Norway’s Katharina Thanderz (13-0, 2 KOs) will get the opportunity to realise her lifetime dream of becoming a unified World Champion after the WBC ordered her to face the current WBC and IBO Super Featherweight title holder, Terri Harper (10-0-1, 5 KOs).

Thanderz, who hails from Oslo, was most recently in action in November 2019 when she headlined at the Ekeberg Hall against tough Brazilian Danila Ramos. Following an entertaining contest over ten brutal rounds, Thanderz won via split decision and became the WBC Interim Super Featherweight World Champion and the mandatory challenger for the title.

Thanderz has been eyeing a showdown against England’s Harper since the 23-year-olds unanimous decision victory over Eva Wahlstrom in February, when the heavy handed Harper dropped Wahlstrom on the way to a unanimous decision victory that saw the Doncaster native become the new WBC World Champion. 

With the WBC enforcing Thanderz’ mandatory position at their recent 58th annual convention, the Norwegian is delighted to finally get her shot against Harper.

“I feel that I can finally prove to everyone that taking that step was worth it, and that sometimes patience, endurance and hard work are the key to succeed,” said Thanderz. “It’s for sure one of the biggest dreams that I’ve had, and I feel more than prepared.

“I know it will be a tough fight. We’re on a certain level now that nothing is really easy. We’re both very good fighters, each of us have our own qualities and both of us will be willing to do everything to win. It will be a very competitive and physical fight from the start to the end. 

“Nothing would make me happier than becoming Norway’s next World Champion,” continued the 32-year-old from Oslo. “It will be a great opportunity to make my country proud, to represent Norway in the ring, and show the world some real Viking power!”

Following Cecilia Brækhus’ (36-1, 9 KOs) upset defeat against Jessica McCaskill (9-2, 3 KOs) in August, Thanderz hopes to replicate her fellow Norwegian’s success and make her country proud.

“She is and has been a great champion, and she deserves all the credit in the world for being a role model in women’s boxing,” said Thanderz. “I think it’s great that Norway has two current professional female boxers that have done and are doing so well within the sport.”

Promoter Nisse Sauerland believes Thanderz can follow in the footsteps of the ‘First Lady’ by becoming a Norwegian boxing great, and is encouraging the fans to show their support for Thanderz.

“I am delighted that the WBC have ordered the fight and we are confident that Katharina will be victorious,” said Sauerland. “This is a huge opportunity for Norway to have another unified World Champion so we hope everyone gets behind Katharina as she goes for greatness!”

Team Sauerland have entered negotiations with Matchroom Boxing for the fight with further news released shortly. 

London, UK (1 September 2020) Gallic God of War Samir Ziani has no intention of allowing the European super-featherweight crown he has worn for the past 19 months to slip from his concrete head, when he cracks skulls with Crayford contender Alex Dilmaghani this Saturday night in Wakefield, exclusively live on free-to-air Channel 5.

‘After Samir sees off Dilmaghani on Saturday, he’ll definitely hunt world honours,’ states the Frenchman’s Irish manager Gary Hyde, who previously steered brilliant Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux to world titles.

‘We’ve already had the talks with Top Rank regarding (WBO 130lb ruler) Jamel Herring once we’re able to get Samir a visa to enter the United States. That’s the plan and Alex Dilmaghani certainly isn’t going to spoil it.

The brutish French ogre, from the Toulouse suburb of Blagnac, has been grinding bones to make his bread for over 10 years and 264 pro rounds yet, despite warring with several champions across a host of countries, is yet to be toppled from his feet.

‘Samir’s got a granite chin, fantastic endurance and he’s scared of nobody,’ continues Corkman Hyde who assumed the managerial reins shortly before Ziani collared the EBU belt by smashing Spain’s Juli Giner in Barcelona (RTD6) in February 2019.

‘Even sparring welters, he’s never been over. He fought Richard Commey – a monstrous punching two-time world champion at the weight above – no bother at all. And Samir was a bit hard done by that night (Ziani lost a tight 10 round decision in Denmark in 2014). He was all set to fight Herring for the world title this summer until this Covid hit.’

Beyond the ropes, the 5ft 6in father to an infant son works with the region’s retail giant GiFi. Professionally, he has yielded just three times in 35 paid outings (one draw) and is presently world-ranked by both the WBC (15) and IBF (12). Now 30, he arrives in his physical prime.

‘Samir’s a bubbly little fella, a genuine family man, very pleasant with everyone….until he puts on the gloves!’ claims Hyde.

‘Most southpaws are counter punchers but not this fella. I’d not be giving away any secrets or game plans when I say Ziani fights only one way – in your face from first bell to last.

‘He’ll jump on top of ya, stay on top of ya so you’ve no choice but to fight with him. The punches come at ya, non-stop. He’s very hard to stave off. While he’ll not ‘spark’ Dilmaghani with one, he’ll catch him in abundance, wear him down until he ‘taps out’ or the ref rescues him.’

Mahogany-hard Ziani enters Saturday’s showdown with a huge sway in experience, having previously held minor WBC and WBA baubles at lightweight plus the French national belt down at 9st 4lbs. His CV lists more than double the rounds shown on ‘Dilma’s record. Whilst this is his bow in Britain, he has previously triumphed in Italy, the Ukraine, Morocco and Spain.

‘Samir also had on extensive amateur career, over 80 bouts,’ revealed manager Hyde.

‘As a pro for 10 years, he’s very well-travelled; a consummate professional who doesn’t mind where he fights. The ring might be in England on Saturday but Dilmaghani has no advantage, no home crowd, no home judges.

‘Mick Hennessy has been trying to do this for about 10 months and now we’re here. Dilmaghani’s come up short a few times already so this last chance. He has to win. All the pressure is on Alex, Samir is deadly cool.’

And the Irishman claims his turbo-charged ward shall be pounding some pain into the classy Crayford southpaw come Saturday.

‘The style’s will really match up well because Dilmaghani throws plenty himself. It’s going to be a right battle, all-action, but we’re not here to give up our titles,’ concludes Hyde.

‘I guarantee Samir will give it his very best shot on Saturday and we’re confident that will be more than enough.’

Presented by Mick Hennessy for Hennessy Sports in association with Ladbrokes, Infinitum, Numan and Everlast, Crayford’s Alex Dilmaghani’s challenge for the European Super-Featherweight Championship against the reigning Champion Samir Ziani from France headlines the card. Brixton cruiserweight title contender Isaac Chamberlain – hot off a third round KO win just under two weeks ago after two years out of the ring – returns to action in an eight-round contest against Wolverhampton’s Matt Sen. Unbeaten Sevenoaks middleweight hot-shot Michael Hennessy Jr. continues on his march towards his first pro title and takes on Stoke-on-Trent’s Jamie Stewart in a six-round contest. One of the world’s hottest emerging young talents, Stevie McKenna from Monaghan, Ireland, based out of California, makes his first pro appearance on UK soil when he takes on Glasgow’s Gary McGuire over six-rounds at lightweight. Birmingham’s undefeated Idris Virgo lit up social media with his sensational one-punch body KO in his last fight and now returns to face Manchester’s Scott Williams at super-welterweight. Finally, Bexleyheath’s Sam Cantwell, son of the former British Flyweight Champion, Mickey, faces Westbrook’s Ricky Leach over six-rounds at super-flyweight.

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

QUEENSBERRY PROMOTIONS is expanding with the exciting launch of Queensberry Poland.

The new operation will be headed up by leading Polish fight figure Mariusz Krawczynski who has formed the company with Francis Warren.

There will be regular Queensberry Poland shows and Krawczynski and Warren are already signing some of the country’s best young boxers.

Among the amateur stars already signed are Cruiserweight Michael Soczynski and Heavyweight sensation Kamil Mroczkowski.

Krawczynski said of the new partnership: “This is a very exciting link-up and we have shown our intentions by signing Michael and Kamil who are two of the best amateur boxers in Poland.

“Kamil has had a bit of time out, but he is a big name in Poland and just 21-years-old.

“I have set up Queensberry Poland with Francis, and the venture will do so much for boxing in Poland.

“We will get maximum exposure for our boxers in Poland and very soon we will be staging our own promotions.

“We have two broadcasters I am speaking with and we will work out the best way to do this.”

Francis Warren added: “Poland has got a history of world champions, but they have all had to go to America for marquee fights and paydays.

“We want to make Poland a boxing powerhouse so homegrown stars can win and defend world titles at home instead of having to travel halfway across the world.”

Frank Warren said: “We are always looking to expand the Queensberry Promotions brand and after doing a lot of work and meeting Mariusz, Poland appealed.

“We will be signing top Polish amateurs who we can build and make them into champions of tomorrow.

“Queensberry has a track record of doing that and I believe we can lift Polish boxing to an all-time high over the next few years.

“I am sure that when young Polish boxers meet Mariusz and Francis they will know their careers are in good hands.

“We will also help get the boxers exposure on British shows and some of our fighters based here can go across to Poland and gain invaluable experience.”

News of the inaugural Queensberry Poland show and broadcasting arrangements will be announced shortly.

NEW YORK – August 31, 2020 -Unbeaten WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo and top 160-pound contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko spoke to the press during a kick-off virtual press conference Monday as they preview the main event of part one of the first-of-its-kind SHOWTIME PPV doubleheader on Saturday, September 26 in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Five of the six fighters who will be competing in part one of the unprecedented event, which features three world title fights, participated in today’s media call. WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Brandon Figueroa will defend his title against 122-pound contender Damien Vazquez in the co-featured bout, while WBO Bantamweight World Champion John Riel Casimero faces off against unbeaten Duke Micah in the pay-per-view opener. Figueroa was unable to join today’s call due to technical issues.

Here is what the virtual press conference participants to say Monday:

JERMALL CHARLO:

“It’s going to be fireworks and an explosive night of boxing. I can’t wait. Everyone is calling this a test and a big step up, so I’m training hard and preparing well.

“He lost both of those fights against Gennadiy Golovkin and Daniel Jacobs. Competitive or not, that’s what happened. He’s a warrior though and I want him to be sharp so he can give me the best he can give me. This is going to be a real fight, just know that.

“I’m going to be super sharp. That’s the message I want to deliver to all of the other middleweights out there.

“I thought I might need to out-perform Jacobs and Golovkin, but as long as I continue to be myself, I will get the victory and I’ll have my hand raised. I’m smart, stronger and better than I used to be. Every fight is a different fight. I let my trainer do the studying and I’m just focused on what I have to do.

“He’s coming straight to me and fighting. That’s what I expect. You want me to go toe-to-toe? That’s what I expect to do.

“Everybody is doubting me. I’ve been doubted for years. It’s not anger. I don’t care what my opponent or his trainer says about me. I’m a fighter and I’m ready for this. I really want to just get in there and fight.

“After this fight, people are going to say that I’m a great fighter. I’m the best in the world. I know Sergiy feels that way too. So we get to clash in the ring. I’m expecting a fight. I haven’t left the gym since February. I’ve been locked in. I wanted this opportunity to get in there and be me.

“If it goes the distance, I’m prepared for the distance. If he can’t take the power, then I’m going to finish him off.

“I’m no Daniel Jacobs, and I know Andre is probably trying to compare that fight to me, because he worked Jacobs’ corner. I know Andre has been studying me for a long time and now he gets to see what his other fighter can do against me.

“I’ve been at home training like crazy. I’m at the top of my game. I’m not worried about what anyone is saying. I know this is a so-called step up fight, but I’m ready for whatever the challenge comes. You’ll get a chance to see me be the best Jermall Charlo that he can be.”

SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO:

“My training is progressing. I’ve been in the gym working out, keeping fit, eating healthy and doing everything that I’m supposed to do. I’m anxiously waiting for September 26. You can expect the same type of fight from me that you saw against Golovkin.

“I’ve had the experience of fighting at this level against the likes of Jacobs and Golovkin, which gave me the confidence and experience of fighting at the highest level. I have supreme, utmost confidence in myself.

“Charlo thinks he’s the best in the world and I believe I’m the best in the world. I think I’m the better fighter. The great thing is that we’re actually going to get a chance to settle it and we’ll see who the best in the world really is.

“I’m just focused on my opponent and what I have to do on September 26. The goal is to go in there and take the belt from him and bring it home.

“What I’ve said before is that I have a lot of experience and that might be an issue for Charlo. I never said it would be too much for him, but we will find out on fight night.

“I need to just stick with my game plan. We have a plan in place. I’m going to do what I have to do. If there’s a chance to knock him out, I will knock him out. If it goes 12 rounds, I’ll do the best that I can and show the judges that I am the winner.”

DAMIEN VASQUEZ:

“Training camp during the pandemic has actually been great. We’re doing everything by the rules as far as people staying away from public places and we’re taking our tests. The fans should be expecting a Mexican war and I plan on stealing the show and being the fight of the night.

“I’m going to stand by everything I’ve said up until this point and up until the fight. I’m confident in my work, confident in my team and I know what to expect on fight night.

“Figueroa has some weapons, but I know what to look out for from him… It’s going to be a full-on Mexican war. All of the boxing [technique] goes right out the window – let’s make it a phone booth fight and steal fight of the night.

“This is all the marbles on the table for me. I don’t have anything to lose in this fight, I really don’t. This fight changes my life and everybody else’s life around me. I’m going in there with everything I’ve got.

“Why would I go in there and be scared to lose? The Payano fight that everybody saw – that wasn’t me. I had some things going on outside of the ring, but I’m focused now and I’m ready to go. After that fight, I got my stuff together and I’m physically and mentally ready to give it my all September 26. You’re about to see the real Damien.

“I respect Brandon, he’s a champion for a reason, but when we step into that ring all my respect for him goes right out the window. I want to show the world that I’m a force to be reckoned with and I’m about to take my throne in the 122-pound weight class.”

JOHN RIEL CASIMERO:

“This is a great fight for me to defend my title. I know I’m facing a good undefeated fighter, but I will do everything I can to have my hand raised on fight night.

“I’m training very hard in camp. I’m glad I have plenty of time for this matchup and I plan on being in great shape to compete on fight night.

“If I get through this fight, I’m still hoping to fight for a bantamweight unification fight. That’s my dream. I’m fighting for my daughters and my whole family, so I’m ready to do my best.

“I’ve had a long time to train because of the pandemic. I’m really excited to get in the ring and focus on this win. After that, I can move onto the next opponent.

“This is big for me to be on SHOWTIME PPV. I’m excited to get in there and put on the best performance that I can.

“Despite the Inoue fight being cancelled, I’m still very hungry. I’m excited to fight on this card and I look forward to all the big fights that are out there. First I have to get by Micah.”

DUKE MICAH:

“I’m coming there to win. This is my dream. This is what I’ve set my mind on since my childhood. I’ve always dreamed to be a world champion and I’m so thankful to be taking on Casimero, one of the best boxers from the Philippines, because I know he’s a very good opponent. That’s what I want and what the fans want to see, so we have to make it exciting.

“Training was fantastic. Everything is good. We’ve been training hard for this fight because we know Casimero is a very good boxer. He knows what he’s doing and I also know what I’m doing so I’ve been preparing myself to come to the ring in the best shape possible. I’ve watched Casimero before and I know the way he fights so that’s why we’ve been training hard and doing everything right so we can bring the victory back home to Ghana.

“This is my dream. This is what I’ve been looking for because I know he’s a good boxer. I’m doing this for me and my family, my daughter and my son. I’ve been trying for a long time. I’m hungry for this. People will see good boxing and I’m confident that I’ll bring the title back to Ghana. My goal is to be one of the best boxers from Ghana.

“The people who think I don’t have a chance are not in my shoes. I know he’s a good boxer but this is what I’ve been doing since my childhood. Whatever anybody else thinks, I’m the one in the ring, so nobody else’s thoughts really matter. I know this won’t be an easy fight for me, but it’s what I’ve always wanted.

“I was so happy when I got the call for this fight, it’s like a dream. I’m fighting somebody who is a world champion, so I have to be happy. You have to fight the best to be the best. That’s why I’m so excited for this opportunity.”

RONNIE SHIELDS, Charlo’s Trainer:

“Jermall trains very hard. It’s going to be a great fight. Sergiy is a really good fighter, and I can’t take anything from him. We know he has an extensive amateur career and a pretty good pro career. We’re expecting a really good fight.

“The thing about Jermall Charlo is, he’s always in the gym, training hard and looking to be the best he possibly can be. That’s all me or anyone else can ask for him.

“We’re looking to fight the best guys out there. Sergiy is one of the best. We didn’t have to fight Sergiy. He’s ranked number one, but he wasn’t the mandatory. Jermall wanted this fight. He said, give me Sergiy. He wanted to fight the best guy in the division.

“During training, we train for 12 rounds, because that’s what it calls for. We can’t train for less than that. We have a game plan that we work on every day. If the knockout comes, we’ll be happy. But we have no problems with a 12-round fight. Jermall has been there before and he’s come out victorious.”

ANDRE ROZIER, Dereveyanchenko’s Trainer:

“It’s been tough getting ready for fights because our gym has been closed until recently, but we’ve made it work during that time. Sergiy is a consummate professional and he’s ready to turn it up. He’s going to be ready for an exciting fight on September 26.

“Jermall has done a fantastic job as a world champion in two weight classes. He’s growing as an individual and I appreciate that. But Sergiy works so hard. He’s a special individual. It’s going to be an incredible fight, but I expect Sergiy to be the victor.

“We worked hard on Sergiy’s capabilities and technique. we have a serious opponent in front of us. We’re going to train to be ready for a 15-round fight, so that we can rise to the occasion. There are going to be explosive bombs. May the best man win, but we’re planning to be the best man.

“I’m looking forward to the competition. But these fighters are also going to provide great entertainment. You can hear that these guys are ready to show the world what they’re all about.”

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

“This truly is a one of a kind pay-per-view doubleheader. Certainly, in my career here at SHOWTIME and during my lifetime as a boxing fan, I don’t remember any pay-per-view event like this – six fights, five of which are world title fights, all on one night for one price. It’s interesting that the four undercard matchups across the two shows feature some of the best talent in the 118 and 122-pound divisions. We have an excellent bantamweight world championship fight for the WBO title in Casimero vs. Micah and we have a super bantamweight title fight with Brandon Figueroa taking on Damien Vazquez. And in my opinion, the Jermall Charlo vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko matchup is a matchup of the top two boxers currently fighting in the middleweight division. It’s a matchup that doesn’t need hyperbole or exaggeration or hype – simply put, it’s the best fight you can currently make in the middleweight division.

“One of the reasons that boxing fans love the sport is because boxing is often described as a metaphor for life – we’re all fighting for something. We all have a struggle. For Jermall and Sergiy, a win on September 26 would be the crowning achievement in their careers, an achievement that they’ve literally been fighting for their entire careers.”

• * *

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

(August 31, 2020) — The Commonwealth super lightweight king, Philip Bowes, hopes to add more hardware to his collection. Bowes will defend his belt in a 12-rounder against the unbeaten Akeem Ennis Brown this Wednesday, Sept. 2 from Production Park Studios in Wakefield, England. The vacant British title will also be at stake. 
 
Bowes-Ennis Brown will headline an #MTKFightNight card that will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.
 
Bowes (20-3, 3 KOs) has not fought since March 2019, when he decisioned Tom Farrell in the first defense of his Commonwealth title. Less than two months prior, he knocked out Benson Nyilawila in two rounds to win the vacant belt. Bowes and Ennis Brown were scheduled to fight March 20, but the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled those plans. Ennis Brown (13-0, 1 KO) is a former WBC Youth and IBF European champion at 140 pounds, most recently notching a near-shutout decision over the previously unbeaten Bilal Rehman in March 2019.

Said Ennis Brown, “This fight with Bowes was called off twice. He has kept me waiting for too long and he is getting it. He isn’t on my level and he will find that out. Nothing will stop me from getting these titles. There haven’t been many events on since boxing resumed, so to be headlining an MTK Global show is very exciting and I feel like I’m one of the chosen ones.”
 
In other action on the card:

• Dan Azeez (11-0, 7 KOs) will make the first defense of his British light heavyweight title against former Southern Area champion Andre Sterling (11-2, 4 KOs) in a 10-rounder. 
   
• West Belfast’s Padraig “The Hammer” McCrory (10-0, 4 KOs) will take a step up in class against Mickey Ellison (12-2, 4 KOs) in an eight-round super middleweight tilt. McCory knocked out Steve Collins Jr. in eight rounds last August on the Michael Conlan-Diego Alberto Ruiz undercard.
   
• In a six-round battle of unbeatens contracted for 150 pounds, Elliot Whale (2-0) will fight Corey McCulloch (4-0).
   
• Harlem Eubank (9-0, 2 KOs), nephew of British boxing legend Chris Eubank, will fight Martin McDonagh (8-1, 0 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight contest.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

Las Vegas, Nevada– (August 31, 2020) – This coming September, Global Sports Streaming (GSS) will be launching a state of the art streaming service for combat sports promoters and sports organizations. Due to the pandemic, these sports properties have been looking for solutions to distribute their content as they struggle with putting on shows without an audience in attendance. After talking with many of these entities, the opportunity to take their product online is really the only choice to put on quality events during the Coronavirus lock-downs.

“We’ve been streaming live combat sports for years, so we already had an infrastructure in place to help companies deal with this new reality. We’ve been working on a pay platform for a while, similar to Netflix or ESPN+ but much more ambitious, and innovative, so we took a portion of the platform and repurposed it for pay per view,” said Armando Bareno founder of GSS.

The new platform will kick off on THIS SATURDAY,, September 5th with Toscano Boxing Promotions out of Stockton, CA. Toscano has taken its operation south of the border to manage the costs of setting up a bubble scenario in order to comply with the Tijuana commission guidelines. Toscano has been doing events in Stockton for the past couple of years, and had to cancel a sold-out event a week out from their fight night at the Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium. Toscano is the perfect example of companies being affected by the lock-downs. They still wanted to do shows, but without a live gate, they need a solution to help them generate revenue. We were able to provide them with that opportunity in the form of pay per view.

GSS has since talked with over a dozen sports organizations and will be helping them broadcast their events live on globalsportsstreaming.com; bestinboxing.com; and gssstreaming.com. Those sites are all linked to the same paywall services. GSS has a full line up of Boxing, Muay Thai, MMA, and new to GSS basketball the remainder of 2020.

GSS has put together a great overall experience for the fans for every sports broadcast. We kick off every boxing Pay-Per-View with free preliminary bouts. Also as part of the kickoff show, there will be commentary from the GSS studio in Las Vegas. Emmy Award winner Courtney Perna anchors a new show “Before the Bell”, featuring the live prelim fights mixed in with studio guests and previews., and the show will be simulcasted on Fight Hub TV and Abrams Boxing on YouTube. GSS has formed great partnerships with Fight Hub bringing live fights to their 850,000+ subscribers as well as Abrams Boxing PR Media and Broadcasting.. After the preliminary fights, the Pay Per View kicks off on globalsportsstreaming.com, as well as bestinboxing.com.

Tune in on Saturday night, September 5th, for the launch of GSS Pay Per View with Toscano Promotions live from the Historic Jai Alai Palace Forum Entertainment Center in Tijuana, Mexico. Pay-Per-View Tickets for the show are only $9.99. It’s a great night of fight action from the opening bout to the main event.

In the main event, Angel Ramos will take on Jorge Villalobos in the eight-round flyweight main event.

The outstanding show be will be streamed live all over the world on bestinboxing.com

ORANGE, Calif. (August 31, 2020) – Lightweight prospect, George Acosta (9-1, 1 KO) will face late replacement Carlos Velasquez (3-0, 2 KOs) on Thompson Boxing Promotions 3.2.1. Boxing event taking place at the Omega Products International Event Center in Corona, CA, on Sunday, September 6th, 2020.

3.2.1. Boxing will steam live for free on Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), as well as their Facebook and YouTube pages, showcasing three action-packed bouts, starting at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET. The 8-round main event is headlined by a clash of undefeated welterweight boxers as Luis Lopez (8-0-1, 4 KOs), of Corona, Ca, battles Saul Bustos (12-0-1, 7KOs), of El Monte, CA.

Here is what George Acosta, who is hosting training camp in Maywood, CA, with coach Jeff Slotree, had to say about his recent training camp, his matchup with Velasquez, and more.

On facing late replacement Carlos Velasquez.

“I was scheduled to fight Teodoro Alonso in a rematch, but that fight fell through so now my focus is on Carlos Velasquez, who is almost the same exact height. Velasquez is undefeated so I know he will be determined to keep his unbeaten record intact. The same game plan will be in place, nothing really changes as far as that goes. We got a lot of good sparring against tall fighters.

Returning to the ring after COVID-19

“It feels great to be back in the ring. The L.A.-area was shut down for quite some time, and it took what felt like forever to get back in the gym. I did my best to stay in shape by doing a lot of road work. For the last month we went hard as the gyms opened back up.

On this training camp with coach Jeff Slotree.

“This training camp has been difficult based on just what is going on, but coach Slotree had me working on a lot of foot work drills. I’m starting to sit on my punches better and I’m hoping it helps with my power. I’m in great shape and very focused. I want to look good in this bout.”

On fighting for Thompson’s 3.2.1. Boxing card.

“This card is a big deal, they just put on a PPV that a lot of people watched, and now I want to continue the momentum for this company by putting on a good show for the fans. This show will be streamed for free so I’m excited that all my family and friends will be able to watch since they can’t be their live. I’m grateful for the opportunities that Thompson Boxing continues to give me.”

NEW YORK (August 31, 2020)–Touted middleweight prospect Javier Martinez made it two wins in a row to begin his career, as he won a six-round unanimous decision over Rance Ward at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.

Martinez, 25 years-old of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is managed by Tim VanNewhouse of Split-T Management, and is promoted by Top Rank.

Martinez boxed very well as he worked behind a nice southpaw jab, and focused on some solid body shots.

Martinez won by 60-54 scores on all three judges scorecards.

“I feel like I dictated the whole fight,” Said Martinez. “At the last minute they moved it to a six-round fight. I feel that I made better adjustments from my 1st fight. I learned from my pro debut, and I made the adjustments that I needed to. I was more relaxed for this fight, and I feel that I did well for my 1st six-round fight, but I am not satisfied, and I am only going to get better with every fight. Hopefully, I can get back in there in October.”

“I went in there to box. I am good at what I do, and that is boxing.”

Martinez was the 2020 Olympic Trial Champion at middleweight. He was also a five-time National Champion, and the number-one ranked fighter at 165 pounds in the USA Boxing Rankings, Martinez’s selection as an Olympic alternate despite his victory at the trials and various international experience caused shock-waves through the amateur system.

Martinez is trained by Robert Garcia

Photos by Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Team Sauerland are delighted to announce the signing of standout Danish star Oliver Zaren (2-0, 2 KOs) on a long-term promotional deal. 

The 20-year-old from Roskilde, who is trained by five-time World Champion Mikkel Kessler, is one of the most exciting fighters to come out of Denmark in recent years. A four time national champion who is undefeated after two paid bouts, Zaren will be making his promotional debut on September 26^th in Struer. 

“I have always dreamed about signing with Team Sauerland,” said Zaren. “I’ve always followed them and watched their fighters. From the moment I started boxing, I said if I turned pro, I want to sign with Team Sauerland, and now I’m here. This is a very big thing for me.”

With Sauerland as his promoter and Danish boxing legend Mikkel Kessler as his trainer, Zaren believes he has the perfect team to bring him to the top. 

“I would definitely call it the dream team,” he says. 

“My relationship with Mikkel is very good. He has always been a big inspiration for me. When I was little and he was in the Super Six, my Dad used to wake me up in the night so that I could watch his fights. He is training me together with Thomas Macon. We have a really good connection. 

“I want to be the best and I want to impress. I know Team Sauerland can help me reach my potential. They can give me big fights and that’s what I want.”

Mikkel Kessler is full of praise for his protégé and says he has made the right decision signing with his former promoter Team Sauerland. 

“Oliver has huge talent and he’s working very hard,” said ‘The Viking Warrior’. “Of course anything can happen at a young age but I see a fabulous talent. He’s got the skills, he’s got the reach, he can fight left hand, right hand, so he can go all the way. The best thing about signing with Team Sauerland is I know they can take you to the top levels and that’s why he is signing with them.” 

Promoter Nisse Sauerland sees huge potential in his latest signing and believes Zaren can already stake his claim as the best super middleweight in Denmark. 

“We believe Oliver is the future of Danish boxing,” he says. “With Mikkel and Thomas in his corner, he has a world class training team, which combined with our expertise, can bring him to the very top of the sport. I already see him as the best 168lber in Denmark, and I include Patrick Nielsen in that list. I would happily put him in with Patrick next. Like his trainer, this guy is a future world beater!”

Zaren will be fighting on the undercard of Dina Thorslund’s WBO Female World Super Bantamweight title fight with Nina Radovanic on September 26^th at the Struer Energi Park. Tickets are available online via www.ticketmaster.dk.

Croatian heavyweight sensation Filip Hrgovi? (10-0, 8 KOs) will return to the ring on September 26th against Ondrej Pala (33-5, 23 KOs) at the Struer Energi Park in Denmark.  

The Olympic Bronze Medalist was last in action against on December 7th when he knocked out the former World title challenger Eric Molina inside 3 rounds to retain his WBC International title as part of a huge night of action at the Diriyah Arena in Saudi Arabia.

Hrgovi? says he is excited to step back into the squared circle as he looks to continue his journey to the top with an active end to the year.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring. I haven’t boxed in 10 months,” says the explosive 28-year-old from Zagreb. “I need to be active and I need to have fights, so it’s very important for me to fight soon.

“I’m looking forward to fighting in Denmark, I’ve never been there. I’ve fought in a lot of countries around the world but never in Denmark so I’m excited to conquer a new territory. 

“If this fight goes well for me, I’ll fight again in the United States so I already have two fights scheduled in two months. If everything goes well there, then I hope to fight again at the end of 2020. 

“I think I’m a better fighter and I think I’m the best in the world, but I will take this fight seriously and prepare myself like I’m going to fight for a world championship.”

Pala, who returned to the amateur ranks in an attempt to represent his country at the Tokyo Olympics, intends to do his talking in the ring.

“During my career I’ve made dozens of pre-fight statements and I’ve had enough,” said the 36-year-old from Prague. “Everything I want to say will be said after the first bell. I love this sport and I’m coming to fight.”  

Promoter Nisse Sauerland is delighted to see the Croatian heavyweight hope back in action as live crowds return to boxing in Denmark.

“It’s important for Filip to be active, so after COVID delayed our plans we want to ensure he’s fighting as regularly as possible,” said Sauerland. “We have big plans for 2021, and a victory on September 26th and then fighting in the United States will set us up perfectly.”

“It’s great to have Filip back in action – and with two fights in quick succession,” said Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Boxing.

“Filip always brings bad intentions to the ring but after another destructive performance in Saudi Arabia, he’s been itching to return and as Nisse says, keeping Filip active is vital as he solidifies his status as a top ten Heavyweight and true threat to the big guns at the weight.

Said Hrgovi?’s manager Zeljko Karajica: “Filip has been training hard so he’s ready for his next fights this year. He’s a guy who loves fighting and wants to be as active as possible so it’s exciting to see him back in the ring doing what he does best.  2020 may not have started as planned but it’s going to end with some great victories for Filip as he continues to close in on the World titles. 

Hrgovi? fights as a co-feature to local hero Dina Thorslund (14-0, 6 KOs) in Struer as she defends her WBO Female World Super Bantamweight Championship against Serbian challenger Nina Radovanovic (14-3, 3 KOs).

DERRY, N.H. (August 30, 2020) – Two regional title bouts, supported by several stay-busy fights, highlighted Granite Chin Promotion’s first pro boxing event since this past November, ‘Return to Derry,” last night (Sat., Aug. 29), in front of a near capacity crowd at New England Sports Center in Derry, New Hampshire.

Two world champions were in attendance to support the fighters, undefeated reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade and “El Gallo” Jose Antonio Rivera, the retired 3-time, 2-division title holder.

“I’m glad that tonight we took as step forward towards normalcy,” promoter Chris Traietti commented. Sports help to bring people together and tonight we had a packed house with people of all races, religions, and creeds. I’m happy these Americans enjoyed themselves here tonight.”

Justin “Crazy Train” Rolfe was crowned New England heavyweight champion by way of an 8-round unanimous decision over Tracey “Titan” Johnson in the main event.

Rolfe vs. Johnson II was a rematch of a 6-round majority draw last November in Quincy, Massachusetts. A lot more was at stake in the rematch, though, because the N.E. heavyweight title was on the line. Boston southpaw Johnson, the half-brother of Andrade, methodically boxed, while Maine-resident Rolfe came forward throwing bombs, and their contrast of styles made for a entertaining fight.

The elusive Johnson started finding his range in the fourth round, connecting with combinations as Rolfe appeared to tire, but he got his second wind and continued to be aggressive, often pinning Johnson on the ropes. The two evenly matched fighters went back and forth in the latter half of the fight, although Rolfe pressed the action and Johnson countered. Neither appeared to be hurt at any point during the bout., Both let loose in the eighth and final round, leaving nothing in the tank. Rolfe’s non-stop attack and turned out to be the difference in this match-up.

Ryan DiBartolomeo captured the vacant New Hampshire welterweight title, taking a 6-round split decision over Kris Jacobs, in the co-featured event. “I live in Massachusetts but all my fights (3-0-1) have been in New Hampshire and I train in Nashua (NH),” DiBartolomeo said after the fight. “Fighting in New Hampshire is like fighting at home and now I’m the New Hampshire welterweight champ.”

DiBartolemeo quickly came out of the corner and soon dropped Jacobs for an 8-count. Jacobs made it through the opening round, but he was unable to avoid the free-swinging DiBartolemeo’s strong right hand, peppering his opponents head, in round two. Jacobs settled down in the third, picked-up the pace in the fourth, and started letting his hands go more in the fifth, landing more effectively on his aggressive foe. The two fighters went at it toe-to-toe in the final round and DiBartolemeo closed the show.

New England middleweight champion Kendrick Ball, Jr., fighting light heavyweight Tahuk Taylor, displayed his skill set to the maximum, blasting his opponent to the mat with a sweet straight right, again with a beautiful left hook, and he was about to close the show when referee Jackie Morell mercifully ended the fight with 13-seconds left in round one.

Popular junior welterweight Mike “Bad Man” OHan, Jr. did just about everything but stop gritty DeWayne Wisdom, who was penalized two points and officially floored once. But he survived, albeit losing a lop-sided 6-round unanimous decision to Ohan.

New England Golden Gloves champion Francis “Frank The Tank” Hogan dismissed Rashan Wisdom, who went down on the canvas twice before his corner threw in the towel. Hogan is a tall, lanky southpaw who is well schooled and now 2-0 (2 KOs).

In a spirited fight, undefeated light heavyweight Edet “Papito” Mkpanam (4-0, 3 KOs) was relentless against a game Saul “Spider” Almeida, one of the top mixed-martial-arts fighters in New England. Mkpanan dropped Almeida in the first two rounds on his way to a tough 4-round unanimous decision.

Promising Boston lightweight prospect Jonathan Depina outclassed Theo “The Unholy Truth” Desjardin, flooring him early and finishing him off soon after with a blistering shot, to improve to 2-0 (2 KOs).

Middleweight Anthony Concepcion won by way of a third-round disqualification when his opponent, pro-debuting Caleb Denham, ignored the referee’s instructions to continue fighting.

Middleweight Larry “Slomoshun” Smith, fighting out of Dallas, recorded his first victory in more than nine years, taking a 4-round unanimous decision from Jesus “The Juice” Cintron. The 41-year-old Smith, 0-39-2 during his winless streak, dropped Anderson in the first round.

Larry Smith celebrated after his first win in 9 years

Texas light heavyweight Bryan Vera knocked out Mike Anderson with a big right hand early in round one. Referee Leo Gerstel immediately waved off the count right after Anderson hit the mat. Vera, who is known for his participating in The Contender reality television show, has defeated world champions Sergio Mora (twice), then-undefeated Andy Lee and Serhiy Dzinziruk during his 16-year pro career.

Veteran junior middleweight Cliff “Magician” McPherson had no tricks for Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey because he was disqualified in the second round by referee Morrell for repeated holding.

Opening the night was a cruiserweight match between Larry “Hitman” Pryor and Francisco Neto. It didn’t take long for Pryor, whose cousin was the late, Hall of Famer Aaron “Hawk” Pryor, put down Neto with a nicely placed left hook. Neto beat the count but stood on wobbly legs, leading referee Gerstel to halt the fight at the 35-second mark of the opening round.

Complete results below:

OFFICIAL RESULTS
MAIN EVENT – VACANT NEW ENGLAND. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Justin Rolfe (4-1-1, 3 KOs), Fairfield, ME
WDEC8 (79-73, 79-73, 78-74)
Tracey Johnson (4-8-6, 0 KOs), Boston, MA
(Rolfe won the N.E. heavyweight title)

CO-FEATURE – VACANT NEW HAMPSHIRE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Ryan DiBartolomeo (3-0-1, 1 KO), Leominster, MA
WDEC6 (59-54, 59-54, 56-57)
Kris Jacobs (2-1-1, 0 KOs), Fall River, MA
(DiBartolomeo won vacant N.H. welterweight title)

CRUISERWEIGHTS
Larry Pryor (12-22, 6 KOs), Frederickson, MD
WTKO1 (0.35)
Francisco Neto (1-9), Woburn, MA

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Kendrick Ball, Jr. (15-1-2, 11 KOs), Worcester, MA

Tahuk Taylor (3-12-1, 1 KO), Greensboro, NC

Edet Mkpanam (4-0, 3 KOs), New Bedford, MA
WDEC4 (40-35, 39-36, 39-36)
Saul Almeida (0-12), Framingham, MA

Bryan Vera (27-16, 17 KOs), Auston, TX
WKO1 (1:01)
Mike Anderson (0-6), Philadelphia, PA

MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Francis Hogan (2-0, 2 KOs), Weymouth, MA
WTKO1 (1:37)
Rashan Blackburn (8-54-2, 4 KOs), Columbus, OH

Larry Smith (11-44-2, 7 KOs), Dallas, TX
WEC4 (40-35, 40-36, 40-36)
Jesus Javier Cintron (1-14-2, 0 KOs), Asbury Park, NJ

Anthony Concepcion (5-0-1, 4 KOs). Providence, RI
WDQ3 (152)
Caleb Denham (0-1, 0 KOs), Jamaica Plain, MA

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Tyrone Luckey (10-12-4, 7 KOs), Little Egg Harbor, NJ
WDQ2 (2:51)
Cliff McPherson (2-41-1, 1 KO), Cleveland, OH

Mike Ohan, Jr. (10-1, 5 KOs), Holbrook, MA
WDEC6 (60-52, 59-54, 59-54)
DeWayne Wisdom (7-54-2, 3 KOs), Indianapolis, IN
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Jonathan Depina (2-0, 2 KOs), Boston, MA
WKO1 (2:17)
Theo Desjarden (0-12), Wrentham, MA

Daniel DuBois tuned up for a Fall showdown with Joe Joyce as he stopped Ricardo Snijders in the 2nd round of their scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout in London, England.

In round one, DuBois dropped Snijders three times, yet the Dutchman was allowed to continue. Early in round two, DuBois landed a body shot that put Snijders down, and the fight was stopped at 20 seconds.

DuBois, 244 lbs of London is 15-0 with 14 knockouts. Snijders, 215 lbs of the Netherlands is 18-2.

Sunny Edwards remained undefeated with a 12-round unanimous decision over Thomas Essomba in a super flyweight fight.

Edwards, 114.7 lbs won by scores of 116-112, 117-112 and 117-111 and is now 15-0. Essomba, 114.2 lbs is 10-6.

Sam Maxwell won a 10-round unanimous decision over Joe Hughes in a super lightweight fight.

Maxwell, 139.1 lbs of Liverpool won by scores of 98-92 twice and 97-94 and is now 14-0. Hughes, 139 lbs is 17-6-1.

David Adeleye stopped Phil Williams in round three of their scheduled four round heavyweight bout.

Adeleye hurt Williams with a left hook. Adeleye followed up with five shots, and the fight was stopped at 2:10.

Adeleye, 217.7 lbs is now 3-0 with three knockouts. Williams, 258.1 lbs is 3-26-1.

Willy Hutchinson remained udefeated by stopping Ben Thomas in the opening round of their eight-round light heavyweight bout.

In round one, Hutchinson dropped Thomas with a body shot that was followed by a left to the head. Hutchinson finished the fight with a huge uppercut that sent Thomas to the deck just at the fight was being stopped at 2:09.

Hutchinson, 173.4 lbs is 12-0 with eight knockouts. Thomas, 175.7 lbs is 2-3-3.

Las Vegas – The fourth season of the hit show Dana White’s Contender Series continues with Episode 5, featuring a lineup of rising athletes looking to make their dreams come true by impressing UFC President Dana White and earning a spot on the UFC roster.

The fifth episode of season four takes place on Tuesday, September 1 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with all five bouts streaming exclusively on ESPN+ in the US.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com or 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. Fans can sign up for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, with no contract required.

To support your coverage, please find the download link to the season four sizzle reels here and here. In addition, please find the download link for the season four athlete feature here, which highlights some of the participating athletes, their backgrounds and what competing on Dana White’s Contender Series means to them.

Season 4, Episode 5 – Confirmed Bouts:

Featherweight

Dennis Buzukja vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan

Flyweight

Jimmy Flick vs. Nate Smith

Bantamweight

Jose Johnson vs. Ronnie Lawrence

Light heavyweight

William Knight vs. Cody Brundage

Lightweight

Tucker Lutz vs. Chase Gibson

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

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

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NEW YORK (August 29, 2020) -Tonight at the MGM Grand Conference Center, middleweight prospect Javier Martinez goes for his 2nd win as a professional as he takes on Rance Ward

Martinez, 25 years-old of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is managed by Tim VanNewhouse of Split-T Management, and is promoted by Top Rank.

The bout can be seen LIVE on ESPN + beginning at 7:30 ET.

Martinez was impressive in his pro debut when he won a four-round unanimous decision over Ryan Burrs on July 15th.

Ward (4-1-1, 2 KOs) of Houma, Louisiana won his first four bouts, and has a win over previously undefeated Scott Perhach.

Martinez was the 2020 Olympic Trial Champion at middleweight. He was also a five-time National Champion, and the number-one ranked fighter at 165 pounds in the USA Boxing Rankings, Martinez’s selection as an Olympic alternate despite his victory at the trials and various international experience caused shock-waves through the amateur system.

At Friday’s weigh-in, Martinez was 159.5 lbs. Ward was 162.9 lbs.

Martinez is trained by Robert Garcia

Team Sauerland’s Vincent Feigenbutz (32-3, 28 KOs) overcame the resilient Jama Saidi (17-2, 7 KOs) to win the IBF Intercontinental Middleweight title in an action packed fight at the Harvel Studios in Berlin.

Feigenbutz, who moved down to middleweight following an unsuccessful shot at Caleb Plant’s IBF Super Middleweight World title, produced a tremendous performance that saw him comprehensively outbox Saidi on route to a unanimous points victory.

Having reunited with former trainer Zoltan Lunka, the ‘KO King’ showcased his skillset across 12 fast paced rounds, landing a variety of slick combinations and heavy handed power shots to guarantee himself the victory.

Prior to the fight, Feigenbutz declared that he wanted to prove himself as the number 1 German middleweight and with this impressive victory on Friday night, Germany’s domestic middleweight scene is looking increasingly exciting with boxers such as Patrick Wojcicki and Denis Radovan also battling for the top spot. 

Promoter Nisse Sauerland was delighted with Feigenbutz’s performance and is hoping to see his charge rise up the middleweight rankings.

“Vincent is called the ‘KO King’ because he possesses such dangerous power, but tonight he also showed his skills in the ring,” enthused Sauerland. “If Vincent continues to progress at this rate it’s just a matter of time until he gets a shot at a world title again.”

Following one of the best fights in recent years in Germany, Abass Baraou (9-1, 6 KOs) lost a controversial split decision to former World Champion Jack Culcay (29-4, 13 KOs) at the Harvel Studios in Berlin.

Despite the lack of fans allowed in the arena, the atmosphere was just as electric as the action between the ropes as Baraou used his speed and skill to land numerous heavy blows to the body and head.

Baraou was fighting under the tutelage of Adam Booth for the first time and the 25-year-old showcased ring generalship that belied his years as he consistently landed the thudding jab and dictated the pace of the fight with a constant supply of pressure. 

The experienced ‘Golden Jack’ displayed his courage and grit as he soaked up Baraou’s attacks, before launching his own flurries in the back half of the fight. The 154lbs bout was billed as ‘Fight of the Year’ and it lived to it’s pre-fight hype as the two German contenders gave the fans a ferocious 12 rounds to remember.

Following a dramatic final round Baraou and his team celebrated as they were confident they had done enough to claim a career best victory but controversially Culcay was the victor with the judges scoring the bout (116-113, 113-115 and 114-115).

A clearly disappointed Baraou was defiant after the result.

“It was a great fight and I felt like I did enough to get the decision,” said Baraou. “I’m disappointed I didn’t get the victory but I know I will come back stronger.”

Following the contentious decision fans around the world took to social media to voice their disbelief at the result, a sentiment shared by Baraou’s stablemate, featherweight contender and Olympic bronze medalist Michael Conlan.

“What a fight Abass Baraou, you won that my brother!,” tweeted Conlan. “These are some messed up scorecards, run that back ASAP!”.

Nisse Sauerland, who has promoted Baraou since he turned professional, was in a defiant mood after the fight. 

“Abass did himself, Team Sauerland and Germany proud tonight with that performance. He’s put in a phenomenal effort and he should have had his hand raised at the end of the night. I’m more confident than ever that Abass Baraou will become a World Champion. 

“Jack is a great competitor and a true gentleman. I know that he knew he lost the fight. We will be back soon – the rematch is our main objective.”

LAS VEGAS, NV (August 28, 2020) – Prince Ranch Boxing’s undefeated featherweight sensation, Ricky “El Castigo” Medina (7-0, 6 KOs), spent this past week in Las Vegas, NV, sparring with top level fighters. Medina shared the ring with Diego Magdaleno (32-3, 13 KOs), as well as other top prospects training in the boxing capitol of the world.

“I wanted to experience what it was like to train and spar in Las Vegas,” said Ricky Medina, who resides in San Antonio, TX. “In every gym that we entered, there was either a current or past world champion getting ready to work out. I got to meet Floyd Mayweather and Tank Davis. In addition, got some good tips from Bones Adams and Jorge Capetillo. Sparring with Magdaleno was great work. I can see myself holding training camps out there in the future.”

“The experience Medina got while sparring in Las Vegas is going to give him extra confidence as he takes his career to the next level.” said Greg Hannely, CEO of Prince Ranch Boxing. “He’s already a very confident fighter so this sparring tour will only enhance his game. I’m happy that he was able to share the ring with some great fighters.”

“Ricky Medina did really well with everyone he sparred,” said Rick Morones of TMB Entertainment, Medina’s promoter. “Las Vegas is where all the top sparring is at and I’m glad we got to get that work. Everyone was very nice, and Floyd Mayweather had some inspiring words in regard to Medina’s talent. about Median. I want to thank Greg Hannley and Bones Adams for letting us train at the Prince Ranch Boxing Gym.”

  •     Jose Ramirez 139.8 lbs vs. Viktor Postol 139.7 lbs 
(Ramirez’s WBC/WBO Junior Welterweight World Titles — 12 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Tim Cheatham, Dave Moretti and Steve Weisfeld/Russell Mora

•    Arnold Barboza Jr. 139.2 lbs vs. Tony Luis 139.4 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•    Elvis Rodriguez 143.9 lbs vs. Cody Wilson 142.9 lbs 
(Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

•      Raymond Muratalla 135.4 lbs vs. Cesar Valenzuela 134.9 lbs 
(Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

•     Gabriel Muratalla 119.6 lbs vs. Justice Bland 118.7 lbs 
(Bantamweight — 4 Rounds)

•    Javier Martinez 159.5 lbs vs. Rance Ward 162.9 lbs 
(Middleweight— 6 Rounds)About ESPN+
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Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

LOS ANGELES (August 28, 2020) – Mexico’s Vladimir Hernandez will step in to face hard-hitting Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo in a 10-round super middleweight contest that serves as the co-main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, August 29 from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Caleb Truax was originally scheduled to face Angulo, but was forced to withdraw due to effects of dehydration.

“We wish Caleb the best and hope to see him back in the ring soon, but it is fortunate that we have backups in place because of COVID-19,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Under normal circumstances you wouldn’t have a backup on standby. But because of COVID-19, we have someone who has been training, has been tested and is in the bubble and ready to go.”

FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara facing Greg Vendetti in a 12-round showdown. The broadcast will also feature unbeaten super lightweight Abram Martinez squaring off against 2016 Venezuelan Olympian Luis Arcon in a special bonus feature.

Angulo (26-7, 21 KOs) enters this fight after winning an action-packed battle against former champion Peter Quillin last September, under the tutelage of highly regarded trainer Abel Sanchez. The Mexicali, Mexico native, who now lives in Coachella, California, has been in with some of the sport’s top boxers and sluggers during a career that has seen him in numerous exciting bouts against the likes of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Erislandy Lara, amongst others.

The 31-year-old Hernandez (11-4, 6 KOs) was born in Ciudad Lerdo, Durango, Mexico and now lives and trains out of Denver, Colorado. Hernandez’s last six bouts have come in the U.S., including an upset over previously unbeaten Daniel Valdivia, that he followed up by defeating Valdivia in their rematch. Most recently, Hernandez scored a decision victory over Aaron Coley in July to bounce back after two defeats.

Born in Dallas and now fighting out of Las Vegas, Martínez (8-0, 6 KOs) made his pro debut in the U.S. in 2016 by stopping Phillip Percy in round two. The 24-year-old returned to fight in the states in his last outing, when he knocked out the previously unbeaten Jose Rodriguez in the third round of their November 2019 clash.

The 28-year-old Arcón (10-0, 10 KOs) will look to keep his perfect knockout streak intact when he steps into the ring on Saturday night for his 2020 debut. Born in San Juan de Los Morros, Venezuela, and now fighting out of Coachella, California, Arcón added five knockout victories to his record in 2019, most recently stopping Jasond Prado in December.

Preceding the action on FOX, FS1 PBC Fight Night will be headlined by super welterweight contenders Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna and Brian Mendoza battling in a 10-round attraction.

The FS1 telecast begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and also features prospect Justin Pauldo in an eight-round super lightweight showdown against Josec Ruiz, plus unbeaten prospect Jose Valenzuela facing Zack Kuhn in a lightweight bout.

Pauldo (13-1, 7 KOs) returns to make his 2020 debut after a 2019 campaign that saw him score first round knockouts over Federico Jesus Malespina and Tyrone Luckey. The 25-year-old from Orlando had previously earned a career best victory in winning his first eight-round fight via a unanimous decision over then unbeaten Joshua Zuniga in 2018.

A native of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Ruiz (21-3-3, 14 KOs) now fights out of Miami since making his U.S. debut there in March 2019. The 26-year-old has fought in the U.S. for his last five bouts, including most recently losing a decision against unbeaten Gabriel Flores, Jr. in June. Prior to that fight, Ruiz had been on a seven-fight winning streak dating back to 2016.

Valenzuela (5-0, 2 KOs) returns to the ring for his 2020 debut after picking up three victories in 2019, including most recently defeating Charles Clark in September. The 21-year-old was born in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico but now lives and trains in Seattle, Washington alongside unbeaten star David Benavidez.

The 29-year-old Kuhn (10-5-1, 5 KOs) steps into the ring after his most recent outing saw him knockout Donny Miller in round three of their December 2019 contest. Fighting out of Charleston, West Virginia, Kuhn has fought professionally since 2010.

The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Microsoft Theater, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.

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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.

The most exciting prospect in all of Heavyweight boxing, Daniel Dubois, returns tomorrow night on BT Sport 1. ‘Dynamite’ will test his skills against the 18-1 Dutchman Ricardo Snijders.

Fighters from tomorrows huge night of boxing have today weighed-in successfully and all eyes now turn to the BT Sport Studio.

The action begins at 7pm on BT Sport 1 directly after the conclusion of the FA Community Shield match between Arsenal and Liverpool.

Elsewhere on the card, Sunny Edwards defends his IBF International Flyweight title against former Olympian Thomas Essomba, Sam Maxwell puts his WBO European Super Lightweight title on the line against former European champ Joe Hughes, Heavyweight prospect David Adeleye returns against Phil Williams, Willy Hutchinson battles Ben Thomas and Sam Noakes faces off against Jordan Ellison.

It all goes down TOMORROW NIGHT on BT Sport 1 at 7pm.

Official photos from todays weigh-in can be found here

Official weights are below:

Daniel Dubois 17st 6lb 
Ricardo Sneijders 15st 5lb

Sunny Edwards 8st 2lb 7oz
Thomas Essomba 8st 2lb 2oz

Sam Maxwell 9st 13lb 1oz
Joe Hughes 9st 13lb

David Adeleye 15st 7lb 7oz
Phil Williams 18st 6lb 1oz

Willy Hutchinson 12st 5lb 4oz
Ben Thomas 12st 7lb 7oz

Sam Noakes 9st 12lb 1oz
Jordan Ellison 9st 11lb 10oz

JOSH TAYLOR’S World Super-Lightweight title unification clash against Apinun Khongsong has an undercard in place featuring former WBC World Flyweight champion Charlie Edwards.

Title contests featuring Taylor’s fellow Scot Willy Hutchinson and Irishman Davey Oliver Joyce will also take place on Saturday September 26.

IBF and WBA champion Taylor (16-0, 12KOs) had been due to meet Thai Khongsong (16-0, 13KOs), his IBF mandatory challenger in May, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced a delay to his contest against the heavy handed challenger.

The Edinburgh star heads another talent stacked card promoted by Frank Warren for Queensberry Promotions and Bob Arum for Top Rank, with the return of Edwards a big attraction.

Edwards (15-1, 6 KOs) moves up to bantamweight after relinquishing his world crown and faces Wolverhampton’s Kyle Williams (11-2, 3 KOs) in a non-title ten rounder.

It will be his first fight since a no-contest against Julio Cesar Martinez a year ago and his debut under Hall Of Fame promoter Warren who he joined recently.

The Croydon man said: “I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring. It feels like it’s been a long time coming.

“I have had 12 months out, but I have developed more than I did even when I was a world champion.

“My life away from boxing could not be any better. I am settled in a new home, I have got engaged and in January I will become a Dad.

“I have never been in such a good place mentally, physically and emotionally.

“Obviously I am not world class yet at Bantamweight and that might take time, but Kyle is a very decent opponent after so long out.

“I’m looking forward to putting on a show against a great fighter. This fight is a fantastic domestic clash.

“It would be great to have fans there, but I’ve had similar experiences as an amateur. I once boxed in a 30,000 capacity arena in Azerbaijan with 20 people there at a World Championship qualifier.”

Fast emerging Super-Middleweight Hutchinson (11-0, 7 KOS) will challenge for his first professional title with the vacant IBF European crown on the line, should he come through his bout tomorrow night on the undercard of Daniel Dubois vs Ricardo Snijders.

There will be a third title at stake when Joyce (12-1, 9KOs) makes the first defence of his WBO European Super-Bantamweight crown against Spain’s Ionut Baluta (13-2, 2KOs) over ten rounds.

Mullingar’s Joyce won the title in February when he stopped former IBF World Bantamweight champion Lee Haskins in five rounds.

Warren said: “Josh’s fight is a high end world title battle, and yet again we have delivered with brilliant supporting fights.

“I was very excited to sign Charlie who is a fighter I have always rated and enjoyed watching even when he wasn’t on out cards.

“I promised him that he would get the chance to become a two-weight world champion and this is the start of the journey for him. He is coming back at Bantamweight, but he could also do Super-Flyweight if the opportunity came.

“He has mixed with the best in the world and that is where Willy Hutchinson is heading. I have real faith that he will go all the way at Super-Middleweight and become part of Britain’s rich history in the division.

“Everyone at my office has been working hard and I’m delighted with what we’ve delivered for fans on these behind closed doors shows.”

There will also be a four round Super-Welterweight match between York’s George Davey (2-0) and Blackpool veteran Jeff Thomas (12-7-3, 1 KO). Northampton Super-Lightweight Ethan James (3-0) is also in action.

LAS VEGAS (August 27, 2020) —  Finally! After a pair of fight dates fell by the wayside, WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez and former world champion Viktor Postol are set to fight Saturday evening from the MGM Grand “Bubble” (ESPN+ coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET). They were scheduled to fight Feb. 2 in China and May 9 in Fresno, Calif., but the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled those plans.

In other action Saturday evening, junior welterweight contender Arnold Barboza Jr. will fight Canadian veteran Tony Luis, and Dominican knockout artist Elvis Rodriguez will look to extend his knockout streak to seven against Cody Wilson in a six-rounder at welterweight.

This is what Ramirez and Postol had to say at Thursday’s press conference.

Jose Ramirez

 “After the big win against Hooker, I am ready to go and continue my journey to become undisputed champion. I know Viktor Postol stands in the way of that, and he is a very experienced fighter. I have been training very, very hard for this fight.

“Due to the pandemic, the fight got rescheduled, but I stayed at the gym. I remained composed and patient. I have a great team and my family behind me. I’m a man of faith. I believe everything happens for a reason, and now that I’m here, I can’t wait to showcase my talent on August 29. I want to show the world how much I have grown and matured as a unified champion. My goal is to become {undisputed} world champion.

“For the first date for this fight, I did a full training camp. The fight got rescheduled the same day I was supposed to depart, but luckily, I didn’t get to the airport. For the second date, I was in camp for five weeks before I got the call that the fight was going to get canceled again. Now, this is another nine-week camp that I’ve been on. My last fight was 13 months ago, but it feels like it was yesterday because I’ve been in the gym the whole year and with this fight on my mind the whole time.”

Viktor Postol

“The first training camp was tough because I came to the U.S. two months before the fight and we actually departed to China for the first fight date. It was a long flight. This camp has also been very long. I came three months before the fight date, but I feel good. I feel ready to fight.

“Jose is a good fighter. He is a good champion, but I know I have a good chance to win this fight. I have the motivation because this fight is for two belts. I’ll be ready.”

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

Stockton, CA (August 27, 2020) – Three of the best boxers in Stockton, California will be featured on an internet Pay-Per-View on September 5th in Tijuana, Mexico.

In the six-round co-feature, undefeated Manuel Jaimes will battle Francisco Rubio in a six-round lightweight bout.

Jaimes, 20 years-old of Stockton, California has a record of 9-0 with eight knockouts is not afraid to take on good competition as he is coming off a 3rd round stoppage over Lorenzo Antonio Juarez (5-0) on June 26th in Tijuana. Jaimes, who is an action fighter, is a machinist in the ring. He grinds his opponents down. He has been promoted by Toscano Promotions since debuting.

Giovannie Gonzalez (10-5, 8 KOs) of Stockton, California battles undefeated Brandon Cortez (5-0, 4 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico in a lightweight fight.

Gonzalez is known for his huge heart, and his crowd pleasing style.

Wade Jones III (4-0, 2 KOs) of Stockton, California will take on Francisco Parra in a lightweight fight.

Jones is budding star, who has gifted ability, and will be looking to step up.

Toscano Promotions will present a great night of professional boxing when they present “Futuros Campeones II” from the Historic Jai Alai Palace Forum Entertainment Center in Tijuana, Mexico.

The outstanding show be will streamed live all over the world on bestinboxing.com

The free undercard will begin at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT With the main card beginning after the four-fight undercard. The main card can be seen for $9.99

The Free undercard will be hosted by Emmy-Award winner Courtney Perna, and can be seen on Fight Hub TV on You Tube, Abrams Boxing on Youtube, Best in Boxing on Facebook; Best in Boxing on Youtube ; Global Sports Streaming on Periscope / Twitter as well as globalsportsstreaming.com and bestinboxing.com

LAS VEGAS (August 27, 2020) —Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound heavyweight destroyer from Toledo, Ohio, returns for his third “Bubble” appearance Saturday, Sept. 5 at the MGM Grand Conference Center.

Anderson will take on nine-year pro and noted spoiler Rodney Hernandez in a bout scheduled for eight or six rounds on the undercard of an action-packed doubleheader featuring Jamel Herring’s WBO junior lightweight world title defense against Jonathan Oquendo and unbeaten super middleweight Steven Nelson against DeAndre Ware in a 10-rounder.

Anderson-Hernandez and additional undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 PT.

Anderson said, “I’ve made my home in the ‘Bubble’ this summer, and I’ve enjoyed coming to Las Vegas and putting on a heavyweight show for the fans. I don’t know too much about Rodney Hernandez, but I know he’s been in there with a lot of top guys and usually goes rounds.

“I can’t wait for this one. Top Rank keeps lining these guys up, and I’m knocking them out.”

The 20-year-old Anderson (5-0, 5 KOs) has opened eyes with four first-round knockouts in five outings since making his professional debut last October. He spent the early part of 2020 in camp with Tyson Fury as the lineal heavyweight champion readied to battle Deontay Wilder. When boxing returned, Anderson knocked out Johnnie Langston in three rounds in June and stopped Hector Perez in one round the following month. Hernandez (13-9-2, 4 KOs) has four wins over previously undefeated prospects, including a first-round stoppage over Onoriode Ehwarieme, who was 17-0 at the time.

In other undercard action:

San Antonio native Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (11-0, 7 KOs), a light flyweight prospect promoted by Teiken Promotions, will take on Puerto Rican veteran Janiel Rivera (18-6-3, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Rodriguez has won three straight by knockout, including an eighth-round stoppage Feb. 29 on the Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas undercard.

In a six-round battle of unbeaten welterweights, Christopher Gonzalez (7-0-1, 1 KO) will face D’Andre Smith (8-0, 5 KOs). Gonzalez, a ticket-seller in his hometown of Tucson, Ariz., has won four in a row since the lone draw on his ledger.

Colombian puncher Ruben Cervera (12-2, 10 KOs), who defeated Clay “3rd Degree” Burns via decision July 14 inside the “Bubble,” will fight New Orleans native Rennard Oliver (7-2-3, 0 KOs) in a six-rounder at junior lightweight.
Edward “Kid” Vazquez (7-0, 1 ND, 1 KO), from Fort Worth, Texas, will make his “Bubble” debut against Adan “Temo” Ochoa (11-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round junior lightweight tilt.
Philadelphia native Rashiem Jefferson (1-0), a former U.S. amateur star, will return to the ring against Jose Martinez (2-1, 1 KO) in a four-rounder at featherweight.
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month

Abass Baraou (9-0, 6 KOs) and Jack Culcay (28-4, 13 KOs) both made weight ahead of their hotly anticipated ‘Fight of The Year’ which takes place tomorrow night at the Havel Studios in Berlin.

The IBF eliminator will see Germany’s #1 and #2 ranked super welterweights clash, with 25-year-old Baraou looking to topple former World Champion Culcay.

IBF Super Welterweight Eliminator:
Abass Baraou: 69.5kg
Jack Culcay: 69.7kg

IBF Intercontinental Middleweight Title:
Vincent Feigenbutz: 71.8kg
Jama Saidi: 71.4kg

The event will take place on August 28th at the Havel Studios in Berlin and will be broadcast live on SPORT1. 

Las Vegas – UFC^® kicks off September with a battle between heavyweight KO artists, as No. 6 ranked contender Alistair Overeem faces No. 9 Augusto Sakai.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: OVEREEM vs. SAKAI will take place Saturday, September 5 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with the prelims kicking off at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.

A 21-year veteran who has competed against the MMA and kickboxing elite, Overeem (46-18 1NC, fighting out of Amsterdam, The Netherlands) still has his sights set on capturing UFC gold. Over the course of his legendary career, he has delivered memorable knockout wins over former champions Junior Dos Santos and Brock Lesnar, as well as Mark Hunt. Overeem now aims to stop another rising, young contender and re-assert himself as one of the most dangerous heavyweights on the planet.

Unbeaten since joining the UFC roster in 2018, Sakai (15-1-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) wasted no time in cracking the heavyweight division’s top 10. Originally signed following a spectacular performance on Dana White’s Contender Series, he has since secured impressive victories against Blagoy Ivanov, Marcin Tybura and former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. Sakai now hopes to take advantage of his first UFC main event opportunity by earning the biggest win of his career.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Former The Ultimate Fighter standout Sijara Eubanks (6-4, fighting out of Brick, NJ) seeks her second consecutive victory when she meets Karol Rosa (13-3, fighting out of Niteroi, RJ, Brazil) in a bantamweight showdown
• Michael Pereira (23-11 2NC, fighting out of Tucuma, Para, Brazil) looks to deliver another memorable performance when he takes on Zelim Imadaev (8-2, fighting out of Chechen Republic, Russia) at welterweight
• Former women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montano (5-3, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) goes for her first UFC bantamweight win against streaking Julia Avila (8-1, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.)
• Ricky Simon (16-3, fighting out of Vancouver, Wash.) locks horns with Brian Kelleher (21-11, fighting out of Selden, N.Y.) in an exciting featherweight bout
• Women’s flyweight contenders collide when No. 8 ranked Viviane Araujo (8-2, fighting out of Brasilia, DF, Brazil) meets No. 12 Montana De La Rosa (11-5, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas)
• In a clash of middleweight hopefuls, Andre Muniz (19-4, fighting out of Montes Claros, MG, Brazil) takes on Bartosz Fabinski (14-3, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland)
• Unbeaten heavyweight Alexandr Romanov (11-0, fighting out of Comrat City, Republic of Moldova) debuts against Marcos Rogerio De Lima (17-7-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• Talented lightweights clash when Thiago Moises (13-4, fighting out of Indaiatuba, Brazil) meets Jalin Turner (10-5, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.)
• Cole Smith (7-1, fighting out of Squamish, B.C., Canada) squares off with Hunter Azure (8-1, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) in a battle of promising bantamweight prospects

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

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment enterprise, features more than 50 assets – nine U.S. television networks, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN International, ESPN The Magazine and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

LOS ANGELES (August 27, 2020) – Former world champion Caleb “Golden” Truax outlined the adjustments made in his training camp and more as he prepares to take on the hard-hitting Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo this Saturday, August 29 in FOX PBC Fight Night action and on FOX Deportes from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

“Training camp was a little tricky with the pandemic, but we did most of our training at Lyke’s Boxing Gym in Spring Lake Park, MN.,” said Truax. “Me and my trainer Tom Halstead just moved there in December, but then the Governor shut everything down with the pandemic, so we had to adjust.

“Luckily, I have the keys to the gym, so I could go when I wanted and get a private workout in. It was tough to navigate everything being shut down, though. We had to make up ways to stay in shape. I was chopping wood and doing all sorts of crazy stuff outdoors to stay active. The only real negative was that my routine was interrupted. I’m a creature of habit and have basically been doing the same thing my whole career. But we rolled with the punches and were able to find creative ways to train. Plus it was great to be able to spend more time with my family.”

For Truax, 2019 saw a title eliminator against former champion Peter Quillin fall through twice. First, their April main event on FS1 ended in two rounds with a no-decision after Truax suffered a cut caused by an accidental head butt. Then, Truax suffered an Achilles injury heading into the planned rematch in September. Alfredo Angulo stepped in to replace Truax and defeated Quillin, again changing Truax’s plans.

“I had kind of an unlucky year and a half with the cut and the injury,” said Truax. “Watching Quillin and Angulo fight last September was definitely frustrating because that should have been me in there. But I’m a pretty low-key and even keel guy, so I just stayed calm and knew that I’d get my chance again, whether it was against Quillin or Angulo, or someone else.

“I knew Angulo was a great fighter, but I definitely favored Quillin going into the fight. I thought the judges got that one right, though. Angulo was able to push Quillin back and I thought the right man won.”

In Angulo, Truax faces a battle-tested opponent who has gone toe-to-toe with top champions such as Erislandy Lara and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. The hard-charging Angulo, who’s career resurgence comes under the guide of renowned coach Abel Sanchez, presents a style challenge that Truax looks forward to.

“I like when fighters come at me like Angulo typically does,” said Truax. “If Angulo comes at me, I plan to set the distance that I want to fight at. I’ve had some great sparring and even with the pandemic, I was able to get some work with good pressure fighters. So I’ll be ready for whatever he brings in the ring on Saturday.”

With a win on Saturday, Truax puts himself in a position to reclaim the IBF 168-pound title he won in 2017 by traveling the U.K. to upset James DeGale in his home country. That matchup with the current IBF champion, unbeaten Caleb Plant, is an opportunity Truax would relish.

“I think Caleb Plant is a really good boxer,” said Truax. “He’s very talented and one of the best in the division. Most importantly, he’s got the belt that I want to get back, so I hope I get the opportunity to face him.”

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ABOUT LARA VS. VENDETTI
Lara vs. Vendetti will see WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara battling Greg Vendetti in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes, Saturday, August 29 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo battling former world champion Caleb “Golden” Truax in an IBF Super Middleweight Title Eliminator. All programming can be live streamed in English and Spanish on the new FOX Sports app. FOX Deportes offers delayed coverage of all FOX and FS1 programming beginning at 10:00 PM ET.

The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Microsoft Theater, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles. Angulo vs. Truax is promoted in association with Warriors Boxing.

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.

(August 27, 2020) — Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois, the heavyweight division’s most feared young knockout artist, will defend his WBO International belt Saturday against Dutch upstart Ricardo Snijders in a scheduled 12-rounder from BT Sport Studio in London.
 
Dubois-Snijders headlines a scheduled six-bout card on ESPN+ beginning at 2 p.m. ET, which kicks off a boxing marathon exclusively on the streaming service. Later that day, WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez will defend his world titles against former world champion Viktor Postol (7:30 p.m. ET).
 
The 22-year-old Dubois (14-0, 13 KOs) went 5-0 with 5 knockouts in 2020, including a fifth-round demolition over the previously unbeaten Nathan Gorman. He won the British and Commonwealth titles to rise to the top of the domestic heavyweight crop and closed out the year last December with a second-round stoppage over Kyotaro Fujimoto. Dubois is well known to ESPN+ viewers, as his last seven bouts have streamed live on the platform. As he awaits a potential showdown with unbeaten countryman Joe Joyce, he must defeat Snijders (18-1, 8 KOs), who has fought all but one of his pro bouts in his home country.
 
In other streaming action on the Dubois-Snijders card:

• Junior bantamweight contender Sunny Edwards (14-0, 4 KOs) will defend his IBF International strap in a 12-rounder against noted spoiler Thomas Essomba (10-5, 4 KOs). Edwards recently captured the British title with a points win over Marcel Braithwaite, while Essomba has defeated unbeaten prospects in his last two bouts.
   
• WBO European junior welterweight champion Sam Maxwell (13-0, 11 KOs) will make the second defense of his belt in a 10-rounder against Joe Hughes (17-5-1, 7 KOs), a former English and European champion looking to break a two-bout losing skid.
   
• Light heavyweight prospect Willy Hutchinson (11-0, 7 KOs) will fight Ben Thomas (2-2-3, 1 KO) in a 10-rounder.
   
• Lightweight prospect Sam Noakes (3-0, 3 KOs) and rising heavyweight David Adeleye (2-0, 2 KOs) will also see action.
   

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 
 
Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

LAS VEGAS (August 27, 2020) – WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara shared his insights from training camp and discussed his upcoming battle against Greg Vendetti that headlines FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, August 29 from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Once the longest-reigning titleholder in the stacked 154-pound division, Lara returns to the ring after capturing the WBA title last August on FOX with a TKO victory over Ramon Alvarez.

Here is what Lara had to say about his matchup this Saturday and more, from training camp in Las Vegas:

On his recent training camp with coach Ismael Salas:
“Coach Salas and I have been working harmoniously together in Las Vegas, where I’ve been getting great sparring with top level guys. There are a lot of good fighters in Las Vegas that bring a lot of experience to my sparring sessions. My timing is right on point and I’m going to be very sharp in this fight.”

On making his 2020 ring return on FOX:
“It’s been way to long for me to be out of the ring. Now that it’s finally coming to that point where I’ll be fighting, I’m extremely excited. FOX is the most viewed television network in boxing, and I’m honored to be fighting on their network once again. The fan support that I get after fighting on FOX is incredible. Everyone should be tuning in because I’m going to put on a great show for everyone watching.”

On his upcoming matchup with Greg Vendetti:
“Just like everyone that I step in the ring with, they all come to dethrone me, and Vendetti will be no different. He’s coming into this fight with nothing to lose and that can be a dangerous situation, because he’s going to be in the best shape of his life. I’m not looking past him and if I get him hurt at any time in the fight, I’m going for the finish. I will end this fight early if I see blood.”

On what a win could lead to for his next fight:
“A victory puts me in line to fight the Charlo vs. Rosario winner, if that’s the direction my team wants to go. The goal for me is to unify the titles and become the undisputed champion of the 154-pound division. My body feels good and I feel I’m still the best fighter at super welterweight. Saturday night is another chance for me to show why.”

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ABOUT LARA VS. VENDETTI
Lara vs. Vendetti will see WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara battling Greg Vendetti in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes, Saturday, August 29 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo battling former world champion Caleb “Golden” Truax in an IBF Super Middleweight Title Eliminator. All programming can be live streamed in English and Spanish on the new FOX Sports app. FOX Deportes offers delayed coverage of all FOX and FS1 programming beginning at 10:00 PM ET.

The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Microsoft Theater, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles. Angulo vs. Truax is promoted in association with Warriors Boxing.

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.

FRANK WARREN WILL serve up a treble of top title action on October 10, live on BT Sport, featuring soon-to-be world middleweight title challenger Liam Williams, British welterweight champion Anthony Cacace and Commonwealth super welterweight ruler JJ Metcalf.

The destructive Williams – who is on a four-fight KO run at 160lbs – will defend his British title against his mandatory challenger Andrew Robinson (24-4-1) from Redditch. The 28-year-old, who is in mandatory position himself for the WBO world middleweight title held by Demetrius Andrade, will be seeking to maintain his reign of terror over the division while awaiting the purse bid process for his shot at the big prize.

Williams (22-2-1) won his title by defeating Mark Heffron in December 2018 and has defended once against Joe Mullender, while also picking up the WBC Silver title and WBO Intercontinental title with brutal stoppages of Karim Achour and Alantez Fox respectively.

Also on the card, Cacace (18-1) will defend his Lonsdale belt against Lyon Woodstock (12-2) in what is sure to be an all-action encounter. The Belfast man Cacace won the title last year by overcoming the then champion Sam Bowen in Birmingham, while former WBO European champion Woodstock from Leicester last saw action against Zelfa Barrett in 2019 when he was defeated on points in a Commonwealth title challenge.

JJ Metcalf (21-0) will defend his Commonwealth crown against former English champion Jack Flatley (16-1-1). The Liverpool man – also known as Kid Shamrock and firmly in the frame for British title honours – won his belt in June of last year by stopping former world title challenger Jason Welborn with a crippling left to the body in round eight.

Flatley, the ‘Quiet Storm’ from Bolton, became English champion by defeating Craig Morris in May 2019 before dropping his title on points to Harry Scarff in the September. The 25-year-old returned to winning ways by defeating Alastair Warren in December.

The title action is supplemented by three of the most exciting prospects in British boxing.

Thrilling bantamweight Dennis McCann will have his eighth professional fight after making a big statement last time out by stopping Brett Fidoe in the second round – only the second to halt Fidoe in 80 fights.

The Southampton snapper Ryan ‘The Piranha’ Garner (9-0) returns to business at super featherweight with a match against Birmingham’s experienced Sean Davies (14-14). He will be joined on the card by his teammate on the South Coast, Mark Chamberlain (6-0), who takes a step-up fight against Shaun Cooper (10-1) from Willenhall.

The 19-year-old welterweight Micky Burke jr completes the card with ‘The Gent’ taking part in his fourth professional fight.

Even though he has got bigger fish to fry in the pipeline, Williams insists he will approach his domestic defence against Robinson with his customary bludgeoning intent and went as far as to issue a health warning.

“I am obviously very, very confident and I know I will make a good job of him because I am training hard and I will turn up like I do for every other fight having left no stone unturned,” said the Welshman.

“I don’t think he is on my level but I am definitely not taking him lightly and I will approach the fight the way I do the others and that is with bad intentions.

“He is my mandatory and I think it is a dangerous fight because I think he could possibly get hurt. The referee and his team need to be careful and need to be looking after his health and interests because I genuinely think I could damage him.

“I am not sitting about waiting for the purse bids and when they said I could get out it was fantastic news for me. I was delighted and I just can’t wait to fight. I hoped to fight even earlier but now I am headlining and it is worth waiting another two weeks to have that top spot.

“I wanted to stay busy and they have given me what I asked for. Now it is up to me to produce the goods again.”

Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren added: “This is another top show involving the top fighters we are delivering to the fans on BT Sport again.

“Liam Williams has blazed a trail through the middleweight division in a blistering fashion that has captured the imagination of the public. He is a big player now who is on the cusp of a world title shot that will be right in play once travel and crowd restrictions have been eased.

“He is still the British champion and Andrew Robinson is his mandatory challenger, so Liam has got genuine business to attend to on the night and I know it is a job he will be taking seriously.

“Anthony Cacace and Lyon Woodstock should be a real barnstormer and the winner of this one will be an excellent position to secure more big fights in what is a thriving super featherweight division. I am also looking forward to seeing JJ Metcalf back in action against Jack Flatley. JJ has been absent through injury and if he comes through this and retains his Commonwealth title there are massive fights in front of him on the domestic super welterweight front.

“I am also delighted to showcase three of the most captivating talents in the game in Dennis McCann, Mark Chamberlain and Ryan Garner on the same card. I am convinced in a few years’ time that these three will be competing for headline status on the big shows with major titles at stake.”