LAS VEGAS, NV (August 19, 2019) – Prince Ranch Boxing’s undefeated welterweight prospect, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (12-0-1, 7 KOs), who is by promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, will battle fellow undefeated prospect Steven Villalobos (11-0-1, 9 KOs) in a 10-round bout for Cobbs Jr. NABF title.

Cobbs vs. Villalobos will be shown live on RingTV.com and on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for the event are on sale and start at $25. Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Here is what Blair Cobbs, who is managed by Greg Hannley of Prince Ranch Boxing had to say about his upcoming fight with Villalobos, training camp and more.

On his matchup against Steven Villalobos:

“I’m expecting a tough fight from Villalobos, who bring his own undefeated record to the ring. Whenever you have two undefeated prospects looking to stay undefeated, you know its going to be a fan friendly fight. He has a lot of power, but so do I, so its going to come down to who wants it more. I’ll be letting my hands go with bad intentions and If I get him hurt, I’m taking him out.”

On his recent training camp:

“My trainers Bones Adams and Brandon Woods have put together a great strategy for this fight. We’ve been working on several things in camp and it will all be on display for the world to see when I step into the ring on August 22nd. It’s been a hard training camp, but very productive.”

On defending his Jr. NABF Welterweight title:
“I’m looking to defend this title with everything I got, because I know that a victory will put me in a better position to fight for a world title. Defending this belt will be the first of many that will be acquired down the line as I march up the welterweight rankings.

On fighting at the Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino:

“I love fighting in the desert. The fans that come out and support boxing at the Fantasy Springs Casino are very energetic and I can definitely feel the love with I fight there. It’s all about entertaining the fans and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. It’s the Blair “The Flair” show, and I won’t be denied….WHOOOO!

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Feliciano vs. Gamez is a 10-round super lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy. The event is sponsored by Tecate “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING.” The fight will take place Thursday, August 22, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. The event will be streamed live on RingTV.com and on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The series will also be available on regional sports networks around the nation. To see when and where the series is available in your area, click here.

Media interested covering Feliciano vs. Gamez must be pre-approved for credentials. Credential applications are due Monday, Aug. 19 at 5:00 p.m. PT. Click here to apply for a media credential. Submitting an application does not guarantee approval for a credential on-site, no expectations.

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

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

New York, August 19, 2019

Star Boxing is excited to officially announce the signing of distinguished heavyweight title contender CARLOS TAKAM (36-5-1 28KO’s) of France, by way of Douala, Cameroon. Standing at 6’3″, the heavy handed, Takam has taken on some of the best in the business, in the heavyweight division. Star Boxing revealed the signing last week on its social media platforms.

Takam was an amateur standout in Cameroon. In 2003, he competed in the All-African Games in Nigeria, finishing with a bronze medal. In 2004, Takam qualified for the Athens, Greece Summer Olympics by earning Gold at the AIBA African Olympic Qualifying tournament in Morocco. Later that year, representing his native country of Cameroon, Takam fought in the Summer Olympic games in Athens, Greece, making it to the sweet sixteen.

Turning pro in 2005, just one year after the Olympics, Takam was an immediate force to be reckoned with in the heavyweight division. After securing a record of 23-1 with 18KO’s, Takam defeated GBENGA OLUOKUN (then 18-5 12KO’s) by TKO to earn his first professional title, becoming the WBO International African Heavyweight Champion. Since then, Takam has held multiple titles, including the WBC Silver World Championship, the IBF Intercontinental Championship, and the WBF World Championship.

From 2011 on, Takam fought a gruesome list of boxing’s best heavyweights which include, heavyweight world title challengers, FRANS BOTHA (then 48-6-3 29KO’S), MICHAEL GRANT (then 48-7 36KO’S), TONY THOMPSON (then 39-4 27KO’s), JOSEPH PARKER (Then 18-0 16KO’s), DERECK CHISORA (then 28-8 21KO’s) as well as former world champion, ALEXANDER POVETKIN (then 27-1 20KO’s). In 2017, Takam challenged ANTHONY JOSHUA (19-0 19KO’s) in the biggest, bout of his career, for the WBA, IBF and IBO World Heavyweight Titles.

In Takam’s last bout in December 2018, he defeated German prospect, SENAD GASHI (then 17-1 17KO’s) who was favored in the bout. Gashi was a 5x Saarland Champion, 2x Gold International Boxing champion, 2x Gold German Open champion, amongst many other accolades in the amateurs. The bout took place at the 02 Arena in London, ending in a seventh round TKO victory for Takam.

Takam said this about signing with Star Boxing, “I’m very happy to sign with Joe and Star Boxing. It’s almost one year now I’m free agent. I didn’t sign with any promoter. I have had several propositions on the table, but with Joe [DeGuardia], the way I see, I have good feeling that we can achieve my potential together. I have big ambition in boxing for these coming years. Because I was taking my time looking around before to make any decision. I am ready to do the job.”

Manager of Carlos Takam, DWIGHT YARDE, had this to say about the opportunities that are ahead for Team Takam with Star Boxing, “Exciting times in the heavyweight division! I have known Joe [DeGuardia] for some 20 years and truly believe he is the man to take Team Takam to the heavyweight title. With Carlos’ ability as a fighter, nothing can stop us now. Heavyweight division watch out – we are coming.”

Star Boxing CEO, JOE DEGUARDIA said this about the signing of Takam, “Carlos is a world class heavyweight who has faced some of the best in the division. Throughout boxing history, the heavyweight division has always cultivated the most buzz, and that buzz is back.” DeGuardia continued, “I think highly of Carlos. The hard-core boxing experts know how good he is, but now he will show the casual fans and will surprise many as to how good he can still be. We are really excited to bring some big things to the table for him, and are confident that a heavyweight championship of the world bout is in his future.”

Bensalem, PA-Joe Hand Promotions returns to Parx Casino® to kick off the fall boxing season on September 20th with Xcite Fight Night 5. The event will be headlined by a lightweight showcase between Steven “The Hitman” Ortiz and Alejandro “Popo” Salinas.The card is co-promoted by BAM Boxing and features matchmaking by Hall of Famer J. Russell Peltz.

This event is only for adults age 21 and older. Tickets priced at $50, $75 and $100 are on sale at Joe Hand Promotions (215-364-9000). You can also purchase tickets from the Hold My Ticket Call Center at (1-877-466-3404) and at www.parxcasino.com

Ortiz (10-0-0, 3 K0s), a Philadelphia native, won the vacant USA Pennsylvania State lightweight title in his last bout against Jeremy Cuevas in February. He’s excited to remain close to home for his return to action.

“I’m glad to be back in the ring again, after months of hard and dedicated training,” Ortiz said.

That training will be valuable, as his opponent Alejandro Salinas (10-2-0, 9 K0s) is also a state champion from Ohio. Ortiz is excited for the challenge.

“He’s a very skilled fighter and has an outstanding record,” Ortiz said. “The only difference is, he hasn’t fought anyone like me, my power, my speed. I’m very dangerous. He will soon know that. It’s going to be a great fight.”

In the co-feature, exciting prospect Omar Kabary Salem (9-0-0 4 K0s) takes his biggest step up in competition by facing former ABF USA Middleweight champion Jamaal “Da Truth” Davis (18-15-1, 7 K0s) in a super-middleweight battle.

The undercard features a classic battle between orthodox and southpaw – as well as PA versus New Jersey- as undefeated Joshafat Ortiz (6-0-0 4 K0s) takes on Andrew “Sweet Pea” Bentley (5-3-0 1 K0). That fight will take place at super featherweight.

The Bucks County native Milton “El Santo” Santiago (17-0-0 3 K0s), returns to the ring after more than 16 months away.

Super lightweights Daiyann Butt (4-0-0 2 K0s) and Tyhler Williams (3-0-0 2 K0s) are both looking to continue their win streaks at Parx Casino as they return again to Xcite Fight Night in separate fights.

ABOUT PARX CASINO®

Parx Casino® is owned and operated by Greenwood Racing, Inc. and is the #1 revenue generating casino property in Pennsylvania. Parx Casino® is conveniently located 20 minutes north of center city Philadelphia, I-95vexit 37 or PA Turnpike exit 351 (westbound), exit 352 (eastbound) on Street Road in Bensalem Bucks County. Parx features over 200,000 square feet of gaming; 3,270 slot machines and 148 live table games; 40 poker tables; live racing & simulcast action; Parx Grill, an upscale signature restaurant; Foodies quick service dining; Chickie’s & Pete’s Crab House and Sports Bar; Jax sports bar; Circle Bar; Bambu Noodle House; The Lucky Cheese ~ gourmet grilled cheese eatery; XLounge, luxury casino lounge and complimentary parking for over 5,000 cars. One year ago, Parx debuted a $50M expansion that included the 1,500-seat live entertainment venue, Xcite Center; Liberty Bell Gastropub, farm-to-fork inspired menu; Oliveto, New York City style pizza and Italian Classics; Parx Poker, new
custom built private poker room. In 2019, Parx launched sports betting and opened a massive year-round Beer Garden to rave reviews. For more information on Parx Casino®, visit www.parxcasino.com.

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 19, 2019): Explosive super bantamweight contender Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (17-3, 14 KOs) will headline the Sept. 5 edition of Golden Boy DAZN Thursday Night Fights against fellow former world title challenger Franklin Manzanilla (18-5, 17 KOs) in a 12-round super bantamweight fight at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. The event will be streamed live on RingTV.com and on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The series will also be available on regional sports networks around the nation.

Hovhannisyan is a 31-year-old slugger who has developed into one of the most exciting contenders in the 122-pound division. After victories against the likes of Ronny Rios and Sergio “El Frio Finito” Frias, the native of Yerevan, Armenia earned is first world title opportunity against Rey Vargas in May 2018. Hovhannisyan delivered an impressive performance, though he was unsuccessful. He is now coming of three straight knockout victories and will be one step away from a world title shot if he can get past Manzanilla.

“I feel I have a big responsibility by being the main event,” said Azat Hovhannisyan. “I feel I have to put on an even better show now. Manzanilla is strong, but his boxing abilities aren’t strong. On Sept. 5, there will be a knockout.”

Despite a rough start to his professional career, Manzanilla exploded onto the scene at 122 pounds with a stunning upset victory against Julio Cesar “Pollito” Ceja in May of last year. That victory earned the Venezuelan contender a shot at Rey Vargas for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Title in February of this year. The 31-year-old boxer delivered a great performance and even dropped Vargas early in the fight Both me have fought the same person for a title belt, and now they’ll see who among them is worthy of another title shot.

“Without a doubt I left a great impression in my United States debut against world champion Rey Vargas,” said Franklin Manzanilla. “Now they have offered the opportunity to fight Azat Hovhannisyan, who is a strong fighter that is highly recognized in the sport. However, I promise that I will walk away with my hand raised in victory to show that I am a solid contender for a world championship.”

In the co-main event, Francisco “El Alacran” Esparza (9-1-1, 3 KOs) of Las Vegas will fight Rigoberto Hermosillo (11-1-1, 8 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico in an eight-round lightweight battle.

Edwin Soto (8-0, 8 KOs) of Salinas, Puerto Rico will return in a four-round bout in the super featherweight division.

Chris “Milly” Ousley (10-0, 8 KOs) of Chicago will take on Even Torres (7-8, 5 KOs) of El Paso, Texas in a six-round super welterweight bout.

James Wilkins (7-1, 6 KOs) of Staten Island, N.Y. will participate in a six-round super featherweight bout.

Opponents for Soto and Wilkins will be announced shortly.

Hovhannisyan vs. Manzanilla is a 12-round super bantamweight fight presented by Golden Boy. The event is sponsored by Tecate “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING.” The fights take place Thursday, Sept. 5 at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. The event will be streamed live on RingTV.com and on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The series will also be available on regional sports networks around the nation. To see when and where the series is available in your area, click here.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and start at the fan-friendly price of $25. Tickets are available for purchase now at http://www.goldenboytickets.com/.

Media interested in covering Hovhannisyan vs. Manzanilla must be pre-approved for credentials. Credential applications are due Monday, Sept. 2 at 5:00 p.m. PT, and can be found here. Submitting an application does not guarantee approval for a credential. You cannot transfer your credentials to someone else. Media will not be credentialed on-site, no exceptions.

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

Videos and images are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/HovhannisyanManzanilla. Credit must be given to Golden Boy for any photos/video.

LAS VEGAS (August 19, 2019) – Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions has reached an exclusive agreement with Eldorado Group to co-promote multiple installments of “RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS®,” commencing October 25 with Joey Gilbert Promotions in Reno, Nevada.

The Oct. 25th show in Reno will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, from a venue to be determined.

“Everyone has seen all the excitement the Eldorado Group has going on,” RJJ Boxing CEO and Co-Founder Keith Veltre said. “Signing a deal of this magnitude is sending a strong message to the public that Eldorado Group wants to deliver the best in combat sports to its customers. Adding Joey Gilbert as a co-promoter only adds to the growing excitement RJJ Boxing Promotions has in the store for the future. Joey is a massive asset to what we are doing. Roy and I are super happy that he’s part of the team.”

In addition to being a combat sports promoter, Gilbert is a criminal defense and personal injury lawyer in Reno, as well as a sports agent and motivational speaker. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Nevada, where he was an outstanding amateur boxer, double majoring in English Literature and Political Science, and he went on to graduate from Thomas Jefferson Law School in San Diego.

Now retired as a boxer, Gilbert fought professionally from 2000-2010, compiling a 20-3 (15 KOs) record. He gained tremendous exposure participating in popular reality television series, The Contender, Season One.

“I am thrilled to bring professional boxing back to Reno,” CEO Joey Gilbert commented. “Reno has always been a fight town. I benefitted from this as both an amateur and professional fighter. I am beyond delighted to be involved in this endeavor with Roy Jones, Jr., who I have always held in such high regard, and looked up to as a fighter.

“I have been thoroughly impressed with the RJJ Boxing executive team and CEO Keith Veltre, who certainly produces one of the highest-quality and exciting boxing shows that I have ever seen. Together with UFC FIGHT PASS, we will absolutely impress and exceed expectations of all local fight fans, and The Row will be hosting this exciting opportunity. This will be one of many new fighting opportunities for our community to enjoy. I am excited that Eldorado Resorts International threw its proverbial hat in the ring to support this program. It’s safe to say that I can see this being the first fight series of many across numerous El Dorado International properties in the United States.”

The fight card will be announced at a future date.

INFORMATION:

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

Upcoming RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS events:
Aug. 2 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada: Wahlstrom vs. Jeffrey (WBC world championship

Aug. 24 at Viajas Casino and Resort in Alpine, California: Torres vs. M. Dominguez

ANTHONY YARDE WAS quick to dispel the notion that his forthcoming mission into Russia to face Sergey Kovalev bears some sort of comparison to the storyline behind Rocky IV.

The unbeaten light heavyweight KO-artist this week travels to the outpost of Chelyabinsk, the home town of the man known as Krusher, in a bid to prize the WBO world title from the formidable foe.

Of course, in the fourth instalment of the Rocky series, Ivan Drago – played by Dolph Lundgren – was exported to America and slayed former world champion Apollo Creed in an exhibition contest, prompting Rocky to brave a brutal winter and go into full log-chopping mode to exact his Russian revenge.

“I don’t know about all that,” said the 18-0 challenger. “I like to keep movies as movies and reality as reality.

“I ain’t going out there and doing no Rocky IV because I’m sure the punches Rocky Balboa was taking were very unrealistic and I am not looking to leave there with a face looking like that!

“I am not looking to take as much punishment as Rocky did and I am not even putting that kind of thing into my brain. That was a movie and I would like to keep it as a movie.

“I might watch Rocky IV after the fight.”

Indeed, Yarde won’t be following a film script when he rocks up at the Traktor Sport Palace. In fact, visualising the experience at all – a popular tactic with elite sports people – will prove tricky because Yarde has no idea what to expect from his voyage into the unknown.

“I have no clue and that is the excitement for me,” added the 28-year-old. “I don’t know nothing, literally nothing! I don’t know what the venue is going to look like, what the crowd is going to be like…

“I might go out there and some of the crowd will be cheering for me. We might be fighting in the gym of his old secondary school. I don’t know.

“Again, that is the beauty of it and that is the challenge.”

Sergey Kovalev v Anthony Yarde for the WBO world light heavyweight title is live and exclusive on BT Sport 2 from 5pm on Saturday

Springfield, Massachusetts (August 17th, 2019):

In a special matinee outdoor event at MGM Springfield presented by Murphys Boxing and broadcast live on UFC Fight Pass, Charles Foster (19-0, 9 KOs) defended his NABA Light Heavyweight Championship against Denis Grachev (19-8-1, 10 KOs) winning a 10 round unanimous decision.

Foster, who is currently ranked #8 in the world by the WBA, outboxed the game Russian from the start, using his superior speed and ring generalship to win by scores of 100-90, 97-93 and 97-91.

To Grachev’s credit, he came forward the entire fight looking for an opportunity but he could never land more than one punch at a time and found himself walking into Foster’s combinations.

“I felt good about my performance tonight.”, said the world ranked contender who fights for Murphys Boxing.

“Grachev was durable and strong. He’s been in there with world champions and contenders and I was still able to sweep him with a unanimous decision. Definitely a good learning experience. I got cut in the second round and had to fight the rest of the night with it. I stayed calm under the pressure and I need to experience that type of adversity. Now it’s on to the next one. I want another fighter in the Top 10. I think I’m about two or three fights away from a world title shot.”

In regards to his next opponent, the soft spoken contender who prefers to do his talking in the ring, did mention one name he would love to share the ring with next.

“It’s up to my promoter, Murphys Boxing, my manager and my coach in regards to who I fight next but if I had my pick I would want to fight Jean Pascal. He looked great winning the WBA Interim Championship in a big upset and I’m ranked #8 in the world by the WBA and have the NABA title. I think it would make for a great fight between a former world champ and an undefeated contender. The winner would definitely be deserving of a world title shot.”

In additional action on the card…

In a shocking upset, former USA Olympian, Devin Vargas (21-5, 9 KOs) handed popular Irish heavyweight prospect, Niall Kennedy (13-1-1, 8 KOs) his first professional defeat by TKO in the 5th round of a scheduled 10 round bout.

Kennedy started strong, hurting Vargas in the third round but the crafty veteran began timing the undefeated prospect with surprisingly fast combinations. Continually beating Kennedy to the punch, the 37 year old showed flashes of the speed and ring generalship that once made him captain of the 2004 United States Olympic Boxing Team. After hurting and cornering Kennedy late in the 5th round, Vargas unleashed a barrage of punches that snapped the Irishman’s head back multiple times forcing the referee to stop the contest with only two seconds remaining in the round.

Kennedy, who has amassed an impressive following in the Massachusetts area and was on the verge of a world ranking, was naturally disappointed but still gracious and classy in defeat giving all credit to Vargas who in turn showed mutual respect to his opponent.

It was a show stealing, action packed heavyweight battle and it now leaves Vargas, a father of 5 who works full time at a Toledo, Ohio jeep manufacturing plant and also works as a high school football coach, suddenly back in the mix in the red hot division.

Springfield’s own Anthony Velazquez (7-0, 7 KOs) stopped Philadelphia’s Vincent Floyd (4-8-1, 2 KOs) 58 seconds into the 4th round of a 6 round welterweight bout. Floyd, who was giving the flashy young power puncher his toughest test to date, rightfully complained about a quick stoppage after a flurry from Velazquez brought the contest to a sudden end. The tough as nails Philly fighter, while down on the cards, didn’t even seem in trouble let alone hurt, but the crowd was in a frenzy and it may have influenced the hasty stoppage. Regardless with his combination of speed and power, Velazquez is without a doubt one of New England’s most promising young fighters.

Back from one of the shorter retirements in recent memory, world title challenger and New England fan favorite, Shelly Vincent (26-2, 1 KO) returned to the ring to win a unanimous decision over Karen Dulin (3-20-1, 1 KO) in a 6 round featherweight bout. ‘Shelito’s Way’ dedicated the fight to her first trainer who recently passed away and hinted at retirement again but said the right fight could bring her back to the ring.

Elvis Figueroa (7-0, 4 KOs) who trains alongside Charles Foster in New Haven made incredibly short work of Argentina’s Marcelo Molina (23-16-1, 19 KOs) overwhelming and stopping him in the 1st round of a 6 round super middleweight bout.

Albany, New York’s Ray Jay Bermudez (8-0, 5 KOs) won a unanimous, but very close, decision against Quincy, Florida’s Leonardo Kenon (3-7, 1 KO) in a back and forth 4 round junior welterweight bout.

Derrick Whitley Jr. (6-1-1) of Springfield’s famed fighting Whitley family won a unanimous decision over Massachusetts veteran Antonio Chaves Fernandez (9-29-4, 3 KOs) in a 6 round welterweight bout.

Springfield’s Josh Orta (5-0, 2 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Argentina’s Matias Arriagada (6-7, 3 KOs) in a well matched 4 round junior welterweight bout.

In the opener, Springfield’s Rollin Whitley (1-0) made his long awaited professional debut winning a unanimous decision over Florida first timer, Ayron Palmer (0-1). Whitley pumped up the partisan crowd by coming out to the ring to the theme song from the classic tv western, Rawhide before dropping Palmer in the 1st round on way to a 4 round unanimous decision in a competitive fight in the junior welterweight division.

PHILADELPHIA (Aug. 17, 2019) — Two very bad men are set for an old-fashioned Philadelphia throwdown.

WBC light heavyweight world champion Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk and IBF light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev will fight in a highly anticipated title unification bout Friday, Oct. 18 at the Liacouras Center. 

Beterbiev and Gvozdyk enter this can’t-miss clash with a combined record of 31-0 with 28 knockouts.

Gvozdyk-Beterbiev will headline a special edition of Top Rank on ESPN beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

The undercard will stream live on ESPN+ — the industry-leading sports streaming service — beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets priced at $150, $90, $75 and $50 (not including applicable fees) go on sale Friday, Aug. 23 at 12 p.m. ET and can be purchased at the Liacouras Center Box Office, www.liacourascenter.com or charge by phone at 800-298-4200.

“This could very well be the fight of the year,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “These are two evenly matched, undefeated light heavyweight champions. There is nothing better in the sport of boxing.”

“My first goal was to win a light heavyweight world title. Now, I want to unify the belts, and that mission starts with Artur Beterbiev,” Gvozdyk said. “This is going to be a spectacular fight, one that the fans will enjoy. The fans asked for this fight, and we will deliver. One thing I know is that I will be the unified champion. I have the best trainer, Teddy Atlas, in my corner. This is our third fight together, and under his guidance, I will continue to get better.”

“I wish to thank Top Rank and my opponent, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, for making this unification bout possible and giving the fans around the world what they want,” Beterbiev said. “This will be a great fight between the two champions who aspire to become the undisputed light heavyweight world champion. I am looking forward to stepping into the ring on October 18.”

Gvozdyk (17-0, 14 KOs) will be making the second defense of the title he won from longtime champion Adonis Stevenson in a come-from-behind 11th-round KO last December in Quebec City, Canada. He followed up the Stevenson win with a dominant fifth-round TKO March 30 over Doudou Ngumbu in Philadelphia, where a large Ukrainian contingent showed up to cheer on their countryman. Gvozdyk captured a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, where he was teammates with current professional stablemate and pound-for-pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko. A five-year pro, Gvozdyk climbed the ranks with victories over established veterans like Isaac Chilemba, Yunieski Gonzalez and Nadjib Mohammedi.

Beterbiev (14-0, 14 KOs), a former Russian amateur star, has a come-forward, take-no-prisoners ring approach that has made him the only current world champion with a 100 percent KO ratio. He won the vacant IBF world title with a 12th-round TKO over Enrico Koelling, preserving his perfect KO record by stopping Koelling with 27 seconds left in the bout. His two title defenses have lasted a total of nine rounds, and most recently, he walked through longtime contender Radivoje “Hot Rod“ Kalajdzic in five rounds in the main event of the May 4 Top Rank on ESPN telecast.

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

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

Vincent Feigenbutz (31-2, 28 KOs) claimed the IBO International Super Middleweight title with an emphatic eight round TKO victory over the brave Cesar Nunez (16-1-1, 8 KOs) at the Friedrich-Ebert-Halle in Ludwigshafen, Germany. 

The previously unbeaten Cesar Nunez climbed off the canvas twice in the eighth round before the referee waved off proceedings following yet another onslaught from Vincent Feigenbutz. Having captured the IBO International belt, Feigenbutz moves closer towards a world title shot against Eubank Jr. 

“I implemented my tactics well, kept him at distance, varied my punches and found space,” said Feigenbutz. “I want to go to the top and take anyone who comes in my way. I’m not backing down from anyone.”

Vincent’s desire for a world title shot was echoed by his promoter Nisse Sauerland. “Vincent boxed really well, it was another entertaining and exciting performance. He took care of his job and he’s ready for big, big fights.”

Ahmad Ali (15-0-1, 10 KOs) maintained his unbeaten record with a unanimous points decision victory over Arman Torosyan (19-7-1) winning 117-109, 115-113 and 117-110. Sophie Alisch (4-0, 1 KO) put in another dazzling performance as she won every round and improved her record to 4-0 with victory over Vanesa Caballero (1-6-3). 

Team Sauerland’s latest Norwegian signings impressed on their German debuts, with Katharina Thanderz (12-0, 2 KOs) winning every round against Monica Gentili (6-11) whilst Hadi Srour (4-0, 2 KOs) overcame the tough Evgenii Vazem (8-8, 3 KOs) to win via unanimous decision. 

Emanuel Navarrete 122 lbs vs. Francisco De Vaca 122 lbs
(Navarrete’s WBO Junior Featherweight title – 12 Rounds)

    Jessie Magdaleno 125.4 lbs vs. Rafael Rivera 125.6 lbs
(Magdaleno’s WBC USNBC Featherweight title  – 10 Rounds)

ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET)

       Arnold Barboza Jr. 141.6 lbs vs. Ricky Sismundo 141.4 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 10 Rounds)

     Janibek Alimkhanuly 159.8 lbs vs. Stuart McLellan 159.2 lbs
(Alimkhanuly’s WBC Continental Americas and WBO Global Middleweight titles – 10 Rounds)

Chris van Heerden 146.4 lbs vs. Aslanbek Kozaev 147 lbs
(Welterweight – 10/8 Rounds)

     Javier Molina 140.2 lbs vs. Manuel Mendez 141 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 8 Rounds)

Dmitry Yun 135.4 lbs vs. Javier Martinez 134.6 lbs
(Lightweight – 6 Rounds)

SWING BOUTS

    Elvis Rodriguez 140.8 lbs Jesus Gonzales 141 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 6 Rounds)

 Brian Mendoza 148 lbs Rosemberg Gomez 147.8 lbs
(Welterweight – 8/6 Rounds)

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions and Iron Boy Promotions, tickets priced at $100, $80, $70, $60, $45 and $25 (not including applicable fees) are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 and in person at the Banc of California Stadium box office.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
 Use the hashtags #NavarreteDeVaca and #MagdalenoRivera to join the conversation on social media.

###

New York, NY (August 16, 2019) On Thursday, August 29, undefeated heavyweight prospect Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw (11-0, 8 KOs), of St. Louis, MO, will face off against Willie “The Snake” Jake Jr. (8-2-1, 2 KOs), of Indianapolis, IN, in an eight-round featured bout on DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing series held at Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT. The event will be live streamed exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Broadway Boxing is presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance.

“Stephan Shaw is an unbeaten heavyweight prospect with a lot of potential. He has heavy hands and is coming off of a very impressive knockout in his last fight,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “On August 29, in a featured bout on the UFC Fight Pass stream, ‘Big Shot’ Shaw will be facing a stern test against Willie Jake, a southpaw who likes to mix it up and brawl, so the crowd at Foxwoods will be in for an entertaining fight. The bout compliments a terrific card that also features a New England featherweight matchup between Toka Kahn Clary and Irvin Gonzalez as well as women’s world champion Alicia Napoleon-Espinosa defending her title.”

Speaking from his training camp in San Diego where he is guided by former Olympic coach Basheer Abdullah, Shaw was enthusiastic about his fight on August 29.

“I’m very excited to be back in action and display my talents to the world once again. I’m coming off what I feel is the biggest win of my career so far.

“Willie Jake Jr. is a gutsy fighter, but he hasn’t faced anyone with the talent that I possess. He’s a southpaw and may be somewhat elusive, but my last opponent was an elusive southpaw and we saw how that worked out,” said the confident Shaw.

The 26-year-old Shaw turned professional in December 2013, starting off his pro career with three straight stoppages. Coming from a family of fighters, the 6’4″ Shaw capped his amateur years with 2013 championships at the USA Nationals and the National PAL tournament. On March 3, Shaw knocked out Donovan Dennis in the third round in Columbus, OH, on a special Broadway Boxing card from the annual Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival.

Going into his last fight, Jake had rebounded well after his first loss in 2016, securing six victories and a draw. Now, following his loss to Frank Sanchez Faure in January, Jake will look to get back into the win column again. Prior to his November 2015 pro debut, Jake was a football player at Pasadena City College in California. An injury ended Jake’s football career early and he then turned to boxing, competing in 70 amateur bouts and winning a bronze medal at the 2012 National Golden Gloves tournament. Jake is trained by his father, Willie Sr., a former cruiserweight boxer during the nineties.

Headlining Broadway Boxing on Thursday, August 29, will be featherweight contenders Toka Kahn “T Nice” Clary (26-2, 18 KOs), a native of Liberia, now fighting out of Providence, RI, and Irvin Gonzalez (12-1, 9 KOs), of Worcester, MA, in a 10-round contest.

World champion Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon-Espinosa (11-1, 6 KOs), of Lindenhurst, NY, will defend her WBA Super Middleweight title for the second time against undefeated world-ranked contender Schemelle Baldwin (3-0-1, 2 KOs), a four-time Golden Gloves champion from Newark, DE.

Tickets for the Broadway Boxing event, presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance, are priced at $125, $75 and $45, and can be purchased online at Foxwoods.com, Ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-200-2882, or visiting the Foxwoods box office. Foxwoods Resort Casino is located at 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, Connecticut 06338. Doors will open to the Fox Theater at 6:30 p.m., with the first fight scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

UFC FIGHT PASS LINE UP

Charles Foster 173.8 (18-0, 9 KOs) vs. Denis Grachev 174 (19-7-1, 10 KOs)
10 Rounds – NABA Light Heavyweight Championship
Niall Kennedy 222.6 (13-0-1, 8 KOs) vs. Devin Vargas 219.6 (20-5, 8 KOs)
10 Rounds Heavyweights
Anthony Velazquez 149.8 (6-0, 6 KOs) vs. Vincent Floyd 151.8 (4-7-1, 2 KOs)
6 Rounds Welterweights
FACEBOOK LINE UP

Shelly Vincent 125.8 (25-2, 1 KO) vs. Karen Dulin 124.4 (3-19-1, 1 KO)
8 Rounds Featherweights
Ray Jay Bermudez 140 (7-0, 5 KOs) vs. Leonardo Kenon 136.2 (3-6, 1 KO)
4 Rounds Junior Welterweights
Elvis Figueroa 167 (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Marcelo Molina 166.2 (23-16-1, 19 KOs)
4 Rounds Super Middleweights

Derrick Whitley Jr. 148.4 (5-1-1) vs. Antonio Fernandez 148.6 (9-28-4, 3 KOs)
6 Rounds Welterweights

Josh Orta 127.8 (4-0, 2 KOs) vs. Matias Arriagada 124.4 (6-6, 3 KOs)
4 Rounds Junior Lightweights

Rollin Whitley 141.2 (0-0) vs. Ayron Palmer 137.4 (0-0)
4 Rounds Junior Welterweights

?Foster vs. Grachev for the NABA Light Heavyweight Championship takes place tomorrow afternoon – Saturday, August 17th in Springfield, Massachusetts at MGM Springfield. Doors open at 1pm for the special outdoor matinee event. Limited tickets remain at www.murphysboxing.com.

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 Mark DeLuca, Charles Foster, Abraham Nova, Carlos Gongora, Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan, Greg Vendetti and undefeated prospects like Niall Kennedy, William Foster III, Luis Arcon and more! For more information visit: www.murphysboxing.com

Vincent Feigenbutz (30-2, 27 KOs) and Cesar Nunez (16-0-1, 8 KOs) both made weight today ahead of Saturday’s IBO International Super Middleweight title fight at the Friedrich-Ebert-Halle in Ludwigshafen, Germany. 

Feigenbutz became Germany’s youngest ever World Champion when he claimed the WBA Super Middleweight title in 2015 and is hoping that victory over Cesar Nunez will propel him back into contention for world honours. 

The ‘KO King’ Feigenbutz has promised to deliver a knockout performance whereas his opponent ‘Bam Bam’ Nunez is confident he can rise to the occasion and upset the odds in the biggest challenge of his career. 

IBO International Super Middleweight Title – 12 Rounds: 
Vincent Feigenbutz: 76.0 kg
Cesar Nunez: 76.2 kg

Feigenbutz-Nunez tops a stacked card in Ludwigshafen that will see the return of 17-year-old boxing sensation Sophie Alisch, Norway’s Katharina Thanderz and Hadi Srour making their Team Sauerland debuts, plus a mouth watering 50/50 clash between German rivals Ahmad Ali and Arman Torosyan.

GBU World Super Welterweight Title – 12 Rounds
Ahmad Ali: 69.7 kg
Arman Torosyan: 69.6 kg

Featherweight – 6 Rounds
Sophie Alisch: 56.8 kg
Vanesa Caballero: 56.7 kg

Lightweight – 8 Rounds
Katharina Thanderz: 61.2 kg
Monica Gentili: 60.6 kg

Super Lightweight – 6 Rounds
Hadi Srour: 69.0 kg
Evgenii Vazem: 69.7 kg

Light Heavyweight – 6 Rounds
Benjamin Gavazi: 82.5 kg
Ondrej Budera: 82.5 kg

Super Middleweight – 6 Rounds
Dimitar Tilev: 77.9 kg
Rene Molik: 76.7 kg

All the action from the Friedrich-Ebert-Halle is available to watch live on Sport1 in Germany and Viasport+ and Viaplay in Norway. Tickets are available online via www.eventim.de or by calling +49 01806-570440.

THE SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT former amateur standout Lewis Edmondson has signed a promotional agreement with Frank Warren and he will make his Queensberry Promotions debut at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday September 27.

The 23-year-old, who is trained by Josh Burnham in Bushey, narrowly missed out on a place on the GB team for the Rio Olympics in 2016, having previously won the youth ABAs, the CYPs and the Three-Nations titles.

His amateur career spanned 60 fights, with 52 wins.

The Southampton man has been preparing to take the professional plunge for over a year now and is thrilled to have a promoter as well as a date for his debut firmly in place.

“Basically I am just very happy and ready to move forward,” said Edmondson. “I believe I am in the best hands I could possibly be in and having a date for my professional debut has given me an extra drive in training.

“It couldn’t be anywhere better for me than the Royal Albert Hall, it really couldn’t and it is unbelievable. Literally every person I speak to about it is excited and hopefully they will make some big noise for me.

“Boxing fans will see that I try to box clever and try not to take too many shots, but I can dig deep and get stuck in when I need to.”

You can follow Lewis’ journey on his social media accounts:

Twitter: @EdmondsonLewie
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lew.edmondson

Daniel Dubois will fight the Ghanaian Ebenezer Tetteh for the vacant Commonwealth heavyweight championship at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday September 27, when Nicola Adams will also defend her WBO world flyweight title or enter into a unification fight with the IBF title also at stake.

Archie Sharp makes a defence of his WBO European super featherweight title on a card that also features middleweight banger Denzel Bentley, heavyweight prospect Jonathan Palata, exciting bantamweight Dennis McCann and lightweight talent Mohammad Bilal Ali, while there are professional debuts for Lewis Edmondson, Ethan James and Sam Noakes.

Tickets for the September 27 bill at the Royal Albert Hall are available to purchase from www.ticketmaster.co.uk and www.royalalberthall.com. Prices £40, £50, £75, £100, £150 Ringside.

In 2017 Ronald “The American Dream” Johnson defeated Sergio Ramirez in Las Vegas in the season finale of Knockout Season 3.  The fight aired live on Azteca America. While Johnson won via unanimous decision, Ramirez proved to be a game opponent and gave Johnson a tough fight.

The two warriors will renew acquaintances on October 12th when they collide at the Sports Arena in Pico Rivera.  This time Johnson’s GBO heavyweight title will be at stake when they set foot in the ring. Johnson captured the title on June 15th in Davao City, Philippines when he dropped Saul Farah twice in route to a wide points victory.  This time newly elected Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. will be in Johnson’s corner. 

The rest of the card promises to be action packed as Adelaida “La Cobra” Ruiz (8-0) will defend her GBO super flyweight continental title versus an opponent to be named in the near future.

Eddie Murphy’s nephew Brandyn Lynch (9-1) will fight for the GBO super welterweight California State title versus TBA in a chief supporting bout so the stars will definitely be in attendance. 

Angel “El Moreno” Rodriguez’s GBO lightweight California State title will also be at stake versus an opponent to be announced in the near future.

The loaded fight card will also feature the pro debut of Nicholas Irizarry who is trained by Milton Lacroix who trains YouTube sensation Logan Paul and many other celebrities. His fight will be set at a catchweight of 142 pounds. 

The fight will be broadcast live onthe new streaming media platform Lookhu and will be available to a worldwide audience on all major outlets. Visit Lookhu.com for more information.

**The initial press conference to announce this fight will take place this Wednesday August 21, 2019 at 3pm at the Beverly Wilshire inside the Champagne room**  All media is invited and all participants and celebrities such as Ray J, and Steven Nia, Chariman of Wardour Studios and W1 Platform – The Hollywood Block Chain, and many others will be available for interviews.

American Dream Presents was founded by Ronald Johnson in 2007. The promotional outfit has put on numerous shows with the likes of Don King, Zab Judah, Fernando Vargas, Joel Cassamayor , Michael Grant and many others. American Dream Presents is also working on a reality show with Ray J and Princess Love and Ronald Johnson called “Fit Two Deliver”. It will be featured on a major network sometime in 2019. ADP President Moses Miller was instrumental in putting this deal together to bring in the powerhouse Wardour Studios to help brand Johnson and set him up for million dollar fights in the near future.   

RED Boxing Promotions is a Filipino-owned promotional company founded by Mr. Rey Cacoi Almirante Rodis. The company started last year and has already done several promotions here in the United States and also in the Philippines and Mexico. Rodis is the third generation of nationally respected boxing promoters tracing back to the 1960s when his grandfather Dr.Antonio Almirante started promoting in the Philippines.

With RED Boxing Promotions leadership having a unique background in professional athletics, we are able to provide experience and knowledge based management and agent services for athletes. We allow our clients to grow professionally and personally while we assist in securing their athletic future. 

RED Boxing promotions being under RED Inc. or RodisEntertainment Digital is also an emerging multifaceted entertainment company engaged in the development of independent film for theatrical, direct to video, DVD and digital release

Lookhu is a streaming entertainment platform that broadcast the highest-quality digital entertainment live, and on-demand, our menu offers niche, celebrity-created content, across multiple devices. Lookhu is app-based, and highly focused on content within specific genres, including Sports, Comedy, Faith, DIY and more. We offer both short and long-form programming for subscribers in the U.S. and around the world. We stand out from the rest by offering our content at multiple price points, becoming the go-to platform for entertainment consumers who want more from their subscription services. For more information please visit http://Lookhu.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram

About Wardour Studios™

Wardour Studios™ is a state of the art, next generation, film studio, with a creative and advanced technology foundation, specializing in Hollywood – China co-producing and co-financing. Wardour Studios is a full service Hollywood film and TV production company, with film and television IP, as well as expertise in live action and animated films. Wardour Studios’ team strives and is committed to the creation and development of advanced digital production, visual effects (VFX), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), motion capture,  artificial intelligence (AI) and Robotics, as well as exploitation of ancillary on a global basis. The team also possess extensive experience in post production, editing, cinematography, workflow management, and various other aspects of digital production and distribution. 

Wardour Studios is rapidly emerging as a leading global entertainment company, with its advanced digital streaming platform, “W1 Platform™ – The Hollywood Blockchain™”, offering global 4K streaming and Content Delivery Network (CDN). 

THE FURY BROTHERS, Tyson and Tommy, came up with a split decision when asked to assess the prospects of Anthony Yarde dethroning WBO light heavyweight king Sergey Kovalev when the pair collide in Krusher’s home town of Chelyabinsk in Russia on August 24.

Heavyweight ruler Tyson, a devout student of the sport, placed himself firmly in the corner of Yarde, the mandatory challenger who has notched up 18 wins, with 17 of them coming via brutal KO.

The lineal champion believes the time is right for a young, hungry lion to overthrow the long-standing leader of the light heavyweight pride.

“I fancy Anthony Yarde,” stated Tyson, who faces Otto Wallin in Las Vegas on September 14. “I really do fancy Yarde. I think Kovalev is on the slide.

“He has been a good world champion in his time and has done very well, but I think the Andre Ward losses have done him really, although he lost that fight to (Eleider) Alvarez and then came back and beat him.

“I think a young man will always beat an older one and that has always been my motto. I fancy Anthony Yarde to knock him out, not just beat him on points, stop him.

“Because that is what he needs to do in Russia anyway. It will only make his career better when he wins away from home. I’ve been all over and kept winning. If you’re any good, you’ll win, and if you’re not, you’ll lose, simple as.

“Home advantage means nothing to me but it does to a lot of people because they are not natural fighting men. Some people can’t fight off their own soil, but I can because it was bred in me.

“So we are going to see what Anthony Yarde is made of and I think he’ll do it. A good young man should beat a good older one. I believe he’ll do it and I believe he’ll be a good world champion.”

Love Island inhabitant and fellow light heavyweight Tommy suspects Yarde might just be biting off more than he can chew in bidding to knock Kovalev off his world championship perch.

“It is a very, very good fight for Yarde and I think he deserves it,” commented the 2-0 20-year-old. “His time has come and I hope to God he can pull it off because he is from here and we’ve got to support our own.

“As far as the actual fight is concerned, it is a huge task. If he is going to beat him at any time it is going to be now because he is on the downfall and has been for quite a long time. So I am pretty sure he is going to be at his most vulnerable.

“But, listen, big props to him if he can pull it off, but my money would be on Kovalev because he has mixed it at a higher level and fought much better fighters.

“Obviously I hope Yarde can pull it off, but I just don’t see it happening.”

Kovalev v Yarde on August 24 can be seen exclusively live on BT Sport

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 15, 2019) – The press conference overlooked the new crown jewel of Los Angeles soccer, the year-old Banc of California Stadium, home to Major League Soccer’s LAFC. In two days, the inaugural boxing card will take place at the stadium, headlined by Emanuel Navarrete’s WBO junior featherweight title defense against unbeaten challenger Francisco De Vaca (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET).

In the co-feature, former junior featherweight world champion Jessie Magdaleno will take on former world title challenger Rafael Rivera in a 10-round featherweight bout expected to produce fireworks.

At the Banc of California Stadium’s Founders Club, this is what the fighters had to say.

Emanuel Navarrete

“The reality is that my life has changed a lot in these last eight months. The fact that I have become world champion and that I have won over a wide margin to Isaac Dogboe, who came from beating Jessie Magdaleno, makes me very happy. I feel very satisfied with the results we have achieved for the hard work we have done in recent months.”

“The truth is that it doesn’t matter who is my opponent. I always prepare 100% for each of my fights, and this was no exception. We already did the hard work in the gym, and we are ready for a great fight. If De Vaca comes to fight hard, I am prepared to go even harder. I’m ready to give a great battle to all the fans.”

“I’ve said it several times already: If the other champions of the division don’t want to accept the challenge of unifying titles, I will be moving up to the featherweight division. If everything goes well on Saturday, maybe I will make another fight in the super bantamweight division, but if I don’t get a unification fight, I would go up to 126 pounds.”

Francisco De Vaca

“I’m grateful for this opportunity. I’m ready! I wanted to fight for a world title since I was 5 years old, and now that we have the opportunity, we are going to make our dream come true this Saturday. Come Saturday, there will be a new world champ for Phoenix and Michoacán. I’m coming for that world title.”

On his first 12-round fight

“I feel like I’m debuting all over again. We are ready! I’m going to give everyone a great show. I’ve focused on preparing very well mentally because physically I’m always ready. You will see that come Saturday night.”

Jessie Magdaleno

“{Fans can expect} the same Jessie Magdaleno that always brings a fight to the table, the Magdaleno that comes to fight and puts on a show for the fans. That’s what I’m always aiming for, to please the fans and show everyone what Jessie Magdaleno is capable of.”

“I don’t take none of these guys lightly. Every opponent is difficult. He’s fought great fighters. He’s been in there with great fighters and done a hell of a job. I can’t overlook him because he’s here to put on a great show as well. He throws a lot of punches, and he’s quick. That’s what I am, and that’s what is going to make a hell of a fight for this fight card.”

“I’m hoping once this fight goes through, everything goes well, God willing we come out with the victory, I’m hoping it puts me at the top of the spots in all the rankings, all the titles, so I can come back and be a two-time world champion.”Rafael Rivera

“I’m very grateful and happy for the opportunity that Top Rank has given me. Fighting on the first card here is a big opportunity on a big stage, and I’m going to take advantage of it.”

“Jessie is a good fighter. I’ve seen him fight before. He’s an aggressive fighter, but I’m just here to do my work.” 

“I’ve been fighting against top-level fighters for a long time, so I feel confident and secure that whether it’s against a world champion or a former champion, I’ll put up a good fight.”ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Emanuel Navarrete vs. Francisco De Vaca, 12 rounds, Navarrete’s WBO junior featherweight world title

Jessie Magdaleno vs. Rafael Rivera, 10 rounds, featherweight

ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT

Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Ricky Sismundo, 10 rounds, super lightweight

Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Stuart McLellan, 10 rounds, Alimkhanuly’s WBC Continental Americas and WBO Global titles

Chris van Heerden vs. Aslanbek Kozaev, 10 rounds, welterweight

Javier Molina vs. Manuel Mendez, 8 rounds, super lightweight

Dmitry Yun vs. Javier Martinez, 6 rounds, lightweight

Brian Mendoza vs. Rosemberg Gomez, 8 rounds, welterweight

Elvis Rodriguez vs. Jesus Gonzales, 6 rounds, super lightweight
 Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions and Iron Boy Promotions, tickets priced at $100, $80, $70, $60, $45 and $25 (not including applicable fees) are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 and in person at the Banc of California Stadium box office.

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

Use the hashtags #NavarreteDeVaca and #MagdalenoRivera to join the conversation on social media.

(Aug. 15, 2019) — Amir Imam, a former super lightweight world challenger known for his explosive knockouts, has signed a multi-year promotional agreement with Top Rank.

Imam (21-2, 18 KOs) has been out of the ring since March 17, 2018, the evening he challenged Jose Ramirez for the vacant WBC super lightweight world title. He lost via unanimous decision in a brutal toe-to-toe battle to Ramirez, who is currently the unified WBC/WBO 140-pound world champion.

Imam will campaign at either super lightweight or welterweight, and he recently enlisted the services of South Florida-based manager Peter Kahn. He is expected to make his long-awaited ring return later this year.

“I am grateful to have joined the best promotional company in boxing. I have learned a lot from my past fights and have made positive changes that will allow me to succeed as I move forward to my goal of becoming a world champion,” Imam said. “I’m eager to get back into the ring before the end of the year and showcase my skills as part of the Top Rank team. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for me.”

“Amir Imam is a naturally gifted fighter who can best be defined as potential unrealized to this point in his career,” Kahn said. “He has the physical and mental tools to be a world champion. He’s a perfect fit for Top Rank. Whether Amir continues to campaign at super lightweight or welterweight remains to be seen, but the fans will see a rejuvenated, well-prepared Amir who is on a mission to be a world champion.”

Imam, from Albany, New York, knocked out 12 out of his first 13 opponents in the paid ranks, and won an eight-round unanimous decision in 2014 over Yordenis Ugas, who is currently one of the welterweight division’s top contenders. He scored highlight-reel knockouts over Jason Robinson and Fidel Maldonado before being stopped in shocking fashion by Adrian Granados in 2015. Imam rebounded with three consecutive knockout wins before locking horns with Ramirez in a memorable clash at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Austin, Texas – Professional championship boxing returns to the Frank Erwin Center on August 24 with Capital City Fight Night. In association with Underwood promotions, Davies Entertainment is helping to continue the tradition of quality boxing at the Erwin Center, Showcasing four prize fighters fighting under the Davies Entertainment banner.

With his new management team (Davies Entertainment), local Austin knockout artist James Kirkland (32-2, 28KO) returns from a 4-year absence following a defeat to pound-for-pound fighter Saul”Canelo” Alvarez. Kirkland has been one of boxing’s most explosive fighters with knockout wins over Brian Vera, Joel Julio, Alfredo Angulo, and Glen Tapia. This fight marks the 18th anniversary of his pro debut in 2001. Kirkland looks to make one final run toward a championship taking on upset-minded Missouri brawler Colby Courter (13-14, 10KO) in a six round Middleweight bout.

Capital City Fight Night will feature three title bouts headlined by San Antonio’s Eddie Ortiz (8-0-2, 4KO) battling Killeen’s rough and rugged brawler Jas Phipps (10-6-2, 5KO) in an eight round Middleweight contest for the World Boxing Council USNBC Silver Middleweight Title. Ortiz comes in fresh off a third round knockout over Jesus Gomez Rodriguez in April while Phipps comes in on a 5-fight winning streak that last saw him beat former world title challenger Brian Vera.
In the Co-main event, the American Boxing Federation USA Welterweight title is up for grabs when San Antonio’s Daniel Baiz (13-1, 5KO) takes on Waco’s upset specialist Marquis Hawthorne (7-11, 1KO) in an eight round welterweight contest. Hawthorne has wins over four undefeated fighters while fighting some of the nation’s up and coming talent. Baiz comes in looking to build on his 6-fight winning streak and attempt to pick up his first title in his 5-year career.
Also featured on the card, San Antonio’s Benjamin Whitaker (11-3, 2KO), a crafty ring technician who faces southpaw Raymond Guzman (3-2, 2KO). Whitaker, along with James Kirkland, Daniel Baiz, and Eddie Ortiz are all represented by the sports management division of Davies Entertainment.

The event will also showcase Davies Entertainment Music artists Vi$ion and Bankreaux performing during ring introductions. Additional Information is available at www.daviesentertainment.com

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About the Frank Erwin Center:
Located in the heart of downtown Austin, the Frank Erwin Center has served Central Texans with the best in live entertainment, including concerts, theatrical performances, family shows and sporting events since 1977. The multi-purpose facility, which celebrated its 40th Anniversary in November 2017, is owned and operated by The University of Texas at Austin and serves as the home court for the Texas Longhorns Men’s and Women’s basketball teams.

Vincent Feigenbutz (30-2, 27 KOs) came face-to-face with his opponent Cesar Nunez (16-0-1, 8 KOs) for the first time today at the official press conference ahead of their IBO International title fight on Saturday 17 August in Ludwigshafen, Germany. 

Feigenbutz, known as ‘The KO King’ due to his 84% knockout rate, won the WBA Super Middleweight World title in 2015 and is hoping that winning the IBO International title will help him force a fight with Chris Eubank Jr. 

Both fighters were in high spirits at the Best Western Leoso Hotel as they met in front of the assembled media ahead of Saturday’s match up. 

“Preparing for the fight in my home country and boxing close to my hometown is great,” said Karlsruhe native Feigenbutz. “I can’t wait to experience the atmosphere in the arena and I will do everything I can to get the knockout.”

The unbeaten Spaniard Cesar Nunez was equally confident ahead of his first international fight “This is the biggest fight of my career. I have a plan for each round and I will do everything I can to beat Vincent!”

Inigo Herbosa, manager of Cesar Nunez, echoed his fighter’s confidence informing the media “Cesar is perfectly prepared and will take his chance. It’s his most difficult fight so far as Vincent is clearly one of the best in the world.”

“Cesar is at a point in his career where he wants to box the best and prove himself abroad. The risk is great, but the reward is greater.”

“Vincent’s time is now, he’s ready to take the next step on his ‘Road to the Top’ and very soon he will be a World Champion once again,” said Feigenbutz’s promoter Nisse Sauerland.”

“We also have two of our newest signings from Norway in Katharina Thanderz (11-0, 2 KOs) and Hadi Srour (3-0, 2 KOs) making their Team Sauerland debuts and they are both always in exciting fights.”

“As well as a fantastic 50/50 fight between Ahmad Ali (14-0-1, 10 KOs) and Arman Torosyan (19-6-1, 16 KOs), we can’t wait to see ‘Die Zukunft’ 17-year-old Sophie Alisch (3-0, 1 KO) back in action. Sophie is looking to produce another dazzling performance and she’s already talking about world titles.”

All the action from the Friedrich-Ebert-Halle is available to watch live on Sport1 in Germany and Viasport+ and Viaplay in Norway. Tickets are available online via www.eventim.de or by calling +49 01806-570440.

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. (Aug. 15, 2019) – The Oscar De La Hoya Foundation is giving back to the community through a special night of professional boxing at Pasadena City Hall on Friday, August 30. The fights will be open to the public and feature some of Golden Boy’s best Southern California prospects. The celebration will also include a live concert and a beer garden. The event will be televised as part of a special Friday edition of the Golden Boy DAZN Thursday Night Fights series, which is available on regional sports networks around the nation.The fights will also be streamed live on RingTV.com and on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Boxing aficionados and fans alike are encouraged to attend for a memorable night of high-level action and entertainment. All proceeds from the event will go towards the Foundation to help support programs that will benefit the youth and community of Pasadena.

“I am extremely passionate about giving back to the community, and I’m excited to bring this special event to my backyard of Pasadena,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “I know the importance of supporting and empowering our youth, which is why we are committed to hosting fundraisers and giveaways throughout the year to help encourage future generations to overcome any obstacles they face. All contributions made at the event will help the Foundation continue to drive programs that truly impact the community.”

Headlining the main event will be welterweight prospect Ferdinand Kerobyan (11-1, 6 KOs) taking Olympian Oscar Molina (13-2-1, 10 KOs) in an eight-round bout. Kerobyan is a 20-year-old native of North Hollywood, Calif. who became the first Golden Boy prospect to be managed by former UFC fighter and current WWE Superstar Ronda Rousey. After scoring several dominant wins, Kerobyan suffered his first loss against undefeated prospect Blair ‘The Flair’ Cobbs in a very close fight. Keroyban will look to regain momentum in his second main event fight.

“As a boxer, it’s very hard to appreciate a win without having experienced a loss,” said Ferdinand Kerobyan. “After my last fight I had to refocus, learn from my mistakes, and work hard to find new motivation to win again. A certain darkness is needed to see the stars again. I can say with confidence that I have learned a lot and I can’t wait to get back into the ring.”

Molina is a 29-year-old from Norwalk, Calif. who represented Mexico in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Molina has fought against very tough opponents, with his only losses being against Jarret ‘Swift’ Hurd and Levan Ghvamichava. After more than a year of inactivity, Molina will return to the ring to reinvigorate his career.

“I know that Ferdinand Kerobyan is coming off a loss, but I am not focusing on how he’s going to come,” said Oscar Molina. “I already know that he’s going to come at 100 percent. I am working on coming very prepared. I am confident in my style and my corner, so if I come well prepared, I’m going to walk away with my hand raised in victory.”

In the co-main event, Emilio “The Kid” Sanchez (18-1, 12 KOs) of North Hollywood, Calif. will face Jose Gonzalez (23-8-1, 13 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico in an eight-round featherweight battle. Sanchez is coming off two straight wins after losing his undefeated record via knockout.

Bektemir ‘Bek Bully’ Melikuziev (1-0, 1 KO) of Indio, Calif. will fight in a six-round light heavyweight bout against Elio Trosch (14-8-2, 7 KOs) of Barranqueras, Argentina.

Cornell Hines (5-0, 2 KOs) of Washington, D.C. will face Eben Vargas (9-0, 4 KOs) of Arizona, Texas in a six-round welterweight battle.

Jousce “Tito” Gonzalez (9-0-1, 9 KOs) of Glendora, Calif. will return in a six-round lightweight fight against Rafael Reyes (9-15, 6 KOs) of Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Kerobyan vs. Molina is an eight-round welterweight fight presented by the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation. The fights will take place on Friday, Aug 30 and will be open to the public. The event will be streamed live on RingTV.com and on Facebook Watch via the Golden Boy Fight Night Page beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The series will also be available on regional sports networks around the nation. To see when and where the series is available in your area, click here.

Standing-room only admission is free to the public. Limited seated tickets for this event will go on sale on Thursday, Aug. 15 at 10:00 a.m. PT and start at the fan-friendly price of $25. All proceeds from the event will go towards the Foundation to help support programs that will benefit the youth and community of Pasadena. Tickets are available for purchase now at
www.GoldenBoyTickets.com. For sponsorship and/or donation opportunities, please contact Gerry Mendoza via e-mail at GerryM@GoldenBoyPromotions.com or via phone at 323-376-7695.

Media interested in covering Kerobyan vs. Molina must be pre-approved for credentials. Credential application are due Monday, August 26 at 5:00 p.m. PT. Click here to apply for a media credential. Submitting an application does not guarantee approval for a credential and you cannot transfer your credential to someone else. Media will not be credentialed on-site, no exceptions.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #KerobyanMolina, #ThursdayNightFights and #TNF.
Videos and images are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/KerobyanMolina. Credit must be given to Golden Boy for any photos/video.

About The Oscar De La Hoya Foundation
Founded in 1995, the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation annually hosts a golf tournament, a boxing gym equipment donation, Thanksgiving dinner giveaway and holiday toy giveaway in addition to supporting the Oscar De La Hoya Ánimo Charter High School, the Cecilia ?Gonzalez De La Hoya Cancer Center and the Oscar De La Hoya Labor and Delivery Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (both located at White Memorial Hospital in East Los Angeles). Today, with the help many partners, the foundation serves thousands of people annually.

THE LONG RUNNING quest of Lucien Reid to become involved in title fights certainly rings true with the old saying about London buses.

Reid has been waiting, impatiently, for a title opportunity to come along then all of a sudden, like the buses, two have arrived at once.

‘Lethal’ Lucien, 25, will challenge for the British and Commonwealth super bantamweight titles held by Brad Foster when the pair meet at York Hall on September 14, live on BT Sport.

It is just reward for the 8-0-1 former amateur standout who has recently changed his training location from the base of Adam Booth in Redhill to Alan Smith’s thriving gym in Bromley.

After being kept waiting at the shelter for a lengthy period, Reid almost reached the point of believing his boxing bus would not ultimately arrive.

“I did, I’ve been calling for a title fight for years because, not being funny, with my amateur background I have done everything, boxed all different styles and I know what I am capable of,” explained the Hackney-born Reid, who made his professional debut in May 2015.

“To be honest, boxing journeyman-type opponents left me not getting up for it and that is why in my last fight (against the 9-1 Indi Sangha) I was happy to be up against someone with a good record.

“I want titles as I have a boy, who is six now, and he doesn’t care about me winning fights, he just wants me to have belts. I now just want to be one of those dads who can show off to him.”

Reid, who has previously been nominated for Southern Area and English honours that have not come to fruition, accepts he is probably not everybody’s ideal choice for when it comes to putting titles on the line.

“I think I have been too much of a risk for a champion to fight me with not much of a reward. Especially if they are not with Frank Warren. Why would they take a fight knowing they are going to lose?” added Reid, who suffered the only blemish to his record last time out against Sangha when the fight was stopped in the third round due to him sustaining a nasty cut above his right eye.

However, the fact that a double-title encounter comes next shows that no long-term harm was done to his prospects.

“It was annoying and, at the time, I was devastated, obviously. I was into my flow and feeling good, but now it looks like a blessing in disguise because look what has come from it.

“I’m hoping Brad Foster looked at that fight and thought ‘this will be easy’. That wasn’t how I box normally and everything is changing.”

Brad Foster (11-0-1, 4KOS) v Lucien Reid (8-0-1, 4KOs) for the British and Commonwealth super bantamweight titles features on an exciting card at York Hall on September 14 that also includes Sunny Edwards (12-0, 4 KOs) bidding to win the vacant IBF International flyweight crown against Mexico’s Hugo Rosendo Guarneros (16-2-2, 8 KOs) and Dec Spelman (16-2, 8KOs) risking his English light-heavyweight championship against Shakan Pitters (12-0, 4KOs).

In a magnificent British light-heavyweight title eliminator, expect fireworks when Zak Chelli (7-0, 3KOs) comes up against Kody Davies (9-0, 3 KOs).

Also in action on the talent-stacked bill Harvey Horn (6-0, 2KOs), Boy Jones Jr (18-3-1, 8KOs), Jake Pettitt (6-0, 1KO), James Branch Jr (5-0, 1KO), Mark Chamberlain (3-0, 2KOs), Umar Sadiq (6-1, 3KOs), Caoimhin Agyako (4-0, 1KO) Mickey Burke Jr (1-0) and Chris Bourke (4-0, 4KOs).

Tickets are on sale via www.ticketmaster.co.uk. Prices £40 – Unreserved Floor, £50 – Unreserved Balcony, £60 – Reserved Floor.

Joshua Buatsi will defend his WBA International Light-Heavyweight title against Ryan Ford on the undercard of the huge Lightweight World title showdown between Vasiliy Lomachenko and Luke Campbell at The O2 in London on August 31, shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK.

Buatsi (11-0, 9 KOs) was last seen taking out Marco Antonio Periban in four rounds on the blockbuster Joshua vs. Ruiz Jr bill at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 1, marking his big US debut with a ruthless stoppage win in the Big Apple. 

The undefeated Croydon star took a step-up in class against the seasoned Periban and was eager to impress, dropping the Mexican and then finishing the fight with a barrage of punches to earn his sixth successive win inside the distance. 

Ford, a former opponent of Fedor Chudinov and Avni Yildrim, has never been stopped in 20 career fights and the former MMA fighter, hailing from Edmonton in Canada, picked up the WBC International Silver Light-Heavyweight title in his last fight. 

“I’m fighting a tough, durable opponent on August 31 in the form of Ryan Ford,” said Buatsi. “He’s never been stopped in his 20 professional fights and he’s got some good experience against some top names. He’s an ex MMA fighter so he’ll know how to handle himself.

“If I can become the first fighter to stop him then I’ll be very happy. As always, it’s about getting the win at all costs. I’m there to get the job done and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Buatsi vs. Ford is part of a huge night of boxing in the Capital. 

At the top of the bill, Olympic Champions Vasiliy Lomachenko (13-1, 10 KOs) and Luke Campbell (20-2, 16 KOs) will clash for the WBC, WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine Lightweight World titles, Manchester Heavyweight Hughie Fury (23-2, 13 KOs) takes on former WBA World Champion Alexander Povetkin (34-2, 24 KOs), WBC Flyweight ruler Charlie Edwards (15-1, 6 KOs) makes the second defence of his crown against Mandatory Challenger Julio Cesar Martinez (14-1, 11 KOs), Joe Cordina (9-0, 7 KOs) defends his British and Commonwealth Lightweight titles against Gavin Gwynne (11-0, 1 KO) in a mouth-watering battle of Wales and Hartlepool star Savannah Marshall (6-0, 4 KOs) makes her highly-anticipated Matchroom Boxing debut. 

Two-sport ONE World Champion Stamp Fairtex is about to embark on her mixed martial arts journey once on August 16 at ONE: DREAMS OF GOLD when she faces Asha “Knockout Queen” Roka at the Impact Arena in Bangkok.

Stamp’s first professional mixed martial arts match was back in July 2018 in Rick Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series. She finished her match with Rashi Shinde from India quickly with a head kick in just 19 seconds. A year since then, she has dominated the aomweight division of ONE Super Series holding titles for both Muay Thai and Kickboxing. The 21-year-old is now in pursuit of a third sport’s title. 

“I am very excited that I finally get to fight in an MMA match again,” Stamp said. 

“I have prepared myself mentally and physically for this upcoming match. My journey for a third sports title is about to begin and  I am ready to face anyone.”

To help Stamp succeed in mixed martial arts, the team at Fairtex gym taught the Thai native new skills and did research on Roka, who owns a 100% finishing rate.

“Roka has a strong boxing skill and she can knock anyone out,” Stamp said. 

“I have been improving my movements in the fight to make sure that she will not land her blows. As for my ground game, it will be fun. I don’t want to reveal too much but I have a special surprise for her and the fans as well.”

Though new to mixed martial arts, Stamp will enter the match confident knowing that there are some similarities to her main disciplines.

“I like to compete in MMA because I find similarities with Muay Thai like clinching,” Stamp concluded. 

“I can really do well in a clinch and in this sport, I can stay longer in a clinch and wrestling position where I can dominate. I am really excited about this match and I am doing everything I can to be well prepared for it.”

LAS VEGAS, NV (August 14, 2019) – Prince Ranch Boxing’s undefeated super bantamweight prospect and rising star, Raeese “The Beast” Aleem (14-0, 8 KOs), who is promoted by Kings Promotions, gives his thoughts on his upcoming fight with fellow undefeated foe, Ernesto Delgadillo (11-0, 2 KOs).

Aleem vs. Delgadillo, a 10-round main event bout promoted by ForceTrain Promotions, will take place at the Arabia Shrine Center in Houston, TX, on August 23, 2019. Aleem, who is managed by Greg Hanley of Prince Ranch Boxing, brings excitement to the sport with his eye-catching skill set and fan friendly style.

Here is what Aleem had to say about his upcoming matchup with Delgadillo, training camp, and more.

On his recent training camp:
“I’m having another incredible training camp with my coach, Bones Adams, here at the Prince Ranch boxing facility in Las Vegas. He’s prepared me well for this fight and together we are getting the job done. The sparring I’m getting is the best in the world. I’m feeling great and I’m healthy. Expect a great performance from me on fight night.”

On his upcoming fight with Ernesto Delgadillo:
“This guy is highly skilled and boost an undefeated record, so I know I’m in a step-up fight. These are the type of fights that take a fighter to the next level, and my goal is to make a statement against Delgadillo. This will be my toughest fight and I’m up for the challenge, but make no mistake about it, If I get him hurt, I’m going for the knockout.”

On the state of the super bantamweight division:
“Right now, the 122-pound division is stacked with the best fighters in any weight class in my opinion. Rey Vargas, the WBC champ is an incredible talent, and he’s undefeated for a reason. Daniel Roman and Emanuel Navarrete, both great champions in their own right, haven’t lost a in years. So, I would have to say this division is the best in boxing. Guillermo Rigondeaux is right there as well. I see myself beating all these guys and my time will come, the takeover is happening now.”

On what a win will do for his career:
“A victory against Delgadillo will be good for my career because it’ll be a win against another undefeated fighter. This will be the second undefeated fighter I’ve faced in my career. After I win this fight, I’ll be ready for anyone in the top 10 of any sanctioning organization.”

FLINT, Mich. (August 14, 2019) – Undisputed middleweight champion Claressa Shields and former world champion Ivana Habazin squared-off and exchanged words at a pair of press conferences in Flint and Detroit on Wednesday, as they previewed their battle for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship taking place Saturday, October 5 live on SHOWTIME from Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, Mich.

In the main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION (9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT), Shields will aim to make history as the fastest fighter in boxing, male or female, to become a three-division world champion, in her first professional fight in her hometown of Flint.

Wednesday’s press conference in Flint featured Mayor Karen Weaver offering words of encouragement for the city’s hometown hero.

Shields vs. Habazin is promoted by Salita Promotions. Tickets for the live event can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and at the Dort Center box office.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday from the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint and the Hotel St. Regis in Detroit:

CLARESSA SHIELDS

“I’m so happy to be here. This moment is a long time coming. I’ve been a pro for nine fights and all I’ve wanted to do is come back home and fight. I haven’t fought here since the amateurs when I was 18.

“To be here now as a pro with two Olympic gold medals, all my belts and my whole team here, it just feels really good. Our city has gone through rough times with the water crisis, but I wanted to show that we’re still fighting people.

“A lot of us here are fighting daily. I’m happy that I can be in the ring doing what I’m doing, but outside of the ring I get to inspire kids. Having a summer camp here this summer really changed me. My knee injury gave me more time to spend with the kids, and that time with them made me stronger.

“I understand that Habazin is here and wants to win, but don’t come here like this is going to be a walk in the park. Christina Hammer thought this was a joke, so I hope Habazin is taking this as seriously as possible.

“I love this challenge, but you will not beat me in front of my family and friends. I’m going to destroy her. Don’t miss this, because this is going to be a knockout.

“I’m so excited about this fight. My last fight was supposed to be the toughest fight of my life, and it was probably the easiest pro fight I’ve had so far, and it was against an accomplished long-reigning champion.

“You can’t talk about women’s boxing without thinking of me. This fight is here in Flint, Michigan because of what I’ve done and what I’ve accomplished. I appreciate Ivana for wanting this challenge, but she’s acting crazy talking about knocking me out.

“She’s going to be in defense mode I think. I’ve seen how she fights. If she thinks she’s going to stand there blow for blow with me, she’s crazy. She has good movement and hand speed, but she has a lot of flaws.

“Being at 154-pounds, I’m going to be stronger and I’m going to be faster. I’ve never had a problem making weight and it won’t be a problem at 154.

“I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in Flint for the fight and really embracing the city. Buy tickets because you do not want to miss this fight. I hope she can fight like she can talk so it can be a great one for the fans.”

IVANA HABAZIN

“This is a really big opportunity for me. I was a world champion and I’m looking forward to winning a title in another division.

“Claressa Shields is a spectacular fighter and I have respect for her, but I’m going to bring the fight to her. I didn’t come here just to fight; I came here for victory.

“She is taking on a big challenge. If she says she’s going to make the weight, then I believe her. But I know that it’s going to be tough for her because it’s not her natural division. I hope she makes the weight and that we’ll have a good fight. Fighting at 154-pounds is an advantage for me.

“When I decided to fight at middleweight, I started fighting there because I wanted to fight her. She’s the best fighter out there, and I know that I can beat her. When they told me that she wanted to go down in weight, I knew it was the perfect time.

“It doesn’t matter to me if the fight is in Flint, London, New York or anywhere. The ring is my home and what happens in there is the most important thing. I’m always the underdog and I like to be in that position. I won my title in my opponent’s hometown and I’m going to do it again.

“I’m at the point in my career where it could be my last chance to do something big and change my life. This isn’t just a fight for a title, it’s a fight for my life. When you only have one chance and you’re really hungry, anything is possible.

“It’s going to be tough in her hometown to beat her on points, so I’m coming here to knock her out.

“I’m happy to see that she is healthy because she needs to be ready for what I’m going to bring on October 5.”

JOHN DAVID JACKSON, Shields’ Trainer

“It’s great to be here for this event. This should a good fight between two hungry fighters leaving it all in the ring.

“Habazin has a great trainer in Bashir Ali, so I know that she’s going to be ready for us. Claressa will be ready too, so I just have to make sure everything is set with our game plan.

“Claressa is the biggest star in women’s boxing and we have to be ready for any and all opponents. This is another step towards her becoming the greatest women’s boxer of all time. My job is to make sure she gets there.

“I’m looking forward to a great fight and I can’t wait to see everyone in this arena on fight night. After fight night she’ll be a world champion again, and when the dust settles, she’ll be the best of all time.”

BASHIR ALI, Habazin’s Trainer

“This is a fight with two world champions going after another world title. People take things for granted, and we know that Claressa has accomplished a lot, but there are going to be two strong fighters in the ring.

“You can look back and see so many big upsets throughout the history of the sport and it should teach you not to take anything for granted. These are two fighters who are going to give everything they’ve got.

“I’m not just preparing Habazin for a fight, but I’m preparing her for the mindset behind the fight. In this case, my counterpart John David Jackson is a threat. We know we have to work to win this fight.

“I’m not going to rest easy until we win this belt. I tell Habazin every day that we have to put our best foot forward and give it everything we have.” 

FLINT MAYOR KAREN WEAVER

“We are so glad that you are here for this great event. I want to thank Claressa for what she is doing. She’s been saying she wants to have a fight at home, and home wants you to have a fight here.

“This is a big deal for Flint. We’re so excited to have Claressa bring this fight to the city of Flint, because it shows people a different side of Flint. It shows people our toughness and our strength and grit.

“It’s so important to us that Claressa comes home and is involved with the community. Every opportunity that she has, she’s gives back to the community and it means a lot to us.

“I just want Claressa to know how happy we are, how proud you continue to make us, and we know it’s not going to stop. We can’t wait for the fight October 5.” 

DMITRIY SALITA, President of Salita Promotions

“Claressa Shields will look to make history again when she fights for a junior middleweight title. We had offers from around the country to host this fight, but Claressa was very focused on bringing a big fight back home to Flint. This is going to be a great night for the city.

“Claressa Shields has accomplished a lot in her life in boxing and as a humanitarian and role model, but she will be achieving a first on October 5, because it will be her first time fighting as a pro in her hometown of Flint. She has a special relationship with Flint and I know that Flint is going to support her as she looks to make more history in her already remarkable career

“Claressa is going to have a tall task against Ivana Habazin, who not only has won a title, but enters this fight on a five bout winning streak and has been focused on this challenge for a long time.

“I want to thank SHOWTIME for their commitment to Claressa’s career and to women’s boxing as a whole. They’re an important partner on this journey that we’re all on with Claressa, and it’s exciting to have a platform like SHOWTIME for her to display her talents on.

“This has all the makings of a tremendous fight and a night that will be remembered for a long time, so you’re going to want to make sure you buy a ticket, or if you can’t be there watch it live on SHOWTIME.”

MARK TAFFET, CEO of Taffet Media & Shields’ Manager

“We couldn’t be more pleased to be here in Flint. We know that this is going to be a great event and we’re proud to have this fight with Claressa Shields here and we look forward to all the fans in Flint, Michigan coming out.

“I’ve worked with many of the biggest and greatest fighters of all time, but I’ve never been more proud of a fighter and more proud to work with a fighter, than I am with Claressa Shields. She isn’t just once in a generation, she’s truly once in a lifetime.

“Before Claressa is done, she won’t just set records, but she will make her mark outside of the ring, like the greatest athletes in history. I believe that she is going to change the game forever.

“Ivana is an accomplished world champion herself, and one of the top fighters in women’s boxing. She’s very proud of her accomplishments in boxing and we couldn’t be more pleased to have a woman of her character as part of this historic fight.”

(Aug. 14, 2019) — WBO light heavyweight champion and future Hall of Famer Sergey Kovalev will face off against his hard-hitting mandatory challenger, Anthony Yarde, in a highly anticipated showdown Saturday, Aug. 24 from Traktor Arena in Kovalev’s hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia.

Kovalev-Yarde will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT. The stream will also showcase the co-feature bout between unbeaten cruiserweight contender Aleksei Papin (11-0, 10 KOs) and former world title challenger Ilunga Makabu (25-2, 24 KOs). Fans in the U.S. can sign up at www.ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App.

“I am thrilled to fight for the first time in my hometown of Chelyabinsk,” Kovalev said. “It is a dream to defend my WBO title in front of all my friends and family back home. I am also thankful ESPN+ will show the fight to my fans in the U.S. Thank you to Igor Altushkin, Egis Klimas, Main Events and Top Rank for making this dream a reality, and thank you to Anthony Yarde for agreeing to fight in my home.”

“Sergey has done just about everything a professional fighter can do, other than fight in his own hometown,” said promoter Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events. “One of the sport’s greatest road warriors, Sergey will finally get the chance to salute his legion of fans in Chelyabinsk, where he grew up. It will be an exciting, long overdue homecoming for Sergey. And I am so happy to confirm that Sergey’s many fans in the U.S. will be able to watch this great event only on ESPN+. I wish to thank Igor Altushkin, German Titov and everyone at RCC for making this all possible. I also wish to thank Bob Arum and Top Rank for their continued support.”

Kovalev (33-3-1, 28 KOs) is a veteran of 15 world title bouts and has won the light heavyweight world title on three occasions. A former unified champion, he revived his career in February by scoring a wide points win over Eleider Alvarez, the man who’d knocked him out less than six months prior. One of this generation’s most decorated champions, Kovalev holds victories over Jean Pascal, Nathan Cleverly and living legend Bernard Hopkins. In Yarde (18-0, 17 KOs), he faces a London native with a giant hand who is taking a giant step up in competition. Yarde has won his last 16 bouts by knockout, most recently stopping Travis Reeves in five rounds in a bout that streamed on ESPN+. This will be only his second pro bout outside of England.

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

Use the hashtag #KovalevYarde 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. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

LAS VEGAS (August 14, 2019) — World-class professional boxing returns Saturday night, August 24, to Viejas Casino and Resort in Alpine, California, which is located about 30 miles from San Diego, with another exciting installment of RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS.

Promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions, the Aug. 24th show will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

Headlining the show is undefeated Irish middleweight prospect Connor “The Kid” Coyle (10-0, 3 KOs), who will meet San Diego veteran fighter Rafael “The Pride of San Diego” Ramon Ramirez (21-4-2, 4 KOs) in 10-round main event.

The 29-year-old Coyle, fighting out of Derry, Northern, Ireland, is a “legacy” fighter: his great grand-father and great-uncle, both named Spider Kelly, each were British Empire and Commonwealth featherweight champions, 16 years apart. They had 256 combined bouts between 1928 and 1962. There is a monument dedicated to their unique achievements in Derry, Northern Ireland, were Coyle was born, raised and lives.

Ramirez has gained invaluable experience as a past sparring partner for world champions such as Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Shane Mosely and Jose Luis Castillo.

Mexican super lightweight prospect Santiago “Somer” Dominguez (16-0, 12 KOs) takes on Fabian Lyimo (23-9-2, 15 KOs), of Tanzania, in the eight-round, co-featured event.
Unbeaten Chula Vista, CA welterweight Adrian Guttierrez (7-0-1, 4 KOs) is slated to face German “Tin Tan” Valdez (4-5-1, 1 KO), of Mexico, in a six-round bout.

Additional bouts will soon be announced. All fights and fights are subject to change.

Tickets are priced at $65.00, $55.00 and $45.00 and available to purchase by going online at www.viejas.com.

Doors Open at 5 p.m. PT, first bout starts at 5:30 p.m. PT, and UFC FIGHT PASS commences at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.

INFORMATION:

Websites: www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com, www.Viejas.com
Twitter: @RoyjonesJRfa, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @viejascasino, @UFCFightPass
Instagram: @RoyJonesJRboxing, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @artofmusiclv, @rivalboxinggear, @Viejascasinoresort
Facebook: /RJJBoxing, /ViejasCasinoAndResort
Upcoming RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS events:
Aug. 24 at Viejas Casino and Resort in Alpine, California.

Los Angeles, CA (August 14, 2019) Undisputed Women’s Welterweight World Champion ‘The First Lady’ Cecilia Braekhus, (35-0, 9 KOs), has commenced training under the watchful eye of the world-renowned Abel Sanchez at his gym, The Summit Training Center in Big Bear Lake, CA as she prepares for her return to the ring.

“I’ve known Abel for a few years and was very aware of the enormous success he has had training the best fighters in the world,” said Braekhus, a native of Oslo, Norway. “When I approached him about training me he was very interested. We spent a few days working together and it clicked, I’m learning a great deal from him every day.”

Braekhus has previously trained in Santa Monica, CA; Kiev, Ukraine; Berlin, Germany; Spain and Norway. “As soon as I arrived in Big Bear I felt very comfortable, it’s a beautiful part of the world and very conducive to an overall great training experience.”

Said the 2015 Trainer of the Year, Sanchez, “I’ve long admired Cecilia boxing skills, she’s a tremendous fighter, one of the very best female boxers in history. She’s also very willing to learn which is important as we move forward in training and prepare to face the toughest competition.” Among the world champions Sanchez has trained include Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin, Terry Norris, Orlin Norris, Murat Gassiev and at least a dozen others.

Braekhus is holder of the WBC, WBO, WBA, IBF and IBO Welterweight World Titles as well as the RING Magazine title belt.  She was previously trained by Johnathon Banks.

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On January 5, 2018, the Boxing Writers Association of America named Braekhus the recipient of their first-ever Women’s Fighter of the Year Award (2017). The award was presented by female boxing pioneer Christy Martin at the BWAA’s Annual Awards Dinner on May 11, 2018 In New York City.

On May 5, 2018, Braekhus was specifically chosen by HBO to fight in the first women’s bout telecast on the network over their 45-year history of boxing events. Defeating world ranked contender Kali Reis by unanimous decision at the StubHub Center in Carson, CA, the fight was telecast to an average of 904,000 viewers in the United States, the second highest viewership by the network for boxing in 2018.

As previously proclaimed by Ring Magazine, the Boxing Writers Association of America named Braekhus the Women’s #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World on June 26, 2018 in the first poll taken by organization for this honor. (The belt presentation by Ring Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Doug Fischer took place on September 13, 2018 in Las Vegas).

Fighting for the first time in Russia, Cecilia Braekhus won a 10-round unanimous decision over junior middleweight world champion Inna Sagaydakovskaya on July 21, 2018 in Moscow. The victory took place in front of over 25,000 spectators at the Olympic Stadium and an international televised audience.

Finishing out her year in Grand Style, Braekhus improved to 35-0 on Saturday, December 8, 2018 with a dominant ten-round decision over world ranked contender Aleksandra Madgziak-Lopes at the StubHub Center in Carson, CA.

Defending all of her undisputed welterweight world titles, (WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO and Ring Magazine), the victory capped off a remarkable year filled with tremendous performances inside the ring and a wealth of accolades outside. The main event clash headlined an HBO Boxing telecast and marked the second appearance for Braekhus on the premium cable channel in 2018.

Braekhus has been an undisputed world champion, holding all four major sanctioning body titles since September 2014. She is only one of seven boxers to achieve this historical feat.