undercard Broadcast LIVE and Exclusively on ESPN+
LAS VEGAS (December 4, 2020) — Boxing’s breakout cult sensation of 2020, “Cassius” Clay Collard, hopes to close out the year with a little slice of revenge. Collard will fight Quincy “Chico” LaVallais in an eight-round middleweight rematch of their June 2019 draw Saturday, Dec. 12 at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Collard, who is also signed to PFL as an MMA fighter, is 5-0 with three wins over previously undefeated boxers in 2020.
The card will also see the return of two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez, who is set to fight Brandon Valdes in a featherweight bout scheduled for eight or six rounds.
Collard-LaVallais 2, Ramirez-Valdes and additional undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, preceding the ESPN-televised tripleheader (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) headlined by the junior lightweight battle between Shakur Stevenson and Toka Kahn Clary.
“Clay and Robeisy have emerged as Bubble fan favorites, so it is only fitting that they are part of our final show of 2020,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.
Collard (9-2-3, 4 KOs) entered 2020 with a 4-2-3 record and coming off a TKO loss to light heavyweight phenom Bektemir Melikuziev. Following victories over unbeaten prospects Quashawn Toler (9-0) and Raymond Guajardo (5-0) to start the year, Collard made his Bubble debut June 18 with a decision victory over the 6-0 David Kaminsky. He scored second-round stoppages in his next two Bubble outings and now looks toward Louisiana native LaVallais (9-0-1, 5 KOs), the man who held him to a controversial six-round draw in his fifth pro fight. LaVallais has fought twice since then, notching a pair of first-round knockouts in New Orleans.
Collard and LaVallais were supposed to fight Oct. 17 on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Teofimo Lopez undercard, but they each tested positive for COVID-19. After that hiccup, the rematch is finally on.
“I’m going to show up with a smile on my face, shake his hand and win this rematch,” Collard said. “I will prove the first fight wasn’t a draw. I’m the ‘0 collector,’ and I’m taking his undefeated record. Simple as that.”
Said LaVallais, “Unfortunately, we both caught COVID in October, but in God’s eyes, everything happens for a reason. I pray that he and his team are healthy, but I hope he’s ready because my ‘0’ is not going anywhere. This is Chico’s world, and he’s just living in it.”
Ramirez (5-1, 3 KOs) seeks his fourth Bubble victory, and sixth overall, since a split decision defeat in his professional debut. Ramirez, 26, has blossomed under the tutelage of noted trainer and countryman Ismael Salas. Valdes (13-1, 7 KOs), from Barranquilla, Colombia, last fought Aug. 14 and lost via unanimous decision to veteran contender Ricardo Espinoza Franco.
In other undercard action:
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (12-0, 8 KOs) vs. Saul Juarez (25-12-2, 13 KOs) 8/6 Rounds, Light Flyweight Rodriguez, the 20-year-old southpaw phenom from San Antonio, Texas, had a breakout performance Sept. 5 in The Bubble, knocking out the normally durable Janiel Rivera in the first round. Promoted by Teiken Promotions, Rodriguez has knocked out his last four opponents. Juarez is a two-time world title challenger who has only been knocked out once, courtesy of a left eye injury in his sixth pro fight in 2011.
Haven Brady Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Michael Land (1-1, 1 KO) 4 Rounds, Featherweight Former U.S. amateur star Brady, 18, returns following a punishing professional debut that saw him knock out Gorwar Karyah in four rounds. “The Hitman” won gold medals at the Junior Olympics, Eastern Qualifiers and National PAL tournaments prior to signing a professional contract with Top Rank earlier this year. Land, from Dallas, Texas, is coming off a four-round decision loss in July 2019 to the undefeated Francisco Javier Martinez.
Kasir Goldston (1-0) vs. Llewelyn McClamy (2-0, 1 KO) 4 Rounds, Welterweight The 17-year-old Goldston, a native of Albany, N.Y. made his pro debut Sept. 19 and won a competitive four-round decision over Isaiah Varnell. Goldston won three consecutive National Junior Olympic titles before turning pro under the Top Rank banner. McClamy has only fought twice since turning pro in November 2017.
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RECORD-SETTING FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT UFC® 256 IN LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas – The final UFC® Pay-Per-View of the year promises to be an historic one, as flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo looks to set the record for fastest consecutive UFC title defenses when he faces No. 1 ranked contender Brandon Moreno. Also on the card, former interim lightweight champion and No. 3 ranked contender Tony Ferguson battles No. 7 Charles Oliveira.
UFC® 256: FIGUEIREDO vs. MORENO will take place Saturday, December 12 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas and will stream live on Pay-Per-View, exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT in both English and Spanish.
ESPN+ is the exclusive provider of all UFC Pay-Per-View events to fans in the U.S. as part of an agreement announced in 2019.
Fans will be able to purchase UFC® 256: FIGUEIREDO vs. MORENO online at ESPNPlus.com/PPV or on the ESPN App on mobile and connected-TV devices. ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more.
Preliminary fights will air nationally in English on ESPN2 and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes, as well as being simulcast in both languages on ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Early prelims will be available on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ (in English and Spanish) at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.
Figueiredo (20-1, fighting out of Soure, Pará, Brazil) looks to follow up his recent first-round defense of the UFC flyweight title by delivering another spectacular performance less than a month later. A well-rounded finisher, he caught the attention of the MMA world with emphatic stoppages over Joseph Benavidez (twice), Tim Elliot and John Moraga. Figueiredo now aims to continue building his reputation as one of the best fighters on the planet by becoming the first person to finish Moreno.
Moreno (18-5-1, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) intends to make the most of his first UFC title shot by derailing Figueiredo. He returns to action on the same short-notice turnaround as the champion, after an impressive first-round finish of fellow top contender Brandon Royval. Undefeated since his return to the UFC, Moreno distinguished himself with victories over Jussier Formiga and Kai Kara-France, and now plans on capturing UFC gold.
Former interim UFC lightweight champion Ferguson (26-4, fighting out of Orange County, Calif.) seeks to place himself back at the top of the rankings with another signature victory. Among the most entertaining athletes on the UFC roster, he worked his way up the pound-for-pound ranks with thrilling wins over Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis and Kevin Lee. Ferguson now has his sights set on securing another shot at the undisputed title by snapping the win streak of Oliveira.
Submission ace Oliveira (29-8, 1 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil) goes for his eighth win in a row in the most important bout of his career. The record holder for most submissions in UFC history, he proved himself to be one of the most dangerous competitors in the lightweight division with finishes of Kevin Lee, Nick Lentz and Jim Miller. Oliveira now intends to deliver his most remarkable performance yet and insert his name into the title conversation.
Additional bouts on the card include:
Exciting lightweights clash as Renato Moicano (14-3-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) takes on Rafael Fiziev (8-1, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand)
Fan favorite middleweight Kevin Holland (21-5, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) seeks to secure the biggest win of his career when he takes on dangerous veteran Jacare Souza (26-8, 1 NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Ranked heavyweights lock horns as former UFC champion and No. 7 ranked Junior Dos Santos (21-8, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) looks to hand No. 14 Ciryl Gane(6-0, fighting out of Paris, France) his first loss
Li Jing Liang(17-6, fighting out of Beijing, China) challenges fellow welterweight striker Dwight Grant(10-3, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
Cub Swanson (26-11, fighting out of Palm Springs, Calif.) meets Daniel Pineda (27-13, 2 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) in a matchup of featherweight veterans
Ranked women’s strawweights aim to break into the top 10 as No. 11 Mackenzie Dern (9-1, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) takes on No. 13 Virna Jandiroba (16-1, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil)
Women’s strawweight veterans intend to steal the show as No. 9 Tecia Torres(11-5, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.) faces off with No. 12 Angela Hill (12-9, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
No. 11 ranked women’s flyweight Andrea Lee(11-5, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) plans on getting back to her winning ways against submission specialist and No. 12 ranked Gillian Robertson (9-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Niagara Falls, Canada)
In a battle of featherweight hopefuls, Gavin Tucker (12-1, fighting out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) meets Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Billy Quarantillo (15-2, fighting out of Tampa, Fla.)
Serghei Spivac (11-2, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) answer the callout of Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Jared Vanderaa (11-4, fighting out of Hemet, Calif.) in a heavyweight bout
Middleweight finishers Karl Roberson (9-3, fighting out of Neptune, N.J.) and Dalcha Lungiambula(10-2, fighting out of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa) vie for a post-fight bonus
Dana White’s Contender Series veterans look to bounce back into the win column as Chase Hooper(9-1-1, fighting out of Enumclaw, Wash.) faces Peter Barrett (11-4, fighting out of East Bridgewater, Mass.)
For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.
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Brian Ceballo Remains Perfect and wins WBO Intercontinental Welterweight Title with Unanimous Decision Over Larry Gomez
NEW YORK (December 4th, 2020)–Welterweight Brian Ceballo won the WBO Intercontinental title with an impressive 10-round unanimous decision Larry Gomez in the co-feature of a Ring City USA card at the famed Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.
The bout was televised live on NBC Sports Network.
Ceballo of Brooklyn, New York is managed by Split-T Management under the guidance of Tim VanNewhouse.
Ceballo controlled the action from the start as Ceballo used a tremendous ring IQ to set up his shots Ceballo’s accurate punching knocked the mouthpiece of Gomez out several times, which prompted referee Raul Caiz Jr. to deduct a point in the 10th round. Ceballo handled the pressure Gomez very well, was extremely poised in his own attack with solid combination punching.
Ceballo, 26 years-old won by tallies of 99-90, 98-91 and 96-93 to raise his perfect mark to 12-0.
“This win teaches me that even though I was not 100%, but I was able to push through and win by a comfortable margin,” said Ceballo
I was very excited to be on this stage because it introduced me to the boxing world. I would like to thank Split-T Management, 360 Promotions and Ring City USA for giving me a platform to display my talents”
Ceballo was a 15-time National Amateur champion, and five-time New York Gold Gloves winner.
Ceballo is promoted by 360 Promotions.
YARDE vs ARTHUR WEIGH-IN RESULTS, RUNNING ORDER
FIGHT #1
MUHAMMAD ALI (9st 8lb 4oz) v JAMIE QUINN (9st 11lb 5oz)
FIGHT #2
KAROL ITAUMA (12st 12lb 3oz) v LEWIS VAN POETSCH (12st 10lb 9oz)
FIGHT #3
CHRIS BOURKE (8st 9lb 4oz) v MICHAEL RAMABELETSA (8st 8lb 8oz)
FIGHT #4
DENNIS MCCANN (8st 8lb 4oz) v PEDRO MATOS (8st 7lb 9oz)
FIGHT #5
ANTHONY YARDE (12st 6lb 5oz) v LYNDON ARTHUR (12st 6lb 3oz)
Anthony Yarde (19-1, 18KOs) vs Lyndon Arthur (16-0, 12KOs) for the Commonwealth light heavyweight title headlines a night of boxing live on BT Sport 1 on Saturday, which also features a super bantamweight battle with the WBC International title at stake between Michael Ramabeletsa (18-17, 8KOs) and the unbeaten Southern Area champion Chris Bourke (8-0, 5KOs).
Bantamweight starlet Dennis McCann (7-0, 5KOs) takes on Pedro Matos (7-3) over eight rounds. 2016 Olympian Muhammad Ali has his second fight in the pro ranks and there is a debut for Olympic Youth gold medallist Karol Itauma.
ZACH PARKER TAKES ON CESAR NUNEZ ON BILLY JOE SAUNDERS V MARTIN MURRAY CARD
WBO International Super Middleweight champion Zach Parker (19-0, 13 KOs) says he’ll deliver “what the fans want to see” when he takes on Cesar Nunez (17-2-1, 9 KOs) on the Billy Joe Saunders, Martin Murray card.
The fighting pride of Derby, Parker has already dispatched in excellent fashion this year when he claimed an 11th round stoppage against Rohan Murdock and now says he will deliver again.
Should Parker claim victory he’ll remain mandatory for the victor of Billy Joe Saunders or Martin Murray, the bout that tops the card.
“The fans watch boxing because they want to see knockouts, and I deliver knockouts” said Parker, who weighed in at 167lbs at the official weigh in on Thursday. He continued, “2021 I’m looking at world title shots, I’ve already said I’m after Billy Joe Saunders as he has the belt, but any of the world champions in this division I’m looking at.”
Parker then showed respect to Nunez (167.7 lbs) who is in his way before any world title fight. “I know I have a job to do here, and Nunez is an experienced fighter who has got a big chance to show what he can do here. I can’t look past him, and I’m not, but world title talk motivates me. I can’t let him get in my way of becoming the best”.
Promoter Nisse Sauerland says he can’t wait to see his charge in action again on Friday, describing Parker as a “knockout artist”.
“He knocks people out, he’s unbelievable at it” said Sauerland. “He has this ability to end a fight, a perfect combination of speed, timing and power. The future is really bright for Zach, but he’ll have to go to work tomorrow night. He’s capable of stopping Nunez, but Nunez won’t make it easy for him. He gets this job done, then we start having the exciting conversations about 2021, he’ll be mandatory and we’ll make that fight happen.”
Brandon Adams Destroys Sonny Duversonne in 2
December 3, 2020 – Former world title challenger and winner of The Contender, Brandon Adams destroyed Sonny Duversonne in round two of a scheduled eight-round junior middleweight bout that headlined a Ring City USA Card at The Parking Lot of the famed Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.
The fight was televised live on NBC Sports Network
Adams, who is promoted by Banner Promotions and The Tournament of Contenders, came out strong in round one, as he worked the body of Duversonne then came upstairs to land some solid shots to the head. In round two, Adams landed a crushing left hook to the jaw that froze Duversonne on the ropes. A follow-up barrage of power punches forced referee Jack Reiss to stop the fight at 1:40. Adams of Watts, California was making his first start since his valiant effort against WBC Middleweight champion Jermall Charlo, embedded himself as a title contender in both the 154 and 160 pound divisions.
With the win, Adams raised his mark to 22-3 with 14 knockouts. Duversonne, who had never been stopped before, falls to 11-3-2.
“My game plan stayed the same from the beginning – to seek and destroy,” Adams continued. “I wanted to come out and win and it didn’t matter who was put in front of me.”
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LEGENDS, CHAMPIONS & MORE OFFER PREDICTIONS FOR ERROL SPENCE JR. VS. DANNY GARCIA
ARLINGTON, TX. (December 3, 2020) – Boxing legends, champions, top fighters and trainers gave their predictions for the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View main event between unified welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and two-division champion Danny “Swift” Garcia ahead of their showdown this Saturday, December 5 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Buy the pay-per-view now on www.foxsports.com/ppv and watch on any screen.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.
Of those polled, 20 predicted that Spence would retain his titles, while 16 favored Garcia to come out with the victory on Saturday night. Here is what the predictors had to say about the highly anticipated welterweight clash:
Evander Holyfield, Boxing Legend Spence W 12: Errol Spence is a very technical fighter, and Danny Garcia’s a great counter-puncher. But Errol is the best, so I’ve got Errol winning by decision.
Bernard Hopkins, Boxing Legend Garcia UD 12: I believe that Danny Garcia will defeat Errol Spence by unanimous decision in a very hard, tough battle of wills.
Keith Thurman, Former Unified World Welterweight Champion Spence W 12: Danny Garcia’s the biggest puncher I’ve faced in the ring in my entire professional career. Danny’s got great timing and a chip on his shoulder from losing two close fights to myself and Shawn Porter. So Errol Spence better not let him land one of those bricks.
But styles make fights, and my gut says Spence wins without a home-run being hit by Garcia. Spence has all of the skills and technique to come out with the ‘W’ against Garcia, whom I was able to hurt with a big punch in the first round.
Spence has that right hook, which he can land to the temple, and those pot-shots as well as a long and stiff jab to go with a height and reach advantage that led to his complete shutout of Mikey Garcia.
But if Spence has that ‘Man-Down philosophy,’ and he’s not a fighter who plays with his food. When he gets you hurt, he gets you outta there. But it could come down to who lands the biggest punch first, and a lot of folks want to know how Spence is after that car accident.
Andre Berto, Three-Time World Welterweight Champion Garcia KO 5: Errol Spence’s confidence is going to be sky high after battling back from everything he’s gone through. But at the same time, it’s the accident that’s going to cost him in the ring against Danny Garcia.
Both guys are going to come out swinging and tire themselves out, but Danny’s going to bring it early and often to make Errol prove he’s fully recovered in a donnybrook. My man Garcia’s going to keep punching, and then, you know – Blammo! Garcia KO 5.
Yordenis Ugas, WBA World Welterweight Champion Spence SD 12: I have Errol Spence winning by a split-decision over Danny Garcia. It will be an exciting fight where at times, either will box, and at times, either will bang, but there will be no knockdowns.
Mikey Garcia, Four-Division World Champion Spence W 12: Danny Garcia will be competitive and have his moments, but Errol Spence will box more effectively and win by a decision.
Robert Guerrero, Three-Time World Champion Garcia W 12: If Errol Spence boxes the way that he did with Mikey Garcia, he wins by decision over Danny Garcia. If Spence tries to bang it out with Garcia, then he might get knocked out. But I’m going with Danny Garcia to win by decision.
Jamal James, Interim WBA World Welterweight Champion Spence W 12: I think Errol Spence will win a 12-round decision, but I’m not counting out Danny Garcia.
Julian Williams, Former Unified World Super Welterweight Champion Garcia W 12: It’s basically a 50-50 fight, but I’m leaning toward Danny Garcia to defeat Errol Spence in a close fight. I’m pretty sure that Danny’s locked in and extremely motivated, feeling as if everyone is looking past him.
Ronnie Shields, Trainer of Undefeated WBC World Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo Spence W 12: I think Errol Spence is going to win a close decision. Danny has a chance if he can start fast and make his presence known with that left hook.
But Garcia’s not much of a fast starter, and I think he’s going to run into some problems because Spence can out-box him if he chooses to.
Andre Rozier, Trainer of Former World Middleweight Champion Daniel Jacobs Garcia SD 12: Danny Garcia’s family, but he’s also the underdog going into this fight with Errol Spence. Still, Danny’s hungry to build upon his legacy. Danny has the power to stop Errol, who has tremendous boxing skills, and it could happen in what I believe is going to be a tremendous battle of wills. But I think this fight will go the distance, and in the end, Garcia will win this in a definitive fashion that will secure his trip to the Hall of Fame.
Regis Prograis, Former WBA World Super Lightweight Champion Spence UD 12: Errol Spence wins by unanimous decision over Danny Garcia.
David Benavidez, Two-Time WBC World Super Middleweight Champion Spence SD 12: This is a crossroads fight for both of them. Errol Spence wants to demonstrate that he’s still the great champion that he was before the car accident, and this may be one of Danny Garcia’s greatest opportunities to show he still is a great champion.
It’s going to come down to who can dictate the pace and the pressure. I think Errol’s pressure could be too much for Garcia, but Spence had problems with the pressure Shawn Porter applied as well. If Spence invests in the body against Danny Garcia, his body shots can slow Garcia down and give Spence the edge. On the other hand, Garcia has that eraser of a left hook. But I’m giving Spence the edge and a decision.
Jose Benavidez Sr., Father and Trainer of David Benavidez Garcia SD 12: I’ve got Danny Garcia winning because of his experience taking a split-decision, but it’s a 50-50 fight because Errol Spence is younger, has a lot of hunger and weighs a little bit more.
Kevin Cunningham, Trainer of Super Welterweight Contender Erickson Lubin Spence UD 12: I have Errol Spence winning by unanimous decision over Danny Garcia, but at the same time, I’m like everybody else: I’m waiting to see how Errol Spence’s health is after his experiences with the effects of that car accident.
Steve Cunningham, Two-Time World Cruiserweight Champion Garcia SD 12: I see Danny Garcia winning a close, split-decision over Errol Spence. Garcia’s the underdog again, but how many times have we seen this? Garcia was supposed to lose to Erik Morales, Lucas Matthysse, Amir Khan and so many others, but he beat them all. Spence is talented, but I see Garcia fighting with that Philadelphia pride and bringing another world championship home.
Nonito Donaire, Four-Division World Champion Spence W 12: A lot depends on whether Errol Spence is 100 percent after his car accident. But either way, I anticipate him using his height, reach and ability to fight from a distance. Spence will counter Danny Garcia’s power and mid-range fight abilities on the way to winning a close decision.
Abner Mares, Three-Division World Champion Spence TKO 8: If Errol Spence had not been in that car accident, I would have picked him to defeat Danny Garcia, hands down. But now it’s a 50-50 fight because we don’t know how he’s going to come back from the injuries, physically and mentally.
But it seems like Errol’s 100 percent ready to take on the big task of Danny Garcia for the simple fact that his boxing abilities are far superior. I think it’s going to be a stoppage. With his skills, Errol Spence knows how to pick you apart round by round.
Danny Garcia’s vulnerable because he’s a guy that’s a big puncher who is always in a fight during any given round, but he opens up a lot. I see Errol Spence out-boxing and breaking him down for a TKO say, by the eighth round.
Vito Mielnicki Jr., Undefeated Welterweight Prospect Garcia SD 12: This is going to be a tremendous, 50-50 fight that can go either way, with Errol Spence being an excellent boxer with power. Danny Garcia has that one-punch power, so it’s a fight where anything can happen. It’s really tough to make a choice, but I think Danny will be the winner of a hard-fought split-decision.
Gary Russell, Jr., WBC World Featherweight Champion Spence W 12: I think Errol Spence may get him, but he can’t mess around. Danny Garcia’s only got a puncher’s chance. Danny has been looking a little sharp and crisp. I edge it out to Errol, but it’s not going to be a walk in the park.
If Errol gets reckless, Danny could clip him. I’m going with Errol. I think Errol is going to be more physical and will out-work Danny. Danny is going to look for that one, nice shot. Errol is going to try to work him and rough him up.
Gary Russell, Sr., Trainer of Gary Russell Jr. Garcia W 12: This fight will be Errol Spence’s biggest fight. I like Danny Garcia in this fight, personally. Spence can’t go to the body and not get hit. If Danny gets close enough to hit Spence, he is going to fire. Danny has power in both hands. I wouldn’t be surprised if Danny upsets Spence.
Gary Antonio Russell, Undefeated Bantamweight Contender Spence W 12: Danny Garcia has the puncher’s power to stop Errol Spence, but I believe Spence is too much for Danny. Spence is too aggressive and has too much dog and tenacity for Danny. I’m just worried about which Errol will come to fight. Will the old Errol be able to perform to his old standard prior to his accident? I feel like Errol can win this fight.
Gary Antuanne Russell, Undefeated Super Lightweight Contender Spence W 12: Both Errol Spence and Danny Garcia are phenomenal fighters. Style makes fights. Errol Spence is more agile and more of a boxer-puncher. Danny is more of a poised, counter-puncher and seasoned boxer with more in-the-ring experience.
Danny has more of a puncher’s chance, having fought champions and ex-champions, beating most of them. Errol definitely has a puncher’s chance as well to go with a high IQ and the ability to lure Danny into a position where he can hurt Danny. Errol can knock Danny out with a hard punch or a slew of hard combinations, but Danny could catch Errol with a counter punch, so the fight could go either way. Still, I’m leaning toward Errol Spence, who he has more in his arsenal than Danny.
Chris Colbert, Undefeated Interim WBA World Super Featherweight Champion Spence UD 12: I see Errol Spence winning by a unanimous decision over Danny Garcia because Garcia’s got a granite chin, and we’ve never seen Garcia buzzed, battered or hurt.
Stephen Fulton, Undefeated Super Bantamweight Contender Garcia W 12: This places me in a very difficult position because this is a 50-50 fight, a really hard fight to pick, and Errol Spence is the hungry, younger fighter who has a lot of skills. But if I have to pick a winner, I’ll go with the underdog, Danny Garcia, because I believe a lot of people are underestimating him, and guys like that can tend to sneak up on you. That’s why I’m picking Danny Garcia to rise to the occasion and win a great fight.
Luis Collazo, Former World Welterweight Champion Garcia KO 10: Errol Spence gets careless too much, and Danny Garcia’s got a puncher’s chance. I’m going with the underdog, Danny Garcia, by ninth or 10th-round knockout in a helluva fight.
Erislandy Lara, Two-Time World Super Welterweight Champion Spence W 12: This is going to be a fun fight to watch because both Errol Spence and Danny García are true warriors. Spence is the naturally bigger man and has more tools in his box. Garcia is tough, but I think Spence will be too much for him. Spence wins by decision.
Omar Figueroa Sr., Trainer of Omar Figueroa Jr. & Undefeated WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion Brandon Figueroa Garcia W 12: Danny Garcia is a smart, great fighter and I like the way that he thinks. I say Danny Garcia wins by decision over Errol Spence.
Erickson Lubin, Super Welterweight Contender Spence D 12: If Errol Spence isn’t affected by the car accident, I have him winning a unanimous decision over Danny Garcia. We already know Danny’s going to come to fight and seems more focused than ever. Going off of what I only know right now, I’ll say they’re going to fight to a draw.
Omar Douglas Jr., Lightweight Contender Garcia SD 12: I respect Errol Spence for coming back from that car accident and accepting such a tremendous challenge in Danny Garcia, but there are a lot of questions about which Spence will show up after his accident.
I think Spence should have taken a tune-up fight to see where he was before stepping up to this level. I’ve seen up close that Garcia’s one-punch knockout power is special, and I think that will be the difference in him winning a close, split-decision.
Sebastian Fundora, Undefeated Super Welterweight Contender Spence TKO 10: Errol Spence is the best fighter in the whole division, and I believe he’ll come into the ring wanting to prove that in a great fight against Danny Garcia. I know Spence was involved in that terrible car accident after beating Shawn Porter, but I think that he can knock out Garcia.
Ivan Redkach, Welterweight Contender Garcia SD 12: I like Danny Garcia to win a split-decision over Errol Spence as a result of his timing, punching power and experience. Errol Spence may look good in sparring and training since his car accident but sparring and training are not like being in a real fight, and that’s what he’s in against Garcia.
Joey Spencer, Undefeated Middleweight Prospect Spence UD 12: Errol Spence and Danny Garcia are two champions with great chins and good defense, but I’m picking Errol by decision just because of his work-rate.
Danny will be in the fight, will counter effectively and avoid taking too much damage because of his solid defense, but again, he won’t sustain the work-rate with Spence.
Richard Commey, Former IBF World Lightweight Champion Garcia SD 12: Errol Spence is still a great fighter, regardless of what happened with the car accident. But I believe the night will belong to Danny Garcia. I expect Garcia to start fast, pressuring early and using his patience and power to control the fight on the way to winning a decision.
Eimantas Stanionis, Undefeated Welterweight Contender Spence W 12: This is a very difficult fight for Errol Spence because of his very long layoff and the car accident, so nobody knows how he will feel. But if Spence is the same fighter, I see him winning. Danny Garcia always has that left hook, and he can always hurt you with either his left or right hand. But Spence has good defense, so he may be able to account for that. With all things being considered, I think it will be Errol Spence winning by a decision.
Jonathan Walley, Co-Trainer of Welterweight Contender Sergey Lipinets Garcia TKO 8: It’s a 50-50 fight, and I think Errol Spence tries to box before eventually engaging with Danny Garcia. But that’s to the advantage of Garcia, who counter-punches well and I think he’ll catch Spence at some point and knock him out.
Final Count: Spence: 20 Garcia: 16
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ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Habib Ahmed in a Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus Texas contender Miguel Flores faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.
AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app. For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
About AT&T Stadium: AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.
Undefeated Welterweight Prospect Brian Ceballo takes on Larry Gomez for WBO-Intercontinental Title on NBC Sports Network
NEW YORK (December 3rd, 2020)–TONIGHT, rising and undefeated welterweight prospect Brian Ceballo takes on Larry Gomez for the WBO Intercontinental Title in the co-feature of the 2nd installment of the Ring City USA boxing series on NBC Sports Network (9 PM ET / 6 PM PT).
Ceballo is managed by Split-T Management under the guidance of Tim VanNewhouse.
Ceballo of New York has a perfect mark of 11-0 with six knockouts and has been especially impressive as his competition has risen. Three fights ago, Ceballo beatdown previously undefeated Bakhtiyar Eyubov (14-0-1). In his last fight, Ceballo took out another undefeated foe in Ramal Amonov (16-0) in three rounds on October 5, 2019. Both of thise wins came in Caballo’s hometown at the World’s Most Famous Arena at Madison Square Garden.
“The belt we’re fighting for signifies small victories to bigger world championships. This is what boxing is about, we train to be the best and represent ourselves and the people behind us,” said Ceballo.
The 26 year-old Ceballo is a 15-time National Amateur Champion as well as a five-time New York Golden Gloves titlist.
Ceballo, who weighed 146.8 lbs at Wednesday’s weigh-in, is promoted by 360 Promotions.
Gomez of West Jordan, Utah is 10-1 with eight knockouts. Gomez has wins over three undefeated opponents, which includes his last outing when he defeated Brian Mendoza (18-0) on November 30, 2019 in Las Vegas.
Gomez checked in at 145.8 lbs.
SAUNDERS VS. MURRAY WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER
17:45 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS FACEBOOK
6 x 3 mins Featherweight Contest DONTE DIXON 9st 1lb 10ozv ANGELO DRAGONE 9st 1lb 14oz (Sheffield, England) (Carmarthen, Wales)
followed by
6 x 3 mins Super-Middleweight contest LEWIS EDMONDSON 12st 3lbs 3oz v JOHN TELFORD 12st 2lbs 8oz (Southampton, England) (Manchester, England)
followed by
19:00 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
8 x 3 mins International Super-Middleweight contest LERRONE RICHARDS 12st 4lbs 0oz v TIMO LAINE 12st 3lbs 10oz (New Malden, England) (Helsinki, Finland)
followed by
10 x 3 mins WBO International Super-Middleweight Title ZACH PARKER 11st 13lbs 0oz v CESAR NUNEZ 11st 13lbs 11oz (Derby, England) (Pamplona, Spain)
followed by
8 x 2 mins International Bantamweight contest SHANNON COURTENAY 8st 5lbs 14oz v DOROTA NOREK 8st 3lbs 14oz (Watford, England) (Poznan, Poland)
followed by
12 x 3 mins WBA Lightweight World Title Eliminator JAMES TENNYSON 9st 8lbs 13oz v JOSH O’REILLY 9st 8lbs 5oz (Belfast, Northern Ireland) (Hamilton, Canada)
followed by
12 x 3 mins WBO Super-Middleweight World Title BILLY JOE SAUNDERS 11st 13lbs 5oz v MARTIN MURRAY 11st 13lbs 6lbs (Hatfield, England) (St Helens, England)
O’REILLY: I’VE GOT TO BE SHARP AND SWITCHED ON
Josh O’Reilly believes he has what it takes to stop James Tennyson’s destructive run of form as the Lightweights prepare to collide in an Eliminator for the WBA Lightweight World Title at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Friday, shown live on Sky Sports and DAZN.
O’Reilly (16-0, 6 KOs) is undefeated in 16 fights since turning professional in July 2014, and the 29-year-old Canadian holds the North American Boxing Association Lightweight Title and a top ten ranking with the WBA.
Having looked into Tennyson’s previous fights, O’Reilly knows he cannot afford to come into the ring with anything less than top form, and the Ontario man is confident of taking a step closer to a dream World Title shot of his own tomorrow evening.
“I’m super excited,” said O’Reilly. “I’ve never been on a stage like this. It’s awesome to get this opportunity. I’m happy to be sharing the ring with James, I think it’s going to be a great fight and I’m looking forward to it.
“He really likes guys to sit in front of him, so you’ve got to keep him off balance, lots of lateral movement. Some do well but expend a lot of energy and he catches up with them. You have to mix it up, lateral movement and space.
“I’ve got the be sharp and switched on. The plan is to not get caught up in anything crazy early and pick my shots to slow him down. There’s things you see, there’s a lot I can take away from all his fights. There’s a lot of things from the outside that might seem different when I’m in there.
“I’m a fan, I like watching the kid. I’ve seen him enough and I think there’s a lot of stuff I can do in there to negate a lot of the stuff he does. I’ve got my own plan on what’s going to happen, it’s just about executing it. I’ve watched him for a while. I’ve paid attention to him, seen some of his older fights.
“He’s a strong kid, I might be a bigger guy than him but he’s got the power. We’ve both got to make 135. Back home, there’s stuff to do like sell tickets, so it’s less stressful here. You can focus on the fight and do your training, focus on making the weight. I feel quite comfortable, it’s the easiest I’ve made weight for some time.”
Tennyson vs. O’Reilly is part of a big night of action in London, Billy Joe Saunders (29-0, 14 KOs) defends his WBO Super-Middleweight World Title against Martin Murray (39-5-1, 17 KOs), Watford Bantamweight Shannon Courtenay (5-1, 2 KOs)looks to return to winning ways against Poland’s Dorota Nurek (6-1, 1 KO), Derby’s Zach Parker (19-0, 13 KOs) takes on Spain’s Cesar Nunez (17-2-1, 9 KOs) for the WBO International Super-Middleweight Title, New Malden Super-Middleweight talent Lerrone Richards (13-0, 3 KOs) makes his Matchroom debut against Finland’s Timo Laine (28-14, 12 KOs), Southampton’s Lewis Edmondson (3-0) clashes with Manchester’s John Telford (11-2-1, 2 KOs) over six rounds at Super-Middleweight and exciting Sheffield Featherweight Donte Dixon (4-0, 3 KOs) meets Welshman Angelo Dragone (5-1) over six rounds.
ASHLEY THEOPHANE: “FLOYD MAYWEATHER LIKED MY ‘GIVE IT ALL’ BRITISH WAY, HOW I WORKED MY ARSE OFF!”
London, UK (3 December 2020) Fight fans get a rare opportunity to savour the skills and savvy of arguably the most unsung domestic fighter of this millennium when Paddington warhorse Ashley Theophane makes his long awaited return to these shores, live on free-to-air Channel 5 on Friday 11th December.
The former British Super-Lightweight Champion and one-time world title challenger, now a 40 year old super-welter, returns to the UK from an eight year hiatus to square up to Stourbridge hardman Sam ‘The Savage’ Eggington in a clash of ages and styles that is sure to salivate.
Known as ‘Treasure’, the 5ft 7in Theophane owns one of those incredible life stories that boxing so regularly throws up. Born to a single teenage mother, he was twice expelled from school and later served six months on the remand wing of Feltham Young Offenders, accused of stealing jewellery whilst armed with a gun. His release, he hints, had more to do with prosecutional incompetence than innocence!
A moderate amateur at the famous All Stars gym in Paddington, in 2008 basher Ash sought out an aunt in upstate New York and, through sheer graft and determination, hauled himself to a top five world ranking. In US rings, based first at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn then the Mayweather facility in Michigan, Theophane tested his smarts against the elite of the 140-147lb divisions such as DeMarcus Corley, Danny Garcia, Delvin Rodriguez, Pablo Cesar Cano, culminating in an abortive April 2016 WBA world title tilt to Adrien Broner – the only stoppage reverse on his 58 fight resume.
In between, he returned to Britain to capture the domestic 10st crown by steamrolling Morden’s Lenny Daws in 2011 on promoter Mick Hennessy’s show. He retained twice – both by stoppage – but has not been seen on these shores since conceding his crown to Bristol’s Darren Hamilton in May 2012.
For the past three years, the man whose life story is heavily inked across his frame has embarked on something of a world tour, featuring nine times in nine different countries across four continents. Despite his advancing years, he remained undefeated (one No Contest) with six victims failing to last the course. It’s been a heck of a journey.
‘I’m very content with what I’ve achieved in the sport, far more than I ever dreamed after turning pro as an average amateur 17 years ago,’ says Theophane who is now based back in Edmonton, north London and coached by Dave Brown and Steve Palmer.
‘I’ve 50 pro wins – there’s two that boxrec have missed – I’ve boxed in 12 countries, headlined in Vegas, fought for a world title, competed with the who’s who of my division.
‘And I trained alongside the greatest pound for pound fighter of our era for five years. I sparred with Floyd (Mayweather Jr) five times for his camps with (Andre) Berto and ‘Canelo’ (Alvarez) and I did alright. While he had all the skill, Floyd liked my ‘give it all’ British way, how I worked my arse off.
‘In the US gyms, I got great sparring against so many rated contenders and world champions, had contact with so many coaches with different strengths, who added so much to my game. In the UK, talents can get ‘blocked out’ if they’re not with a certain promoter. The US route worked out great for me. I realised my childhood dream of fighting for a world title. The one thing remaining was a final fight back home.’
Sam Eggington versus Ashley Theophane headlines the Hennessy Sports card in an International Super-Welterweight Contest. Chief-support features the Vacant Midlands Area Welterweight Title between Birmingham derby between Kaisee Benjamin and Ben Fields. The undercard includes: undefeated super-lightweight and red-hot talent Stephen McKenna from Monaghan, Ireland against Brierley Hill’s MJ Hall, in a six-round contest; his equally talented brother Aaron McKenna (appearing courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions) takes on Islington’s Jordan Grannum over six rounds at light-middleweight; Sevenoaks middleweight prospect Michael Hennessy Jr. meets Hyde’s Dale Arrowsmith and the flash, brash and exciting unbeaten Birmingham star Idris Virgo faces Stourbridge’s Kevin McCauley in a four-round middleweight contest. For further information go to www.hennessysports.com or social media: Facebook @HennessySports, Twitter @HennessySports and Instagram @hennessysports
RJJ Boxing announces back-to-back shows Next week in Mexico featuring world-rated welterweight Santiago Domingeuz, rising star Lester Martinez & 4 Cuban prospects
LAS VEGAS (December 3, 2020) – Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions has announced that it’ll close out 2020 with back-to-back professional boxing cards next week from Marinaterra Hotel Spa in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico.
RJJ Boxjng will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, next Wednesday and Thursday evenings, December 9 & 10. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com or download the UFC app.
“We can’t thank co-promoter Emanuel Romo (De La O Promotions) and Marinaterra Hotel and Spa enough for working with us during this pandemic to promote our cards” said Keith Veltre, CEO/co-founder of RJJ Boxing. “We’re going out with a bang, back-to-back shows featuring some of the best talent in Mexico and Guatemala, plus several gifted Cuban boxers as well. Young stars will be on our final two cards of the year.”
Both Wednesday and Thursday events will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
On Wednesday (Dec. 9), rising Guatemalan star Lester Martinez (6-0, 6 KOs) will meet Uriel “Big Bang” Gonzalez (20-6-1, 16 KOs) in the 8-round main event for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Latino super middleweight championship. The 25-year-old Martinez made a sensational pro debut April 6, 2019, stopping former world champion Ricardo Mayorga (32-11) in the second round.
The co-featured event is a typical RJJ Boxing match-up between Houston featherweight Pablo “The Lethal” Mosquito” Cruz (20-02, 6 KOs) and Eddy “Dianamita” Valencia (15-5, 5 KOs), of Mexico, in an 8-round bout.
Undefeated featherweight Alan Solis (11-0, 6 KOs), a 6-time Mexican National champion as an amateur, takes on Abelardo “Bolito” Sanchez (7-1, 4 KOs) in an 8-rounder. The first fight of the night and UFC FIGHT PASS opener will showcase Cuban-born and Guatemala resident, super bantamweight Ariel Perez de la Torre (3-0, 3 KOs), who had more than 150 amateur matches, in a 6-round bout versus an opponent to be determined.
The following evening’s (Wed.) card is headlined by WBC No. 12 rated welterweight champion Santiago “Somer” Dominguez (23-0, 11 KOs), who is the reigning North American Boxing Federation titlist. The Mexican knockout artist faces Ricardo “Riky” Lara (22-8, 10 KOs) in the 10roound, non-title fight. Dominguez wants an All-Mexican match-up for the WBC Latino title against Mauricio Pintor (23-3, 14 KOs), but first he must get past the durable Lara.
WBC Youth Silver lightweight champion Luis “Koreano” Torres (11-0, 8 KOs) takes on fellow Mexican Juan Marcos “Mundo” Rodriguez Ortiz (9-2, 7 KOs) in the 8-round co-featured event. The 18-year-old Torres has a fan-friendly style in addition to invaluable experience from his last three fights against opponents with a combined record of 31-3.
Three Cuban fighters who now live in Guatemala are also slated to be in action: featherweight Jailer Lopez (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. Armando Ramirez (3-0), heavyweight Geovany “La Bestia” Bruzon (4-0, 4 KOs) vs. TBA, and super welterweight Yoelves “La Joya” Gomez (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. David “El Nene” Rangel (13-7, 9 KOs). Lopez is in a 4-rounder, Bruzon and Gomez in 6-round bouts. Bruzon, a southpaw, was the 2014 Cuban National Youth champion. A 2-time Cuban Youth champion, Gomez is a technically sound, aggressive power puncher whose father, Jose Gomez, captured a medal at the 1980 Olympics.
Mario Barrios Eyes Winner of Spence vs. Garcia As He Contemplates Move to Welterweight
SAN ANTONIO, TX (December 3, 2020) – Undefeated WBA Super Lightweight Champion, Mario “El Azteca” Barrios (26-0, 17 KOs), who is fresh of his impressive knockout victory over Ryan “Cowboy” Karl (18-3, 12 KOs), will be eyeing the winner of Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. (26-0, 21 KOs) vs Danny “Swift” Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs), as he contemplates making the move to welterweight.
Spence vs. Garcia is one of the most anticipated boxing matches of the year headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View this Saturday, December 5, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Barrios, who stands 5’11”, is out growing the Super Lightweight division, hence him contemplating moving up to welterweight. The San Antonio native feels the move is inevitable, just a matter of time. Barrios says a fight with Spence or Garcia will be a mega fight for the fans.
“Everyone knows I’ll be moving up to welterweight at some point,” said Barrios. “I feel I still have a few more fights at super lightweight, but it’s getting harder to make the weight at this stage in my career. When I do move up to 147, I want to fight all the big names, that includes Spence and Garcia. I know a fight with either of them will be huge in every aspect, in addition to every other big name at welterweight.”
Barrios believes Spence vs. Garcia will be one of the most exciting action-packed fights of the year and encourages everyone to order the PPV.
“This is going to be a fight where both Spence and Garcia are going to give the fans an all-out war,” Barrios continued. “Garcia is never in a boring fight and we know he’s going to bring it. Spence is exciting in every way and they will both be leaving it in the ring.”
As far as who Barrios thinks is going to win, he’s leaning toward a Spence knockout.
“Although Garcia has never been stopped, he’s never been in the ring with a powerful puncher like Spence,” Barrios concluded. “It’s going to be a great fight and I’m picking Spence to win by late round knockout.”
ANTHONY YARDE PROMISES EXCITING FIGHT + GUARANTEES HE’LL KNOCK LYNDON ARTHUR OUT
ANTHONY YARDE IS vowing to wow a bumper television audience when he finally gets to trade blows with light heavyweight rival Lyndon Arthur in Westminster on Saturday.
The Lion – aka the Beast – will be looking to overthrow King Arthur and seize the Commonwealth throne at Church House in a long-awaited collision that will be broadcast live on BT Sport 1 in the UK.
Eagerly anticipated clashes such as this one do not always live up to their explosive billing, with the ring warfare sometimes turning more tactical rather than open.
Yarde insists tactical maneuvers are not for him and he will be seeking to inflict a show-stopping finish on his unbeaten opponent from Manchester
“We will have to see on the night,” considered the 2019 world title challenger. “I am always looking to have a spectacular fight, always, always. I don’t like boring, I don’t like looking back and seeing boring. Everybody knows I am a big critic of myself and if I get hit too much when I don’t need to get hit then I am going to criticise myself. If I don’t hit a person enough when I could have I will criticise myself. If I am not as sharp as I can be, I will criticise myself.
“So it is about just getting a good performance out of myself. I only focus on myself.
“The fight is going to be entertaining, one hundred percent. I am looking to land shots I have been working on, to apply pressure, I am looking to do everything that is necessary to get the knockout victory.”
Arthur, 29, who became Commonwealth champion by defeating Emmanuel Anim in 2019, famously possesses the gift of the jab, but Yarde can only envision the 17-0 Team GB graduate failing to negate his own weapons Arsenal and ending up on the canvas.
“I just picture establishing my own offence and winning the fight by knockout. Everybody knows I don’t predict rounds, but I do predict winning the fight by knockout. I’ve got 12 rounds to do it, that is 36 minutes and in my opinion that is a long time.
“For me, in my mind, it is inevitable. It is just when I get the knockout victory.”
Yarde’s confidence in his KO-artistry is not without foundation, with 19 of his 20 winning performances ending via stoppage. It is tempting to imagine that after accepting a mission to far-flung Chelyabinsk to take on a Russian legend on his home patch, domestic assignments must seem far less daunting.
The 29-year-old Ilford man says he is employing the same thought process in taking on Arthur as he did in attempting to topple the formidable Sergey Kovalev.
“If you listened to me before the Kovalev fight, I wasn’t talking to sell the fight. I am just very confident in myself and even before I started boxing I knew I had something. I knew I could fight, I knew I could throw punches, I knew I had something a lot of people ain’t got.
“That is not blowing smoke up myself, it is just having confidence in myself. I said I was going out there to knock Kovalev out and people were like ‘this guy is crazy’. I didn’t say it was going to be easy, I said I was going to do it and I almost pulled it off. In my opinion it was the only way I was going to win that fight in Russia because I wasn’t going to win by decision, even if I did win it technically.
“So I openly said I was going to win by knockout and I nearly did but there was just little things, little differences. Sometimes it is just one punch in boxing and it is about landing the right punch at the right time – and I almost did.
“It shows me the level I am at. If I can go out there and just have that one option and be that close to pulling it off, it shows how mentally strong I can be in things I can achieve.”
Anthony Yarde (19-1, 18KOs) vs Lyndon Arthur (16-0, 12KOs) for the Commonwealth light heavyweight title headlines a night of boxing live on BT Sport 1 on Saturday, which also features a super bantamweight battle with the WBC International title at stake between Michael Ramabeletsa (18-17, 8KOs) and the unbeaten Southern Area champion Chris Bourke (8-0, 5KOs).
Bantamweight starlet Dennis McCann (7-0, 5KOs) takes on Pedro Matos (7-3) over eight rounds. 2016 Olympian Muhammad Ali has his second fight in the pro ranks and there is a debut for Olympic Youth gold medallist Karol Itauma.
SPENCE VS. GARCIA PAY-PER-VIEW UNDERCARD FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
ARLINGTON, TX. (December 3, 2020) – Fighters competing on this Saturday’s FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View undercard faced off and discussed their respective showdowns at a final press conference Thursday before they enter the ring in an event headlined by Errol Spence Jr. vs. Danny Garcia from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on former title challenger Habib Ahmed in a 154-pound title eliminator in the co-main event, all-action brawlers Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana meeting in a 10-round welterweight match and Mexico’s Eduardo Ramirez and Texas contender Miguel Flores battling in a featherweight title eliminator to open the pay-per-view.
Buy the pay-per-view now on www.foxsports.com/ppv and watch on any screen.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.
Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA
“I’m going to give everyone a great fight on Saturday. I’m not worried about the change of opponent, because we prepared for everything that we could possibly see in the ring.
“We trained for everything, not just Jorge Cota. The switch in opponent is no problem. Ahmed is also an aggressive right handed fighter.
“I don’t take breaks. You can’t take breaks in this sport. In a regular job, if you take too long of a break, you get fired. This is a normal job for us, so we treat it like that by putting the work in day by day.
“Growing up we always had shorter fighters rushing us, so we had to learn how to fight inside and get stronger. We ended up doing both. Fighting on the inside is what I love to do.
“The timing has been right so far in my career so I’ve just been going with the flow. If I have the chance to keep taking opportunities like this, I’m going to keep doing it.
“We’ve both trained very hard to give everyone a great show. It could definitely steal the show. I’m going to do what I always do, which is go in there and win.”
HABIB AHMED
“I came into this fight as a replacement, but I was training hard for this opportunity. Now my time is here. I have to show the world who Habib Ahmed is. Everyone watching is going to see that on Saturday night.
“I’ve been training for half a year looking for an opportunity like this. My coach just kept pushing me every day telling me that the opportunity would come.
“I prepared myself with top sparring partners in the gym. So I’m very prepared to show the world what I’m able to do on Saturday.
“I think the experience that I have will help me in this fight. Fundora is a tall southpaw. I’ve been sparring guys who give me that look in the gym and that’s really important. Fundora is a good boxer who knows how to throw his hands, but we have a plan that I’m going to follow to get the win.
“Everything has its time. Sometimes you only get one chance and I have to make the most of it. I came to the U.S. for this chance. I have the will to make this happen for my career.
“If I listen to my coach, I can win this fight. We’re going to take it moment by moment, but I know for sure that I will end with a win Saturday.”
JOSESITO LOPEZ
“I’m thankful to be in this position and back in the ring this year. I’m prepared and ready for anything that happens on Saturday. I know Santana is going to bring the fight, so it’s definitely going to be exciting.
“The preparation is done in the gym. We’ve prepared for months for a tough fight. We had great sparring partners to prepare us. When I’m not fighting the best, I’m fighting the toughest guys out there. I’m ready to execute my game plan on Saturday night.
“I like fighting aggressive fighters, but I can adapt to anything. I’ve seen every type of fighter in the ring. I can use whatever game plan is necessary.
“Having a fighter like Santana makes for an exciting action packed fight. That’s’ what we’re fully expecting on Saturday night. This could easily be the fight of the night.
“Size has never been an issue for me fighting at welterweight. It’s about skill and how you use it. It’s about your timing and speed. I’ve worked on a lot of different game plans and styles with Robert Garcia. He’s gotten me back to the top level and I’m ready to perform.
“I’m a natural fighter. Sometimes those natural instincts come out and I make it a war. In the last few years I’ve improved so many parts of my game that I used to lack. We’ve upped every aspect of my game. I’m prepared for any top level fighter.”
FRANCISCO SANTANA
“Everybody tuning in, I’d suggest you don’t miss our fight. If you liked Arturo Gatti vs Micky Ward, expect nothing less than that. This is the west coast Gatti vs. Ward. Josesito and me are all-action fighters.
“I always work hard in the gym. That’s always been my goal. But you also have to prepare yourself mentally for what is going to be a really hard fight. With our styles, it’s like fighting a reflection of yourself in the mirror.
“We’ve both faced tough opposition and high level fighters. We’ve also come up short some times, but we never give up. We both keep coming forward.
“At the end of the day, this is what we signed up for. Giving the fans a great fight. Our fighting styles are how we take life in general. No matter what life throws at us, we keep coming forward and never give up. That’s what you’re going to see Saturday.
“I’ve faced practically all the best fighters around my weight. I think that this is a fight where it’s go big or go home. I can show to the world, but also to myself, that I’m not just a solid fighter. I want to show that I’m an ‘A’ level fighter.
“We both have the opportunity to show everyone where we stand in this division. Every fighter’s dream is to be a world champion. This fight is one step closer to that goal. I’m facing a phenomenal fighter, so this is a great test.”
EDUARDO RAMIREZ
“I’m very happy and excited to be a part of this big show on Saturday. I can’t wait to get in the ring and put on a great performance.
“I’ve prepared well even with the change in opponent. I’m ready for anything that Miguel can bring to the ring because of that strong preparation.
“I’m very motivated for this fight and this opportunity. I want to become a world champion and I have to show that I’m ready for that level against Miguel Flores.
“Inside the ring, I love to fight the Mexican style. Even though we also work on our defense a lot. Most of all, I’m excited to bring this victory home to Mexico.
“I am excited for the atmosphere Saturday, but regardless of whether there are fans, I’m 100 percent prepared and motivated for this fight. The only thing on my mind is getting the victory Saturday night.”
MIGUEL FLORES
“It’s great to be part of another pay-per-view event. This was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. Ramirez is a tough fighter, so I’m ready for war. Saturday you’re in for a treat. We’re going to warm up the ring for Spence and Garcia.
“We took this opportunity on head first. If you don’t risk, you don’t win. I know Ramirez is tough, but we’re up for the challenge. The reward from this win is going to be a lot bigger than what we initially had set up.
“I learned a lot fighting Leo Santa Cruz. He just went toe-to-toe with one of the best pound for pound fighters in the sport in Gervonta Davis. I learned that I belong at that level. Hanging with one of the greats shows how strong I am mentally.
“I have a lot of respect for Eduardo Ramirez and what he can do. But in the end, I believe my skill set is much stronger than his.
“I think I’ve always been a featherweight. I couldn’t pass up the 130-pound title fight against Santa Cruz. I’ve always felt best at this weight. We couldn’t let this opportunity pass us by. We’re fighters, we always train hard. Once you’re in the ring, you have to tell yourself you’re able to do it, and you’ll be able to accomplish it.”
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ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Catch replays of “PBC FIGHT CAMP: Spence vs. Garcia” all fight week on FS1 at the following times:
Part 1: Thursday 12/3 at 6:30 p.m. ET & Friday 12/4 at at 3:30 a.m. ET Part 2: Friday 12/4 at 6 p.m. ET & 4 a.m. ET Part 3: Friday 12/4 at 6:30 p.m. ET & 4:30 a.m. ET
The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Habib Ahmed in a Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez faces Texas contender Miguel Flores in a Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.
AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app. For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
About AT&T Stadium: AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.
YARDE vs ARTHUR – PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
FRANK WARREN MARKS the week of his 40th year in the sport of licenced professional boxing by delivering the blockbuster light heavyweight collision between Commonwealth champion Lyndon Arthur and 2019 world title challenger Anthony Yarde.
The pair came together at a private media briefing in London earlier today and below is a selection of quotes from the event.
Frank Warren It has been a great story and I’m glad we are going to church on Saturday! I am really looking forward to it. I look back over the years and the first fight I did was a light heavyweight fight between two world ranked American fighters at the top of the bill. When I look back I thought we would do some tickets and have a real big crowd, but the place was empty – you could have fired a machine gun and wouldn’t have hit anyone!
Here we go, we are back again on Saturday with no people there. It is very ironic, but for different reasons. If we could have sold tickets for this one, could you imagine, it would be a burster and they would be knocking down doors to get in.
I’ve had my ups and downs over the years, I’ve enjoyed it, I’ve made some good friends – a couple of little enemies along the way, but mostly friends – and it doesn’t even feel like 40 years, so I am looking forward to the next 40.
I am delighted over where we are and I am delighted to be promoting this fight between these two guys. I love the sport, it is the most amazing sport of all. Fighters are unique sportsmen and it is a privilege to be around them, at least most of them. You look at what they have to go through to fight, the sacrifices they make with their youth and not being able to do what most youngsters do. They sacrifice these things because they are looking for better things in life. to make their families comfortable and to secure their futures – in probably the most challenging of all sports.
It is not like football, tennis or golf where, if you get beat you play again the next week. Fights bring about career-defining moments and that is why you’ve got to take your hat off to these guys. They are on the top pedestal of all sportsmen.
We had a show last Saturday at Church House and it was a great fight. This will be the same. You look at the styles, the records, the will to win and determination both these guys have got. What it says all over it is ‘fight’ and that is what you are going to get, a great fight.
We arranged to do it back in April and for obvious reasons it didn’t happen, but here we are today getting the fight on.
Lyndon Arthur I’ve watched him go through the gears with the opponents he’s faced and, with being from the same promotional team, it has always made sense for us to fight. We’ve both been winning, both been doing our thing, we’re both British and, as everyone says, it makes for a great British dust-up. That is what it is going to be on the night.
It is exciting times, I am excited to get in there and excited to see what’s going to happen on the night. I wanna test myself against what is supposed to be the best in the business, so let’s get it on, let’s do it. Why would I be here if I didn’t think I would win.
We will see what happens on the night but I believe I am better and I believe I will win. I am not here to make the numbers up or be an opponent. I might be on the B-side right now but I am here to change that. I feel like I am special.
Anthony Yarde It is boxing, it is a compliment he wants to fight me and he will tell you himself I have done nothing but entertain and have done more than what was expected of me. That is how I’ve got to the level I am at so for me on Saturday night it is about doing the same thing. Being a better Anthony Yarde, being entertaining, being explosive and as smart as I can be.
Let’s just wait and see but, to be honest, I think I have shown that no-one can keep me off even at the highest level. When I start pressing I can press but, again, it is about learning – I’m sure he is still learning as well – and about putting on the best performances. I am definitely looking forward to the future.
I just feel like it is another one of those things [the Kovalev fight], challenging myself mentally. I never envisioned anything like that happening because I was extremely confident and what I have been through this year is conditioning of the mind. To be mentally and physically focused and as strong as possible.
A lot of people couldn’t be here with what I have been through this year. Again, I didn’t make any excuses and just got back in the ring. It is ‘Lions in the Camp’.
I am one of these people who takes nothing for granted. Each time I can get in a boxing ring and do this as a professional I just thank God. It is about making the most of it, having fun and, as I said before, it is about being explosive, being entertaining and being smart.
I am supremely confident in my abilities. He has said it about me over who I have fought and, again, styles make fights and I am not going to be there to be eating jabs or anything like that. I fought someone with one of the best jabs in the business and it was only later on in the fight when I needed to win by knockout that it told. With that experience my focus is to be even smarter, even better and you learn from your mistakes.
Anthony Yarde (19-1, 18KOs) vs Lyndon Arthur (16-0, 12KOs) for the Commonwealth light heavyweight title headlines a night of boxing live on BT Sport 1 on Saturday, which also features a super bantamweight battle with the WBC International title at stake between Michael Ramabeletsa (18-17, 8KOs) and the unbeaten Southern Area champion Chris Bourke (8-0, 5KOs).
Bantamweight starlet Dennis McCann (7-0, 5KOs) takes on Pedro Matos (7-3) over eight rounds. 2016 Olympian Muhammad Ali has his second fight in the pro ranks and there is a debut for Olympic Youth gold medallist Karol Itauma
Brandon Adams Weighs-In for Fight with Sonny Duversonne Tomorrow night in Los Angeles
December 2, 2020 – Former world title-challenger and winner of The Contender, Brandon Adams (21-3, 13 KOs) weighed 156 pounds for his eight-round fight as he takes on late-replacement Sonny Duversonne in the main event of the 2nd card presented by Ring City USA.
The fight 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 his gutsy effort when he took WBC Middleweight champion Jermall Charlo to a 12-round unanimous decision on June 29, 2019 in Houston, Texas. Duversonne of Avon Park, Florida, who also checked in at 156 lbs, has a record of 11-2-2 with eight knockouts. His only two losses have been close decisions to undefeated prospects Lorenzo Simpson and Chordale Booker.
The fight will take place in the parking lot of the famed Wild Card Boxing Club.
FINAL QUOTES:
ADAMS: “I want to prove my existence. This is the way I walk. This is my ‘Why’. To perform at the best of my ability.”
DUVERSONNE: “Thinking about what I went through, I see boxing as my motivation. I am very grateful despite what I went through in my life… My past is my motivation – like boxing, I keep learning a lot from it.”
For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please like the Banner Promotions Facebook Page, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing
RING CITY USA OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND QUOTES AHEAD OF THURSDAY NIGHT FIGHTS FROM WILD CARD BOXING CLUB
Los Angeles – December 2, 2020 – Junior middleweights Brandon Adams (21-3, 13 KO’s) and Sonny Duversonne (11-2-2, 8 KO’s) made weight on Wednesday ahead of their eight-round main event fight tomorrow/Thursday on the second installment of Ring City’s Thursday night fights, airing live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST tomorrow night from Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles.
Adams faces Duversonne, who was announced as a late replacement after original opponent Serhii Bohachuk was forced to withdraw after testing positive for Covid-19. The battle-tested Adams returns to the ring for the first time in 2020 in his first contest since challenging Jermall Charlo for the WBC Middleweight Title in June 2019.
In the co-feature, former Olympic hopeful Brian Ceballo meets Larry Gomez in 10 rounds of welterweight action. In other featured fights, Gor Yeritsyan will fight Mahonri Montes in an eight-round battle of welterweights and heavyweight contender Danielle Perkins will face Princess Hairston in a six-round matchup.
Former two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter will call the action alongside NBC Sports play-by-play commentator Bob Papa. Brian Campbell will serve as fight night analyst with Curran Bhatia reporting from ringside.
OFFICIAL WEIGHTS:
Junior Middleweights – 8 Rounds
Brandon Adams: 156 lbs.
Sonny Duversonne: 156 lbs.
Welterweights – 10 Rounds
Brian Ceballo: 146.8 lbs.
Larry Gomez: 145.8 lbs.
Welterweights – 8 Rounds
Gor Yeritsyan – 147.8 lbs.
Mahonri Montes – 148 lbs.
Heavyweights – 6 Rounds
Danielle Perkins – 198.4 lbs.
Princess Hairston – 208 lbs.
FINAL QUOTES:
ADAMS:
“I want to prove my existence. This is the way I walk. This is my ‘Why’. To perform at the best of my ability.”
DUVERSONNE:
“Thinking about what I went through, I see boxing as my motivation. I am very grateful despite what I went through in my life… My past is my motivation – like boxing, I keep learning a lot from it.”
CEBALLO:
“The belt we’re fighting for signifies small victories to bigger world championships. This is what boxing is about, we train to be the best and represent ourselves and the people behind us.”
GOMEZ:
“I’m happy and proud to come from a family of boxers. This is my motivation – to stand up for the Gomez name and represent them the right way.”
YERITSYAN:
“Freddie told me I can be the next Manny [Pacquiao]. Because of this, it pushed me to work harder to the point where Freddie really took notice of my talent and started to spend more time training me. Freddie said that I can be a world champion because of my versatility. This is my goal, to be a world champ.”
MONTES:
“I think [Gor] is a great fighter. We will be a great mix. His experience + my skill will be a good combination for the fight. And if there is anything I can learn from the past Mexican fighters, to succeed, you can’t forget about being disciplined.”
PERKINS
“When bad things happen, we think that the world is going against us. If you persevere, there will always be a silver lining. I’m here to win and use my past as my motivation to dominate the heavyweight division.”
HAIRSTON:
“Size difference doesn’t matter to me. I’m ready and I want it more. My style will be a problem. I will smother her with a lot of pressure.”
About Ring City USA
Ring City 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.
