ULTIMATE BOXXER SIGNS BROADCAST DEAL WITH BT SPORT

LONDON, UK – 18 MARCH 2019
ULTIMATE BOXXER, Britain’s first boxing entertainment brand, is delighted to announce that it has signed a broadcast deal with BT Sport, starting with its first event of the year on Friday 10th May at The Indigo at The O2.

The deal will see a minimum of five ULTIMATE BOXXER events broadcast live in the UK and Ireland in the first year that will simulcast on BT Sport, BT Sports’ YouTube channel – available to anyone to watch for free, and dedicated boxing channel BoxNation, with the second event confirmed for Friday 28th June in Manchester.

Created to provide a new boxing experience, ULTIMATE BOXXER will provide a lot of opportunities within the sport.

Eight talented fighters from around the UK battle it out in the high-paced elimination tournament in four quarter-finals of 3 x 3 minute rounds, followed by two semi-finals and one final to determine the winner who will win the large share of the prize money, a promotional deal and be catapulted up the rankings. An opportunity to represent their country in international finals is also on the line.

The product and events are designed to engage and attract the next generation of sports fans on a more regular basis.

Following two incredible test events, ULTIMATE BOXXER returns to the capital on May 10th for an unrivalled night of action and entertainment in the ultra-competitive middleweight division.

ULTIMATE BOXXER founder Ben Shalom, said, “It’s great to get this over the line with BT Sport who share the same vision to bring something extra to the boxing industry. British boxing has never been in such a healthy position and Ultimate Boxxer will present long-term opportunities for boxers whilst giving sports fans an experience they won’t forget. I’m really looking forward to getting started on May 10th with an extremely competitive card.”

ULTIMATE BOXXER Director Paulie Malignaggi, said, “When we started this last year we wanted to give the biggest platform possible to the competing fighters. It is great that BT have bought into the ambition to keep evolving the sport and also engage digital audiences. I’m very excited to watch some amazing stories unfold on this journey and see the tournaments evolve.”

Steve Norris, head of sports commercial rights, BT Sport said “Boxing is booming and it’s a great time to be a fan, with the sport growing at an enormous pace and gaining new audiences. Ultimate Boxxer is bringing a fresh new style to one of the oldest sports in the world and we think our viewers will love this addition to the wealth of Boxing they are already enjoying on BT Sport.”

ULTIMATE BOXXER premiered last April in the Welterweight division in a huge event at Manchester Arena. The thrilling action saw Northampton’s Drew Brown crowned the inaugural winner. UB II followed in November at The Indigo with the spotlight on the Light-Heavyweight class and in another dramatic night, Birmingham’s Shakan Pitters claimed the top prize.

The eight middleweights who will fight it out in search of glory in UB III are:

1. JOE HURN, Clacton, Essex, 10-0-1 (6)
Short Colour: Yellow
Built like a brick, the big puncher from Essex is aiming to blast his way through the fights. Has struggled for opportunities despite being highly rated. This is the type of fighter Ultimate Boxxer will help.

2. TEY-LYNN JONES, Southern Area Champion, Basildon, Essex, 11-1-0 (2)
Short Colour: Blue
Defended his Southern Area title in his last fight and has sparred successfully with likes of world champions Billy Joe Saunders, James DeGale and George Groves. Extremely confident of success and a sworn vegan.

3. DERRICK ‘THE PUNCHING PREACHER’ OSAZE, Peckham, London, 6-0-0 (1)
Short Colour: Grey
Unbeaten in six fights, the Londoner has an unusual background. He as an ordained minister committed to a life of non-violence. He goes by the name of the “Punching Preacher”.

4. GRANT DENNIS, Former Southern Area Champion, Chatham, Kent, 12-1-0 (2)
Short colour: White
The ‘Go Getter’, a former Southern Area Middleweight Champion needed just 48 seconds to score a stunning KO victory in his last fight out. Has been unlucky not to go further with his only loss coming in a British title fight and will be looking at this event as his chance. Coming into the competition as the oldest competitor.

5. KEIRON CONWAY, Northampton, Northamptonshire, 10-0-0 (3)
Short colour: Pink
Tipped as the favourite. This undefeated hot-shot has tasted the high-life after featuring on the an Amir Khan undercard. He is now ready to make his move in the division.

6. JOSH GROOMBRIDGE, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, 7-1-0 (4)
Short Colour: Black
Big support and not to be underestimated. The dark horse who will be seeking a break through as a serious contender. He is a massive character with an enormous following and warns that he is not to be underestimated.

7. SEAN PHILLIPS, Surrey, 6-0
Short Colour: Red
Training out of the famous Peacock gym. The young, unbeaten, 22 year old has been tipped for a bright future under the watchful eye of top trainer Martin Bowers.

8. KAAN HAWES, Witham, Essex, 5-0-1
Short Colour: Green
No losses on his record and relatively unknown. Learnt his trade on the white collar scene after a previous career in professional football. He is an outsider with a big fanbase…Stranger things have happened…

An action packed undercard will see the return of highly-rated and undefeated Light-Heavyweight talent and UB II winner Shakan Pitters and unbeaten super-middleweight prospect Idris Virgo who is out to prove to critics he is more than just a reality star.

Sign Up for exclusive access to discounted presale tickets here: https://ultimateboxxer.com/sign-up/

Tickets will go on general sale at 9am on Wednesday 20th March on ticketmaster.co.uk AXS.com and ultimateboxxer.com priced at:

£30 Balcony Standing (General Admission)
£35 Floor Standing (General Admission)
£55 Upper Balcony Seats
£70 Outer Ringside
£100 Inner Ringside
£200 Kings Row (Padded Balcony seats, separate bar, VIP entrance)

For all VIP & Corporate Packages please contact www.sportandmusic.co.uk




SENZO IKEDA STEPS IN TO FACE DANNY KINGAD AT ONE: A NEW ERA IN TOKYO ON 31 MARCH

18 March 2019 – Tokyo, Japan: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced that Andrew Leone of the United States has withdrawn from his ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix quarter-final bout against Danny “The King” Kingad of the Philippines at ONE: A NEW ERA. The event is set for 31 March at the iconic Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. As a result, Japanese veteran Senzo Ikeda will fill in for Leone to face Kingad.

Ticket information for ONE: A NEW ERA is available at www.onefc.com.

Pancrase Flyweight World Champion Senzo Ikeda has just joined ONE Championship and will take part in the highly-anticipated eight-man ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix which kicks off at ONE: A NEW ERA. He replaces Andrew Leone, who was forced to withdraw due to injury.

Ikeda, who sports a professional mixed martial arts record of 12-6-1, is a former undefeated boxer. He captured the Pancrase Flyweight World Championship with a unanimous decision victory over Mamoru Yamaguchi in August 2017, and is today a veteran of the Japanese martial arts scene. Coming off a sensational fifth-round stoppage victory over fellow ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix entrant Yuya Wakamatsu, Ikeda now seeks to leave a lasting impression in his promotional debut as he takes on Filipino phenom Danny Kingad.

Danny “The King” Kingad, a former ONE World Title challenger and a premier flyweight talent from the famed Team Lakay of Baguio City, owns an impressive professional record of 12-1. A true warrior from the mountains of the Philippines, the 23-year-old dynamo is a tremendous striker who possesses well-rounded grappling skills.

In his most recent bout, “The King” defeated rising Japanese star Tatsumitsu “The Sweeper” Wada by unanimous decision to earn a spot in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix.

ONE: A NEW ERA will feature the best and brightest stars of ONE Championship, including ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang who is set to defend his title against Japanese legend and former ONE World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki in the main event.

Also, there will be a trio of co-main events. ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan will put her belt on the line against ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee. ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang will stake his middleweight crown against Japan’s Ken Hasegawa in a rematch. ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon will defend his championship against former titleholder Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes in a trilogy match.

The rest of the quarter-final bouts of the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix will also be held at ONE: A NEW ERA. Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is set to lock horns with Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu. In another tournament matchup, former ONE Flyweight World Champion Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov will battle former ONE World Title challenger Reece “Lightning” McLaren. Also in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix, Tatsumitsu “The Sweeper” Wada will share the cage with undefeated Brazilian standout Ivanildo Delfino.

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

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and is the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE eSports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia’s largest global eSports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7 billion potential viewers across 138 countries with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, Great Sports, Tencent, and more.




Featherweight Star Carl Frampton Joins Top Rank Stable


(March 17, 2019) —Former two-division world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions have signed a multi-fight promotional pact with Top Rank in what is the latest collaboration between Top Rank, MTK Global and Queensberry Promotions.

Frampton, who will campaign as a featherweight, will bring one of the biggest names in one of boxing’s deepest divisions to ESPN platforms in the United States.

Top Rank, MTK Global, and Queensberry Promotions will announce Frampton’s next fight shortly.

“It’s wonderful news that Carl Frampton has joined us at Top Rank,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He is the epitome of a true warrior, and we are proud to be promoting him as he works toward becoming the featherweight champion of the world once again.”

“It’s an honor for me to be teaming up with Top Rank for what will be the last chapter of my career,” Frampton said. “A credit to my management team, MTK Global, on being able to get me a deal with the biggest boxing promotional company on the planet. It also makes a fight, at some point in the future, with WBO champion Oscar Valdez a real possibility. My goal, at this stage of my career, is still to become a world champion, and I feel I’ll reach my goal with MTK and Bob Arum’s Top Rank in my corner.”

Said Jamie Conlan, Professional Development Manager for MTK Global: “Carl Frampton is one of the most gifted boxers the island of Ireland has ever produced and now he’s has linked up with Top Rank, one of the best promotional companies in the game. This partnership will give Carl fantastic opportunities to showcase his talents on the international stage as well as strengthen his quest to become world champion again. MTK Global are delighted to have been a part of this big move for Carl.”

“I’m delighted that we’ve reached an agreement with Top Rank to co-promote Carl,” Warren said. “The enormous platform offered by ESPN in the USA is the perfect place for Carl to showcase he still has everything to offer at the top level. We fully share Carl’s belief that he can become a world champion again. He showed tremendous heart against Josh Warrington in December, and they could well end up meeting again down the line in a huge unification. UK fans can look forward to watching every step of Carl’s American adventure live on BT Sport.”

Frampton (26-2, 15 KOs) is a 10-year pro who has fought a who’s who of this past generation’s greatest fighters at 122 and 126 pounds. He won the IBF junior featherweight world title over Kiko Martinez in September 2014, defended that belt twice, and then unified with a well-earned split decision victory over Scott Quigg on Feb. 27, 2016. In his next fight, he moved up to featherweight and took Leo Santa Cruz’s unbeaten record away via majority decision. He lost a tightly contested bout to Santa Cruz in the immediate rematch and then reeled off three consecutive wins until his last bout, a unanimous decision defeat to IBF featherweight champion Warrington in one of the best action fights of 2018.

About Top Rank
Innovation has been the standard at Top Rank since it was established in 1966 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed, and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Muhammad Ali, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Aaron Pryor, Alexis Arguello, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales, Terence Crawford, and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Top Rank has promoted some of the most memorable fights in the sport’s history, including 26 Ali events, Leonard vs. Hearns, Pryor vs. Arguello, Duran vs. Leonard, Hagler vs. Hearns, Leonard vs. Hagler, Foreman vs. Holyfield, Morales vs. Barrera, De La Hoya vs. Trinidad, and the most lucrative fight in boxing history, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. In addition to the previously mentioned super fights, Top Rank possesses one of the largest sports libraries, which includes nearly 10,000 fights.

Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors, and television networks, Top Rank has been an architect of boxing’s global growth by staging high-profile events in landmark settings around the world, including Madison Square Garden, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Staples Center, Wembley Arena, Araneta Coliseum, The Venetian Macao, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, The “Fabulous” Forum, and AT&T Stadium. Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans and embracing 21st century technological advancements to distribute world-class fights and shoulder programming across a variety of platforms.

About MTK Global
MTK Global is the world’s foremost fighter management company. Headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, it was founded in September 2012 by two-time European boxing champion, Matthew Macklin.

MTK Global delivers a wide range of support and services including career development, legal, media, endorsements and sponsorships to more than a hundred professional fighters. It provides boxing shows, events and training gyms in various locations worldwide: Marbella, Spain, London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, United Kingdom, Johannesburg, South Africa, Sta. Catarina, Brasil and Sydney, Australia.

For general enquiries, email us at: hello@mtkglobal.com.

About Queensberry Promotions
Queensberry Promotions is the promotional vehicle of Hall of Fame Promoter Frank Warren.

Frank Warren has promoted some of the sport of boxing’s biggest names in his 35+ year career including the likes of Prince Naseem Hamed, Joe Calzaghe, Mike Tyson, Frank Bruno and Ricky Hatton; as well as current stars Tyson Fury, Billy Joe Saunders, Josh Warrington and Carl Frampton.

Some of the events promoted by Frank Warren during his illustrious career include: Frank Bruno v Oliver McCall at Wembley Stadium, David Haye v Dereck Chisora at Upton Park, Ricky Hatton v Kostya Tszyu at Manchester Arena, Prince Naseem Hamed v Kevin Kelley at Madison Square Garden and Joe Calzaghe v Mikkel Kessler at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.




MICHAEL “THE COUNT” BISPING HEADLINES UFC® HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2019 AS FIRST INDUCTEE

Las Vegas ­– UFC® today announced that former UFC middleweight champion and winner of season three of The Ultimate Fighter®, Michael Bisping, will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Modern Wing’ as a member of the class of 2019. The 2019 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires®, will take place on Friday, July 5 in Las Vegas. The event will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

“It’s hard to have the level of talent needed to compete in UFC for any amount of time, but Michael Bisping was able to have an 11-year career where he became a world champion and won The Ultimate Fighter, not many people can say that,” UFC President Dana White said. “He also came back and coached The Ultimate Fighter and is now one of the best analysts on our broadcast team. Michael has been a huge part of not only building our brand, but also the sport of mixed martial arts. He absolutely deserves to be in the UFC Hall of Fame. Congratulations.”

Bisping, the first British fighter to become a UFC champion, will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as a member of the Modern Wing, joining Forrest Griffin (2013), BJ Penn (2015), Urijah Faber (2017) and Ronda Rousey (2018). The “Modern Era” category includes athletes who turned pro on or after November 17, 2000 (when the rules of mixed martial arts were adopted), are a minimum age of 35, or have been retired for one year or more.

A veteran of 40 professional fights during his 13-year career, Bisping compiled a record of 31-9, while capturing the UFC middleweight title, as well as the Cage Warriors, and Cage Rage light heavyweight titles. During his impressive career, Bisping earned notable victories over UFC Hall of Famer Dan Henderson, former UFC middleweight champions Anderson Silva and Luke Rockhold, former Strikeforce® middleweight champion Cung Le, former WEC® light heavyweight champion Brian Stann, and former WEC middleweight champion Chris Leben.

Following impressive stints with Cage Warriors and Cage Rage, Bisping entered the third installment of UFC’s The Ultimate Fighter: Team Ortiz vs. Team Shamrock, with a 10-0 record in 2006. Bisping breezed through his first two fights on the show, dispatching each opponent with first round stoppages, before finishing Josh Hayes via second round TKO to win the light heavyweight tournament. Bisping began his post-TUF career at UFC® 66: LIDDELL vs. ORTIZ, on December 30, 2006, defeating Eric Schafer via first-round TKO.

In 2011, Bisping would return to The Ultimate Fighter as a coach for season 14 against Jason Miller, while training featherweights and bantamweights in The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller. Bisping defeated Miller via TKO in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller Finale.

During his remarkable tenure inside the world-famous Octagon®, “The Count”, complete with his trademark entrance music, “Song 2” by Blur, would become a global fan favorite, registering a 20-9 record in UFC, which included capturing the UFC middleweight title by defeating Luke Rockhold at UFC® 199: ROCKHOLD vs. BISPING 2 in June 2016. Having lost to Rockhold in 2014, Bisping took the fight as the main event’s second replacement, on 17 days’ notice, winning the contest via strikes in the first round.

Bisping enters the UFC Hall of Fame with an impressive resume that includes:

16 wins as a UFC middleweight – most in UFC history

20 wins – Tied for 2nd in UFC history

29 total fights – Tied for 3rd most in UFC history

5:15:15 of time inside the Octagon – most by a middleweight in UFC history

1,384 significant strikes as a middleweight – most in the history of the middleweight division

1,567 total significant strikes – 2nd in UFC history (Max Holloway – 1,627)

1 of 8 TUF winners to become an undisputed UFC champion

The only UFC athlete in UFC history to win a season of The Ultimate Fighter and become a UFC champion that also successfully defended their title

1 of 4 UFC athletes to land 100 or more significant strikes in five different fights (TJ Dillashaw, Max Holloway, Joanna Jedrzejczyk)

Headlined UFC events in seven different countries – most in UFC history
A native of Manchester, England, Bisping began training jiu-jitsu at the age of eight. At the age of 15, he competed as an amateur in Britain’s first “no holds barred” competition, a precursor to modern MMA. Outside the Octagon, Bisping has become an accomplished combat sports analyst and commentator for UFC, as well as a successful entrepreneur as a stakeholder in UFC GYM – Costa Mesa and UFC UK. He has also excelled as an actor with roles / cameos in Den of Thieves; XXX: Return of Zander Cage; My Name is Lenny; and Triple Threat. He lives with his wife and three children in Orange County, CA.

The remaining inductees of the UFC Hall of Fame class of 2019 will be announced in the coming weeks leading to the 8th Annual UFC International Fight Week ™, taking place from Wednesday, July 3 – Sunday, July 7 in Las Vegas. To view Bisping’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://www.ufc.tv/category/ufc-hall-of-fame-michael-bisping-2019.

To view the Hall of Fame fight library, please visit UFCHOF. To see a complete list of UFC athletes and fights enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame, as well as details regarding the UFC Hall of Fame format, please visit UFCHOFFAQ. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.

About UFC®
UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts more than 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME| IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to more than 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram: @UFC.




Weigh-In Results: Conlan-Hernandez, Collazo-Vargas and Barnes-Mojica


ESPN+ (6 p.m. ET)

Michael Conlan 125.8 lbs vs. Ruben Garcia Hernandez 124.6 lbs
(Conlan’s WBO Intercontinental featherweight title – 10 Rounds)

Luis Collazo 146 lbs vs. Samuel Vargas 146.2 lbs
(Welterweight – 10 Rounds)

Paddy Barnes 119.8 lbs vs. Oscar Mojica 118 lbs
(Bantamweight – 6 Rounds)

ESPN+ (3 p.m. ET)

Josue Vargas 141.2 lbs vs. Adriano Ramirez 141 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 8 Rounds)

John Bauza 138.2 lbs vs. Ricardo Maldonado 139.6 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 6 Rounds)

Vladimir Nikitin 125.8 lbs vs. Juan Tapia 125 lbs
(Featherweight – 6 Rounds)

Joseph Adorno 133.8 lbs vs. Victor Rosas 132.8 lbs
(Lightweight – 6 Rounds)

Lee Reeves 140.6 lbs vs. Eduardo Torres 141.4
(Super Lightweight – 4 Rounds)
For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Use the hashtags #ConlanHernandez and #TheConlanRevolution to join the conversation on social media.




Kendrick Ball, Jr. crowned New England middleweight champion

WORCESTER, Mass. (March 16, 2019) – A perfect storm struck last night at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. In the “Every Man for Himself” main event, hometown favorite Kendrick “Peppa” Ball, Jr. headlined his first show at home, in which his cousin, Owen Minor, made his pro debut, all topped by Ball capturing the vacant New England middleweight title.

Ball (12-1-2, 8 KOs) used his height and reach advantage, effectively jabbing and mixing in some powerful body shots, to win a unanimous six-round unanimous decision over Danny “Feel Good Hollywood” Rosenberger (4-7-4, 1 KO).

“Everything turned out great for me,” Ball said after the comment. “I started using by jab in three first round and he couldn’t do anything against it. I wanted to knock him out, but I figured why rush it. He’s as tough kid. I should have gone to the body more.

“It feels to have this belt. I feel like I’ve been the best middleweight in New England for a long time. I dictated the pace of the fight and did my job.”

“Every Man for Himself” was the inaugural event presented by Shearns Boxing Promotions (SBP). “I feel like it was a success,” promoter Chuck Shearns reported. “I’m happy. The fights were good. The crowed enjoyed it and that’s most important. We’ll be coming right back June 14 (at the Worcester Palladium) with our friends from Rivera Promotions and Entertainment. Jose Antonio Rivera will be in his 50th pro fight.”

In the co-featured event, Southbridge, MA welterweight Wilfredo “El Sucaro: Pagan (6-0, 3 KOs) kept his unblemished record intact, out-boxing upset-minded Peruvian puncher Carlos Galindo (1-8) en route to a win by way of a four-round unanimous decision.

Former decorated amateur Minor (pictured to the right) didn’t disappoint his hometown fans in his long-awaited professional debut, dominating his opponent, Corey Morley (0-3-1), until referee Jackie Morrell waved off the action in round three for a technical knockout.

“This was great,” Minor remarked after the fight. “Fighting at home in front of my kids and friends and winning by knockout, it doesn’t get better than that, so I’m very happy. It’s been four years since I fought so there was some rust. It’s just going to keep getting better.”

Bridgeport, CT light weight Carlos Marrera III (1-2-1) earned his first win as a pro, taking a four-round unanimous decision from Edwin Rosado (1-9-1, 1 KO) in the most competitive fight of the night.

Worcester cruiserweight Jake Paradise (1-2, 1 KO) entertained his hometown fans, overcoming a legitimate first-round knockout to stop Francisco Artri Neto (0-3) in the second frame, the result of a lethal right to the body.

Fighting for the first time in 3 ½ years, Providence light heavyweight Angel Camacho, Jr. (16-0, 5 KOs) worked off some rust against journeyman Larry “Slomoshun” Smith (10-40-1, 7 KOs), of Dallas, who despite being a late replacement, extended Camacho the full six-rounds, albeit it losing a unanimous decision.

In the opening bout of the night, New Haven (CT) welterweight Anuel “Tsunami” Rosa improved to 2-0 (2 KOs) when referee Morrell halted the fight in the third round, because Danny Morales (0-8) had endured too much punishment. Rosa dropped Morales at the end of the first round, severely bloodying his opponent’s nose during the second round.

Official results below:

MAIN EVENT – VACANT NEW ENGLAND MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Kendrick Ball, Jr. (12-2-2, 8 KOs), Worcester, MA
WDEC6 (60-54, 60-54, 59-55)
Danny Rosenberger (4-7-4, 1 KO), Youngstown, OH
(Ball won New England middleweight title)

CO-FEATURE – WELTERWEIGHTS
Wilfredo Pagan (6-0, 3 KOs), Southbridge, MA
WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 38-37)
Carlos Galindo (1-8), Woburn, MA by way of Peru

HEAVYWEIGHTS
Owen Minor (1-0, 1 KO), Worcester, MA
WTKO3 (0:44)
Corey Morley (0-3-1), Philadelphia, PA

CRUISERWEIGHTS (4)
Jake Paradise (1-2,1 KO), Worcester, MA
WKO2 (0:48)
Francisco Artri Neto (0-3), Woburn, MA

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Angel Camacho, Jr. (16-0, 5 KOs), Providence, RI
WDEC6 (60-54, 59-55, 59-55)
Larry Smith (10-40-1, 7 KOs), Dallas, TX

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS (4)
Anuel Rosa (2-0, 2 KOs), New Haven, CT
WTKO3 (2:54)
Danny Morales (0-8), Bronx, NY

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Carlos Marrero III (1-2-1), Bridgeport, CT
WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 40-36)
Edwin Rosado (1-9-1, 1 kO), Worcester, MA

Event sponsors included Lundgren Collision, Tecate, Grill 57, Worcester Railers, Worcester Red Sox, Palley Advertising, and Allstate Insurance.

INFORMATION:

Facebook.com/ShearnsBoxingPromotions

Twitter: @ShearnsBoxing




Michael Conlan Ready for Another St. Patrick’s Day Garden Party

NEW YORK CITY (March 15, 2019) – For the third consecutive year, Michael “Mick” Conlan is ready to crash the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden for a St. Patrick’s Day extravaganza.

Conlan (10-0, 7 KOs) will defend his WBO Intercontinental featherweight strap against Ruben Garcia Hernandez (24-3-2, 10 KOs) on Sunday in a 10-rounder in the special attraction. In the welterweight main event, Brooklyn native and former welterweight world champion Luis Collazo (38-7, 20 KOs) will face Samuel Vargas (30-4-2, 14 KOs) in a 10-rounder. And, in a six-round bantamweight bout with some Irish flare, two-time Irish Olympic bronze medalist Paddy Barnes (5-1, 1 KO) will fight Oscar Mojica (11-5-1, 1 KO).

Conlan-Hernandez, Collazo-Vargas, and Barnes-Mojica will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 6 p.m. ET. The undercard, including appearances by top prospects Joseph Adorno, Josue Vargas, John Bauza, Lee Reeves, and former Conlan Olympic nemesis Vladimir Nikitin will stream on ESPN+ starting at 3 p.m. ET.

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

Michael Conlan

“It means the world for me to be fighting at Madison Square Garden, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a special day for me and my country. For me to come here and represent and kind of shine the light for Irish people on St. Patrick’s Day, it’s very, very important.”

“I think this is a big year for me. I want this to be my breakout year. Each fight now is very, very important. Every fight is more important than the last. I feel this year could set me up for a huge world title fight next year, or maybe even later this year, which would be fantastic. I feel my progress has been fantastic over the last four years, so I’ve been steadily going up {the rankings}.”

“St. Patrick’s Day is normally a crazy day, but when you have an Irish guy fighting at Madison Square Garden, it makes it even more special.”

Ruben Garcia Hernandez

“I feel very happy for the opportunity. I have never fought here before. I know it’s a big opportunity, and I’m going to give it my all.”

“We know it’s going to be a tough challenge because a lot of people are going to be supporting him. I’m not going to be thinking about that. In the ring, I’m just going to focus on beating him and winning the fight.”

Luis Collazo

In response to Vargas saying this will be an “easy” fight

“He’s going to see ‘easy’ on Sunday. I’m not one to talk much, but when I get in that ring, I’m totally a different character. I’m a straight beast. Whether {it’s in} victory or defeat, I’m coming. I’m bringing it.”

On his motivation at this point of his career

“I believe I’m living my purpose right now. The things I’ve been through in boxing, a lot of fighters wouldn’t deal with. It fuels my passion. I’ve had some rough roads. You know what, at the end of the day, this is what I was called to do. I love it. I just like inspiring those that always have been counted out, like myself. I’m still able to do it and perform at my best and give the fans what they want, which is excitement.”

“This fight is first. This is what I’m focused first on. I’ll get this victory and take it from there.”

Samuel Vargas

“Luis Collazo is a guy who has been in there with veterans, Shane Mosley, a lot of world champions. He brings a lot to the table, a lot of experience, and we gotta be a cautious, smart, efficient fighter, and do what we do best.”

“I want to make a statement. I’ve been in there before with great world champions. This time around, I feel like I’ve learned so much being in the ring. This camp has been amazing in LA. I’m really looking forward to making a statement and winning easily.”

Paddy Barnes

“I’m so overwhelmed that I’m getting a chance to fight in this great arena. Two months ago, I was slated to fight in the UK on the 8th of March. Then I got a call to say I was fighting on this bill, and I was overwhelmed. I’m still pinching myself, and I can’t wait for the opportunity.”

“We lost our last fight, which was for the WBC {flyweight} world title. I’m now fighting on ESPN+, which is a massive platform to showcase my skills. I’m sure all the fans will get behind me because my style is all action. It’s going to be a good night.”

ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET

Michael Conlan vs. Ruben Garcia Hernandez, 10 rounds, Conlan’s WBO Intercontinental featherweight title

Luis Collazo vs. Samuel Vargas, 10 rounds, welterweight

Paddy Barnes vs. Oscar Mojica, 6 rounds, bantamweight

ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET

Josue Vargas vs. Adriano Ramirez, 8 rounds, super lightweight

John Bauza vs. Ricardo Maldonado, 6 rounds, super lightweight

Vladimir Nikitin vs. Juan Tapia, 6 rounds, featherweight

Joseph Adorno. vs. Victor Rosas, 6 rounds, lightweight

Lee Reeves vs. Eduardo Torres, 4 rounds, super lightweight

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets for St. Conlan’s Evening priced at $206, $156, $106, $81, $56, and $31 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at ticketmaster.com and MSG.com.

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

Use the hashtags #ConlanHernandez and #TheConlanRevolution to join the conversation on social media.




HAYWOOD RESIGNED FROM DAY JOB TO TAKE CHALLENGER CHALLENGE

KYLE HAYWOOD WAS not about to let the opportunity of fighting on BT Sport for the vacant Midlands Area title against CJ Challenger pass him by without giving it his undivided attention.

For the 27-year-old from Leicester, who faces fellow local lad Challenger for the super welterweight strap at the Morningside Arena next Saturday (March 23), this included giving up the day job to focus fully on putting one over a home city rival.

When he first got wind of his big TV break, Haywood decided he needed to devote himself fully to the job in hand and resign his employment as a joiner.

“I’ve been a pro for two years now and I’ve worked full-time over that period as a bench joiner,” reported the 5ft 9″ southpaw. “When I found out about this fight I handed in my notice.

“You could say it was a brave move but, for me, jobs can come and go but opportunities like this don’t always come about. I thought ‘this is it’, handed my notice in and we will see what happens.

“I’m in a great place now, the best I have ever been physically, mentally, everything.”

Local bragging rights are on the line as well as Midlands Area honours on the night and Haywood is not unfamiliar with his Leicester adversary. While not friends, they did belong to aligned amateur clubs and know each other from the boxing circuit.

Now the Leicester Two will be shoved into the national spotlight and Haywood is naturally enthused by the prospect.

“Yeah man, we’re both from a similar sort of area and we are both Leicester lads so, with Frank Warren putting on a show in Leicester, it will be about bragging rights – who is the best in Leicester?

“We are both unbeaten and it is a first real test for both of us. We both want to make a name for ourselves in professional boxing, so whoever wins this one will be propelled for future fights.

“We’ve both had learning fights and it will be the first time we have faced opposition with a winning record,” added the Carl Greaves-trained prospect, who went to reveal that the fight has caused quite a stir amongst the local population.

“It has been mad, with people ringing and texting me, it has been all over social media and some of the lads I know he knows as well. He went to school with my younger brother as well, so everyone is hyped for it.

“It has not been a struggle to sell tickets, put it that way.

“I think he is similar to me in that he is not a trash talker and is not going to try and say things about me. I wouldn’t say things about him, so it is quite tame on that side of things. It is a fight that sells itself and, around our area, it is one that everyone is talking about.

“It is brilliant, I still can’t believe it now and have to pinch myself. Looking back to when I turned professional, Frank Warren wasn’t really putting shows on in Leicester, but it has built up over the last couple of years and boxing in Leicester is taking off with some good fighters here now.

“Now I’ve got a TV slot and it is mad. It literally couldn’t get any better.”

CJ Challenger v Kyle Haywood for the vacant Midlands Area super welterweight title takes place at the Morningside Arena in Leicester on March 23 in support of the British super featherweight title clash between the champion Sam Bowen from Ibstock and the Scot Jordan McCorry.

Tickets are available from £40 are on sale NOW via Eventbrite




CARROLL: THIS IS WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF


Jono Carroll says his clash with IBF World Super-Featherweight champion Tevin Farmer is a dream come true as they meet tonight at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW PRICED FROM $40 FROM THE LIACORAS CENTER WEBSITE

Carroll (16-0-1 3 KOs) fights in his first World title bout against the Philly ace (28-4-1 6 KOs) who defends his title for a quickfire third time in five months.

A tense fight week comes to a head tonight in Farmer’s hometown, with the pair passing their IBF check-weigh this morning, champion scaling 138.7lbs and the challenger 138.5lbs in what he calls a ‘life changing’ title shot.

The unbeaten Irishman says he couldn’t have scripted a better scenario for a World title fight just two days before St Patrick’s Day, and having said he’s ‘rattled’ the champion in the build-up, he also believes that Farmer may have underestimated him following his draw against Guillaume Frenois in his last fight in December.

“This is what dreams are made of – topping a bill in America for a World title on St Patrick’s Day weekend,” said Carroll. “This changes my family’s life forever. I always come to bring the fight, I wear my heart on my sleeve so every time I am in that ring you get the purest me.

“I hope that people are sleeping on me because of that last fight, when you become number one in the world and you fight for a world title, people are going to watch you – and they want to be entertained to boot, and I bring that extra bit of entertainment with me as they don’t know what I am going to do next, they can’t know because I don’t know!

“No disrespect to Tevin, but I think he’s a boring fighter, whereas I come to bring the fight, so it’s a perfect gel of styles, and styles make fights. If you get someone that’s just going to stand there and let him dictate it’ll be boring, but I bring it and I’m a big believer in law of attraction and that’s why we’re here.

“I don’t know why Tevin and I started to have beef, one thing just led to another and it escalated. Any man that fights for a World title you have to respect – and he’s a World champion defending his title for the third time. You cannot take anything away from him and you have to respect what he’s done in the sport, and he’s done it the hard way.

“I have to be smart in there and show that there’s a lot to my game too. I cannot be a one-trick pony that just comes forward, and I am not that anyway. My Dad always told me that you cannot be one-styled as a fighter because someone will come along that has the formula to beat that style. There are times in there where I’ll have to be smart, times I will need to stand and fight, there’s loads of things that I will need to do, but I know I am capable of doing them and I feel that this shot has come at the right time.

“I didn’t box to my ability against Frenois, but things happen for a reason, I take it as a blessing. I did a lot wrong in the fight, I planned to box him and be smart and did that for the first five rounds, perfectly, but then I caught him with a big shot that rocked him and I thought ‘now I am going to take him out’ so I started throwing bombs as I thought i could hurt him any time.

“So instead of sticking to the gameplan I started throwing big shots and that drained me, it was stupid and not what I’m capable of. I wasn’t up to scratch and maybe I looked past him a little bit and his experience showed as he came on strong in the latter rounds. It was a lesson, it showed me that I just cannot roll over people at World level, he’s a tough man and he could bang.”

Carroll’s clash with Farmer is part of a huge night of action in Philadelphia as Irish sensation Katie Taylor (12-0 5 KOs) looks to unify the Lightweight division once again, putting her IBF and WBA straps on the line against Brazil’s WBO champion Rose Volante (14-0 8 KOs).

Philadelphia Middleweight warrior Gabriel Rosado (24-11-1 14 KOs) faces Poland’s Maciej Sulecki (27-1 11 KOs) for the WBO International title and a likely World title shot at Demetrius Andrade, Philly Lightweight’s Hank Lundy (29-7-1 14 KOs) and Avery Sparrow (9-1 3 KOs) battle for local pride, Olympic gold medal pair Luke Campbell MBE (19-2 15 KOs) and Daniyar Yeleussinov (5-0 3 KOs) and silver medalist John Joe Nevin (11-0 4 KOs) taste their first action of 2019, unbeaten Super-Middleweight D’Mitrius Ballard (19-0 12 KOs) faces Victor Fonseca (17-9-1 14 KOs) while exciting New Jersey amateur star Raymond Ford makes his pro debut.




DUBOIS HEADING TO WEMBLEY

QUEENSBERRY PROMOTIONS ARE delighted to announce that hot on the heels of his exciting knockout of former world title challenger Razvan Cojanu, Daniel Dubois will be headlining on April 27 at the SSE Arena, Wembley, live on BT Sport on a card that features a wealth of exciting up and coming talent.

Dubois (10-0 9KOs) will be facing off with his toughest opponent yet in WBO number 14 ranked Richard Lartey (14-1 11KOs).

The 21-year-old from Greenwich added a fourth belt to his collection at the Royal Albert Hall last week when he won the WBO European title, to compliment the WBC world Youth, Southern Area and English title honours already in his possession. It is expected that a win over Lartey will see Dubois break into the WBO’s top 10 heavyweight rankings.

Unbeaten New Malden super middleweight Lerrone Richards (11-0) will face his sternest test to date when he takes on former British and Commonwealth middleweight champion Tommy Langford (21-3) for the vacant Commonwealth super middleweight championship and WBO International Championship.

In his first contest since his unanimous decision win over Ohara Davies last year, unbeaten WBO number one ranked super lightweight Jack Catterall (23-0) will also return on the card. Catterall will feature in a 10 round contest before he goes on to face world champion Maurice Hooker later this year as mandatory challenger.

Sunny Edwards (10-0) also returns and will defend his WBO European Super-Flyweight Championship. The fledgling career of 23-year-old from Croydon – who trains in Sheffield – is on a genuine upward trajectory following fine wins over Ryan Farrag and Junior Granados in his last two fights and he is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the flyweight or super flyweight ranks.

Exciting Fulham super middleweight Zak Chelli (5-0) will be involved in his first title fight, taking on Jimmy Smith (7-1) for the Southern Area Championship.

Dubois’ win over Cojanu was a statement performance from the big-hitting young heavyweight against an opponent who had previously extended both Joseph Parker and Nathan Gorman the full 12 rounds.

The Martin Bowers trained heavyweight hitter was assured by his promoter Frank Warren that he will be kept busy in order to build towards a blockbuster domestic clash against the Ricky Hatton-trained Gorman towards the end of the year.

Dubois, who will fight for the first time at Wembley, is happy to be back in action just over a month after his last success.

“When Frank said I would be kept busy and would keep stepping up my progression it was music to my ears,” said the 10-0 star with nine KOs to his name.

“I was pleased with my last fight and with how I got the job done and I think you could see the improvements I have made since fighting Kevin Johnson.

“I want to continue being tested and showing people what I am all about. Lartey is a good opponent for me and will bring something different to what I have encountered before.

“He is a dangerous fighter but, as always, how the fight plays out will come down to what I bring on the night and I am confident I have got what it takes to pass this latest test put in front of me.

“I am looking forward to fighting at Wembley because, like the Royal Albert Hall, it is a place where the great British heavyweights of the past have been showcased and I hope the public get behind me in the same way they did last Friday because it made it an even more special night for me.”

Promoter Frank Warren added: “It is all about building a real momentum with Daniel because he is not a long way off the top fighters in the heavyweight division.

“As I have said already, we will keep him very busy and carry on stepping up the levels. Lartey has got ambitions of his own and there is no doubt he will be coming to win and make a statement of his own.

“His only defeat was due to an injury-enforced retirement over four years ago and he has built a pretty formidable record – so we should be in for an explosive encounter on the night.

“People are really starting to sit up and take notice of Daniel now and it was pleasing to see how the fans really got behind him at the Royal Albert Hall last week. I fully expect this to continue at Wembley and we are putting together another top night of boxing.

“British boxing is going through a transitional phase right now with a lot of top fighters retiring, leaving the door open to build the stars of tomorrow, give them a chance to shine and give them greater exposure. We’ll be setting up the arena for 6 thousand just like I did in the early days of Ricky Hatton in Manchester, slowly building big ticket sellers. We want to make these London venues the homes of the exciting young local talent we have coming through.”

14-0 WBO European Super Featherweight Champion Archie Sharp will also return to action after being forced out of the recent Royal Albert Hall show with injury. Rangy Super Welterweight talent Hamzah Sheeraz will be back out after his impressive win over Rod Douglas Jnr. Hard hitting middleweight and Peacock gym product Denzel Bentley (9-0) and Belfast amateur middleweight star Caoimhin Agyarko will also return to action. There are Queensberry debuts for unbeaten welterweight Chris Kongo (10-0) and Sheffield middleweight Shakiel Thompson (2-0) – with Thompson being tipped by sparring partner Billy Joe Saunders as a star for the future. Ilford Super Middleweight Umar Sadiq (4-1) also returns as he looks to rebuild after his first career loss. Tunde Ajayi trained lightweight Bilal Ali (1-0) will have his second professional fight after making a successful start to his pro career.

Tickets will be priced as £40, £50, £75, £100 and £150 and are now ON SALE to purchase via Eventim, Ticketmaster, the SSE Arena website and AXS.com.




Ticket Alert: Lafayette show tickets go on sale today!

Don’t miss the WBSS Super-Lightweight and Bantamweight Semi-Finals – Regis Prograis vs Kiryl Relikh and Nonito Donaire vs Zolani Tete – at the Cajundome in Lafayette, USA on April 27.

Tickets priced from $25 go on sale at 10am CDT today (Friday, March 15).

Tickets will be available from TicketMaster.com here.

Ticket Price Bands:
Cat.1 Ringside – $400
Cat.2 Floor – $100
Cat.3 Lower Tier (centre) – $60
Cat.4 Lower Tier (corner) – $50
Cat.5 Upper Tier – $25

The magnificent doubleheader opens the semi-finals stage the World Boxing Super Series and the quest for the Muhammad Ali Trophy in the 140lb and 118lb edition of the tournament.

American and New Orleans native Regis Prograis (23-0, 19 KOs) faces Belarusian Kiryl Relikh (23-2, 19 KOs), who is training in Miami, in a super-lightweight semi-final and American-Philippine Nonito Donaire (39-5, 25 KOs) meets South African Zolani Tete (28-3, 21 KOs) in a bantamweight semi-final.

Join the Lafayette event on Facebook here!

A ticketing update on the Glasgow show will be made in the coming days.
Buy Lafayette Tickets!




“EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF” WEIGHTS FROM WORCESTER, MA

WORCESTER, Mass. (March 14, 2019) — The official weigh in was held today at Grille 57 for tomorrow night’s “Every Man for Himself” show, presented by Shearns Boxing Promotions (SBP), at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Fighters’ weights are listed below:

MAIN EVENT – VACANT NEW ENGLAND MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (6)
Kendrick Ball, Jr. (11-2-2, 8 KOs), Worcester, MA 161 lbs.
Danny Rosenberger (4-6-4, 1 KO), Youngstown, OH 160 lbs.

CO-FEATURE – WELTERWEIGHTS (4)
Wilfredo Pagan (5-0, 3 KOs), Southbridge, MA 145 lbs.
Carlos Galindo (1-7), Woburn, MA by way of Peru 150 lbs.

HEAVYWEIGHTS (4)
Owen Minor (pro debut), Worcester, MA 232 lbs.
Corey Morley (0-2-1), Philadelphia, PA 279 lbs.

LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)
Edwin Rosado (1-8-1, 1 kO), Worcester, MA 136 lbs.
Carlos Marrero III (0-2-1), Bridgeport, CT 133.4 lbs.

CRUISERWEIGHTS (4)
Jake Paradise (0-2), Worcester, MA 199 lbs.
Francisco Artri Neto (0-2), Woburn, MA 190 lbs.

WELTERWEIGHTS (4)
Anuel Rosa (1-0, 1 KO), New Haven, CT 139 lbs.
Danny Morales (0-7), Bronx, NY 147 lbs.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS (6)
Angel Camacho, Jr. (15-0, 5 KOs), Providence, RI 171 lbs.
Larry Smith (10-39-1, 7 KOs), Dallas, TX (tomorrow)

(ALL FIGHTS & FIGHTERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Tickets are priced at $50.00 and $25.00 and available to purchase at www.thepalladium.netor fight night at the box office.

Doors open at 6 p.m. PT, first bout 7:00 p.m.

Event sponsors include Lundgren Collision, Tecate, Grill 57, Worcester Railers, Worcester Red Sox, Palley Advertising, and Allstate Insurance.

INFORMATION:

Facebook.com/ShearnsBoxingPromotions

Twitter: @ShearnsBoxing




ROSADO: DAZN IS HEAVEN FOR THE MIDDLEWEIGHTS!


Gabriel Rosado is gunning for a meeting with WBO World champion Demetrius Andrade as he prepares to face Maciej Sulecki on Friday night (March 15) at the Liacouras Center, Philadelphia live on DAZN in the US and Sky Sports in the UK.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW PRICED FROM $40 FROM THE LIACORAS CENTER WEBSITE

Rosado (24-11-1 14 KOs) is back in action following his closely fought draw with Luis Arias in Mulvane, Kansas in November – another contentious fight for the Philly favorite who will now be chasing a third World title shot in his first fight on home turf in seven years.

Sulecki (27-1 11 KOs) is hunting a first World title shot having returned to winning ways in November with a second round stoppage of Jean Michel Hamilcaro in his native Poland. The 29 year old gave Daniel Jacobs a stern test in April before the Brooklyn man moved on to become a two-weight World ruler, and Sulecki will believe that experience will serve him against Rosado.

WBO ruler Andrade defended his title live on DAZN in January against Artur Akavov at Madison Square Garden in New York and will be ringside tomorrow night, and the streaming giants rubber-stamped their status as the home of the elite Middleweights by adding Kazakh star Gennady Golovkin to the phenomenal roster of 160lbers, with Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs clashing in a unification blockbuster on DAZN on May 4 in Las Vegas.

“DAZN is the place to be as a Middleweight – it’s nuts,” said Rosado. “It’s a fun time to be at 160lbs and DAZN where its at. It’s taken a UK promoter to come to Philadelphia and make this happen, but it’s dope. I dig what Eddie Hearn is doing. He’s young, he understands the business, how things work and it’s fun fighting on Eddie’s cards.

“I’m in a great situation with this fight. Everyone had me winning the fight with Arias, that’s why Eddie Hearn gave me this shot against Maciej. He’s a World class fighter, he comes to fight with a high volume of punches, I thought he gave Jacobs a great fight, I scored it 7-5 and it was close. His style of fighting and competitive nature is going to bring the best out of me, there’s going to come a time in the fight where it’s going to be a battle of wills – and he’s not going to out-will me in my backyard, in front of my family – that’s not happening.

“This card is lit and this is a really good fight. It’s my first time in seven years that I am fighting in Philly so I am really excited about that, when I fight in my home town, I turn up. Going into the Arias fight I had been off for a year and only had a five week camp. I did what I did from just being a vet. But now I am coming in off the fight in November, we have a flow going, the camp started right away and everything has been smooth. I am capable of putting my foot on the gas and sitting on my shots in this fight.”

Rosado’s clash with Sulecki is part of a huge night of action in Philadelphia on St Patrick’s weekend topped by a World title double-header as Philly’s Tevin Farmer (28-4-1 6 KOs) comes home to defend his IBF Super-Featherweight title against Ireland’s Jono Carroll (16-0-1 3 KOs), and Irish sensation Katie Taylor (12-0 5 KOs) looks to unify the Lightweight division once again, putting her IBF and WBA straps on the line against Brazil’s WBO champion Rose Volante (14-0 8 KOs).

Philly Lightweight’s Hank Lundy (29-7-1 14 KOs) and Avery Sparrow (9-1 3 KOs) battle for local pride, Olympic gold medal pair Luke Campbell MBE (19-2 15 KOs) and Daniyar Yeleussinov (5-0 3 KOs) and silver medalist John Joe Nevin (11-0 4 KOs) taste their first action of 2019, unbeaten Super-Middleweight D’Mitrius Ballard (19-0 12 KOs) faces Victor Fonseca (17-9-1 14 KOs) while exciting New Jersey amateur star Raymond Ford makes his pro debut.




WEIGHTS, RUNNING ORDER AND IMAGES FROM PHILADELPHIA

DOORS OPEN 5PM, FIRST BELL 5.15PM

10 x 3 mins Super-Middleweight contest
D’Mitrius Ballard 162.7lbs v Victor Fonseca 167.4lbs
Temple Hills, Maryland Tijuana, Mexico

10 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
Hank Lundy 134.4lbs v Avery Sparrow 134.1lbs
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

LIVE ON DAZN 7pm ET

8 x 3 mins Welterweight contest
Daniyar Yeleussinov 148.2lbs v Silverio Ortiz 150.8lbs
Berezino, Kazakhstan Merida, Mexico

4 x 3 mins Super-Featherweight contest
Raymond Ford 127.4lbs v Weusi Johnson 128.1lbs
Camden, New Jersey Wilmington, Delaware

10 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
Luke Campbell MBE 137.8lbs v Adrian Yung 138.1lbs
Hull, England Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico

WORLD FEED 9:00 PM ET

10 x 3 mins WBO International Middleweight championship
Gabe Rosado 159.5lbs v Maciej Sulecki 159.6lbs
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Warsaw, Poland

10 x 2 mins WBA, IBF and WBO World Lightweight championships
Katie Taylor 133.9lbs v Rose Volante 133.2lbs
Bray, Ireland Sao Paulo, Brazil

12 x 3 mins IBF World Super-Featherweight championship
Tevin Farmer 129.7lbs v Jono Carroll 129.2lbs
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Hometown: Dublin, Ireland

FLOAT 6 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
John Joe Nevin 132.8lbs v Andres Figueroa 133.5lbs
Mullingar, Ireland Bogota, Colombia




FORMER WBC WOMEN’S CHAMPION MIA ST.JOHN CONFIRMED FOR 5TH ANNUAL BOX FAN EXPO, DURING CINCO DE MAYO WEEKEND, SATURDAY MAY 4, IN LAS VEGAS


Las Vegas (March 14, 2019) – Former WBC women’s champion Mia St. John has confirmed that she will appear, have a booth and hold a Meet & Greet with her fans at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the 5th Annual Box Fan Expo on Saturday May 4, 2019 from 10a.m to 5pm, during Cinco De Mayo weekend. The Boxing Expo will also coincide with the highly anticipated fight between Canelo Alvarez vs Danny Jacobs, that will take place later that evening at the T-Mobile Arena.

St.John will appear for the 5th time at this years’ Expo, and will be signing gloves, photos, personal items and memorabilia. St.John will also have merchandise to sell for fans to enjoy. Boxing Fans will also have an opportunity to take pictures with this boxing woman icon also known as “The Knockout”.

St. John is one of the most decorated and famous female professional boxers of all-time. She is the former WBC, IFBA and IBA world champion who gained popularity by appearing on some of the biggest undercards in boxing history that were headlined by Oscar De La Hoya. She also has appeared on the cover of Playboy and appeared on many of the popular talk shows all over the world. On top of that, St. John has done countless charity work, creating the non-profit “El Saber Es Poder” Foundation, which assists Latino-dominant schools in the U.S. St. John and her mother, Maria Rosales, visited schools to stress the importance of family, education, self-empowerment and voting. St.John also has a mental health and homeless program for young adults in honour of her son, that has be been running for the last 4 years. Visit http://miastjohnfoundation.org/ for more info.

St.John joins Juan Manuel Marquez, Vinny Paz, Devin Haney, Earnie Shavers, Al Bernstein, Michael Spinks, WBC, Erik Morales, James Toney and Jessie Vargas as an early commitment to this year’s Box Fan Expo.

About Box Fan Expo
Box Fan Expo is the ultimate boxing fan experience event, which allows fans to meet-and-greet boxing superstars of today, current and former world champions, legends of the sport and other boxing celebrities. Fans can expect to experience various interactions such as autograph and photos sessions, FaceOff with your favorite boxers, pictures with the Ring Card Girls, Live DJ Music, chance to win prizes, purchase merchandise and memorabilia from different booths Exhibitors, “ALL UNDER ONE ROOF”. You won’t want to miss this must-attend Expo!

Box Fan Expo has been a huge success with fans and boxing industry people. Many boxing stars have attended the last four Expos such as Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, Marco Antonio Barrera, Roy Jones Jr., Andre Ward, Mikey Garcia, Marcos Maidana, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, Errol Spence Jr., Sergio Martinez, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Tim Bradley, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, Fernando Vargas, Zab Judah, James Toney, Jessie Vargas, Vinny Pazienza, Mia St.John, Leo Santa Cruz, Badou Jack, Terry Norris , Riddick Bowe , Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks, Danny Jacobs, Abner Mares, Jorge Linares, Brandon Rios and many more…

Exhibitors include: boxing promoters, gear, apparel, equipment, energy drinks, supplement products, broadcasting media, sanctioning bodies, and other companies who wish to participate will once again have a chance to showcase

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available online at:
https://boxfanexpo.eventbrite.com

Throughout the next couple of months leading up to the event, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo. And for anyone in the Boxing industry or other Exhibitors (non-industry), who would like to be involved and reserve a Booth, contact Box Fan Expo:

Telephone number: (514) 572-7222 or Las Vegas Number (702) 997-1927

For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com

For More information on Box Fan Expo visit: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

Follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter and Instagram: @BoxFanExpo

Follow Box Fan Expo on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo




SPENCE VS. GARCIA UNDERCARD FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

ARLINGTON, TX. (March 14, 2019) – Fighters competing in televised undercard action this Saturday leading up to the Errol Spence vs. Mikey Garcia PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before they enter the ring at AT&T Stadium.

Competing on the pay-per-view undercard that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT are unbeaten former champion David Benavidez and veteran contender J’Leon Love, who meet in a 10-round super middleweight fight, undefeated former champion Luis Nery and former world champion McJoe Arroyo, who battle in 10-rounds of bantamweight action, and heavyweight fan-favorite Chris Arreola and unbeaten Jean Pierre Augustin, who meet in a 10-round showdown.

Former heavyweight champion Charles Martin will take on Dallas-native Gregory Corbin in PBC Prelims on FS1 beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Saturday’s event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions and Garcia Promotions, in association with TGB Promotions and Ringstar Sports, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from AT&T Stadium:

DAVID BENAVIDEZ

“We’ve trained very hard for this fight. Without my father Jose, I wouldn’t be here in this great position. I’m excited to fight at this stadium in front of all these fans.

“I’m looking forward to doing the same thing to J’Leon that I did to Rogelio ‘Porky’ Medina. ‘Porky’ knocked him out, so you know what I’m going to do to Love.

“I trained for J’Leon Love like he was a world champion. I’ve been working with champions this whole training camp, so I’m ready to go in there and take him out.

“I’m going to leave the fans entertained. I know that there are a lot of things that I can exploit in Love’s game. I’m going to be way faster and tougher than anyone he’s faced.

“I’ve felt like I was at home all week. I’ve had amazing support and I’m ready. My weight is on point. This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I have to capitalize on it.

“I’ve been on sidelines and seen other people get their glory. Love’s time has passed already. I’ve seen him fight when I was a teenager and I feel like I have to send a message of what I’m going to do to J’Leon Love so that I can send a message to the rest of the division”.

J’LEON LOVE

“This is a great card. Benavidez has been a great champion. I’ve had my days in this game and not everyone believes in me. But that’s okay, because I believe in myself. I’ll show everyone why on Saturday.

“Not everyone knows what I’ve been through in my life. I’ve had to face some demons and I conquered them. This fight, is another demon that I have to conquer.

“Mentally I’m in a way better place for this fight than against Peter Quillin. I’m in there with a great former champion with a lot of talent. You have to be mentally prepared. We’re going to make this a great fight.

“A lot of us come from nothing, who would have ever thought we’d have a fan base? I’m from a small town in Detroit and having fan support, it makes me love the sport even more.

“This is an amazing stage and opportunity for me. To be in the co-main under the great main event, I’m going to take full advantage. I’m going to display my talents and live up to the expectations of this fight.

“I’m going to come and do what I’m supposed to do. I’m going to give everyone an exciting fight. This isn’t just a regular fight. I’m going to give a great effort on Saturday.”

LUIS NERY

“I want to thank everyone for making this possible. I have a tough opponent who comes to fight and I’m going to be at my very best on Saturday.

“I’m going to show everyone that I’m a stronger fighter than ever. I’m faster too and better than I’ve ever been heading into a fight.

“I’m ready to prove why I’m the best bantamweight in the world. Saturday is going to be a statement to all the other fighters.

“I prepared very well for this fight and I’m very motivated. I’m going to knock Arroyo out in six rounds or less. I know what I can bring and he won’t be able to sustain it.

“Fans are going to see a great fight. We’re continuing the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry and we’re going to give everybody a war.”

MCJOE ARROYO

“Everyone knows my opponent is strong and that Mexico vs. Puerto Rico brings satisfying fights for the fans. I’m going to give everyone what they deserve on Saturday, a great night of boxing.

“This would be a big win for me, I’m hungry and I know he’s hungry. I want to be world champion again and I know this fight gets me closer to that.

“I respect whatever my opponent says, he has to believe in himself and believe in myself. If he thinks he’s going to knock me out, then he better of trained hard. Because if he didn’t, I’ve got a surprise for him.

“Every time I go into the ring I want to give the fans a great night of boxing. I’m going to try to have fun in the ring and show my talent that night.”

CHRIS ARREOLA

“It’s an honor to be here. To fight on this big stage, from my first fight being in a tent in front of 150 people, it’s really special. I can’t wait for Saturday.

“I trained hard for Saturday because I know Augustin is here to make a statement. He’s not going to do that against me. Los Angeles is going to get his win and his 0 has got to go.

“It’s an honor to see the reception I’ve gotten from the fans here in Dallas. I’m nobody without the fans. The fact that they still remember me is special. At the end of the day my fans can’t get in the ring with me. It’s just me and Augustin and we’re going to give the fans a great fight.

“I have to take care of business Saturday. If I can do that, I’ll be ready to face anybody. First of all, I have to get by Augustin.”

JEAN PIERRE AUGUSTIN

“I’d like to thank my team giving me the opportunity to fight on this card. This is a big event and great opportunity for me. This is the biggest stage I’ve been on and I know I have to take advantage.

“I’m ready to put on the performance of my lifetime. I’m in shape to put on that great performance. I’m from Boston and Chris is from Los Angeles, and we haven’t lost to Los Angeles once this year. It’s not going to start on Saturday.

“I’m getting myself mentally prepared to put on a boxing clinic. I know he’s going to be there in front of me. That’s what we prepared for the last 11-12 weeks. We know he’s coming straight for me and I’m excited.”

CHARLES MARTIN

“I’m thankful to be on this card. It’s a blessing. I’m here to do my thing on Saturday. When I’m in this mindset, nobody can beat me but myself.

“I know I’m going to be stronger and more skilled than this guy. I’m not overlooking him, but I’m going to show that he’s not on my level.

“I don’t try to be like anyone but myself. You’ll see the best of me on Saturday. I have an obstacle at hand and I’m going to get rid of him. Then we’ll look forward to what we have next. I’m not a man of words, I’m a man of action.”

GREGORY CORBIN

“It’s been a long time coming, and if anyone knows my story, they know why I’m saying that. March 16 is going to be my 4th of July. I can’t wait.

“I hope he’s not overlooking me. I’ve got something for him. He’s going to be in for a big shock on Saturday.

“This is very big for me and my community to be in this position. If you’ve ever watched a little bit of Riddick Bowe, a little Evander Holyfield and a little George Foreman, you’ll see all of them in my body on Saturday.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports

“This is a historic event with FOX presenting this pay-per-view event. This will be the coronation in Dallas. On Saturday night we are going to find out who is pound for pound the best fighter in the world, Errol Spence Jr., or Mikey Garcia?

“It’s hard to even call this an undercard, because these are all main event guys. Arreola, Benavidez and Nery are three of the top Mexican fighters in the world and they’re all in very tough matchups.

“Luis Nery is in my opinion the best bantamweight in the world. Chris Arreola always puts on a show and we all know what David Benavidez is capable of.

“This is a home run or a touchdown of an undercard and all of those watching at home or in the stadium are in for a treat.”

# # #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA
Order the PPV and visit PremierBoxingChampions.com for Fight Night Info and more on Errol Spence Jr. and Mikey Garcia.

Spence vs. Garcia is a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event that is headlined by unbeaten IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol Spence Jr. defending his title against four-division world champion Mikey Garcia on Saturday, March 16 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View undercard begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature undefeated former super middleweight champion David Benavidez battling veteran contender J’Leon Love, unbeaten former bantamweight champion Luis Nery taking on former champion McJoe Arroyo and fan-favorite Chris Arreola facing unbeaten Jean Pierre Augustin.

Prelims on FS1 and FOX Deportes begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT featuring former heavyweight world champion Charles Martin squaring off against unbeaten Dallas-native Gregory Corbin.

Spence vs. Garcia will be shown on big screens across the nation through FathomEvents. Tickets can be purchased online at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices.

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

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.




Undefeated junior welterweight prospect Kendo Castaneda to be showcased at home

LAS VEGAS (March 14, 2019) — Undefeated junior welterweight prospect Kendo Castaneda will be showcased at home Thursday, March 28, when he puts his unblemished record on the line against his dangerous Dominican opponent, Eudy “AK47” Bernado, in the 10-round main event at Cowboy Dance Hall in San Antonio, Texas.

Castaneda vs. Bernardo, co-promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions and Leija Battah Promotions, will headline a card to be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS, starting at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. The show is the fourth under a new agreement between Castaneda’s promoter, RJJ Boxing, and FIGHT PASS, to live stream up to 72 professional boxing events over the next three years.

The 25-year-old Castaneda (15-0, 7 KOs) is coming off his most impressive performance this past December in San Antonio, in which he won a lop-sided 10-round unanimous decision (100-90, 99-91, 98-92) over previously undefeated Gilbert Venegas, Jr. (10-0) to capture the vacant North American Boxing Association (NABA) super lightweight title. Castaneda is ranked No. 14 in the world by the World Boxing Association (WBA).

A former Dominican Republic lightweights champion, Bernardo (24-3, 18 KOs) is a dangerous puncher, evident by his 18 knockouts in 24 victories during his 9 ½-year professional career.

The co-featured event is another special RJJ Boxing on UFC Fight Pass match-up between unbeaten Baltimore lightweight Xavier Wilson (9-0-1, 1 KO) and once-defeated, hard-hitting John Arellano (9-1, 9 KOs), fighting out of Conroe, Texas, in an eight-rounder.

Opening the FIGHT PASS segment of the card is a welterweight class featuring Houston’s undefeated prospect Jerrico “Hands of Stone” Walton (11-0, 7 KOs) versus upset-minded Oregonian, Sean “Beast of War” Gee (4-9).

Also fighting on the undercard in a pair six-round, intra-state rivalry bouts between unbeaten San Antonio lightweight Joseph “Mongoose” Rodriguez (14-0-1, 2 KOs) and Darryl Hayes (6-12, 1 KO), of Houston, along with Austin, TX knockout artist Alexis Camacho (21-6, 19 KOs) versus Houston junior middleweight Rich “The Ruler” Graham (6-21-4).

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

San Antonio welterweight Daniel Baiz (13-1, 5 KOs) vs. fellow Texan Joe Sambrano (4-12-1, 2 KOs) in a six-round fight, plus two four-rounders as San Antonio super middleweight Steve Ramos (4-1, 2 KOs) faces (Bryan, TX) Adam “AD” Ealoms.(3-16-3, 1 KO), and San Antonio junior featherweight Henry “World Star” Arredondo (2-0) vs. TBA.

Tickets are priced at $109.00 (ringside), $76.00 (floor), $70.00 (VIP/balcony table), $38.00 (stools) and $22.00 (general admission) and available to purchase online at https://lbtickets.ticketleap.com/castaneda-vs-bernardo/.

Doors open at 6 p.m. CT, first bout at 6:30 p.m. CT.

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




THE CHAMP RETURNS TO MEXICO: JAIME MUNGUIA TO DEFEND WBO JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE AGAINST DENNIS ‘HURRICANE’ HOGAN AT ARENA MONTERREY


LOS ANGELES (March 14, 2019): Jaime Munguia (32-0, 26 KOs) will make the fourth defense of his WBO Junior Middleweight World Title when he takes on mandatory challenger Dennis “Hurricane” Hogan (28-1-1, 7 KOS) in a 12-round battle. The event will take place on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico and will be streamed live on DAZN .

Munguia is a 22-year-old champion of Tijuana, Mexico who catapulted to the highest levels of the 154-pound division by knocking out Sadam “World Kid” Ali in May to capture the WBO Junior Middleweight World Title. Since then, Munguia has defended his title against the likes of Liam “Beefy” Smith, Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook, and Takeshi Inoue. Munguia will return to Mexico after not having fought there since March 2018 in tough challenge in Hogan.

“I feel happy to be returning to Mexico,” said Jaime Munguia.”The last time I fought in Mexico was right here in Monterrey, so I’m excited to be here again. I’m ready to come back and deliver a great show to my Mexican people. It’s also very important to be fighting on this new platform, DAZN. It’s an honor for me to be fighting on this platform. It’s new, but it’s very important. It is the future of boxing.”

Hogan is an Irish contender who calls Queensland, Australia his home. The 34-year-old fighter had his first world title opportunity against “Golden” Jack Culcay in 2015. Though unsuccessful, he would come back from his only loss to win six times in a row, earning him a mandatory shot at Munguia.

“I am looking forward to facing Jaime Munguia on April 13 in Monterrey, Mexico,” said Dennis Hogan. “Mexico’s culture has a rich history in boxing, and I can’t wait to show Mexico and the rest of the world that I am ready to dethrone Munguia. I am not concerned with his power, as I have fought bigger and stronger opponents. My pressure and style are going to give Munguia trouble. I have been fighting for this opportunity since I was eight years old. I’m going to make it count. My team at DDP Sports and Peter Kahn worked hard to get this fight done, and I’m looking forward to bringing the WBO Junior Middleweight title back to Australia.”

“It’s about time that Golden Boy returned to Mexico with one of its most dominant world champions in Jaime Munguia,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “We’re excited for this endeavor with our partners and co-promoters at Zanfer Promotions as we work hard to make Munguia an international star. I have no doubts that Munguia will sell out Arena Monterrey as people from all over the country come to see him fight. Munguia has also proven to be a fan favorite for fans watching at home, so I expect many fans to tune in on the best platform in boxing, DAZN.”

“This will be Jaime Munguia’s return to Mexican territory after a great campaign in the United States,” said Fernando Beltran, CEO of Zanfer Promotions. “And above all it will take place on a great platform, one that has really changed the sport. It is the platform that has eliminated pay-per-view, and that’s DAZN. He’ll be continuing the strategic alliance that we have with our great friends at Golden Boy. I’m very happy that we will be here together, promoting a great fighter and Mexican star in Jaime Munguia.”

In the co-main event, Brazilian contender Patrick Teixeira (29-1, 22 KOs) will return against Dormedes Potes (11-1-1, 8 KOs)of Barranquilla, Colombia in a 10-round fight for the WBO Latino Super Welterweight Title.

Daniel Valladares (19-1, 11 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico will fight in a six-round light flyweight battle.

Diego De La Hoya (21-0, 10 KOS) of Mexicali, Mexico will face Enrique Bernache (24-12, 12 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico in a 10-round featherweight fight.

Arely Mucino (27-3-2, 10 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico will return in a 10-round flyweight fight.

Irving Turrubiates (18-0, 12 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico will participate in an eight-round featherweight clash.

Javier Gonzalez (13-0, 10 KOs) will fight in a six-round lightweight battle.

Alex Rincon (6-0, 6 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will participate in a six-round super welterweight fight against Isaac Mireles (7-6, 3 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico.

Opponents for Valladares, Mucino, Turrubiates and Gonzalez will be announced shortly.

Munguia vs. Hogan is a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Tickets for Munguia vs. Hogan be purchased online at www.ArenaMonterrey.com or by clicking here.

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 #MunguiaHogan

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




Top Rank Signs 16-Year-Old Amateur Superstar Xander Zayas

(March 14, 2019) — Xander Zayas, born in Puerto Rico and fighting for USA Boxing as one of the world’s top amateurs, has signed a multi-year professional contract with Top Rank.

At only 16 years old, Zayas is the youngest fighter ever to sign a pro contract with Top Rank. An 11-time Puerto Rican and U.S. national champion, Zayas will make his pro debut as a welterweight in September.

Zayas, who is currently 118-14 in the unpaid ranks, will represent Team USA next month at the Emil Jechev Memorial Tournament in Botevgard, Bulgaria.

“Xander Zayas is a tremendous young fighter who is mature beyond his years,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He has everything it takes to one day become an international boxing superstar.”

“Growing up watching my idol, Miguel Cotto, it has always been a dream of mine to fight for Top Rank, and today that dream has come true,” Zayas said. “Although I am 16 years old, I have been boxing since I was 5 years old, and I understand the magnitude of what it means to be promoted by the best promotional company in the world. I know I have a long road ahead and will remain focused and hungry while I work hard every day to achieve my ultimate goal of becoming a world champion. It was a surreal experience to meet with Bob Arum, as he provided me with his wisdom and advice as I begin my career. It was a humbling experience, and I am truly grateful for this opportunity.”

“Xander is a special fighter. He is wise beyond his years and understands what it means to be a part of Top Rank as he embarks on his professional career as the youngest fighter to ever be signed by the company,” said Peter Kahn, Zayas’ manager. “We have a strong team to support him inside and outside of the ring as he matures. Xander has all of the tools to be a world champion, and now it’s up to him to go to work and begin his journey as a professional fighter.”

Zayas was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and moved to Plantation, Florida, at 11 years of age. A high school junior who will graduate in 2020, Zayas won gold at the 2017 and 2018 National Championships and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Boxer in 2018. He elected to turn pro, in part, because he would’ve been too young to participate at the 2020 Olympics.

Zayas will prepare for his pro debut with head trainer Javiel Centeno at Centeno’s Sweatbox Boxing & Fitness in Davie, Florida.

Said Centeno: “I knew that Xander was something special from the first day he walked into the gym. Besides the boxing abilities at such a young age, he had the charisma, work ethic and maturity of a world-class athlete. I was reminded that he made a promise to me early on that he will be the the first champion I developed from the beginning, and now with by far the greatest promotional engine in the sport of boxing behind us, I see us taking that first step in making his words become reality in the near future.”




KAZAK BOXING STAR DANIYAR YELEUSSINOV RETURNS TO BATTLE TOMORROW NIGHT IN PHILADELPHIA


Philadelphia, PA (March 14, 2019) 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Daniyar Yeleussinov, (5-0, 3 KOs), heads into battle tomorrow night, March 15 against battle-tested Mexican veteran Silverio Ortiz, (37-23, 18 KOs), in a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA.

Since turning professional in April 2018, Yeleussinov, guided by Boxing Stars Management Group LLC , has continued to show the promise of a world champion electrifying crowds in the United States, United Kingdom and Monte Carlo with his world class skills, all-action aggressive style and matinee idol looks.

Now training under the watchful eye of two-division world champion and former undisputed welterweight world champion, Cory Spinks in South Florida, Yeleussinov will look to put on a show for the boxing fans in Philadelphia.

The fight against Ortiz will be Yeleussinov’s first of his 2019 campaign having capped a busy 2018 with a third-round stoppage of Marcos Mojica on November 24 in Monte Carlo.

Said Yeleussinov, “I am very excited to be back in the ring to show why I was the 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist. I want to thank my team, Boxing Star Management, my father Marat and my new coach, former world champion, Cory Spinks.”

“Cory has shown me a lot of new things that will make me a world champion and can’t wait to put them on display on Friday night!”

“Daniyar has been getting more acclimated to the professional style of boxing as evident in his last two fights which he scored two impressive knockouts,” said manager Ziya Aliyev. “This coming year, he will take his career to the next level and will be considered one of the top contenders in the welterweight division.”

Yeleussinov vs. Ortiz, presented by Matchroom Boxing USA is one of the featured bouts on the St Patrick’s weekend event topped by a world title double-header as Philly’s Tevin Farmer (28-4-1 6 KOs) comes home to defend his IBF Super-Featherweight title against Ireland’s Jono Carroll (16-0-1 3 KOs), and Irish sensation Katie Taylor (12-0 5 KOs) looks to unify the Lightweight division once again, putting her IBF and WBA straps on the line against Brazil’s WBO champion Rose Volante (14-0 8 KOs). The fights will be streamed live on DAZN in the United States (7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT) and Sky Sports in the UK.

Boxing Stars Management Group LLC is headed by Ziya Aliyev and Elvis Crespo.




UFC® RETURNS TO FORT LAUDERDALE WITH PIVOTAL MIDDLEWEIGHT REMATCH BETWEEN (#1) YOEL ROMERO AND (#3) JACARE SOUZA

Las Vegas – UFC® returns to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. with a thrilling middleweight rematch between No. 1 ranked contender Yoel Romero and No. 3 Jacare Souza. In a battle of light heavyweight sluggers, No. 11 ranked Glover Teixeira takes on hard-hitting Ion Cutelaba. UFC FIGHT NIGHT® ON ESPN: ROMERO vs. JACARE 2 takes place at the BB&T Center on Saturday, April 27 with ESPN airing the main card live at 9 p.m. ET. Prelims start at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+ kicks off the event with a live stream of the early prelims at 5:30 p.m. ET. ESPN Deportes will air the prelims live at 7 p.m. ET and stream the main card in Spanish at 9 p.m. ET on the ESPN App. All UFC live events on ESPN+ will also be available in English and Spanish.

Romero (13-3, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Pinar Del Rio, Cuba) got his hand raised in the competitive first encounter, edging out a split decision win. A silver medalist in freestyle wrestling in the 2000 Olympics, Romero has earned emphatic wins over the 185-pound elite. He has delivered spectacular knockouts against Luke Rockhold, Chris Weidman, Lyoto Machida and Derek Brunson, and now he aims for another show-stealing finish to stake his claim for a title shot.

Among the most decorated grapplers in MMA, Souza (26-6 1NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has shown his striking can be just as dangerous as his submission game. During his UFC run, he’s netted impressive victories against Vitor Belfort, Gegard Mousasi, Derek Brunson and Tim Boetsch. His most recent outing saw him earn a sensational KO over former champion Chris Weidman. He now looks to earn a measure of revenge against Romero and secure the No. 1 contender’s spot.

Former light heavyweight title challenger Teixeira (28-7, fighting out of Danbury, Conn. by way of Minas Gerais, Brazil) looks to earn his way back into the championship conversation. He has defeated some of the most iconic names in the sport, including former champions Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. With 14 of his last 16 wins coming by stoppage, Teixeira is eager to show he can still compete with the best in the world by taking out up-and-coming prospect Cutelaba.

Cutelaba (14-3, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) is gunning to earn his third stoppage victory in a row against the toughest test of his career in Teixeira. A 25-year-old with an impressive 10 wins in under 1:13, Cutelaba is one of the brighter prospects at 205 pounds, most recently taking out Luis Henrique da Silva and Gadzhimurad Antigulov via first-round KO. Now, Cutelaba looks to break into the rankings and work his way to title contention with his most impressive performance yet.

Announced bouts on the card include:

No. 8-ranked bantamweight contender John Lineker (31-8, fighting out of Paranagua, Brazil) goes for his 15th career KO as he looks to hand rising prospect Cory Sandhangen (10-1, fighting out of Aurora, Colo.) his first UFC loss
Former UFC heavyweight champion and No. 14-ranked contender Andrei Arlovski (27-17, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) sets his sights on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series signee Augusto Sakai (11-1-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil)
In a welterweight bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks, Alex Oliveira (19-5-1 2NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) takes on Li Jingliang (15-5, fighting out of Beijing, China)
In an early Fight of the Night candidate, long-time veteran Jim Miller (29-13, fighting out of Sparta, N.J.) guns for his 19th UFC victory by taking out Jason Gonzalez (11-4, fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
Former strawweight champion and No. 10-ranked contender Carla Esparza (14-6, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) collides with surging prospect Livinha Souza (12-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
The Ultimate Fighter season 11 winner Court McGee (20-6-1, fighting out of Orem, Utah) hopes to keep his momentum going against Dhiego Lima (15-7, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga.)
Former strawweight title challenger Jessica Penne (12-6, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) aims to rebound against Jodie Esquibel (6-4, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.)
Former NFL standout Greg Hardy (2-1, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) goes for his first UFC victory when he meets Dmitrii Smoliakov (9-2, fighting out of Kaliningrad City, Russia)

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

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

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit www.espnplus.com/ufc.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT® ON ESPN: ROMERO vs. JACARE 2 will air live from BB&T Center on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 27, with the ESPN broadcast prelims kicking off the ESPN broadcast at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Early prelims stream on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT® ON ESPN: ROMERO vs. JACARE 2 go on sale Friday, March 15 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, March 13 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, March 14 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in over 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

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 and Top Rank boxing 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 can 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.

About ESPN

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

About BB&T Center

Home to the Florida Panthers Hockey Club and leading international concerts and events, the Broward County-owned BB&T Center is one of the top ranked venues of its kind in the world, servicing Broward,

Collier, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach Counties. For the latest info about upcoming events, visit www.thebbtcenter.com and follow BB&T Center on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.




QUEENSBERRY PROMOTIONS STATEMENT ON BILLY JOE SAUNDERS


Queensberry Promotions are pleased to confirm that Billy Joe Saunders’ next fight will be against Shefat Isufi at Super Middleweight live on BT Sport.

With the widely reported changes in Billy Joe Saunders’ training situation and the current status of the WBO World Super Middleweight Title, this fight will not take place on April 13th at the SSE Arena, Wembley as was previously announced. The fight will be moved to a new date in May at a venue to be confirmed at a later date.

There will be an announcement on an exciting new London show for April featuring some of our best up and coming local talent this week and this will be followed up next with details on where and when Saunders v Isufi takes place.




LERENA: “I WAKE UP AND THINK OF ARTUR MANN”

Kevin Lerena (21-1, 9 KOs) says he is fully focused on Artur Mann (15-0, 8 KOs) as ‘The KO Kid’ puts his IBO World Cruiserweight title on the line against the German challenger on Saturday at the Emperors Palace in Johannesburg.

Lerena claimed the IBO strap with a split decision over Youri Kayembre Kalenga in September 2017, before successfully defending his belt with unanimous points wins against Dmytro Kucher and Roman Golovashchenko.

Heading into his third defence, the 26 year-old insists he is leaving nothing to chance, and admits he has even been waking up thinking about his opponent.

“I know everybody is talking about Oleksandr Usyk moving up to heavyweight, and what’s going to happen to his belts, but to be honest, I don’t really care,” said Lerena. “My only focus is this fight. I wake up and think of Artur Mann.

“I know I need to take care of business against him. He’s 15-0, he’s coming off a very credible record, and he has my full attention. This is a big fight for me. Yes, on paper, I’ve had big fights before, Kalenga, Kucher, Golovashchenko, Nielsen, but these are in the past, and I need to focus on what’s in front of me.

“I’m war ready! I know he’s going to bring it, and I’m going to bring it too. I’ve never been a guy to cherry pick opponents. I want tough fights because I believe I elevate myself the harder the fight, and I enjoy the challenge.”

Lerena’s coach Peter Smith, of Smith’s Gym, echoes his fighter’s sentiments, and states they will not be taking the Hannover-boxer lightly.

“This is a serious fight for us,” he says. “We’re not overlooking Artur Mann in anyway. Artur is a serious opponent with a great team behind him. We’re taking this fight very seriously, and looking forward to a great battle!”

Lerena-Mann is a co-promotion between Team Sauerland and South Africa’s premier promoter Golden Gloves, led by Rodney Berman, who describes Saturday’s match-up as one of the country’s ‘biggest cruiserweight fights ever’.

“This has got to be one of the biggest cruiserweight fights ever in South Africa,” said Berman. “It’s common knowledge that Usyk is going to be moving up, so now every other cruiserweight is fighting for their place in the sun, and Kevin will be the only remaining World Champion when he gives up the belts.”

German boxing fans can watch all the action from the Emperors Palace live on Sport1, with Timo Schwarzkopf and Xhek Paskali fighting on the undercard.




ERROL SPENCE JR. VS. MIKEY GARCIA FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES


ARLINGTON, TX. (March 13, 2019) – Unbeaten IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol Spence Jr. and undefeated four-division champion Mikey Garcia went face-to-face at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas Wednesday at the final press conference before they go toe-to-toe at the same venue this Saturday in a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event.

Spence and Garcia shared their thoughts on Saturday’s highly anticipated event and posed for photos for media in attendance ahead of this historic event.

Tickets for Saturday’s event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions and Garcia Promotions, in association with TGB Promotions and Ringstar Sports, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday:

ERROL SPENCE JR.

“This is a dream come true fighting in my hometown at AT&T Stadium. I can’t wait to put on a great performance. Seeing Mikey’s face here today, it’s got me hungrier than ever to put on a great performance

“The size difference won’t matter. Skill for skill and talent for talent, I’m more dominant than him in every aspect. I’ll beat him at anything he wants to do. On paper he’s the toughest opponent to date, but once we get in the ring we’ll find out.

“I don’t think anyone has the power to knock me out. We don’t allow that kind of mentality into training camp. I hope he tries though.

“Mikey is supposed to think he’s going to win this fight. He called me out, so they obviously think that they see something. I’m glad he’s as confident as I am. I hope he keeps that same energy inside of the ring.

“Our training camp, we train for a hard 12 round fight. We prepare for a bruising fight. If I knock him out early, then that’s a bonus. We trained for the distance because we know anything can happen in a fight.

“I’m always calm, that’s just my demeanor. I could talk to Mikey Garcia in the locker room before the fight then come out and knock his head off. I’m always on go. I’m naturally like this. I’ve been ready to go for eight weeks. I’m tired of seeing him and I’m just ready for fight night.

“I can’t worry about what Mikey sees in me. I let my coach worry about it. Everyone thinks they see something looking on the outside, but it’s a lot harder once you’re in the ring.

“This win makes me pound-for-pound number one. Mikey has a great record and a big fan base and I feel like winning this fight turns me into a star. Everyone wants to take Floyd Mayweather’s place as the face of boxing, and this puts me on the right track to become the face of boxing and the best fighter in the world.

“This is a legendary fight. This is where we see what fighters are made of. There have been a lot of great fights when little guys came up and beat a bigger fighter. You can’t ever write off the little guy. This is going to be a hard fight.

“I know I’m the best fighter in the world and I’m going to show it Saturday night. I’m going to punish him and make him wish he took his brother’s advice to not take this fight.”

MIKEY GARCIA

“I have all the tools and all the skills needed to beat Errol Spence Jr. When it comes to timing, speed, reflexes and defense, you name it, I’m better.

“Here in Texas, it’s like a second home. I’ve won two world titles here. Having great fan support at the grand arrival was a special moment for me.

“I’ve got to go in there Saturday night and show why I picked this fight. I want to make history and this is the one that will get me there.

“I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to win this fight. We trained very hard. We can go 12 rounds for sure. But, if I get a chance to hurt my opponent, I’m definitely going to jump on him and get the knockout.

“Saturday night, Errol is going to find out why I picked this fight. All of my opponents say they don’t see anything special when they watch me, until they get into the ring.

“I know what I have to do on fight night. I know all the work that I put in. I didn’t put all that effort in for nothing. Saturday night, I have to execute. Once I get inside the ring, that switch will turn on.

“I have to fight the best fight of my life. If I don’t, then I can’t overcome the challenge. You don’t win a fight with size and weight. We fight smart, we fight intelligently and pick our shots. There are a lot of factors. That’s how I win this fight.

“Getting this victory will forever leave my name in the history books. No other fighter is daring to do what I’m doing. I’m here to make history and this fight does that. This fight is about big challenges and obstacles.

“All the attention and buzz about this fight is for real. It’s not often you get a fight like this. Undefeated champions in their prime facing each other. If you want to witness history, you better buy a ticket or the pay-per-view.”

DERRICK JAMES, Spence’s Trainer

“Getting up on the stage today, it was like fight night. I feel what Errol and Mikey are feeling. It’s go-time for both of these guys.

“Mikey Garcia is a great opponent, but he’s still just another opponent. We’re going to go in there and show him why we’re better. Errol is feeling great, so I am too.

“Ring intelligence is definitely one of Mikey’s best attributes. But he’s never been in the ring with Errol. Errol has been in the ring sparring with Floyd Mayweather before and I don’t think Mikey has the same ring intelligence as him.

“Errol knows what he should be doing and what he shouldn’t be doing during fight week. He will be ready on Saturday night.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Garcia’s Brother & Trainer

“Not only have all of our sparring partners told us this, but his opponents always say the same thing. Once they’re in the ring, they realize how hard Mikey hits and how strong he is. Spence doesn’t know that but he’ll find out Saturday.

“A lot of fighters have problems with southpaws like Spence, but Mikey has a lot of experience facing lefties and I’m confident that won’t be a factor.

“Spence’s style is pretty basic, so it’s not too hard to find sparring partners to emulate him. Spence does everything right, just like Mikey. From a preparation standpoint, his style isn’t a big challenge.

“We haven’t just been facing regular sparring partners. They’re experienced, talented and undefeated fighters. He’s facing middleweights to get ready for this one and I know he will be.”

# # #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA
Order the PPV and visit PremierBoxingChampions.com for Fight Night Info and more on Errol Spence Jr. and Mikey Garcia.

Spence vs. Garcia is a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event that is headlined by unbeaten IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol Spence Jr. defending his title against four-division world champion Mikey Garcia on Saturday, March 16 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View undercard begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature undefeated former super middleweight champion David Benavidezbattling veteran contender J’Leon Love, unbeaten former bantamweight champion Luis Nery taking on former champion McJoe Arroyo and fan-favorite Chris Arreola facing unbeaten Jean Pierre Augustin.

Prelims on FS1 and FOX Deportes begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT featuring former heavyweight world champion Charles Martin squaring off against unbeaten Dallas-native Gregory Corbin.

Spence vs. Garcia will be shown on big screens across the nation through FathomEvents. Tickets can be purchased online at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices.

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

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.




THE BIG UZBEK BAKHODIR JALOLOV SEEKS ANOTHER SPECTACULAR KNOCKOUT THIS FRIDAY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

New York, NY (March 13, 2019) Fast rising heavyweight star Bakhodir Jalolov (4-0, 4 KOs) returns to action this Friday night, March 15, against Willie Harvey (3-1-1, 3 KOs) in a scheduled
six-round bout at the Marconi Automotive Museum’s 21st Annual Fundraiser for Kids in Tustin, CA.

The 24-year-old Jalolov represented Uzbekistan in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he was honored as his country’s flagbearer at the Opening Ceremonies. Compiling an impressive 84-13 amateur record, Jalolov was a four-time National champion from 2013-2016. He won gold medals at the Asian Amateur Boxing Championships in 2017, World Cup Tournament, Liventsev Memorial Tournament, Great Silk Way Tournament, and Duisenkul Shopokov Memorial Tournament in 2015, and at the World Cup of Petroleum Countries Tournament in 2014. During his amateur career, Jalolov also focused on his education, earning a Master’s Degree in Sports Science.

Since turning professional under the DiBella Entertainment banner in May 2018, the heavy-handed southpaw has quickly impressed boxing fans across the country with highlight reel knockouts.

“Known as the ‘Big Uzbek’, the giant 6’7″ heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov is a former Olympian with massive knockout power,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “With his gaudy amateur record, skills and size, Jalolov is already a force in the heavyweight division. I expect another impressive win on Friday against Willie Harvey and I will not hesitate to step him up in a major way immediately after.”

Trained by the renowned Joel Diaz in Indio, CA, Jalolov capped his perfect 2018 with a sensational first-round knockout of Marquis Valentine, on December 8, in LaPuente, CA.

Harvey heads into Friday’s battle with Jalolov following a first-round knockout of Paris Liles on January 26, in Charlotte, NC.




NO PLACE LIKE HOME FOR BOWEN

SAM BOWEN IS relishing a second shot at top billing in his home county when boxing returns to the Morningside Arena in Leicester on March 23, but just don’t expect him to show it until the fight has been called to a halt.

British super featherweight champion Bowen, who signed up with Frank Warren and promptly won the WBO Intercontinental title in October against Horacio Alfredo Cabral in October, is looking forward to bolstering his ever-increasing credentials on BT Sport, but won’t allow himself to get carried away with occasion.

The 26-year-old makes a first defence of his Lonsdale belt against the Scottish champion Jordan McCorry.

“I sort of block out how big the event is for me and literally just concentrate on the fight,” said Bowen, who was originally set to defend his title against Ronnie Clark before the Dundee man withdrew due to injury. “It could be in front of a million people or ten people and I treat it the same because if you treat it differently it can affect your mental state and you could get overwhelmed.

“That is the last thing I want to do and then mess up and get caught with a silly shot.

“I took it all in more once I had won against Cabral and you could see from my reaction that I was buzzing. Once it was done I could take it all in and that is when I thought ‘this is mega’ and when I had the interview after it made me realise what a step up it was from when I won the British, which was not on a TV and not in a big venue like that.

“So that is when I really took note of it all, where before I just treat every fight the same. That is how I deal with it and it is how I feel I get the results I need to progress.”

The Argentinean Cabral proved a tough nut to crack for the 14-0 Ibstock man known as ‘Bullet’. The more Bowen fired to the head, the more his opponent seemed to enjoy it.

“Yeah he was a fruitcake! I tried not to get drawn into his game because when I missed with one shot he looked where my hand went, to take the mick sort of thing.

“I needed to keep to my gameplan and not let him disrupt me. You’ve seen good fighters get hit at any level and get knocked out, so I had to concentrate on the fight. After the first round I toned it down a bit because I was a bit rushed and I enjoyed it myself too much.

“I said to Carl (trainer, Greaves) in the corner that if he wanted to do this for ten rounds then it would be a nice enjoyable win for me. I know my fitness is bob-on and I was winning the rounds comfortably.”

The game-changer came in the fourth round in an unorthodox fashion when Bowen mixed up his attack and propelled himself into winging left hook to the body. It was game over.

“I sort of throw it without even realising. You don’t plan every shot and it happened so fast and then he was rolling around on the floor.

“It was a good shot and I do land well with a left hook to the body. I’m happy it worked for me then.”

The Leicester contingent is a growing band of boxers who are all determined to make the Morningside Arena a regular fixture on the fight calendar.

As well as Bowen, Lyon Woodstock is bidding to get back on track after a first career defeat to Archie Sharp last time out, while local lads CJ Challenger and Kyle Haywood meet with the vacant Midlands Area super welterweight title at stake.

“If there was only one fighter in Leicester it wouldn’t be so exciting, so it is good to have a few of us to make it happen,” reasoned Bowen.

“My last one in October and this one in March will be two big shows in Leicester and it is great for our families and friends that we are able to box here and not have to travel to other places.

“A mate of mine has been sorting the tickets out at work and they are going mad for it because it is in Leicester – a lot more so this time than last because they saw it on TV and want to come now.”

British super featherweight champion Sam Bowen defending his title against Jordan McCorry headlines at the Morningside Arena in Leicester. Also on the bill, super lightweight Sam Maxwell bids for his first title against the Spaniard Kelvin Dotel with the WBO European belt at stake, while local fighters CJ Challenger and Kyle Haywood are set to battle for the vacant Midlands Area super welterweight title. Nathan Gorman defends his WBC International Silver heavyweight title against the 26-1 Brazilian Fabio Maldonado, with Lyon Woodstock, Willie Hutchinson, Tommy Fury, Ryan Hatton and Mark Chamberlain also featuring on the card.

Tickets are available from £40 are on sale NOW via Eventbrite




Blair Cobbs Returns to the Ring March 21 in Hollywood, CA

LAS VEGAS, NV (March 13, 2019) – Prince Ranch Boxing’s undefeated welterweight prospect, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (9-0-1 6KOs), who is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, returns to the ring on Thursday, March 21, 2019 at the Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. Cobbs will face fellow unbeaten prospect Ferdinand Kerobyan (11-0 6 KOs) in an eight-round bout for the Junior NABF Welterweight Title. The fight will be the co-main event to the 10-round fight between Filipino lightweight contender Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (32-2-2, 17 KOs) and Mexican warrior Juan Antonio “El Mozo” Rodriguez (29-7, 25 KOs), initiating the new Golden Boy DAZN Thursday Night Fights series.

Cobbs, a 29-year-old welterweight who has relocated to Las Vegas from Philadelphia, has received tons of praise, including the 2018 Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame Prospect of the Year, as well as a contract with Golden Boy Promotions. This fight will be the start of big things to come for Cobbs.

“I am excited about this opportunity to face an undefeated fighter like Ferdinand Kerobyan.” said Cobbs. “This is a major step up for me and I am ready to show why I am worthy of the praise. I’m entering the final days of training camp and I’ll be ready to let my hands go come fight night.”

“Blair Cobbs is a unique fighter, one that we’re confident can make a run at a world title.” said Cobbs’ manager, Greg Hannely of Prince Ranch Boxing. “This fight is the start of great things to come for Cobbs moving forward if he is victorious.”

At 5’10, Cobbs fights out of the southpaw stance with good lateral movement to go with his high punch output. Victory is on his mind as he looks to continue his march toward a world title.

“I turned professional so people would say…I want to see Blair Cobbs fight,” Cobbs continued. “Now I have to put on performance and win these types of fights. On March 21st, I’ll take another step towards me accomplishing my goals in boxing.”

Gesta vs. Rodriguez is a 10-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy y Paco Presents. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING.” The fights will take place Thursday, March 21, 2019 at Avalon Hollywood.

Tickets for Gesta vs. Rodriguez are now on sale and are priced at $30, $40, $50, and $80, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.goldenboytickets.com and the Golden Boy Facebook page.

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 #GestaRodriguez, #ThursdayNightFights and #TNF.

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

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




Granite Chin invades Granite State again Three title fights featured on “Riot at The Rim” card

QUINCY, Mass. (March 13, 2019) — Granite Chin Promotions (GCP) kicks-off its 2019 schedule on Friday night, April 12, with the presentation of “Riot at The Rim”, featuring three different title fights, at The Rim in Hampton, New Hampshire.

Former New England welterweight champion Derek “The Surgeon” Silveira (15-2, 8 KOs), fighting out of Salem, MA, takes on Travis “The Outlaw” Demko (8-1, 1 KO), of Stoughton, MA, in the eight-round headliner for the vacant N.E. Welterweight Championship.

New England cruiserweight champion Chris Traietti (27-4, 21 KOs), fighting out of Quincy, MA, faces former Brazilian light heavyweight champion Gilberto “El Magico” Matheus Domingos (21-10, 9 KOs) in the 10-round co-featured event for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) FECARBOX cruiserweight title.

Traietti, an Iraq War veteran and college graduate, is also the promoter of “Riot at The Rim”.

After my last show I made a promise to myself that we were going to up our game as a company,” Traietti said. “We got complacent and to be honest, we weren’t giving fans the quality that they deserve. That’s all going to change starting April 12th with Silveira vs Demko.”

WBC Latino cruiserweight champion Vinnie “American Nightmare” Carita (19-1-1, 18 KOs), a court officer in Brockton (MA) who lives in Pembroke (MA), meets his Brazilian challenger, Claudio “Quexado” Morroni (8-4-1, 7 KOs), in an eight-round match for the vacant ABF Colonial Atlantic Cruiserweight Championship.

Undefeated welterweight prospect Omar Bordoy (7-0, 2 KOs), representing Danbury, CT, throws-down with Frenchman Roman Tomas (7-2, 1 KO), now living in Brooklyn, NY, in an intriguing six-round bout at this stage of their young pro careers.

One of New England’s most promising prospects, Gloucester, MA middleweight “Handsome” Henry Gedney (2-0, 1 KO) squares off against New Jersey’s Darryl “Dreamking” Bunting (3-5-2, 1 KO) in a four-rounder.

Also fighting on the undercard are Lynn, MA welterweight Khiry “TNT” Todd (7-1, 5 KOs) versus his Mexican challenger, Francisco “El Mono” Medal (12-16, 8 KOs), in a six-round bout.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Ticket prices are $60.00, $45.00 and $35.00 and available to purchase online at www.TicketRiver.com (search word: Riot at the Rim).

Doors open at 7 p.m. ET, first bout scheduled at 7:30 p.m. ET.

INFORMATION:
Facebook.com/GraniteChin
Twitter: @Granite_Chin




TAYLOR: THIS YEAR COULD BE MONUMENTAL


Katie Taylor says she faces the first hurdle of a potentially “monumental” year as she meets Rose Volante in a World Lightweight unification clash at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA on Friday March 15, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW PRICED FROM $40 FROM THE LIACORAS CENTER WEBSITE

IBF and WBA ruler Taylor (12-0 5 KOs) looks to unify for a second time against the Brazilian WBO champion Volante (14-0 8 KOs) having added the IBF strap to her WBA belt in April in Brooklyn, New York beating Victoria Bustos and now places those belts on the line for the fourth time.

The Irish favorite can take a step closer to her goal of becoming the undisputed champion on St. Patrick’s weekend, with a summer showdown with WBC ruler Delfine Persoon on the cards to enable Taylor to own all four belts at 135lbs.

A clash with seven-weight World champion Amanda Serrano later in the year appeals to the 32 year old, as does a meeting with long-time undisputed Welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus – with Taylor plotting a sensational 2019.

“This could be a monumental year for me, the biggest of my career both amateur and pro,” said Taylor. “I believe that by the end of the year I can look back at being the undisputed Lightweight champion and have had huge fights with Amanda and Cecilia. They want those fights as well, but I have to keep winning and everyone raises their game when they fight me.

“When I sat down with Eddie Hearn a few years ago and talked about turning pro, the one thing we talked about was to fight 3/4 times a year and he’s never let me down, I’m fighting regularly and they are great fights too. I have the chance to win my third World title belt inside two years as a pro, and I’d love to have four fights again this year, but Rose is the only fight in front of me.

“Rose is a great champion. She’s strong and has a big right hand, she’s undefeated too so she’s a proud fighter and she’s chasing the same prize as me. We want each other’s belts and unbeaten records, but I have had a great camp and I am full of confidence. I think I am getting better and i think it will show on the night. This could be a very physical fight and I am prepared for that.

“I’m at 135 now and I make the weight very comfortably. I could move up to 140lbs but 147? That could be a stretch but maybe I could make it; but anything past that I am not big enough for – so Welterweight would be my maximum. I couldn’t go down from 135, I love food too much!

“My speed is going to be key in these big fights and I think that technically I am better than a lot of the other girls as well. I feel I have a great team around me, the best coach in the world in Ross Enamait, I feel so prepared going into every fight. But each one is harder than the last and I am aware of that, but I have a lot of confidence and belief in myself, I really feel that no-one can beat me.”

Taylor’s clash with Volante is part of a massive night of action as local hero Tevin Farmer (28-4-1 6 KOs) defends his IBF World Super-Featherweight title against Ireland’s Jono Carroll (16-0-1 3 KOs).

Philadelphia Middleweight warrior Gabriel Rosado (24-11-1 14 KOs) faces Poland’s Maciej Sulecki (27-1 11 KOs) for the WBO International title and a likely World title shot at Demetrius Andrade, Philly Lightweight’s Hank Lundy (29-7-1 14 KOs) and Avery Sparrow (9-1 3 KOs) battle for local pride, Olympic gold medal pair Luke Campbell MBE (19-2 15 KOs) and Daniyar Yeleussinov (5-0 3 KOs) and silver medalist John Joe Nevin (11-0 4 KOs) taste their first action of 2019, unbeaten Super-Middleweight D’Mitrius Ballard (19-0 12 KOs) faces Victor Fonseca (17-9-1 14 KOs) while exciting New Jersey amateur star Raymond Ford makes his pro debut.




MERCITO ‘NO MERCY’ GESTA TO FACE JUAN ANTONIO ‘EL MOZO’ RODRIGUEZ IN INAUGURAL EDITION OF GOLDEN BOY DAZN THURSDAY NIGHT FIGHTS


LOS ANGELES, CA (March 13, 2019): To kick off the Golden Boy DAZN Thursday Night Fights series, Filipino lightweight contender Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (32-2-2, 17 KOs) will take on Mexican warrior Juan Antonio “El Mozo” Rodriguez (29-7, 25 KOs) in a 10-round main event, taking place Thursday, March 21, 2019 at Avalon Hollywood. Details for how to watch the fights will be announced shortly.

Gesta, who now calls San Diego, Calif. his home, is a 31-year-old seasoned contender who has previously had two world title opportunities. In his first shot at a title, Gesta fought Miguel “Titere” Vazquez for the IBF Lightweight World Championship. In his second shot, Gesta took on WBA, WBC Diamond and Ring Magazine World Champion Jorge “El Niño de Oro” Linares, considered the very best lightweight in the world at the time. The southpaw will return after defeating Roberto “Tito” Manzanarez via majority decision in June 2018 as he plans to earn another shot at a 135-pound title.

“I’m so excited to get back in the ring against Juan Rodriguez on March 21 at the Avalon,” said Mercito Gesta. “Rodriguez is a veteran boxer that is hungry, and I’m ready to put on a great show against him. I’ve been training hard with Coach Freddie and my Dad at the Wild Card gym, and come March 21, it will be an exciting night of boxing. Hope to see all my No Mercy fans soon!”

Rodriguez is a 31-year-old southpaw who has fought against former world champions Billy “The Kid” Dib and Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna. The native of Puebla, Mexico has also challenged Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales for the WBA Interim Super Featherweight World Title. Rodriguez will look to initiate a campaign at lightweight by taking on one of its best contenders in Gesta.

“This fight signifies my entire boxing career,” said Juan Antonio Rodriguez.”It is very clear to me that this may be my last opportunity, so I am going to put my heart and soul inside that ring on March 21. I know that Gesta will not be an easy task, however, he has lost before, and he will lose again.”

In the co-main event, Ferdinand “Lucky Boy” Kerobyan (11-0, 6 KOs) of North Hollywood, Calif. will battle Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (9-0-1. 6 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nev. for the vacant Junior NABF Welterweight Title in an eight-round battle between two undefeated Golden Boy prospects.

Manuel “Tino” Avila (23-1, 8 KOs) of Fairfield, Calif. will return in an eight-round featherweight fight against Jose Gonzalez (23-7, 13 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico.

David “Junebug” Mijares (6-0, 3 KOs) of Pasadena, Calif. will face Antonio Sanchez(6-5-2, 3 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico in a super lightweight fight scheduled for six rounds.

Oscar “Motorcito” Acevedo (4-0), a native of Garden City, Kan. and current member of the Westside Boxing Club in Los Angeles, will take on Bryan Tovar (1-2, 1 KO).of Tamaulipas, Mexico

James “The Beast” Wilson (7-0, 6 KOs) of Los Angeles, Calif., a quick-handed heavyweight prospect who has also fought as a mixed martial artist and a kickboxer, will compete against Nick Jones (7-2, 5 KOs) of Okmulgee, Okla. in his first six-round fight as an official member of the Golden Boy stable.

Chris Ousley(9-0, 8 KOs), a newly-signed super welterweight prospect of Chicago, Ill., will participate in a six-round fight against a soon-to-be announced opponent.

Gesta vs. Rodriguez is a 10-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy y Paco Presents. The event is sponsored by Tecate,”THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING.” The fights will take place Thursday, March 21, 2019 at Avalon Hollywood.

Tickets for Gesta vs. Rodriguez are now on sale and are priced at $30, $40, $50, and $80,
not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.goldenboytickets.com and the Golden Boy Facebook page.

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 #GestaRodriguez, #ThursdayNightFights and #TNF.

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

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