Leicester boxer Lyon Woodstock (11-1) has taken a swipe at British super featherweight champion Sam Bowen (14-0) as he eyes up a future clash against his fellow Leicester native.

Both fighters will be in action in Leicester on Saturday February 23rd at the Morningside Leicester Arena with the British champion, Bowen, headlining the event when he defends the Lonsdale belt against Dundee’s Ronnie Clark.

Ronnie Clark created an upset last year when he beat undefeated prospect Zelfa Barrett against the odds and 25-year-old Woodstock believes Clark could prove to be a challenging opponent for Bowen when they meet next month.

“I think it’s going to be a tougher fight than what people are thinking to be honest.

“I don’t think Sam is going to blow Ronnie Clark away, he’s not a pushover like that, he’s a good fighter. He’s been in combat for a while now so I can’t see him just getting blown away by Sam.

“I feel like Sam will try that and when he sees it doesn’t work and Ronnie is there laughing at his face, we’ll start seeing what Sam Bowen really is about.”

Bowen introduced himself to the BT Sport cameras last time out when he stopped Argentinian Haracio Alfredo Cabral in the fourth round by a brutal body shot in October 2018 to add the WBO Intercontinental title to his belt collection.

On the same show, Woodstock lost his WBO European title to Archie Sharp in a close, entertaining contest and will have the opportunity to get back to winning ways on February 23rd.

Victory will set the Beaumont Leys fighter back on course towards big, domestic showdowns; with Bowen and his British title certainly on his radar. A potential clash between the two would feel like a long time coming for Woodstock.

“We offered him the fight twice in the amateurs.” He recollects.

“Remember that he’s had over a hundred fights [Bowen 93-17 as an amateur] and the first time we offered him the fight I’d only had sixteen and they weren’t keen on it.

“I got rated third in the country and I only had twenty-something fights and he’s had over a hundred and he’s never even got to that, so it speaks for itself.

“I know my own levels and what I’m capable of and what I’m going to be able to do when that fight comes. It’ll be a good fight and it would be a fan favourite fight because a lot of these Leicester people are divided between Woodstock and Bowen.

“I don’t believe that Sam Bowen is a great boxer. I believe he’s tough, he’s game, he’s fit and can punch, but that’s it.”

Headlining the show at the Morningside Arena is the British super featherweight title showdown between the champion Sam Bowen from Ibstock in Leicestershire and Ronnie ‘The Shark’ Clark from Dundee. Co-headlining the show will be light heavyweight Anthony Yarde as he takes on former European champion Mehdi Amar.

Local fighters CJ Challenger and Kyle Haywood do battle for the vacant Midlands Area super welterweight title, with Lyon Woodstock, Ryan Garner, Tommy Fury, Ryan Hatton and Mark Chamberlain also featuring on the card.

Tickets priced at £40, £60, £100 & £150 are available and on sale NOW via Eventbrite.

22 January 2019 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), in cooperation with City of Dreams Manila, held the ONE: HERO’S ASCENT Official Kick-Off Press Conference last Tuesday, 22 January..

Ticket information for ONE: HERO’S ASCENT is available at www.onefc.com.

Photo: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WfZAZJLYoPVvV6gx7tvMypGR6gffmps1

In attendance was Mr. Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, Mr. Michael Ziemer, Vice President for Hotels and Food and Beverage at City of Dreams Manila, reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Geje Eustaquio, and former ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes.

Also in attendance were some of the athletes set to compete at ONE: HERO’S ASCENT, which emanates from the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila on Friday, 25 January. Athletes included Honorio “The Rock” Banario, Lowen Tynanes, Danny “The King” Kingad, Tatsumitsu “The Sweeper” Wada, Fahdi “The Gladiator” Khaled, and Rodtang “Iron Man” Jitmuangnon.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated:

“ONE Championship was built by a martial artist, for martial artists. I understand the athletes and what they go through each and everyday. I am very proud to be standing here alongside them as their CEO and Chairman. When I look at this card and these incredible athletes, I am so fired up. This is going to be an amazing evening. As the world’s largest stage of martial arts competition, all ONE Championship wants to do is showcase the very best. See you all at the Mall of Asia Arena this Friday night.”

Geje Eustaquio, ONE Flyweight World Champion, stated:

“15 years ago I made the biggest decision of my life to pursue martial arts. No one believed that I would be standing here in front you all as a World Champion. But now, I have learned throughout my career and my training that the word impossible doesn’t exist. With the help of my coach and my team, we have achieved success. If I listened to those who were saying I wouldn’t make it, I would not be standing here in front of you all today. This Friday night, me and Adriano [Moraes] will make history in the first ever trilogy bout in ONE Championship. I invite you all to come and watch.”

Adriano Moraes, former ONE Flyweight World Champion, stated:

“I would like to say first thank you to ONE Championship for the opportunity. The Adriano that fought Geje in the last match, I can say with confidence that it wasn’t me. I wasn’t myself in that bout. This time, I have prepared very well for this third bout. Whatever happens, I am ready to give my best. This is going to be a good fight. I am looking forward to it.”

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.

London (21 January 2019) Chris Eubank Jr has locked himself away in his Brighton gym with coach Nate Vasquez as he prepares for his impending war with 168 pound rival James DeGale to finally settle their years of feuding once and for all at The O2 on Saturday 23rd February, exclusively live on ITV Box Office.

Eubank Jr. has brought in the Mexican, Las Vegas based, trainer Vasquez to his south coast headquarters and is working alongside the experienced wise hand of Ronnie Davies, the integral camp member who formerly trained his father Eubank Snr., and who will oversee the whole camp.

The single-minded and determined Eubank Jr. has always insisted that he has trained himself for his fights, but with losses to Billy Joe Saunders and more recently George Groves, Eubank Jr. realises that his career is on the line in the crucial clash against DeGale and needed to make a change.

‘Next Gen’ met Vasquez at Floyd Mayweather’s Las Vegas gym last year where he is a resident coach and the pair gelled after initial talks and training sessions together. Vasquez was a former standout amateur and professional boxer and has worked with a number of prospects at Mayweather’s TMT outfit, including super-middleweight Kevin Newman II and Former WBC World Flyweight title challenger Muhammad Waseem.

Eubank Jr. has flown Vasquez over to England and put him into accommodation in his house along with a specially selected sparring partner as they work towards defeating the Two-Time IBF World Champion DeGale.

“Training is going great with Nate and I feel that I’m learning and improving all the time, he’s brought a new dimension into my camp that I’ve probably needed,” said Eubank Jr.

“I certainly don’t regret anything I’ve done or what’s happened in my career, everything happens for reason and I’m my own man and shape my own destiny, but this is a big fight coming up and I felt a change was necessary so I’m happy to have Nate in the team,”

“I enjoy working with Nate and we got on well together when I met him in Las Vegas last summer and we have good chemistry. The things he was saying and telling me made sense and I feel they will make a big difference in the outcome of my fight against DeGale,”

“He works alongside my long-time trainer Ronnie who oversees my preparations and I use his boxing wisdom and experience all the time, I believe that I have a great team around me now with a blend of youth, energy and knowledge that will take me to victory against DeGale.”

Tickets available from www.AXS.com and Inner Ringside/VIP Hospitality from www.sportandmusic.co.uk

This fight will be shown exclusively on ITV Box Office. For further information and updates, please go to www.itvboxoffice.com

Late last year, ITV announced a ground-breaking new deal with Haymon Sports and Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) to bring exclusive coverage of exciting PBC world-class boxing events to ITV viewers and fight fans in the UK.

The unique collaboration is the first time that Haymon Sports and PBC has partnered with a UK broadcaster to stage boxing events regularly in the UK. The exclusive three-year deal will guarantee a minimum of 15 televised events each year, drawing from PBC’s unrivalled group of over 160 of the best boxers in the world, which includes more than 60 current and former world champions in matches staged both in the UK and the US. PBC, the sports’ pre-eminent boxing brand, is broadcast over cable and network television in the United States.

The world-class action from events for the next three years will include free-to-air broadcasts on ITV’s channels, including ITV main channel and ITV4 and ITV Hub, and will also include pay per views on ITV’s PPV channel, ITV Box Office.

This new deal for boxing adds to ITV Sport’s portfolio of first class events, which includes exclusive free to air coverage of the England football team’s qualifiers for both the European Championship and World Cup, the 6 Nations and exclusive coverage of the Rugby World Cup, UK horse racing, the Tour de France and the French Open.

Last night’s UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ debut, featuring 13 fights live from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, saw Henry Cejudo successfully defend his flyweight championship against bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw in a stunning 32-second finish, and led to a record-setting night with 568,000 new subscribers for ESPN+ on Friday and Saturday combined – over 525,000 Saturday alone. It marks the largest event and subscription catalyst for ESPN+ thus far.

The UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ Prelims card aired on ESPN (English) and ESPN Deportes (Spanish) from 8:15 -10 p.m. ET. The telecast averaged a 1.4 metered market rating, making it the highest-rated UFC Fight Night Prelims on cable since at least 2013.

ESPN+, the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN, launched in April and surpassed one million paying subscribers in just five months. It 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.

“Our first UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ was a thrilling evening of action and a great success, with a record-setting night that continued the momentum for ESPN+, delivered strong ratings on ESPN and marks a great start to our new agreement with the UFC,” said Kevin Mayer, Chairman, Direct-To-Consumer and International, The Walt Disney Company. “It was a milestone evening, with the success driven by outstanding joint efforts from the teams at DTCI and ESPN.”

On Saturday, there were also more than 1.8 million unique visitors to MMA-related digital content across ESPN digital platforms (ESPN App, ESPN.com, etc.), which was the most-trafficked Saturday for MMA content on record.

ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro said, “All day, and across all ESPN platforms, we collectively demonstrated the promise of what we can do to fulfill our mission of serving a wider array of sports fans.”

On the Prelims portion of the card broadcast on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone thrilled the crowd with a second-round TKO of Alex Hernandez. After his win, Cerrone immediately challenged Conor McGregor. “I want Conor, if he’ll agree to it. I’m coming for a belt. Cowboy is back.” McGregor, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, quickly responded on Twitter, accepting the challenge: “For a fight like that Donald, I’ll fight you. Congratulations.”

This was the first fight card of the five-year media deal between UFC, The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-To-Consumer & International segment and ESPN, announced last year. ESPN+ will offer 20 exclusive UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ events per year and all preliminary fights for UFC on ESPN Fight Night programs. ESPN linear networks will broadcast 10 exclusive UFC on ESPN Fight Night events per year as well as Prelim fights for UFC pay-per-view events.

Dina Thorslund (13-0, 6 KOs) defended her WBO Female World Super Bantamweight title with a unanimous points decision against Alesia Graf (29-8, 13 KOs) last night at the Struer Energi Park in Denmark, despite suffering a cut above her left eye following an accidental clash of heads in the seventh round.

The Danish champion produced a dominant display to earn her thirteenth professional win and first World title defence. Starting on the front foot, Thorslund pushed the German challenger back, dictating the pace and scoring heavy shots to the head and body throughout the early rounds.

An accidental clash of heads caused a cut above Thorslnd’s left eye in the seventh round, which threatened to disrupt her rhythm, but with her corner managing to stem the bleeding, the Danish fan-favourite soon regained her composure and finished the fight in style.

Judges Ferenc Budai and Jan Christensen scored a shutout 100-90 win for Thorslund, while judge Grzegorz Molenda scored 99-91 in favour of the Dane.

“It’s been a hectic week, but it has also been a fantastic week,” said Thorslund, who completed a bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy on Wednesday. “Two good experiences, two good results, which I’m glad I came through successfully. The build up to this week has been tough. It’s been a difficult period, but that just makes it even more worthwhile to get the victory today.

“I tried to keep a cool head. I was aggressive at the right times, and when I got cut, I didn’t risk opening up any more. I kept my distance, but still landed some good blows. I always want to stop my opponents, but that wasn’t necessary for me today. The important thing was that I won. I gave a good performance and gained some valuable experience, which I can take into bigger fights.

“I’ll start training again in the next couple of weeks, and I‘ll be ready to defend my WBO World title again when the time comes. It’s no secret that I would also like to collect the other belts in the division, and if Sarah Mahfoud decides she is ready to fight me, I would be more than happy to accept the challenge.”

“Dina is world class and she showed that again tonight by beating a very good opponent,” said promoter Nisse Sauerland. “It was a great performance. She can be really proud of herself. She is a true hero in Struer, and now, our aim is now to make her a true hero in Denmark and then in the rest of the world.

“What’s next for Dina? That’s the question. There’s been a lot of talk about her fighting Sarah Mahfoud. They say they want the fight, they use Dina’s name to promote their own events, but I’m not so sure. We will be making her promoter Mogens Palle a very good offer for Sarah to fight Dina, but I’m not expecting them to accept. I think it is quite clear that Dina is in a different class.”

On the undercard, Dennis Ceylan suffered a second stoppage defeat to Jesus Sachez for the EU Featherweight title, while Danish heavyweight hope Kem Ljungquist continued his unbeaten streak with a first-round knockout win over Boldizsar Balazs Czagler, and Abdul Khattab outpointed Swedish rival Oliver Flodin in an eight-round Scandinavian middleweight thriller.

NEW YORK (JANUARY 19, 2019)-Undefeated welterweight Janelson Figueroa Bocachica will make his 2019 debut when he takes on Victor Abreu in a six-round bout in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

The 20 year-old Bocachica from Detroit, has an impressive mark of 12-0 with eight knockouts, will be making his 1st start of the new year after a solid 2018 where he racked up four wins, with three of them coming early.

Managed by Split-T Management, Bocachica has raced on several prospect lists, and 2019 figures to be a moving year for Bocachica as he will most likely look to enter the world ratings.

Abreu of The Dominican Republic has a record of 9-4 with five knockouts, with a win over previously undefeated Richard Solano (5-0).

Bocachica weighed 146 pounds at Friday’s weigh-in, while Abreu was 146.8

“I have family from everywhere coming to see me fight They are coming from Florida, Detroit and my family here in Puerto Rico. It is a real blessing coming true to be able to fight here,” said Bocachica. “The Puerto Rican fans are going to see a well trained boxer, who has a lot of skills and aggression. I can’t wait to put on a great performance for the fans.”

“Janelson is one of the most exciting prospects in boxing, and I expect him to turn it up in Puerto Rico. Look forward to an exploding performance because he is very excited to show his homeland that he is a future world champion,” said David McWater of Split-T Management

19 January 2019 – Jakarta, Indonesia: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), electrified the Istora Senayan once again last Saturday night, 19 January at ONE: ETERNAL GLORY. The first ONE Championship live event in 2019 kicked the year off in style, as the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent took center stage. In the main event, Japan’s Yosuke “Tobizaru” Saruta was crowned the new ONE Strawweight World Champion with a split decision victory over the Philippines’ Joshua “The Passion” Pacio.

Visit the official ONE: ETERNAL GLORY photo gallery by clicking: https://bit.ly/onephotos.

Japanese martial arts veteran Yosuke “Tobizaru” Saruta put together a tremendous performance, scoring a monumental upset of now former champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of the Philippines to capture the ONE Strawweight World Championship. Saruta was relentless with his chain wrestling, taking Pacio down on numerous occasions while trading powerful combinations on the feet. Throughout five action-packed rounds, both Saruta and Pacio put forth their best effort. In the end, it was Saruta who was able to garner two of the three judges’ nods to win by split decision.

In a ONE Super Series Muay Thai contest, Thailand’s Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy and New Zealand’s Alexi Serepisos put together an inspiring battle between world-class strikers. Over the course of three back-and-forth rounds, it was Mongkolpetch who proved to be faster and stronger, constantly a step ahead of his opponent throughout the contest. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Mongkolpetch to win by unanimous decision.

Singapore’s Christian “The Warrior” Lee turned in a dominant performance over the Philippines’ Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly, finishing the Filipino Team Lakay veteran in the first round with punches. After a brief exchange on the feet, Lee took matters to the ground and worked himself into full mount. From top, Lee pounded Kelly with downward strikes until the referee called a halt to the contest.

In a spirited encounter between two talented atomweights, Indian wushu champion Puja “The Cyclone” Tomar scored an upset victory when she defeated hometown hero Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol of Indonesia. Tomar used her striking to tag Lumban Gaol repeatedly with counter right hands while showcasing solid grappling offense and defense across three rounds. In the end, two of three judges saw the bout in Tomar’s favor to win by split decision.

English Muay Thai champion Jonathan “The General” Haggerty was impressive in his ONE Super Series debut as he outstruck Italy’s Joseph “The Hurricane” Lasiri to earn a unanimous decision win in a Muay Thai contest. Haggerty was on point in the opening round, unloading a storm of thunderous kicks and pinpoint-accurate elbows on his Italian opponent. Lasiri rallied back in the second round, connecting on an early knee, but it was Haggerty who was accurate all throughout the bout. After three rounds of back-and-forth action, it was Haggerty who was declared the victor.

Filipino striker Robin “D’ Ilonggo” Catalan put on an all-around dominant performance, shutting down Indonesian grappler Stefer “The Lion” Rahardian en route to a unanimous decision victory. Catalan was a step ahead on all fronts, as he easily prevented Rahardian’s takedowns, while also picking the hometown favorite apart in the striking department and landing some takedowns of his own. After three rounds of action, it was Catalan who walked away with the win on all three of the judges’ scorecards.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Bruno “Puccibull” Pucci of Brazil earned the biggest victory of his career thus far, submitting former ONE Lightweight World Champion Kotetsu “No Face” Boku of Japan in the first round of their featherweight clash. Pucci was relentless in his pursuit of the takedown, pushing Boku to the fence until finally putting the Japanese veteran on his back. Once on the ground, Pucci put on a grappling clinic, dominating Boku before sinking in a deep rear-naked choke to force the tap.

South Korea’s Kwon “Pretty Boy” Won Il kept his undefeated record intact after scoring a stunning first-round TKO victory over the streaking Anthony “The Archangel” Engelen of The Netherlands. The rangier Kwon pushed the action and utilized his reach advantage to land a well-timed right jab that stunned and dropped Engelen early in the opening round. Kwon pounced on the grounded Engelen and put on the finishing touches to end the bout after just 67 seconds.

Former ONE World Title challenger Koji “The Commander” Ando triumphed with a dominant performance against Rasul Yakhyaev. Ando showcased his pinpoint striking early on, setting up his jabs to land his stinging left straights. Yakhyaev gamely traded strikes with the Japanese veteran, but it didn’t deter Ando from consistently connecting on his combinations. After three grueling rounds, two of three judges saw the bout in favor of Ando, winning by way of hard-earned split decision.

China’s Niu Kang Kang left a lasting impression in his ONE Championship debut, knocking out hometown hero “The Terminator” Sunoto in the first round. Niu only needed 31 seconds to get the job done, shutting the lights off on Sunoto with a thunderous high kick.

Indonesia’s Aziz “The Krauser” Calim made quick work of compatriot Adi “Zenwalk” Paryanto in a strawweight contest. Calim effortlessly imposed his will on his opponent, scoring a takedown and latching himself on Paryanto’s back. With seconds remaining in the first round, Calim went for the finish, fastening a deep rear-naked choke to force Paryanto to tap.

Setting the tone for an action-packed evening was a featherweight bout between Indonesian martial artists Oscar Yaqut and Andreas “Yhayaz” Satyawan. Yaqut, a National Sanda Gold Medalist, did not disappoint in his promotional debut, rattling Satyawan with a combination of solid strikes from the start. In the second round, Yaqut completed the technical knockout victory with a series of powerful blows.

Official results for ONE: ETERNAL GLORY
ONE Strawweight World Championship bout: Yosuke Saruta defeats Joshua Pacio by Split Decision (SD) after 5 rounds
ONE Super Series Muay Thai Flyweight bout: Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy defeats Alexi Serepisos by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Featherweight bout: Christian Lee defeats Edward Kelly by TKO (Strikes) at 2:53 minutes of round 1
Women’s Atomweight bout: Puja Tomar defeats Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol by Split Decision (SD) after 3 rounds
ONE Super Series Muay Thai Flyweight bout: Jonathan Haggerty defeats Joseph Lasiri by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Strawweight bout: Robin Catalan defeats Stefer Rahardian by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds
Featherweight bout: Bruno Pucci defeats Kotetsu Boku by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:32 minutes of round 1
Featherweight bout: Kwon Won Il defeats Anthony Engelen by TKO (Strikes) at 1:07 minutes of round 1
Lightweight bout: Koji Ando defeats Rasul Yakhyaev by Split Decision (SD) after 3 rounds
Catch Weight bout (68.0KG): Niu Kang Kang defeats Sunoto by Knockout (KO) at 0:31 minutes of round 1
Strawweight bout: Aziz Calim defeats Adi Paryanto by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:40 minutes of round 1
Featherweight bout: Oscar Yaqut defeats Andreas Satyawan by TKO (Strikes) at 2:36 minutes of round 2

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.

WBA WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – 12 Rounds

Manny Pacquiao – 146 lbs.

Adrien Broner – 146 ½ lbs.

Referee: Russell Mora (Las Vegas); Judges: Tim Cheatham (Las Vegas), Dave Moretti (Las Vegas), Glenn Feldman (Connecticut)

WBA INTERIM LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – 12 Rounds

Badou Jack – 175 lbs.

Marcus Browne – 175 lbs.

Referee Tony Weeks (Las Vegas); Judges: Eric Cheek (Reno), Max DeLuca (Calif.), Don Trella (Connecticut)

WBC BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – 12 Rounds

Rau’shee Warren – 116 ½ lbs.

Nordine Oubaali – 118 lbs.

Referee: Vic Drakulich (Reno); Judges: Ricardo Ocasio (Las Vegas), Julie Lederman (New York), Steven Weisfeld (New Jersey)

FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT – 10 Rounds

Hugo Ruiz – 125 lbs.

Alberto Guevara – 126 lbs.

Referee: Jay Nady (Las Vegas); Judges: Adalaide Byrd (Las Vegas), Robert Hoyle (Las Vegas), Glenn Trowbridge (Las Vegas)

Note: Alberto Guevara replaces Jhack Tepora, who failed to make weight

FLASH QUOTES

Manny Pacquiao

“Age is just a number. It doesn’t matter that I’m 40 years old. I still feel young. Tomorrow I have something to prove – that at the age of 40, I can still give my best. It’s my legacy to give a good fight and to accomplish all this and especially at the age of 40. I have to prove something that Manny Pacquiao is still there.”

“Having Freddie [Roach] back has helped a lot. I’m happy that the team is united. We’re so happy and satisfied with the results of this training camp.

Adrien Broner

“This is a hell of an opportunity. I’m not just doing this for me, I’m doing this for the hood. After I win tomorrow night, I’ll be a legend overnight. I just have to do me. You’ll see tomorrow night.”

Marcus Browne

“He’s acting like he’s tough, but he isn’t. It’s business. He knows what time it is.”

Badou Jack

“He’s a good fighter. I respect everybody that steps in the boxing ring, but I’m going to show him what level I’m on. He’s never been on this level. He’ll see tomorrow.”

# # #

For more information visit www.sho.com/sports and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter @MannyPacquiao, @AdrienBroner, @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, @MGMGrand and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions and www.Facebook.com/MGMGrand.

Hugo Ruiz will now fight former two-time world title challenger Alberto Guevara (27-3, 12 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight match in the opening bout of Saturday’s SHOWTIME PPV telecast. Guevara replaces Jhack Tepora, who missed weight during Friday’s official weigh-in from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The 28-year-old Guevara, of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico, has won nine of his last 10 bouts and has recorded knockouts in each of his past three fights. Guevara weighed in at the featherweight limit of 126 pounds.

Dina Thorslund (12-0, 6 KOs) and Alesia Graf (29-7, 13 KOs) both made weight today ahead of their WBO Female World Super Bantamweight Championship clash tomorrow night at the Struer Energi Park in Denmark.

Thorslund, who claimed the WBO World title with a unanimous points win over Yessica Munoz in August 2018, returns to her hometown arena to meet the tough German challenger Alesia Graf for the WBO crown.

The undefeated Dane has predicted a KO victory and an all action affair against Graf, who believes she has what it takes to bring the belt home to Germany.

WBO Female World Super Bantamweight Championship:
Dina Thorslund: 55.1 kg
Alesia Graf: 55.3 kg

Former European Champion Dennis Ceylan rematches Jesus Sanchez for the EU Featherweight tile following last year’s shocking second round KO defeat.

EBU European Union Featherweight Championship:
Dennis Ceylan: 57.1 kg
Jesus Sanchez: 56.2 kg

The ‘Double Trouble’ event features an action-packed undercard showcasing top Danish talents Kem Ljungquist, Mikkel Nielsen and Adam Bashanov. Oliver Flodin faces Abdul Khattab in a Scandinavian middleweight thriller, while veteran Lolenga Mock continues his World title chase against Mateo Damian Veron, and German heavyweight Albon Pervizaj returns to action.

Heavyweight – 8 Rounds:
Kem Ljungquist: 103 kg
Boldizar Balazs Czagler: 111.3 kg

Heavyweight – 8 Rounds:
Albon Pervizaj: 111.2 kg
Alain Banongo: 119.2 kg

Middleweight – 8 Rounds:
Oliver Flodin: 71.9 kg
Abdul Khattab: 72.5 kg

Super Middleweight – 8 Rounds:
Lolenga Mock: 75.7 kg
Mateo Damian Veron: 75.5 kg

Super Welterweight – 6 Rounds:
Mikkel Nielsen: 69.7 kg
Angel Emilov: 69.9 kg

Light Heavyweight – 4 Rounds:
Adam Bashanov: 79.5 kg
Ivan Nikolov: 77.8 kg

Bantamweight – 4 Rounds (x2 mins):
Alicia Holzken: 51 kg
Ivanka Ivanova: 50.9 kg

Super Middleweight – 4 Rounds:
Haris Dzindo: 76.5 kg
Giorgi Gogebashvili: TBC

All the action will be available to watch live on Viaplay, TV3 Max and TV3+ in Denmark and Sport1 in Germany. Limited tickets are still available via www.ticketmaster.dk or by calling (+45) 70 15 65 65.

NEW YORK (JANUARY 18, 2019)–Two-Time Indian Olympian , Vikas Krishan is set to make his long awaited pro debut tonight as he competes in six-round junior middleweight bout against six-fight veteran Steven Andrade at The Turning Stone Resort Casino.

Krishan, who is a police officer in his home district of Bhiwani in Haryana, India, weighed 151 3/4 pounds while Andrade was 152 at Thursday’s weigh in.

The bout can be seen on ESPN+.

Krishan, an Olympian in 2012 and 2016 is the only Indian fighter in history to capture gold medals at both the Asian and Commonwealth Games as well as the AIBA Youth Boxing Championships.

In 2012, at the London Olympics, he defeated current IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. via 13-11 decision, only for the decision to be controversially overturned five hours later due to various fouls Krishan committed during the bout.

In the last the Olympics Krishan made it to the quarterfinals. Earlier this year, he became the first three-medal winner of the Asian Games as he won a Bronze Medal.

Krishan is managed by Split-T Management and is promoted by Top Rank.

Photos by Top Rank

Las Vegas – UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, today announced the unveiling of its new UFC Legacy Championship Belt to mark a new era for the company. The UFC Legacy Championship Belt, valued at three times more than its predecessor, replaces the UFC Classic Championship Belt, which had been used since 2001, when Zuffa, Inc. originally purchased the organization.

The UFC Legacy Championship Belt will be uniquely customized for each individual champion by the athlete’s country, weight class, and number of title defenses. Each belt will be assigned its own serial number and will feature UFC President Dana White’s engraved signature for authenticity.

The UFC Legacy Championship Belt will be awarded for the first time to the winner of the main event superfight between UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo and UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw at UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: CEJUDO vs. DILLASHAW, which takes place this Saturday, January 19, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

“This Saturday begins a new era for UFC, and it’s a perfect time to unveil our new UFC Legacy Championship Belt,” UFC President Dana White said. “The belt honors UFC’s past, while recognizing the amazing accomplishments of our current champions.”

The UFC Legacy Championship Belt, a design collaboration between UFC, belt designer Brad Flaherty, and Jae El Manufacturing, measures 50 inches in length and 12 inches in height, with an overall weight of 10.45 lbs. Made from genuine leather, the belt has a custom Octagon® pattern embossed on its trim with gold Octagon-shaped snaps that include UFC’s logo.

The belt’s main plate is highlighted by the UFC logo. Made from high-polished gold, the logo is centered on a pattern comprising squares and octagons. The octagon contains 25 lines that represent UFC’s silver anniversary, which it celebrated in 2018. Each square has eight lines that represent the eight sides of the Octagon.

The belt’s flag iconography is highlighted throughout the design as a way to honor the first eight countries to have a UFC champion:

· Belarus (Andrei Arlovski)

· Brazil (Murilo Bustamante)

· Canada (Carlos Newton)

· Ireland (Conor McGregor)

· Netherlands (Bas Rutten)

· Poland (Joanna Jedrzejczyk)

· United Kingdom (Michael Bisping)

· United States (Mark Coleman)

The belt’s left-side plate will recognize the titleholder’s name and weight class, with their native country showcased with flag iconography. Eight stones border the plate, and for each victory in a championship bout, one of the stones will be replaced with a red ruby. The date and location of the win will be engraved adjacent to the stone. If an athlete successfully defends their belt more than eight times, red stones will be added to the right-side plate to continually acknowledge the accomplishment. The belt’s right-side plate is adorned by a gold UFC World Champion logo and bordered by eight stones. UFC’s jewelry partner, Bixler, will donate all stones and engravings.

The women’s championship belt will be identical in every detail, except for size and weight. Athletes who win titles across multiple weight classes will be awarded one belt per division.

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts more than 284 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 1.1 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.

SAM BOWEN has taunted arch local rival Lyon Woodstock telling him: “Fighting you would be going back to area level”.

British super-featherweight champion Bowen (14-0) makes the first defence of his British crown against Dundee’s Ronnie Clark (21-4-2) at Leicester’s Morningside Arena on Saturday February 23, live on BT Sport.

Woodstock (11-1) fights on the same bill in his first contest since losing his unbeaten record against Archie Sharp in October.

The all Leicestershire clash is natural for East Midlands fans, but speaking to Steve Lillis on the latest episode of ‘The Boxing Podcast’, Bowen teased Woodstock, saying: “Unless he can beat a world champion, I’m not that interested in fighting him.

“I was before because it would have been a good fight, but that is Midlands area. I’m out of that.

“A fight against Woodstock would have been a natural in the past, but he has been beaten by Archie Sharp.

“To be fair I am looking beyond these fights. To me, that would be a step down. I want to be stepping up.

“We have offered him the fight in the past. At a press conference my manager Carl Greaves asked him; ‘Do you want to fight, Bowen?’ He wasn’t really giving an answer.

“Now he has been beaten, I suppose he will want to fight me more because he hasn’t got many more options.

“He has got to build himself back again and get into the mandatory position to fight me, but by the time he has done that I want to be way, way above.”

Bowen, 26, won the British championship last April stopping Maxi Hughes in eight rounds.

On his debut for promoter Frank Warren in October he knocked out Argentinian Horacio Alfredo Cabral to four rounds to claim the WBO Inter-Continental belt.

Bowen is now ranked at number ten in the WBO rankings for Masayuki Ito’s world title and he is in a hurry to get among the 130lb division’s elite.

He added: “I don’t want stay at this level for too long. It took us such a long time to get the British title shot because of withdrawals that I don’t want to hang around.

“World champions like Miguel Berchelt, Tevin Farmer, Gervonta Davis and Masayuki Ito are pure quality and fights like that can help secure my future.

“I am in this to provide for my family. I don’t want to be boxing for smaller amounts. I have a job where I earn okay.

“The idea is to get some big fights financially. To do as well as I can and make as much money as I can.”

Bowen v Clark shares top billing along with unbeaten Anthony Yarde defending his WBO Intercontinental Light Heavyweight title against tough Frenchman Mehdi Amar. Local fighters CJ Challenger and Kyle Haywood do battle for the vacant Midlands Area super welterweight title, with Lyon Woodstock, Ryan Garner, Tommy Fury, Ryan Hatton and Mark Chamberlain also featuring on the card.

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

2016 Olympic Bronze Medallist, and fighting hometown hero, Nico Hernandez will return to the professional boxing ring on Friday, February 15, at the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Kansas.

The undefeated Hernandez (6-0, 4 KOs) will face Mexico’s Victor Trejo Garcia (16-9-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-round flyweight special attraction in the featured live bout immediately preceding the SHOWTIME tripleheader telecast of “ShoBox Live at the Kansas Star Casino.”

The Hernandez vs Garcia bout is presented by Salita Promotions and John Anderson’s KO Night Boxing.

Tickets for the live event will go on sale on Friday, January 18, at 10 a.m. CT and are priced at $110, $75, $60, $45 and $25. They can be purchased at www.KansasStarCasino.com, www.Ticketmaster.com and at the Lucky Star Players Club at Kansas Star Casino.

Hernandez, who won the first Olympic men’s boxing medal since the 2008 Beijing Olympics by taking bronze at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was 94-5 as an amateur. He also captured six national titles, scored eight wins in the Ringside World Championship (an annual Kansas City-area event billed as “the largest amateur boxing tournament in the world”), along with six consecutive Silver Gloves National Championship wins, and a 2014 National Golden Gloves gold medal.

The 23-year-old turned professional in March 2017 and has dominated all his fights. He was last seen scoring a unanimous eight-round decision over Texas veteran Josue Morales. This will be his third consecutive fight at the Kansas Star Casino, where he enjoys tremendous popularity.

“I’m excited to be fighting on February 15 in front of my hometown fans at the Kansas Star Arena,” said Hernandez. “I’ll be in great shape and plan on putting on a great show. I want to be very active in 2019 and win a world title before the end of the year. It’s my time to shine.”

Presented by Salita Promotions, “ShoBox Live at the Kansas Star Casino” will feature top prospect Shohjahon Ergashev (15-0, 14 KOs) of Detroit via Fergana, Uzbekistan, taking on also undefeated Mykal Fox (19-0, 5 KOs) of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, in a 10-round welterweight main event.

In the other two televised bouts, Fort Worth’s rugged Jesse Angel Hernandez (12-1, 7 KOs) will take on Britain’s Thomas Patrick Ward (25-0, 4 KOs) in a 10-round super bantamweight battle for the WBA-NABA Championship and Grozny, Russia’s undefeated Aslambek Idigov (15-0, 7 KOs) will face once-beaten Travis Hanshaw (14-1-1, 7 KOs) of Ashland, Kentucky, in an eight-round super middleweight contest.

On fight night, the doors open at 5:30 pm (CST) and the action starts at 6:00 pm. Bouts subject to change. The Kansas Star Casino is located at 777 Kansas Star Drive in Mulvane, Kansas.

# # #

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

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 79 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

About Kansas Star Arena
The Kansas Star Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility, is located just off Exit 33 on the Kansas Turnpike and is adjacent to the Kansas Star Casino. The 42,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Kansas Star Arena is south-central Kansas’ home for big-name national acts such as Journey, Pat Benatar, Championship Rodeo, mixed martial arts events and more. The Arena accommodates up to 6,500 guests for headliner events. In 2014, Midwest Gaming and Travel awarded the Kansas Star more than 25 honors in its annual Reader’s Choice Awards, including “Best Concert Venue” in the state of Kansas. For more information, visit kansasstarcasino.com. Connect with Kansas Star Arena at facebook.com/kansasstararena and www.kansasstarcasino.com/entertain/arena. Kansas Star Casino is a property of Boyd Gaming. Founded in 1975, Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) is a leading geographically diversified operator of 29 gaming entertainment properties in 10 states. With one of the most experienced leadership teams in the casino industry, Boyd Gaming prides itself on offering its guests an outstanding entertainment experience, delivered with unwavering attention to customer service. For additional Company information and press releases, visit www.boydgaming.com.

Tickets have today gone on sale for only the second boxing event to be held at the London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall in 20 years.

Rising heavyweight star Daniel Dubois will have his tenth professional fight and double Olympic gold medallist Nicola Adams will challenge for a first world title on Friday March 8 when Frank Warren proudly returns boxing to the historic surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall. BT Sport will televise live.

Liam Williams will also make the first defence of his newly won British Middleweight title against Brentwood bruiser and former English Champion, Joe Mullender.

The iconic venue has previously staged some of the best fights in British boxing history. Only one professional boxing show has been staged at the Albert Hall in the last nearly 20 years, the occasion being when Billy Joe Saunders fought Tony Hill for the vacant Commonwealth title in April 2012.

Sharing top billing will be star in the making, Dubois, who faces his toughest test to date in the shape of Romanian giant Razvan Cojanu.

The 31-year-old former world title challenger extended Dubois’ domestic rival Nathan Gorman to the full 12 round distance in December, having originally been scheduled to fight the young Londoner a week previously before Dubois succumbed to illness.

The 16-5 Cojanu has operated at the highest level and in 2017 he challenged Joseph Parker for the WBO world heavyweight title and faced Luis Ortiz in July of last year.

“The chance to fight at the Royal Albert Hall is a huge thrill for me and I really hope it is the first of many opportunities to perform there,” said the 21-year-old. “I am fully aware that many of the British heavyweight greats of the past fought at this historic venue and it will be an honour to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Henry Cooper, Frank Bruno and Lennox Lewis.

“I know the Albert Hall was the favourite place to watch boxing for many older fans so it is brilliant that a new generation will now get the chance to sample the experience too.”

It is fitting that British sporting royalty in Nicola Adams will bid for her crowning moment at the South Kensington concert hall that was opened by Queen Victoria in 1871 and first staged a boxing competition in 1918.

Adams will challenge the WBO world flyweight champion Arely Mucino, having won the Interim world title in October with a clear cut points victory over Isabel Millan in her fifth professional fight.

“Winning a world title is what I got into professional boxing for and I believe it is my destiny to do so and ultimately unify the flyweight division,” stated the two-time Olympic gold medallist. “To get this opportunity after just five professional fights is an achievement in itself and I am so thankful to my promotional team for making it happen.

“To fight for the WBO world title at the Royal Albert Hall is a dream come true when you consider the great names that have performed there and I want to make this another memorable occasion.”

The 29-year-old Mexican Mucino holds a record of 27-3-2 and is a three-time world champion, winning the IBF title in 2011 and successfully defending three times before losing a challenge for the WBC belt in 2012.

Mucino won the WBO title in February of last year with a majority decision over Monserrat Alarcon before overcoming Maria Salinas via a split decision in September.

Also on the bill, in what is surely guaranteed to be an all-action encounter, Liam Williams will make a first defence of his British middleweight title against former English champion Joe Mullender.

Williams was hugely impressive in stepping up to middleweight to stop the previously unbeaten Mark Heffron in December to become a two-weight British champion and he now defends the belt against the 11-2 Mullender, who recorded a brutal stoppage victory over Ben Capps last time out in October.

“I think this has got all the makings of an exciting fight and you can see from his style that he always brings it and comes to have a good tear up, so I am looking forward to it,” commented the 19-2-1 Welshman.

“I do believe I am a class or two above him to be quite honest, but I also think he will give anyone a decent fight because of his style. He would give most fighters in the world a good fight, however long it lasts, because of the way he approaches fights.”

The Brentwood man, known as ‘Smokin Joe’ won the English title in an epic sequel against Lee Markham in June 2017.

“For me it is all about the British title and I will fight anyone,” insisted the hugely popular 32-year-old. I respect Liam as a fighter, he has done what he’s done and is levels above me on paper, but I don’t really care who I fight, to be honest.

“It is for the British title and the odds are stacked against me, but that is what I like.”

Johnny Garton, who won the British welterweight title in a thriller against Gary Corcoran in October features on the card, along with Archie Sharp (14-0) making a first defence of his WBO European super featherweight title against the also unbeaten Lucas Ballingall (11-0).

Tickets are priced from £40 and are available to buy via RoyalAlbertHall.com

TICKETS START FROM £40
GRAND TIER: £100
LOGGIA: £100
SECOND TIER: £75

Artur Mann (15-0, 8 KOs) challenges Kevin Lerena (21-1, 9 KOs) for the IBO World Cruiserweight title on March 16 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Mann, undefeated in fifteen professional contest, lands this dream World title shot following a unanimous points win over Alexey Zubov in Chicago, and is full of confidence as he travels to South Africa in search of World glory.

“This is the moment I’ve been working my whole life for,” says Mann. “Who would have thought a year ago that today we would be preparing for an IBO World title fight in Johannesburg. I can’t thank my promoter Team Sauerland and the Sauerland family enough that this dream could be realized so quickly. Thanks also to my management Daniel Todorovic and Marius Schulze.

“This is a huge opportunity, and one I will not miss. Kevin Lerena will certainly have a home advantage as the reigning champion and local hero, but I like a challenge, and I’m convinced I will bring the IBO belt home to Germany.”

Lerena claimed the IBO strap with a split decision win over Youri Kayembre Kalenga on September 9, 2017, and has since recorded two successful defences against Ukraine’s Dmytro Kucher and Roman Golovashchenko.

“I’m excited to be back in the square jungle against such a formidable opponent as Artur Mann,” he said. “The public can look forward to a fan friendly fight with no quarter asked or given. Whilst I respect Mann’s record, only one hand will be raised in victory – AND STILL – This is the year of Kevin Lerena !”

“Kevin Lerena vs. Artur Mann for the IBO Cruiserweight title at the Emperors Palace – an evenly matched and mouth watering fight between two outstanding boxers,” said Rodney Berman, for Golden Gloves. “Both can ill afford a loss at this stage of their careers with the cruiserweight division enjoying such popularity, which is in no small measure due to the World Boxing Super Series.

“We look forward to staging this main event in association with Team Sauerland with whom we have always enjoyed an excellent relationship.”

“We’re delighted to be working with Rodney Berman and Golden Gloves to deliver this spectacular cruiserweight Wold title showdown,” said Nisse Sauerland, for Team Sauerland. “This is a fantastic opportunity for Artur and one he must seize with both hands. I’m expecting a fan friendly contest, with both men leaving it all on the line. Germany is due a World Champion, and now Artur has the chance to write his name in the history books.

Felix Cash believes winning the Commonwealth Middleweight crown will earn him a shot at the Lonsdale belt currently held by Welshman Liam Williams.

The unbeaten Wokingham talent, 10-0, is keen to make up for lost time as he takes on Nigeria’s Rasheed Abolaji for the vacant Commonwealth title at The O2 on February 2, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

Cash picked up the first title of his professional career after cruising to victory against Stephen Danyo at the Copper Box Arena in October. He dominated his Manchester-based Dutch opponent throughout before receiving a unanimous verdict to claim the WBC International Silver belt.

And the former Team GB amateur standout is aiming to add a second belt to his collection when he takes on Abolaji next month before targeting a shot a two-weight British Champ Liam Williams in 2019.

“A shot at a good domestic belt has been a long time coming,” said Cash. “The Commonwealth title is right up there and hopefully once I get my hands on it more fighters will be tempted to get in the ring with me. We’ve been trying to make big fights for a while now, but opponents have always priced themselves out or messed us around.

“I’ve flown under the radar a little bit for the past couple of years but my last fight was a title fight and this is for the Commonwealth. When I get the win on February 2 I can start targeting some big names in the domestic Middleweight division and show everyone what I’m really about when I step up.

“I’m looking forward to going in there and putting on a performance. The plan is to get the Commonwealth and then I want to go for the British. I’m taking things one fight at a time, but I’ve got full confidence in my abilities. Liam Williams holds the British and that’s a fight that could happen this year.

“I’ve sparred Liam before and he’s a good fighter. He boxed very well in his last fight – he looked class. You’d be lying if you said he didn’t, but I’m very confident in my abilities. I’ve sparred multiple World Champions and I know what I’ve been doing to them, and they know too. Sparring is sparring but it’s the closest thing to fighting. I know how good I am and it’s my time to show everyone.”

‘Afonja Warrior’, 27, has won six of his eleven career wins by KO and has previously fought in the UK when he took Sam Sheedy the distance in a challenge for the Commonwealth Middleweight title in 2017. Cash is expecting a hard night’s work.

“He’s quite dangerous early on so I’ll have to stick to my boxing, break him down and then go to work on him. He’s a bit of a hooker and doesn’t throw many straights. Tony says he’s very tough, so I’ll have to go down and work the body. He’ll be the best opponent I’ve faced to date, but I fully expect to come away with the win.”

Cash vs. Abolaji is part of a huge night of action in London.

Bermondsey star Ted Cheeseman steps up again when he challenges undefeated Spaniard Sergio Garcia for the European Super-Welterweight crown.

Unbeaten British Cruiserweight Champion Lawrence Okolie returns to action after his win over Matty Askin at Wembley Stadium in September.

Light-Heavyweight rivals Jake Ball and Craig Richards finally face-off in a highly-anticipated grudge match for the WBA Continental title.

Scotland’s fast-rising Super-Middleweight talent John Docherty aims to make it three KO’s from three fights, Ipswich Heavyweight Fabio Wardley looks to go 6-0, decorated amateur Charles Frankham makes his debut at Super-Featherweight and Hammersmith Light-Heavyweight Dana Zaxo takes part in his fourth professional contest.

Tickets for February 2 priced at £30, £50, £80 and £150 are (VIP) available to purchase from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk), The O2 (www.theo2.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com)

18 January 2019, Manila, Philippines – Honorio “The Rock” Banario is gearing up for what could be the toughest outing in his career when he takes on Lowen Tynanes of the United States in the opening round of the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix.

They will be locking horns at ONE: HERO’S ASCENT, which takes places at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on 25 January.

Banario, a former ONE Featherweight World Champion, wanted to test his improvement against some of the best lightweight athletes in the world.

“The Rock” will certainly get his wish when he takes on the 28-year-old Hawaiian State Wrestling Champion.

“This will be a good fight because this will test if I have really improved my wrestling. Lowen Tynanes is something else, he has good wrestling and a high-level athlete. He’s a very well-rounded martial artist,” Banario conceded.

“It’s a big challenge for me to get in the cage with him. My team was surprised when we found out that he will be my first opponent for the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix. But we have a lot of time for training so we came up with a game plan to beat him.”

Hailing from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Tynanes is an unbeaten lightweight mixed martial artist who holds an unblemished record of 9-0 with four wins by submission and two by knockout.

His most notable win came back in 2012 when he scored a stoppage victory over current ONE Lightweight World Title Eduard “Landslide” Folayang.

“I have huge respect for him as a mixed martial artist,” Banario stated. “I think Tynanes will attempt to take me down, so I have to defend his takedowns and do my best to keep it standing.”

The Team Lakay representative knows that this will be far from an easy far as he is up against a young, hungry athlete in Tynanes.

Banario has nothing but praise for his upcoming foe, but he firmly believes that a properly-executed game plan will get his hand raised at ONE: HERO’S ASCENT.

“If it goes to the late rounds, I’m certain that he will try to go to the ground,” he declared. “I am hoping for a favorable outcome in this bout.”

LAS VEGAS (January 17, 2019) – Before they enter the ring on the undercard of this Saturday’s Pacquiao vs. Broner SHOWTIME PPV® event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, fighters competing in PPV action squared-off against their opponents at the final press conference Thursday in Las Vegas.

The press conference saw a stare down and some verbal sparring between former two-division world champion Badou Jack and unbeaten contender Marcus Browne as they near their battle for the WBA Interim Light Heavyweight Title.

The event also featured former champion Rau’shee Warren and unbeaten Nordine Oubaali, who battle for the vacant WBC Bantamweight World Championship, and WBC Interim Featherweight Champion Jhack Tepora and former champion Hugo Ruiz, who compete in a 12-round attraction that opens the PPV at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

In the main event, Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao,boxing’s only eight-division world champion, will end his two-year hiatus from a U.S. boxing ring when he returns to Las Vegas to defend his World Boxing Association Welterweight World Title against former four-division world champion and must-see attraction Adrien “The Problem” Broner.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions in association with About Billions Promotions, are on sale now and start at $200, not including applicable service charges, and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from MGM Grand:

BADOU JACK

“We had a great camp. As usual, I’ve been in the gym training hard. It’s nothing new to me. I’m on weight and I’m full of energy. I feel blessed.

“Marcus Browne is a young up-and-coming guy. You have to respect everyone who steps into the ring. I’m ready for this challenge.

“On paper Marcus Browne isn’t on the level with the guys who I’ve fought. Who knows? He might be a great champion. But either way, I’m focused on what’s in front of me. If he doesn’t respect this challenge, that might be his downfall.

“Everybody opponent has talked about me and said I’m a basic fighter, but after the fight, they have excuses. I don’t want to hear any excuses after Saturday.

“If Marcus Browne really believes that this is his time, then that will bring the best out of me. I’m not a trash talker, but I’m extremely motivated now. I hope he comes to fight. My prediction is to win and dominate.

“Marcus has never been in this position so I think he’s a little nervous or he doesn’t know how to act. He’s disrespecting world champions and he’s never even won a title.

“I’m dedicating this fight to all of the refugees out there. If you go to badoujackfoundation.org you can find out about the refugee kids that I’m fighting for.”

MARCUS BROWNE

“My team has sacrificed their holiday to grind it out with me in camp and It’s got me ready for Saturday night. I’m in the best shape of my life physically, spiritually and mentally.

“I have respect for Badou Jack for stepping up to the plate and giving me this opportunity. In boxing you have to fight the guys who are hungry for opportunities and I’m that guy.

“I’m not trying to disrespect anyone he’s fought, but I feel like he hasn’t fought top level guys since moving up to this division. I’m young and hungry and I’m ready to go. I’m a different animal than what he’s seen.

“Hopefully after this fight they’ll say that this kid has something about him. Some pizazz, some sauce that I never seen before. My ideal year is winning this fight and getting on the phone and then discussing future plans.”

“I’m ready man. I’m focused, I’m hungry, I’m ready to get in there, weigh in and do what I have to do. I’m tired of talking. I’ve been put on hold a couple times, but I’m prepared for this moment right now.

“Badou is a strong, smart-headed as a fighter and just disciplined. A win over Badou would give me the respect that I deserve. But I gotta win first, and that’s what I’m here to do.

“I’m ready to go right now. I’ve worked so hard for this moment in my career. He’s fought six world champions in a row, but he hasn’t fought a real light heavyweight like myself. Come Saturday night, we’re going to go wherever we have to go to get this victory. I’m leaving Las Vegas with this win.”

RAU’SHEE WARREN

“I had a wonderful training camp. There’s nothing like fighting someone you lost to in the Olympics. I know Roy Jones Jr. felt like that when he got cheated in the Olympics. In this rematch, It’s going to be a way different fight.

“I’ve been in camp for about three months. My coach has seen me overcome different situations in training. I had the toughest sparring I’ve ever had in camp and I want to thank them for getting me to this point.

“Oubaali hasn’t fought anyone like me. Getting in the ring with me is a whole different story than when we met the first time. It’s an honor to get my revenge.

“I’m a different fighter from when I fought for the title the first time. In this fight I’ve picked up something different, which is my jab. I feel like I’m going to control the whole fight with my jab, my speed and my timing.

“In the professional ranks you have to sit down and pick your shot more than you did in the amateurs. When I land that shot, I’m going to put my foot on the gas and finish the job.”

NORDINE OUBAALI

“I’m doing this for everyone who supports me and helped me to this moment. Saturday is a big fight for me to get my first world title.

“To have this fight in Las Vegas makes me very happy. This is the fight capital of the world and it makes it an even more special moment to be here.

“I fought Rau’shee Warren in the amateurs, but I know in the pros it’s totally different. I know that I have progressed even more since I turned pro and am better than when we fought in the Olympics.

“Rau’shee is a good, smart and slick fighter, but I have the strategy for this win. I have the power that he lacks. I’m going to accomplish my American dream.

“I came here to win a world title, not look at the lights. People may not know me now, but after this fight, people will know my name and know I’m a world champion.”

JHACK TEPORA

“I’m ready for this fight and I’m thankful to Manny Pacquiao and my team for making this happen. I wish my opponent good luck and I’ll see you in the ring Saturday.

“I’m just excited for Saturday night and I can’t wait to step into the ring and show the world my abilities and what I can do.

“I don’t go into a fight expecting a knockout, but it comes automatically to me. The same thing will happen this Saturday. Knockout win.”

HUGO RUIZ

“I’m very emotional and I’m thankful for everyone who helped me get this opportunity. My team is a family and we’re here to take advantage of this opportunity.

“I have a big responsibility to come and put on a good fight for everyone in the arena and watching on SHOWTIME and all over the world.

“I’m tall enough and strong enough for this weight class and I’m coming to get another knockout on Saturday. I’m more experienced than Tepora and I believe that I know how to start fast and break my opponent down.

“I have won titles at bantamweight and super bantamweight and now I’m going to become champion at featherweight and continue to prove I am a great fighter.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“This is a terrific undercard. I’ve promoted 14 PPV fights over the last 12 years, and hands down this is the best undercard thus far. It’s just a great night from top to bottom.

“Tepora vs. Ruiz will certainly be an all-action fight to open the telecast. Rau’shee Warren will enter trained by the renowned team of Barry Hunter and Patrice Harris, while Oubaali has the legend Roy Jones Jr. in his corner. I believe this all adds up to a war on Saturday.

“The co-main event could possible steal the show. Mayweather Promotions’ own Badou Jack will be taking on Marcus Browne, who’s a great fighter that is very hungry. Marcus feels like this is his time and he feels he’s going to prove it on Saturday.

“Words can’t express how I feel about Badou Jack. He’s my favorite fighter. He’s done so much for the sport in a short period of time. He’s looking to put on a great show come Saturday night.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

“The combined record of these six fighters is 134 wins against just seven losses. You don’t see that level of quality top to bottom very often. These are also exciting all-action affairs.

“Tepora is coming off six straight knockouts, and 11 knockdowns in those fights. He’s looking to keep that streak going. If you’ve seen Hugo Ruiz fight, you’ve probably seen him in a Fight of the Year candidate, because that’s what he does.

“Rau’shee Warren and Nordine Oubaali are fighting in an Olympic rematch. Rau’shee is another fighter with high-quality fights on his resume, and Oubaali is aggressive himself, with five straight knockouts.

“Badou Jack vs. Marcus Browne is a matchup of two top-10 light heavyweights who were homegrown on SHOWTIME. This is Badou’s 13th appearance and Marcus 8th appearance on the network. Badou has one of the strongest resumes in boxing and is one of the underappreciated stars in the sport. He’s facing another great fighter in Marcus Browne, who’s looking to keep his unbeaten streak alive.

“Top to bottom this is a card worthy of your attention. We’re proud of what we put together and we’ll see you on Saturday night.”

# # #

ABOUT PACQUIAO VS. BRONER
Pacquiao vs. Broner is headlined by Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao,boxing’s only eight-division world champion, ending his two-year hiatus from a U.S. boxing ring to defend his World Boxing Association Welterweight World Title against former four-division world champion and must-see attraction Adrien “The Problem” Broner Saturday, January 19 in the main event of a SHOWTIME PPV® event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The PPV begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature two-division world champion Badou Jack battling unbeaten top-rated contender Marcus Browne for the WBA Interim Light Heavyweight Title, former world champion Rau’shee Warren taking on France’s Nordine Oubaali for the vacant WBC Bantamweight World Championship and unbeaten WBA Interim Featherweight Champion Jhack Tepora defending against former world champion Hugo Ruiz.

For more information visit www.sho.com/sports and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter @MannyPacquiao, @AdrienBroner, @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, @MGMGrand and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions andwww.Facebook.com/MGMGrand.

Jacobs extends the deal with promoter Eddie Hearn that led to the ‘Miracle Man’ becoming a two-time World Middleweight champion in December, beating Sergiy Derevyanchenko to land the IBF title at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The Brooklyn favorite will meet the Mexican star and WBC and WBA king on May 4 at a venue to be announced soon, and the 31 year old expects to come out on top in what promises to be one of the biggest fights of the year.

“It is such an honor and privilege to be a part of DAZN and Matchroom Boxing – thank you guys for believing in me,” said Jacobs. “Displaying my skills on such a platform would do wonders for my career I have an opportunity to make history! Plus I have the best team to ensure the best possible opportunities for my career.

“This is the moment that I’ve been waiting for my whole entire career I’ve been through so much in life just to get to this point, I look forward to taking advantage of such an amazing opportunity. Canelo is a great champion and a worthy opponent to ensure an epic fight the fans will remember for ages!! in order to be the best, you have to beat the best – this with this fight represents to me.”

“Danny is where it all started for us in America and I want to thank him for believing in us,” said Hearn. “It has been a pleasure working with him and his manager Keith Connolly who has fought every inch to get Danny the best opportunities and position within the sport.

“Danny captured the World title under our guidance and now he enters one of the biggest fights in World boxing to establish his position as the world’s number one Middleweight. Above that he is a man of class and humbleness and we will always be grateful that he was the trail blazer for US fighters to sign with Matchroom Boxing.

“For DAZN this is another major signing as we continue to build an emphatic team of fighters – Jacobs vs. Canelo is a wonderful addition for subscribers and fans, it truly is one of the great fights in boxing today.”

“We are super excited to have re-signed with Matchroom Boxing,” said Connolly. “Eddie has done a fabulous job guiding Danny to a World title and now a mega fight. He has delivered on everything he said he would when we first met him.

“We are grateful that DAZN has such belief in Daniel Jacobs as they look to push him into superstardom over the next chapter of his career.”

• Bryant Jennings 225.25 lbs vs. Oscar Rivas 234 lbs
(NABF, NABO and IBF International Heavyweight titles – 12 Rounds)

• Shakur Stevenson 125.5 lbs vs. Jessie Cris Rosales124.5lbs
(IBF International and WBC Continental Americas Featherweight titles – 10 Rounds)

ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET)

• Jason Sosa 131 lbs vs. Moises Delgadillo 133 lbs
(Super Featherweight – 10/8 Rounds)

• Carlos Adames 156 lbs vs. Juan Ruiz 155.5 lbs
(Super Welterweight – 10/8 Rounds)

• Robson Conceicao 130.5 lbs vs. Hector Ambriz 130.5 lbs
(Super Featherweight – 8 Rounds)

• Fazliddin Gaibnazarov 141.5 lbs vs. Ricardo Garcia 142 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 8 Rounds)

• Cassius Chaney 250 lbs vs. Michael Glasscox 212 lbs
(Heavyweight – 6 Rounds)

• Vikas Krishan 151.75 lbs vs. Steven Andrade 152 lbs
(Super Welterweight – 6 Rounds)

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), tickets priced at $79, $62, and $45, are available at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

About ESPN+

ESPN+, which surpassed one million paying subscribers in just five months, is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional 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, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports), domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie and more), exclusive Top Rank boxing, UFC (beginning in 2019), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App, the leading sports app and the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans. The ESPN App is a showcase of the company’s culture of innovation, delivering a rich, personalized experience that curates all of ESPN’s content around each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also available through ESPN.com

LAS VEGAS (January 17, 2019) – World title challenger “Mighty” Aston Palicte (24-2-1, 20 KOs) is fighting to establish his Filipino boxing legacy, starting January 31st, when he takes on unbeaten Jose “Chiquiro” Martinez (20-0-2, 13 KOs) in a World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior bantamweight world title eliminator.

Co-promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions, Palicte vs. Martinez will headline a card that will stream live on UFC FIGHT PASS on Thursday, January 31, 2019, live from Viejas Casino & Resort in Alpine, California, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The show is the first under a new agreement between Palicte’s promoter, RJJ Boxing, and FIGHT PASS, to live stream up to 72 professional boxing events over the next three years.

The event will be held on the Thursday night of Super Bowl week, in the Oak Ballroom at Viejas Casino & Resort, which is located 35 miles outside of San Diego.

On the line is the mandatory challenger status for the winner of the Palicte vs. Martinez 12-round main event for reigning WBO junior bantamweight title holder and four-division world champion, Donnie Nietes (42-1-5, 24 KO), one of the all-time greatest Filipino fighters.

Palicte (WBO No. 2) is coming off a controversial 12-round split draw with Nietes last September in Inglewood, California, for the then vacant WBO Junior bantamweight championship. Many at ringside felt that Palicte should have won the Filipino showdown, based on his relentless pressure and considerably higher activity rate.

“I felt like I won the fight,” Palicte said, “but a draw is better than a loss. I expected to win that fight. I got him good in the early round, his face was all swollen, but I respect the judges’ decision. I can’t do anything about that now, but we will have a rematch if I defeat Martinez.

“I was disappointed to learn we were not going to have an immediate rematch like I had thought, but this fight will be good preparation for me to fight Nietes again for the world title. Of course, I need to win this fight and it’s very important, because a win will draw me closer to my dream of being world champion. Martinez (WBO #4) is a good fighter, but I’m confident I can win this fight. I’m still very hungry. I missed the first time but, this time, I’m not letting it go. A win and I will be challenging Nietes and this time around I will strip him of the world title belt.”

Palicite, who is ranked No. 9 in independent world ratings by The Ring magazine, has been training at the famed Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California, along with superstar Manny Pacquiao, who is training there for his Jan. 19th showdown with Adrien Broner.

“It’s good to be back in the U.S. to fight again,” Palicte commented. “It’s a bit sad because I’m away from my whole family, but I still get to talk to them every day. I’m a husband and father of my year-old boy. They are my reason for striving harder in my boxing career for the future of my family. They’re my inspiration and reason why I’m here now.”

Palicte’s native Philippines has produced great boxers for the past century, dating back to Pancho Villa, continuing with Flash Elorde, and now peaking with Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire and Nietes. The 27-year-old Palicte is the undisputed leader of the contemporary wave of young world-class Filipino fighters, which brings honor, pride and, of course, added pressure.

Although he isn’t looking past Martinez, far from it, Palcite is confident of defeating Martinez and then Nietes for the coveted crown. “There is pressure to be the next great Filipino fighter,” Palcite admitted. “I’ve been waiting for this my whole life. I nearly did it (win world title) the last time and I’m not stopping until I get that world title belt. I had hoped to get it the first time, but I think it’s going to be sweeter the second time around.”

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

INFORMATION:

Websites: www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, Viejas.com
Twitter: @RoyjonesJRfa, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @CottoPromotions, @RealMiguelCotto, @viejascasino, @AstonPalicte
Instagram: @RoyJonesJRboxing, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @artofmusiclv, @rivalboxinggear, @CottoPromotions, @RealMiguelCotto, @Viejascasinoresort, @astonmightypalicte
Facebook: /RJJBoxing, /ViejasCasinoAndResort, /MiguelCottoPromotions, RealMiguelCotto

NEW YORK CITY (Jan. 17, 2019) — Fresh off their kickoff press conference in London, WBO welterweight world champion Terence “Bud” Crawford and Amir “King” Khan flew across the pond for a special press conference at ESPN’s South Street Seaport studios in lower Manhattan.

Crawford and Khan will battle on Saturday, April 20, live on the inaugural Top Rank on ESPN pay-per-view at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT. Details on how fans will be able to access the pay-per-view event will be announced at a later date.

On stop two of the Crawford-Khan cross-continental media tour, this is what the fighters and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum had to say.

Terence Crawford

“Amir Khan has been in there with a lot of great fighters. Me beating him will put me on another level in the welterweight division. People are interested in seeing this fight.”

“It don’t matter how I win. I just want to win. That still won’t get the fighters I want to fight in the ring with me. I just need to keep doing what I’m doing.”

“There’s no animosity between me and Amir. He respects me. I respect him. We’ll do our thing in the ring on April 20, and we’ll shake hands when it’s over.”

“I’m expecting the best Amir Khan to show up. I never take any shortcuts in training camp. I’m always training for the best fighter that {my opponent} can be. I never look at it like, ‘Oh, he’s some half Amir Khan, or he’s washed up.’ We’re going to train for the best Amir Khan.”

Amir Khan

On why he signed to fight Crawford

“First of all, it was because it was for a world title. Also, Terence is up there as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. This is a fight that could take me to a different level, and I want to win this fight because I want to be the best in the world. All them dreams I’ve had of being the best ever, and one day being that pound-for-pound champion, this is the fight that can take me there.”

“I’ve been reading a lot of things and hearing a lot of things with people saying that I’m taking this fight just to get beat or maybe just to have another world title fight. It isn’t about that. I’m coming here to win. I’ve never gone into a fight just to make numbers. I’ve made a lot of money in the game, and I could leave the sport happy. But I still have unfinished business. I still have a lot left in me to win them titles. Maybe my last fight wasn’t the best fight. Maybe that’s one of the reasons that got me this fight. I will prove myself. Going into this fight, I’m highly motivated. Terence is a great champion. I’m not going to walk into the ring just to get beat. I’m coming to win this fight. I don’t have that much pressure in this fight because people are expecting me to get beat. I’m going to come and shock the world.”

“This is a fight that can redeem my whole career. Against Canelo, maybe I was biting off more than I could chew. I took that fight because it was a massive opportunity for me, and I believe in myself as a fighter. This fight, I see that it’s more fair. We’re similar weights. We’ve had similar experience. In my opinion, I’ll be able to take his punching power. He’s also a quick and a skillful fighter, so there’s a lot of advantages for me in this fight. In other fights, I’ve fought guys who are a lot stronger, a lot bigger in weight. That plays a big part. In this fight, I really think I have the style and everything it takes to win.”

Bob Arum

“The idea is to make the best possible fight. We’ve been Terence’s promoter for many, many years. He’s at a stage now where, to cement his legacy, he has to fight the best. And I’ve always been a big fan of Amir Khan. I remember Amir Khan when he was an amateur and what great skills he has and had. It will be a real test for Bud Crawford to fight Amir Khan. I really think Amir has been one of the best welterweights around. And I think it’s going to be a great, great fight on April 20.”

“Terence Crawford, should he win the fight April 20, he will fight the best available welterweights in the world. It’s the world. There are tremendously gifted fighters. There’s this kid in Spain that’s the biggest attraction Spanish boxing ever had called {Kerman Lejarraga}. And he’s a terrific fighter. There’s the Eastern Europeans. There’s a lot of good welterweights. If there are fighters fighting for another promoter, and the other promoter is digging his heels in and won’t give his fighters the opportunity to be on a big stage, it’s on them. I can’t be worried about it.”

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

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

BROOKLYN (January 17, 2019) – Former 154-pound world champion Erislandy Lara seeks to return to the championship ranks when the Cuban star challenges undefeated contender Brian Castaño for his WBA Super Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, March 2 live on SHOWTIME and presented by Premier Boxing Champions from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING coverage of the PBC event begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features another Cuban star in top heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz as he clashes with Christian Hammer in a 10-round co-featured bout. In the opening bout of the tripleheader, hard-hitting Ricardo Núñeztakes on rugged veteran Edner Cherry in a 12-round super featherweight opener.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment, are on sale Friday, January 18 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center beginning Saturday, January 19. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

The super welterweight division remains one of the hottest divisions in boxing with unified champion Jarrett Hurd, newly crown champion Tony Harrison, former world champion Jermell Charlo, former title challenger Julian Williams and Lara all circling each other for supremacy in the weight class.

“This night of exciting action is headlined by two Cuban stars who will surely put on a display of the immense skill and determination that Cuban boxers are known for,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Erislandy Lara has long been one of the best, if not number one, in the 154-pound division and he will look to get right back into that class by taking the WBA title from a hard-hitting and undefeated Argentine in Brian Castaño. Luis Ortiz has another opportunity to show why he’s one of the most-feared punchers in the heavyweight division and prove that he deserves a rematch for the title with Deontay Wilder. Christian Hammer has fought against the best at heavyweight and he isn’t coming here to lie down for Ortiz. When you add the Ricardo Núñez vs. Edner Cherry fight that is sure to bring action, it adds up to another can’t-miss night at Barclays Center and live on SHOWTIME.”

“Erislandy Lara is one of the most talented junior middleweights in the world, and while Brian Castaño is not yet a household name, he was a world renowned amateur and is undefeated as a pro,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “This is a must-win fight for Lara and Castaño’s chance to establish himself as one of boxing’s rising stars. Luis Ortiz is a dangerous man. His ‘King Kong’ nickname is appropriate, as no one wants to fight the beast. You saw why in his spectacular challenge against Deontay Wilder. Tested world class contender Christian Hammer will attempt to derail ‘King Kong’ in his quest to secure another world title shot.”

“Over the last few years SHOWTIME has spotlighted the progression of the super welterweight and heavyweight divisions as they have emerged as two of the hottest and deepest in the sport,” said Stephen Espinoza, President of Sports and Event Programming, SHOWTIME. “On March 2, we will further that with a pair of the most dangerous and perhaps most avoided fighters in boxing in Erislandy Lara and Luis Ortiz. Both are in significant and difficult matchups. Brian Castaño is young, undefeated and although already the champion, looking to make a mark on the division with a signature win over Lara. Add in an all-action 130-pound bout and we have a dynamite three-fight card.”

“I’m thrilled to welcome both Erislandy Lara and Luis Ortiz back to Barclays Center for what will be an exciting night for fight fans in Brooklyn,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of BSE Global. “Both fighters have put up compelling performances in our ring, and will face tough competitors on March 2. I am also looking forward to BROOKLYN BOXING returning to SHOWTIME for the first time in 2019 for an evening of world class matchups.”

Lara (25-3-2, 14 KOs) was the longest reigning 154-pound champion until he lost a split decision to Jarrett Hurd on April 7 in a unification bout on SHOWTIME. Now the 39-year-old Lara, who was born in Guantanamo, Cuba and lives in Houston, looks to grab a title and once again stake his claim as one of the division’s best. He has one of the strongest resumes in the division, having fought Hurd and former 154-pound champions Canelo Alvarez and Austin Trout.

“I’m very excited to be back headlining SHOWTIME in another major fight,” said Lara. “Brian Castaño is a young undefeated champion with a strong amateur pedigree. I look forward to being in the ring with him and putting on a great fight for the fans. I can’t wait to being crowned world champion again. Everyone tune in March 2nd, you don’t want to miss the whole card, it’s going to be sensational.”

The 29-year-old Castaño (15-0, 11 KOs) has worked his way up the ladder in one of the toughest divisions in boxing with raw power and toughness. Castaño, who is from Buenos Aires, fits well into the mold of the Argentine sluggers before him – such as former champions Carlos Monzon, Sergio Martinez and Marcos Maidana. He will battle Lara after wins against Michel Soro in 2017, where he captured the interim 154-pound, and Cedric Vitu in 2018, where he captured the belt he will defend on March 2.

“I’m thrilled to be facing Lara as he was a great champion and still one of the best fighters out there,” said Castaño. “Obviously this is the most important fight of my career and I know it will be difficult because of his experience. I have my own experience however, and I’m willing to prove that I belong with the best tin the division. I know he will get onto his bike and move around the ring, but I have the strength to knock him off.”

‘King Kong’ returns to New York on March 2 as Ortiz (30-1, 26 KOs), a southpaw power puncher, enters the ring with two solid knockout victories under his belt since losing to WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder at Barclays Center last March. The 39-year-old Ortiz, who is from Camaguey, Cuba and now lives in Miami, Florida, is still considered one of the top five heavyweights in the division. He most recently scored a knockout victory over Travis Kauffman on December 1.

“‘King Kong’ is coming back to Brooklyn!” said Ortiz. “I’m very excited to be back on SHOWTIME in a huge event at Barclays Center. Christian Hammer is a very good fighter and I will be prepared for the best he has to offer. Come March 2, I’m hammering my way past him and setting up a clash with the winner of Wilder-Fury II or Anthony Joshua. I can’t wait till Brooklyn.”

Hammer (24-5, 14 KOs) has dueled some of the top heavyweights in the sport, including Tyson Fury and Alexander Povetkin. The 31-year-old Hammer, who was born in Galati, Romania and lives in Hamburg, Germany, has put together two victories since he lost a unanimous decision to Povetkin in 2017. In his last fight he scored a KO victory over then-unbeaten Michael Wallisch on December 15.

“I’ve been in training since right after Christmas for this big opportunity,” said Hammer. “I won my last fight by knockout, but I’m preparing for 12 hard rounds against Ortiz. A fight like this in New York is very special to me. This is the reason I became a boxer. The fans can look forward to a real heavyweight thriller on March 2.”

The hard-hitting Panamanian Núñez (20-2, 18 KOs) will be fighting for the first time in the United States on March 2. The 25-year-old is on a nine-fight winning streak in which he has scored eight knockout victories. He most recently delivered a first-round knockout of previously unbeaten Elvis Torres in June.

Cherry (37-7-2, 19 KOs) has put together a three-fight win streak since losing to Jose Pedraza in a featherweight title match in 2015. The 36-year-old Cherry, who was born in Nassau, Bahamas and now lives in Wauchula, Florida, has defeated Dennis Galarza, Omar Douglas and Haskell Rhodes heading into March and has faced top fighters including Tim Bradley and Paulie Malignaggi throughout his career.

# # #

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

ST. PETERSBURG, FL. (January 17, 2019) – Welterweight world champion Keith “One Time” Thurman discussed his anticipated return to the ring as he nears his showdown against Josesito Lopez that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, January 26 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

PBC on FOX and FOX Deportes action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features unbeaten Polish heavyweight Adam Kownacki battling former title challenger Gerald Washington, plus unbeaten featherweight contender Tugstsogt Nyambayar taking on hard-hitting Claudio Marrero in a 12-round bout.

Tickets for the show, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment, begin at $50 and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Thurman will return to action on January 26 from a long injury layoff after his most recent fight saw him unify welterweight titles by defeating Danny Garcia in March 2017 at Barclays Center. Here is what Thurman had to say about his return, Josesito Lopez and more from his training camp at the St. Pete Boxing Club in St. Petersburg, Florida:

How has training camp been going? Have there been any adjustments because of the injury?

“Training camp has been going well. It was a little bit of a slow start after so many months out of the ring, but I’m feeling great as we get closer to the fight. I’m starting to feel more and more like a world-class athlete again. It’s a good feeling working this hard and it reminds me what it’ll take to continue being the champion.”

Do you anticipate any ring rust? Do you think it will be more difficult to feel like yourself physically in the ring, or mentally trusting the injury is healed?

“I don’t think ring rust will be an issue. The only thing that even if this may not be the best Keith Thurman that people have ever seen, we’re focused on getting better and much stronger with each fight. But make no mistake, people will see one of the best welterweights in the world on January 26 at Barclays Center.”

When did you start to feel like you were turning the corner physically? Were you ever worried you wouldn’t be healthy enough to fight?

“You always have to be a little worried about new injuries. There’s nothing wrong with your car until the day it decides to break down. So at the end of the day, it’s always in the back of my mind. I run a lot of miles, so I wonder about my knees. I wonder about my shoulders also. Athletes and their bodies go through a lot of things. But here I go getting right back into things and I’m totally ready to showcase my talents on January 26.”

What kind of challenges does Josesito pose? What makes him a difficult opponent for you coming off a layoff?

“Josesito is experienced. He’s a busy fighter with good reach. He likes to mix it up and force his opponents to fight. He also has a new coach in Robert Garcia now, and I know he has a lot of confidence in his abilities. Josesito has been through ups and downs in his career, but he’s back on an upswing at the moment. Then he pinpointed me and called me out. So I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

What are you looking to show in this fight? How do you control your emotions and make sure you don’t press too much?

“I’m going to show my versatility in the ring. I’m going to show Josesito what it’s like to be in the ring with me. He might think it’s just all about my power, but I’ll show him what none of his sparring partners could. I’m going to show everyone the full package of skills I bring and enjoy every second of it.”

How do you see this fight looking stylistically?

“I like to let my opponent show me how the fight is going to go. I’ve thought many times that my opponents would do something specific, but then they do something totally different in the moment.

“I’m just prepared for any version of Josesito. I’m ready for him to come at me with punches in bunches, but I’m also ready if he wants to try box more and work behind his jab. I don’t think there’s anything that he’s going to do that I won’t be able to dominate. I’m going to move, trade on the inside, whatever it takes and we’ll see which road to victory looks the easiest.”

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ABOUT PBC ON FOX & FOX DEPORTES: THURMAN VS. LOPEZ
Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes is headlined by the return of WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith Thurman defending his title against veteran contender Josesito Lopez on Saturday, January 26 live from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™ and the East Coast home of PBC.

The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features rising unbeaten Polish heavyweight Adam Kownacki taking on former title challenger Gerald Washington, plus a 12-round featherweight showdown between Tugstsogt Nyambayar and Claudio Marrero.

PBC Prelims on FS1 and FOX Deportes begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and will feature junior lightweight prospect Chris Colbert taking on once-beaten Josh Hernandez in an eight-round bout, plus 2016 U.S. Olympian Antuanne Russell facing Roberto Almazán in a six/eight round super lightweight attraction, and super welterweight prospect Chordale Booker meeting Juan De Ángel for eight-rounds of action.

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

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

Philadelphia, PA (JANUARY 17, 2019) – TONIGHT!!!, super lightweight prospect Roy McGill and his trainer, Ivan Robinson will be answering questions on a live video chat about McGill’s March 1st fight with Nahir Albright, which will take place at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

The chat, which will begin at 8 pm ET, can be seen live on The King’s Boxing Facebook page and Titans Boxing Promotions Facebook page, and will originate from Crawdaddy’s in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

In the ten-round main event, Tyrone Brunson (27-7-2, 24 KOs) takes on Jamaal Davis (18-13-1, 7 KOs) in a battle of Philadelphian’s for the Pennsylvania State Middleweight championship.

In the eight-round co-feature, Tyrone Crawley, Jr. (7-1-1) of Philadelphia takes on Victor Vazquez (10-5, 4 KOs) of Yonkers, New York in a junior welterweight fight.

Joseph George (8-0, 6 KOs) of Houston, TX takes on Oscar Riojas (17-11-1, 6 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico in an eight-round middleweight bout.

In six-round bouts:

Rasheed Johnson (4-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia fights Vincent Floyd (4-5-1, 2 KOs) in a clash of Philadelphia based welterweights.

Antonio DuBose (9-2-1, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia, PA fights Danny Flores (15-14, 8 KOs) of Mexico City, Mex in a super featherweight match.

In four-round bouts:

James Martin (3-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia fights Rick Pyle (1-1) of Harrisburg, PA in a welterweight fight.

Rasheen Brown (2-0) of Philadelphia fights Hugo Rodriguez (0-2) of Monterrey, Mexico in a super bantamweight fight.

Kendall Cannida (2-1) of Philadelphia, PA fights Angel Rivera (4-0, 3 KOs) of Harrisburg, PA in a light heavyweight fight.

Tickets for this great night of boxing can be purchased at www.2300arena.com for $100, $75 and $50

NEW YORK – January 16, 2019 – A 10-round clash between undefeated super lightweight prospects will headline ShoBox: The New Generation when Uzbekistan’s power-puncher Shohjahon Ergashev takes on Mykal Fox Friday, February 15 live on SHOWTIME from Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Kan.

The second of two February editions of the prospect developmental series will feature four fighters with a combined record of 71 wins against just one loss. Undefeated super middleweight prospect Ronald Ellis will take on DeAndre Ware headlines a three-fight ShoBox telecast on February 1.

In the February 15 co-featured fight, 28-year-old ShoBox veteran Jesse Angel Hernandez returns to face WBO No. 4-ranked Thomas Ward in what will be the toughest test of his career in a 10-round super bantamweight bout.

“Shohjahon Ergashev is one of the hardest punchers in all of boxing. He will be facing a challenge in the undefeated skilled, determined fighter in Mykal Fox. A great fight the winner of which will cement himself as one of the best in the Jr. Welterweight division,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “The co main event is one of the best fights in the super bantamweight division between two proven world title contenders. A real cross roads fight with lots on the line for the winner to emerge as the new dominant name in the talent packed super Bantamweight division.”

The 27-year-old Ergashev (15-0, 14 KOs) is a former member of the Uzbek national team where he won 202 of his 216 amateur bouts. A decorated amateur, Ergashev owns a win over Uzbekistan’s Shakhram Giyasov, a silver medalist in the welterweight division at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Ergashev, who started his pro career by registering 11 consecutive knockouts, made his ShoBox debut in January 2018, handing then-unbeaten and top-10 ranked 140-pound prospect Sonny Fredrickson the only loss of his career with a third-round TKO. The southpaw slugger, who was named one of ESPN’s top prospects of 2018, trains in Detroit under Javan “Sugar” Hill Steward and Rick Phillips at the famed Kronk Gym in Detroit.

“I’m very excited to fight on SHOWTIME again,” said Ergashev. “Everyone says Mykal Fox is my toughest opponent to date, but that doesn’t concern me. It actually excites me because when I knock him out, just like I knocked out Sonny Fredrickson, all of the champions in my weight class will know I am coming for them soon. It’s going to be Shoh-time in 2019!”

Unlike his opponent, Fox, 23, had a rocky amateur journey amassing 40 wins and 60 losses—two of his wins came over undefeated top prospect Lamont Roach. Fox, 6-foot 3 ½-inches from Forestville, Md., admitted that he was not disciplined and fully committed to the sweet science in his teenage years, but once he turned pro in 2014 everything changed and boxing became his way of life. Since then, he has defeated all of his 19 opponents, five by way of knockout. Fox, who is promoted by King Promotions, owns victories over the likes of former world champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley, Ricardo Garcia and Anthony Mercado.

Fox comes from a family of boxers. He is trained by his father Troy and his older brother and former ShoBox fighter Alantez (24-1-1, 11 KOs) is a 160-pound prospect whose only defeat came by the hands of Demetrius Andrade.

“It’s been a dream of mine to fight on ShoBox. It has catapulted the careers of some of my favorite fighters,” said Fox, who is making his debut on the series. “I’m hoping it will catapult my career too.

“My opponent is a good fighter. He has good feet, good speed and great power. This is going to be a fight that can potentially steal the show. I look forward to seeing how our styles matched up.”

Hernandez (12-1, 7 KOs) broke onto the scene in 2017 with back-to-back wins over previously undefeated, top-15 ranked fighters on ShoBox – a unanimous decision over Glenn Dezurn and a fifth-round TKO of Vladimir Tikhonov. Hernandez followed up those performances with a split-decision over Ernesto Garza in January 2018. The 28-year-old Hernandez, the youngest of 15 children, was 73-6 as an amateur and took five years off from boxing between 2009 and 2014 to work construction jobs in his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas.

“On February 15, fans can expect to see the best performance from Jesse Hernandez yet,” said Hernandez, who will be making his fourth appearance on ShoBox. “It’s been a long time coming and I won’t let this opportunity pass me. A win over Thomas Ward will definitely boost my career and hopefully lead to a world title shot. I know I will have all eyes on me on national television, I must impress. I believe the bantamweight division is mine for the taking. So I will go head and take what’s rightfully mine.”

Ward hails from County Durham in North East England, where he compiled an amateur record of 60 wins, just four losses. The 24-year-old turned professional in 2012 at the age of 17 and by 2017, he had won 20 straight fights and the British super bantamweight title. Currently ranked No. 4 by the WBO, Ward hopes a win in his U.S. debut will set him up for a world title shot.

“This is a really good fight,” said Ward. “I’m looking forward to it and a win will put me in place for a world title fight, which is exactly what I want. It’s great to be boxing on SHOWTIME, I can’t wait and I hope for many more opportunities to be fighting on the network in the future.”

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

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, will go on sale on Friday, January 18th at 10 a.m. ET and are priced at $110, $75, $60, $45 and $25. Tickets can be purchased at www.KansasStarCasino.com , www.Ticketmaster.com and at the Lucky Star Players Club at Kansas Star Casino.

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

About ShoBox: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 79 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

Las Vegas – UFC® heads to Wichita, Kan. for the first time in the promotion’s history and brings with it a showcase matchup in the heavyweight division. Recent title challenger and No.2-ranked Derrick Lewis looks to re-insert himself into the championship conversation by landing another signature KO against a former UFC heavyweight champion and fellow knockout artist No.7-ranked Junior Dos Santos. UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: LEWIS vs. DOS SANTOS will stream live from INTRUST Bank Arena exclusively on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 9, with the ESPN+ prelims kicking off the evening at 4 p.m. CT/5 p.m. ET. Doors open at 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET. All UFC live events on ESPN+ will be available in English and Spanish.

Coming off the first title shot of his UFC career against current No.1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world Daniel Cormier, Lewis (21-6, fighting out of Houston, Texas) aims to get back to his winning ways with another spectacular knockout. Tied for having the most KOs in UFC heavyweight history, Lewis won nine of his last 10 bouts leading up to his title shot, including victories over Alexander Volkov, Francis Ngannou and Travis Browne. Lewis now intends to add the first ex-UFC champion to his KO list and earn the fifth post-fight award bonus in his last seven fights.

Former UFC heavyweight champion and multiple-time title challenger Dos Santos (20-5, fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) looks for his third win in a row to break back into the top-5. In the headlining spot for the fifth time in a row, and 11th overall, Dos Santos has faced a who’s who of UFC heavyweights, such as Stipe Miocic, Alistair Overeem and Cain Velasquez. Dos Santos is now poised to earn his fourth shot at the title with another impressive win.

Announced bouts on the card include:

No.6-ranked women’s bantamweight contender Marion Reneau (9-4-1, fighting out of Visalia, Calif.) looks to get back into the championship picture by taking out former women’s featherweight title challenger and No.9-ranked bantamweight Yana Kunitskaya (11-4, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M. by way of Murmansk, Russia)
No.14-ranked welterweight Elizeu dos Santos (20-5, fighting out of Francisco Beltrao, Brazil) looks to keep his impressive six-fight winning streak alive as he attempts to hand Curtis Millender (17-3, fighting out of Fullerton, Calif.) his first loss in the Octagon
Longtime UFC veteran Tim Boetsch (21-12, fighting out of Sunbury, Pa.) makes his 20th walk to the Octagon when he meets battle-tested Russian Omari Akhmedov (17-4-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia)
Hopeful heavyweight contenders clash as Daniel Spitz (6-2, fighting out of Spokane, Wash.) aims to spoil the UFC debut of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series signee Jeff Hughes (10-1, fighting out of Independence, Ohio)
Blagoy Ivanov (16-2, fighting out of Sofia, Bulgaria) hunts for his first UFC win when he welcomes back perennial top UFC heavyweight contender Ben Rothwell (36-10, fighting out of Kenosha, Wisc.)
Looking to continue his tear through the welterweight division, Anthony Rocco Martin (14-4, fighting out of Boston, Mass.) takes on surging submission specialist Sergio Moraes (13-4-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil)
Veteran lightweight Beneil Dariush (15-4-1, fighting out of Yorba Linda, Calif.) looks to break back into the UFC rankings with an impressive performance against Drew Dober (20-8, fighting out of Denver, Colo.)

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

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

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: LEWIS vs. DOS SANTOS go on sale Friday, Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET and are priced at $125, $100, $85 and $75 (not including fees). Tickets are available for purchase online at selectaseat.com, by phone at 855-755-SEAT (7328) or in person at the Select-A-Seat Box Office at INTRUST Bank Arena. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Jan. 17 starting at 10 a.m. CT/11 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. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2018, UFC boasts more than 284 million fans worldwide and has produced over 450 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 1.1 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.

About ESPN+

ESPN+, which surpassed one million paying subscribers in just five months, is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional 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, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports), domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie and more), exclusive Top Rank boxing, UFC (beginning in 2019), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App, the leading sports app and the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans. The ESPN App is a showcase of the company’s culture of innovation, delivering a rich, personalized experience that curates all of ESPN’s content around each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also be available through ESPN.com.

About INTRUST Bank Arena

INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita’s premier entertainment venue, is located in downtown Wichita. The Arena can seat more than 15,000 guests and hosts a variety of events including professional and collegiate sports, concerts, family shows and corporate functions. INTRUST Bank Arena is owned by Sedgwick County Government, and managed by SMG, the world leader in venue management, marketing and development.

WILLY HUTCHINSON bids to make it a ‘Magnificent 7’ as a professional next month, but insists it is just the beginning.

“The Hutch Train” stops at Leicester’s Morningside Arena on Saturday February 23 determined not to be derailed by any of his rivals.

Promoter Frank Warren, the Scot’s manager Shelly Finkel and trainer Dominic Ingle all say Hutchinson (6-0, 4KOs) is a future world champion.

Hutchinson won European Junior and World Youth Amateur titles making him the first Scot to win a world amateur gold medal.

He says: “I know that people are saying; ‘I am going to be this and be that’, but you can’t take it as gospel because one shot and it goes wrong.

“I just have to stay focused and keep my eyes on what I do, but being a three-weight world champion would do me.

“If I can ever get to world level, I would like my first world title to be at super-middleweight, then move up to light-heavyweight and when I am older become a cruiserweight.

“I just have to wait and see what weight I grow into and although some fights have been at light-heavyweight I can do super-middleweight.

“I haven’t got a dream to beat any particular fighter. I just have a dream to be a three-weight world champion.

“I want big titles eventually, but I don’t expect anything. Who knows what can happen? I’ve just got to keep my feet grounded and take my time.”

Hutchinson, 20, teamed up with trainer Dominic Ingle last year at the famous Wincobank gym in Sheffield and his training partners include Warren stablemates Nicola Adams, Billy Joe Saunders and Liam Williams.

He said: “It is unbelievable being trained by Dominic Ingle and especially being around characters like Jake Ball, Billy Joe Saunders, Jason Quigley and Liam Williams.

“They are great people. We push each other on and it is amazing to even be here.

“Billy Joe shows us all different little things and it is an honour watch him train and see what he can do.

“I try and copy him. He is one of the very best in the world and a privilege to be around him. If he keeps his mind focused he will get his world title back, no problem.

“I can’t wait to get the year started and the ball rolling in Leicester. It should be a great year ahead.”

Headlining the show at the Morningside Arena is the British super featherweight title showdown between the champion Sam Bowen from Ibstock in Leicestershire and Ronnie ‘The Shark’ Clark from Dundee along with Anthony Yarde’s WBO Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Title defense against Mehdi Amar. Local fighters CJ Challenger and Kyle Haywood do battle for the vacant Midlands Area super welterweight title, with Lyon Woodstock, Ryan Garner, Tommy Fury, Ryan Hatton and Mark Chamberlain also featuring on the card.

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

ESPN’s Max Kellerman – featured commentator on the network’s popular morning debate show First Take – will host a new, 30-minute boxing series on ESPN2 and the ESPN App. It will air Fridays at 5 p.m. ET and feature veteran boxing expert Kellerman’s analysis, interviews with top fighters and guest appearances by leaders in the sport. The show will debut Friday, Feb. 8, ahead of that weekend’s Top Rank on ESPN card featuring Jose Ramirez vs. Jose Zepeda.

ESPN recently reached a multi-year contract extension with Kellerman which includes an expanded role surrounding its boxing coverage. In addition to his weekday responsibilities with the boxing show and First Take, Kellerman will provide regular pre and post-match studio analysis and contribute to in-fight coverage for certain Top Rank on ESPN cards. He will also regularly appear on SportsCenter and across ESPN’s platforms to provide updates and insight as well as more in-depth stories on the sport’s top boxers and upcoming events.

“It is very exciting to have Max leading this new show and returning as a fixture on our overall boxing coverage,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, production. “His many years of boxing expertise and versatility will continue to be a great asset for fans and make him an important piece of our live event and studio show coverage.”

Kellerman has an extensive resume covering boxing – which he has done on TV for almost three decades – including time on ESPN’s past weekday series Friday Night Fights and Tuesday Night Fights and previous roles on marquee bouts with other networks as well as a voice on HBO’s Boxing After Dark, the World Championship Boxing commentator team and regular appearances on additional boxing studio shows throughout his career.

Kellerman continued to be a recognized voice for boxing on ESPN during his time as a host on SportsNation and most recently weighs in on key boxing news on First Take.

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