ATLANTA (October 25, 2019) – Two-time super featherweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Mayweather Promotions’ top rising star and boxing’s hottest attraction, will seek to conquer another division and close out the year with a bang when he takes on former unified world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa for the WBA Lightweight Title live on SHOWTIME Saturday, December 28 from State Farm Arena in Atlanta in a special year-end Premier Boxing Champions event.

Davis and Gamboa both scored highlight-reel knockouts this summer to set up this world title showdown that will headline a special holiday SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Interim WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Jean Pascal will defend against two-division champion Badou Jack in the co-feature of this PBC event.

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions. Ticket sales information will be announced next week.

“This event is a great way to top off the holiday season and 2019,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “We’re looking forward to lighting up the city of Atlanta with a spectacle headlined by the most exciting fighter in boxing, Gervonta Davis taking on a seasoned and fearless warrior, Yuriorkis Gamboa. Gervonta spends a lot of time in Atlanta and he wanted to bring his talents to his second home where he plans to put on yet another electrifying performance. We also have Badou Jack who’s ready to get back in the ring after some time off. He has an opportunity before him to be back on the big stage and become champion for the third time. I’m confident that Jack is ready to get back in the mix and he will come ready to go to war against Jean Pascal come fight night. December 28 is going to be lit in the city of Atlanta!”

“Each time Gervonta Davis steps in the ring he proves worthy of the considerable hype around him,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “On the heels of two electric performances in 2019, he’ll close out the year in a new division and look to further define the Tank Davis mystique. Yuriorkis Gamboa presents a challenge unlike anything Gervonta has faced before: a pure boxer with true finishing power and bona fide credentials. And the co-feature, Jean Pascal vs. Badou Jack, is a 50-50 fight between two proven veterans that is sure to deliver on both skill and intensity. We are proud to deliver this unique, holiday event from Atlanta, a city that is long overdue for a marquee world championship boxing event like this one.”

Davis (22-0, 21 KOs) burst onto the scene with an explosive knockout victory over Jose Pedraza to win the IBF super featherweight title in a star-making performance on January 2017. At the time he became the youngest world champion in boxing at age 22. In the ring, Davis blends controlled aggression with blazing hand and foot speed, eye-catching power and sublime boxing skills. It’s a winning combination that has kept the southpaw unbeaten and given him a 95.5 percent knockout ratio, making him a fan favorite on the threshold of superstardom.

A 24-year-old native of Baltimore, Davis thrilled his hometown with a masterful performance against Ricardo Nunez in his last fight on July 27. The sold out crowd at Royal Farms Arena witnessed Davis score a spectacular second round knockout of Nunez to defend his WBA Super Featherweight title and become the first world champion from Baltimore to make a homecoming defense in nearly 80 years. December 28 will be Davis’ third consecutive headlining appearance of 2019. Under the guidance of Mayweather Promotions, Davis will look to further improve his impressive portfolio with a title at lightweight.

“I’m excited to head south for the holiday season and put on a great show for the city of Atlanta on December 28,” said Davis. “It’s been a long time since a boxing fight of this magnitude has come to the city and I’m proud to be able to give lots of excitement to a city where I’ve spent a lot of my time.

“Some of the greatest boxers in the Hall of Fame have won titles in multiple weight divisions and I’m no different. I expect as much success at 135 pounds as I had at 130 pounds. Yuriorkis Gamboa is a respected name in boxing and has achieved high levels of success in both the Olympics and as a professional. I expect him to bring out the best in me and l will be ready for it. I’m thankful to my whole team for making this happen. To all my fans, continue to support me and I’ll fight for you.”

Gamboa (30-2, 18 KOs) is riding a resurgent wave in his career, which has been sparked by some recent displays of power. The 37-year-old, who is from Guantanamo, Cuba and now lives in Miami, has always been a cerebral boxer. But recently he has demonstrated the attitude and ability to be a finisher, dispatching his last opponent with a crowd-pleasing knockout. Gamboa is a former unified featherweight champion, holding the IBF and WBA 126-pound titles between 2009-2011. Since dropping just the second fight of his career against Robinson Castellano in 2017, Gamboa has won four in a row. He is coming off a knockout victory over Roman Martinez as the co-main event to Davis’ Baltimore homecoming in July, setting up a tantalizing showdown between the two for a lightweight championship.

“I am blessed to have this amazing opportunity to become world champion once again,” said Gamboa. “I have been hoping that this opportunity would be against Gervonta Davis as well. I love and embrace the role of underdog that I have in this match because it will be the ultimate motivator. For the first time in my career, I will be involved in a high profile bout in which I am not coming in at a disadvantage. Gervonta is an excellent fighter, but he has yet to face anyone like me. All the sacrifices I have made in my career and my life – leaving Cuba and coming to this country to find a better life for my family – will finally payoff on December 28.”

Pascal (34-6-1, 20 KOs) most recently captured his interim title by giving Marcus Browne the first defeat of his professional career. Pascal scored four knockdowns in the fight, eventually earning a narrow technical decision when a cut suffered by Browne on an accidental head butt stopped the fight after eight rounds. The 36-year-old has been in the ring with the top fighters of his era during his brilliant career, including Bernard Hopkins, Sergey Kovalev, Carl Froch, Lucian Bute and Chad Dawson. Pascal, who was born in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti and now lives in Laval, Quebec, Canada, won first the light heavyweight world title with a unanimous decision over Adrian Diaconu in 2009.

“After I took this belt from Marcus Browne I asked my team to get me back in the ring before the end of the year and they delivered,” said Pascal. “This is going to be a fight you don’t want to miss. Everybody knows I come to fight, I’m a warrior and it’s the same thing for Badou. We both have proven to be boxers that want to fight the best in the world. Now we’re fighting each other, so you know it’s going to be fireworks.

“I’m training super hard for this fight because I know he’s coming to try to take my belts, but I’ve gone through way too much to become a two-time champion, so my belts aren’t going anywhere.”

Jack (22-2-3, 13 KOs) will fight for the interim title that Marcus Browne won in January by defeating him in a fight that saw Jack battle through a nasty cut on his forehead. Jack will return to action in his fourth fight at light heavyweight after relinquishing his super middleweight world title. Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Jack represented his father’s Gambia in the 2008 Olympics and now lives in Las Vegas. Jack won the 168-pound world title with a majority decision against Anthony Dirrell in 2015 and successfully defended the belt three times before a hard-fought majority draw against James DeGale in one 2017’s best fights. In his first bout at 175 pounds, Jack stopped Nathan Cleverly to pick up the WBA light heavyweight title before fighting to a majority draw against then WBC champion Adonis Stevenson in May 2018.

“It feels great to be back and I’m looking forward to putting on another exciting performance,” says Jack. “I always fight to make sure my family lives a comfortable lifestyle and to secure my legacy, but I’m just as motivated to represent and fight for children across the globe that my foundation helps.

“Expect to see me stronger, smarter and more experienced on December 28. I’m looking forward to getting my belts back and becoming a three-time world champion. I respect Pascal and consider him a friend, but business is business.”

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

TORONTO, ON—Tonight’s exciting double-header at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, presented by Lee Baxter Promotions is a go, as all of the main event fighters made weight.

See below for the official weights:

Stanyslav Skorokhod vs. Anthony Lenk
Interim NABA Super Welterweight Title

Skorokhod: 154
Lenk: 153.4

Patrice Volny vs. Uriel Gonzalez
NABA Middleweight Title
WBO NABO Middleweight Title

Volny: 159.6
Gonzalez: 160

Nutley, NJ (October 25, 2019) – GH3 Promotions undefeated Heavyweight prospect Nprman Neely will look for his 4th victory when he takes on fellow undefeated D’Angelo Swaby in a four-round bout on Saturday night at The Santander Arena in Reading, Pa.

The bout will take place on the non-televised portion of a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION that will be headlined by junior middleweight’s Erickson Lubin and Nathaniel Gallimore,

Neely of Paterson, New Jersey has won all three of his bouts via knockout, and the 29 year-old will look for his fourth win in six-months.

“I started boxing at the age of 14, and had an amateur record of 57-6,” said Neely. “I was number-one in the United States and won five national titles and six local tournaments.”

The success of his amateur career led him to an invite to the camp of then reigning heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko.

Neely had some out of the ring issues that forced him to be away from the sport for about nine years, and now he is back looking to fulfill the promise that many had for Neely.

‘”Everything is good now, I am in good condition, and I am looking to put on an exciting show on Saturday.”

Neely turned pro on April 27th with a 4th round stoppage over Lamar Lewis. He then followed that up with a 1st round stoppage over Kendrick Houston. In his last bout, Neely stopped Kwame benson in two round on August 17th in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Neely, who describes himself as a boxer-puncher, said he does not know anything on The Bahamian Swaby.

“I am getting back to where I was when I stopped. I am hungry. When people see me they will see that I am a different type of heavyweight. I have comeback to take over. What is changed about me now is that I have my man strength now. When I was an amateur, I was known more for my speed, and now I have added power. I still have learning to do, but I feel great and there is room for improvement. On Saturday night, fans will see a creative heavyweight.”

Brooklyn, NY (10/25/19) – On Thursday night, DiBella Entertainment debuted its long-running Broadway Boxing series at the Generoso Pope Athletic Complex on the campus of St. Francis College in Brooklyn, NY, presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House, and Gagliardi Insurance. The 110th edition of the series was streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports.

The night included a special tribute and memorial 10-count in honor of Patrick Day, who tragically passed away on October 16, succumbing to the traumatic brain injury he suffered in his fight held in Chicago, IL.

The event also participated in a charitable cause, as a portion of each ticket sold went toward St. Francis College’s Robert J. McGuire Scholarship, which is part of the school’s mission to encourage and educate first generation college students.

(Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

“Marvelous” Mykquan Williams, 139.2 lbs., of East Hartford, CT, headlined the card in his second trip as a pro to New York City, facing dangerous veteran Tre’Sean Wiggins, 139.4 lbs., of Johnstown, PA. What transpired turned out to be Williams’ toughest test in the 21-year-old’s young career, providing many thrills and ebbs and flows that had the boisterous crowd on their feet for much of the contest. The southpaw Wiggins, who held a five-inch height advantage, had the upper hand for the first six minutes of action, with Williams working to get on the inside. In the fourth round, Williams closed the gap to dish out a feverish attack to the body that visibly bothered his foe. Williams also found a home for his powerful left hook upstairs, which became a key weapon of his as the rounds went by. A huge left hook stunned Wiggins in the fifth and “Marvelous” Mykquan took advantage of the moment with a follow-up barrage. Wiggins recouped and pumped his jab to fire straight lefts over the next two rounds as Williams pressed forward. Williams twice staggered Wiggins with left hooks to the head in the seventh stanza. Both fighters had success in the eighth and final frame, with Williams again digging to the body. What appeared to be a close-but-clear victory for the East Hartford resident ended in a controversial majority draw, with a 77-75 tally for Williams overruled by two 76-76 scorecards. Defending his WBC USNBC super lightweight title for the first time, Williams’ record was extended to 15-0-1 (7 KOs). Managed by Jackie Kallen, Williams is trained out of Manchester Ring of Champions Society boxing gym in Connecticut by Paul Cichon. Fighting to the third draw of his career, Wiggins is now 11-4-3 (6 KOs).

(Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

Heavyweight prospect George Arias, 241.2 lbs., of The Bronx, NY, began the co-main event against Gabriel Hernandez, 225.4 lbs., of San Diego, CA, boxing on his toes and firing a consistent jab. However, by the midway point, both boxers stood shoulder-to-shoulder and banged away at each other for the remaining rounds in an exciting battle. Arias primarily focused on his foe’s ample midsection and Hernandez’s best weapon was his overhand right. After eight rounds, Arias improved to 15-0 (7 KOs) via unanimous decision with tallies of 80-72, 79-73, and 77-75, while Hernandez, now 10-1 (9 KOs), suffered his first defeat.

Jose Roman, 150.2 lbs., of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, controlled the action with deft footwork and a stiff jab against Tanzanian Fabian Lyimo, 151.6 lbs., based in Silver Spring, MD. Whenever Lyimo tried to get on the inside, he was met with a jab-straight right combination to the chin. In the third, Roman targeted the body with left and right hooks. As Lyimo was absorbing a great deal of punishment, the referee halted the action at the 0:57 mark of the fifth frame. With the TKO victory, Roman upped his record to 10-0 (5 KOs), while Lyimo dropped to 23-11-2 (15 KOs). Roman turned pro in September 2016 and was a three-time member of the Puerto Rican National Boxing team as an amateur.

Jose Gonzalez, 123.4 lbs., of Harlem, NY, improved to 13-0-2 (4 KOs) with an eight-round unanimous decision against Ramon Contreras, 121.6 lbs., of Quellon, Chile. A point was deducted from Gonzalez in round eight for excessive holding. Scorecards read 78-73 twice, and 76-75, all for Gonzalez. Contreras’ record fell to 15-8 (6 KOs).

In his New York City debut, Colombian Olympian southpaw Juan Carlos Carrillo, 179.8 lbs., of Barranquilla, outboxed heavy-hitting Nigerian Afunwa King, 175.6 lbs., of The Bronx, NY, for four rounds to win a unanimous decision on three tallies of 40-36. Carrillo upped his record to 2-0 (1 KO), while King is now 1-1 (1 KO). Carrillo was among Colombia’s most decorated amateurs, with a record of 388-23, winning gold at the 2012 Colombian National Games, 2012 Pacific Cup Tournament, 2011 Colombian National Championships, 2010 Colombian Youth National Championships, and silver at the 2014 Central American & Caribbean Games.

(Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

Super featherweight contender Tiara Brown, 129.6 lbs., of Washington, D.C., defended her WBO NABO title for the first time, winning a majority decision against a game Vanessa Bradford, 128.2 lbs., of Edmonton, Canada. A full-time police officer in Washington D.C., where she was named the 2019 Police Office of the Year by the Metropolitan Police Department of D.C., Brown bobbed and weaved her way inside, applying pressure and landing in combination against Bradford with speed, power and precision. Whether it was by left hooks upstairs or right hooks to the body, Brown worked to counter Bradford’s aggression. The Canadian’s offense kept the eight-round fight competitive, which resulted in one judge scoring the contest a draw. That scorecard was overruled by tallies of 79-73 and 77-75 in favor of Brown, now 9-0 (6 KOs). Bradford is now 5-2-2.

Pablo Valdez, 147.4 lbs., of New York, NY, stopped Jimmy Rosario, 145.4 lbs., of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, at the 1:58 mark of round two, to improve to 3-0 (3 KOs). Rosario left the ring with a record of 3-9 (2 KOs).

Jude “King Zar” Franklin, 128.4 lbs., of Brooklyn, NY, patiently stalked Jayron Santiago, 128.8 lbs., of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, searching for openings to land punches with bad intentions. Santiago was rocked near the end of round two with an overhand right-left hook to the body combination. In the sixth stanza, Franklin landed cracking left hooks and overhand rights with intensity. While standing toe-to-toe with Santiago, Franklin clipped his adversary with right uppercuts. To his credit, Santiago weathered the storm and fired back to hear the final bell. With scores of 59-55, and 58-56 twice, Franklin improved to 10-0-1 (8 KOs) with the unanimous decision victory, while Santiago’s record evened out at 6-6-1 (4 KOs). Before turning pro in February 2016, Franklin accumulated a 60-11 amateur record and won gold medals at the NY Metros Tournament, twice at the Bergen County Tournament, Battle of the Tri-State Tournament and at the Trinidad and Tobago National Championships, as well as a silver medal at the 2014 Junior Olympics.

As Khalid Twaiti, 121 lbs., of Brooklyn, NY, planted sharp jabs to the midsection, Jose Alfredo Flores Chanez, 117.8 lbs., of Tijuana, Mexico, quickly resorted to flailing wild haymakers in round one. In the second, Twaiti looked to cut off the ring and land in combination with his foe trapped against the ropes. Twaiti kept the proper distance throughout to keep Flores at bay and measure his straight right hand upstairs. Whenever Flores made it past Twaiti’s jab, the Brooklynite unleashed blistering flurries of punches. Going the six-round distance for the first time, Twaiti improved to 6-0 (3 KOs) with a shutout victory on three tallies of 60-54. Flores’ record dipped to 7-11 (4 KOs). Trained by Don Saxby out of Gleason’s Gym, Twaiti turned pro in February 2017 after compiling a 74-15 amateur record.

In an entertaining scrap, Ariel Lopez, 119.6 lbs., of Brooklyn, NY, let Victor Trejo Garcia, 118.8 lbs., of Tlalnepantla, Mexico, take the lead and focused on counter shots early. Lopez had the heavier artillery, but the game Trejo Garcia answered almost every punch with a flurry of his own. In the last round, a cut was opened over Lopez’ left eye. After six rounds, the scorecards read 59-55 Lopez, 60-54 Trejo Garcia, and 57-57, ending in a draw. Lopez remained unbeaten at 13-0-1 (8 KOs) and Trejo Garcia is now 17-11-2 (8 KOs).

With a consistent body attack, Melissa St. Vil, 131.8 lbs., of Brooklyn, NY, pressured her way inside to dominate Dahiana Santana, 136.2 lbs., of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, over six frames to earn a unanimous decision with scores of 60-54 twice, and 59-55. St. Vil improved to 12-4-4 (1 KO), while Santana dropped to 36-12 (15 KOs).

(Oct. 25, 2019) — Former unified bantamweight world champion Ryan Burnett today announces his retirement from professional boxing. Over the last few years, he has dealt with injuries sustained during competition and in training. Negotiating these setbacks has become more challenging and, with considerable thought, Burnett has rightly prioritized his health and well-being.

 “Although my retirement is forced through injuries, I carry a heart full of satisfaction and gratitude,” Burnett said. “I have achieved my childhood dream and secured my future health, which is something no amount of money or titles can provide. I would like to thank everyone at MTK, Top Rank, Sky Sports and Matchroom for providing me the opportunity to fulfill my potential as a fighter.”

Burnett (20-1, 10 KOs) won the IBF world bantamweight title in June 2017 with a dominant decision win over Lee Haskins, then unified four months later with a unanimous decision over WBA super world bantamweight champion Zhanat Zhakiyanov. He lost his title when a back injury forced him to retire on his stool against future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire. Burnett ended his career on a winning note, knocking out Jelbirt Gomera in six rounds back in May.

NEW YORK (October 25, 2019)–Split-T Management’s Damon Allen will be in action tonight when he takes on veteran Dieumerci Nzau in a six-round bout at The 2300 Arena in Allen’s hometown of Philadelphia.

“Baby Dame” has a record of 15-1-1 with five knockouts, and he is trying to get back in the win column since suffering his 1st professional defeat to undefeated Jonathan Navarro on August 11, 2018.

Allen who was a major amateur star is now a six-year professional that has racked up wins over former world champion Gamaliel Diaz & Jayro Duran (10-2).

Nzau of Siliver Spring, Maryland has a record of 11-9 with eight-knockouts.

Allen weighed 138.9 lbs. Nzau was 139.

Photos by Deborah Carbone

READING, Pa. (October 24, 2019) – Top super welterweight Erickson “Hammer” Lubin and all-action Nathaniel Gallimore went face to face two days before they square off in the main event this Saturday night live on SHOWTIME from Santander Arena in Reading, Pa., in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Thursday’s press conference also featured former world champion Robert Easter Jr. and veteran contender Adrian “El Tigre” Granados, who meet in the co-main event, and heavyweights Frank Sanchez and Jack Mulowayi, who battle in the SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and King’s Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com or at the Santander box office (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.).

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from the Crowne Plaza Reading:

ERICKSON LUBIN

“It’s been a tremendous training camp with Kevin Cunningham. We worked on everything. It doesn’t matter who comes to the ring Saturday night. We’re definitely ready for anything.

“My plan is not to just take over the division. My plan is to take over boxing and it starts Saturday. I can’t wait to put on a great performance for everyone to watch. I’m hungry, dedicated and I’m going to be at my best Saturday night.

“Gallimore comes to fight. He’s a bigger puncher than Terrell Gausha and he takes risks. We’re prepared for everything. It’s my time for sure on Saturday.

“Gallimore is a power puncher and he relies on that throughout a fight. He’s going to try to land the big shots. We’re going to capitalize on the risks he takes.

“We’re prepared for it all. We’re the total package. Working with coach Cunningham has taken my game to a whole new level. You’re going to see something special on Saturday night.

“Saturday night I’m going to walk out with another W. Gallimore is a stepping stone and he’s in my way. I’m going to crush him.

“I believe I can stop Gallimore. They say he’s a power puncher but so am I. I’m skilled, smart and I’m ready to go. It’s going to be ‘Hammer Time’ on SHOWTIME.”

NATHANIEL GALLIMORE

“It’s been an amazing training camp. This is not a late replacement, because I’ve been training hard way before this fight. I knew this opportunity would present itself to me. Saturday night, you’re not going to want to miss this legendary performance.

“Lubin should be expecting everything. I’m not a one-dimensional fighter. They can see my fights on tape, but when it comes to Saturday, I’m going to give everyone a memorable night.

“I have more dimensions to my game than what he thinks. He’s only seen one side of me. I will show them the whole package on Saturday night.

“I’m feeling great right now. Saturday night is going to be something special for my career. It’s going to take my career to a whole new level.

“This is going to be a heated atmosphere. The action is going to be electric. We’ve accomplished everything we need to in training camp. I’m going to show the world on Saturday all the work we put in.

“On Saturday I will be victorious. It doesn’t matter what he brings to the table, I will have an answer for it.

“I can absolutely see myself stopping Lubin. Stay in your seat and don’t miss a second. You don’t want to miss what I do on Saturday.”

ROBERT EASTER JR.

“It feels great to be back in the squared circle training hard for this fight. I’m looking to put on a great performance. Granados is a hell of a fighter and we know he’s coming to fight.

“We trained hard for this fight just like every other fight we have. It’s going to be action packed. I’m coming to bring the fireworks and I’ll see you all on Saturday.

“I felt that it was time to move up in weight. Getting to 135 was cutting a lot of muscle. My body was getting tired so we made that move and this fight presented itself.

“The power is going to be there. My strength coach has worked me really hard and we’re getting the feel for this weight class.

“Fighters fight different each time they’re in the ring. I’m not only basing it off how he fought Adrien Broner. We have a game plan and we’re going to execute it.

“I’m so hungry to get a great victory. I’m back where I belong amongst the top fighters. I’ve put in the hard work and on Saturday night you’ll see that.

“It’s going to be a lot of excitement. I’ve been working and working and I’m definitely ready to show off these skills.”

ADRIAN GRANADOS

“I want to thank everyone who helped me get this opportunity. This is a really good fight and I’m happy that Robert Easter took this fight. Our styles are going to mesh well and there’s definitely going to be some fireworks.

“I have a statement to make. I’m going to re-establish myself and I’m more than ready to do just that. It’s going to be a great night on Saturday.

“It’s no secret that I made my name making a statement at 140. After that statement I never got an opportunity in that division. I was fortunate to share the ring with some of the best in the sport at welterweight, but I’ve always wanted to make a strong charge at becoming a champion at super lightweight.

“I know that Robert has a lot of talent and is a former champion for a reason. I’m coming in with a new slate, a new plan and I’m going to be ready for anything.

“Some people may see me as a stepping-stone and that’s okay. I want people to write me off. I know that people say my back is against the wall. But if it is against the wall, I’m going to come out swinging and give it all I’ve got.

“You can definitely expect fireworks and the Adrian Granados that the boxing world knows. It’s going to be a great fight and may the best man win. I’m more than ready to take home victory.”

FRANK SANCHEZ

“I want to thank my whole team for getting this opportunity. I’m very happy to have this fight on Saturday night. I’m looking forward to getting the win on Saturday and moving forward.

“I’m always in shape. I was getting ready for a fight coming up when I got the call to step in to face Mulowayi. We kicked it into overdrive once the fight was set and we’re ready for this fight.

“I’m ready to put on a spectacular performance. I know how my opponent moves and how he fights.

“I want to prove that I’m the future of this division. I want all the heavyweights who watch this fight to know that Frank Sanchez is here.”

JACK MULOWAYI

“It feels good to be back in the states. I was last here playing basketball but I had to quit because of an injury. It feels great to be here for boxing.

“Training camp went very well. I was prepared to fight Efe Ajagba and I wish him all the best with his recovery. I hope I still get a chance to fight him too. I also want to thank Sanchez for taking this fight on short notice so that we can give the fans a great show.

“I know he’s a Cuban fighter and they have a lot of skills. I’m ready for him and I’m here to make a statement.”

RENO, Nev. (October 24, 2019) — The official weigh in was held today at Silver Legacy Resort for tomorrow night’s RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS®, presented by RJJ Boxing Promotions & Joey Gilbert Promotions, in association with Silver Legacy Resort Casino at THE ROW.

RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS, headlined by undefeated super lightweight prospectKendo “Tremendo” Castaneda vs. Stan “The Man” Martyniouk, will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, from inside Grande Exposition Hall at Silver Legacy.

Fighters’ weights below:

MAIN EVENT – SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS (8)*
Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (16-0, 7 KOs), San Antonio, TX 142.6 lbs.
Stan “The Man” Martyniouk (20-2, 6 KOs), Belmont, CA by way of Estonia 142.2 lbs.

CO-FEATURE – BANTAMWEIGHTS (8)*
Oscar “Chapito” Vazquez (15-2, 3 KOs), Reno, NV 118 lbs.
Gilberto Mendoza (15-7-2, 7 KOs), Modesto, CA by way of Mexico 117 lbs.

FEATHERWEIGHTS (4)*
Ricardo Lucio (2-0,2 KOs), Reno, NV 126.8 lbs.
Mobley Villegas (2-0, 2 KOs), Amarillo, TX 126.8 lbs.

FEMALE BANTAMWEIGHTS (6)*
Rosalinda Rodriguez (10-2, 2 KOs), Miami, FL 118 lbs.
Myrka Aguayo (2-1), Tijuana, Mexico 117.8 lbs.

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)*
Peter Cortez (1-1), Reno, NV 142.8 142.8 lbs.
Daquan Mays (3-0, 1 KO), Las Vegas, NV 138.4 lbs.

LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)
Kenny Davis, Jr. (0-2-1), Reno, NV 139.4 lbs.
Phillip Schwartz (0-2), Stockton, CA 138 lbs.

(all fights & fighters subject to change)
*denotes streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS

INFORMATION:

Websites: www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.comwww.SilverLegacy.com
Twitter: @RoyjonesJRfa, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @UFCFightPass, @JoeyPromotions, @SilverLegacy
Instagram: @RoyJonesJRboxing, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @artofmusiclv, @rivalboxinggear, @JoeyPromotions, @SilverLegacyReno
Facebook: /RJJBoxing, /JoeyPromotions /SilverLegacyResortCasino

Philadelphia, PA (October 24, 2019)– Weights for Friday night’s eight-bout card at the 2300 Arena. 

Brandon Robinson 165 – Martez McGregor 166
Avril Mathie 117.4 – Karen Dulin 118.2
Damon Allen 138.9 – Dieumerci Nzau 139
Naim Nelson 137.8 – Roy McGill 137.8
Ryan Umberger 156 – Leon DeShields 161
Shinard Bunch 147.4 – Vincent Floyd 149.9
James Martin 146.4 – Juan Rodriguez 145.3
Nicoy Clark 198.7 – Angel Rivera 193.3
Promoter: King’s Promotions
1st Bell: 7 PM ET

Tickets are $100, $75 and $50 and can be purchased at www.2300arena.com
 The fights can be seen live on Facebook Fightnight Live

PROVIDENCE, RI (October 24, 2019) – Listed below are weights for all of the participants at CES MMA 59, scheduled for Friday, October 25 at Twin River Casino Hotel and streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS®. 

Tickets start at $47 and are available online at www.cesmma.com or www.showclix.com or by phone at 401-724-2253. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET with the first preliminary bout beginning at 7. The UFC FIGHT PASS® live stream kicks off at 8 with the broadcast team of Michael Parente and 11-time UFC vet Tom Lawlor. UFC FIGHT PASS® subscriptions are available at www.ufcfightpass.com. Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/cesmma for more information, and follow CES MMA on Instagram at @CESMMA. 

WEIGHTS:

DINIS PAIVA

East Providence, RI

12-7, 7 KOs

144

TIM DOOLING

Trenton, NJ

8-5, 3 KOs

149

WILLIAM KNIGHT

Manchester, CT

5-0, 5 KOs

218

*JAMELLE JONES

Spokane, WA

9-5, 5 KOs

KODY NORDBY

Cumberland, RI

9-5

140

DA’MON BLACKSHEAR

Fayetteville, NC

4-3, 1 KO

138

JOSE LUGO

Woonsocket, RI

4-1, 1 KO

126

JOSHUA RICCI

Whitesville, NY

4-2

125

ANDRES JEUDI

Boston, MA

7-6, 3 KOs

155

JACOB BOHN

Le Roy, NY

7-6, 1 KO

154

MOSES MONTEIRO

Everett, MA

2-1, 1 KO

153

DARIUS ESTELL

Detroit, MI

5-2, 2 KOs

155

SANAD ARMOUTI

Boston, MA

1-0, 1 KO

171

MARCOS LLOREDA

Miami, FL

6-5, 2 KOs

170

ARSLAN OTCHIYEV

Stratford, CT

1-1

135

ASHIEK AJIM

Long Island, NY

1-0

135

JARELL DAVIS

Syracuse, NY

Pro debut

172

HUGH MCKENNA

Syosset, NY

2-4

176

NATE GHAREEB

South Hampton, MA

1-0, 1 KO

149

ZACHARY JOHNSON

East Rochester, NY

0-2

150

*Fighter will weigh in Friday

INFORMATION

CES MMA is a mixed martial arts promotional firm based out of Providence, R.I., founded by legendary boxing promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. It promoted the first sanctioned professional mixed martial event in the state of Rhode Island on Sept. 17, 2010 at Twin River Casino Hotel. Since its inception, CES MMA has promoted and developed the careers of several current and former UFC contenders, including Andre Soukhamthath, Tom Egan, Charles Rosa, Rob Font, Dominique Steele, Charles Rosa, Calvin Kattar and Mike Rodriguez, among others. Other UFC veterans to appear on CES MMA cards include David Loiseau and Drew Fickett. In October of 2012, CES MMA promoted its first pay-per-view event at The Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, featuring the professional MMA debut of former WWE superstar Dave Bautista before signing a multi-year broadcast deal with AXS TV. 

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. 

RENO Nev. (Oct. 24, 2019) – The vacant WBO featherweight world title bout between Shakur Stevenson and Joet Gonzalez is boxing’s version of the Hatfields and McCoys, a long-simmering grudge match that will be settled Saturday evening at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

Stevenson (12-0, 7 KOs) is looking to become the first 2016 Olympian to win a major world title, while Gonzalez (23-0, 14 KOs) hopes to pull off the upset against his biggest nemesis.

In the 10-round co-feature, bantamweight contender Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer Jr. (21-1-1, 12 KOs) will face former world title challenger Antonio Nieves (19-2-2, 11 KOs). The special feature will see female fighting sensation Mikaela Mayer (11-0, 4 KOs) defend her NABF super featherweight belt in a 10-round showdown against Alejandra Zamora (7-3, 1 KO).

At the final press conference Thursday, this is what the fighters had to say.

Shakur Stevenson

On Bob Arum’s praise and taking the short track to a world title shot

“That means the world {to me}. I feel like that’s the harder route. I feel like you could say whatever you want, but I feel like going pro and fighting a bunch of bums early in your career, I feel like that’s the easy route. I feel like I went to the Olympics and fought the higher level of competition, and that’s the reason I am who I am today.”

To Gonzalez: “I also think in 2012 when he was fighting them bums, I was a freshman in high school at the time, bro. So I understand why you’re mad at me, bro. It’s all good.”

Gonzalez’s response: “Ain’t nobody mad at you. Just show up Saturday and come to fight.”

On Joet’s experience

“I’m not sleeping on him. If I’m being honest, I always said Joet was good. Go look at my Tweets from two, three months ago. I always said he’s a good fighter. He was the one who got up there and said Shakur was overrated. Saturday, he gotta put up everything he said.”

Joet Gonzalez

“I most definitely had the harder road. Like you said, he was an Olympic silver medalist. He got the fast track. He got {a title shot} in two years. It took me seven years. I’ve been pro since 2012, so I’ve had the longer road. I have more experience. I’m older, more mature, and I think that is going to help me out Saturday night.”

“His biggest test, as a pro or an amateur, is obviously for a world title. He’s gonna have to do some crazy thing to beat me because I’m not leaving Saturday without that belt.”

“I’m just anxious because all the hard work, it’s already been done. Now we’re just counting down the days, letting the days go by. Tomorrow will be weigh-ins and Saturday will be fight time.”

On the personal beef with Shakur

“It fuels me because I was never the one to put this out there. The media, the public, they found out because of him. Just running his mouth. And now when they ask him about it, he don’t want to talk about it. So, it’s personal. It’s personal, just the things he’s done, the things he’s said, and he’ll pay for that on Saturday night.”

Shakur’s response: “It’s personal for him. I’m not going in the ring with a personal mindset. I’m going in the ring to win a world title, so that’s what I’m going to do to win this world title.” 

Joshua Greer Jr.

On his flashy ring attire and “Night Night” pillow

“Pressure either busts pipes or makes diamonds, and I’m going to continue to shine.”

On his No. 2 ranking the pressure of a high ranking

“I had a great camp. I’m ready. At the end of the day, we’re going to drag him through that fire, and he gonna have on some gasoline boxing trunks so you know he’s burnt up.”

Antonio Nieves

“I’m coming to do what I gotta do. It’s a fight. At the end of the day, it’s a fight. We’re gonna fight. And that’s what we do. I’m here to fight. He’s here to fight. {If} he makes errors, we’re going to capitalize on them. We’re gonna fight him.”

“We’re ready 100 percent for whatever he brings.”

Mikaela Mayer

“I don’t know a lot about {Zamora}. There wasn’t a ton of video on her, but we do study tape. We always come up with a game plan in our camp, so we have plan A, B, or C.”

“There’s been a lot of talk about my style, and I think a lot of people are impressed with how I’ve been going to the body and working on the inside, especially being a female and being tall, you just don’t see a lot of that. I’ve really been working on that and then you see people talking about how I’m tall and long and I should use my reach more and stand on the outside, and I think it’s just been a combination of me wanting to be good at both. My team doesn’t want me to be a one-dimensional fighter. They don’t want there to be a certain way to beat me, and because I’m tall and long, girls are going to want to pressure me, and there’s going to be girls who are going to get me on the inside. So we want to be strong on the inside and box and move, so I’ve just been working on being able to put that all together.”

“I definitely plan on upping my knockout record, and I plan on doing that Saturday.”

“Whatever your reason is, if you think I’m a pretty girl and you want to see me get my ass beat, then tune in! Either way, it’s going to be an exciting fight. I feel like I always put on exciting fights, so this Saturday is not going to be any different. I’m stronger than ever. We’ve had a great training camp, a long one, and I feel good.”

ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Shakur Stevenson vs. Joet Gonzalez, 12 rounds, vacant WBO featherweight world title

Joshua Greer Jr. vs. Antonio Nieves, 10 rounds, Greer’s WBC Continental Americas and NABO bantamweight titles 

ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT

Albert Bell vs. Frank De Alba, 10/8 rounds, lightweight

Francisco Esparza Jr. vs. Matt Conway, 8 rounds, lightweight

Xander Zayas vs. Genesis Wynn, 4 rounds, welterweight

Andy Vences vs. Mark Bernaldez  10/8 rounds, super featherweight

Jason Sanchez vs. Adeilson Dos Santos, 10/8 rounds, featherweight

Jared Anderson vs. Daniel Infante, 4 rounds, super bantamweight

SWING BOUTS

JJ Mariano vs. Sean Cerveny, 4 rounds, super lightweight

Diego Elizondo vs. Mike Sanchez, 4 rounds, lightweight

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Golden Boy, Let’s Get It On Promotions and Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, tickets for this world championship event priced at $110, $70 and $40 (not including applicable fees) can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa gift shop.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Use the hashtags #StevensonGonzales, #GreerNieves and #MayerZamora to join the conversation on social media. About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com.

TUSCALOOSA, AL. (October 24, 2019) – WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder is deep into training camp as he prepares for his blockbuster rematch against Cuban slugger Luis “King Kong” Ortiz taking place Saturday, November 23 in the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View main event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Recently, Wilder showed his talents in front of the camera filming the fight commercial for his highly anticipated showdown. The spot can be watched HERE through Wilder’s social media channels, and will premiere on television during tonight’s Thursday Night Football game between the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins on FOX beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET.

“Working with FOX has been a blessing to my career and I’m looking forward to my first FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View,” said Wilder. “We got the job done and I think the commercial we made is going to be great for the promotion. We put a lot of time, hard work and effort into it and I’m looking forward to it coming to fruition.

“For it to air on Thursday Night Football with millions of people watching is a great thing for the promotion. It means the world to me to give the fans this kind of excitement leading up to the fight. I’m very grateful for where I am in my career and I can’t wait to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Even with the big fight commitments, Wilder has flourished during training camp in Tuscaloosa, Alabama as he prepares to be primed when the first bell rings on November 23.

“Camp has been going amazing,” said Wilder. “I haven’t reached my full potential or peaked in camp yet. We’re still pressing and everything is moving smoothly and on schedule. I’m feeling good and I’m looking good as well.

“I’m working on throwing a lot of jabs and countering. I know that Ortiz likes to counter as well. I’ve been in there with him before. I understand what he wants to do and I can recognize certain weaknesses we’re looking to exploit. It’s going to be a good fight while it lasts. Everyone knows what to expect from Deontay Wilder. I don’t have time to play games and I don’t get paid for overtime.”

Always one to find ways to push his training and his overall physical fitness level, Wilder has incorporated swimming and scuba diving into his conditioning program.

“For those that don’t know, I’m a certified scuba diver,” said Wilder. “I enjoy it and I’ve been doing it for a few years now. It gives me relaxation and helps keep pressure off the muscles in my body. It helps my body tremendously. It’s also strengthening my legs and expanding my lungs so that I have more stamina. Water is great for exercise and I love it.”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at www.mgmgrand.com or www.axs.com.

#

ABOUT WILDER VS. ORTIZ II
Wilder vs. Ortiz II will see boxing’s longest reigning heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder defending his WBC title in a rematch against once-beaten Cuban slugger Luis “King Kong” Ortiz Saturday, November 23 in FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View action live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Three-division champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz seeks a title in another division when he takes on Miguel “El Michoacan” Flores for the WBA Super Featherweight Championship in the co-main event.

Pay-per-view action begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and also features undefeated rising star Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa making the first defense of his WBA Super Bantamweight Title against former champion Julio Ceja while undefeated Mexican power-puncher Luis Nery battles Puerto Rico’s Emmanuel Rodríguez in a matchup of former bantamweight champions

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepageand www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes

PROVIDENCE, RI (October 24, 2019) – Bantamweight Kody Nordby contemplated retirement following his shocking loss to Tony Gravely at CES MMA 53. He had just returned home from a nine-month deployment to Iraq and Syria as a Sergeant with the U.S. Army and his wife was pregnant with their second child.

Not so fast.

While sitting at home watching Dana White’s Contender Series week in, week out, the 26-year-old Cumberland, RI, native realized he had a lot left in the tank, not to mention an opportunity to take his dormant career to the next level.

“Each week, I’m watching, and I’m like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe that guy made it so soon,’” Nordby said of the groundbreaking series, which offers winners a chance to earn a contract with the UFC. 

“I can’t just sit on the sidelines watching these people I know I can beat go out there and win. It lit a fire.”

The heat is back on Friday night as Nordby (9-5) makes his long-awaited return at CES 59 at Twin River Casino Hotel on UFC FIGHT PASS® against Da’mon Blackshear (4-3, 1 KO) of Fayetteville, NC. It’s been 11 months since Nordby’s loss to Gravely on AXS TV, but it didn’t take long for the former standout high school wrestler to get back into fight shape. 

As someone who always stays ready – even with his second son entering the world only a month ago – Nordby is as ready as he’ll ever be for what he hopes is another run back to the top of the 135-pound division.

“We’ll see where it goes,” he said. “I’m excited, but I’m going to take it one fight at a time.”

Tickets for CES 59 start at $47 and are available online at www.cesmma.com or www.showclix.com or by phone at 401-724-2253. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET with the first preliminary bout beginning at 7. The UFC FIGHT PASS® live stream kicks off at 8 with the broadcast team of Michael Parente and 11-time UFC vet Tom Lawlor. UFC FIGHT PASS® subscriptions are available at www.ufcfightpass.com. 

The last time Nordby fought, he was supposed to face Zachary Burhans, but when Gravely’s original opponent, Dinis Paiva, was forced to withdraw the day of the weigh-in, CES MMA presented Nordby with an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“I was in the sauna and I suddenly get the call asking if I wanted to step up to the main event and fight Gravely for the vacant title,” Nordby said. “It was an easy decision. There’s no way you can say no.”

Just a few hours before stepping on the scale, Nordby agreed to change course, knowing he’d have to adapt to facing an accomplished wrestler as opposed to Burhans, a natural striker, in addition to stepping up from a scheduled three-round bout to a potential five-round affair. Nordby came out firing from the opening bell and locked in what appeared to be a solid armbar attempt, but Gravely picked him up off the canvas and slammed him on his head twice. The second blow knocked Nordby unconscious, ending the fight in just 36 seconds.

“It is what it is,” Nordby said. “You just have to roll with the punches.”

Since then, he’s remained active outside the cage, adding a new layer to his game by training with fellow Rhode Islander Nate Andrews, a noted striker who is currently competing with the Professional Fighters League. The goal is to return to the cage with a new skill set in addition to his wrestling acumen.

“I want to showcase my standup more,” Nordby said. “I knew going back and working at Tri-Force MMA would help me bridge that gap.”

“Physically, I feel great,” he continued. “This has been one of the best camps of my life. I’m in really good shape. My wife is doing a great job with the baby letting me get out and train twice a day. Mentally, I’m ready. I’m looking forward to getting back in there.”

Friday’s show also features the return of fan-favorites Paiva (12-7, 7 KOs) of East Providence, RI, and Jose Lugo (4-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket, RI, in addition to a special appearance by unbeaten light heavyweight William Knight (5-0, 5 KOs) of Connecticut, who recently signed a development deal with the UFC following his win over Herdem Alacabek in Week 8 of the Dana White’s Contender Series. Reigning CES MMA World Heavyweight champion Greg Rebello’s scheduled five-round title defense for Friday’s main card has been postponed to 2020 due to an injury sustained by challenger Parnell Davis.

Making his record 20^th appearance with CES MMA, Paiva battles New Jersey’s Tim Dooling (8-5, 3 KOs) while Lugo returns in an intriguing showdown against fellow CES MMA veteran and Whitesville, NY, native Josh Ricci (4-2). 

Also on the main card, lightweight Moses Monteiro (2-1, 1 KO) of Everett, MA, battles Darius Estelle (5-2, 2 KOs) of Michigan. Boston lightweight Andres Jeudi (7-6, 3 KOs) fights for the first time since 2016 in a showdown against upstate New York veteran Jacob Bohn (7-6, 1 KO), and Sanad Armouti (1-0, 1 KO), also of Boston, faces Miami’s Marcos Lloreda (6-5, 2 KOs) in welterweight action. Preliminary bouts include bantamweight Askik Ajim (1-0) of Long Island battling Arslan Otchiyev (1-1) of Stratford, CT; welterweight Hugh McKenna (2-4) of Syosset, NY, against fellow New Yorker and undefeated amateur Jarell Davis; and featherweight Nate Ghareeb (1-0, 1 KO) of Southampton, MA, facing East Rochester, NY, native Zachary Johnson (0-2). 

Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/cesmma for more information, and follow CES MMA on Instagram at @CESMMA. 

INFORMATION

CES MMA is a mixed martial arts promotional firm based out of Providence, R.I., founded by legendary boxing promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. It promoted the first sanctioned professional mixed martial event in the state of Rhode Island on Sept. 17, 2010 at Twin River Casino Hotel. Since its inception, CES MMA has promoted and developed the careers of several current and former UFC contenders, including Andre Soukhamthath, Tom Egan, Charles Rosa, Rob Font, Dominique Steele, Charles Rosa, Calvin Kattar and Mike Rodriguez, among others. Other UFC veterans to appear on CES MMA cards include David Loiseau and Drew Fickett. In October of 2012, CES MMA promoted its first pay-per-view event at The Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, featuring the professional MMA debut of former WWE superstar Dave Bautista before signing a multi-year broadcast deal with AXS TV. 

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. 

NATIONAL HARBOR (October 24, 2019) – Exciting welterweight Ryan “Cowboy” Karl will take on Costa Rica’s Berman Aguilar in a 10-round welterweight fight and highly-regarded prospect David Morrell Jr. faces Quinton Rankin in an eight-round light heavyweight as part of FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes on Saturday, November 2 from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

The action begins at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT and is headlined by undefeated former champion Brian Carlos Castaño against exciting veteran contender Wale “Lucky Boy” Omotoso, plus former world champions Javier “El Abejón” Fortuna and Jesús Andrés Cuellar collide in the co-feature.

Preceding the fights on FS1 are FS2 PBC Fight Night Prelims featuring 2016 U.S. Olympian Gary Antuanne Russell (11-0, 11 KOs) from Capitol Heights, Maryland battling Panama’s Juan Huertas (14-2-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight affair. Prelims begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT with unbeaten welterweight prospect Anthony Velazquez (7-0, 7 KOs) in an eight round fight against Delaware’s Michael Crain (3-3, 1 KO).

The lineup also includes undefeated featherweight Ranfis Javier Encarnacion taking on Mexico’s Emmanuel Dominguez in a 10-round attraction and unbeaten bantamweight contender Antonio Russell in a 10-round fight against Mexico’s Samuel Gutierrez.

Non-televised fights will also feature undefeated super lightweight Patrick Harris from Washington, D.C. facing Brazil’s Joaquim Carneiro for eight rounds of action, unbeaten prospect Paul Kroll of Philadelphia in a six-round super welterweight contest, and an eight-round lightweight showdown between once-beaten fighters Dravontay Rawls of Glenarden, Maryland and Newark, New Jersey’s Wanzell Ellison.

Rounding out the show is undefeated welterweight Tyrek Irby from Landover, Maryland in an eight-round duel against Los Angeles-native Joaquin Chavez, unbeaten Keeshawn Williams of District Heights, Maryland in an eight-round super welterweight fight and Kazakhstan’s Shyngyskhan Tazhibay looking to remain unbeaten in a six-round super welterweight attraction.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.mgmnationalharbor.com/.

The 27-year-old Karl (17-2, 11 KOs) will enter the ring coming off of back-to-back knockout victories in 2019, most recently stopping David Morales in June. Born in Milano, Texas and fighting out of Houston, Karl won his first 13 pro fights after turning pro in 2014. Karl avenged one of his defeats by knocking Kevin Watts out in their January rematch. He will be opposed by Aguilar (15-5-1, 5 KOs), who was born in Nicaragua and now fights out of Costa Rica. He most recently defeated Eliecer Lanzas in July.

Representing his native Cuba and now fighting out of Minneapolis, Morrell (1-0, 1 KO) made his pro debut in August with a first round knockout of Yendris Valdez. The 21-year-old began his pro career after an impressive amateur career that included being named “Fighter of the Tournament” at the 2016 Youth Boxing Championships. He will be opposed by Charlotte, North Carolina’s Rankin (15-6-2, 12 KOs) who had a three-fight winning streak snapped in a decision loss to Chad Dawson in June.

#

ABOUT CASTAÑO VS. OMOTOSO
Castaño vs. Omotoso pits undefeated former champion Brian Carlos Castaño against exciting veteran contender Wale “Lucky Boy” Omotoso in a 10-round super welterweight showdown that headlines FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, November 2 from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

The action begins at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT and features former world champions Javier “El Abejón” Fortuna and Jesús Andrés Cuellar colliding in a 10-round super featherweight showdown in the co-feature.

Fans can live stream the fights on the FOX Sports app, available in English or Spanish through the FOX, FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @MGMNatlHarbor, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

Derek Chisora – Finchley, England – 31-9, 22 KOs – fighting David Price for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight title:

“We are brining WAR! I am ready for whatever he has, nothing fazes me and all I’m saying to David Price is just be ready. 

“Everybody has power in the boxing game. He has to be aware of what I can do to. We’re going to bring war, I can’t box.

“Listen, I don’t need to sell anything. You’re not in my league, you don’t understand.

“Bing, bing, bombs away, he’s getting knocked out!

“I’m happy to walk onto one but I will deliver one.”David Price – Liverpool, England – 25-6, 20 KOs – fighting Derek Chisora for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight title:

“I know Derek needs this to get himself up for the fight. That’s sound, because the last thing Derek needs is to be shaking my hand, because we do like each other, and it’s cool. That’s fine. This is business, 100 per cent.

“I expect it to be a long fight and a painful fight for Derek because my accuracy is the telling point. I expect a knockout win.

“Taking the Chisora fight was a no brainer! The upside of this fight is massive and we are ready to go toe-to-toe on Saturday night.”

David Haye, manager of Derek Chisora:

“Price is a weapon, I’ve sparred with him over the years, he has genuine world-class power.

“He’s the hardest person I’ve been hit by, behind Deontay Wilder. David Price is no joke! When a fighter has nothing to lose, they’re very dangerous.

“Derek is twelve round fit. He knows this is no joke and that you cannot underestimate any Heavyweight. The fans are in for a real treat.”Ricky Burns – Coatbridge, Scotland – 43-7-1, 16 KO’s – fighting Lee Selby in a 12 round Lightweight contest: 

“I’m just so happy we’re just a couple of days away now. These are the big nights like this, especially at The O2 – I’ve never boxed here before, but I’m so looking forward to it, these are the big Shows that I’ve always said I love to be involved in. 

“I know that we’ve got a tough fight here against Lee but preparation has gone well and everything has gone to plan for this fight. We’re confident in going out there and getting the win. I can always remember back when we sparred, I couldn’t believe the size of him for a Featherweight. I kept saying to him how does he do it.

“I know what I need to do. We know what to expect, all preparation has gone well and we’re just looking forward to going out there and putting on a show.”

Lee Selby – Barry, Wales – 27-2, 9 KO’s – fighting Lee Selby in a 12 round Lightweight contest: 

“I’m ready to go, back at The O2. I’ve boxed at The O2 more than any other venue in my career. I won the Lonsdale belt outright there, won and defended the World title, so I’ve got great memories there.

“We started sparring quite a while ago out in LA and whilst I was out there the date of the fight was put back so I took a week away with my family and the kids, then it was back to work. We’ve been up in Newcastle sparring with Lewis Ritson and then he came down and did a week down in Bristol.

“Everything has gone good and I’m looking forward to Saturday night. I’m expecting an extremely tough fight, Ricky Burns is very experienced. He’s a good boxer, you can’t get a tougher man, you’ve seen him box a full fight with a broken jaw, he’s an extremely tough man. He’s very skilled and I’m expecting a tough fight.”

Yves Ngabu – Roeselare, Belgium – 20-0, 14 KOS – defending his EBU European Cruiserweight title against Lawrence Okolie:

“This is what I wanted when I came to the UK! I wanted to fight the number one in the UK and that is what I have got. I have the chance to show the world what I can do and I am more than ready for this fight with two days to go. 

“I wanted to move to the world level after my last fight but these are the things that I have to do now to show people what I can do and in two days time we will see what happens.”

Lawrence Okolie – Hackney, London – 13-0, 10 KOS – challenging Yves Ngabu for the EBU European Cruiserweight title:

“This is not my first time boxing a champion, I have beat British and Commonwealth champions before so it’s just going to be continuing that on Saturday night. I have dealt with people before who have gone to sleep every night thinking that this is their time but it’s always ended up the same way with me walking away with the victory.

“I am happy that Yves has taken this fight, he said that he wanted it before and now it’s here! I am expecting a complete performance from myself because my opponent is very versatile who can come forward and box on the back foot. I am going to have to show different layers at different points in the fight so I look forward to it!”

Conor Benn – Ilford, England – 15-0, 10 KOS – defending his WBA Continental Welterweight title against Steve Jamoye:

“The O2 is home for me! I had my debut here, won my WBA title here and the reception I get here at The O2 is crazy. It’s a blessing to be on such a big show and for me this is the show of the year. I plan on showing everyone in this fight what I am made of, every fight I have is different. The fight before my last I boxed, my last fight I fancied it and got him out of there so if this guy fancies it as well then he is going to get banged out too!”

“It doesn’t bother me, if he wants to box on the back foot then I will take it to him because I am a fighter through and through and I fight with my heart on my sleeve – you know what to expect when I step through them ropes!”

Austin Williams – Houston, USA – 3-0, 3 KOS – fighting Miroslav Juna in a four round Middleweight contest:

“Firstly I want to thank the UK for all the love that I have received since I have been here, I’ve been on a private jet and headed up to Newcastle where I got to see and feel the spirit and the electric atmosphere of the UK fans.

“I really want to be a fighter who can headline a card one day over here in the UK – it was a beautiful experience for me and to be fighting at The O2 on this platform In just my fourth fight is such a blessing for me – I’m ready to put on a show on Saturday night!”

Shannon Courtenay – Watford, England – 3-0, 1 KO – fighting Jasmina Nad in a four round Bantamweight contest:

“This was a bill that I wanted to be on for a while! I am a live float which means there is a chance I can get a really good TV slot which I’m excited about and I’m just buzzing to be back at The O2. Last time I boxed here there was an amazing atmosphere and I think this is one of the best cards so far this year so I am just so excited to be there.”

Kalle Sauerland, Chief Boxing Officer of the WBSS:

“Good afternoon London, it’s great to be here and this is it, the Super-Lightweight final for the Muhammed Ali Trophy. I am very honoured to be sitting up here with two great athletes, warriors, fighters, fighting for the greatest prize in boxing. The winner of this fight will be the best man in the division, we saw it with Oleksandr Usyk and Callum Smith and these guys have got here not because we have put them together in a great fight but because they fought the best to reach the final. 

“On Saturday we will see the best vs. the best to find out who the man to beat at this weight class is. In a day and age of so many titles and confusions in this sport, its nice nice to have a simplistic format of a quarter final, semi final and final and we have had some dramatic fights up until this point. 

“We’ve had both Prograis and Taylor become World Champions and now we have it, on Saturday on what we believe is one of the biggest stages in world boxing. We have seen so many great fights here over the years at The O2 and Saturday night is about the best vs the best, the caviar of boxing. Two guys putting it all on the line for us, they didn’t have to enter this tournament but they did it to put themselves on the line!

“Great credit to Prograis and to Taylor who have fought the best to be here, and were really looking forward to seeing the Champions League Final of boxing on Saturday night.”

Eddie Hearn: 

“What a card on Saturday night! Conor Benn, Lawrence Okolie going for the European title against Yves Ngabu, Shane McGuigan in his corner. A brilliant domestic battle between Ricky Burns and Lee Selby, a mouthwatering Heavyweight contest between Derek Chisora and David Price which is headlined by this amazing fight. 

“One of the great things about the WBSS is that not only are we getting the best vs. the best but we’re getting it very quickly. I have to be honest If I was promoting Josh Taylor after that amazing win in Glasgow I probably would have taken a couple of easy defences! The great thing about the tournament for the fans is that they go straight into a unification match. 

“The best fight in the 140lb division with both guys coming off stunning wins. Regis looked great in his win against Kiryl Relikh and I was lucking enough to be up in Scotland to watch Josh Taylor’s great performance against Baranchyk where he won the IBF World title. 

“The Ali Trophy is on the line in this fight but also the World Championship belts of both men and the vacant Ring Magazine belt as well! Whether you feel that the titles, the Ali Trophy or the Ring Magazine belts carry the most weight in boxing, they’re all on the line in this fight, so everybody should be happy that we’re getting the best vs the best. 

“I’ve not got any association with these two guys so I get to sit there as a fan and just watch a great fight! Regis Prograis is a man who has been talked about in the States for a long time. Lou DiBella has been blowing the horn of Regis for a long time and he has an incredible story coming from New Orleans where we know he is very popular. 

“Josh Taylor has exploded onto the scene with world class performances and I really believe that both guys have a great opportunity to become stand-out stars in the sport on Saturday night. We are going to have 15,000 fans packed into the arena and the atmosphere is going to be incredible. 

“As always we are live and exclusive on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and we thank our partners DAZN in the states. I wish both guys the very best and Regis all the media you have done has been incredible. I can’t see anything but this being a fight of the year contender, we have been lucky enough to already have two fight of the year contenders in October and this can only follow suit. We can’t wait!”

Adam Smith, Head of Sky Sports Boxing:   

“I echo Eddie’s words and Kalle’s as well, its wonderful to have these two fighting at The O2! It’s a perfect finale to what has been a fantastic series and the winner of this is going to be in a phenomenal position. They are both wonderful fighters!

“This is going to be a great night from top to bottom with some wonderful fights on the card.”Regis Prograis – New Orleans, USA – 24-0, 20 KOs – fighting Josh Taylor in the WBSS Super-Lightweight Ali Trophy Final with the WBA, IBF & Ring Magazine World titles on the line:

“He should be able to land a solid, flush punch on me and when that happens, nothing will happen. When that happens, things will change, he will realise that I am an iron-man with an iron jaw. Once he lands his hardest shot and I look at him with a face of disdain, he will think: ‘damn, I’m in trouble’.

“I’m versatile, that’s the biggest differences. My last 10 fights look different. When I hit you, I hurt you.

“It was a great thing to come here three weeks ago because I am comfortable and adjusted to the weather, food, people.

“Josh is the best in the world – apart from me. He’s taller, he’s longer. Does he hit harder? Maybe, maybe not. Faster? Maybe, maybe not. Better chin? Maybe, maybe not. The tale of the tape never matters. What matters is heart and boxing IQ, and mine are so high. That will be the difference.

“He gets hit. Josh has been hurt against Ivan Baranchyk and Viktor Postol who aren’t punchers like me. They’re not sharp, crisp like me, they don’t have the timing that I do.

“After his fight in Scotland I told him: ‘If you get hit by the same punches by me, you’ll get hurt.'”Josh Taylor – Prestonpans, Scotland – 15-0, 12 KOs – fighting Regis Prograis in the WBSS Super-Lightweight Ali Trophy Final with the WBA, IBF & Ring Magazine World titles on the line:

“Twenty-two of his fights have been against absolute nobodies, people who haven’t fought since, journeyman. It is a padded record.

“I don’t think it’s about tiny percentages – I’m quite a bit better than him in every department. Speed, power, timing, skill. I do it all better than him. He hasn’t been tested, he hasn’t been hit by anyone. He hasn’t fought anybody with the desire that I’ve got, or the skill-set that I’ve got.

“He’s not under my skin. I’m ready to fight. My mind-set is starting to change now, I’m in fight mode. I’m sick of the sight of him.”

Shane McGuigan, trainer of Josh Taylor:

“It’s the pinnacle of boxing isn’t it. It’s two World Champions boxing each other for a unified title on Sky Sports Box Office at The O2 arena. It’s something that, as Eddie mentioned, Josh has kind of gone under the radar and bounced onto the scene. We’ve spent four years working behind closed doors with Josh Taylor, building him up and making sure that he’s prepped and ready for this occasion.

“Camp has gone brilliantly, everyone always says that but it really has gone brilliantly. He’s razor sharp and he’s ready for whatever Prograis brings to the table. I think you see the best of Josh Taylor whenever he’s up against it, he’s definitely up against it on Saturday night. Prograis is a good puncher, he’s got very good distance and control and they’re raving about him in the states. I know my man is going to win and I don’t believe that it’s going to go the distance.”

Lou DiBella, promoter of Regis Prograis:

“When you see something like what happened to Patrick Day you realise just how much you have to appreciate the men and women that walk into that ring for our entertainment and the risks they take to entertain us. One of the best examples of that is coming this Saturday night. The two best 140lbers in the world are going to meet in the final of the World Boxing Super Series. 

“I have nothing but respect for Josh Taylor. You’re not going to hear me say a negative word about him or his team. I have long believed that the two best 140lbers in the world are Regis Prograis and Josh Taylor. I think on Saturday night Regis is going to prove that he is the number one 140lber on the planet and Josh is number two. Josh’s team feel differently. Time will tell. 

“At this moment in time it is hard for me to be as enthusiastic as I might otherwise be but I’ll tell you that I am expecting a great sporting event, a great boxing match and the best of what our sport can offer on Saturday night. My greatest wish for both of these guys, other than a Regis Prograis win which I expect, is that they both leave after giving a tremendous effort where they give everything that they have and they go home healthy to their families.”

Sam Katkovski, manager of Regis Prograis:

“I want to thank everybody for being so courteous to us here and making us feel at home. I want to thank our whole team for the past eight weeks of camp, from training, to PR, to marketing. They’ve all done a tremendous job.

“But most importantly I want to thank Regis. He has really embraced it, done everything that we have asked him to do and he’s loved doing every single one of them. He loves the UK fans and we’ve been promoting this fight feeling like we’re at home.

“Now we’re two days away we’re excited and we can’t wait. In two days the whole world will see his talent. October 26, buy the PPV and buy the few remaining tickets. You’re about to see a man continue to build his legacy and this fight is part of his legacy.”  

INDIO, CALIF. (Oct. 24, 2019): Golden Boy, the leading media and entertainment brand, is proud to announce that its Thursday Night Fights series will now be streamed on DAZN. The series is set to continue today as Mexican warrior Elwin “La Pulga” Soto (15-1, 11 KOs) makes the first defense of his WBO Light Flyweight World Title against Filipino contender Edward “The Heneral Fighting” Heno (14-0-5, 5 KOs) in a 12-round main event at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

The series will also be streamed live on RingTV.com and on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page. It will also be available on regional sports networks around the nation. The action will take place across all platforms beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Earlier this year, Golden Boy and DAZN launched this monthly boxing series as a way to feature top prospects and rising contenders as they develop into main event attractions such as Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia. The series has also served to increase awareness of the DAZN brand, providing another terrestrial platform from which fans can enjoy the fruits of the exciting partnership between the two companies. With Thursday Night Fights now available on DAZN, fans will be able to enjoy twice as much Golden Boy action across even more platforms. The series is an exciting addition to fight season on DAZN – an entire fall featuring the biggest matchups in one of the best schedules in boxing history.

“Through our DAZN partnership, we’ve been able to deliver fantastic live fights and bring the sport of boxing to an even bigger audience,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “We’re excited to add even more fights to the platform and put our top prospects and contenders in the spotlight. We’re continuously looking to provide fans with more boxing action in as many platforms possible, and having our Thursday Night Fightsseries streamed on DAZN does just that.”

In the co-main event, Angel “Tito” Acosta (20-2, 20 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico will make his debut at 112 pounds in a 10-round fight against Raymond Tabugon (22-10-1, 11 KOs) for the vacant WBO International Flyweight Title.

Ricardo Sandoval (16-1, 11 KOs) of Rialto, Calif. will defend his WBC Youth Intercontinental Flyweight Title against Alonso Melendez (15-3, 13 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico in a 10-round fight.

Raul “Cougar” Curiel (7-0, 5 KOs) of Tamaulipas, Mexico will battle in an eight-round super welterweight bout against Jeremy Ramos (11-7, 4 KOs) of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Jonathan “Thunder” Navarro (16-0, 8 KOs) of East Los Angeles, California will fight Lebin Morales (17-5-1, 8 KOs) of Juigalpa, Nicaragua in an eight-round super lightweight bout.

Aaron McKenna (8-0, 5 KOs) of Monaghan, Ireland will participate in a six-round super welterweight fight against Sergio Gonzalez (6-6-1, 2 KOs) of Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Nick Sullivan (1-0) of Norfolk, Virginia will return in a four-round lightweight bout against Gilberto Aguilar of Mexico City, Mexico.

Soto vs. Heno is a 12-round fight for the WBO Light Flyweight World Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING”. The fight will take place Thursday, October 24, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. The event will be streamed live on DAZN, RingTV.com and on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The series will also be available on regional sports networks around the nation. To see when and where the series is available in your area click here.

Tickets for the event are on sale and start at $25. Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #SotoHeno, #ThursdayNightFights and #TNF.

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

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 23, 2019) – Canelo Alvarez (51-1-2, 34 KOs) hosted a media workout today at the House of Boxing in San Diego, Calif. ahead of his upcoming 12-round bout against Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs) for his WBO Light Heavyweight World Title. Trainers Eddy Reynoso and Jose “Chepo” Reynoso also attended the workout. The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be streamed live exclusively as one of the most-anticipated events this fight season on DAZN.

Below are quotes from today’s workout:

CANELO ALVAREZ, WBC FRANCHISE, WBA, LINEAL AND RING MAGAZINE MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION AND WBA SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION:

“I feel good! This is the weight I’m usually at during my normal life so it’s natural for me. I’ve been eating well, lifting more weights because I normally don’t lift weights when I’m losing weight. I’ve been eating how I normally do, of course staying healthy, but adding more rice, protein and carbohydrates. I’m entering his zone of comfort but we’re ready for this. We have the intelligence and skill to beat Kovalev and win the fight. It’s going to be one of the most important fights for me and my career. This title is very important, to be a four-time world champion in different divisions. This is historic for my career. In boxing you have to take risks to make history and it’s a huge risk for my career but we’re ready. We feel that we have the necessary skills to win this fight! I’m going to utilize all my skills in the ring. A body punch is always necessary in every fight and it’s a key move that I’m obviously going to utilize to my advantage to win this fight. We know what he has and what this challenge represents. We know he has long arms, his jab is really strong, and he knows how to move, but we’ve trained for this. He’s my strongest opponent without a doubt and it’s a huge risk for me but we’re ready.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, TRAINER AND MANAGER OF CANELO ALVAREZ:

“We’re in a very optimistic mindset thanks to all the hard work we’ve done, all the preparation. We have confidence and optimism because we’ve done everything right. In the gym we have a saying, “What’s done well can’t turn out poorly.” This would be a great achievement for Saul to win this fight that very few in the history of boxing have done. For us, for Saul and for the team too since we’ve started together. Everyone needs to understand that we’ve been working together for 15 years and have come this far to now fight for this fourth title, together. We’re optimistic, happy and confident that we can take this fourth title. Canelo is a man of many risks and he always likes to take risks. I admire him for that. He knows the risk he’s taking but the prize for that risk will be huge. We know Kovalev’s style because we’ve seen him for years. We know he is strong and tall, but knowing this we accepted this fight because we know Saul can beat him.”

EDDY REYNOSO, HEAD TRAINER AND MANAGER OF CANELO ALVAREZ:

“We’re focused. We’ve been training for more than three months and have prepared very well. We haven’t had any setbacks with injuries or illnesses and we’re good. We’ve taken care of ourselves and we prepared well to be able to win this fight. Kovalev is a strong fighter and he has lots of good qualities. He’s made it this far in his career because of that. He has a good punch and has a lot of heart. We’ve seen some errors in his fighting style and we hope to capitalize on those mistakes the day of the fight. It’s very important for us and for Mexican boxing that new figures arise, or new records are being broken. Whether that’s Saul or someone else, I think it’s important for everyone that’s in the world of boxing.”

Canelo vs. Kovalev is a 12-round fight for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title presented by Golden Boy, Main Events and Krusher Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and Brand-New Grapefruit Crush, Knockout Flavor. The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN. The title clash is one of several highlights this fight season on DAZN – an entire fall featuring boxing’s biggest matchups in one of the best schedules in boxing history.

Tickets for Canelo vs. Kovalev are on sale and are priced at $1,754, $1,254, $854, $654, $404 and $204, not including applicable service charges and taxes. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.axs.com

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,
www.MainEvents.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @Main_Events, @KrusherKovalev and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/SaulCaneloAlvarez,
https://www.facebook.com/thekrusher/,
https://www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing and
https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy, @Canelo, @Main_Events, @SergeyKrusherKovalev, and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #CaneloKovalev.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying
and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CaneloKovalev to a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy or Main Events where applicable for any photo and/or video usage.

LAS VEGAS, NV (October 23, 2019) – Prince Ranch Boxing’s undefeated super bantamweight prospect, Raeese “The Beast” Aleem (14-0, 8 KOs), will return to the ring on Saturday, October 26, from Santander Arena in Reading, Pa, against Saul Eduardo Hernandez (14-14, 9 KOs). The 10-round bout will take place off TV on the undercard of Erickson Lubin vs Nathaniel Gallimore.

“I am looking to make a statement to prove I’m ready to step in competition,” said Aleem, who is promoted by Marshall Kauffman’s Kings Promotions. “I have been grinding, I have been working hard, and now I have a great chance to make an impression on the boxing world with a memorable performance. I know there will be a lot of important boxing executives who will be in attendance, so I going to put on the type of show that will make Showtime want to put me on television.”

“Aleem is a tremendous fighter, who has all the tools to be a world champion,” said Greg Hannley of Prince Ranch Boxing, Aleem’s manager. “He’s great in many areas of his game and are very confident in Aleem’s ability to make an impact on the entire super-bantamweight division. We expect him to end the year strong and follow it up with a big 2020.”

Aleem defeated unbeaten fighter Marcus Bates in 2018 and has followed up with impressive wins against tough experienced opponents. Aleem is a prospect on the rise who is showing that he is ready to contend.

“I want to prove that I am the best super bantamweight in the division,” Aleem continued. “Fighting the best available opponents in the division is what I’m seeking. I’m ready to take may career to the next level.”

Aleem’s opponent Eduardo Hernandez has faced some of the best of the division having fought Luis Nery (30-0, 24 KOs), Francisco De Vaca (20-1, 6 KOs), Joshua Franco (15-1-2, 7 KOs), and Gary Antonio Russell (15-0, 11 KOs), making him a formidable foe.

On Wednesday, November 27, women’s WBC #7-, WBA #2- and IBO #2-ranked Hannah Rankin of Glasgow, Scotland, will look to add the interim WBC Super Welterweight World Championship to her history-making resume when she faces Sweden’s undefeated Patricia Berghult at the Hotel InterContinental St. Julians in St. Julian’s, Malta.

Rankin (8-3, 1 KO) and Berghult (13-0, 3 KOs) will meet in the 10-round main event of a card presented by Demis Tonna of Prize Boxing Promotion.

A well-known celebrity athlete in the UK where she headlines sold-out shows, Rankin is already the first Scottish woman in history to win a boxing world title after she captured the IBO World Super Welterweight Championship with a 10-round decision over Sarah Curran last June. Although she is a natural 154-lb fighter, the fearless Rankin has twice gone up in weight to face two of female boxing’s biggest names in Claressa Shields and Alicia Napoleon. She also previously held the WBC Silver Middleweight title in addition to her world championship.

“I’m excited to be fighting for another world title in my own weight class,” said Rankin. “I know Patricia is unbeaten and in Europe many consider her to be a very, very good fighter. I am improving with every fight and I look forward to once again testing myself, as true fighters should, and becoming WBC interim world champion.”

Rankin’s co-manager, Sam Kynoch of Kynoch Boxing (along with Mark Taffet), says he’s pleased with the opportunity for his fighter.

“I am delighted that Hannah will have the opportunity to lift the WBC Interim World Title on 27th November. Having held the WBC Silver Title at Middleweight it has always been a goal for Hannah to land a WBC World Title. The international exposure which Hannah will obtain, by virtue of competing at this prestigious event in Malta, is an added bonus.”

Rankin’s promoter, Dmitriy Salita, says the best is still yet to come for Rankin, who turned pro a short two years ago.

“Hannah Rankin is getting better with each fight and training camp,” said Salita. “I believe she is one of the best fighters in the junior middleweight division. She will have a chance to win another world championship against the undefeated and skilled Patricia Berghul of Sweden. I look forward to this great match-up.

Hannah Rankin

Facebook: TeamRankinBoxer/
Twitter: @Team_Rankin
Instagram: team_rankin

LOS ANGELES – Oct. 23, 2019 – YouTube sensation Logan Paul opened up the doors to his training camp yesterday at the iconic Wild Card Boxing Gym in Hollywood ahead of his much-anticipated professional boxing debut. Paul first squared off with KSI in an amateur boxing match in front of a sold-out crowd in Manchester, England in August 2018. Following the majority draw, KSI and Logan Paul agreed to meet again as licensed professional boxers on Nov. 9 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The event will be streamed live exclusively as part of the action-packed Fight Season on DAZN.

Below are quotes from yesterday’s workout:

On training camp: “The only problem is that the fight isn’t tonight. I’ve been locked in camp for two and a half months. I haven’t taken a day off for the last year and a half since our last fight. That draw left a nasty taste in my mouth. There is a lot of regimented hard work you have to put in to become a fighter and few people are willing to do it. This is such a hard grueling sport. This is a big fight and it’s the biggest event of my life so there’s no reason that I won’t go as hard as I possibly can every day. Boxing has changed my life and I haven’t even been doing it that long. We call training camp ‘The No Fun Club.’ We aren’t allowed to have fun. We are locked down and it is intense. We have a very routine-based camp.”

On fighting without headgear: “I think the head gear saved him last time. I like throwing hooks and with the headgear, you can’t get to that button. I think that without headgear, the pressure to not get hit is so much higher so it makes my reflexes that much better.”

On the stakes: “There’s so much on the line between me and KSI. There is so much on the line. Egos, subscribers, the crown of “The YouTube King.” The last match was a draw. If the W is secured in a monumental way, something similar to when Conor McGregor knocked out Jose Aldo, if something like that happens, it is going to be long-lasting form of stardom. There is a stigma that comes along with being an internet star – a YouTuber, an influencer. The narrative of the first fight was that there’s these two YouTubers boxing and now it’s two YouTubers slash professional boxers fighting. But I think that boxing helps get rid of that stigma. People look at you in a different way when you get inside these ropes and put it all on the line.”

On fighting on a card with Billy Joe Saunders: “It blows my mind to fight atop a card with a former world champion like Billy Joe Saunders. I’m honored and I’m humbled. I legitimately cannot believe that that’s the circumstance. It is amazing that they are willing to give us a chance and I hope that we can return the favor by putting on a sick show. But also for some of our fans to notice Devin Haney and Billy Joe Saunders, and for them to absorb our fan base. I hope they can put on a good show and bring some new fans to the sport of boxing.”

On his trainer Shannon Briggs: “Shannon and I quickly realized that we are the same person. We are both loud, we are boisterous, we are passionate, and we love the sport of boxing. We fight the same way, too. It’s like a crazed speed and power. When he gives me coaching advice it really resonates with me. We are both tall, we both have range and we are quickly. It is a match made in heaven.

Fight Season on DAZN continues this weekend with the World Boxing Super Series final between Regis Prograis and Josh Taylor. On Nov. 2 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez will jump up two weight classes to meet light heavyweight titlist Sergey Kovalev in one of the biggest fights of 2019.

Find out more about Fight Season on DAZN ahead of KSI vs. Logan Paul II at www.DAZN.com. Tickets for KSI vs. Logan Paul II are on sale now.

About DAZN:

DAZN is the largest global sports streaming service. Since launching in 2016, DAZN has expanded to nine countries across four continents with its app available for download in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil. In the U.S., DAZN has made its mark as an attractive alternative to pay-per-view within the combat sports industry. The service features big fights from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas, all for one affordable price, on any device – including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. DAZN also features The Pat McAfee Show, live MLB action each day of the season with its daily show ChangeUp and a growing number of projects from DAZN Originals.

LAS VEGAS – October 23, 2019 – Up-and-coming super lightweights Richardson Hitchins (9-0, 5 KOs) and Kevin Johnson 7-1, (4 KOs) open up about training camp leading in to their ShoBox: The New Generation co-feature next Friday, November 1 live on SHOWTIME at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas.

In the ShoBox main event, unbeaten Mayweather Promotions’ prospect Xavier Martinez 14-0, (10 KOs) will return to the series to go toe-to-toe with Filipino veteran Jessie Cris Rosales 22-3-1, (10 KOs) in a 10-round super featherweight bout. Kevin “The Second Coming” Newman 10-1-1 (6 KOs) will look to put on another show in his hometown in a rematch with Mark Hernandez 14-2-1 (3 KOs) in an eight-round super middleweight bout. In the opening bout of the telecast, Las Vegas’ knockout artist Rolando Romero 9-0 (8 KOs) will face once-beaten Dominican Juan Cordones 14-1, (9 KOs) in a six-round lightweight bout.

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

Brooklyn native Richardson Hitchins returns to the ring for the fourth time this year in his first ShoBox appearance as the 2016 Olympian looks to keep his perfect record intact against Kevin Johnson. His previous fight was in his hometown in Brooklyn, where he earned a stoppage victory on the Wilder vs. Breazeale undercard. He will now venture to Las Vegas for the second time seeking his 10th win. Still just 22 years old, Hitchins has gained invaluable experience training with several notable fighters, including Terence Crawford, Sadam Ali, Luis Collazo, and stablemate Gervonta Davis.

Two-time world champion Davis feels Hitchins has the makings of a star and will be ready for a title shot in no time.

“He’s a great fighter,’ says Davis. “He’s explosive, he’s always had the talent and he continue to get better and better. I can easily see him becoming a world champion across a few different weight classes as long as he continues doing what he’s doing.

“We have spent a lot of time in the gym, he’s like a brother to me, so it’s great to see us push each other. He’s a champion without the belt, and without putting too much pressure on his career I can definitely see him fighting for a world title if not next year, in 2021. He’s been working really hard and I’m excited to see him in his first televised fight on November 1.”

Here is what Hitchins and Johnson had to say ahead of the November 1 match-up:

How has training camp been going in preparation for 11/1? Have you made any adjustments in your camp?

Hitchins: “I’ve been training hard, keeping the same routines. I’ve seen a lot of different styles coming up in the amateurs; the only difference is the rounds. I’ve picked up little tricks and things from training with Tank and a few other elite fighters.”

Johnson: “I’ve been training consistently for about 4 months now. I’ve been focusing on my dieting, strength and conditioning, hitting the bag with speed and power, and learning new moves. Overall my camp has been going very well.

“I’ve sparred with Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Demarcus ‘Chop Chop’ Corley, and other upcoming guys like Fernando Vargas Jr. I’ve had some great sparring in this camp. I’m looking strong, sharp, and in shape. I’ve been sparring 10 rounds and still have energy to do more at the end.”

What is your game plan going into this fight?

Hitchins: “The plan is to stay composed. Be first with the attacks, be really sharp and aware, and counter or react to anything he plans to put together against me. I’m a completely different fighter from my debut. I’ve spent hours studying and working on my craft. I’m stronger, smarter, way more developed. Overall, I’m just a smarter fighter.”

Johnson: “I want to go in there and have fun, enjoy the moment, make sure that I listen to my coach, and allow my personality shine in the ring. I don’t really think about getting the knockout unless I see it coming. By my experience and my talent, I definitely will see the knockout coming and will hit him with some great shots and expose his weaknesses”.

What do you know about your opponent Kevin Johnson and his fight style?

Hitchins: “I know he’s fast and tries to fight like Floyd. That style won’t work well with me. I’ve seen that style countless times. He looks solid from my previous opponents, but I have noticed he takes a lot punches.”

Johnson: “I watched one of his recent fights and he’s a really good, tough competitor. Everything he does comes off of basic punches, so he is a really sharp fighter. It’s going to be a really good, exciting fight. I think I can definitely take him and get the victory.”

What will a victory on 11/1 do for your career going forward?

Hitchins: “It’s another win for me. It’s another opportunity to grow my brand, especially with my fight being on TV. I’m going to make a statement.”

Johnson: “If I beat Richardson Hitchins big things will come for my career. I don’t know what will come, but I definitely see the future being successful.”

This is your first nationally televised fight. What do you plan to showcase for fans watching at home?

Hitchins: “I know I will look great. To casual boxing fans I will bring a great show, boxing skills, hand speed, the whole package. I have a lot to show. For the fans who’ve seen me before they’ll already know what’s coming. Another great performance and a W.”

Johnson: “I’ve been promoting my fight heavily on all my social media platforms and have been receiving a lot of engagement that is helping grow my fan base. My followers have been telling me that they will be tuning in or coming to the fight, so I will definitely have a big fan base coming to Sam’s Town. I’m excited to have my first fight on TV, but I’m not thinking the popularity. I’m thinking about my opponent and doing with I’m training to achieve. This will just bring me closer to getting a shot at a championship belt.”

#

Fans can live stream the undercard fights on Mayweather Promotions’ Facebook beginning at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET. Bring a minimum of 5 food items to receive a complimentary general admission ticket (limit 1 ticket per person while they last). List of accepted items include mac & cheese, corn bread, green beans, cake mix, cake icing, and mashed potatoes. Tickets for the live event start at $25 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets to the live event, visit: www.mayweatherpromotions.com/events. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

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 80 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.

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

PROVIDENCE, RI (October 23, 2019) – There’s loyalty, and then there’s Dinis Paiva loyalty, the kind of unbreakable bond between fighter and promoter almost unheard of in today’s combat sports environment. 

The 31-year-old East Providence, RI, native and fan-favorite at Twin River Casino Hotel returns to CES MMA for the record 20^th time – more than any fighter in the promotion’s history – Friday night when he faces New Jersey’s Timothy Dooling (8-5, 3 KOs) in a three-round bantamweight bout on the main card of CES MMA 59 live on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

Since he made his professional debut eight years ago at CES 6 with a knockout win over Jon Marcheterre, Paiva (12-7, 7 KOs) has yet to leave CES MMA or Twin River Casino. All 19 of his professional fights have been at the same venue, which is just a stone’s throw from his hometown and has since become the hub for mixed martial arts in New England.

To some degree, Paiva’s career is the MMA version of The Truman Show; fans have watched him mature through the years from a young, up-and-comer who entered the sport with no goals or expectations to a legitimate world-title contender on the brink of stardom. They experienced his growth through CES MMA’s network television and live streaming platforms. They cheered the highs and mourned the lows, developing the same sense of devotion to Paiva and his journey as the fighter bred with his promoter. 

That kind of bond these days is rare. Fighters come and go and some promoters part ways with a once-prized prospect in the aftermath of what may seem like a temporary bump in the round. For Paiva, it was simple: He had no reason to go anywhere else.

“How could Tom Brady not retire with the New England Patriots? That’s his legacy. That’s how people know him,” Paiva said. “That’s how I feel about CES MMA.

“[President] Jimmy Burchfield has been good to me. They’ve always treated me fair. Leaving never crossed my mind or made any sense to me. I’ve been spoiled in a sense because I’ve always had that comfort level of fighting in my backyard. Not a lot of fighters get to experience that the way I have. I’m thankful.”

Tickets for CES 59 start at $47 and are available online at www.cesmma.com or www.showclix.com or by phone at 401-724-2253. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET with the first preliminary bout beginning at 7. The UFC FIGHT PASS® live stream kicks off at 8 with the broadcast team of Michael Parente and 11-time UFC vet Tom Lawlor. Start your free trail or purchase a UFC FIGHT PASS® subscription at www.ufcfightpass.com. 

Paiva’s road to becoming the most prolific fighter in CES MMA history has had its share of bumps along the way. After winning his pro debut, he lost his next three before rebounding with back-to-back wins to close out 2012. The up-and-down journey continued with two more losses, leaving Paiva at 4-5 facing a career crossroads in what was considered at the time a major step-up bout against 11-5 Joe Cushman at CES 24. Paiva won by knockout 49 seconds into the opening round, a moment he looks back on as the turning point of his career.

“I’ve been more focused on my goals since then,” Paiva said, “and it shows.”

Paiva is 9-2 in his last 11 fights dating back to 2014. He nearly quit following a loss to Rob Sullivan in 2013, but instead began working with trainer Mike Gresh, whom he credits for talking him off the ledge and turning him into a world-title contender. Paiva eventually got his shot at championship glory at CES 50, the promotion’s golden anniversary, but came up short against Andre Ewell. Twenty fights in, the goal remains the same – win a world title and further cement his status as a future CES MMA Hall of Famer.

“Fighting for CES MMA, the people I’ve met along the way, it’s one of the things I’ll always be able to look back on,” Paiva said. “I remember making my pro debut as the first fight of the night in front of a half-empty arena. I worked my way up the ranks, learning things as I went along, and, most importantly, learned the right way to do things.

“Winning a world title is still what it’s all about. I wouldn’t be doing this if there wasn’t a bigger prize at the end. I don’t know how I could ever walk away from the sport without being a CES MMA champion.”

Friday’s stacked lineup also features the return of fan-favorites Kody Nordby (9-5) of Cumberland, RI; Jose Lugo (4-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket, RI; and a special appearance by unbeaten light heavyweight William Knight (5-0, 5 KOs) of Connecticut, who recently signed a development deal with the UFC following his win over Herdem Alacabek in Week 8 of the Dana White’s Contender Series. Knight faces Marvin Skipper (4-2) of Myrtle Beach, SC, in a three-round bout. Lugo faces CES MMA veteran and Whitesville, NY, native Josh Ricci (4-2) while Nordby – also a former world-title challenger – returns to face Da’mon Blackshear(4-3, 1 KO) of Fayetteville, NC. Reigning CES MMA World Heavyweight champion Greg Rebello (25-9, 16 KOs) headlines against an opponent to be determined. 

Also on the main card, lightweight Moses Monteiro (2-1, 1 KO) of Everett, MA, battles Darius Estelle (5-2, 2 KOs) of Michigan. Boston lightweight Andres Jeudi (7-6, 3 KOs) fights for the first time since 2016 in a showdown against upstate New York veteran Jacob Bohn (7-6, 1 KO), and Sanad Armouti (1-0, 1 KO), also of Boston, faces Miami’s Marcos Lloreda (6-5, 2 KOs) in welterweight action. Preliminary bouts include bantamweight Askik Ajim (1-0) of Long Island battling Arslan Otchiyev (1-1) of Stratford, CT; welterweight Hugh McKenna (2-4) of Syosset, NY, against fellow New Yorker and undefeated amateur Jarell Davis; and featherweight Nate Ghareeb (1-0, 1 KO) of Southampton, MA, facing East Rochester, NY, native Zachary Johnson (0-2). 

Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/cesmma for more information, and follow CES MMA on Instagram at @CESMMA. 

INFORMATION

CES MMA is a mixed martial arts promotional firm based out of Providence, R.I., founded by legendary boxing promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. It promoted the first sanctioned professional mixed martial event in the state of Rhode Island on Sept. 17, 2010 at Twin River Casino Hotel. Since its inception, CES MMA has promoted and developed the careers of several current and former UFC contenders, including Andre Soukhamthath, Tom Egan, Charles Rosa, Rob Font, Dominique Steele, Charles Rosa, Calvin Kattar and Mike Rodriguez, among others. Other UFC veterans to appear on CES MMA cards include David Loiseau and Drew Fickett. In October of 2012, CES MMA promoted its first pay-per-view event at The Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, featuring the professional MMA debut of former WWE superstar Dave Bautista before signing a multi-year broadcast deal with AXS TV. 

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 (October 23, 2019) – Middleweight star Chris Eubank Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov will square off in the co-main event on Saturday, December 7 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in a Premier Boxing Champions event. Eubank and Korobov will meet for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title.

The middleweight division will take center stage on the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) that is headlined by undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo defending his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan.

Eubank is coming off a career-best win over British super middleweight rival James DeGale in February on SHOWTIME and will go down to the 160-pound class to take on Korobov, a southpaw who gave Charlo a tougher than expected test as a late replacement last December at Barclays Center.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

“Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Matt Korobov is a high stakes showdown that makes Saturday, December 7 a tremendous night of championship middleweight action live on SHOWTIME at Barclays Center in Brooklyn,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Chris Eubank Jr. is already a star in the U.K. and is poised to make a big splash in his U.S. debut, while Matt Korobov is eager to build on his impressive performance in a loss to Jermall Charlo last year. Expect fireworks as Eubank and Korobov look to steal the show and walk away the title on December 7.”

This will be the first time that Eubank (28-2, 21 KOs) has fought in the U.S. as a professional. Although he has competed at super middleweight, the 29-year-old from Brighton, Sussex in the United Kingdom will meet Korobov at his more natural weight of 160 pounds for the interim title. Since losing to George Groves in 2018, the son of British legend Chris Eubank Sr. has put together two victories, including the decisive unanimous decision over former super middleweight champion DeGale in his last fight in London.

“I’m ready to take the United States and the middleweight division by storm,” said Eubank. “I’m excited to come down to 160 pounds where I naturally belong, and I don’t see anybody being able to touch me at this weight class. America is where I learned how to fight as an amateur in Las Vegas and 13 years later I’m finally going to make my U.S. professional debut. I can’t wait to show the fans in the U.S. that I’m the best middleweight in the world.”

The 36-year-old Korobov (28-2-1, 14 KOs) is coming off a majority draw against Immanuwel Aleem in his last fight in May, after serving notice to the middleweight division that he would be a threat when he lost a hard-fought decision to Jermall Charlo in December. Born in Orotukan, Russia and now living in St. Petersburg, Florida, Korobov was a late replacement and gave Charlo a tougher fight than many experts expected. Korobov had been riding a four-fight win streak before the Charlo fight, having previously lost a middleweight title fight to Andy Lee in 2014.

“I am more motivated for this fight than any other so far in my career,” said Korobov. “Against Jermall Charlo, I didn’t get the decision. In my mind, I won that fight at Barclays Center. This time around, I will leave no doubt against Eubank. This opportunity gives me a chance to right a wrong. Fans will see the best Matt Korobov on December 7.”

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

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 23, 2019) – Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs), hosted a media workout yesterday at the Boxing Laboratory in Oxnard, Calif. ahead of his upcoming 12-round bout against Canelo Alvarez (51-1-2, 34 KOs) for his WBO Light Heavyweight World Title. Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events, also attended the workout, along with trainer Buddy McGirt. The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be streamed live exclusively as one of the most-anticipated events this fight season on DAZN.

Below are quotes from yesterday’s workout:

SERGEY “KRUSHER” KOVALEV, WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion:

“Canelo has nothing to lose in this fight. He has a chance to make history. But I have to defend my title. This is the biggest fight of my career. I’ve never been in this situation, where someone is coming from middleweight. I’m not going to make a prediction, but I am going to go in there and defend my title.”

“I think Canelo will be just as strong at light heavyweight. I think he will weigh the same as me, 175 pounds. He will be heavier than usual, but I think he will be comfortable. When you lose weight for a fight, you lose power and stamina, and he won’t have to do that.”

“My preparation has been well. We have a great camp with Buddy McGirt. I had a short rest since my last fight. But I think that’s better. My body feels really good, and I’m ready for this fight. This fight will be very interesting. It has a worldwide intrigue. I can’t wait.”

BUDDY MCGIRT, Trainer of Sergey Kovalev:

“Everything has been great, thank God. I can’t complain. The training is running on time. Camp has been great because we haven’t been looking at Canelo like the smaller guy. We’re not looking to go into this fight as the bigger, stronger guy. We’re looking to go in there as the better and smarter fighter.”

“People have been asking about Canelo’s body attack. But nobody likes getting hit to the body. I don’t care who you are. But the thing is this: What’s going to happen when Canelo gets hit to the body? Guys that like to go to the body, don’t like it when you to go to their body.”

KATHY DUVA, CEO of Main Events:

“This is one of the most intriguing fights I’ve ever seen, let alone made. You have a guy in Canelo who is a great body puncher, and maybe that plays into Sergey’s Achille’s heel, shall we say. In Sergey, you have someone with the hardest and most accurate jab in the sport. I’ve seen that be a problem for Canelo as well. They both have a strength that will play into the other guy’s vulnerability. They’re both very smart. They’re both great fighters, and they both want to test themselves.”

“You don’t get fights like this that often. I’ve been doing this for over 40 years, and you just don’t get that many fights where it’s just two people testing each other to find out who is best. It’s wonderful.”

Canelo vs. Kovalev is a 12-round fight for the WBO Light Heavyweight
World Title presented by Golden Boy, Main Events and Krusher Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and Brand-New Grapefruit Crush, Knockout Flavor. The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN. The title clash is one of several highlights this fight season on DAZN – an entire fall featuring boxing’s biggest matchups in one of the best schedules in boxing history.

Tickets for Canelo vs. Kovalev are on sale and are priced at $1,754, $1,254,
$854, $654, $404 and $204, not including applicable service charges and taxes. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.axs.com

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,
www.MainEvents.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @Main_Events, @KrusherKovalev and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/SaulCaneloAlvarez,
https://www.facebook.com/thekrusher/,
https://www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing and
https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy, @Canelo, @Main_Events, @SergeyKrusherKovalev, and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #CaneloKovalev.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying
and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CaneloKovalev to a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy or Main Events where applicable for any photo and/or video usage.

Philadelphia, PA (October 23, 2019)– This Friday night, Avril Mathie will risk her undefeated record when she takes on 24-fight veteran Karen Dulin in a four-round bantamweight contest which will serve as the co-feature of a nine-bout card at
The 2300 Arena In Philadelphia.

The card is promoted by King’s Promotions.

The main event will see super middleweight Brandon Robinson (13-2, 9 KOs) of Upper Darby, PA battling Martez McGregor (8-2, 6 KOs) of Maywood, Illinois.

Mathie of Gold Coast, Australia, and now living in Miami, has huge social media following which includes over 1.2 million Facebook fans as well as hundreds of thousands more on Twitter and Instagram.

Mathie who holds a record of 3-0 with two knockouts began boxing in 2012. She 1st started out in Muay-Thai for fitness and then broke her foot. During that rehab time, Mathie could not use her knees or kick, so to just stay fit she started boxing, and the rest is history.

“I was modeling and competing in pageants, and it was a thrilling to be on stage. It gave me adrenaline and now boxing fills that for me,” said Mathie

Mathie also is an acclaimed swimsuit model who has been featured on her own Youtube show

In 2014, she was Miss Swimsuit International, and the very next year, she took home the prize of in the Las Vegas Model Search.

“I can see the improvement with each fight. I am improving while being entertaining at the same time.”

With her popularity and humbleness, Mathie is a very relatable boxer, who believes that she can be an inspiration to all young females.

“I have something different to offer then the basic fighter. I am relatable and honest. I feel that I can be inspirational to anybody.”

Coming from Australia, Mathie has heard about the historical fight town of Philadelphia, and she is eager to showcase he skills in front of the knowledgeable fight crowd at the 2300 Arena.

“I am super excited to fight in Philadelphia. I trained in Greece, and (former world title challenger) Mike Arnaoutis lived in Atlantic City, which is near Philly, and he told me how great it is to fight in Philadelphia. I am fighting a very experienced fighter in Karen Dulin, and I am looking forward to the challenge.”

Mathie is managed by MTK Global.

Two Philly-Favorites will see action in separate six-round junior welterweight bouts as Naim Nelson (13-4, 1 KO) of Philadelphia battles Roy McGill (6-3,3 KOs) of Harrisburg, PA and Damon Allen Jr. (15-1-1, 5 KOs) of Philadelphia fights Dieumerci Nzau (11-9, 8 KOs) of Silvr Spring, MD.

Also in six-round bouts will be Shinard Bunch (3-1, 3 KOs) of Trenton, NJ taking on Vincent Floyd (4-8-1, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia in a welterweight contest.

Rasheen Brown (4-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia looks to stay undefeated against an opponent to be named in a super bantamweight fight.

Destyne Butler (6-0, 4 KOs) of Chicago battles Brandon Baue (14-16, 11 KOs) of Tri, Missouri in a super welterweight contest.

In four-round bouts:

James Martin (4-1) of Philadelphia squares off with Juan Rodriguez (8-15-1, 6 KOs) of Haymarket, VA in a welterweight fight.

Nicoy Clarke (2-4) of Jersey City, NJ tangles with Angel Rivera (4-1, 3 KOs) of Harrisburg, PA in a cruiserweight battle.

Ryan Umberger (2-0, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia fights Leon DeShields (0-6) of Camden, NJ in a junior middleweight clash

THE WEIGH IN WILL TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24TH AT LA QUINTA INN AND SUITES (49 INDUSTRIAL HIGHWAY IN ESSINGTON, PA) BEGINNING AT 5 PM ET

Tickets are $100, $75 and $50 and can be purchased at www.2300arena.com

The fights can be seen live on Facebook Fightnight Live

Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and the Casino de Monte-Carlo are delighted to confirm further details of TheMonte-Carlo Showdown – an unmissable evening of World Championship boxing taking place in the stunning and unique Monaco setting on Saturday November 30, shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

At the top of the card, undefeated Russian contenders Alexander Besputin (13-0, 9 KOs) and Radzhab Butaev (12-0, 9 KOs) collide for the vacant WBA Welterweight World title in what is a big step up for both men.

Besputin, stablemate of three-division World Champion and pound-for-pound star Vasiliy Lomachenko, was an elite amateur at international level before turning pro in 2015 and earning his No.1 ranking with the WBA by racking up 12 straight wins.

Butaev, ranked No.2 at 147lbs by the WBA, shares an almost identical record as his compatriot and ‘The Python’, also based in the USA, will be aiming to take home the bragging rights as well as his first World title in what is set to be a barn burner. 

“This is a long time coming for me,” said Besputin. “I know I belong with the best Welterweights, and November 30 is my opportunity to prove that. I’ve prepared for this fight my entire boxing life. I had over 300 fights as an amateur and fought the best fighters the world had to offer. I am used to traveling to fight the best, and I look forward to impressing the fans in Monaco.”

“I am excited and honoured to be fighting for a World title,” said Butaev. “This is a great opportunity for me, and I will make sure that I do everything to take advantage of it. I have been working towards this moment all of my career and finally it is my time to announce myself to the world.”

Vadim Kornilov, manager of Butaev, said: “Radzhab is a very special boxer, he has a lot of potential that has not yet been revealed in previous fights. I believe that this fight will really motivate him to open up and perform at his best!”

In the second World title bout of the night, Norway’s Cecilia Braekhus (35-0, 9 KOs) and Argentina’s Victoria Bustos (19-5) battle it out to become the number one Welterweight on the planet when they clash for the IBF, WBA, WBO, WBC and IBO crowns in a huge undisputed showdown.

“I’m very excited to fight on November 30 in Monte-Carlo and be part of the region’s rich history of compelling fights and extraordinary sporting events,” said Braekhus. “I’m sure that Victoria Bustos will provide a tough challenge but I have prepared well and look forward to putting on a great performance for my fans in attendance and those watching all over the world.”

“For me this is a new and huge opportunity to dispute the World titles against the champ Cecilia Braekhus, an opportunity which fills me with joy and happiness,” said Bustos. “To take up this challenge I have moved up one category, making a great job with my whole team. I am well prepared for this fight, I won’t let this chance pass, giving a great show and a great fight.

“This fight will be dedicated to all the boxing fans around the world who love this sport and support female boxing. I am thankful to everyone who always supports me, especially my family and my dad who is still present in my corner even though he is physically absent.”

China’s unbeaten Heavyweight star Zhilei Zhang (20-0, 16 KOs) returns to the ring to take on Russia’s Sergey Kuzmin (15-1, 11 KOs) in an explosive match-up. Zhang was last seen knocking out Don Haynesworth to claim the WBO Oriental title in September 2018 while Kuzmin tasted defeat for the first time in his pro career last time out at the hands of Michael Hunter. 

“I’m very excited to be fighting in Monaco on the Matchroom Boxing card on November 30,” said Zhang. “It’s always been my dream to chase greatness and make the world aware that the Chinese Heavyweight is coming to do damage. I have been preparing and training hard for whoever they put in front of me. The Heavyweight division is wide open now and I’m here to make my presence known.”

“I’ve been telling the boxing world and media for several years that someday Zhilei Zhang will be in the World Heavyweight Championship mix, and I honestly believe he can win it,” said Zhang’s promoter Dino Duva of Roc Nation Sports. “But, first things first – on November 30, Zhilei needs to deliver the real goods against a world class Heavyweight like Sergey Kuzmin, and I believe he will do it in a way that opens everyone’s eyes.

“After that, his historic journey to the World Heavyweight Championship will be in full force. I want to thank my good friends and partners at Matchroom Boxing – Eddie Hearn, Frank Smith and the team for giving us this opportunity. I look forward to doing great things together for Zhang Zhilei in his quest for Heavyweight history.”

“This is an important event for me,” said Kuzmin. “I took this fight as soon as it was offered to me, I know that if I want to grow and become better, I have to fight the best. My opponent has an extensive amateur background and experience, he is sensitive, but no the quickest boxer. We have started training camp and are preparing hard to win this fight.”

“I’m delighted that Sergey will return to the ring this year,” said Andrey Ryabinski from World of Boxing. “This is great news for all of his fans and for Sergey as well! Yes, Sergey lost to Michael Hunter, he is a very good opponent, but this is boxing. Sergey has made certain conclusions and is preparing to come back to the ring right away. I think that all mistakes will be corrected. Sergey will return to his victorious route!”

Former World title challenger Hughie Fury (23-3, 13 KOs) aims to bounce back from his defeat to Alexander Povetkin and propel his name into the thriving Heavyweight scene. The 25-year-old has already mixed it with some of the biggest names in the division and will hope to end the year on a high as he targets more titles in 2020.

“I’m delighted to know I’ve got this date so soon after my last fight with Povetkin,” said Fury. “I feel I’ve much more to give and want to keep active and improving my game. Monaco holds a special place for me as I’ve more or less spent a lot of my younger years growing up there. My parents lived there and we have had many training camps there over the years, so it’s really nice to be fighting on such a high class show. 

“The fans will see a hungry fighter, and no matter what adversity comes my way I will keep pressing as I know all of the fighters out there are not above me. It’s what I’m doing wrong myself. There are no excuses, I’m back and ready to achieve my main ambitions in life. I hope this opportunity will put me straight back in the mix for another top fight, and Eddie and my team will be the judge of that after my fight.”

Rising talent Joe Cordina (10-0, 7 KOs) is quickly establishing himself as one of the hottest prospects in British boxing and ‘The Welsh wizard’ will have to be at his best when he meets dangerous Mexican Enrico Tinoco (18-5-4, 13 KOs) for the WBA Continental Super-Featherweight title.

“I am grateful for this opportunity,” said Tinoco. “I have a great team behind me and we are training very hard. I am motivated and ready to capture the WBA title in a different weight class. I also would like to thank Matchroom Boxing, Joe Cordina and his team for taking this fight.

“Cordina is a great fighter with a tremendous amateur career. However, all that does not matter to me, I am going to Monaco to put on a Mexican style fight for all the fans and everyone watching on DAZN. I want to prove that my win against Jordan Gill wasn’t a one off. I know that winning this fight will put me in a position closer to my dream to fight for a World title.”

“I’m delighted to be back in the beautiful Monte-Carlo Casino for another year of World Championship Boxing,” said Eddie Hearn. “This is by far the strongest card we have bought to the principality with a brilliant 147lb matchup between Russia’s Alexander Besputin and Radzhab Butaev which can only be an all-out battle. The big boys battle it out when unbeaten Chinese Heavyweight Zhilei Zhangtakes on Russia’s Sergey Kuzmin and Britain’s Hughie Fury returns to action.

“Women’s pound-for-pound star and undisputed World Champion Cecilia Braekhus defends her World titles against mandatory challenger Victoria Bustos and brilliant Welshman Joe Cordina drops down a division to challenge Enrico Tinoco for the vacant WBA International Super-Featherweight crown. It’s set to be a night of glitz, glamour, guts and glory in the magnificent Monaco setting.”

“Le Casino de Monte-Carlo and The Monte-Carlo Showdown are a perfect alliance,” affirms Mr. Pascal Camia, Executive Vice President, Gaming Operations. “Just as the exclusive events we host along the year which highlight the great art of gaming, the Monte-Carlo Boxing Showdown creates a unique experience in an iconic decor and as per the strategy of our Chairman and CEO, Mr. Jean-Luc Biamonti, gives energy and dynamism to all of our gaming rooms.”

Tickets priced €400, €600 and €2000 (VIP) will be available to purchase from ticket-online.montecarlolive.com

New York, October 21, 2019

When The Paramount marquee lights up with Star Boxing’s “Rockin’ Fights” logo, boxing fans know they are in for a treat. However, come November 23, boxing fans are in for more than that when two hometown favorites in, DANNY “EL GALLO” GONZALEZ (Woodhaven, NY 18-2-1 7KO’s) and JOHNNY “HITMAN” HERNANDEZ (Huntington, NY 10-4 1KO) settle their bad blood in a rematch at the “Rockin’ Fights 37” main event.

In September of 2019, Hernandez and Gonzalez met for the first time at “Rockin’ Fights,” as both fighters took their chance at earning the ABO Intercontinental Super Lightweight Title. The 10-round bout was a back and forth battle that had fans on their feet from the opening bell. The sold-out crowd competed for sound-meter supremacy with alternating chants of “Danny” and “Johnny.” As intense as the crowd was, the fight inside the ring met the energy at every level. At the final bell, Danny Gonzalez took home the title by a majority decision.

The two Long Island boxers exchanged social media jousts post fight, but eventually went their separate ways. Gonzalez went on to challenge former world champion, and current world title contender, CHRIS ALGIERI (Huntington, NY 24-3 9KO’s) at Madison Square Garden for the WBO International Super Lightweight Title, in a tough battle of wills. Most recently, Gonzalez went to battle with JEROME CONQUEST in his second “Rockin’ Fights” main event, adding the WBC FECARBOX Super Lightweight Title to his collection of belts. Hernandez returned in February of 2019 and went toe to toe with MARQUISE HAWTHORNE at “Rockin’ Fights,” winning a decision victory.

Gonzalez and Hernandez are now set to return to The Paramount on November 23. No twitter fingers, no talk, just two men in a ring, settling their differences once and for all. The winner will claim, unofficial King of the Paramount bragging rights, two titles and a world level fight in 2020.

Danny Gonzalez had this to say about the rematch, “There are levels to this sport, and I will show the fans the difference between a full-time commitment to boxing as opposed to a part time boxer. On November 23, I will most definitely stop Hernandez, not only from running for his life, but also stop his mouth from spewing negative comments when he loses. We respect every fighter and never degrade anyone, but in the last fight he went overboard. With this fight, we will answer back not verbally as he does, but physically and with my hand raised.”

Johnny Hernandez said this about what fans can expect in the rematch, “I am thankful to be able to showcase my hard work again in front of my hometown friends and family. Last time I guaranteed fireworks, this time I plan on ending the show.”

Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA said this about the “Rockin’ Fights” main event, “Both Danny and Johnny were developed right here at The Paramount. Both of them have large and vocal fan bases out here and the last time they met in the ring it was electric. We are expecting no difference come November 23, so be sure to get your tickets, because this is a rematch you will not want to miss.”

LENNOX CLARKE IS promising to ‘steamroller’ Lerrone Richards when the pair meet at Arena, Birmingham on November 30 with the British and Commonwealth titles at stake.

The unbeaten super middleweight from Halesowen knows that Richards, who holds a perfect record, prefers to turn boxing into an art form and picks his shots with mesmeric precision.

The Commonwealth champion has, however, been accused in some quarters of occasionally enjoying his own work a little too much during fights, preferring to dominate opponents over the distance instead of making a statement with an early finish.

Clarke insists he will be afforded no such luxury when he ventures onto enemy territory at the end of November.

“He is not going to enjoy it with me,” growled the 28-year-old. “He is not going to be able to because I know what he is going to bring. He is a boxer who tends to frustrate a lot of opponents with his movement, but I am prepared for everything he is going to come with.

“I will bring my A-game and I believe I am going to get the win.

“Lerrone is a boxer-mover and not a puncher. I am going to steamroller him and bring it to him, that is what our game plan is.

“I can’t let him do what he needs to do because he is very good at that. He is a very good fighter and our job is to stop him being good.”

Clarke has had to bide his time when it comes to competing for major domestic titles and was originally left in the waiting room following his nomination to challenge for the English title against Darryll Williams in a fight that never happened.

He now gets to fight for a bigger prize and he views it as a perfect storm with the opportunity coming on a show in his home city in front of his band of followers.

“Yeah I’ve had setbacks but this is what is going to bring me back on to the big stage now. I’m ready, I’m more than ready and I’ve been ready for a few years.

“Things happened with dates against Williams and then last time I pulled out because I wasn’t well. It was just one of those things that wasn’t meant to be, but I was fully confident in smashing him up. He would have been an easier fight than Lerrone.

“The first perfect scenario now is me knocking him out in the first round, which would be perfect.

“This is the biggest stage I will have been on, it is in my home city and for the biggest titles I’ve challenged for,” added Clarke, who rejects the notion that boxing in Birmingham is a tough sell for boxing and says his fans will come out in numbers on the night.

“My fans will, one hundred per cent. I do well and that is why we are boxing up here because Lerrone couldn’t sell out a phone box in London. This is why he is boxing up here because I’ve got a lot of followers.”

Lerrone Richards v Lennox Clarke for the Commonwealth and vacant British super middleweight belts features on a stacked night of title action at Arena, Birmingham on November 30. WBO world bantamweight champion Zolani Tete defends his title against mandatory challenger John Riel Casimero, British super featherweight champion Sam Bowen defends his belt against Anthony Cacace and British and Commonwealth welterweight champion Chris Jenkins makes a defence against Liam Taylor.

Sam Maxwell defends his WBO European super lightweight title against the also unbeaten Connor Parker from Derbyshire, while Hamzah Sheeraz gets his first title fight.

Thrilling prospects Dennis McCann, Shabaz Masoud, Eithan James and George Davey also feature on the bill, along with talents from the local region in Nathan Heaney and River Wilson-Bent.

Tickets are available now from £40 via Ticketmaster and TheTicketFactory
Ticket Prices:
£250 – Inner Ring Hospitality
£150 – Floor
£100 – Floor
£75 – Floor
£50 – Lower Tier
£40 – Upper Tier

DENVER – October 23, 2019 – On Saturday, November 2, Canelo Alvarez (51-1-2, 34 KOs) will take on a new challenge as he moves into the 175-pound weight class in a 12-round fight against Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs) for Kovalev’s WBO Light Heavyweight World Title.This highly anticipated bout and its co-featured fights will be broadcast live from MGM Grand in Las Vegasto big screens across the nation.A full undercard will be shown prior to the main event.

Tickets for “Canelo Alvarez vs Sergey ‘Krusher’ Kovalev” can be purchased online at www.FathomEvents.comor at participating theater box offices now.

The live broadcast of “Canelo Alvarez vs Sergey ‘Krusher’ Kovalev” presented by Fathom Events, Golden Boy, Main Events and Krusher Promotions is set for Saturday, November 2 beginning at beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 8:00 p.m. CT/ 7:00 p.m. MT/ 6:00 p.m. PT/ 5:00 p.m. AK/ 4:00 p.m. HI. Boxing fans throughout the U.S. can watch the event in more than 500 select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). A complete list of theater locations is available on the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Canelo, the 29-year-old native of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, became the face of boxing by taking on some of the biggest names in the sport. At 154 pounds, Canelo captured several world titles and defeated the likes of Austin “No Doubt” Trout, Sugar Shane Mosley, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo, Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara and Liam “Beefy” Smith. At 160 pounds, Canelo defeated Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and Daniel “Miracle Man” Jacobs to establish himself as the king of the middleweight division. In the 168-pound division, Canelo became the WBA Super Middleweight World Champion by stopping Rocky Fielding in three rounds.

Canelo will now look to make history again by becoming the second Mexican boxer to hold a world title in the light heavyweight division. The pound-for-pound king will at the same time join an elite group of four-division world champions from Mexico.

On November 2, Kovalev (36) will participate in his 17thconsecutive world title bout and the most lucrative fight of his career against the biggest star in boxing. A Russian knockout artist and Three-Time Light Heavyweight World Champion, “Krusher” is no stranger to fighting in hostile territory. He captured the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title in 2013 when he traveled to Wales and scored a stunning knockout of Nathan Cleverly. Kovalev traveled to Atlantic City to meet future Hall of Famer Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins to unify the WBO, WBA and IBF titles with a lopsided unanimous decision victory in 2014. As unified champion, “Krusher” successfully defended his titles twice against current WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Jean Pascal in Montreal, scoring a stoppage victory both times.

In August of this year, Kovalev finally got the chance to fight in his own hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia, stopping undefeated mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde in front of a sold-out crowd.

“We are proud to partner again with Golden Boy to bring boxing’s biggest star, Canelo Alvarez back to cinemas nationwide,” said Ray Nutt, Fathom Events CEO. “Fight fans will want to see all the action up on the big screen as Canelo takes on Sergey ‘Krusher’ Kovalev.”

The undercard for this event will feature a full night of action. Rising superstar Ryan Garcia (18-0, 15 KOs) of Victorville, Calif. will face “Ruthless” Romero Duno (21-1, 16 KOs) of Cotabato City, Philippines in the 12-round co-main event..

Two of the most exciting and popular female boxers in the sport today will finally settle their heated rivalry as Seniesa “Superbad” Estrada (17-0, 7 KOs) of East Los Angeles, Calif. and Marlen Esparza (7-0, 1 KOs) of Houston, Texas battle for the vacant Interim WBA Flyweight Title.

Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (12-0-1, 8 KOs), a fan-favorite native of Philadelphia, will fight for the vacant NABF Welterweight Title against Carlos Ortiz (11-4, 11 KOs) of Torreon, Mexico.

For artwork/photos related to “Canelo Alvarez vs Sergey ‘Krusher’ Kovalev” visit the Fathom Events press site.

About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is the leading event cinema distributor with theater locations in all top 100 DMAs® (Designated Market Areas) and ranks as one of the largest overall theater content distributors. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC); Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK); and Regal Cinemas, a subsidiary of the Cineworld Group (LSE: CINE.L), Fathom Events offers a variety of unique entertainment events in movie theaters such as live performances of the Metropolitan Opera, top Broadway stage productions, major sporting events, epic concerts, the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics series, inspirational events and popular anime franchises. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes for unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live Digital Broadcast Network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 1,010 locations and 1,628 screens in 182 DMAs. The company also provides corporations a compelling national footprint for hosting employee meetings, customer rewards events and new product launches. For more information, visit www.FathomEvents.com.

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 ESPN, 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.