Nutley, NJ (October 8, 2019) – GH3 Promotions has announced the signing of undefeated junior middleweight prospect Derrick Coleman.

Coleman of Detroit, Michigan, has a record of 9-0 with seven knockouts.

“Derrick is a very talented young fighter. He possesses a lot of skill and power. I look forward on moving him, getting him great television exposure, and putting him in position for big fights,” said GH3 Promotions CEO, Vito Mielnicki.

The now 20 year-old Coleman began boxing at the age of four because his family, namely his grandfather were big fans of the sport. Coleman had a 135-fight amateur career, and was a four-time National Champion.

Coleman plied his trade at the famed Kronk Gym, and worked with the legendary Emanuel Steward until his passing. Coleman is now trained by Marlon Thomas.

Coleman turned professional in 2017 at the age of 18, and he has been perfect by displaying his boxer-puncher skill-set.

“I signed with GH3 Promotions because Vito treated me like family, and he made me an offer that could not turn down. I can see him moving me and hopefully I will be in the top-20 in the next year.”

Coleman, who is managed by Sheer Sports Management, and advised by Dave “Bing” Dogan.

“This is a great situation to be working with Vito. He can do a lot of good for Derrick and I know he will move him in the right direction,” said Dogan.

Coleman will be in action on Friday, October 25th in Philadelphia.

LAS VEGAS – UFC^® returns to the nation’s capital for the first time in over eight years with a clash of powerful heavyweight strikers, as No. 7 ranked contender Alistair Overeem battles No. 10 Walt Harris. The event also features a matchup of top strawweight contenders as No. 6 Claudia Gadelha faces No. 10 Cynthia Calvillo.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN^®: OVEREEM vs. HARRIS will air live from Capital One Arena on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 7. Prelims will kick off at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and then continue on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 7pm ET. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. ET.

A perennial heavyweight contender, Overeem (45-17 1NC, fighting out of Amsterdam, The Netherlands) has fought the who’s who of mixed martial arts. Throughout his storied career, he has delivered spectacular knockouts against Brock Lesnar, Mark Hunt, Junior Dos Santos and Andrei Arlovski. He now looks to secure his third consecutive stoppage win and stake his claim for another UFC title shot.

A heavy-handed striker, all of Harris’ (13-7 1NC, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) victories have come via knockout. His power was on full display in his most recent outing, as he stopped Aleksei Oleinik in only 12 seconds. Harris has also netted impressive wins over Serghei Spivac, Daniel Spitz and Chase Sherman. He now aims to continue his ascent up the rankings with another show-stealing finish.

A former strawweight title challenger, Gadelha (17-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) showed off new wrinkles to her game in a unanimous decision win over Randa Markos this past July. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt has also netted impressive victories against Carla Esparza, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Jessica Aguilar. Gadelha now hopes to keep her momentum going by dispatching another top-level opponent.

A talented grappler, Calvillo (8-1, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) immediately turned heads in her UFC debut with a submission win over Amanda Cooper. She has since earned impressive victories against Cortney Casey, Poliana Botelho, Joanne Calderwood and Pearl Gonzalez. Calvillo is now gunning for the biggest win of her career to crack the strawweight top five.

Announced bouts on the card include:

• No. 10 ranked bantamweight contender Cody Stamann (18-2, fighting out of Sparta, Mich.) locks horns with rising No. 13 Song Yadong  (15-4, 1 NC, fighting out of Heilongjiang, China)
• In a pivotal bantamweight contenders’ bout, No. 4 Aspen Ladd (8-1, fighting out of El Dorado Hills, Calif.) meets No. 7 Yana Kunitskaya (12-4 1NC, fighting out of Murmansk, Russia)
• Heavyweight veterans collide, as Stefan Struve (33-11, fighting out of Beverwijk, The Netherlands) faces Ben Rothwell (36-12, fighting out of Kenosha, Wisc.)
• Former interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit (30-13, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) returns against tough prospect Mickey Gall (6-2, Green Brook Township, N.J.)
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Alonzo Menifield (10-0, fighting out of Dallas, Tex.) aims to remain undefeated against battle-tested Trevor Smith (15-9, fighting out of Tukwila, Wash.)
• No. 15 ranked strawweight contender Cortney Casey (8-7, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) looks to rebound against Virna Jandiroba (14-1, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Brazil)
• Bryce Mitchell (11-1, fighting out of Searcy, Ark.) goes for his third straight UFC win against Matt Sayles (8-2, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Joe Solecki (7-2, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) debuts against tough veteran Matt Wiman (16-8, fighting out of Portland, Ore.)

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

Visit UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage. Please click here to apply for the event.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN^®: OVEREEM vs. HARRIS go on sale Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, October 9 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, October 10 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 300 million fans and 70 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 60 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN

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

NEW YORK (October 7, 2019)–Split-T Management fighters Ivan Baranchyk and Brian Ceballo turned in impressive performances on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden as each fighter registered stoppage victories on the undercard of the Gennady Golovkin – Sergiy Derevyanchenko card.
Former IBF Junior Welterweight world champion, Baranchyk stopped tough New Yorker Gabriel Bracero in the 4th round of their scheduled 10-round bout, while Ceballo took out previously undefeated Ramal Amanov in the 3rd round of their welterweight tussle.  

Baranchyk came out throwing hard punches early as he was looking for the an explosive early knockout.  In round two, Baranchyk started getting to Bracero and opened a cut over the right eye of Bracero.  In round four, Baranchyk landed two hard body shots that was followed by a jab and big right that forced Bracero to hold on and eventually fall to the canvas.  When Bracero got to his feet, the fight was waved off at 1:30.
With the win, Baranchyk will look for another major opportunity with a record of 20-1 with 13 knockouts.  
“The Beast is back.  This is my message for everybody,” said Baranchyk.  “This is a good opponent and I am back.  I fought opponents that were dirtiier and I was prepared for that.  Pedro Diaz is my guy as a trainer.”
Baranchyk is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Holden productions and Fight Promotions.

Ceballo was fighting in front of a hometown crowd, and continued his ascent of the prospect rankings as he was dominant in his surgical dissection of Amanov.  
Ceballo cut Amanov’s left eye early in the fight, and the New York native started landing more and harder as round’s two and three commenced.  In the 3rd round, Ceballo landed a hard flurry of punches that forced the stoppage at 1:20.  

With the win, Ceballo, who was fighting for the 5th time in 2019 is now 11-0 with six-knockouts.  Amanov loses for the 1st time and is now 16-1.
Ceballo is promoted by 360 Promotions.
The fights were seen live on DAZN.

Sophie Alisch (4-0, 1 KO) will face the toughest test of her career on November 2nd as the 17-year-old boxing sensation takes on former two-time World title challenger Irma Balijagic Adler (16-12, 8 KOs) at the CGM Arena, Koblenz.

The exciting German star returns to the ring following a dominant points win over Spain’s Vanesa Caballero at the Friedrich-Ebert-Halle in Ludwigshafen in August, and will hope to continue her ascent up the featherweight division with a fifth professional victory. 

“I am very pleased to compete against such an experienced opponent and to be in an eight round fight for the first time,” said Alisch. “Irma Adler has already boxed the best in the world and for World Championship belts, but as always I am well prepared and have had a great training camp.

“I made my professional debut at the CGM Arena so I will return to Koblenz with many positive memories, and look to make more!”

Adler, who has twice challenged for WBO World Super Featherweight title against Germany’s Ramona Kühne and Poland’s Ewa Brodnicka, and has shared the ring with a number of world-class fighters including Eva Wahlstrom, Delfine Person and Erica Farias, believes her experience will prove the difference on November 2nd.

“I know Sophie is very young and people are expecting great things from her, but I am much more experienced,” said Adler. “I am expecting a fantastic fight and will give my best to get the victory!”

“Sophie has had an excellent first year as a pro and she’s ready for these bigger tasks,” said promoter Nisse Sauerland. “It is unbelievable that she’s already so dominant at seventeen.

“Having her first fight over eight rounds against an opponent as experienced as Irma Adler will bring Sophie further forward. We think she’s ready for a title fight soon, maybe in 2020.”

This tantalising featherweight clash features as chief support for Leon Bunn (14-0, 8 KOs) versus Enrico Koelling (26-3, 8 KOs) as Bunn defends his IBF International Light Heavyweight title. Also on the undercard are local stars Slawa Spomer (8-0, 5 KOs), Roman Gorst (6-0, 5 KOs), Hizni Altunkaya (31-3, 18 KOs) and Yasin Altunkaya (14-0, 11 KOs). 

‘Fighting For Future’ on November 2nd is a special event that will see ticket revenue and money raised from the evening donated to three charities: Laughing Hearts, a charity that provides support and opportunities to children affected by poverty, Parents’ Initiative for Children with Cancer Koblenz, who provide support to the parents of children suffering from cancer in Koblenz and Education Unlimited, an education charity who encourage diversity and training across Europe. 

All the action from the CGM Arena is available to watch live on Sport1 in Germany. Tickets are available online via www.eventim.de, www.adticket.de and www.westticket.de.

CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO (Oct. 7, 2019): Lightweight contender Oscar Duarte (17-1-1, 12 KOs) will defend his WBC Latino Lightweight Title in a 10-round main event against Richard Solano (20-2-2, 13 KOs) on the October 19 edition of Golden Boy Fight Night on Facebook Watch at The Gimnasio Rodrigo M. Quevedo in Chihuahua, Mexico. The fights will be streamed live globally on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page.

“We’re excited for the second installment of our four-part series in Mexico with Facebook Watch,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “This time, we’re headed to Chihuahua, Mexico as we continue to build our brand’s presence in different parts of the country. Oscar Duarte is a rising Golden Boy star with deep roots in Chihuahua and Francisco Vargas is a former world champion, so we guarantee an impressive event for fans in attendance and from home on Facebook Watch.”

Duarte is a 23-year-old native of Parral, Chihuahua who is coming off two technical knockout wins after suffering his only loss, which was against experienced contender Adrian Estrella. The charismatic puncher has also fought on many important cards under the Golden Boy banner, where he has scored big wins against the likes of Roger “The Kid” Gutierrez and Rey “Flash” Perez. Duarte is inches away from a world title shot, but he’ll have to remove any doubts about being worthy for a title shot in a tough fight before a hometown crowd.

“I’m very happy and motivated to be fighting on my native land, my state and with my people,” said Oscar Duarte. “I am preparing to give the very best of myself. Not only do I want to win the fight, but I also want to show people that I am learning and show that I can serve as an example for all of those who have dreams and goals. Every day I work hard to achieve my dream of becoming a world champion and to be an inspiration for my people. On this occasion, I will face a good boxer from Puerto Rico who himself wants to take advantage of this opportunity. Because of that I respect him, but I’m going to do my job in the ring.”

Solano is a 31-year-old native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic who has fought his entire profesional career in his home country. Solano will fight for the first time in Mexico, and he plans to defeat the hometown hero in his own backyard.

“I want to thank Golden Boy for the opportunity to fight on one of its events in Mexico against Oscar Duarte,” said Richard Solano. “I always dreamed about fighting a Mexican in his own house. I’m ready to hand him a beating. The fans will see that I’m going to win in his own hometown. Everyone will remember my name, Richard Solano. You don’t want to miss this fight!”

In the co-main event, former world champion Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (25-2-2, 18 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico will make his highly anticipated return against Ezequiel “Sheke”Aviles (16-4-3, 6 KOs) of Ensenada, Mexico in a 10-round lightweight fight.

“It’s an honor to be coming back to Mexico to begin another run at a world title,” said Francisco Vargas. “It’s been almost five years since I last fought in my home country, so I’m excited to put on a great show for everyone there and for all those who will watch on Facebook.”

“This is the biggest fight of my career,” said Ezequiel Aviles. “But if I want to become a contender, these are the challenges I need to face. I have what it takes to beat Vargas, and I promise a great win on Oct. 19.”

The undercard of this event will feature some of the best talent from the area.

Luis Hernandez (19-0, 17 KOs), who is the most sought-after prospect from Chihuahua, Mexico, will face Victor Zuniga (20-3, 9 KOs) of Ciudad Acuna, Mexico for the WBC Youth Super Lightweight Title in a 10-round battle. Hernandez, who has the same name as the legendary soccer player Luis “El Matador” Hernandez, will look to follow in the footsteps of fighters such as Quirino Garcia, Juan Carlos “El Ranchero” Ramirez, David “Tacubayo” Murillo and Miguel “Mickey” Roman, all of whom originated in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Angel Pillada (12-1, 7 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico will fight in an eight-round bantamweight fight.

Karina Fernandez (12-4-1, 3 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico will battle Cecilia Santoscoy (2-5, 1 KO) of Satillo, Mexico in an eight-round super flyweight fight.

Jaime Saavedra (2-0), a prospect from Chihuahua, Mexico who recently signed a co-promotional agreement with Golden Boy and Miguel Cotto Promotions, will return in a four-round welterweight fight.

Ruben Tellez (9-2, 5 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico will participate in an eight-round lightweight clash against Joaquin Aguilar (5-2, 3 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico.

Eduardo Martinez (2-2, 2 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico and Alan Salazar (1-0) of Chihuahua, Mexico will meet in a six-round super bantamweight bout.

Karla Gonzalez (2-0) of Chihuahua, Mexico will battle against Brenda Ruacho (0-1) of Chihuahua, Mexico in a super bantamweight fight scheduled for six rounds.

Bryan Soto (1-0, 1 KO) of Chihuahua, Mexico will participate in four-round battle in the 147-pound division.

Rafael Proano (12-2-3, 8 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico will take on Esteban Villalba (11-21-3, 8 KOs) of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico in a welterweight clash scheduled for eight rounds.

Carlos Zaleta of Chihuahua, Mexico will make his professional debut in a four-round flyweight fight against Jose Salmeron (0-0-1) of Chihuahua, Mexico.

Carlos Hernandez of Chihuahua, Mexico will participate in a four-round super featherweight clash against Jesus Cuellar (0-3) of Chihuahua, Mexico.

Duarte vs. Solano is a 10-round fight for the WBC Latino Lightweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and the City of Chihuahua. The event will take place Saturday, Oct. 19 at The Gimnasio Rodrigo M. Quevedo in Chihuahua, Mexico. The fights will be streamed live globally on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page.

Tickets for the event are available at www.DonBoleton.com

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

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

LEEDS UNITED star Pablo Hernandez will be the good luck charm in Josh Warrington’s corner this weekend.

IBF featherweight champion Warrington (29-0, 6 KOs) makes the third defence of his world title against Sofiane Takoucht at First Direct Arena, Leeds on Saturday (October 12) night, live on BT Sport.

The club’s all-time great Lucas Radebe led the ring walk in Warrington’s title winning performance against Lee Selby in May 2018. Now it is the turn of the club’s current Player of the Year Hernandez.

Spanish midfielder Hernandez and several other Leeds United players will be roaring on Josh from ringside when he face France’s Takoucht.

Warrington who rarely misses a match when his team are playing at home said: “Pablo is our own Spanish magician so to have him holding my belt and getting in the ring with me, wow.

“It is great that several of the players can make it because it was the close season when I beat Kid Galahad in the summer and they had a match the next day when I boxed Carl Frampton.

“Leeds United are such a huge part of my life so it’s inspirational having the players watching me box. It’s mad because these are the fellas I cheer every weekend as a fan.

“Having Lucas as part of the ring walk when I fought Selby was something else and having Pablo there fires me up for Takoucht.”

Hernandez has been sidelined with injury, but expects to return later this month and Warrington added: “The reaction I got when I put on Twitter that Pablo was part of my team this weekend was amazing.

“Just imagine the noise this weekend. Takoucht will have never heard anything like it.”

The big night of action in Leeds is headed by local hero Josh Warrington (29-0, 6KOs) who makes the third defence of his IBF featherweight championship against France’s Sofiane Takoucht (35-3-1, 13 KOs). Zelfa Barrett (22-1,13KOs) will make the first defence of his Commonwealth super-featherweight title against exciting Scot Jordan McCorry (18-6-1, 4KOs). In a third title clash Manchester’s Lyndon Arthur (15-0, 12KOs) faces Ghanaian Emmanuel Anim (14-2-1, 12KOs) for the vacant Commonwealth light-heavyweight crown , in a battle of the big hitters.

Darlington’s Troy Williamson (11-0-1, 8KOs), Mark Heffron (23-1, 17KOs), Shakiel Thompson (4-0, 3KOs), Reece Mould (12-0, 6 KOs), Shabaz Masoud (5-0, 1KO), John Joyce, 1-0), Jack Daniels (4-0, 2 KOs), Callum Simpson (1-0), Evaldas Petrauskas (1-0 1 KO) plus exciting debutant George Davey are all in action.

Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk and firstdirectarena.com Prices: £40, £50, £75, £100, £150, £200, £350 – Inner Ring Hospitality.

IBO International Cruiserweight Champion Kai Robin Havnaa (15-0, 13 KOs) will face the hard-hitting American dangerman Al Sands (20-4-1, 14 KOs) on November 16th in Oslo as he looks to move into World title contention. 

Norway’s number one male boxer is back in the ring headlining a huge show at the historic Ekeberghallen venue alongside Katharina Thanderz, who meets Danila Ramos for the interim WBC World Super Featherweight crown.

Havnaa was last in action on June 22nd scoring a third-round stoppage win over Levani Lukhutashvili at the Forum Horsens in Denmark. This performance followed a career best win for the 30-year-old, who defeated Rad Rashid in front of his home fans in Arendal on March 2nd to claim his first major title.

Havnaa, the son of Norway’s only ever male World Champion, Magne Havnaa, must now put his World title aspirations on the line against his most dangerous opponent to date in order to prove he is ready to face the best in the division.

Sands, born in Haiti but now based in America, boasts an impressive 72 per cent knockout ratio with 18 of his 20 victories coming inside the distance. The 32-year-old is a former NABA-USA and Minneosaota State Cruiserweight Champion, who has also challenged for the WBO Oriental title.

“It’s amazing to headline a big show in Oslo,” says Havnaa. “Last time I boxed in Oslo was at the Spectrum on the undercard of Cecilia Brækhus in front of 10,000 fans. I’m sure this will be even better with all my supporters and a top Norwegian undercard. I’m very excited.

“My opponent is a very experienced skilled fighter with a long reach and good fundamentals. He is a big puncher, who has fought some of the best fighters in the world, and I will be preparing for the best Al Sands there is.

“I’ve always had a big talent to train hard, but now I’m also starting to master how to train smart. I’ve started to become an experienced fighter. I know what to do, and I know what not to do, and all this is going to take me to next level.

“You never know how good an opponent is until you’re trading punches with them, but from what I can see, Sands is my most dangerous opponent. Boxing is a sport full of surprises and with top shape cruiserweights, anything can happen, but on November 16th, I plan to show why I belong at the top.”

Promoter Nisse Sauerland admits he has taken a risk allowing Havnaa to face Sands, but reveals the reward could be a shot at the IBO World Champion.  

“This is potentially a very dangerous fight for Kai,” said Sauerland. “We’re taking a risk here but the reward can be great. This is a chance for Kai to prove he belongs at the top level. If he comes through this, then we could look to make a fight between him and the current IBO World Champion Kevin Lerena.”

All the action will be broadcast live on Viasat 4 in Norway. Christian Ramberg, Programme Manager Sports for NENT Group, says:  “World class boxing finally returns to the capital with an amazing fight card. Kai Robin Havnaa will prove that he is a title contender against a very dangerous American opponent. With two knock out experts in action the viewers should not blink.”

Katharina Thanderz faces Danila Ramos for the interim WBC World Super Featherweight title, while Kai Robin Havnaa looks to move into World title contention with a cruiserweight clash against American dangerman Al Sands.

An action-packed undercard features undefeated cruiserweight prospect Kevin Melhus versus Ossie Jervier, light heavyweight Alexander Hagen against Emmanuel Feuzeu, super featherweight Bernard Torres taking on Yesner Talavera and cruiserweight Kent Erik Baadstad meeting Istvan Kun.

Tickets for ‘Capital Showdown’ on November 16th at the Ekeberghallen in Oslo are on sale now and available online via www.ticketmaster.no.

6 October 2019 – Tokyo, Japan: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), recently held an Open Workout at the ONE Martial Arts Fan Fest featuring select ONE: CENTURY ?? athletes. Demetrious Johnson, Brandon Vera, Aung La N Sang, Angela Lee, Christian Lee, Xiong Jing Nan, Kevin Belingon, and Bibiano Fernandes came out to the Bellesalle Shibuya Garden in Tokyo to demonstrate their martial arts skills for fans in attendance. All athletes are set to see action at ONE: CENTURY ??, ONE Championship’s historic 100th live event which takes place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sunday, 13 October.

Official photos of the Open Workout are available at this link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qdktXIwVO18PFLpHGESMRJRMytp48uVy?usp=sharing

Demetrious Johnson, 12-time Flyweight Mixed Martial Arts World Champion, stated: “It’s such an honor and a privilege to be able to return to Japan where I made my ONE Championship debut last March. The experience was absolutely amazing. I feel very fortunate to be here once again, this time competing in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Championship Final. I’m sure the fans are excited for all the festivities. The atmosphere at the ONE Martial Arts Fan Fest is buzzing, and it perfectly sets the stage for the huge event coming up next week.”

Brandon Vera, ONE Heavyweight World Champion, stated: “In my entire career, I’ve dreamed of becoming a two-division World Champion and competing in Japan. Next week, I have the chance to fulfill both of those dreams. This is such a huge fight for me, the biggest in my career so far. Taking on Mr. Aung La for the ONE Light Heavyweight World Championship is an honor. I’ve trained very hard for this fight and I’m ready. It’s going to be an action-packed bout between two come-forward warriors.”

Aung La N Sang, ONE Light Heavyweight and Middleweight World Champion, stated: “The last time I was here in Tokyo, it was a memorable evening for me. I faced a Japanese warrior named Ken Hasegawa, whom I respect and hold in very high regard. Now, I will face an even greater challenge in veteran Brandon Vera. Without a doubt, Brandon will be my toughest opponent to date. But I believe in my coaches, I believe in my preparations. We’ve left no stone unturned and we’re ready to take care of business next Sunday night.”

Angela Lee, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion, stated: “I’ve taken a step back and collected myself after two tough bouts. They’ve taught me lessons and helped me realize a lot of things about myself as a fighter. With the help of my family, my Dad, and my team, I’ve worked extremely hard in improving my game. I feel now that we have the winning formula. Xiong Jing Nan is a worthy champion, but she’s coming into the atomweight division where I am strongest. Make no mistake about it, I’m looking to end matters dramatically within the distance and successfully retain my ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship.”

Christian Lee, ONE Lightweight World Champion, stated: “I train year-round to stay ready for any opportunity. I’m more than happy to step up and fight Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev at ONE: CENTURY. Entering the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix Championship Final, and getting to perform with my sister Angela at this historic event in Japan, it’s going to be an awesome experience. I know my opponent is strong and dangerous, but so am I. I think our styles match up very well. I can’t wait to showcase my skills for the fans in Tokyo. It’s going to be an electric, action-packed bout and I am definitely looking to finish and shock the world.”

Xiong Jing Nan, ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion, stated: “This is the biggest bout of my career. I was able to hold the fort down at strawweight, but now it’s time to lay siege onto the atomweight world title. Angela is my toughest opponent to date. She is a great champion. To be able to compete against her is an honor. But I am coming for that belt. At the end of the night, I fully expect to have my hands raised in victory and to return home to China a two-division ONE World Champion.”

Kevin Belingon, former ONE Bantamweight World Champion, stated: “I’m very excited for this fight. This is my fourth match with Bibiano [Fernandes]. I think this fight will determine who is the true king at bantamweight. I’ll do my best to emerge the winner of this fight. I’m looking to end my business with Bibiano in stunning fashion. I’m super motivated to get the win here in Japan and bring the title back to the Philippines.”

Bibiano Fernandes, ONE Bantamweight World Champion, stated: “I prepared myself very hard for this fight. I’m ready to compete this Sunday, October 13th in Tokyo, Japan. I’m very excited to face Kevin [Belingon] one more time. The last time we fought, it ended controversially. Now, we get the chance to do it again and this time, there will be no doubt. I look to successfully defend my ONE Bantamweight World Champion. I’m ready to show the fans in Tokyo a very good performance.”

ONE: CENTURY ?? takes place live from the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday, 13 October, and is the single greatest world championship martial arts event in the last 100 years. With 28 World Champions featured across various martial arts, ONE: CENTURY ?? is also the first martial arts event in history to host two full-scale World Championship events on the same day.

ONE: CENTURY ?? features World Championship title bouts, World Grand Prix Championship Finals, and World Champion versus World Champion match-ups. Part I of ONE: CENTURY ?? will be broadcast live in the United States via TNT and B/R Live. Part II in the evening, will be broadcast live across more than 140 countries worldwide and streamed to 2.6 billion potential viewers through the world’s largest television networks.

Part I of ONE: CENTURY ?? starts from 9:00 a.m. JST (October 13) / 8:00 p.m. EST (October 12). Part II starts from 5:00 p.m. JST (October 13) / 4:00 a.m. EST (October 13).

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and is the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE Esports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia’s largest global esports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 2.6 billion potential viewers across 140+ countries with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Tencent, Star TV, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, Turner Sports, and more.

NEW YORK (October 4, 2019)–TONIGHT!!! Split-T Management will have two of it’s high-class fighters in action at Madison Square Garden, as former junior welterweight world champion Ivan Baranchyk takes on New Yorker Gabriel Bracero in a 10-round bout. Also seeing action on the card will be rising undefeated welterweight Brian Ceballo battling undefeated foe Ramal Amanov.

The fights will be part of the Gennadiy Golovkin – Sergiy Derevyanchenko Middleweight title undercard and will be streamed live on DAZN.beginning at 7 PM ET.

Baranchyk of Amursk, Russia, who is now residing in Miami, Oklahoma has a record of 19-1 with 12 knockouts.

The 26 year-old Baranchyk won the IBF Junior Welterweight title with a seven round beatdown of Anthony Yigit on October 27, 2018. Unfortunately, Baranchyk came up just short in dropping his title to undefeated Josh Taylor on May 18th.

Baranchyk also has wins over David Thomas (4-0), Angel Figueroa (4-1-1), Shadi Shawareb (9-0-2), Nicholas Givan (16-0-1), Eliseo Cruz Sesma (9-0-1), Zhiman Wang (7-0), Abel Ramos (17-1-2), Keenan Smith (11-0), and former two-time world title challenger Petr Petrov (38-5-2).

In Bracero, he will be facing a battle-tested veteran who has a record of 25-3-1 with six-knockouts.

Baranchyk weighed in at 139.6 lbs. Bracero was 140 lbs.

Baranchyk is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Holden Promotions and Fight Promotions.

Bracero of Brooklyn has wins over Winston Mathis (6-0), Danny O’Connor (14-0), Guillermo Valdes (12-3), Jermaine White (17-4), Dmitry Salita (35-1-1), O’Connor again (26-2), and in his last bout, Bracero stopped Artemio Reyes (25-2) in five rounds on July 28th.

Ceballo of New York City has a record of 10-0 with five knockouts.

In just 19 months, Ceballo has climbed to the top of a lot of prospect lists on the strength of victories over Bakhtiyar Eyubov (14-0-1) and Luis Alberto Lopez.

In the Eyubov fight, Ceballo dominated the power puncher, and developed a name for himself as the fight also took place at Madison Square Garden on the Gennadiy Golovkin – Steve Rolls card.

Ceballo is coming off a 4th round stoppage over Luis Eduardo Florez on August 23rd in Boston.

“A win on this stage against another undefeated fighter would allow me to continue my career as a Professional Fighter, and allow people to see what Brian Ceballo can do against different opposition,” said Ceballo

Six-year veteran Amanov is an undefeated foe who sports a record of 16-0 with five knockouts. Amanov has fought mainly in Russia, and will be making his 2nd start in the United States.

Amanov has wins over Ranses Payano (19-1) and Soloman Bogere (12-1-2).

Ceballo was 148.6 lbs. Amanov 148.4 lbs.

Ceballo is promoted by 360 Promotions.

Demetrius Andrade will be a more than interested spectator as the WBO Middleweight champion sits ringside tonight as Gennadiy Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko clash for the vacant IBF and IBO titles at Madison Square Garden live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
WATCH OUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ANDRADE IN NEW YORK ON MATCHROOM BOXING’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Andrade (28-0 17 KOs) is set to defend his WBO crown in December before hunting a blockbuster clash in 2020 to back up his conviction of being the best 160lber on the planet, and both GGG and Canelo Alvarez are on ‘Boo Boo’s’ radar for that.

The Rhode Island star expects a tough fight tonight though, with Kazakh king Golovkin aiming to regain the IBF and IBO crowns while Derevyanchenko full of belief in his second World title fight.

“Fighting either one of them would be cool,” said Andrade. “Sergiy is a durable guy, his only loss is to Danny Jacobs, one of the best out there, and we’re going to see what is left in GGGs tank tonight. Has he gotten a little older or not? We can’t tell until tonight, and it’s a good step up for Sergiy to see his skill level. Either way, I would get in the ring with the winner as they are both stand out guys.

“GGG is the more popular guy and I want to go out and beat the popular guy. He may not be the most skillful out there. He’s put in the work, they’ve moved him well and he’d be a great guy to put on the resume, even if he loses – it’s still GGG!

“I’m not frustrated, I’m working on my own legacy. I want to stay active, fight who we can fight, fight my mandatories and do what we have to do so there’s no more excuses for why people won’t fight me. There’s a small window of names out there now and sooner or later, we’re going to have to fight. So how can I be frustrated when I am a World champion again, fighting four times in a year, I’m getting paid, I’m chilling, my family is good – there’s nothing to be frustrated about. It would still be an honor to get in with Canelo, with GGG, they’ve done a lot for the sport and so am I. It’s going to happen, me and Canelo are in the same age group.

“When it comes to skills, I do believe I’m the most talented fighter out there. So, people don’t want their business destroyed by fighting me. But at the end of the day, you are fighting one of the best. You’re going to say that you fought Demetrius Andrade – Olympic champion, two-weight World champion, what is there to be upset about. Everyone is fighting around the same time, GGG-Derevyanchenko tonight, Canelo in November, I’ll be fighting in December, we can fight in May or June, so it’s all lining up and all I have to do is keep winning and looking good.”

FLINT, Mich. – October 4, 2019 – The Claressa Shields vs. Ivana Habazin WBO and WBC 154-pound world title fight has been called off following an altercation prior to Friday’s official weigh-in that resulted in an injury to Habazin’s trainer, James Ali Bashir. Without her chief second available for Saturday night, Habazin withdrew from the fight.

The remainder of the event, featuring as many as seven bouts promoted by Salita Promotions will proceed as scheduled from the Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center in Flint.

SHOWTIME will televise a two-fight card featuring undefeated welterweight prospect Jaron Ennis of Philadelphia taking on Argentina’s Demian Daniel Fernandez in a 10-round 147-pound bout. In the telecast opener, unbeaten heavyweight prospect Jermaine Franklin of Saginaw, Mich., will face once-beaten Pavel Šour in a 10-round heavyweight bout. SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION airs live as planned at 9p ET/6p PT.

Ennis (23-0, 21 KOs) weighed in at 146.2 pounds and Fernandez (12-1, 5 KOs) at 146.6 pounds. Franklin weighed in at 231.4 pounds and Šour at 238 pounds.

Still scheduled for action off-TV is the “All Detroit” 10-round showdown between West Detroit’s WBO No. 13-rated super flyweight Jarico “Great Lakes King” O’Quinn (12-0-1, 8 KOs) and East Detroit’s James “O.G.” Smith (13-2, 7 KOs), as well as Scotland’s Hannah Rankin (7-3, 1 KO) taking on California-based veteran Erin Toughill (7-5-1) in a six-round showcase.

Also fighting will be Flint, Mich., cruiserweight Robert Simms (9-3, 3 KOs) going into a six-round battle against Demetrius Banks of Detroit (10-8-1, 5 KOs); undefeated Kazakhstani heavyweight Izim Izbaki (2-0, 1 KO) facing Mount Morris, Michigan’s Troy Albring over four rounds; and undefeated welterweight Jacob Bonas (3-0-1, 2 KOs), one of the last of the young fighters trained by the late, great Emanuel Steward, taking on Indiana’s Norfleet Stitts in a four-rounder.

LAS VEGAS, NV – Rising super welterweight Brandyn “Bad News” Lynch(9-10) returns to action next Saturdaywhen he faces Bernard Thomas in Pico Rivera, California. The stakes have never been higher for Lynch as the vacant GBO super welterweight regional title will be on the line.

The 28 year old Lynch, who began boxing professionally in late 2016 is the nephew of Eddie Murphy who recently signed a major distribution deal with streaming giant Netflix. This will be the 5th fight of the year for Lynch who expects to keep his busy schedule through 2020 as he moves closer to title contention.

Ronald Johnson headlines the card against Sergio Ramirez in a rematch of their 2017 thriller that took place in Las Vegas. Johnson won the first time around by unanimous decision and is looking to win more decisively in their second go around.

In addition to headlining the card, Johnson is also the CEO of American Dream Presents, the company that is co-promoting the card along with Red Boxing Promotions and Hollywood’s Powerhouse Wardour Studios. This event will serve as the lead in to a big 2020 for the company as several shows are being mapped out both domestically and internationally in 2020.

Johnson is looking for Lynch to be one of the cornerstones of some of the upcoming events. He recently sat down with Brandyn’s father, Vernon Lynch to discuss his son’s future plans and both sides are interested in coming to a long term agreement.

Lynch’s boxing ability, combined with his family’s connections, has generated a lot of interest in Hollywood. Many of Hollywood’s biggest names will be in attendance on October 12th.

Tickets to the event are available at https://www3.ticketon.com/event/SUPREMACY-SHOWDOWN/390204

Promoter/matchmaker and legendary talent scout Sampson Lewkowicz wishes to congratulate his long-time fighter and former junior middleweight and middleweight champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez, for being included on the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) ballot for the class of 2020.

In his long and storied career, Martinez held the Interim World Boxing Council World Super Welter Title and the WBC Middleweight Championship, which he defended six times. His memorable victories over Paul “The Punisher” Williams (KO 2) Kelly Pavlik (UD 12) and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (UD 12) cemented Martinez as one of the top fighters of the early 2010’s.

Lewkowicz, best-known as the man who discovered Manny Pacquiao, signed a then-unknown WBC Super Middleweight Champion David Benavidez and brought Martinez to North America, is also making his debut on the hall-of-fame ballot this year. Lewkowicz was a long-time advisor to Martinez through all the most important parts of his career and the pair enjoy a warm relationship to this day.

Martinez will have his work cut out for him to make the cut, as the Class of 2020 is stacked with superstars including Jorge Arce, Timothy Bradley, Vuyani Bungu, Joel Casamayor, Diego Corrales, Carl Froch, Bernard Hopkins, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley, Antonio Tarver and Israel Vazquez.

“I congratulate the great champion, Sergio Martinez, for being named in this esteemed hall’s ballot. He was and will always be a role model and beloved fighter and this recognition is well deserved. I hope the judges see him as the great warrior he is and put him among the best of all time.”

Lewkowicz, a former amateur boxer, was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and came to the US in 1971. He met then World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman while managing an electronics store in New York City and caught the boxing bug. The rest, as they say, is history.

He is nominated in the Non-Participant Category, along with 29 others including Kenny Adams (trainer), Rodney Berman (promoter), Freddie Brown (cut man), Bill Caplan (publicist), Miguel Diaz (trainer/cutman), Lou DiBella (promoter), Cameron Dunkin (manager), Kathy Duva (promoter), Duane Ford (judge); Al Gavin (cut man); Harry Gibbs (referee); Brad Goodman (matchmaker), Dr. Margaret Goodman (ringside physician), Dan Goossen (promoter), Chuck Hull (ring announcer), Brendan Ingle (trainer), Jackie McCoy (manager/trainer); Dave Moretti (judge), Carlos Padilla (referee), Abel Sanchez (trainer), Fritz Sdunek (trainer), Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel (administrator) and Ulli Wegner (trainer), Ted Broadribb (manager), Charles E. “Parson” Davies (Manager), Francois Deschamps (manager), Dai Dollings (trainer), John Fleming (manager/promoter) and Gilberto Mendoza Sr. (administrator).

The hall of fame’s electors, made up of members of the Boxing Writers Association of America and selected non-members of the BWAA as well as a panel of historians from Japan, England, Canada, Italy, South Africa, Germany, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States, will vote for five people in each category and, in Lewkowicz’s category, the top three vote-getters will be inducted.

Adding some hope to Martinez’s chances, the IBHOF has made a rule change that states that in addition to the top-three vote getters, any fighter who receives more than 80% of the vote will be inducted, creating the possibility of five fighters being enshrined in one year.

“It is just an honor to be on the ballot with so many great names,” continued Lewkowicz. “My hope is for Sergio Martinez, who deserves to take a place of honor among the greats. He is an icon and a treasure to his countrymen and deserves any accolades he receives.”
About Sampson Boxing

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America. Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, ESPN+, DAZN, VS., FOX, Fox Sports and several international networks. For more information, visit sampsonboxing.com.

MAIN EVENT6 Rounds – Super LightweightRomain Tomas (137.7) vs. Victor Padilla (135.6)

6 Rounds – Super WelterweightRoque Zapata (153.9) vs. Isaiah Wise (155.9)

6 Rounds – Super LightweightOsnel Charles (132.6) vs. Gerardo Martinez (134.8)

6 Rounds – WelterweightsSydney Maccow (142.6) vs. Marcel Rivers (142.2)

4 Rounds – LightweightsLeonard Kenon (133.1) vs. Shamar Fulton (134.5)

4 Rounds – WelterweightsKevin Womack (148.5) vs. Shinard Bunch (149)

4 Rounds – LightweightsChristopher Burgos (136.6) vs. Tyree Arnold (136.1)

4 Rounds – LightweightsSeifullah Wise (139.5) vs. Vinnie Denierio (136.1)

4 Rounds – HeavyweightsJoel Caudle (254.8) vs. Sahret Delgado (265.6)

FLINT, MI. (October 3, 2019) – Unified middleweight world champion Claressa Shields and former world champion Ivana Habazin went face to face Thursday at the final press conference two days before they battle for the WBO and WBC 154-pound world titles live on SHOWTIME from Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center in Flint, Mich.

Also featured at Thursday’s press conference and competing on the SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast were undefeated welterweight prospect Jaron Ennis and Argentina’s Demian Daniel Fernandez, who square off in the 10-round co-feature, and unbeaten heavyweight prospect Jermaine Franklin and once-beaten Pavel Sour, who battle in the televised opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

At Thursday’s press conference, Gordon Hall, SVP, Production, SHOWTIME Sports and Event Programming and Executive Producer of Saturday’s telecast, presented Claressa Shields with a $10,000 donation to the “Claressa Shields Community Project.” The project is a summer camp designed to help Flint youth learn how to cope with stress, anxiety, anger, sadness and depression, and provides educational tutoring services to dozens of children. With this $10,000 donation, Shields will surpass her current fundraising goal for the project.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, in association with T-REX BOXING PROMOTIONS, can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and at the Dort Center box office.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from the Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center:

CLARESSA SHIELDS

“Starting my community project with the kids and spending a lot of time with them really taught me a lot. It reminded me of the childhood that I didn’t have. My whole life has always been about boxing. That’s why these girls can’t beat me. Growing up, boys didn’t matter. Punching the bag the fastest mattered. Punching the bag the hardest mattered. Doing 25 pushups faster than the boys mattered.

“I always knew I would be the one to do it for women’s boxing. Yeah, we had Laila Ali, respect. But she can’t do for women’s boxing what I’m doing. I put a lot on the line, I started my career at 168. This fight on Saturday is going to be at 154. I had to lose a lot of weight for this fight because I cleaned out the division at 160. Every time I came out of a division, there’s somebody else telling me I’m not the greatest woman of all time. I love when they say that because I want you to come show me I’m not the greatest woman of all time. Ivana is here to do that.

“I don’t know what Ivana came here to do, but I’m telling you right now it’s going less than five rounds. She said her game plan was to stand there and bang with me. Not with muscles like this. She’s going to sleep and her coach is going to be carrying her out on a pillow.

“I watched every fight of hers. Her last six or seven fights, nothing changes. It’s the same combinations. Same hand speed. Getting caught with the same shots. When you see me box, you see improvement. I’m not coming here to Flint to play no games with her.

“I’m a 168 fighter. And I have to keep coming down to these girls’ weight because they’re scared to come see me. So I came to 154 and I came to see her. I’m going to show her. As you can see, this is the Claressa Shields show. It’s about me. There’s no friction in my camp. We are about business and we’re about the money. Pay me.”

IVANA HABAZIN

“I’m definitely ready for this fight. I had a very tough four-month training camp. This is the best preparation I’ve ever had in my life for a fight. I’m in the best shape of my life.

“I am 100 percent focused on this fight. I trained harder than I ever have before. I had the ability to work on a lot of new things. I had five different sparring partners who brought a lot to help me improve. I gave everything into this camp and I believe I will receive something in return.

“None of the pre-fight talk bothers me. I’m not going to make a big show and trash talk. For me, this is just part of the job of what I have to do before I fight. All that matters is what is going to happen in the ring.

“This win on Saturday is going to change my life. This is my biggest fight ever. She’s right now the top women’s boxer, so there couldn’t be a bigger victory.

“I didn’t come here to lose. I came here to win. I don’t want to waste my energy talking before the fight, but I just want to say I’m excited to see how happy everyone here is right now for Claressa, because they’re going to be sad on Saturday when I win.”

JARON ENNIS

“We had a great training camp and Saturday night we’re going to put on a show. We’re going to have some fun.

“I’m ready to rock and roll. Saturday night I’m going to show Flint, Mich., what I can do. This is about the next steps to the next level. To get to the elite level, that’s what we want. And the end of the day we want everyone – champions, top 15, we want everybody.

“Stylistically it’s going to be me controlling the whole fight and knowing what I want to do and having fun and eventually getting the knockout.

“I’ve been sparring a lot of bigger guys because I can’t spar guys my weight or lower because I’m too strong for them. So it’s been only bigger guys in there for sparring. Whatever he brings, we will be ready for anything.

“I appreciate everything Claressa Shields has done for boxing and bringing this show here and hopefully I pick up some of her fans.”

“I don’t think he knows what he signed up for. But we’re going to show him Saturday night. We’re going to have some fun so make sure you all tune in.”

DEMIAN DANIEL FERNANDEZ

“It’s a pleasure to be here and have this opportunity. I came here to bring a victory back to Argentina. I know that my opponent is worthy, but he’s got nothing for me.

“My heart will be the difference in this fight. I’m going to run right through him like a train. I believe that I am better in every aspect of the sport.

“I know that I’m going to bring a challenge that my opponent has never seen. I believe I’ve faced tougher competition and that will play itself out in the ring.

“I see someone who’s been treated carefully and had his record padded. This is a dream come true and it’s all going to come together on Saturday.”

JERMAINE FRANKLIN

“I’m feeling ready to go on Saturday. I changed some stuff up. I have a nice game plan. I’m going to go in there and try to chop the body down early. I’m excited, this is the closest show I’ve had to home. I have a lot of support coming to the fights. It’s always great fighting in front of friends and family but I get a little too excited sometimes. Right now, it’s about trying to stay calm and do what I came here to do.

“In boxing, there’s always a lot of distractions whether you’re fighting home or not. The biggest one is just trying to stay calm. I get a burst of adrenaline when I’m fighting at home. Other than that, I don’t let the distractions affect me because I’m dedicated.

“The journey to get to where I am now has been tough. I went through a lot of trials and tribulations. There have been downtimes. We fight until better days come. I took all my stepping stones the right way so the journey was pretty hard. But in the end, the process was good for me.

“I don’t think I’m that far away from a big opportunity on a big stage. I still have some points to prove. I need to wake some people up. But I don’t think I’m far away from a big pay day, I’m closing in.

“I would love for my next fight to be in Saginaw but that’s something I need to talk to my team about. But I think I could sell out a nice card in Saginaw. They would love to see that. I don’t think it’s a big burden representing for my city. We all show love and support to each other. Robert Simms is fighting on this card and he’s from Saginaw too. I think we all feed off each other.”

PAVEL SOUR

“I’m really happy to be here for my first time in the U.S. I’m very grateful for my team for getting me this opportunity and I’m going to make the most of it.

“Franklin is a strong fighter. He wants to go toe-to-toe, but I’m going to box him from a distance and control the fight from start to finish.

“I think that I have a lot of experience in the ring that will help me in this fight. I’ve boxed for 21 years. He was only a kid when I started in this sport.

“I feel great achieving this dream of fighting in the U.S. I’m happy to take the dream even further with a win on Saturday.”

FLINT MAYOR KAREN WEAVER

“I’m so happy to be here and the city of Flint is thrilled that the time is finally here for us to have another championship right here. Claressa said she was going to do it and we can’t wait for everybody to see what’s going to take place Saturday night.

“We also want to say thank you to Claressa for the love and support that she has shown for her hometown. We’re so grateful that there are people like you that come back home and make a mark in their community. We know that we can’t do it without you, and we are with you.”

DMITRIY SALITA, President of Salita Promotions

“October 5 is going to be a historic night of boxing. The WBO and WBC 154-pound world titles will be on the line when Claressa Shields takes on Ivana Habazin live on SHOWTIME right here at this arena in Flint, Michigan.

“The undercard is going to feature explosive fights with blue chip welterweight prospect Jaron Ennis, and Saginaw, Michigan’s Jermaine Franklin in separate bouts. This is going to be a fantastic night that the fans are going to remember for a long time.

“SHOWTIME has been instrumental in making sure that Claressa is fighting the best fights and getting the most exposure for the sport of women’s boxing.

“You should save your ticket stubs because you are going to want to show your grandkids that you were here in Flint to see Claressa Shields fight.”

MARK TAFFET, President of Taffet Media

“From the day she won gold to the day she turned pro, this is the place where Claressa always wanted to be, and it’s because of the support of everyone here and we thank you so much for that.

“When we made this fight, we knew that this was a historic fight. The opportunity to win a world title in a third weight division, faster than any fighter in history, is truly special.

“I have a lot of experience in this sport, and Claressa Shields is once in a lifetime. I wanted to help make the vision of Claressa Shields a reality. It is because of her that women’s boxing is reaching heights it has never before reached or imagined. She’s on the doorstep of achieving more history. It’s not that the sky is the limit, but there are no limits for Claressa.”

GORDON HALL, Executive Producer of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION

“SHOWTIME has a long history of featuring women in combat sports. Whether it was in MMA with Gina Carano, Cris Cyborg or Ronda Rousey to Laila Ali and Christy Martin in boxing. Most recently, we have the great Claressa Shields, former middleweight champion Christina Hammer, as well as Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.

“Shields-Habazin will be the eleventh women’s bout that we’ve had on SHOWTIME since 2017 and Claressa Shields is leading the way. Claressa Shields is the best woman fighter today. She has accomplished more in a shorter period of time, dominated all of her opponents and yes, she is still getting better. And frankly, that’s scary.

“Male or female, SHOWTIME is delivering the best fighters in the best matchups and we’ve done that for 35 years. We expect the same on Saturday night. Claressa Shields is making her sixth appearance on SHOWTIME. She’s already made history, holding two division titles including unifying the middleweight division. Now, she’s looking to become the first fighter, male or female, to win three division titles within her first 10 fights.

“Ivana Habazin is an eight-year pro. She is a former welterweight champion who has more than twice the amount of professional fights as Claressa. Both fighters have top trainers and I have no doubt that this will be a fight you won’t want to miss.

“On the undercard, we have one of the top American heavyweights in Saginaw’s Jermaine Franklin, who is making his third appearance on SHOWTIME. He’s facing once-beaten Pavel Sour in a fight for recognition, to try to get their names in the ever-changing heavyweight division conversation.

“Our co-feature spotlights Philadelphia’s Jaron Ennis, who is the best prospect in boxing. No doubt. He was an amateur standout with speed and power that all will appreciate. His opponent Demian Fernandez has only one loss, but I can tell you right now he didn’t come all the way from Argentina to lose.”

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ABOUT SHIELDS VS. HABAZIN
Undisputed Middleweight World Champion Claressa Shields will aim to make history by becoming the fastest fighter in boxing, male or female, to become a three-division world champion when she takes on former world champion Ivana Habazin Saturday, October 5 live on SHOWTIME.

The showdown for the vacant WBO Junior Middleweight and WBC Super Welterweight Titles headlines a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from Dort Federal Event Center in Shields’ hometown of Flint, Mich.

Hard charging super featherweight prospect Misael Lopez (11-0) is looking to close out 2019 with a bang.

The 23 year old returns to action tomorrow in Houston, Texas against Nestor Robledo on the first card promoted by Jermall and Jermell Charlo’s Lions Only Promotions in which neither of the twins is fighting on the card.

Lopez is very excited for having the opportunity to put his skills on display in a boxing town like Houston.

“It is amazing to be fighting out there. This is the type of exposure that you want as a boxer to showcase your skills. I am the ‘A’ side and this will be a chance for me to show my skills against a tough Mexican fighter who will be coming forward so I am excited to put on a show. It should be a great atmosphere,” Lopez stated.

His last fight took place in March when he blew out Richard Flores in 1 round. He is planning on this fight ending in similar fashion.

“That would be nice. I know that Ryan Garcia’s brother Sean Garcia couldn’t knock him out so that’s the goal. He fought him last and he couldn’t get him out so we are definitely looking for a knockout,” revealed Lopez.

If everything goes well Lopez hopes to have a quick turn around and get right back in action. Now that he is aligned with Oscar Vazquez and Sugar’s Boxing he expects to be much more active.

“I was supposed to fight in late September so I have been ready for a while. I can’t wait to show what I can do. Now that I have a new team and new coaches like (Mark) ‘Too Sharp’ (Johnson) everything is going in the right direction. We are hoping if everything goes right that we will get a TV fight on a PBC card later this year. That is the goal,” Lopez stated.

The 11 fight card is topped by super lightweight prospect Darwin Price taking on veteran Breidis Prescott in a bout scheduled for 10 rounds.

QUÉBEC CITY, Canada (OCTOBER 1, 2019) — The Videotron Center in Quebec City will be the scene of another exceptional boxing event, which will be crowned by a world championship match featuring the darling of professional boxing in Quebec, undefeated Marie-Ève Dicaire (16-0-0, 0 KOs).

The charismatic International Boxing Association (IBF) women’s super-welterweight World champion will defend her belt for the third time against the dangerous and experienced Ogleidis Suarez (29-3-1, 13 KOs), the IBF No. 2-rated contender from Venezuela.

Tickets go on sale to the public tomorrow (Friday) at 10 a.m. ET.
“The Videotron Center is a special place for me,” Dicaire said. “On December 1st, I wrote a page of history and this moment will remain engraved forever in my memories. To come back here almost a year later is very significant. I am happy and especially excited to have the chance to be able to demonstrate to my supporters the result of a year of effort and hard work.”

The blockbuster event is co-promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and Gestev, presented by Videotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
As a bonus, fans will have the privilege of attending the fourth title defense by World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight World champion Hanna Gabriels (20-2-1, 11 KOs). This fight is in a collaboration with the brilliant New York City-based promoter, Lou DiBella. The opponent of the Costa Rican native will soon be announced. The plan is for a unification fight in March, 2020 at the Videotron Center between Dicaire and Gabriels provided they both retain their titles.

“I’m pleased to see that my team is doing everything in its power to allow me to get back into the ring as soon as possible,” Gabriels commented. “For the first time in my career, I have a winning combination with an outstanding manager, Hector Fernandez, in addition to my promoter, DiBella Entertainment. I am very close to my goal of becoming the unified champion in my division. Of course, I will focus first on winning my fight on November 23rd. Then, I want to face the other champions in my category who dare to face me. If Miss Dicaire wants to be first, I’ll be happy to beat her at home. It is a dream for me to fight in Canada, an extraordinary country. “

“I am pleased that Hanna Gabriels will be able to defend her title in Quebec City at this major event organized by my friend Yvon Michel,” added DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Hanna Gabriels and Marie-Ève Dicaire are two of the most talented women in professional boxing. A unification between these two athletes would be one of the biggest fights on the female sports scene. On the other hand, the two champions must win their duels of November 23 before thinking about the next stage.”

ZEWSKI AND BOUCHARD IN PIVOT COMBATS
Also featured will be aspiring world champion Mikael Zewski (33-1-0, 22 KOs), as well as hometown Quebec City favorite, Sebastien Bouchard (18-1-0, 8 KOs), who will both be in extremely crucial battles in terms of their respective pro careers. The World Boxing Organization (WBO) No. 8-rated Zewski, the reigning North American Boxing Organization (NABO) welterweight champion, will defend his crown against American challenger Brad “King” Solomon (28-1-0, 9 KOs) of Douglasville, Georgia. Bouchard will be knocking at the door of world rankings by defeating Montreal’s Ayaz Hussain (13-1-0, 10 KOs) for the vacant North American IBF title.

For his part, Zewski is happy to return to Quebec City: “I am very happy and excited to be returning to Quebec to show people that I am part of the elite division and continue to climb the rankings. I expect strong opposition from Solomon. I am ready for the challenge!”
Bouchard wants to make Quebec vibrate for his 5th battle at the Videotron Center: “I have never been excited by local battles, but I know that fans are constantly asking for them. Yvon and I decided to hold this duel to make Quebec City and the Videotron Center vibrate on November 23 and thus thank the boxing fans for their continued support. “

“We are very happy to be returning to the Videotron Center for Marie-Eve’s fourth World Championship bout,” GYM president Yvon Michel remarked. “She won this IBF title on December 1st, right here in Quebec, under circumstances we know. With the participation of Zewski, Bouchard and Gabriels, there are four championship fights on this loaded, including two world title fights. It will be an evening rich in talent and very decisive for its participants. The show will be a fantastic evening of boxing, a can’t missed event for fans.”
“The Videotron Center has a special relationship with Marie-Eve Dicaire,” noted Martin Tremblay, Chief Operating Officer of Quebecor Sports and Entertainment Group. “We look forward to another great event on November 23, when the first woman’s world title fight will headline a boxing event at a major Amphitheater. The local component is also important for this gala event. We are excited about the opportunity for Sébastien Bouchard to win his first North American title in front of his Quebec fans.”

GREAT VISIT WITH ADONIS STEVENSON
Former World light heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson, who fought five world title fights in Quebec City during his reign, confirmed his presence to supportt Marie-Eve Dicaire. He will return for the first time to the Amphitheater, where he had his last fight, the same evening that Dicaire began her reign as world champion. Adonis will be in the VVIP section and available for interviews, photos and autographs. He will be accompanied by his wife, Simone God.

FERNAND MARCOTTE AT THE PANTHÉON DES SPORTS DU QUÉBEC.
Recently, Quebecer Fernand Marcotte was inducted into the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame to crown his brilliant pugilistic career. A special tribute will be given on Nov. 23 and he will also be being present and available in the VVIP area.

Tickets, starting at $49 (taxes and service fees included), will be on sale at Gestev.com and Ticketmaster.ca, at the Champion Boxing Club (514-376-0980) and GYM (514-383-0666), or call 1-855-790-1245.

PRIVILEGE SECTION VVIP
A privilege section VVIP has been reserved to meet a customer who wishes to enjoy a unique and memorable experience:

• Limited quantity, only 100 tickets
• Section reserved on the floor near the ring
• Personalized VVIP accreditation with the poster of the evening
• Access to the VIP Lounge or snacks and cocktails will be served free of charge
• Proximity to the big names of Quebec professional boxing including Fernand Marcotte, Adonis Stevenson, Lucian Bute, Jean Pascal, Eleider Alvarez and Oscar Rivas, among others, for a possibility of photos and autographs.
• Access to the post-Gala party with the main stars of the ring, Marie-Eve Dicaire, Mikael Zewski and Sébastien Bouchard.
• The price of each ticket is $500

TO CANAL INDIGO IN TELE LA CARTE.
The “Dicaire-Zewski-Bouchard-Gabriels” event will be broadcast in Canada on pay-per-view via Canal Indigo, Bell TV and Shaw TV.

PHILADELPHIA PA — Members of the Philadelphia City Council presented a resolution honoring J Russell Peltz at this morning’s council meeting on behalf of President Darrell Clarke. The resolution recognized Peltz’ contribution to the city over 50 years of promoting boxing in Philadelphia. President Clarke serves as the City Councilman for District 5, where Peltz promoted his first boxing event at the Blue Horizon on September 30, 1969.

The resolution gave a brief history of Peltz’ career before thanking him for the profound impact he had on the city over the last 50 years. It also expressed the wish that the next generation of boxing promoters continue to preserve Philadelphia’s legacy as a boxing stronghold.

Peltz was gracious in his remarks, and had the crowd laughing when he began speaking about his career.

“I’m humbled to be honored by the city,” he began, “because if you think about it, the only thing I’ve done over the last 50 years is start fights that other people finish.

“I’ve grown up in the greatest fight city in the world,” he continued. “Some of the greatest fighters of all time have fought for me – hall of fame fighters – beginning with my first love, Bennie Briscoe in 1969, and going all the way up through one of my fighters winning a world title in Bejing, China a couple years ago by the name of Jason Sosa.”

He closed his remarks with a story about playing “Cowboys & Indians” as a kid, and how he thought it would be so cool if he could just play the game as an adult, instead of going to work every day. “Honestly, that’s what my career has been like,” he said, and thanked the Council for the honor.

Peltz was joined in attendance by his wife, Linda, and his protege and the promoter of Friday’s “Blood, Sweat and 50 Years” fight card at 2300 Arena, Michelle Rosado.

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Tickets for Blood, Sweat & 50 Years are available at 2300arena.com, or by calling 215-765-9022.

ZELFA BARRETT is determined to prove he is the top boy among Frank Warren’s talent stacked super-featherweight club.

The Mancunian wants to sock it to stablemates British champion Sam Bowen and WBO European title holder Archie Sharp next week without punching either rival.

Barrett (22-1, 13 KOs) makes the first defence of his Commonwealth crown against Jordan McCorry (18-6-1, 4KOs) at First Direct Arena, Leeds on Saturday October 12, live on BT Sport.

Scot McCorry stepped in at short notice and took Bowen nine rounds in March and four months later he pushed Sharp all the way before losing on points after ten exciting rounds.

Barrett who beat another stablemate, Lyon Woodstock to become Commonwealth title holder in June said: “I’m competitive and I would love to get him out of there quicker than Bowen and look better than Archie did.”

A series of fights involving Barrett, Bowen and Sharp would create big interest over the next 12 months and all three are keen to be the last man standing.

Barrett, 26, would love to get his hands on Bowen first warning: “I would be like Sugar Ray Leonard.

“I don’t underestimate him and I think that Sam is a good fighter, but I have been watching him and I would shine in that fight.

“Everyone goes on about how strong and relentless he is. Let’s see how relentless he is when he keeps getting hit by jabs. I have got the power, speed and timing to knock him out.”

McCorry has been sparring with Sharp ahead of his big assignment against Barrett on the bill topped by Josh Warrington’s IBF featherweight title defence against Sofiane Takoucht.

His choice of sparring partner had baffled Barrett, who added: “I laughed when I heard they would be sparring. That will not help him against me.

“I’m no Archie Sharp. Archie is a good fighter, but styles make fighters and we’re different fighters.”

Before Barrett can tackle his biggest domestic rivals and hopefully move on to world level, he knows McCorry poses a formidable challenge given his great efforts against Bowen and Sharp.

“Jordan is tough, durable and most probably thinks this is his last opportunity so he will be there to win. He will be game and try to beat me,” says Barrett.

“I know he will try and outdo me, believes in himself and has had plenty of notice. He will be in it for every minute of every round.”

The big night of action in Leeds is headed by local hero Josh Warrington (29-0, 6KOs) who makes the third defence of his IBF featherweight championship against France’s Sofiane Takoucht (35-3-1, 13 KOs). Zelfa Barrett (22-1,13KOs) will make the first defence of his Commonwealth super-featherweight title against exciting Scot Jordan McCorry (18-6-1, 4KOs). In a third title clash Manchester’s Lyndon Arthur (15-0, 12KOs) faces Ghanaian Emmanuel Anim (14-2-1, 12KOs) for the vacant Commonwealth light-heavyweight crown , in a battle of the big hitters.

 Darlington’s Troy Williamson (11-0-1, 8KOs), Mark Heffron (23-1, 17KOs), Shakiel Thompson (4-0, 3KOs), Reece Mould (12-0, 6 KOs), Shabaz Masoud (5-0, 1KO), John Joyce, 1-0), Jack Daniels (4-0, 2 KOs), Callum Simpson (1-0), Evaldas Petrauskas (1-0 1 KO) plus exciting debutant George Davey are all in action.

 Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk and firstdirectarena.com Prices: £40, £50, £75, £100, £150, £200, £350 – Inner Ring Hospitality.

FLINT, MI. (Oct 1, 2019) – The stakes have been raised even further for this Saturday’s (October 5) “Homecoming for Herstory” showdown between Flint’s own female boxing superstar Claressa Shields and former world champion Ivana Habazin, now that the WBC has also agreed to sanction the bout for their vacant women’s super welterweight championship.

The history-making 10-round fight, in which Shields (9-0, 2 KOs) will be looking to become the fastest fighter in boxing, male or female, to be crowned a three-division world champion by defeating #1-ranked Habazin (20-3, 7 KOs), of Zagreb, Croatia, will now be contested for both the WBO and WBC Championships.

Shields vs. Habazin will headline a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION (9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT) telecast from the Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center in Flint, that will also feature undefeated Saginaw, Mich., heavyweight prospect Jermaine Franklin (19-0, 13 KOs) facing Czech Republic’s once-beaten Pavel Šour (11-1, 6 KOs) and unbeaten welterweight prospect Jaron “Boots” Ennis (23-0, 21 KOs) taking on Argentina’s Demian Daniel Fernandez (12-1, 5 KOs).

“The WBC is proud and happy to be part of this herstoric event”, said WBC Women’s Championship Chairman Malte Mueller-Michaelis. “Both Shields and Habazin are outstanding athletes so we are looking forward to an exciting bout.”

In her first professional fight in her hometown of Flint, 24-year-old Shields will be looking to make herstory yet again in this highly anticipated battle. She won her first world titles (WBC & IBF Super Middleweight) in her fourth pro fight vs Nikki Adler in August 2017. Shields’ won world championships in her second weight division (WBA & IBF Middleweight) in her sixth pro fight against Hanna Gabriels in June 2018. She then became the women’s undisputed middleweight champion in just her ninth pro fight, a dominant victory over Christina Hammer, in April 2019.

On Saturday, she will go for two more world championships in a third weight division, in just her tenth fight, which will make her not only fastest fighter in history to conquer three divisions, but also the first to do it while going down in weight (168-160-154). The current record holder, fellow two-time Olympic gold medalist Vasiliy Lomachenko (11-1, 9 KOs), won his third world title in his 12th professional bout.

“October 5 will truly be a memorable event and we are delighted that the fight will now be for both the WBC and WBO World Championships,” said Dmitriy Salita. “Claressa is aiming for historic nights every time she gets into the ring and it is exciting that the victor of the fight on Saturday will be a Unified 154-lb World Champion.”

“Winning a world title in a third weight division faster than any man or woman in boxing history is a once in a lifetime opportunity and accomplishment,” said Shields’ Manager Mark Taffet. “I know Claressa will rise to the occasion, and I’m thrilled both the WBC and WBO belts will be on the line.”

“Homecoming for Herstory” is promoted by Salita Promotions in association with T-REX BOXING PROMOTIONS. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and at the Dort Center box office.

DETROIT (October 2, 2019) – Unified middleweight world champion Claressa Shields and former world champion Ivana Habazin showed off their skills at a media workout Wednesday before they go toe-to-toe this Saturday night in a showdown for the WBO and WBC 154-pound world titles live on SHOWTIME from Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center in Flint, Mich.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, in association with T-REX BOXING PROMOTIONS, can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and at the Dort Center box office.

After her portion of the media workout, Shields, who fights in her hometown of Flint for the first time as a pro on Saturday, spent time with kids who participate in the gym’s Downtown Boxing Gym (DBG) program for Detroit students ages 8-18. The gym currently serves over 170 students with mentorship and training programs. *More information on DBG is listed below.

Joining Shields and Habazin at the media workout were fighters competing in non-televised attractions Saturday including local super flyweight contenders Ja’Rico O’Quinn and James Smith, who will fight for the WBO International title, and Scotland’s Hannah Rankin, who steps in against Erin Toughill in a super welterweight attraction.  

Here is what the workout participants had to say Wednesday:

CLARESSA SHIELDS

“It hasn’t really hit me yet that I’m actually fighting in Flint. Once everything happens at the press conference I think it will actually hit me. I hope that this fight shows people in Flint that no matter what we go through, Flint comes out on top.

“Habazin has a good record and is ranked highly, so I know what she presents. I trained for nine weeks not to lose weight, but to be prepared for a tough match. I trained to come here and get the knockout. It should be a great fight come Saturday.

“I’ve been fighting for 13 years and I’ve never missed weight once. If you have a fight at a certain weight class, you come on weight. That’s just protocol. You do what you have to do. I’m still drinking my water and eating. I’m not starving myself to make weight.

“It’s important every time to look better than my last fight. That’s just my mentality so that I keep myself from doing too much but also doing enough. I looked superb in my last fight. I showed people that I’m a complete fighter. I can’t show less than that on Saturday. To me, that means I have to get the knockout.

“I know that I’m faster at 154-pounds. It’s been a big jump for this one. I’m Roy Jones Jr. fast for this one. I can drop my hands, throw punches and land them from any angle. This weight is beneficial for body. It fits me well.

“I’ve taken women’s boxing to a place it hasn’t been before, but it’s not where it needs to be yet. I think that my performances are getting better and better and everything I do outside of boxing is helping to build me up as well.

“I just want to get better every fight. I want to make sure that I show even more of everything that I did against Hammer. That’s been my mentality since the amateurs.”

IVANA HABAZIN

“I had a very good, hard training camp. It was a four-month camp, which was the longest of my career. I had great sparring and I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life.

“For this fight I’m focused only on myself. This fight can change everything in my life. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen, but everyone will find out on Saturday night.

“Anything is possible in boxing and I’ve prepared for that. I’m ready for a tough fight and I expect it. I’m going all or nothing to win this fight.

“I hope that she’s going to make weight. I always make weight and I think that she’ll make the weight fine. We’ve both taken this fight very seriously. I have been very disciplined and had a great nutrition plan and I’m already on weight.

“I haven’t even thought about her knee injury at all. I’ve been injured before and I get in there and fight anyway. She’s a fighter and even if she had some problems, I know those aren’t going to be in her mind. The fight is too big to do that.

“I can’t think about what’s going to happen when I win. I need to be only focused on this fight. Dreams and reality are two different things. I’m here to give 100 percent of myself. I didn’t come here to play games.”

JA’RICO O’QUINN

“I’ve seen the same things everyone else sees when they watch Smith. He’s straight up and down, straight forward with no special effects.

“You have to tune in on Saturday night to see this one. I’m going to look my best on this big card with everyone watching. My opponent better bring his ‘A-game’ because I’m definitely bringing mine.

“Training camp has been going great and everything feels good heading into this fight. I’m going to be ready for anything in the ring and ready to go as many rounds as it takes.”

JAMES SMITH

“At the end of the day, none of the talk matters. We have to fight. Nothing he says matters. He has to see me in that ring.

“His best attribute is that he has decent hand speed and a good punch output. He throws a lot of punches, but when he finishes his combinations, he’s not making defensive moves behind it. He’s sitting right there.

“He got dropped twice recently by someone who can’t punch. If I hit him with those same punches, he’s not getting up.

“My plan is to go in there and stay smart. As long as I’m smart and work behind my jab, I shouldn’t have any problem. But I do want to bust him up. I don’t want to knock him out, I want to beat him very very badly.”

HANNAH RANKIN

“When I turned pro I said that I wanted to be the best that I can be. I have goals and I’m motivated and my team is pushing really hard to get here. I’m not surprised how far we’ve gone, because I’ve been putting the work in.

“It’s fantastic to be on the undercard of an event headlined by a great women’s fight. I’ve been sparring with Claressa in the lead up to this and it’s been great to be involved in the lead up to her fight.”

JOHN DAVID JACKSON, Shields’ Trainer

“Claressa knows how to bring the pressure with her power, and we’ve just been working on putting a little more precision with her punches so that hopefully this time, you’ll see the knockout.

“Claressa says she’s the best and she wants to keep proving that to the world with each fight. If she starts knocking these fighters out, then that’s going to be a big plus for her. She’s going to be even better defensively too and make her opponent miss and then make her pay.

“I just want her to take it all in and enjoy the moment of fighting at home. Some fighters get distracted by it, but she’s not that way. She’s excited to be here and give her city something to talk about. I think she’ll take the energy from the crowd and it’ll make her fight even better.”

BASHIR ALI, Habazin’s Trainer

“She’s very ready. You don’t want to overdo the training or under do it. I’ve been doing this for 50 years and I’ve seen a lot of things. You never really know until that bell rings.

“Claressa is a top competitor and Ivana is also a top competitor. Ivana has 23 fights, so I don’t have to hold her hand and walk her through everything. She knows what she has to do to win this fight.

“They say a boxer is only as good as their last fight. So you can’t put too much into what you see on the video. You just have to also be prepared for the unexpected. I take into account what she does and doesn’t do, but I’m sure Claressa and her team have looked at themselves and made changes.”

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ABOUT SHIELDS VS. HABAZIN

Undisputed Middleweight World Champion Claressa Shields will aim to make history by becoming the fastest fighter in boxing, male or female, to become a three-division world champion when she takes on former world champion Ivana Habazin Saturday, October 5 live on SHOWTIME.

The showdown for the vacant WBO Junior Middleweight and WBC Super Welterweight Titles headlines a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from Dort Federal Event Center in Shields’ hometown of Flint, Mich. The vacant WBC Women’s Diamond Super Welterweight Championship will also be on the line in Shields’ first professional fight in her hometown.

ABOUT DOWNTOWN BOXING GYM*

The Downtown Boxing Gym (DBG) is a free, after-school academic and athletic program for Detroit students ages 8-18. The gym’s motto is Books Before Boxing. Founded in 2007 by Coach Khali Sweeney, the program has a 100% high school graduation rate since its inception. The gym currently serves 170+ students with over 1,200 more on a waiting list. Through tutoring, mentorship, enrichment programs, college and career readiness, socio-emotional skills building and more, DBG trains students for life. Learn more at downtownboxinggym.org.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 2, 2019) — Top Rank will open up the vault in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15). Five of the greatest fights in company history featuring Hispanic fighters will be available for free on Top Rank’s YouTube channel.

The series will kick off TODAY, Oct. 2 with the first fight between Mexican legends Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. The animosity between Tijuana native Morales and Mexico City product Barrera was palpable, as the two went toe-to-toe for 12 breathtaking rounds in what was named Fight of the Year by Ring Magazine in 2000. Morales prevailed by split decision, but the two Hall of Famers renewed acquaintances twice more over the next four years, with Barrera winning a pair of tight decisions. In the end, very little separated two of Mexico’s all-time greats.

The series will continue with the following bouts.

Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Manny Pacquiao IV (Friday, Oct. 4)
Mexico vs. Philippines
Fight Date: Dec. 8, 2012
Why It Mattered: Pacquiao and Marquez fought a trio of razor-thin bouts over the previous eight-plus years, with Pacquiao holding a 2-0-1 advantage. In their fourth bout, Pacquiao knocked Marquez down in the fifth round and was on the verge of scoring a knockout until lightning struck in the form of a Marquez right hand. Ring Magazine named this instant classic 2012 Fight of the Year, and Marquez’s one-hitter quitter was the publication’s Knockout of the Year.

Miguel Cotto vs. Zab Judah (Monday, Oct. 7)
Puerto Rico vs. USA
Fight Date: June 9, 2007
Why It Mattered: A sold-out crowd of 20,658 at Madison Square Garden packed the house to watch WBA welterweight world champion Cotto on the eve of the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. Cotto was 29-0 at the time, and he broke down Brooklyn native Judah, notching an 11^th-round TKO in what was a Fight of the Year contender.

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Fernando Vargas (Wednesday, Oct. 9)
Mexico vs. Mexico
Fight Date: Sept. 14, 2002
Why It Mattered: The fight was billed as “Bad Blood,” and the long-standing feud set the stage for a memorable super welterweight title unification battle that took place on Mexican Independence Day Weekend. In a back-and-forth rumble, De La Hoya dug deep with a furious assault in the 11^th round that forced referee Joe Cortez to stop the fight. The fight drew more than 900,000 buys on pay-per-view, further solidifying De La Hoya as one of the most bankable stars in boxing history.

Roberto Duran vs. Davey Moore (Friday, Oct. 11)
Panama vs. USA
Fight Date: June 16, 1983
Why It Mattered: More than 20,000 fans were on hand at Madison Square Garden to watch living legend Duran take on reigning WBA super welterweight champion Moore, the undefeated Bronx native who was a 5-2 favorite. Duran turned 32 years old on fight day and had lost twice since the infamous “No Mas” fight against Sugar Ray Leonard almost three years prior. Duran battered Moore en route to an eighth-round stoppage, winning a world title in a third weight class and cementing his legacy as an all-time great.

Katharina Thanderz (12-0, 2 KOs) has landed a dream World title fight on November 16 as she tops an action-packed event at the Ekeberghallen in Oslo.

Having signed promotional terms with Team Sauerland, Thanderz aims to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Cecilia Brækhus, the current Unified 147lbs champion, who is considered one of the greatest female boxers of all time.

Unbeaten in twelve professional contests, the former European and WBC International Champion will get her first taste of World title action against Danila Ramos (8-1, 1 KO) for the interim WBC World Super Featherweight crown.

Thanderz’s World title tilt comes at the iconic Oslo venue that alongside world-renowned recording artists such as David Bowie and ABBA, has played host to two World title fights prior to Norway’s 33-year ban on professional boxing.

Svein Erik Paulsen challenged Alfredo Escalera for the WBC World Super Featherweight title on December 12, 1975, while Harald Skog fought Victor Galindez for the WBA World Light Heavyweight title on March 28, 1976.

“Fighting for my first World title is a dream come true. This is exactly what I’ve visualised in every training session since I started boxing,” says Thanderz. “To get this opportunity in Oslo, in the city I was born, in front of all my family and friends is a huge motivation for me, and I will do everything I can to win.

“Ramos is a legitimate opponent who isn’t afraid of getting into a fight. She has an aggressive, come forward style so I expect a hard battle. She has already fought for the belt, where she lost a close decision, so I know she will be eager to win the title this time. She’s Brazilian, but she lives and trains in Argentina, which is a country with a very high level of female fighters.

“I’m hungry, motivated and excited. I’m ready to put in the hard work that is needed for a fight at this level. People will see what I’m made of. They will see a fighter without fear and willing to do whatever it takes to give Norway a new World Champion. It will be a fight filled with a lot of war and action!”

Ramos, the Buenos Aires-based Brazilian, is equally confident of claiming World honours having found herself on the wrong end of a points decision against Elhem Mekhaled for the same WBC strap earlier this year.

The 34-year-old, known as ‘A Guerreira’ (The Warrior), is back to winning ways following a unanimous verdict against Lilian Dolores Silva, and has outlined her plan to upset the home fighter and bring the belt back to Argentina.

“I am very confident I can win this fight,” says Ramos. “Katharina is a good, offensive fighter. I really like her style, but I think it’s ideal for me. I will be preparing for the fight in Buenos Aires, which has a very high level for professional boxing, and will be sparring with World Champions. I am happy to get the chance to fight for the WBC title again, and this time it won’t escape me. I will give everything to make sure the belt comes back to Argentina with me.”

Promoter Nisse Sauerland says he is delighted to secure Thanderz a World title shot and is excited to bring championship boxing back to the Ekeberghallen.

“This is a great opportunity for Katharina to claim her first World title,” says Sauerland. “We were determined to deliver Katharina a World title fight and we’re delighted she’ll get her chance against Danila Ramos for the WBC belt.

“The Ekeberghallen has a great history for boxing in Norway and we look forward to continuing that tradition on November 16. Alongside Katharina’s World title challenge, we will be working with Norway Box Promotion to deliver a full undercard showcasing the very best of Norwegian boxing.”

“We really appreciate the confidence Team Sauerland has shown in us. It’s a great honour to be able to kick start our new promotion company with an event of this magnitude. I really hope the people of Oslo will turn up and support our great group of fighters on November 16. It will be an exhilarating action packed event you can’t miss,” says Atle Walgren, for Norway Box Promotion.

All the action from the Ekeberghallen including Thanderz’s World title fight will be shown live on Viasat 4 in Norway. Christian Ramberg, Programme Manager Sports for NENT Group, says: “Katharina is a fascinating person and a fantastic fighter. I remember seeing her in action for the first time and thinking she is something special. I am proud to bring her home to Oslo for a world title fight in an historic venue. I cannot wait for the fight to start.”

Tickets for ‘Capital Showdown’ featuring the WBC World Super Featherweight title clash between Katharina Thanderz and Danila Ramos will go on general sale tomorrow, Thursday, October 3, at 12.00 (CEST) via www.ticketmaster.no.

(Oct. 1, 2019) — It’s tournament time. The Golden Contract featherweight tournament, presented by MTK Global, will kick off Friday at London’s York Hall with 10-round quarterfinal bouts beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service.

The super lightweight tournament quarterfinals will start Nov. 2, and the light heavyweight quarterfinals will be contested Dec. 14. The championship matches of all three tournaments will be staged during a special event scheduled for July 2020, and the winners are guaranteed a lucrative promotional contract with one of the biggest promoters in the world.

The featherweight tournament features the following fighters: British champion Ryan Walsh (24-2-2, 11 KOs), Commonwealth champion Leigh Wood (22-1, 12 KOs), Hairon Socarras (22-0-3, 14 KOs), former world title challenger Jazza Dickens (27-3, 11 KOs), 2016 Irish Olympian Davey Oliver Joyce (11-0, 8 KOs), Tyrone McCullagh (13-0, 6 KOs), European champion Carlos Ramos (11-1, 7 KOs) and Carlos Araujo (15-1, 12 KOs).

The quarterfinal matchups, which were determined via a random drawing following Tuesday’s media workout, are as follows: McCullagh vs. Araujo, Dickens vs. Ramos, Socarras vs. Walsh and Wood vs. Joyce.

Use the hashtag #GoldenContract to join the conversation on social media.

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

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.

(October 1, 2019):

Irish amateur boxing star, Joe Ward will make his highly anticipated professional debut this Saturday, October 5th at Madison Square Garden on the undercard of the IBF middleweight world title fight between Gennady Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko broadcast live worldwide on DAZN.

The 25-year-old Ward, a native of Westmeath, Ireland who recently signed a co-promotional deal with Murphys Boxing and DiBella Entertainment and is trained by Boxing Hall of Famer, Buddy McGirt and Irish trainer, Jimmy Payne, will take on a dangerous opponent in his professional debut, the hard hitting Marco Delgado (5-1, 4 KOs) in a 6 round bout.

A member of Ireland’s 2016 Olympic team, Ward is joined by undisputed world champion Katie Taylor as the only Irish boxers to win more than one European Elite gold medal. His acclaimed amateur career includes 15 Irish National Championships, three gold medals at the European Amateur Championships (2017, 2015, 2011), a gold medal at the World Youth Championships (2010), and a gold medal at the World Junior Championships (2009). Ward also earned the silver medal at the 2017 World Amateur Championships in Hamburg, Germany. Having his first fight at 11 years old, Ward ended his amateur career with a record of 290-15.

“I’m really looking forward to making my pro debut at Madison Square Garden, which is a great venue to introduce myself to the boxing world as I enter the professional ranks,” said Ward.

“It’s going to be a special night that I will never forget. I’d like to thank my team, DiBella Entertainment, Murphys Boxing and Times Square Boxing Company, for the opportunity and I am excited to put on a great performance.”

“Ken Casey and I are both thrilled that super prospect Joe Ward is debuting on the GGG-Derevyanchenko card,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.

“We expect to see a lot of support from New York’s Irish community and believe it’ll be one of many New York City fights for Joe as he begins his rise up the ranks of boxing’s elite.”

“It’s an honor to be involved with such a class fighter and person,” said Ken Casey, president of Murphys Boxing.

“We have a great team and a great plan to keep Joe busy and fighting for a world title in no time. Saturday Night will be the first step in what will be an amazing journey for all of us on Team Ward and for Joe… the start of a legendary professional career.”
ABOUT MURPHYS BOXING

Murphys Boxing was founded by Dropkick Murphys’ frontman, Ken Casey in 2014. In just 5 short years, Murphys Boxing has become the premier boxing promoter in the New England area and one of the hottest young promotions in the country. 2018 was a breakout year for Murphys Boxing as they took their first fighter to a world title. Along with the promotion’s first champion, several Murphys Boxing fighters secured world title opportunities and nationally televised fights in 2018. Murphys Boxing closed out their banner year by co-promoting the WBO Middleweight Championship bout between Demetrius Andrade and Walter Kautondokwa in front of over 10,000 fans at the TD Garden, the legendary home of the Boston Celtics, which was broadcast internationally on DAZN. Murphys Boxing’s current roster features world ranked contenders like Abraham Nova, Charles Foster, Mark DeLuca, Carlos Gongora, Greg Vendetti, Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan and undefeated prospects like William Foster III and Luis Arcon Diaz and more!

For more information visit: www.murphysboxing.com

LAS VEGAS – October 1, 2019 – Undefeated super featherweight prospect Xavier Martinez returns to ShoBox: The New Generation for his second straight test on the series when he faces veteran Filipino Jessie Cris Rosales in the 10-round main event of a four-fight telecast on Friday, November 1 live on SHOWTIME (10:30 p.m. ET/PT) from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas.

Four of Mayweather Promotions top prospects will be on display, as 2016 Olympian Richardson Hitchins (9-0, 5 KOs), once-beaten Las Vegas native Kevin Newman II (10-1-1, 6 KOs) and undefeated knockout artist Rolando Romero (9-0, 8 KOs) will also fight in separate bouts. Welterweight prospect Hitchins will take on once-beaten Kevin Johnson (7-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-round bout, while middleweight prospect Newman will look to avenge the only loss of his career to Mark Anthony Hernandez (14-2-1, 3 KOs), a participant in the 2018 reboot of The Contender, in another eight-round matchup. Romero will open the telecast against an opponent to be announced.

Tickets for the Mayweather Promotions’ Sin City Showdown go on sale tomorrow/Wednesday at 12 p.m. PT, start at $25 and can be purchased by visiting: https://mayweatherpromotions.com/events/.

“This is our second ShoBox show of the year and we’re happy to have made Sam’s Town our home for these events,” says Mayweather Promotions CEO, Leonard Ellerbe. I can’t say enough that this is the perfect setting and platform to showcase our upcoming prospects. Xavier Martinez is one to watch for as he headlines his first ShoBox card. We have a very exciting line-up of fighters, both on and off-television, making for a card that you don’t want to miss.”

Martinez (14-0, 10 KOs), of Sacramento, Calif., has scored six straight knockouts, including a third-round stoppage of John Vicente Moralde in his ShoBox debut in April (Watch KO Here). The 21-year-old turned professional in 2017 in Mexico following an amateur career where he amassed an 85-10 record while competing in the 2012 and 2013 National Championships and earning a ranking as the No. 3 amateur in the country. Best known for his crafty and powerful fighting style, Martinez joined the Mayweather Promotions team in late 2016 with a unanimous decision win over Wilfredo Garriga at Sam’s Town Live.

“I am really excited to get back into the ring,” said the 21-year-old Martinez. “Sam’s Town has become my home away from home and I’ve had a lot of great performances there. I’m really just looking forward to putting on a great performance again on national television and reaching a larger audience. Soon enough everyone will know who Xavier Martinez is.

“Training camp is going great. I’ve added a strength and conditioning coach and a nutritionist. Having someone help me prep my meals and educate me on what’s going into my body has really helped me train better and get my body in the right shape. My energy level for training is different and I feel stronger.”

Rosales (22-3-1, 10 KOs), 27, turned professional in 2008 and started his professional career unbeaten in his first 22 bouts while competing mostly in his native Philippines. Rosales stepped up his level of opposition in 2017, losing to former two-division world champion Jhonny Gonzalez in 2017 and 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist and undefeated prospect Shakur Stevenson in 2019. In his last bout, he lost a close split-decision to undefeated prospect Tyler McCeary. Experienced against top opposition, Rosales’ three losses have come against opponents with a combined record of 96-11-1.

“He’s undefeated, but I have far more experience with better guys so I have that advantage coming into this fight,” Rosales said. “I’m coming off two tough fights and this one is going to be another great fight to test myself as a fighter as well as a good show for the fans. I’m back in the gym working on a couple of things, and I’m coming into this fight stronger and sharper.”

Hitchins (9-0, 5 KOs), from Brooklyn, N.Y., is a former two-time Golden Gloves champion who represented his parents’ home country of Haiti in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, where he lost to team USA’s Gary Russell Jr. One of boxing’s top young prospects, Hitchins has sparred and trained with several world champions including Terence Crawford and stablemate Gervonta Davis. Just 21-years-old, Hitchins boasts incredible hand and foot speed and the boxing IQ of a veteran contender. Having fought eight out of his nine pro fights in his hometown, Hitchins will travel to Las Vegas looking for a statement win in his television debut.

“I’m ready to pick back up where I left off,” said Hitchins. “I’ve remained in great shape since my last opponent fell through back in July, but it worked out because now I get an opportunity to show my talents on national television. My brother Tank [Gervonta Davis] showed me a lot of things this summer and great techniques to sharpen my skills. I’m working hard and getting work in multiple gyms across different weight classes to help me with my speed and power. I’m going to give it my all and deliver with a dominating win.”

Johnson, a Las Vegas resident, started his professional career with four consecutive TKO wins. His past four fights have all come against undefeated opposition including a split decision win over Larry Gomez, who was 8-0 entering the fight, in his last outing in April. Johnson’s lone loss came against 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Fazliddin Gaibnazarov.

“This is going to be an entertaining fight for the fans,” said Johnson. “I predict a fourth or fifth round knockout – that isn’t me being cocky, just me understanding what’s on the line. This is a huge fight for me and I’m going to rise to the occasion. I’m here to expose everyone I step in the ring with. I’ll fight anybody I feel is a good challenge. I’ve seen Hitchins spar Devin Haney and I’ve watched a few of his fights. He did really good, but I was able to identify some opportunities and I feel confident I can beat this kid.”

Las Vegas’ Newman started boxing when he was 9 years old and built up an amateur record of 25-5 before turning pro in 2014. Impressed by Newman’s skills and technique in the ring as an amateur, Floyd Mayweather signed the rising middleweight to his growing stable of fighters in the summer of 2014. Newman made his professional debut on the Mayweather vs. Maidana II undercard, where he fought to a draw with Azamat Umarzoda. He won his next seven contests before dropping a decision to his November 1 opponent, Mark Anthony Hernandez, on the undercard of Mayweather vs. McGregor in August 2017. He has since rebounded with three consecutive KO wins at Sam’s Town.

“I’m thankful to my team for another fight,” said Newman. “This is my third fight this year, and I’m looking forward to putting on a show and really ending this year with a bang. Training camp has consisted of great sparring with A-level guys, including Anthony Dirrell for his fight with David Benavidez. I was able to get a lot of quality rounds in already, and this is just the beginning of my training camp. I’m extremely sharp now so we’re just maintaining that and getting my body into fight shape.”

Hernandez, 26, of Fresno, Calif., is no stranger to fighting under the spotlight. After dropping a split decision to Kyrone Davis in 2017, Hernandez bounced back with the biggest win of his career over Newman on the undercard of the blockbuster Mayweather vs. McGregor event. Hernandez was among 16 professional fighters selected to compete at 160 pounds on the 2018 reboot of The Contender series. He earned a split decision over Danny Valdivia and a unanimous verdict over Quantavious Cash to finish behind champion Brandon Adams and runner-up Shane Mosley Jr. In February of this year, he suffered a setback in a rematch to Jeison Rosario, who he fought to a draw with in 2018, but rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Francisco Castro in his last bout.

“I expect Kevin to come better than he did the first time we fought,” said Hernandez. “The first fight was a clear unanimous decision for me. I didn’t think there was any controversy. He has his reasons as to why he didn’t perform, but that doesn’t matter to me. I went up in weight to take that fight from 154 to 165 pounds so I was also coming in with a slight disadvantage, and now I’m moving up again to fight him again. I out-boxed him and out-fought him the first time and fans can expect a great fight again. He’s a really good fighter, I won’t take anything from him. Moving up again will be a challenge, but I think I can beat him again.”

Rising lightweight prospect Romero, born and raised in North Las Vegas, started his boxing career at age 18 after spending much of his youth competing in Judo. Despite a limited amateur career consisting of just 45 fights, Romero gained the attention of Floyd Mayweather and was signed to his promotional company in November of 2016. He made his professional debut the next month and scored a TKO just over a minute into the fight. With eight stoppages in nine professional fights, Romero packs a heavy punch and will be looking for his fifth straight knockout on November 1.

“It’s been a great year for me professionally,” said Romero. “I’ve been able to gain an even larger fan base since my last performance earlier this year and I’m excited to do what I do best and that’s knocking out the competition and continuing to grow as a fighter. A lot of people have doubted me for my lack of amateur experience, but my power and boxing IQ are undeniable. I’m taking the experience from my last fight and working to correct a few things. My goal is to become the most versatile fighter backed by power.”

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

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

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.

RENO, Nev. (Oct. 1, 2019) — The man of many nicknames and one of the faces of female boxing will fight in co-feature bouts before Shakur Stevenson takes on Joet Gonzalez for the vacant WBO featherweight world title Saturday, October 26 at Reno-Sparks Convention Center.
 
NABO bantamweight champion Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer, also known as “Mr. Do That,” “Mr. ESPN,” and “Night Night,” will defend his belt against former world title challenger Antonio Nieves in a 10-rounder.
 
In the other co-feature, Mikaela Mayer will make the third defense of her NABF super featherweight title against Alejandra Zamora in a 10-rounder.
 
Greer-Nieves will stream on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, immediately preceding Stevenson-Gonzalez at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Mayer-Zamora and undercard bouts will stream on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
 
“Joshua and Mikaela are two of the most charismatic young fighters in boxing,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Having them on the card in tough fights, along with a great championship bout in Stevenson-Gonzalez, is a bonus for Reno fight fans and everyone watching on ESPN+.”
 
Greer (21-1-1, 12 KOs), the showman from Chicago, progressed from prospect to contender in the past year, winning four bouts since signing with Top Rank last September. His last two bouts — a close decision over Nikolai Potapov and a knockout of Giovanni Escaner — were televised on ESPN, leading Greer to coin himself “Mr. ESPN.” He is currently ranked No. 2 by the IBF, and if he beats Nieves, he could be in line for a world title opportunity in 2020. Greer complements his in-ring acumen with one-of-a-kind flair. Before each fight, he has a custom pillow made, which he unveils after knocking out his opponent. He is 10-0 with eight knockouts since debuting the “Night Night” pillow concept before his March 2017 knockout over James Smith.
 
Nieves (19-2-2, 11 KOs), from Cleveland, Ohio, is a professional loan officer by day and a longtime contender who won the NABO bantamweight title in June 2016. He lost the belt via split decision to Potapov the following year, then dropped down to super flyweight for a world title opportunity against pound-for-pound great Naoya Inoue. Nieves was stopped in six rounds by Inoue, and he has won two in a row by stoppage since returning as a bantamweight.
 
“I want to show everyone on October 26 what I’ve been working on. I’m only getting better. Every fight is a learning experience, and I am going to show Antonio Nieves what I’m about,” Greer said. “The knockout didn’t come in my last fight, but it’s all part of the game. I’m bringing back the pillow, and after I beat Nieves, I will be Mr. ESPN+.”

“My primary goal is to become a world champion,” Nieves said. “Joshua Greer Jr. is ranked second by one of the major sanctioning organizations and third by another. I am coming to Reno to beat him, take over his sport in the rankings and win a world championship in 2020.”
 
Mayer (11-0, 4 KOs) is a Los Angeles native who represented the United States at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and in a little more than two years as a pro, she has established herself as one of female boxing’s most popular attractions. She fought in Reno as an amateur and hopes a win over Zamora will lead to a world title shot in early 2020. Mayer last fought June 15 on the Tyson Fury-Tom Schwarz card in Las Vegas, where her decision win over Lizbeth Crespo drew more than 800,000 viewers on ESPN2. Zamora (7-3, 1 KO), from Argentina, is making her United States debut and has never been knocked out as a professional.
 
“It’s been a great eight-week camp for this fight, and everything is coming together,” Mayer said. “There’s been talk about my fighting style, and a lot of people have been impressed with how I’ve been working the body. Others want to see me box more on the outside. Nobody’s wrong, but this is just the process of becoming a well-rounded pro. I want to be great on the inside and the outside and that requires working both ways during my fights.
 
“I’m ready to put it all together, get this win October 26 and then get my title shot. It’s very cool to be the co-feature on the card of my Olympic teammate, Shakur Stevenson. You won’t want to miss this show.”
 
In other action:

• Albert Bell (15-0, 5 KOs), the Toledo, Ohio native coming off a career-best victory June 15 over then-unbeaten Andy Vences, will return against Frank De Alba (23-4-2, 9 KOs) in a lightweight showdown scheduled for 10 or eight rounds.
   
• Vences (22-1-1, 12 KOs) will look to bounce back from his first pro defeat against hard-hitting Filipino contender Mark Bernaldez (19-2, 13 KOs) in a crossroads super featherweight bout scheduled for 10 or eight rounds.
   
• Jason Sanchez (14-1, 7 KOs), in his first fight since dropping a unanimous decision to Oscar Valdez for the WBO featherweight world title June 8 in Reno, will face former world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos (19-6, 15 KOs) in a featherweight tilt scheduled for 10 or eight rounds.
   
• In a battle of unbeaten super featherweights, Tyler McCreary (16-0-1, 7 KOs) will fight Pittsburgh product Matt Conway (17-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
   
• A pair of former U.S. amateur standouts will make their long-awaited professional debuts in four-rounders. Xander Zayas, the 17-year-old prodigy who won 11 national titles for the U.S. and Puerto Rico, will turn pro as a welterweight against an opponent to be named. Jared “Big Baby” Anderson, the two-time defending heavyweight national champion (201 pounds), will make his debut as a heavyweight versus Daniel Infante (1-2, 0 KOs).
   
• Reno product JJ Mariano (1-0, 1 KO) will return in front of the home fans versus Trinity Lopez (1-0, 0 KOs) in a four-round super lightweight bout. Mariano scored a knockout June 8 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on the Oscar Valdez-Jason Sanchez undercard.
   
• Diego Elizondo (2-0-2, 0 KOs), from nearby Carson City, Nevada, will fight Jose Ceja (1-4-2, 0 KOs) in a four-rounder at 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 hashtag #StevensonGonzalez 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.