Boston (February 28, 2020):

Murphys Boxing is proud to announce the full line up for their 5th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Clash which will take place on Saturday, March 14th once again at the House of Blues in Boston.

Headlining the already near sold out event will be New Haven, Connecticut’s Charles Foster (19-0, 8 KOs). Foster, the current NABA Light Heavyweight Champion will defend his title against Mexico’s Manuel Ceballos (17-2, 11 KOs) in a 10 round bout.

Foster, who has been quietly climbing the ranks while putting on a series of flawless performances on platforms like Showtime and UFC Fight Pass over the past two years, is now ranked #4 in the world by the WBA and ready to fight for a world title in 2020.

“It’s been a childhood dream of mine to reach this level of the sport.”, explains the soft spoken and humble 29 year old southpaw.

“It’s surreal to think that I’m ranked in the Top 5 and in a position to fight for a world title. It does keep me humble and focused though knowing I’m so close. It makes me work that much harder in the gym. I know I need to make a real statement on March 14th to get one of the top tier light heavyweights in the ring with me for a title or for a title eliminator.”

Having appeared on Murphys Boxing’s last St. Patrick’s Day event, Foster is well aware that it isn’t the average boxing card.

“This is my second time fighting on a Murphys Boxing St. Patrick’s Day card. It’s a wild energy from the crowd. Fighting on stage with the audience looking up at you like a concert is amazing. It was easily my favorite venue and event of all my pro fights and I’m really excited to be part of it again.”

In the first of the dual co-main events, it’s a bona fide Irish grudge match when Islandeady, Ireland native and Murphys Boxing’s own Ray Moylette (11-1, 4 KOs) takes on Clones, Ireland’s Larry Fryers (11-2, 4 KOs), who now lives and fights out of New York City.

The two prospects, with their nearly identical records, were scheduled to face each other this past summer but visa issues prevented Moylette from entering the country just days before the fight which created a friction between the two fighters.

Now ‘Sugar’ Ray and ‘Lethal’ Larry, who have each been each adopted by the rival sports cities of Boston and New York, will settle their differences in the ring on St. Patrick’s Day weekend with the New England Lightweight Title on the line in an 8 round bout.

The night’s other co-feature will see the return of Murphys Boxing’s popular Irish heavyweight, Niall Kennedy (13-1-1, 8 KOs).

Kennedy is coming off his first loss this past summer when he was upset by USA Olympian, Devin Vargas in a back and forth brawl. Despite the setback, the big man from Gorey, Ireland will not face a soft touch in his comeback fight as he takes on the heavy handed North Carolina brawler, Don Haynesworth (16-3-1, 14 KOs) in an 8 round bout.

Kennedy, who is a police officer in his hometown, has been become a fan favorite in Boston having fought almost his entire professional career in the New England area including several past appearances at the annual Murphys Boxing holiday event.

The Clash will also feature a sensational undercard of local and international fighters including:

Murphys Boxing’s Carlos Gongora (18-0, 13 KOs), an Ecuadorian Olympian and the #13 ranked middleweight in the world who will face Argentina’s Gonzalo Coria (16-3, 6 KOs) with the WBC Fecarbox Title on the line in a 10 round middleweight bout.

Irish amateur sensation and the jointly promoted Murphys Boxing and DiBella Entertainment fighter, Joe Ward (0-1), whose highly anticipated debut last year ended with a freak knee injury, will return looking for his first professional victory vs Woburn, Massachusetts’ Leandro Silva (2-3, 3 KOs) in a 6 round light heavyweight bout.

Murphys Boxing’s local favorite, Mike Ohan Jr. (9-1, 5 KOs) a second generation professional fighter from Holbrook, Massachusetts will take on Jersey City, New Jersey’s Jordan Rosario (3-10) in a 6 round welterweight contest.

Power punching prospect, Luis Arcon Diaz (10-0, 10 KOs), a Venezuelan Olympian and recent Murphys Boxing signee will face Brazil’s Rodrigo Tatijewski (8-1, 7 KOs) in a 6 round junior welterweight bout.

Last but not least, the night will be kicked off by the east coast debut of Oxnard, California’s, Danny Robles (2-0-1, 2 KOs), who has displayed unnatural power in his first 3 professional fights. ‘The Dawg’ will take on Framingham, Massachusetts’ Jader Alves de Oliveira, an MMA veteran who will be making his professional boxing debut in the 4 round super featherweight contest.

“The St. Patrick’s Day Clash is my favorite promotion of the year and one that our fighters and fans really look forward to.”, explains, Murphys Boxing founder and Dropkick Murphys frontman, Ken Casey.

“The atmosphere that’s created when you put boxing on in a general admission, standing room only concert venue, let alone on St. Patrick’s Day weekend in Boston, creates a unique and intense experience.”

As for the incredibly busy and successful year the promotional company is coming off of, Casey, who will also play 5 consecutive shows with Dropkick Murphys throughout Boston during St. Patrick’s Day week, including an acoustic set in ring on fight night, is even more excited about what the new year holds for Murphys Boxing.

“2020 is just getting started and it’s already been an amazing year for Murphys Boxing. First we had Spike O’Sullivan in the year’s first high profile fight, when he went up in weight to face Jaime Munguia at the Alamodome. Spike made it an exciting war that already has him in line for a title shot back in the junior middleweight division. Then of course just last month, Mark DeLuca, one of our most popular fighters, traveled to Kell Brook’s hometown and put on a gutsy performance in what was a massive event in the UK. That fight earned Mark a lot of new fans and opportunities. In 2020, we’re expecting two of our Top 10 ranked fighters, Charles Foster and Abraham Nova to fight for, and win, world titles and we also plan on putting our undefeated prospects like Carlos Gongora, Luis Arcon Diaz and William Foster III in position to enter the world rankings.”

Murphys Boxing’s 5th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Clash takes place on Saturday, March 14th in Boston, Massachusetts at the House of Blues (15 Lansdowne Street). Doors open at 7pm. The night will also feature a special “in ring” acoustic performance by Dropkick Murphys and an appearance from Belfast rappers, Kneecap.

ABOUT MURPHYS BOXING

Murphys Boxing was founded by Dropkick Murphys’ frontman, Ken Casey in 2014. In just 6 years, Murphys Boxing has become the premier boxing promoter in the New England area and one of the hottest young promotions in the country. Murphys Boxing’s current roster features Top 10 world ranked champions like Charles Foster, Abraham Nova and Mark DeLuca, Top 20 world ranked contenders like Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan, Carlos Gongonra and Greg Vendetti and undefeated prospects like William Foster III, Luis Arcon Diaz and more!

For more information visit: www.murphysboxing.com

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. (Feb. 28, 2020): Golden Boy has added another elite athlete to its stable as IBF Light Flyweight World Titlist Felix “El Gemelo” Alvarado (35-2, 30 KOs) has signed a promotional agreement with the company. Alvarado is set to return at a soon-to-be-announced date.

Felix Alvarado is the 31-year-old twin brother of WBA Super Featherweight world champion Rene Alvarado. A native of Managua, Nicaragua, Felix debuted in 2010 and spent the next few years moving up the rankings before having two back-to-back world title opportunities against Kazuto Ioka in 2013 and Juan Carlos Reveco in 2014. Though unsuccessful, he was not deterred as he scored 15 straight victories before defeating Filipino Randy Petalcorin on enemy territory to become the IBF Light Flyweight World Champion. Alvarado is ready to take his career to the next level by joining his brother Rene in the Golden Boy stable.

“Golden Boy is one of the biggest promoters in boxing,” said Felix Alvarado. “So, I have no doubt that this is the home where I belong, especially since my career will be guided by the legendary Oscar De La Hoya himself. At the same time, this signing is doubly satisfying because my brother Rene is also promoted by Golden Boy, and that’s where he became a world champion. That’s why I am confident that I made the right decision by signing with them.”

“Our stable just keeps getting better and stronger,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “This signing demonstrates that not only can we develop world champions like we have done with Canelo Alvarez and Joseph Diaz Jr., but we can also recruit them in order to take their careers to the next level. We are happy that Felix Alvarado is accompanying his brother Rene by joining the Golden Boy stable. It really is an impressive feat that we have two world champions who are also twin brothers. Expect them to fight on the same card very soon.”

About Golden Boy
Los Angeles-based Golden Boy was established in 2002 by Oscar De La Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. Golden Boy is a media and entertainment brand committed to making fighting entertainment more accessible and affordable. The company’s in-house production team develops creative original programming for RingTV.com and international channels across the globe. The company holds the exclusive rights to top boxers and has promoted some of the biggest and highest grossing events in the history of the sport. Now, Golden Boy is one of the most successful boxing entertainment companies in the world and shapes the future of boxing for fighters and fans alike through its 2019 partnership with streaming platform, DAZN.

Charlotte, NC (February 27, 2020) – Undefeated Junior Welterweight prospect LaVonte Earley (10-0, 5 KOs) is fighting for more then a place on the elite list of fighters.

In fact, any accolade he shall receive maybe just a cherry on top of his real motivation.

The 25 year-old who has been a professional for four-years, is motivated by his promoter, who actually happens to be his mother, Lavonda.

Lavonda was diagnosed with stage-four Liver Cancer in 2011. That precipitated Lavonda to be more involved in her children’s endeavors, which included LaVonte’s boxing career, which began at the age of 15.

Lavonda started Vegas Grand Promotions, and LaVonte has been a staple on those shows.

“I am just promoting him for now, as we have interest from several well known and more established Promoters. Because of my diagnosis I know l won’t be able to continue to finance his career so my goal is to get him ready to move on to the bigger stage,” said LaVonda

“My mother literary gave up everything to help support me in my career, which is something I can never ever truly repay her back for. It’s super, super important to me that I not only do what I’m supposed to do, but I can make her proud and give her something to brag about at church,” Earley recently told Fox 46 News in Charlotte.

LaVonte will be back in action on March 28th atRocky River High School.

LaVonte was recently featured on FOX 46 in Charlotte, and that story can be viewed below.

To Visit LaVonda Earley’s Cancer Foundation

Watch the Fox 46 Story on LaVonte Earley

To Follow LaVonte Earley:

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For More Information, visit:

www.wcgsociety.com

NEWCASTLE, ENG- Lee Baxter Promotions’ talented prospect Lee Reeves (5-0) returns to action in Newcastle, England on February 29th at the Eagles Community Arena.

Even though it is Reeves’ birthday today, a professional takes no days off on fight week. Reeves jumped on the scale with an official weight of 142 lbs.

The native of Limerick Ireland is poised to add another spectacular victory against his opponent Artur Davydenko who weighed in at 144.8 lbs. The young Irishman possess all the ingredients to become a serious contender in the super lightweight division. With an undefeated record that includes 4 KOs, he has power, speed and the athleticism to match his Hollywood looks.

“2020 is gonna be massive for Lee Reeves. My best performance is ahead of me. This 2020 is about staying busy and get my name on the world scene,” said Reeves.

With all the buzz surrounding this kid and superstar endorsements from the likes of; Tyson Fury, Billie Joe Saunders and Kell Brook, Reeves is the real deal.

This show is the first of many to come between Lee Baxter Promotions working with MTK Global and IFL TV. The card can be streamed February 29th on the iFL TV YouTube channel starting 12:00pm EST. Click HERE to watch!

BROOKLYN (February 28, 2020) – Veteran heavyweight contender Robert Helenius shared updates from training camp as he prepares to battle undefeated Polish star Adam Kownacki in a WBA Heavyweight Title eliminator that headlines FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, March 7 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

“I spent four weeks of training camp at home in Finland, training in the Aland Islands, then I sparred for a week in Alabama at Deontay Wilder’s gym,” said Helenius. “It was a great experience and I learned a lot being around so many good fighters while working with my coach Johan Lindstrom. Sparring fighters like Robert Alfonso and Nathan Gorman will definitely help me be at my best on March 7.”

Helenius most recently knocked out Mateus Roberto Osorio in November, after an unsuccessful U.S. debut in July that he dropped to former title challenger Gerald Washington. Helenius is confident that he’s corrected the errors that led to that defeat.

“In the Washington fight, I relaxed in the later rounds,” said Helenius. “I got too comfortable and I know that I cannot do that again. I’m going to fight Kownacki from the first bell to the end and show the U.S. fans what I can do in the ring.”

In Kownacki, Helenius faces a tough challenge against an unbeaten rising contender. Kownacki brings an action packed style and relentlessly comes forward, rarely giving his opponent a chance to breathe.

“Adam is a heavy brawler and a good fighter, but his boxing skills are not that strong,” said Helenius. “That’s where I believe I have the advantage. I know that I can out box him if that is the best strategy on fight night. The fans are going to see two different styles collide.”

Another challenge that this fight presents is that Helenius will be fighting Kownacki in his hometown of Brooklyn, where Kownacki has shown he can create an unfriendly atmosphere for his opponents.

“I’m not worried at all about where the fight is taking place,” said Helenius. “I just have to stay true to my style and the rest will take care of itself. I can’t let the crowd force me to fight a style that is not mine. I’m going to use my skills to get this win.”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available for purchase now at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

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ABOUT KOWNACKI VS. HELENIUS
Kownacki vs. Helenius will see undefeated Polish star and Brooklyn native Adam Kownacki look to thrill his hometown crowd when he takes on Robert Heleniusin a 12-round WBA Heavyweight Title eliminator in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, March 7 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features undefeated heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba facing former title challenger Razvan Cojanu in the 10-round co-main event and rising heavyweight Frank Sánchez stepping in to face Philadelphia’s Joey Dawejko in the 10-round televised opener.

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, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

Undisputed World Welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus will defend her titles against unified Super-Lightweight champion Jessica McCaskill at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland on Friday April 17, live on DAZN.
 
Braekhus (36-0 9 KOs) will put her 147lbs belts on the line for the tenth time having claimed all the straps in September 2014, and victory for the ‘First Lady’ will see the Norwegian sensation break Joe Louis record of 25 consecutive World title defenses, with the 38 year old’s record stretching back to her first World title fight in her 11^thpro outing in March 2009.
 
McCaskill (8-2 3 KOs) will be desperate to snap that streak in Maryland though, and the Chicago star has undoubtably been one of the great success stories in the last year of women’s boxing. ‘CasKILLA’ bounced back from a close loss to then-WBA World champion Katie Taylor in London in December 2017 to win the WBC Super-Lightweight crown in October 2018 on her home turf and then unified the division in Maryland in May 2019.
 
Pound-for-pound star Braekhus will be out to make history on the night but McCaskill can become a two-weight World champion and continue her phenomenal run of form in this standout fight on the undercard of the clash of former World Super-Lightweight champions Regis Prograis and Maurice Hooker.
 
“I’m very excited to battle Jessica McCaskill on April 17,” said Braekhus. “She is a unified World champion and a formidable opponent for me. However, following my victory in November I only took a short time off from training and will be well prepared for this very tough challenge.
 
“Thanks very much to my team for their efforts in bringing me this opportunity and to my fans all over the world, I can’t wait to put on a great show for you in Maryland.”
 
“This is a fight I wanted,” said McCaskill. “I want to fight the biggest names and the best fighters. Nothing less. My name is up there with the best in female history and I want to continue on that path. Every time I fight its exciting and not only for female boxing but for boxing – period.” 
 
“This is a fantastic fight on what is going to be another brilliant night of boxing on DAZN,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Cecilia is one of the greatest female fighters of all time and still the ‘First Lady’ has huge ambitions to achieve even more greatness in the sport.
 
“But what a breakthrough star Jessica has become since landing her World title in Chicago – it’s been a fairytale rise and she wants to go onto achieve greatness like her foe in Maryland. Jessica always brings it on the night and victory over Cecilia would top everything she has done so far, and that’s saying something.
 
“We have so much more great action to add to this card and I cannot wait for a huge night on April 17 in Maryland.”
 
Further undercard action will be added in the coming days and an announcement on ticket on-sale dates will be made early next week.

Saint Petersburg,FL (February 28, 2020) -This Saturday night, a rematch 10-years in the making as heavyweight’s Laura Ramsey and Gwendolyn O’Neil battle at the Saint Petersburg Marriott Clearwater.

The 11 bout card is promoted by T&K Boxing Promotions.

Both women got their final thoughts in, as they wind down training camp just two days before their encounter.

“I had a good training camp. She wanted the rematch, so we are going to do this. I feel that I have an advantage because I won the first fight,” Said O’Neil.

Said Ramsey, “My training camp did not go as planned. I had a death of a family friend, so that affected me. About two years ago, I wanted to retire and Gwendolyn reached out to me. Over the last couple of years, we spoke a few times about doing this rematch and she was interested.”

“We are both champions. She fought Laila Ali twice. In fact the 2nd time she fought Laila, it was supposed to me. I signed for that fight. We are the only two credible heavyweights out there, so if this is our last fights, we mind as well go out with a bang. It makes sense to have the fight here as I started my first amateur fight in Saint Petersburg, so I mind as well finish here. The first fight with Gwendolyn was on a card promoted by her people. so this fight is promoted by my desired promoters. This is a fight that I HAVE TO WIN. I want to even the score with her. We are both 50 years-old and the combined age has to be a record. I don’t think any fight has a combined age of 100, so not only will this be a great fight, but it will be historical.”

In a six-round bout, undefeated super middleweight Sonny Duversonne (10-0-2, 7 KOs) of Avon Park, Florida takes on 55-fight veteran Larry Smith of Dallas, Texas.

In four-round bouts:

Jasmine Artiga (7-0, 4 KOs) of Tampa, Florida takes on Myrka Aguayo (3-2) of Tijuana, Mexico in a super flyweight bout.

Felix Santana (4-0, 3 KOs) of Ocala, Florida fights Ayron Palmer (0-3) in a super lightweight fight.

Jarred Jarvais (2-0) of New Port Richey, Florida battles Fernando Marrero (0-3) of Miami in a featherweight tussle.

Brandon Moore of Lakeland, Florida makes his pro debut against Nick Pinnock (0-1-1) of Tallahassee, Florida in a heavyweight affair

Iron Alvarez (9-0, 9 KOs) of Winter Haven, Florida squares off with Jorge Luis Santos Guzman (7-9-1, 2 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico in a super featherweight bout.

Joseph Fernandez (12-3-3, 3 KOs) of Saint Petersburg, Florida will take on Carlos Pena (5-26-2, 2 KOs) of Erie, PA in a super lightweight fight.

Armando Moran (2-1, 2 KOs) of Wahneta, Florida fights Matthew Knauss (0-1) of Fernandina Beach, Florida in a featherweight affair

Evander Lamourt (5-2, 1 KO) takes on Ubaldo Lara (1-1) of Indianapolis in a lightweight competition.

Arnold Hill (11-14, 6 KOs) of Saint Petersburg, Florida takes on undefeated Ty McLoed (4-0, 4 KOs) of Bradenton, Florida in a light heavyweight fight.

Tickets for this outstanding evening of boxing are:

$40 for General Admission, $60 for Reserved, $70 for VIP Preferred, $80 per seat for 3rd and 4th row VIP table, $90 per seat for 2nd row VIP table, and $100 per seat for front row VIP table. (All tables are tables of 8)

Tickets can be bought online at https://tkallornothing2.bpt.me.

Tickets can also be purchased from all fighters on the card or at T&K Auto Collision at 2823 Overpass Road, Units 7&8 Tampa, FL 33619 or Main Events Boxing Gym @ 2575 28th Ave North, St. Petersburg, FL 33713.

It all goes down TONIGHT on FITE.TV ($19.99 US & Canada, $9.99 outside the US & Canada)! Star Boxing’s critically acclaimed “Rockin’ Fights” series returns to The Paramount, featuring Long Island’s knockout artist, CLETUS “THE HEBREW HAMMER SELDIN, world rated heavyweight CARLOS TAKAM, and undefeated Long Island prospects, WENDY TOUSSAINT & ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS. All seven fights will be available via FITE.TV.

FITE, the world leader in the digital distribution of combat sports will stream the event live on the www.FITE.TV website, FITE mobile apps for iOS, Android, and the FITE channels of Amazon Fire, Android, Apple TV, and Roku on a PPV basis. The FITE PPV will stream all five bouts and be available for just $19.99 in the US & Canada and $9.99 outside of the US/Canada. Check availability in your area by going to the FITE.tv website.

If you are subscribed, you can catch all of the action on FIGHTNETWORK across the U.S., including Altice, Suddenlink, Centurylink, Shentel, Armstrong Cable, Grande Communications and Buckeye Cable systems.

Due to the extreme demand, Star Boxing has added limited tickets for tonight’s “Rockin’ Fights” which can be purchased, HERE.

The Paramount Doors open at 6:30PM, first bout at 7:30PM.
Bouts subject to change.

For Immediate Release Impact Boxing on the Impact Network premiered on February 1st with the triumphant return of former champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout. The New Mexico native’s 2nd round knockout victory capped a tripleheader in front of a sold out crowd in his native New Mexico.

Next up for Impact Boxing is the March 27th “Philly Special” card that is being promoted by Raging Babe in association with DiBella Entertainment with Hall of Fame promoter Russell Peltz in charge of the matchmaking.

Impact Boxing will return the following week on April 4th at a venue to be determined with another fight night promoted by Tapia Promotions.

Plans are underway for 5 more shows between now and June. The Impact Boxing series will officially kick off in June with a loaded schedule that includes 48 dates that will run through June, 2021. The official launch will take place in Detroit and a week of festivities are currently being planned to celebrate Impact’s foray into boxing.

In addition to working with Tapia Promotions, Raging Babe and DiBella Entertainment, Impact Boxing executive producer Steven Marcano said that they are also in negotiations with Main Events, Don King Productions and a major promoter that will be revealed in the near future.

Impact Network is available in over 86 million homes in the US and 3 million in the Caribbean. Stay tuned for more information.

LAS VEGAS – February 27, 2020 – Undefeated rising super lightweight prospect Keith “The Bounty” Hunter and talented Sanjarbek “War” Rakhmanov both made weight a day before their anticipated rematch and ShoBox: The New Generation 10-round main event on Friday, February 28 live on SHOWTIME (10:45 p.m. ET/PT) from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas.

Hunter (11-0, 7 KOs) and Rakhmanov (12-2-1, 6 KOs) first met on February 5, 2019, in an eight-round welterweight contest that resulted in a narrow-split decision victory for Hunter. Although Hunter controlled the action in the early rounds and scored a knockdown in the second, Rakhmanov recovered and landed some heavy blows in the later rounds. The scorecards read 77-74, 76-75 and 75-76.

In the ShoBox co-main event, 2016 Olympian and undefeated super lightweight prospect Richardson Hitchins (10-0, 5 KOs) takes on Rhode Island’s Nick DeLomba (16-2, 5 KOs) in a 10-round bout. Once-beaten Las Vegas native Kevin Newman II (11-1-1, 6 KOs) faces Albania’s Genc Pllana (7-1-1, 4 KOs) in a 10-round super middleweight matchup to open the telecast.

Tickets for the Mayweather Promotions’ Sin City Showdown start at $25 and can be purchased at: https://mayweatherpromotions.com/events/.

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

FINAL WEIGHTS

Super Lightweight 10-Round Bout

Keith Hunter – 141 ½ lbs.

Sanjarbek Rakhmanov – 143 lbs.

(Contracted weight is 143 pounds)

Referee: Robert Byrd; Judges: Lisa Giampa, Max DeLuca, Tim Cheatham

Super Lightweight 10-Round Bout

Richardson Hitchins – 141 ¼ lbs.

Nick DeLomba – 141 ½ lbs.

Referee: Russell Mora; Judges: Adalaide Byrd, Richard Ocasio, Chris Flores

Super Middleweight 10-Round Bout

Kevin Newman II – 167 ¾ lbs.

Genc Pllana – 168 lbs.

Referee: Jay Nady; Judges: Patricia Morse Jarman, Tim Cheatham, Glenn Trowbridge

Note: All refs and judges are from Nevada

FINAL QUOTES:

Keith Hunter

“I think I convincingly beat him the first time. It’s good that I’m getting him a second time because I’m going to show that it’s not even going to be close. I could see how some people thought it was a close fight the first time, but it won’t be close this time. He got some clean shots on me, but he never hurt me. I dropped him early. If I didn’t do that, it could have been a different story.

“I’m going to get him out of there. I think it’s going to be an exciting fight. I had unleaded gas the last time around, but I now have premium gas in the tank.

“He got me with one body shot. But there was really nothing up top that hurt me. With our styles, it’s always going to be the matador vs. the bull. The slugger vs. the boxer. I think this will be a similar fight as the last fight, but I’m going to be more effective this time. I’m going to hunt him. I’m a bounty hunter.

“I don’t really want to leave it to the judges. There will be a time in the fight where I’m going to hurt him. When I do, I have to assess my energy and how he takes it. From there, I will decide to apply pressure or just keep boxing him and beating him.

“I want anybody at 140. I want the top guys: Josh Taylor, Regis Prograis. But now, to be honest, I really want Malik Hawkins. Now it’s personal. He can fight for a tall guy. He can fight in the pocket but Darwin Price was beating him until his leg gave out. I want him next.”

Sanjarbek Rakhmanov

“I heard about the new opponent one week ago. I’ve been wanting this rematch forever. I one hundred percent feel that I won that fight. I was dominating for five or six rounds. I’m so happy that this will be a 10-round fight. The more rounds I have, the better my chance. We had him last time, and I let him off the hook. That was a mistake and I won’t let him off the hook this time.

“I was waiting too much in the first few rounds. I started too slow. This time, I will start fast. I give him respect for taking the rematch. I’m very motivated. I want to avenge the loss. I want to make everybody know that the judges made a mistake the first time. There is a lot on the line and this win will open many doors for me.

“I am more excited for this fight than for the first fight. This is my second time fighting on SHOWTIME and this is the main event. It’s a huge opportunity for me.

“I started so slow in the last fight. It wasn’t until I was knocked down until I woke up and realized that I was in a real fight. That’s when I started fighting my fight and started dominating. But it was really my own fault. The punch didn’t hurt me, but it woke me up. I think Hunter is a good fighter. He can take a punch. I hurt him with a couple body shots. I can’t wait for Friday night to show the world I am the better fighter.”

Richardson Hitchins

“I was pretty disappointed in the last few rounds in my last fight against Kevin Johnson. He capitalized on some mistakes I made, specifically with my left hand being down. I knew if I wanted to get better, that was just something I had to go back home and adjust on. That shouldn’t happen again. I think it was a good learning experience for me. It’s better that it happened early in my career so that I can learn from it.

“It wasn’t just my hand speed that won me the fight. I think I was smarter than him. I got hit with a couple right hands but I got the win. I went back and did my homework. Andre Ward is one of my favorite fighters and he got hurt early on in his career. He adjusted from that and that’s what I plan to do.

“I think you’re going to see a different Richardson Hitchins this fight. Based on DeLomba’s style and me studying the sport, I don’t think he has the defense that my last opponent had. His only chance is to come forward and make this a dog fight. It’s hard to make it a dog fight with me. I feel like I’m going to shine tomorrow.

“I think my last fight was a statement. That kid could fight. I may not have been at my best, but I fought a really good fighter. Even Floyd [Mayweather] was surprised that I took that fight, because he told me that kid could really fight. After the fight, I asked Floyd what I could do better. He just told me that there were some technical things I could switch up, but he said that both of us could really fight. I give so much respect to Kevin Johnson. I was able to learn a lot from that match. He’s only lost to two Olympians, so that says a lot about him.

“I think I have a good inside game, but in a fight I’m more comfortable out-boxing you. It fits my skillset more. If I don’t have to get in a brawl, I’m not going to. Eventually, I’m going to have to show that I can do it.”

Nick DeLomba

“I feel good at 140 pounds. I’ve even fought at 137 before. I’m comfortable at lighter weights. I fought tough fights coming out the gates. I beat guys as the ‘B side’ fighter. I’ve taken the tough road. I’ve always wanted to fight on SHOWTIME. I made it to Vegas. I made it to SHOWTIME. It’s an honor to have this opportunity. There’s definitely a sense of urgency with this fight. This is make-or-break.

“I just need to fight my fight. I need to stay busy and give him trouble. Give him different angles. I’m tough to figure out. I just need to be that awkward fighter that he hasn’t seen yet. He’s fought on SHOWTIME before. He’s the prospect. I’m the guy being brought in to fight him. I need to show that I’m more than just a stepping stone for him. He’s never had to dig deep. I want to make him dig deep. I know my role, and I’m here to play spoiler.

“I’m proven. I’m tested. We’re going to test him. I have more fights. I have the experience. I think that is what will give me the advantage Friday night.”

Kevin Newman II

“You guys saw the real me the last time I was on ShoBox. As soon as I came out, I came out stepping to him and popping the jab. It was a totally different fight from the first time and I could tell immediately once he started backing up. Throughout the whole training camp, I knew I had to go and right my wrong. The first time I lost to him, I called Leonard Ellerbe immediately and told him I wanted the rematch. It took a couple years, but I was able to right that wrong.

“To this day, so many people tell me I look like Roy Jones in the way that I fight. I don’t want to be Roy Jones. I want to take certain things from his game and implement them into mine, but I want to be my own fighter. Who better than the man himself to bring in and help me? The same thing with Floyd Mayweather. I always watched him and I took a lot from his game that I liked, especially defensively. I still have more work cut out for me if I want to be mentioned in the same sentence as him. But in terms of talent, people see what they see. I take so much from Roy Jones. Sometimes, when I put the tassels on my boots, I feel like I’m him. He’s my idol. Everything he says to me is gold to me.

“I want to bring back the excitement to boxing. Even if you’re not knocking out everybody like Deontay Wilder or Tank Davis, I still want people to leave saying that I put on a show. There’s a lot of work to be done, but we’re going to get it done.

“I just need to stay focused and keep winning. I need to keep showing my talent and the skills that I have. I still feel like there’s another 60 percent that people haven’t seen from me. Roy Jones and the rest of my team are bringing that out of me. I just want to keep going out there and putting on a show and everything else will fall into place.

“He has an awkward, unorthodox style. But this is boxing, you have to go out there and be able to adjust. We have a great game plan. We’ve been working on that game plan in the gym so I’m going to go out there and do exactly what my team tells me. There’s not a guy in the division with faster hands than me. He won’t be able to handle that.”

Genc Pllana

“I had about two weeks’ notice for this fight. But I was ready for a March 14 fight, so I’m in good shape and right on weight. People think that I’m going to be an easy opponent based on my style, but I think I’m a really frustrating guy to fight.

“I’m already a confident fighter, and my last fight against Henderson gave me even more confidence. I think I could have stopped him in my last fight. Honestly, confidence has never been an issue for me. I believe I’ll be the first Albanian world champion. I believe I’d beat Roy Jones in his prime, so that really doesn’t bother me at all. If he thinks that’s going to bother me, he has another thing coming.

“I don’t care who I’m fighting, or who’s in the other guy’s corner. In the ring, it’s me vs. him. That’s all that matters. I think this will be a coming out party for me. After Friday night, fight fans will be saying that ‘The Sexy Albanian’ really is sexy.”

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For more information visit: www.sho.com/sports, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, follow on Twitter: @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, , @mayweathersprts and, Instaram: @mayweatherpromotions, @showtimeboxing, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions #ShoBox #SinCityShowdown

About ShoBox: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 81 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Tommy Santiago, a standout high school football star and accomplished amateur boxer, will enter the ring for his first pro fight on March 27 at 2300 Arena, and his dad will be in his corner.

To spectators, it’s another father-son team, made slightly more interesting because Tommy is the second Santiago son to turn pro. Brother Milton, Jr., is an undefeated lightweight.

That Milton Sr., can walk up the steps and wave the towel for his son belies the real story — one about a father who died and was brought back to life less than a year ago, who is waiting for a life-altering call. It’s a story about a mother who pulls double-duty to provide for her family and care for her husband. It’s about the son, a prodigal football talent, who sacrificed his spot at a top football high school to help keep his family afloat, and now is embarking on a professional boxing career. It’s a story about their past and current struggles, and the grit, determination and faith that has seen them through a slow, grinding, water torture-style drip of pain and adversity.

A few years ago, the Santiago family had outgrown their two-bedroom home. With three teenage boys–Milton Jr., Tommy and young Nicco–they packed their home and moved into a fixer-upper in the suburbs. Milton, Sr., was a talented painter who had worked for some of the most prestigious home builders in Philadelphia.

Mom Brenda worked at a kitchen gadget manufacturing company for 20 years, where she climbed the ladder, wearing various hats and helping to provide a comfortable life for her family.

It was not long after their 2017 move that Milton Sr., began noticing he wasn’t himself. Over the next few years his health would deteriorate. Once a husky, active painter and boxing coach, he shriveled away. After bouncing from doctor to hospital, he received a dual diagnosis of kidney failure and an infection that had spread to his bones. Brenda went from being a working mom to a working mom and caregiver, waking up Milton, Jr., to help carry his dad to the car at 5:30 in each morning. She’d drive him to dialysis before work, and then take an early lunch each day to get him home.

Tommy enrolled at Archbishop Wood High School, a private, Catholic school in Warminster, PA, known for its elite football program; tuition was $9,000 per year. He was a star running back, scoring 20 touchdowns and gaining nearly 1700 yards as a Junior. His younger brother, a standout basketball player, also attended Archbishop Wood.

Wheelchair bound and unable to walk, Milton Sr., was embarrassed to go to his sons’ games. Brenda had to help him get to the bathroom and clean him. Milton Jr., put his career on hold to help care for his father. It was a dark time for the family; bills were piling up as Milton Sr., got sicker.

“I was embarrassed,” Milton, Sr., said of that time. “I was depressed and I kept wondering why this is happening to me and my family.”

Last May, Milton, Sr., went in for a procedure to biopsy a growth in his lungs. When the doctor came out of the operating room and asked Brenda if she would join him in a consult room, she knew something had gone wrong. Milton, Sr., had stopped breathing for nearly two minutes during the procedure and had to be resuscitated. The doctor warned that there may be permanent brain damage.

It was an earth-shattering moment for the family.

“It was the worst moment of my life,” recalled Tommy. “When I walked in and saw my dad in the ICU, knowing he might never be the same, I just started crying. I couldn’t handle it.”

After two days in a medically induced coma, Milton, Sr., began to recover. Doctors finally found the right combination of antibiotics to begin to cure the infection that had decimated his body. Effects from the procedure continued to affect his daily life. Excruciating headaches at all hours and short term memory loss became the new normal.

After Tommy’s record-breaking Junior year, and after seeing the stress that his mother was under, Tommy made a decision. He chose to transfer to William Tennent High School–also in Warminster–cutting his family’s tuition bill in half, but virtually guaranteeing that the college offers he and his parents had dreamed of would never come.

“My mom told me she would find a way, but I didn’t want her to stress,” said Tommy.

Brenda is pained when she speaks of Tommy’s departure from Wood: “Tommy is very strong, and he’s taken a lot for the family. It’s a burden I have on me because I want to be able to give them everything. Milton’s dream was for Tommy to go to Wood – it devastated Tommy and us when he had to transfer.”

As he recovered, Milton, Sr., learned to walk again. Milton, Jr., still administers his father’s dialysis five times per week for six hours and they wait to be added to the kidney donor list. Boxes of equipment line the walls of their home, and the improvements they’d planned on making to their home remain on hold.

“Milton doesn’t want us to be his donor,” said Brenda. “I’m the breadwinner and I can’t afford to be off work. Milton doesn’t want the kids to compromise their athletic careers. And after what happened when he went under in May, there’s a lot of fear. So we wait.”

Her voice breaks when she talks about the day they find a donor for her husband, but she doesn’t mention how it would take the pressure off of her: “The day that it happens, I’ll be ecstatic. He just wants to live a normal life. He wants to be able to do normal things – work, provide for his family. I will be so thankful to God that he answered our prayers.”

“It would mean the world to my family to find a donor,” said Tommy. “Everything he’s been through, the dialysis four hours per day, three days a week… it’s not easy. My mom stays up late to take care of him and gets up early the next day to go to work. She never gives up.”

The example that Milton Sr., and Brenda have set – one of sacrifice, mental strength, and unbelievable love and commitment to each other and their family has been ingrained in their sons.

“Seeing all they’ve been through has been hard, but it makes me want to go harder,” said Tommy. “I just want to be able to bring my family to the next level.”

He has aspirations of being an NFL player and professional boxer, concurrently. “I have received an offer from Villanova,” Tommy said. “I’ve applied at Temple and Penn State and plan to walk on to their football teams if I’m accepted.”

But first, another fight is on the horizon. A four-round, light-heavyweight contest with Angel Vasquez, of Springfield, MA, on March 27.

“Tommy told me that the reason he likes football and boxing is that he has a hatred inside, a frustration and resentment at everything our family has been through,” said Brenda. “I feel for the kid that’s going to fight Tommy. He’s training hard, and really wants it. He really wants to go out there and do things – He wants to help the family.”

When Tommy Santiago walks out to the ring on March 27, he walks with the burden of his family’s troubles, but with his father by his side. When the bell rings, he’ll hear only his father’s voice from his corner, and a new chapter begins in the complicated and painful story of the unbreakable Santiago family.

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Philly Special kicks off at 7:30 in the evening on Friday, March 27. Tickets priced at $50, $75 and $125 are on sale now, and can be purchased by visiting 2300arena.com or by calling 267-273-0945.

WORCESTER, MA (Thursday, February 27) – Listed below are the weights for all of the participants in Friday night’s live championship boxing event at The Palladium in downtown Worcester, streaming live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

The event features four up-and-coming stars from the fighting city of Worcester, headlined by undefeated prospect and reigning WBC Youth World Lightweight Champion Jamaine Ortiz (12-0, 6 KOs), who puts his perfect record on the line against 21-year-old Mexican challenger Luis Ronaldo Castillo (22-5, 17 KOs) in the eight-round main event.

CES Boxing stablemate and fellow Worcester native Irvin Gonzalez Jr. (13-2, 10 KOs) stars in the eight-round co-main event against San Cristobal, Dominican Republic native and Reading, PA, resident Yeuri Andujar (5-2, 3 KOs) for the vacant WBC Youth World Featherweight Championship.

Tickets for the event are priced at $35, $45 and $85 (VIP) and are available online at CESBoxing.com or ShowClix.com, or by phone at 401-724-2253. Preliminary bouts begin at 7 p.m. ET with the main card streaming live on FIGHT PASS at 8. Subscriptions for FIGHT PASS are available online at UFCFightPass.com.

In addition to a dynamic fight card, former two-time world champion and Worcester Jose Antonio Rivera, who won 43 fights as a pro, two of which came in 2018 and 2019 following a seven-year layoff, will receive a ceremonial Key to the City from Mayor Joseph Petty. Partial proceeds from all sponsorships will be donated to the Worcester Boys & Girls Club and the March of Dimes.

Visit CESBoxing.com, Twitter.com/CESBoxing or Facebook.com/CESBoxing for more information, and follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING.
JAMAINE ORTIZ
Worcester, MA
12-0, 6 KOs
135
LUIS RONALDO CASTILLO
Sonora, Mexico
22-5, 17 KOs
138

IRVIN GONZALEZ
Worcester, MA
13-2, 10 KOs
126

YEURI ANDUJAR
Reading, PA
5-2, 3 KOs
126

KENDRICK BALL JR.
Worcester, MA
13-1-2, 9 KOs
168

ULISES JIMENEZ
Mexico City, Mexico
24-24-1, 16 KOs
174
JALEN RENAUD
Springfield, MA
4-0, 1 KO
155

LAURED STEWART
San Diego, CA
3-0, 2 KOs
153

JAKE PARADISE
Worcester, MA
2-2, 2 KOs
200

ROGERIO DIONIZIO
Revere, MA
0-1
188

MARISA BELENCHIA
East Haven, CT
1-0
110

SHAWNA ORMSBY
Orlando, FL
Pro debut
112

INFORMATION

CES Boxing promoted its first event in 1992 headlined by future Champion Sucra Ray Oliveira. Over the years, CES has earned the reputation as the Heart and Soul of boxing with a rich history that includes the development of former U.S. Olympian Jason Estrada, plus Vinny Paz and Rhode Island legends Gary Balletto and Peter Manfredo Jr., both of whom rose to fame on The Contender reality television series. Through the years, Jimmy Burchfield Sr has earned several noteworthy awards, among them the NABF Promoter of the Year, and 2011 inductee into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame.

UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV

BROOKLYN (February 27, 2020) – Undefeated Polish star and Brooklyn native Adam Kownacki will headline in his hometown on Saturday, March 7 when he takes on Robert Helenius in a WBA Heavyweight Title eliminator as the FOX PBC Fight Night main event and on FOX Deportes from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

Kownacki has proven himself as a popular draw in a borough full of heavyweight boxing history, and will look to continue to capitalize on that opportunity in this title eliminator.

“This will be my second time headlining at Barclays Center and having the whole New York community, especially the Polish fans, coming out to support me really feels amazing,” said Kownacki. “I grew up in Brooklyn, so seeing my face everywhere on ads and billboards is a great feeling. There’s definitely a little bit of added pressure being in that situation, but diamonds are made with pressure.”

For this fight, Kownacki has had to make the small sleep adjustments that come with having a six-month-old son, but he continues to feel strong in camp, even testing himself against another Polish heavyweight contender in Mariusz Wach.

“With the baby, I’m sleeping less for sure, but this has been a really strong camp,” said Kownacki. “It’s pretty much the same routine training-wise and it’s always the same dedication that we put in every day. We brought in Mariusz Wach for a few weeks of sparring to help me get ready for this one and I think that’s helped me a lot as well.”

The 30-year-old’s first headlining performance in his hometown came in August on FOX, when he won an exciting action fight against former title challenger Chris Arreola. Now he will face a new challenge in the veteran Helenius, who has faced top competition throughout the world and stands over six-feet six-inches tall, making him one of Kownacki’s most imposing opponents to date.

“Helenius is a totally different opponent than Arreola,” said Kownacki. “He’s much taller, which poses a new set of challenges. Against Arreola, it was easy to get on the inside. With Helenius’ height, I’m going to have to work behind my double-jab and then let my punches go.

“He’s very experienced and he’s been in there with a lot of talented fighters. He fought Derek Chisora and Dillian Whyte, going the distance with both, and he’s a former European champion. So, his experience is something I have to be careful with. I’m not looking past him at all.

“Helenius is going to come in with the mindset as if I’m a world champion. I know he’s going to try to take my spot in the rankings. I’m starting to feel like when fighters get in the ring with me, it seems like they’re extra-motivated. But I’m motivated too. I’m in shape and ready to showcase my skills next weekend at Barclays Center.”

This will be Kownacki’s 10th fight at Barclays Center, where he has not only become a fan-favorite, but established himself as a contender in the red-hot heavyweight division. March 7 gives Kownacki another chance to showcase that he has what it takes to end up on top of the heavyweight ladder, and become the first Polish heavyweight champion in boxing history.

“The division is wide open,” said Kownacki. “Right now, Tyson Fury is considered number one. But his previous two fights before the Deontay Wilder rematch weren’t that great. So how good is Fury really? If you look at the top-ten heavyweights, I’m the only one with a clean record, no losses or draws. On Saturday, March 7, I have to prove that I belong in a title fight.”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available for purchase now at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

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ABOUT KOWNACKI VS. HELENIUS
Kownacki vs. Helenius will see undefeated Polish star and Brooklyn native Adam Kownacki look to thrill his hometown crowd when he takes on Robert Helenius in a 12-round WBA Heavyweight Title eliminator in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, March 7 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features undefeated heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba facing former title challenger Razvan Cojanu in the 10-round co-main event and rising heavyweight Frank Sánchez stepping in to face Philadelphia’s Joey Dawejko in the 10-round televised opener.

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, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

There are few people on this earth who would contact undefeated Icelandic heavyweight boxer Kolbeinn “The Ice Bear” Kristinsson to tell him he’s too small and weak… but countryman Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, aka The World’s Strongest Man and Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane on Game of Thrones, is one of them.

After his last fight, a second-round demolition of American Dell Long in January, Kristinsson (11-0, 5 KOs) says he was contacted by a mutual acquaintance of he and Björnsson’s and invited to the actor and strongman’s Thor’s Power Gym in Kópavogur, near Reykjavík, Iceland. In addition to playing one of the most feared and memorable characters on the HBO blockbuster series Game of Thrones for five seasons, Björnsson was five times named Europe’s Strongest Man and is the first person to have won the Arnold Strongman Classic, Europe’s Strongest Man and World’s Strongest Man in the same calendar year.

“I was embarrassed when I got there,” laughed the 6’ 5” 240-lb Kristinsson. “They said I was skinny and looked weak.”

Björnsson put Kristinsson on a strict diet and weightlifting program to improve his power. “He gave me access to the gym whenever I want. The weight program is different every day,” said Kristinsson, “but I’m surprised that the most important part of it is to be consistent with diet.”

Kristinsson, who recently signed with Salita Promotions, power manager Mark Taffet and has begun working with Detroit-based super trainer SugarHill Steward at Kronk Gym, says the gains in two months have been significant.

“I’ve been doing my strength and power work four times a week and training boxing six times a week since my last fight and I’ve already put on seven pounds of muscle,” said Kristinsson. “I can feel I’m a lot stronger and more solid with a noticeable difference in punching power.”

Kristinsson, currently on his way back to Kronk, says he’ll be looking to put his newfound power to good use in his next ring appearance, scheduled for March 20 in Detroit against an opponent TBA.

instagram.com/theicebearkristinsson; hafthorbjornsson.com; facebook.com/thorspowergym; facebook.com/SalitaPromotions;

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

New York, February 27, 2020

The entire “Rockin’ Fights” 38 card weighed-in today at Modell’s in Huntington Station, ahead of tomorrow night’s fights. Tomorrow night’s entire card, including Long Island knockout artist, CLETUS “THE HEBREW HAMMER” SELDIN (24-1 20KO’s), heavyweight title contender, CARLOS TAKAM (37-5-1 28KO’s) , and undefeated Hatian Sensation, WENDY TOUSSAINT (10-0 4KO’S), will be available via FITE.TV PPV. FITE, the world leader in the digital distribution of combat sports will stream the event live on the www.FITE.TV website, FITE mobile apps for iOS, Android, and the FITE channels of Amazon Fire, Android, Apple TV, and Roku on a PPV basis. The FITE PPV will stream all seven bouts and be available for just $19.99 in the US & Canada, and $9.99 outside of the US & Canada. Check availability in your area by going to the FITE.tv website – pre-ordere, HERE.

10-ROUND NABA SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE BOUT
CLETUS “THE HEBREW HAMMER” SELDIN: 139.2 lbs
LUIS FLOREZ: 143 lbs

10-ROUND HEAVYWEIGHT CO-MAIN EVENT
CARLOS TAKAM: 256.8 lbs
FABIO MALDONADO: 237.4 lbs

6-ROUND WELTERWEIGHT BOUT
ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS: 142.4 lbs
ANTONIO SANCHEZ: 142.6 lbs

6-ROUND LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT
WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT: 152.8 lbs
JERMAINE “REAL STEEL” CORLEY: 146.2 lbs

4-ROUND HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT
BARKIM “BARBELIEVES” LOGAN: 224.4 lbs
JACKSON De SOUZA: 236 lbs

4-ROUND LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT
PRINCE SLAUGHTER: 135.2 lbs
AHMET “THE TURKISH WOLF” TUNCEL: 136.8 lbs

4-ROUND LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT
NADIM “THE UNPREDICTABLE SALLOUM: 173.4 lbs
AFUNWA KING: 174.2 lbs

If you could not catch the weigh in LIVE, watch HERE.

The Paramount doors open at 6:30PM, first bout at 7:30PM.
Bouts subject to change.

UNIFIED WORLD SUPER lightweight champion Josh Taylor will fight in Glasgow again, at the SSE Hydro, for his mandatory defence of his IBF title against the unbeaten Thai Apinun Khongsong on Saturday May 2, live on BT Sport.

The event will be promoted by Frank Warren for Queensberry Promotions in association with Top Rank, and will see The Tartan Tornado make his first appearance in the ring since his triumph in the World Boxing Super Series in London, where he defeated the previously unbeaten Regis Prograis in the final to add the American’s WBA title to his own IBF version, while also claiming the WBSS trophy and the coveted Ring Magazine belt.

Taylor, now 16-0 (12 KOs), became world champion during the series when he defeated the then unbeaten Ivan Baranchyk via unanimous decision in Glasgow.

“I am super excited to kickstart the new year with a fresh start and with a new team.” Taylor said. “It’s great to have the teams at MTK Global, Queensberry Promotions and Top Rank in my corner and I’m delighted to be fighting on BT Sport and ESPN+ and even more so that this is happening in Scotland in front of a home crowd who have waited so long for this! I can’t wait to get the ball rolling with a great performance.”

His opponent Khongsong, 16-0 (13 KOs) hails from Bangkok and worked his way into mandatory position through his winning of the IBF Pan Pacific and IBF Asia titles. The Pan Pacific belt he has defended on three occasions.

Promoter Frank Warren said of delivering Taylor’s defence of multiple belts to his home nation: “I am delighted that we are able to be part of bringing Josh Taylor to Glasgow at such an important juncture in his career.

“Josh is destined for many big fights over in the States but he has got business to attend to first on the home front and this presents an opportunity for the Scottish fans to really get behind their man in huge world title action.

“I am also looking forward to returning to Glasgow where we have enjoyed many great nights in the past and I am thrilled we have secured Josh to perform on the BT Sport platform.”

Josh Taylor’s promoter, Top Rank chief Bob Arum, added: ““Josh Taylor is a truly special fighter who is set on becoming the undisputed 140-pound champion in 2020. I have no doubt he will put on a sensational performance for his home fans. I can’t wait for ‘The Tartan Tornado’ to return.”

MTK Global’s CEO Sandra Vaughan said: “We’re delighted to be working with BT Sport and ESPN+ to put on a show of this magnitude in Scotland with an incredible talent, Josh Taylor. Josh is a true ambassador for Scottish boxing and we are thrilled to be working with him, and the teams at Queensberry Promotions and Top Rank to make this happen.”

Tickets on sale next week. More details to follow.

Ticket Prices:
£300 – Inner Ring Hospitality
£200 – Floor
£150 – Floor
£100 – Tier
£80 – Tier
£50 – Tier
£40 – Tier

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (February 27, 2020) – The son of Sandman, Jarel “Sandman” Pemberton, returns to the ring for the first time in nearly two years on the “Fight Night In Framingham” card, presented by Shearns Boxing Promotions (SBP), March 20, at Sheraton Framingham Hotel in Framingham, Massachusetts.

“Fight Night In Framingham”, the first pro boxing event ever in Framingham, is being held for the benefit of Fighting Life, an after-school youth boxing and academic empowerment program, available 100-percent free of charge, to students beginning in elementary school through high school education.

The 28-year-old super middleweight Pemberton (3-0, 1 KO), fighting out of Revere, MA, is the son of one of New England’s all-time favorite boxers, Scott Pemberton (29-5-1, 24 KOs), the former NABF and IBU World super middleweight champion. Pemberton was a blood-and-guts, highly entertaining type fighter best remembered for a pair of Fight of the Year candidates versus Omar Sheika.

Scott named his son, Jarel, after Superman’s father, but he never forced him into boxing. “Me boxing had a lot to do with him,” Jarel said, “but he never pushed me into boxing. I did go to a lot of his fights when I was young.

“Dad saw a Superman movie and named me Jarel after Superman’s father. I think it’s a great name, it kind of shaped my life because I’m a real comic-book nerd today.”

Jarel played football and basketball at Dartmouth (MA) High, where two of his teammates went on to play in the National Football League, Jordan Todman and close friend Arthur Lynch. Jarel joined the U.S. Marines and he did two tours in Afghanistan as a machine gunner. He didn’t start boxing until after he was honorably discharged, turning pro at 27.

“I wish I started boxing when I was a kid,” he added, “but I didn’t box until after I got out of the military. People tell me I hit hard; I do have natural power.”

Pemberton, who is on the permanent reserve list to become a Revere Firefighter, is ready to get back in the ring on a regular basis, especially after being out of the ring nearly two years.

“I’m back in boxing for the long run,” he admitted. I’d like to fight a few times in the next few months. I’m getting in top shape for this fight and that’s a lot better than getting beat up in training by (22-0, 14 KOs welterweight from Lynn, MA) Rashidi Ellis. I’m bigger than him but he’s so fast.”

Pemberton is matched against veteran Texas fighter Larry “Slomoshun” Smith (10-43-1, 7 KOs) in a 4-round bout.

Two unbeaten pro “graduates” of the Fighting Life Boxing Program, super featherweights Timmy Ramos (5-0-2, 5 KOs) and Nelson “Chino” Perez (2-0, 2 KOs), are fighting in the main event and co-feature, respectively.

Ramos, fighting out of Framingham, was a two-time New England Golden Gloves champion as an amateur. He is in the 6-round, main event against super Carlos Marrero, III (2-3-1), of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Perez, who comes from nearby Marlboro, is another New England Golden Gloves champion. He faces an opponent to be determined in the 6-round co-featured event. Perez faces Indianapolis lightweight DeWayne Wisdom (7-52-2, 3 KOs).

Boston heavyweight Tracey Johnson (4-7-6), whose brother is past Olympian and reigning WBO super middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade, faces Larry “Hitman” Pryor (11-22-5, 5 KOs) in a 6-round bout.

A pair of quality MMA fighters, Albania-born super middleweight Kastriot “Slaughterhouse” Xhema, fighting out of Greenwich, CT, makes his pro boxing debut against Framingham favorite, Brazilian-born Saul “The Spider” Almeida (0-10-3, 20-11 in MMA) in a 4-rounder.

Also fighting on the undercard, all in 4-round bouts, is Southbridge, MA welterweight Wilfredo “El Sucaro” Pagan (6-1, 3 KOs) vs. Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey (9-12-4, 7 KOs), Worcester, MA super featherweight Ranse Andino (1-1) vs. Henry Garcia (0-5-1), of New Bedford, MA, and pro-debuting Hartford, CT super flyweight Angel Gonzalez, Jr. vs. Steve Lopez (1-4) of Philadelphia. Gonzalez is a decorated amateur boxer who is a three-time New England Golden Gloves, two-time Ringside National and 2014 National PAL champion

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets prices are $75,.00 ringside (rows 1-3), $60.00 (seated), $45.00 standing room, and VIP tables (of 10) for $1000.00 and may be purchased HERE, at UpperKuts gym, or from any of the local fighters on the card.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, first fight at 7 p.m. ET.

Street Light Ventures is the presenting sponsor. Other sponsors include Bernardi Auto Group, East Coast Herbalist, Tecate, Ashwood Advisors LLC and A Affordable Insurance.

INFORMATION:

Facebook.com/ShearnsBoxingPromotions

Twitter: @ShearnsBoxing, @UpperKutsBoxing, @sheratonframingham

Instagram: @ShearnsBoxingPromotions, @Upperkuts_boxing_club, @sheratonframingham

CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO (Feb. 27, 2020): Lightweight contender Oscar Duarte (18-1-1, 13 KOs) will look to deliver an exciting hometown performance when he takes on Andres Garcia (13-2-1, 8 KOs) for the vacant NABF Lightweight Title in a 10-round main event. The night of action will take place on Saturday, March 7 at The Gimnasio Municipal in Duarte’s hometown of Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico and will be free to the public. Los combates serán transmitidos en vivo globalmente en Facebook Watch a través de la Pagina Fight Night de Golden Boy.

Duarte is a 24-year-old puncher who is coming off three knockout wins after suffering his only loss, which was against experienced contender Adrian Estrella. The charismatic puncher has also fought on many important cards under the Golden Boy banner, where he has scored big wins against the likes of Roger “The Kid” Gutierrez and Rey “Flash” Perez. Duarte delighted to return in front of a hometown crowd and for the second time in a row on the Facebook Watch platform.

“I’m very delighted to have the opportunity to fight in Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico for a second time,” said Oscar Duarte. “I want to thank Oscar De La Hoya, Golden Boy, and my entire team. I know that Andres Garcia will come to give a war and to score an upset, but I’ve been training really hard with Joel Diaz to walk away with my hand raised in victory. Big things will be lined up for me if I win this fight, so I’m going to work very hard as always.”

Garcia is a 32-year-old boxer who will fight for the first time outside his native country of Colombia. Garcia is coming off a technical knockout victory in October 2019, and he plans to upset Duarte in his own territory.

“I’m coming to win by any means necessary,” said Andres Garcia. “I understand very well that Oscar Duarte will be the favorite because we will be in his hometown, and aside from one loss, he is virtually undefeated. But I’m ready and focused to win this fight any way I can, whether that’s by knockout or by decision. A victory is key to my career.”

The undercard of this event will feature two additional Mexico vs. Colombia fights featuring two of our most exciting prospects, along with many prospects from all over Mexico.

In the co-main event, Luis “El Matador” Hernandez (20-0, 18 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico will defend his WBC Youth Super Lightweight Title in a 10-round fight against Placido Ramirez (17-1, 10 KOs) of Soplaviento, Colombia.

William “Camaron” Zepeda (20-0, 18 KOs) of San Mateo Atenco, Mexico will face Brayam Rico (12-2, 10 KOs) of Bogota, Colombia in a 10-round lightweight clash.

Jaime Saavedra (4-0, 1 KO), a native of Chihuahua, Mexico who is co-promoted by Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy, will return in a four-round super lightweight bout.

Jacobo Guerra (1-0) of Parral, Mexico will participate in a four-round super welterweight battle against the debuting Sean Hamilton of El Paso, Texas.

David Alvarado (1-0) of Parral, Mexico will fight in a four-round 112-pound clash against Carlos Zaleta (1-0) of Chihuahua, Mexico.

Yamil Luna (1-0) of Parral, Mexico and Eduardo Simmons of El Paso, Texas will meet in a four-round lightweight fight.

Luis Fernando Robles (11-1-1, 3 KOs) of Oaxaca, Mexico will fight against Jesus Iribe (21-13-5, 10 KOs) of Culiacan, Mexico in a 10-round 118-pound clash.

Israel Rodriguez Picazo (17-5, 9 KOs) of Tlaxcala, Mexico and Juan Jimenez (27-18-3, 19 KOs) will go toe-to-toe in an eight-round battle in the super bantamweight division.

Ulises Moguel (6-0, 4 KOs) of Chiapas, Mexico will participate in an eight-round lightweight fight against Ever Ceballos (11-24-1, 3 KOs) of Casas Grandes, Mexico.

Carlos Ortiz (11-5, 11 KOs) of Torreon, Mexico will make his return in an eight-round super lightweight battle against Octavio Ochoa (2-9, 1 KO) of Casas Grandes, Mexico.

Manuel Rascon (7-2, 7 KOs) of Delicias, Mexico will open the night in a six-round light flyweight clash.

Opponents for Rascon and Saavedra will be announced shortly.

Duarte vs. Garcia is a 10-round fight for the vacant NABF Lightweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with the Municipality of Hidalgo del Parral and 2M Promotions. The event will take place Saturday, March 7 at the Gimnasio Municipal in Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico. The fights will be streamed live globally on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com. Become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy Follow the conversation using #DuarteGarcia. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing.

Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/DuarteGarcia into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy for photos and videos used.

LAS VEGAS (February 27, 2020) – Undefeated super lightweight Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (17-0, 8 KOs) flew into Orlando from his native San Antonio this past Tuesday night on his first visit to Florida.

Unlike millions of people who go to Orlando for Disney World, though, Castaneda’s initial look at palm trees is simply part of his business trip. Castaneda challenges North American Boxing Organization (NABO) champion Yomar “The Magic” Alamo (17-0-1, 12 KOs) in this Friday night’s 10-round main event, airing live on Boxeo Telemundo, starting at 11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT, from Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.

Alamo vs. Castaneda is co-promoted by All-Star Boxing, which promotes Alamo and the event, and Castaneda’s promoter, Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions.

“It’s pretty cool here,” Castaneda shared his first impressions of Florida. “A guy working for the promoter met us at the airport to film my arrival and interview me, so it’s been a welcoming experience, and people in Florida know I’m in the house. I like it here. It’s nice and in a way, I feel like I’m at home. I’m going to put on a show for fans, I’m going to be like their Disneyworld. I’m ready for the big ride and to put on a great show for the people.”

Castaneda captured the vacant North American Boxing Association (NABA) crown a year ago, taking a 10-round decision from previously undefeated Gilbert Venegas, Jr. (10-0), and followed that with an impressive 10-round unanimous decision over Dominican veteran Eudy Berbardo (24-3).

Last October in Reno, Nevada, Castaneda stopped Stan Martyniouk (20-3) in the sixth round, after which he was installed by the World Boxing Organization as its No. 15 rated super lightweight in the world.

WBO No. 8 ranked Alamo, fighting out of Puerto Rico, is coming off the only blemish on either fighter’s pro record, fighting to a draw with Antonio Moran (24-4-1).

Alamo, 24, is the former World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth World and FECARBOX super lightweight champion, who has made three successful NABO title defenses.

“After this fight,” Castaneda concluded, “people are going to forget this Alamo (not the famous Alamo in Castaneda’s hometown) and remember me, The Tremendous One. I expect the fight t to end in a spectacular knockout in my favor, late in the fight, because I like to punish my opponent.”

INFORMATION:
Websites: http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com
Twitter: @RoyjonesJRfa, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @KeithVeltre, @KendoTremendo
Instagram: @RoyJonesJRboxing, @artofmusiclv, @rivalboxinggear, @KeithVeltre
Facebook: /RJJBoxing, /KeithVeltre

ABOUT ROY JONES JR, BOXING PROMOTIONS:

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

Based in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, NV, Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions is climbing to the top at a fast pace, adding young talent to its growing stable: WBO #6 rated bantamweight Max Ornelas, featherweight Ray Ximenez, WBO #15 rated super lightweight Kendo Castaneda, middleweights John Vera, Connor Coyle and Shady Gamhour, super middleweight Juan Barajas, and heavyweight Alexander Flores.

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Feb. 27, 2020) – High levels of anticipation continue to grow amongst the boxing community as the American debut of Rashid Kodzoev (7-0, 4 KOs) quickly approaches. After recently signing with Uprising Promotions, the undefeated Russian cruiserweight expects to have his next bout announced in the coming weeks.

“We truly feel that Rashid Kodzoev is championship material,” said Ronson Frank, President of Uprising Promotions. “He has exactly the type of mindset that we want in our fighters, and we expect him to have some kind of hardware by the end of the year. Rashid let us know from the beginning that he is ready to move as quickly as possible, and we are excited to showcase him as a lead to our promotion.”

Over the course of his professional career, Kodzoev has fought just one opponent who did not have a winning record. He has victories over the likes of 21-bout winner Tamas Polster, then-unbeaten Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko and 16-fight victor Andrei Kniazev. In just his fifth professional contest, he also became the first man to finish Ukrainian Vitaliy Nevesiliy, needing less than two rounds to earn the stoppage. Most recently, he fought 14-bout veteran Juan Ezequiel Basualdo in Estosadok, disposing of the Argentinian in the first frame.

Known as a boxer-puncher who has power in both hands, Kodzoev had an accomplished amateur campaign in his native Russia before turning to the professional ranks in 2016. Currently, negotiations are underway for Kodzoev to make multiple starts under the Uprising Promotions banner in the coming months.

Keep it locked to UprisingPromotions.com and @UprisingNYC for all of the latest information from Uprising Promotions.

As the war of words heats up between domestic rivals Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce, Tyson Fury has emerged as a powerful source of inspiration for ‘The Juggernaut’.

Vowing to replicate The Gypsy King’s world-beating performance against Deontay Wilder, Joyce today laid out his game plan to expose ‘Dynamite’ on April 11th.“Tyson Fury showed what can happen when you bully a bully” he said, “and I plan to do the same to Daniel!”

The two will square off on Queensberry Promotions huge ‘Seek and Destroy’ card on April 11th at the O2 arena, in a contest that Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren has called “the biggest domestic battle in years”.

Dubois, coming off a terrifying one punch knockout of Japanese superstar Kyotaro Fujimoto, has emerged as an early favourite with the bookies but Joyce believes the hype surrounding ‘Dynamite’ is overblown.

“He has had it all his own way so far, but he knows what I’m all about.”

Joyce and Dubois famously sparred during their Team GB days, with Joe’s team claiming that they saw enough to not have to worry about the threat posed by their 22-year-old opponent.

Dubois has done some growing up since then, though, and is now 14-0 as a professional with 13 knockouts on his resume.

Joyce has proven to be no slouch in the pro game either with 10 wins, 9 KO’s and arguably the bigger scalps: fighters like Bryant Jennings, Alexander Ustinov and Bermane Stiverne have all fallen at the hands of ‘The Juggernaut’.

The upcoming fight between ‘Dynamite’ and ‘Juggernaut’ has, as such, been billed as a true ‘unstoppable force vs immovable object’ style tear-up and the build up so far has been fraught with a simmering hostility.

Both men are typically known for letting their actions in the ring do the talking but in the run-up to April 11th have been uncharacteristically vocal, fueled by what appears to be a genuine dislike for one another.

Joyce, however, doesn’t let the animosity phase him and insists he’ll conquer his heavyweight foe and claim the European, British and Commonwealth titles in crushing fashion.

“Daniel is talking about me only beating kids and downplaying my achievements. That’s up to him – no problem.” 

“I just hope he’s got good people around him when I beat him because he’s going to be a broken boy on April 11th.”

With the boxing world predicting that the winner of this huge domestic battle will go on to fight for world honours, time will only tell if Joyce can “bully a bully”, move past ‘Dynamite’ and continue to emulate Tyson Fury as a world champion.

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Tickets are now on sale via AXS.com and Ticketmaster.co.uk

Ticket Prices:

£400 Ringside – Hospitality
£300 Floor
£200 Floor
£150 Floor/Tier
£100 Tier
£80 Tier
£55 Upper Tier
£40 Upper Tier

AN IMPRESSED Daniel Dubois has declared that Tyson Fury is “definitely the best right now” after The Gypsy King’s career best performance against Deontay Wilder on Saturday.

The 22-year-old unbeaten Heavyweight lauded Wilder v Fury 2 as a “great event” and heaped praise on the new WBC Champ Tyson.“Fury showed he’s the man and all the titles are back in Britain now. It’s great for British boxing!”

British fans allowed themselves to dream about a mouthwatering showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua after The Gypsy King’s phenomenal performance at the weekend, but ‘Dynamite’ admits he’d understand if Wilder chose to seek out a third fight.

Asked if the Bronze Bomber should trigger the immediate rematch clause in his contract, Dubois said “Yeah… it’ll be another great payday for him!”

But ‘Dynamite’ was less convinced by Wilder’s chances of reversing his fortunes in a trilogy fight: “I think the same thing happens again, but i’m sure it’ll be another great event.”

Interviewed at the Peacock Gym, where training camp is well under way for his titanic April 11 tussle with former Olympian Joe Joyce, Dubois declined to say how he’d approach a fight with The Gypsy King.

That said, the most exciting prospect in world boxing conceded that “when I get the chance I have it in mind what i’m going to do… I’ll rip the belts off of whoever has them!”

With one huge Heavyweight bonanza now out of the way, all eyes turn to Daniel’s battle with the ‘Juggernaut’ on April 11 at the O2 Arena.

The massive BT Sport Box Office event is considered a must-see scrap between the two hottest prospects in Heavyweight boxing, with most pundits predicting the winner will be knocking on the door of a world title opportunity.

Dubois agrees.

“Something really big is on the horizon for me. First, I have to deal with Joe. I’m not looking past him. This Joe fight could be for a world title!”

Promoter Frank Warren has referred to this as “the biggest domestic battle in years” and the sheer size of the event has ensured increased media attention for Dubois and his team.

Asked whether he understood why, ahead of Wilder vs Fury, many in the boxing world were questioning whether excessive media obligations could affect a fighters performance he simply said: “It’s all part of the game, you know?”

“It’s all talk, talk, talk. You’ve got to wait for the fight to see some fireworks going off!”

Level-headed Dubois has not allowed the pressure of a headline slot in one of the biggest Pay-Per-Views of the year go to his head and insists preparations for April 11 are going as well as can be expected.

“Eat, Sleep, Train, Repeat. That’s what we’re living like now. Nothing really interests me other than getting there and beating the hell out of him.”

Asked to sum up why fans should be excited for what is the biggest fight of his short career and the biggest domestic fight of 2020, ‘Dynamite’ said: “We’re on a collision course now, it’s all on the line.”

“It’s going to be a fight for the ages and I can’t wait for it!”

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Tickets are now on sale via AXS.com and Ticketmaster.co.uk

Ticket Prices:

£400 Ringside – Hospitality
£300 Floor
£200 Floor
£150 Floor/Tier
£100 Tier
£80 Tier
£55 Upper Tier
£40 Upper Tier

LAS VEGAS – February 26, 2020 – Boxing Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr. leaned into the ropes and intently watched his pupil, rising once-beaten prospect and Las Vegas native Kevin Newman II run through a spirited 30-minute media workout on Thursday at Mayweather Boxing Club.

Newman (11-1-1, 6 KOs) is preparing to open Friday night’s ShoBox: The New Generation telecast when he faces Albania’s Genc Pllana (7-1-1, 4 KOs) in a 10-round super middleweight matchup live on SHOWTIME (10:45 p.m. ET/PT) from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas.

In the main event, undefeated rising prospect Keith Hunter will face talented Sanjarbek Rakhmanov in a rematch in a 10-round super lightweight bout. Hunter (11-0, 7 KOs) and Rakhmanov (12-2-1, 6 KOs) first met on February 5, 2019, in an eight-round welterweight contest that resulted in a narrow-split decision victory for Hunter. In the ShoBox co-main event, 2016 Olympian and undefeated super lightweight prospect Richardson Hitchins (10-0, 5 KOs) takes on Rhode Island’s Nick DeLomba (16-2, 5 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

“Avenging the only loss of his career says a lot about Kevin Newman,” said the former four-division world champion and expert boxing commentator Jones, who serves as one of Newman’s trainers and mentors. “He’s not afraid of nothing or nobody and he wants to go and do his thing the right way. He wants to makes sure there’s no blemishes on his record. The loss, if you go back and avenge that loss, then that’s no blemish. You lost but you went back and beat him. You proved that it was just a bad night.

Jones continued: “He cares about what people think about him. He cares about his own career because he wants to keep it clean, and he did that. A great winner has to be a great loser. He was a great loser by coming back and proving exactly what he said was wrong. He said, ‘I’m not making any excuses, he got me, but he won’t get me again. When I get prepared, I’m going to go back and do it the right way.’ And that’s exactly what he did. That’s how you’re supposed to lose gracefully.

“I believe Kevin can go on to be a world champion because he has all the physical attributes. He’s got to have a little more knowledge to go along with those physical attributes and he’ll be a monster. He has great hand speed. He’s very explosive. Good reflexes. Good defensive skills. A few little technical adjustments, and he’ll be anything he wants to be.”

Here is what the fighters had to say on Thursday from Mayweather Boxing Club:

KEITH HUNTER:

“I was born and raised here and this is the mecca of boxing, they say. So with that being said, me coming from Vegas, it’s electric because I have a lot of friends here. They are out here supporting me and they really want to see a young kid from Vegas who comes from not the best area succeed. The love is electric here.

“We’re locked in. This is going to be a good statement. It’s still going to be another step-up even though I already got rid of this guy. So now I have to do it in a better fashion.

“I was preparing for Malik Hawkins so I was really trying to train for a tall guy. But you have to make adjustments and you have to stay in the present moment, so for this camp I just made sure I had premium gas in my tank. I already know my opponent pretty well, but I went back and watched our first fight. I saw that he was leaping in a lot and I was giving him too much, so this time I’m going to make sure he pays every time he leaps in.”

SANJARBEK RAKHMANOV:

“Training camp was very great and smart. I’m very excited for this rematch. For me this fight is better than a title fight. I want to show Friday night what I’ve been working on.

“I understand my little mistakes and my opponent’s mistakes and that’s what I’ve been working on during my whole training camp. I got a lot of good sparring this camp with Jessie Vargas and a couple more undefeated fighters.

“Fans can expect to see a war on Friday night. For fans it’s a rematch, but to me it’s different. This time it’ll be a much smarter fight.

“I’m more excited for this fight than the first fight because I want to redeem myself and climb the rankings after a win on Friday night.”

RICHARDSON HITCHINS

“My training camp was great. We had a tremendous training camp. I’m really not sure what to expect from my opponent. He only has a few choices: He can either come and put pressure on me, that’s not going to work, or he can try to outbox me and that’s not going to work either. He’s got to pick his poison.

“Every show is important, whether it’s on TV or not. I’m definitely looking for the knockout. If it comes, it comes. I can’t predict a specific round, but I really can’t see him going past five with me.”

NICK DeLOMBA:

“I had one of the best camps I’ve ever had. I had a new strength and conditioning coach brought onto the team. He did a phenomenal job with me. I got great work from both my head coach and my assistant coach. We trained hard. We fought smart. We’re ready.

“I want to give a big shout out and thank you to my sparring partners, Jermaine Ortiz from Worcester and Rashidi Ellis from Somerville, Mass. They were my two main sparring partners and they helped me a lot this camp and got me ready for this fight.

“Hitchins is a tough opponent. He’s up-and-coming, he’s 10-0. He’s one of those prospects that are coming up and they are testing him. I am here to put him to the test and see exactly what type of fighter he is. I’m making my debut on SHOWTIME so it’s really important for me to look good. I’ve fought on some streaming services before but nothing as big as ShoBox, so it’s an honor for me and something I’ve wanted to do my whole career. I’m going to go out there, do my best and show that I can take it to that next level.”

KEVIN NEWMAN II:

“I feel good. Just sharpening the tools and working on little game plan stuff. Just making sure everything is in order and the game plan is all worked out. I know my opponent is tall, kind of lanky but at the end of the day the skills pay the bills.

“I don’t feed into all the favored stuff. I mean, that guy has trained just like me for this. I don’t feed into that. I’m just going to try and come as prepared as I can and not focus on anything else.”

GENC PLLANA:

“Training camp has been great, and we are definitely ready for 10 hard rounds. In preparation for this fight I ran a lot more than usual.

“My keys to victory for this fight are to walk him down with my jab and make him feel my right hand.

“It feels good to fight for the first time on SHOWTIME so that people can see how good I can fight. It’s a big platform, but I feel right at home and where I belong.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, Mayweather Promotions CEO

“Roy [Jones] has had a tremendous influence on Kevin Newman. Roy and Floyd Mayweather were his favorite fighters growing up and you can see where he’s patterned his style a lot after Roy.

“It’s a great thing, picking up little nuggets from an all-time great like Roy Jones is a dream come true. He’s been very positive and he’s learned a lot from him. I look to see some of the new things he’s picked up on Friday night.

“It’s a terrific card. I really enjoy these smaller cards than the bigger cards because it’s fun watching these fighters develop in the early stages of their career and watching them grow along the way.

“It’s a tremendous platform to develop your young fighters as far as the exposure that they’re getting, it’s phenomenal. I continue to tell our guys that these opportunities don’t come to you, they have to make the most of these opportunities.

“Each fighter and every fighter has something to prove to themselves and it’s a good opportunity to step-up and develop more fans.”

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

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For more information visit: www.sho.com/sports, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, follow on Twitter: @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, , @mayweathersprts and, Instaram: @mayweatherpromotions, @showtimeboxing, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions #ShoBox #SinCityShowdown

About ShoBox: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 81 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

In anticipation for the welterweight blockbuster event headlined by four-division World champion Mikey Garcia against two-division World champion Jessie Vargas, the fighters addressed the media in a press conference to discuss their preparation and predictions before entering the ring on Saturday night at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas – live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW STARTING AT $25 VIA SEATGEEK

The stacked Matchroom Boxing USA card will kick off with Joseph Parker battling Shawndell Winters in a Heavyweight bout, Julio Cesar Martinez Aguilar will make his first defense of the WBC World Flyweight title against the undefeated Jay Harris, and in the chief support bout undefeated Kal Yafai will look to defend his WBA World Super Flyweight title against former pound-for-pound king Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez.

Eddie Hearn

“Pleasure to be here ahead of a monstrous night of boxing. We have one of the best nights of boxing we have ever put on from top and bottom. So many great fights, championship fights, and an incredible main event in Garcia vs. Vargas.

“The heavyweight division is so good and it’s great to have Joseph Parker back. He’s ranked number two in the WBO, has a tough opponent in Shawndell Winters, and I look forward to a massive 2020 to regain a world title. We have one of my favorite fighters in Martinez – he’s an animal. I think he can be a Mexican legend in the sport. The co-main event we have Khalid and Gonzalez – talk about great fighters. Gonzalez is a legend in the sport of boxing. I can’t believe I’ll get to see him live in person. If Roman can win another title it would be historic.

“The main event is breathtaking. As we get closer I could see this being an absolute war, a Mexican war. These two are a credit to the sport, and this is such an incredible fight. This is going to be a fantastic night, and a great night of boxing.”

Mikey Garcia

“This is my first time working together with DAZN and it’s been great. This is a tremendous card, a stacked card with world championship fights. I’m here to do one thing and take over the show – there’s a lot more to Mikey Garcia. I’m going to display all my skills and be a contender in the welterweight division. We landed on Vargas because he’s a two-weight champion, solid career, big size, and has height. He’s everything that people have been telling me I shouldn’t be fighting, but I’m going to do everything I can to win this fight. I expect the best Jessie Vargas and that will allow to me display all my skills. I don’t want easy fights. This will be a great matchup because Jessie is a warrior. It will push me to get the best out of me.

“Jessie is a great person, but inside the ring we’re competitors. He’s coming to knock me out, and I’m trying to doing the same, but that will make it a memorable night. Tune-in to DAZN, it’s going to be fireworks all night long. We’re going to finish it off with bang, Jessie and myself. There’s a lot more to Mikey Garcia.”

Jessie Vargas

“We have a big night ahead of us against Garcia. I’m very much prepared. I trained very hard the last two months. It’s the best training camp I’ve had to date. I know what’s ahead of me and I know the opportunity in front of me. I trained my ass off for two months, following the game plan. I’ve never looked this good in the ring. I’m feeling good, I know Mikey is a good fighter. The moment the bell rings it’s fight time. I plan on giving a fantastic performance so you acknowledge that I’m the best in the division. This isn’t an easy fight but either way I’m coming to win. I’ve done my homework. Mikey is a good fighter and I’ve looked into some of his past fights.

“I’m happy to be part of this event. Come early to this fight, tune-in to DAZN for a great night of action-packed fights. We’re going to finish it off with a bang.”

Khalid Yafai

“I look up to Roman, so it’s going to be hard to fight him. I’m in the best shape, no stone unturned. I’ll give it everything I can. Looking forward to a massive fight on Saturday night. Don’t blink it will be a huge fight.”

Roman Gonzalez

“I’m in the best condition for this fight. I will take advantage of this opportunity. There’s not a small person in this fight, everyone is very good. I come with a blessing that I will win. Thank you and hope this sport of boxing will be a spectacle for everyone.”

Julio Cesar Martinez Aguilar

“I’m very excited for Saturday, and going put up a fight. We’re going to win.”

Jay Harris

“I’m here to win and I’m going to pull off a massive upset on Saturday. It’s going be a hell of a fight. Tune-in on Saturday.”

Joseph Parker

“Great to be here in Texas. Last time I fought was June 2019, so very excited to fight this weekend. I worked hard in camp, a lot of running, sparring. I’m not taking this fight for granite. Looking forward to a great performance. On Saturday, I’m going to take care of business. Thank you to Winters for taking the fight and looking forward to the challenge.”

Shawndell Winters

“I’m not supposed to be here, but I’m glad to be here. I didn’t come to here to take pictures with Parker. It’s very nice for you all to meet me – that’s a joke! I’m coming to fight, I’m coming to win, this is my opportunity. Thank you to Parker for this opportunity. I’m confident and look forward to Saturday night.”

ENDS

About The Star in Frisco
The Star is the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility in Frisco, Texas. Developed as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Frisco, Frisco ISD and the Dallas Cowboys, The Star features Ford Center, a 12,000-seat stadium that hosts Frisco ISD football games, other world class sporting events such as top flight boxing matches, concerts and other events; Cowboys Fit, a 60,000 square-foot gym developed in partnership with leading fitness developer, Mark Mastrov; Cowboys Club, a members-only club where the country club meets the NFL; the Omni Frisco Hotel, a 16-floor, 300-room luxury hotel; Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, a 300,000 square-foot center of excellence for sports medicine; Twelve, a 17-story, luxury residential tower in partnership between Pro Football Hall-of-Fame Quarterback #12 Roger Staubach, and Dallas-based developer and former Dallas Cowboys center, Robert Shaw; Formation, a dynamic coworking experience offering a collaborative work environment of open workspace, dedicated desks and private offices; as well as a variety of shopping, dining and nightlife options throughout The Star District. For more information on The Star, visit www.TheStarInFrisco.com.

WORCESTER, Mass. (February 26, 2020) – Undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth World lightweight champion Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz (12-0, 6 KOs) plans to make a major statement this Friday when he fights at home in Worcester, Massachusetts, for the first time as a professional boxer.

Ortiz will headline a CES Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS® event, promoted by Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES), at the historic Worcester Palladium.

In the 8-round main event, Ortiz faces Mexican knockout specialist “Loco” Luis Ronaldo Castillo (22-5, 17 KOs), a former WBC FECOMBOX lightweight champion, in a non-title fight.

“I’m ready,” Ortiz said after a recent open workout. “It’s good getting so much support. I have a lot of people coming to the fights. To me, I only have one job – win! And I’d like to win in spectacular fashion. I want to show everybody at the Palladium and those watching on UFC FIGHT PASS that it’s all real, no hype behind my name. Everybody watching Friday night will know what I bring into the ring.”

Ortiz, 23, is a lightning-quick, gifted lightweight with tremendous upside. A decorated amateur, Ortiz is a rising star in what many believe will be a breakout year for him.

“Jamaine certainly hasn’t reached his full potential,” Ortiz’ head trainer Rocky Gonzalez commented. “He’s still young and all he really needs is more experience. He’s a good listener with great hand speed, and he switches (stances) easily. And he really believes in himself and it’s hard to beat somebody like that. I can’t teach heart, but he has that as well. I don’t know how far he can go, not yet, but he’s talented and nowhere close to being a finished product.”

The Feb. 28th show showcasing Ortiz worldwide will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.

Tickets are on sale and available to purchase at CESBoxing.com and the Palladium box office. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET, first bout at 7 p.m./ ET.

Miami- February 26, 2020- “Boxeo Telemundo,” the #1 Spanish-language boxing program in the U.S., continues this Friday, February 28 at 11:35 p.m. on Telemundo, featuring two undefeated fighters as they battle for the jr. welterweight title. WBO #8th ranked NABO champion Yomar “The Magic” Alamo (17-0-1 12 KO’s) puts his title on the line after a successful 2019 season, squaring off against Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (17-0 8 KO’s), live from Osceola Heritage Park Events Center. This will be Castaneda’s debut on “Boxeo Telemundo” and one of the most important matches of his career to date. 

“Boxeo Telemundo ” commentators René Giraldo and Edgar López will call the action alongside World Boxing Champion and former Olympian Abner Mares.

All fights will be broadcast live on Telemundo and live stream on Telemundo Deportes En Vivo app with additional extensive news and content on TelemundoDeportes.com, including access to the weigh-in and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. In addition, short form content that include fighters, behind the scenes and news will be produced exclusively for Telemundo Deportes’ social media platforms using the hashtag #BoxeoTelemundo.

Orlando “Zurdo De Oro” Gonzalez (13-0 9 KO’s) will be making his first appearance this year as he takes on Charlie Serrano (16-5-2 5 KO’s) in an 8 round Featherweight bout. The bout will serve as the co main event of the night. 

Other bouts on the card will feature stablemate Henry “Moncho” Lebron (11-0 9 KO’s) battling against Recky Dulay (11-7 8 KO’s) over 8 rounds. The night’s special attraction will feature local favorite Christian “MC” Camacho (8-1-1 1 KO) in a 6 round bout against an opponent to be determined. 

“Boxeo Telemundo’s” spring series continues with two straight weeks of bouts on March 6 and March 13, live from Mexico City. 

Debuting in 1989, “Boxeo Telemundo” has grown to become the #1 boxing sports program in the U.S. among Hispanics, across broadcast and cable landscape. Since its launch, “Boxeo Telemundo” has broadcast over 350 title fights, showcasing some of the biggest boxing stars as they rose to stardom and won their first championship titles, earning a reputation as the show “where champions are born.” Among these stars is Saúl Canelo Alvarez, who won his first pro boxing title on “Boxeo Telemundo” in 2008. Other notable Champions featured include?Juan Manuel Marquez,?Diego Corrales, Carlos Maussa,? Floyd Mayweather,? Israel Vázquez,? Wilfredo Vázquez,? Rafael Ruelas,? Jorge Solis and many others. In addition, renowned boxing Hall of Famers have also appeared on the show including?Erik Morales,? Marco Antonio Barrera and?Felix Trinidad.?

NEW YORK – February 26 – Undefeated heavyweight power puncher Apti Davtaev will face veteran Lucas Browne in the 10-round co-main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION on Saturday, March 28, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Park Theater at Park MGM in Las Vegas. Davtaev replaces heavyweight contender Otto Wallin, who was forced to suspend training and withdraw from his scheduled bout due to an injury to his foot.

From Kurchaloi, Russia, Davtaev (20-0-1, 19 KOs) has earned a 90-percent knockout ratio with his aggressive style and devastating power. The athletic, 30-year-old has remained active since moving his camp to the United States in 2017 after signing with Salita Promotions. He trains at Kronk Gym in Detroit, Mich., under the tutelage of SugarHill Steward, nephew of legendary Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward.

“Otto suffered a minor injury and suspending training was the smart thing to do,” said Wallin’s promoter Dmitriy Salita. “He will be back in the ring in no time. Fortunately, Apti was in top shape and ready to go. He is a gifted heavyweight and he’ll be on everyone’s radar after March 28.”

In his last outing on February 21, the six-foot-five-inch Davtaev handed previously unbeaten John Napari his first defeat with a vicious second-round knockout. A few weeks prior, on January 10, he scored an impressive third-round stoppage over veteran Keith Barr. This is his fifth start in the U.S. and first nationally televised bout.

Fighting out of New South Wales, Australia, Browne (29-2, 25 KOs) most recently scored a knockout victory over John Hopoate in November, his second win of 2019. He’s won four of his last five bouts, with his only career losses coming to Dillian Whyte and David Allen in the U.K. Browne won his first 25 pro fights, including a stoppage of Ruslan Chagaev in 2016 to capture a WBA Heavyweight Championship. He will be making his U.S. debut.

The three-fight SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast features unbeaten former bantamweight world champion Luis Nery (30-0, 24 KOs) taking on undefeated contender Aaron Alameda (25-0, 13 KOs) in a WBC Super Bantamweight Title Eliminator main event. Rising light heavyweight prospects Joseph George (10-0, 6 KOs) and Marcos Escudero (10-1, 9 KOs) open the telecast with a 10-round rematch of their November ShoBox showdown that saw George win a narrow-split decision.

Veteran broadcaster Brian Custer will serve as telecast host with versatile combat sportscaster Mauro Ranallo calling the action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi. Rounding out the telecast team are Emmy® award winning reporter Jim Gray, unofficial ringside scorer Steve Farhood and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. David Dinkins Jr. serves as Executive Producer with Ray Smaltz producing and Bob Dunphy directing.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are now on sale and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. Davtaev vs. Browne is promoted in association with Salita Promotions.

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