LOS ANGELES (June 25, 2018): Rising featherweight contender Joet Gonzalez (19-0, 11 KOs) will battle for the vacant NABO 126-pound title against Rafael ‘Big Bang’ Rivera (25-1-2, 16 KOs) in the 10-round main event of the July 13 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN at The Novo by Microsoft at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. Doors to the event open at 3:00 p.m. PT, and the first fight begins at 4:00 p.m. PT. ESPN and ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

Gonzalez isa native of Glendora, Calif. who was a decorated amateur before turning professional in 2012. After several years of steadily climbing the featherweight rankings, the 24-year-old blossomed into a legitimate contender in 2017 after scoring stoppage victories against the likes of Derrick Murray, Deivi Bassa and Isao Carranza. Gonzalez is coming off a fifth-round knockout victory against Rolando Magbanua in March of this year and will be inches away from a world title opportunity if successful on July 13.

“This has been one of my goals and thank God I’ll be fighting for my first regional title,” said Joet Gonzalez.”I’ve worked too hard over the past few years to not make the most of this opportunity, and I promise to make the most of it against Rafael Rivera. I have all the tools to be the best fighter in this division. Thank you to Golden Boy Promotions and my manager Frank Espinoza for allowing my step up and showcase my skills.”

Rivera, of Tijuana, Mexico, debuted as a professional only a few months before Gonzalez and shares a similar career trajectory. The 24-year-old has spent the last six years fighting in Mexico and the United States and has wins against Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. and then-undefeated Ruben Garcia Hernandez. This will be Rivera’s second opportunity to fight for the NABO title after giving a tough fight to former title challenger Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz, Jr. in the co-main event of Canelo vs. Golovkin in September 2017.

“I had a last-minute chance against Jojo Diaz back in September, and I missed it,” said Rafael Rivera. “This fight against Joet is the best opportunity to show what I’m capable of. I’ll be ready to take the NABO belt back home.”

Local favorite Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (18-2, 15 KOs) of Buena Park, Calif. will return in a six-round lightweight fight. This will be Gonzalez’s first fight under the tutelage of renowned trainer Joel Diaz, who is working with Gonzalez to improve his craft in a way that will complement his knockout power. Gonzalez is now rubbing elbows with the likes of Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse, Marcelino “Nino” Lopez and other Golden Boy fighters at the Diaz training camp in Indio, Calif.

Richard “Kansas Kid” Acevedo (2-0, 2 KOs) will return in a four-round super welterweight fight. Acevedo is the brother of Herbert “Ace” Acevedo and Oscar “Motorcito” Acevedo,” a trio of brothers who are originally from Garden City, Kansas. All three train at the Westside Boxing Club in Los Angeles, where they are gaining a lot of attention fighting on Golden Boy Promotions events.

Opponents for both fighters along with a full undercard will be announced shortly.

Gonzalez vs. Rivera is a 10-round fight for the vacant NABO Featherweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle.” The fights will take place on Friday, July 13, 2018 at The Novo by Microsoft at L.A. LIVE. Doors to the event open at 3:00 p.m. PT, and the first fight begins at 4:00 p.m. PT. ESPN and ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Gonzalez vs. Rivera are priced at $20, $40, and $60, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, June 26 at 10:00 a.m. PST. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call AXS at1-888-9-AXS-TIX (1-888-929-7849) or The Novo Box Office (213) 765-7000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.goldenboytickets.com, www.thenovodtla.com, www.axs.com, and www.lalive.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and http://www.espn.com/boxing/; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPN, and @ESPNBoxeo; become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing; and follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @OscarDeLaHoya. Follow the conversation using #GBPonESPN.

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

LAS VEGAS, NV (June 25, 2018) – Undefeated prospect, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (7-0-1, 5 KOs), who is managed by Prince Ranch Boxing’s Greg Hannley and promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, is gearing up for his second fight of 2018, when he faces Jhon Sanchez Leon (3-1-1, 2 KOs) at the Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, CA, on the July 6 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB. The 4-round bout will be off TV.

Cobbs, who hails from Philadelphia but now trains in Las Vegas with former two-time world champion, Bones Adams, is excited to be making his return to the ring.

“Training camp is going great and I’m healthy,” said Blair Cobbs. “I’ll be ready and willing to let my hands go when I step in the on July 6th in LA.”

Blair will be making the move up to welterweight, where he will be campaigning moving forward in his career. At 6’0, Cobbs was struggling to make weight at 140 lbs. With the move, Cobbs feels he’ll be at his optimum weight class.

“I feel a lot stronger now that I’ve moved up in weight,” said Blair Cobbs. “Fans can expect me to be a lot more explosive and electrifying. I need to make a statement in this fight to let the entire welterweight division know that I have arrived.”

Tickets for LA FIGHT CLUB start at the fan-friendly price of $25 and are available for purchase now at http://www.goldenboytickets.com/ and the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page. For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.thebelasco.com and www.estrellatv.com.

Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @EstrellaTV. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/TheBelascoLA and www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @belascola and @EstrellaTV. Follow the conversation using #LAFIGHTCLUB and #BoxeoEstelar.

LAS VEGAS, NV (June 25, 2018) – Undefeated WBC Youth middleweight prospect Mekhrubon Sanginov (6-0, 4 KOs), scored an impressive third round TKO over Carlos Lopez, this past Saturday in Tijuana, MX.

Sanginov, who trains out of Las Vegas by way of Dushanbe, Tajikistan, took the fight to Lopez from the opening round. Sanginov, who has power in both hands, landed some devastating hooks to the head of Lopez in the first two rounds, softening up him up. After landing a powerful straight right cross to the face of Lopez in the middle of round three, Sanginov was able to end the fight with a TKO victory. With the win, Sanginov extends his winning streak to six in a row.

“This was my first time fighting in Mexico and I wanted to make it a memorable one,” said Mekhrubon Sanginov. “I landed some powerful blows in the early rounds and got him out of there in round three. Right now, I’m focused on getting back in the gym to get ready for my next fight. There is no time to relax, I need to stay busy.”

Sanginov is a promotional free agent. His goal is to sign with a promoter and stay busy, fighting at least three more times before the end of the year.

“I want to prove to all the promoters in boxing that I’m a special fighter who will work hard to get to the top,” Sanginov continued. “I’m dedicated and I’m willing to fight anyone. All I need is a chance to prove myself.”

Uncasville, Connecticut (June 25th, 2018)

With June 30th rapidly approaching, the hype for STAR BOXING’S “SLUGFEST at the SUN” continues to build as two of the premier fighters on the card will be making their New England homecoming. In the co-feature bout, KALI “KO MEQUINONOAG” REIS (13-7-1 4KO’s) of Providence, Rhode Island will be making her third appearance at Mohegan Sun against PATY “LA ELEGANTE” RAMIREZ (11-5 5KO’s). Adding to the excitement, Connecticut’s own “ACTION” ANTHONY LAUREANO (7-0 3KO’s) of East Hartford is set to make his return home at Mohegan Sun in his bout against JUAN de la CRUZ RODRIGUEZ (8-9-1 6KO’s).

Rhode Island’s Native Warrior, Kali Reis, is no stranger to bright lights and pressure. Coming off an impressive performance on HBO against undisputed champion and #1 pound-for-pound female fighter in the world, Cecilia Braekhus, Reis looks to return home, back to New England and put her full warrior spirit out on display at the Mohegan Sun.

When commenting on her upcoming fight, Reis had this to say, “Fans can expect to see an even more determined, skilled, hungry, evolving WARRIOR in there! The fight on HBO with Braekhus was such a learning experience and I am grateful for making history in not only women’s boxing but my own personal journey as well.”

The last time Reis fought at Mohegan Sun was in November of last year. She is thrilled to be making this homecoming.

“I am excited to be back ‘home’ at Mohegan Sun June 30th,” said the Rhode Island native. “Star Boxing always has action packed fights lighting up this beautiful area. My fans love coming to Mohegan Sun. There isn’t a bad seat in the house and their hospitality is fantastic. Joe DeGuardia is keeping me very productive since we signed with him back in November. I am so pleased with the decision myself and manager Brian made to sign with them.”

Another local warrior on the card to watch is Anthony Laureano. Laureano earned the nickname “Action” for his relentless, coming-forward fight style. If the East Hartford native is in the ring, fans can always expect an exciting show from start to finish. Star Boxing’s “Slugfest at the Sun” always brings fireworks to Connecticut, and Laureano looks to continue the tradition with his homecoming at Mohegan Sun.

Laureano was asked what he will provide the fans at Mohegan Sun, and his response was simply, “The same thing they always see, action. Action, that’s it. The people are coming to pay money and they are going to get what they paid for. Even in my last fight, people got what they paid for. They came to see action and to see somebody come forward. They don’t want to see nobody dancing around. I’m not saying that style is bad, I can do it too, but people like two guys who come forward and want to fight. I’m that fighter. I’m that fighter that always wants to fight.”

This bout against Rodriguez will mark the third time in his career that Laureano is fighting at Mohegan Sun.

When asked about the venue, this is what Laureano had to say, “I love Mohegan…Mohegan is my home. There is no place like it. I love the ring, everything is just so beautiful. The atmosphere, the crowd, my hometown crowd is there, and when they’re there it’s loud…Mohegan is my home, no doubt. The casino treats me good, and when I go there I feel this is where I belong. I’ve never felt that anywhere else.

In the main event of “SLUGFEST at the SUN” on June 30th, JOE SMITH JR. will make his long anticipated return to the ring against tough Kentuckian, MELVIN RUSSELL. After eleven months out of the ring due to a broken jaw, the “Common Man”, Union Local 66 laborer, Joe Smith Jr. returns at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After coming off a stellar KO win on NBC against Andrzej Fonfara, and knocking out the legend, Bernard Hopkins, clear out of the ring, on HBO, Smith Jr. has his eyes set on winning a world title. Smith Jr. is currently rated #3 (WBC) and #7 (WBA) in the world.
Get your tickets to JUNE 30th, #SLUGFESTattheSUN live from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
Tickets start at JUST $30. (plus $5 venue fee)
BUY TICKETS HERE!
MEDIA:
SLUGFEST AT THE SUN: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.

SLUGFEST AT THE SUN: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.
INFO:
“SLUGFEST at the SUN”: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.
After eleven months out of the ring due to a broken jaw, the “Common Man”, Union Local 66 laborer, Joe Smith Jr. returns at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After coming off a stellar KO win on NBC against Andrzej Fonfara, and knocking out the legend, Bernard Hopkins, clear out of the ring, on HBO, Smith Jr. has his eyes set on winning a world title. Smith Jr. is currently rated #3 (WBC) and #7 (WBA) in the world.
FACTS:
“SLUGFEST at the SUN” is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. The event takes place Saturday, June 30th at Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, CT.

Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series is the a premier professional boxing experience in Connecticut. Live from the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena, “SLUGFEST at the SUN” has seen some of the best and brightest in boxing. This includes, two-time world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade and world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez, amongst many others.

Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Joe DeGuardia, has consistently given the boxing fans of Connecticut, world class fights, right in their own backyard. “SLUGFEST at the SUN” also gives the north east’s rising boxing stars an avenue to world title contention. From world title fights, to world class boxing skill, Mohegan Sun has seen it all, delivered by Star Boxing.

The “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series offers an affordable, fan friendly action packed, entertaining night out, that is guaranteed to have you on your feet from the opening bell.

On June 30th, Star Boxing plans to start your summer off right, with yet another thrilling “SLUGFEST at the SUN.”
PREVIOUS RELEASES
June 30th Fight Announcement
Joe Smith Jr. Main Event Announcement
Kali Reis Fight Announcement
Joe Smith Jr. vs Melvin Russell Main Event
Media Credential Application –Accredited Media ONLY
Anthony Laureano Mohegan Announcement
Undercard Bout Announcements
Ringside Seats Sold Out
Joe Smith Jr. & Joe Farina; The Definition of Working Man
TICKETS:
Tickets for the live event start at $30 (plus $5 venue fee) and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com by clicking HERE or by going to www.StarBoxing.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
MOHEGAN SUN:
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Mohegan Sun Arena was also ranked among the top 10 arena venues in the nation for 2014, regardless of size. In 2015, Mohegan Sun took home the IEBA award for “Casino of the Year.” Mohegan Sun also won “Casino of the Year” in 2 categories at the 2013 & 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.
MONTAUK ULTRA H20:
Montauk Ultra H20, a new Chlorine and Florine free alkaline water, with a pH of 9.5. Hydrate like the pro’s.

Philadelphia, PA (June 25, 2018) – Tomorrow, Hall of Fame Promoter J Russell Peltz will be the guest on The Abrams Boxing Hour beginning at 6:30 PM ET / 3:30 PM PT. The show will originate from The Joe Hand Boxing Gym in Philadelphia.

The show can be viewed LIVE all over the world on ABRAMS BOXING FACEBOOK PAGE; ABRAMS BOXING YOUTUBE PAGE & ABRAMS BOXING LIVESTREAM PAGE.

Peltz will discuss the June 29th fight card at The Parx Casino in Bensalem, PA. The card will feature Miguel Cartagena (15-4-1, 6 KOs) taking on Carlos Maldonado (10-2, 7 KOs) plus the rematch between Anthony Prescott and Isiah Wise.

Peltz will also talk about some of the highlights of his nearly 50 year Hall of Fame Career as well as some of today’s hottest boxing topics.

ABOUT THE ABRAMS BOXING HOUR

The show, will feature 1-on-1 sit-down interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport, and will also go over the latest boxing news and opinions. The Abrams Boxing Hour will originate from boxing-centric venues throughout the country.

The debut show will originate from The Joe Hand Boxing Gym in Philadelphia.

TYRONE MCKENNA is refusing to ask Carl Frampton for secrets on big ?ght rival Jack Catterall.

He challenges for Catterall’s WBO Intercontinental Super-Lightweight crown at Belfast’s SSE Arena on Saturday in a ?ght where Frampton must be dreading which side to support.

The two-weight world champion is a close friend of McKenna and trains alongside Catterall at their trainer Jamie Moore’s gym on the outskirts of Manchester.

Catterall has taken the BT Sport televised ?ght at short notice and replaces injured Phil Sutcliffe.

McKenna, 28, said: “Carl was actually supposed to walk me out to the ring for the ?ght when Phil was the opponent, but that has changed. I wouldn’t want Carl in an awkward position.

“I was going to ?ght Tommy Coyle before and he was in camp with Carl. I always seem to be ?ghting friends or friends of friends. Everyone in boxing seems to know each other.

“I would never put Carl in the position where he talks about one of his gym mates. I wouldn’t like him to ?ght one of my team mates and ask about them.

“There is a line which you never cross during camp and I would never ask Carl, ‘How is Jack getting on in sparring? How is he doing with his weight?’

“I wouldn’t expect him to say to Jack what he knows about me and he wouldn’t get involved in that. There has to be respect.”

McKenna who is unbeaten in 17 ?ghts has seen his pro?le grow in the last 12 months and the 6ft 1in southpaw believes his popularity will mushroom after this weekend’s ?ght that has captured the imagination.

Tyrone who outpointed Anthony Upton in his last ?ght added: “My last six ?ghts have been on TV and I have a big fan base now.

“I have never taken an easy ?ght or turned down a ?ght. I was offered Jack when Phil pulled out and straight away I said, ’Yes’”.

The bill is topped by Michael Conlan’s Homecoming bout against Brazil’s former world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos.

There is an all Dublin rematch when Jono Carroll defends his IBF intercontinental super featherweight crown against Declan Geraghty.

When they met in November 2014, Geraghty was ahead before he was disquali?ed in the fourth round. In a clash of unbeaten hopefuls,

Derry’s Tyrone McCullagh meets Glasgow’s Joe Ham in a vacant Celtic super-bantamweight title clash that doubles as a British championship eliminator.

The undercard is stacked with top prospects including Lewis Crocker, Sunny Edwards, Padraig McCrory, Taylor McGoldrick, Neslan Machado, Garry Cully plus Johnny Coyle and Lewis Benson who clash over ten rounds.

Tickets prices £250 (Inner Ring Hospitality), £200 (Outer Ring Hospitality), £120, £100, £80, £60, £50, £40 are available from the SSE Arena website.

OHARA DAVIES is hoping for a sensational double knockout when his arch rivals Jack Catterall and Tyrone McKenna clash this weekend.

Chorley’s Catterall heads into enemy territory to defend his WBO Intercontinental Super-Lightweight crown against local boy McKenna at Belfast’s SSE Arena on Saturday night.

Controversial Davies said: “At ?rst I wanted Catterall to win, but I don’t give a damn. I want them both to lose so hopefully there is a double knockout or a draw.

“If there was a double knockout that would be perfect. I would be the happiest man alive if that occurred. “To be honest, I don’t think McKenna is very good and he is going to get spanked inside ?ve rounds by Catterall.

“McKenna knows how to talk a good game, but I don’t think he has any talent whatsoever.

“He hasn’t fought anyone good in his boxing career and when he fought anyone half decent he had life and death.

“I was going to go to Belfast and watch the ?ght, but I have decided to stay safe and watch on TV. I don’t think I am a fans favourite in Belfast.”

Davies delivered one of the knockouts of the year on Saturday when he knocked out Paul Kamanga to claim the WBC International crown.

Promoter Frank Warren is likely to match the winner of this weekend’s mouth watering clash which is televised by BT Sport against Davies in their next ?ght.

Davies added: “I will ?ght whoever Frank puts in front of me – the winner of Catterall v McKenna, even Maurice Hooker who beat Terry Flanagan.

“I have passed Catterall and McKenna pro?le wise so I am not looking up to them. They are looking up to me. Beating me does them more good then me beating either of them.

“They are both jealous that I have signed to Frank and I am getting all the exposure on a platform they have been on for longer.

“They have to accept sometimes that I am a bigger ?ghter than them both. I am more known than them and I sell more tickets than them.

“Catterall – I do think he is such a good ?ghter but he isn’t known and cannot sell. Sometimes you have to accept that, but he hates on me because I sell.”

The bill is topped by Michael Conlan’s Homecoming bout against Brazil’s former world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos.

There is an all Dublin rematch when Jono Carroll defends his IBF intercontinental crown against Declan Geraghty.

When they met in November 2014, Geraghty was ahead before he was disquali?ed in the fourth round. In a clash of unbeaten hopefuls, Derry’s Tyrone McCullagh meets Glasgow’s Joe Ham in a vacant Celtic super-bantamweight title clash that doubles as a British championship eliminator.

The undercard is stacked with top prospects including Lewis Crocker, Sunny Edwards, Padraig McCrory, Taylor McGoldrick, Neslan Machado, Garry Cully plus Johnny Coyle and Lewis Benson who clash over ten rounds. Tickets prices £250 (Inner Ring Hospitality), £200 (Outer Ring Hospitality), £120, £100, £80, £60, £50, £40 are available from the SSE Arena website.

25 June 2018 – Guangzhou, China: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship (ONE), has just announced the main event of ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS, set for Saturday, 7 July, at the Guangzhou Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou, China. Yodcherry Sityodtong of Thailand will take on Kaiting Chuang of Chinese Taiwan for the inaugural ONE Super Series Kickboxing Atomweight World Championship.

Ticket information for ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS is available at www.onefc.com.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “World-class martial arts makes a triumphant return to the beautiful city of Guangzhou with another spectacular event. ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS will feature a titanic clash between superstar strikers, as Thailand’s Yodcherry Sityodtong faces Chinese Taiwan’s Kaiting Chuang for the inaugural ONE Super Series Kickboxing Atomweight World Championship. The two will be joined by several of the very best martial arts talent from China and the world, so don’t miss this awesome evening of authentic martial arts action.”

19-year-old Muay Thai phenom Yodcherry Sityodtong makes her long-awaited ONE Championship debut when she competes for the inaugural ONE Super Series Kickboxing Atomweight World Championship. Sityodtong, who represents Evolve MMA in Singapore, features an impressive professional Muay Thai record of 81-18-1. At such a young age, Sityodtong has already garnered many achievements in the ring, having won various Muay Thai world championships throughout her young career. Now, Sityodtong looks to make her first appearance in ONE Super Series, taking on Kaiting Chuang.

23-year-old Kaiting Chuang of Taipei, Chinese Taiwan is making her ONE Championship debut at ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS. A professional kickboxer with a record of 16-5, Chuang represents Iron Boxing, and is a Chinese Taiwan Kickboxing Champion. Nicknamed “Killer Bee,” Chuang will go up against Yodcherry Sityodtong in the main event, which is set to crown the first-ever ONE Super Series Kickboxing Atomweight World Champion.

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 is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship 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. The world’s most exciting martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7 billion potential viewers across 136 countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, and more.

ORANGE, Calif. (June 24, 2018) – Super bantamweight Isaac Zarate (15-3-3, 2 KOs) defeated fellow lefty Ramiro Robles (15-8-1, 8 KOs) by unanimous decision in Friday night’s “New Blood” main event from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Zarate, fighting out of San Pedro, Calif., adjusted his game plan as the fight went on showing patience in the opening rounds, and turning up the pace the rest of the way.

“I didn’t know a great deal about him going in so I needed to know what he could do before I started my attack,” Zarate said. “He was hard to hit at first, but I found the angles once I got comfortable.”

Going in, Zarate understood the difficulty in facing a tough boxer like Robles, who had previously seen action against world champion Danny Roman. Robles made things interesting by sustaining punches and going on the counter attack. His work rate, however, did not match that of Zarate’s, which was his ultimate unraveling.

Zarate won with scores 77-75 twice and 78-74.

In the “New Blood” co-feature, lightweight Manuel Mendez (16-2-3, 11 KOs) of Indio, Calif. power punched his way to a unanimous decision win over Gilberto Espinoza (9-1, 5 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico.

The fight featured excellent action with very little holding with both boxers landing strikes inside the pocket. Mendez, using his trademark pressure, preferred to load up with power punches to the head and body, while Espinoza was more active with a jab and countered well.

Espinoza, sensing he had to turn the tide, switched back and forth between orthodox and southpaw in the middle rounds in an effort to confuse the stronger Mendez. Mendez, however, didn’t bite on the tactic and stayed disciplined with his game plan.

Top bantamweight prospect Saul Sanchez (9-0, 5 KOs) of Pacoima, Calif. showed why he’s among the finest young boxers in the bantamweight division by dispatching Leonardo Torres (4-12, 1 KO) at the 2:24 mark of the third round.

Sanchez scored pay dirt at the end of the second round when a bevy of punches nearly sent Torres through the ropes. Torres would beat the count, but was badly wounded.

In the third, Sanchez consistently backed up Torres with a strong jab and excellent body work. He scored a knockdown midway through the round and promptly finished him toward the end with a series of heavy punches.

Brandon Valdes (11-0, 6 KOs), a talented super bantamweight from Colombia, showed a diverse skill set in his unanimous decision sweep of Mexico’s Jose Fabian Naranjo (3-9-2, 1 KO). Valdes’ hand speed was of the superior variety and his shifty defense made him close to impossible to hit.

Valdes also showed tactical patience in waiting for clear openings to materialize, while never really forcing the issue. Scores 40-36 all around.

Lightweight prospect George Acosta (6-0, 1 KO) of the southern Los Angeles city of Whittier cruised to a unanimous decision win over Mexico’s Juan Alberto Castillo (1-1, 1 KO) in the night’s second bout.

Acosta owned a sizeable height advantage over Castillo and used it to control the fight. He knocked down Castillo in the first and never looked back. Acosta used an active jab to set up a body attack that had Castillo gassed by the fourth round. Scores: 40-35 twice, 39-36.

Featherweight prospect Anthony Chavez (6-0, 2 KOs) of San Bernardino, Calif. wasted no time in getting the action started. He pounced on the slow-footed Josafath Vazquez (5-4, 3 KOs) in the opening moments of the first round. A strong combination forced Vazquez onto the ropes where Chavez scored a knockdown.

Chavez then carefully stalked Vazquez and put him down for good with another batch of punches at the 1:45 mark of the first round. Chavez is managed by Henry Ramirez.

To watch the “New Blood” show with Beto Duran and Steve Kim on the call, please access these links: PART I and PART II.

“New Blood” was presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Everlast.

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook Page, watch our YouTube channel on Thompson Boxing TV, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

New York, NY (June 24, 2018)-Junior Middleweight Ardreal Holmes (6-0, 4 KOs) of Flint, Michigan remained undefeated as he stopped Dominque Foster after the 2nd round of their scheduled four-round bout at The International Banquet and Conference Center in Detroit.

Holmes landed hard straight shots from the southpaw stance on Foster, who had to retire on the stool after the 2nd round with a possible broken nose.

“I am very happy to get back in the ring and get some of the rust off,” said the victorious Holmes. “Hopefully my promoters can put me right back because I want to make up for lost time. It’s only a matter of time when everyone in boxing will know the name, Ardreal “Bossman” Holmes! ”

Holmes is managed by Split-T Management, and CEO David McWater was very happy to have 6’2″ junior middleweight prospect back in the ring.

“Ardreal did what I expected him to do, which was impress the fans with an impressive stoppage. He has the frame, skills and power to win titles in 4 weight divisions and I expect him to do just that.”

ABOUT SPLIT-T MANAGEMENT

Headed by David McWater, Split-T Management has amassed one of the top stables in boxing.

Their impressive roster includes:

World Rated Contenders

IBF Super Lightweight Mandatory Title Challenger Ivan Baranchyk

Welterweight “The New” Ray Robinson

Former Bantamweight Title Challenger Antonio Nieves

2016 Olympians

Lightweight Teofimo Lopez

Junior Middleweight Charles Conwell

Bantamweight Antonio Vargas

Undefeated Prospects

Heavyweights: Stephen Shaw, Marcus Carter, Yegor Plevako

Cruiserweights: Joshua Temple, “Mighty” Joe Jones

Light Heavyweights: Joseph Williams, Bortirali Mamajonov

Super Middleweights: Isiah Steen, DeAndre Ware, Isiah Jones

Middleweights: Marquis Moore, Raquel Miller

Junior Middleweights: Ardreal Holmes, Hurshidbek Normatov, Fred Wilson, Jr.

Welterweight’s Janelson Bocachica, Poindexter Knight, Mark Dawson, Boubacar Sylla, Brian Ceballo

Junior Lightweight: Erick De Leon

New York, NY (June 23, 2018)-Undefeated junior middleweight Ardreal Holmes (5-0, 3 KOs) of Flint, Michigan will be back in action tonight, when he takes on Dominque Foster in a scheduled four-round bout at The International Banquet and Conference Center in Detroit.

At Friday’s weigh-in Holmes weighed in at 155.4 lbs. Foster checked in at the same weight as Holmes.

“I am so excited to get back in the ring because I want to show everyone why I am looked at as one of the best prospects in the country,” said Holmes.

“The fans who attend will get to see one of the best fighters to come out of Michigan in a long time.”

Holmes, who was the number-one ranked welterweight in the U.S., had an outstanding amateur career that culminated in reaching the finals of the Olympic trials.

Holmes competed in over 80 amateur fights, and won several major tournaments including the 2015 USA National Elite Championship.

Holmes is managed by Split-T Management, and CEO David McWater said, “Going into the 2016 US Olympic Trials, I thought Ardreal was the favorite in the welterweight division, and would go on to represent the United States. He is so physically gifted and naturally talented, I can’t see anything stopping him from being a world champion.”

ABOUT SPLIT-T MANAGEMENT

Headed by David McWater, Split-T Management has amassed one of the top stables in boxing.

Their impressive roster includes:

World Rated Contenders

IBF Super Lightweight Mandatory Title Challenger Ivan Baranchyk

Welterweight “The New” Ray Robinson

Former Bantamweight Title Challenger Antonio Nieves

2016 Olympians

Lightweight Teofimo Lopez

Junior Middleweight Charles Conwell

Bantamweight Antonio Vargas

Undefeated Prospects

Heavyweights: Stephen Shaw, Marcus Carter, Yegor Plevako

Cruiserweights: Joshua Temple, “Mighty” Joe Jones

Light Heavyweights: Joseph Williams, Bortirali Mamajonov

Super Middleweights: Isiah Steen, DeAndre Ware, Isiah Jones

Middleweights: Marquis Moore, Raquel Miller

Junior Middleweights: Ardreal Holmes, Hurshidbek Normatov, Fred Wilson, Jr.

Welterweight’s Janelson Bocachica, Poindexter Knight, Mark Dawson, Boubacar Sylla, Brian Ceballo

Junior Lightweight: Erick De Leon

Uncasville, Connecticut (June 23, 2018)

Like the boots they strap on to wear to work every morning and the boxing gloves they strap on to wear for training every night, both Joe Smith Jr. and Joe Farina know exactly what it means to put in a hard day’s work.

Joe Smith Jr. resides in Mastic, Long Island. His days begin, while most others are sleeping, at the hour of 4:30 AM, and he is on the job site by 6:00 AM. Smith Jr. is a laborer for Union Local 66. Wielding a sledge hammer, busting through concrete, working on projects such as the LIJ hospital in Stony Brook, Smith Jr. puts in a full day’s work, which is usually enough for an average person; however, Joe Smith Jr. is not that.

Post-construction work, the boxing work begins. Training mainly out of “Unique Fitness Xtreme” in Shirley, Long Island, Smith Jr. meets long time trainer Jerry Capobianco to put in hours of conditioning and boxing drills. Working on his devastating strength and speed, Smith Jr. finishes his day long since he first began it, and most impressively, does it all again the next day. It is this work ethic that finds Smith Jr. rated #3 (WBC) and #7 (WBA) in the world.

Joe Smith Jr. said this about how the Union made him into the fighter he is today, “It was good working around a lot of hard-working people,” continued Smith Jr., “men and women that get up every morning bright and early, drive into work, and work a long day. It was great to build mental toughness and give me motivation to work even harder in the ring and the gym ”

Bursting into stardom from his working man roots, Joe Smith Jr. hit the national stage when he viciously knocked out Andrzej Fonfara on NBC in Chicago, and later knocked out, multi-division world champion, and boxing legend, Bernard Hopkins, out of the ring, on HBO in California.

Born into an Italian family, and raised in South Boston, Joe Farina amassed great amateur experience both state-side and in Ireland. Farina, true to his Boston heritage, still trains and lives in South Boston, and even more impressively is a railroad laborer for Union Local 941. Like Smith Jr., Farina is up before the sun rises, works a full, hard day, and trains by night.

Farina had this to say about how the Union has helped in inside the ring, “Having solidarity behind you in your corner can take you a lot further than going into a fight alone.”

Farina made his professional debut as a late replacement in December 2017. Unfortunately for middleweight Lionel Young, the late notice for Farina was of no issue, stopping Young in three rounds. He is trained by John Curran, longtime cut man for two-time world champion Demetrius Andrade.

Both men trade in their work tools on June 30th in exchange for boxing gloves. Although Smith Jr. is a twenty-five fight veteran, and Farina will be stepping in for his third professional fight, the two have the bond of being true working men, attempting to reach the pinnacle of the American dream. Joe Smith Jr. will be featured in the main event of “SLUGFEST at the SUN” and Joe Farina will appear on the undercard of the stacked card on June 30th.

“SLUGFEST at the SUN” will feature immense talent from the New England area. Along with the much anticipated return of Joe Smith Jr., fans will also see the return of New England’s power punching star, Kali Reis, in the co-feature bout, coming off of a brilliant performance against undisputed women’s champion Cecilia Braekhus. Also highlighted on the undercard are undefeated New England prospects, Anthony Laureano, Cassius Chaney and Joe Farina.

INFO:
After eleven months out of the ring due to a broken jaw, the “Common Man”, Union Local 66 laborer, Joe Smith Jr. returns at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After coming off a stellar KO win on NBC against Andrzej Fonfara, and knocking out the legend, Bernard Hopkins, clear out of the ring, on HBO, Smith Jr. has his eyes set on winning a world title. Smith Jr. is currently rated #3 (WBC) and #7 (WBA) in the world.

JOE SMITH JR. ON THE JOB SITE WITH UNION LOCAL 66 & LATER AFTER DEFEATING LEGEND BERNARD HOPKINS AT THE FORUM
CREDIT: STAR BOXING
Get your tickets to JUNE 30th, #SLUGFESTattheSUN live from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
Tickets start at JUST $30 (plus $5 venue fee).
BUY TICKETS HERE!
MEDIA:
SLUGFEST AT THE SUN: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.

SLUGFEST AT THE SUN: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.
FACTS:
“SLUGFEST at the SUN” is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. The event takes place Saturday, June 30th at Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, CT.

Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series is the a premier professional boxing experience in Connecticut. Live from the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena, “SLUGFEST at the SUN” has seen some of the best and brightest in boxing. This includes, two-time world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade and world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez, amongst many others.

Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Joe DeGuardia, has consistently given the boxing fans of Connecticut, world class fights, right in their own backyard. “SLUGFEST at the SUN” also gives the north east’s rising boxing stars an avenue to world title contention. From world title fights, to world class boxing skill, Mohegan Sun has seen it all, delivered by Star Boxing.

The “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series offers an affordable, fan friendly action packed, entertaining night out, that is guaranteed to have you on your feet from the opening bell.

On June 30th, Star Boxing plans to start your summer off right, with yet another thrilling “SLUGFEST at the SUN.”
PREVIOUS RELEASES
June 30th Fight Announcement
Joe Smith Jr. Main Event Announcement
Kali Reis Fight Announcement
Joe Smith Jr. vs Melvin Russell Main Event
Media Credential Application –Accredited Media ONLY
Anthony Laureano Mohegan Announcement
Undercard Bout Announcements
Ringside Seats Sold Out
TICKETS:
Limited $30 and $45 (plus $5 venue fee) tickets for the live event are still available to purchase HERE, going online at www.StarBoxing.com or at the Mohegan Sun Box Office.
MOHEGAN SUN:
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Mohegan Sun Arena was also ranked among the top 10 arena venues in the nation for 2014, regardless of size. In 2015, Mohegan Sun took home the IEBA award for “Casino of the Year.” Mohegan Sun also won “Casino of the Year” in 2 categories at the 2013 & 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.
MONTAUK ULTRA H20:
Montauk Ultra H20, a new Chlorine and Florine free alkaline water, with a pH of 9.5. Hydrate like the pro’s.

New York, NY (June 22, 2018)-Raquel Miller kept her prefect record intact with a six-round unanimous decision over Szilvia Szabados in a middleweight bout at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York.

Miller stunned and hurt Szabados throughout the contest. Miller, who was making her New York City debut showed her versatility by featuring a diverse arsenal of punches with both hands.

Miller handled the former world-title challenger with ease as she won by shutout scores of 60-54 on all cards.

Miller wore a ring outfit that paid homage to the movie Black Panther.

The 2012 United States Olympic Alternate, Miller continued her dominance as a professional as her record soared to 6-0.

“I enjoyed myself in there last night and it felt good to be back in action,” said Miller. “I felt strong, and I felt like that I had a solid performance. My opponent was tough and I was happy to get the rounds in. Fighting under the DiBella Entertainment banner is very special, and I appreciated being warmly embraced by Lou DiBella himself!”

“I decided to come out as the leader of the Wakanda tribe in the movie Black Panther, Dora Milaje. I was accented in gold because I felt they represent the new age women warriors like myself. We are fierce, strong and not afraid to go to war. I love to trailblaze, and set the bar high. I’m sure we can expect to see other women coming out and joining the Wakanda tribe and I’m happy to be the leader of that movement. ”

Said Split-T Management CEO, David McWater, “After being off for 8 months, I was more than happy with her performance. Going in, I wanted to see how she performed with Szilvia Szabados as compared to how Clarrissa Shields performed and Raquel definitely looked better.”

LAS VEGAS (June 21, 2018): Jaime Munguia (29-0, 25 KOs), the newly-crowned WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, will make the first defense of his title against former world champion Liam “Beefy” Smith (26-1-1, 14 KOs) in a 12-round main event Saturday, July 21 at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Munguia is a dangerous 21-year-old puncher who has ended 25 of his fights by stunning knockout. Munguia has only fought twice in the United States, the second of which was for a last-minute title opportunity against Sadam “World Kid” Ali in May. Munguia used his enormous height and reach advantages to drop Ali several times before a thunderous left hook ended matters in the fourth round. The newly-crowned champion is excited to defend his new belt.

“I’m very excited and thankful with everyone that made this possible,” said Jaime Munguia.”I invite the fans to go and see me live or to tune in on HBO. I will defend my WBO title with pride and honor. See you in Vegas!”

Smith, the first of an impressive stable of brothers to win a world title, is a 29-year-old native of Liverpool, England. After scoring 20 impressive victories as a professional, Smith defeated John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson via seventh-round technical knockout to capture the WBO 154-pound title. Smith then lost the title against Canelo Alvarez in front of over 50,000 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in an impressive show of heart. Smith has had three victories since, and after pulling out of his May 12 fight against Sadam Ali due to an illness, he is more than ready to regain the title that was once his.

“To go to Vegas and fight for a world title is every fighter’s dream,” said Liam Smith.”But it’s only an extra incentive to my main motivation – getting that WBO world junior middleweight title back around my waist.Munguia is obviously a dangerous puncher and I’ll have to be wary of him early on, but he’s never fought someone as good as me and a fully-fledged 154lb fighter. I can’t afford to look an inch past Munguia though. He’s world champion for a reason and with such a high knockout percentage, I’m going to have to be my best ever. Unfortunately for Munguia, that’s what I’ll be.”

In the co-main event, Alberto “Explosivo” Machado (19-0, 16 KOs) will put his WBA Super Featherweight World Title on the line as he faces undefeated No. 1 Contender Rafael “Sweet Pea” Mensah (31-0, 23 KOs) in a 12-round battle.

Machado, a 27-year-old of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a big man for his division and boasts power in both hands. After unifying two regional titles with a dominant unanimous decision victory against Carlos “The Solution” Morales, Machado defeated Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales by way of eighth-round knockout to capture WBA Super Featherweight Title in Oct. 2017. The hard-hitting southpaw promises to retain his title on July 21.

“One as a fighter knows the sacrifices that are made to become world champion,” said Alberto Machado. “Because of that, I will defend my title with blood and honor this July 21. Rafael Mensah is the mandatory challenger, and he possess great credentials, including an impressive record. That’s why I’m preparing more than ever to walk away with my hand raise in my first defense.”

Mensah is a 27-year-old contender of Accra, Ghana who made his professional debut in 2010. Since then he has steadily climbed up 130-pound rankings, earning his spot at the top of the WBA rankings and a shot at the title. Mensah is confident that he has the skills to outclass Machado.

“I know Machado and there is no doubt I can beat him,” said Rafael Mensah. “When I saw Machado, I said ‘Yes, I can beat you. You are not somebody that can beat me. You cannot beat Rafael Mensah. I will come and maybe not knock you out, but I will beat you in boxing and teach you a good boxing lesson.'”

“We’re excited to bring two world title fights to Las Vegas on July 21,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Jaime Munguia exploded onto the championship scene last year in devastating fashion, and we’re delighted to showcase him once again on another HBO main event. The co-main event will also bring fireworks as Alberto Machado makes the first defense of what will be a very long reign.”

“I’m proud and excited that this Mexican Kid from Tijuana [Munguia], who’s the hottest fighter in boxing today, will once again fight on July 21 against the tough Liam Smith,” said Fernando Beltran, CEO of Zanfer Promotions. “I know he will prevail again in spectacular fashion like he always does.”

“Liam Smith was very confident of beating Sadam Ali, but unfortunately the allergic reaction he suffered temporarily sidelined his plans,” said Frank Warren.”Munguia looked impressive beating the former champion, but Liam actually feels he is a better stylistic match up for him than Ali would have been.I’m very confident Liam will be recapturing the WBO Junior Middleweight Title and bringing it back to the UK.”

“When Jaime Munguia made his HBO debut this past May, he put the division on notice with a spectacular knockout and captured a 154-pound title”, said Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports. “He looks to keep the momentum going on July 21 as he takes on his mandatory challenger Liam Smith, who hopes to take the title back to his native UK.”

The rest of this undercard will be announced shortly.

Munguia vs. Smith is a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Zanfer Promotions and Frank Warren. Machado vs. Mensah is a 12-round fight for the WBA Super Featherweight World Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Don King Productions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Casa Mexico Tequila.The event takes place Saturday, July 21, 2018 at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Munguia vs. Smith are priced at $20, $50, $75, $100 and $125, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets go on sale Thursday, June 28 at 10:00 a.m. PST. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or The Joint Box Office at (702) 693-5000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.goldenboytickets.com and www.ticketmaster.com.

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

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.hbo.com/boxing
and www.hardrockhotel.com. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing @HardRockHotelLV. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/hboboxing and www.facebook.com/HardRockHotelLV. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOBoxing and @HardRockHotelLV. Follow the conversation using #MunguiaSmith.

About The Joint
The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas is a 4,255-person capacity venue that serves as a sophisticated, intimate and unparalleled entertainment destination. The Joint features seven luxury suites, a VIP studio level, state-of-the-art sound system, superior video system and a production package tailor-made for artist comfort. It has received numerous accolades including “No. 1 Hottest Club in America” award by Billboard Magazine, “Casino Of The Year – Medium Capacity” award by the Academy of Country Music, “Best Live Music Venue in Las Vegas” by MetroWize.com, “Best New Major Concert Venue” at the Pollstar Awards, “Best Live Music Venue” in AOL City’s Best awards, “Best Rock Residency Program” by Las Vegas Weekly, “Best Concert Venue” by Las Vegas Review-Journal and more. The Joint delivers unforgettable live music experiences with performances by both legendary and groundbreaking artists including Paul McCartney, the Killers, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, Nine Inch Nails, The Who, Imagine Dragons, Prince, Arcade Fire, Muse, Drake and No Doubt. The venue has been home to successful residencies with Carlos Santana, Tiësto, Mötley Crüe, Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard, KISS, Rascal Flatts and Journey. For more information visit www.thejointlasvegas.com. Follow The Joint on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY–Ring warriors Manny Pacquiao and Lucas Matthysse
stepped up their respective training sessions a notch higher as
preparations for “Fight of Champions” entered its hardest stages this
week.

Pacquiao is all business these days as he is focusing on the most
challenging fight of his career. He sparred for 10 rounds Thursday
afternoon and gave out a big smile to his supporters, saying, “it’s
good to be back.”

So inspired is Pacquiao that he is concentrating on just winning the
fight that he wants most. He delegated management of MP Promotions,
the lead promoter of his July 15 (July 14 in the US) battle at the
Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to his trusted lieutenants.

Matthysse, the welterweight champion who vowed to defend with his life
and bring back to his country Argentina the WBA crown that he won
early this year, is also as determined to retire the only
eight-division and 10-time champion in boxing history.

Pacquiao’s sparring will reach the full 12 rounds next week even as
Matthysse’s trainer Joel Diaz has laid out an elaborate game-plan to
score a win for his dangerous pupil, a boxer who has knocked out 36 of
the 39 opponents he has faced in the past.

“As far as I am concerned, everything is fine,” said Pacquiao,
responding to rumors that the fight is headed to a postponement or
even cancellation. “Lucas Matthysse and I are getting ready to give
the fans their money’s worth and July 15 will be huge for boxing in
Malaysia.”

Pacquiao assigned a team to take care of business and logistics as he
concentrated in training alone.

Marketing and sales head Arnold Vegafria echoed Pacquiao’s sentiments.
Vegafria, who was monitoring news online on a plane heading back to
the Philippines from New York City, said that all concerned decision
makers were in agreement with each other.

“Everyone is on board. Everyone understands the situation and the
fight is going as planned,” said Vegafria.

Aside from the Pacquiao Vs Matthysse championship, three more world
title fights are in store for hardcore boxing fans including the World
Boxing Association featherweight bout between Edivaldo Ortega of
Mexico, (26-1-1, 12 KOs) and Jhack Tepora of the Philippines (21-0, 16
KOs).

Chinese amateur sensation and Olympian Lu Bin will challenge Carlos
Canizales of Venezuela, the WBA light flyweight champion (20-0-1).
Another world championship pits IBF flyweight title holder Moruti
Mthalane of South Africa and Muhammad Waseem of Pakistan.

LONDON (22 June, 2018) – BoxNation are delighted to announce an exclusive output deal to air the popular ‘Broadway Boxing’ series from DiBella Entertainment.

Promoter Lou DiBella helped create a rebirth for boxing in New York City with the popular two-hour series, which features up-and-coming fighters and promising contenders.

The multi-fight deal will give BoxNation subscribers the chance to watch some of the hottest talents from the across the pond as they battle to become the stars of tomorrow.

Celebrating its Fifteen Year Anniversary, the Broadway Boxing series returned on Thursday 21 June where Brooklyn’s Mikkel “Slikk Mikk” LesPierre took on Argentina’s teak-tough Gustavo David Vittori in a 10-round welterweight bout from the Melrose Ballroom in Queens.

This clash will be screened on ‘The Channel of Champions’ BoxNation on Friday 29 June, with all cards thereafter to be aired live and exclusive on the channel.

Also featuring on the bill to be shown next Friday will be former WBC lightweight world champion “Dynamite” Dejan Zlaticanin (23-1, 16 KOs), of Podgorica, Montenegro.

WBA World female super middleweight champion Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (9-1, 5 KOs), of Lindenhurst, Long Island, NY, made her first start since winning her world title, in an eight-round bout.

Another Brooklyn native features with Jude “King Czar” Franklin (7-0, 6 KOs) competing in a six-round contest, with newly signed DiBella Entertainment heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov (1-0, 1 KO) of Uzbekistan, featuring in a six-round clash.

Furthermore, making his professional debut in a four-round lightweight bout is another Uzbek in Elnur Abduraimov.

A standout amateur with a record of 195-20, the 23-year-old Abduraimov was a five-time national champion and a gold medalist at the 2015 World Championships.

Unbeaten female middleweight prospect Raquel Miller (5-0, 3 KOs), of San Francisco, CA, also made her DiBella Entertainment and New York debut in a six-round contest.

Speaking on this fight card promoter Lou DiBella, said: “I am a strong supporter of women’s boxing and this card will showcase two excellent women’s bouts. Coming off her world title victory and a subsequent PR campaign which included multiple television appearances, Long Island’s WBA world super middleweight champion Alicia Napoleon will return to the ring. San Francisco’s unbeaten Raquel Miller, a Golden Gloves champion who fought Claressa Shields in a hotly contested battle as an amateur, will make her DBE debut. Highly touted Uzbekistan Olympian Bakhodir Jalolov, a massive heavyweight that will be a future threat to the top contenders, will look for another impressive knockout, and his teammate Elnur Abduraimov, also an amateur standout, will make his pro debut. Former lightweight world champion Dejan Zlaticanin, the first Montenegrin to win a world title, continues on the road back to the top of the division. Brooklyn will be well represented with Mikkel LesPierre matched very tough in a welterweight main event, and the popular heavy-hitting Jude Franklin will bring out his legion of fans.”

Jim McMunn, BoxNation Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to agree a multi-fight deal with DiBella Entertainment to air the exciting and popular Broadway Boxing series. This series has featured some of the best young talents from the US and beyond over the years. BoxNation subscribers will now be the first to see the emergence of these talents as they do battle live and exclusive on the channel. This series kicks-off on BoxNation on Friday 29 June with a stacked card that features a host of top prospects.”

BoxNation is available on Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/ online at watch.boxnation.com, via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon) and TV Player for just £12 a month. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –

About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Canelo vs Golovkin.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.427), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), TV Player, online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers

Joe Cordina will tackle Sean ‘Masher’ Dodd for the vacant Commonwealth Lightweight title in the latest instalment of the JDNXTGEN series at the Ice Arena Cardiff on August 4, live on Sky Sports.

Cordina fights for his second pro title on home turf once again having landed the WBA International strap at Principality Stadium in March with a third round stoppage win over Hakim Ben Ali on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s Heavyweight unification blockbuster with Joseph Parker.

That was the ‘Welsh Wizard’s’ second outing at his national stadium having boxed on the undercard of Joshua’s clash with Carlos Takam in October, and Cordina headlines a show for the first time in his eighth pro outing, with former champion Dodd providing a stiff step-up for that the 26 year old is relishing.

“I can’t wait to be fighting at home once again,” said Cordina. “This is the perfect fight for me to explode on the domestic scene and there’s added incentive to add another title to my collection.

Masher has been there and done it but I think I’ll be too fresh for him.

“Whilst it was great boxing on the two AJ shows in Cardiff, all eyes will be on me now topping the show which gives me that extra spring in my step.

“I’ve seen a few of my Team GB mates win the Commonwealth title in recent weeks and now it’s my turn, I won’t let this opportunity slip in front of my own fans.”

Dodd gets the chance to regain the Commonwealth crown at the first attempt having fallen to Tommy Coyle in Liverpool in April. That was a second defence for the Birkenhead man, who claimed the title on Merseyside against Lee Appleyard last April and returned to the Echo Arena to see off local rival Tom Stalker in September.

‘Masher’ is itching to get his hands back on the title and believes experience will be key against the young Rio Olympian.

“This is a great opportunity for me to reclaim the Commonwealth Title,” said Dodd. “It didn’t go my way last time around, but that’s boxing. I’m back in another meaningful fight and am determined to win that belt back away from home.

“I’ll bring an army down to Cardiff, so Joe’s home advantage will be cancelled out. He’s an exciting young talent but I’ll be looking to use all my experience on the night – I honestly can’t wait to get back to business.”

A stacked undercard will support the main event in the Welsh capital, and it’s a huge night for Wales’ Commonwealth gold medal man Sean McGoldrick fighting on home soil for the first time in the paid ranks in his seventh pro fight.

Natasha Jonas steps up her hunt for World honours with a first defence of her WBA Super-Featherweight Inter-Continental title, Rio Olympic gold medal stand-out Daniyar Yeleussinov fights for the third time in the pros, unbeaten Featherweight talent Jordan Gill continues his journey to more titles and there’s more action to be added.

“I’m excited to be bringing JDNXTGEN to Cardiff for the first time and even more excited by the main event,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Joe Cordina has looked sensational since his pro debut but now faces a different test all together in a very experienced and gritty Masher Dodd who is determined to win his title back.

“The undercard is stacked with talent. Local boy and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sean McGoldrick finally getting the chance to box in Wales and 2012 Olympian Natasha Jonas will defend her WBA Inter-Continental title. Rio Olympic gold medallist Daniyar Yeleussinov is in action again and undefeated Featherweight star Jordan Gill continues to hunt down titles. There’s lots more to add and plenty of Welsh talent on this juicy August 4 card.”

Tickets for August 4 are on sale now at www.stubhub.co.uk priced at £40 (unreserved) £70 (reserved floor seats) and £150 (ringside VIP).

Las Vegas – The 7th annual UFC International Fight Week™ will take place from Tuesday, July 3 through Sunday, July 8, with numerous events taking place throughout Las Vegas, including the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center, The Palms Casino Resort, and T-Mobile Arena.

UFC International Fight Week is highlighted by the prestigious 2018 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, an easily-accessible and fully interactive two-day UFC Fan Experience® and THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER® FINALE: TAVARES vs. ADESANYA. The week-long festivities are anchored by the highly anticipated Superfight between UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier in the main event of UFC® 226: MIOCIC vs. CORMIER, presented by Modelo, which takes place on Saturday, July 7 at T-Mobile Arena. Tickets for UFC 226 are available via AXS.

On Thursday, July 5, UFC will host the 2018 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at 7 p.m. at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort. The annual ceremony honors contributors and athletes that helped shape UFC and left an indelible mark on the sport of mixed martial arts. Tickets to the induction ceremony are priced at $20.00 (does not include fees), with all proceeds benefitting Three Square Foodbank, southern Nevada’s largest hunger-relief organization. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster. The ceremony will also be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

Spanning more than 85,000 square feet, UFC’s two-day Fan Experience at the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center will be the one-stop shop for all fight fans, providing unparalleled free access to UFC champions, top-ranked contenders, UFC Hall of Famers, celebrities, legendary fighters, Octagon Girls®, UFC letters and a UFC store dome. This year, the UFC Fan Experience will also host several activations centered around UFC’s 25th anniversary, which is being celebrated throughout the year.

UFC fans will have the opportunity to engage with a record-number of athletes and talent during free autograph sessions and meet and greets at the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center. These sessions will be from 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 6, and 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 7. This free event will be part of the two-day UFC Fan Experience at the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center, which will operate from 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. on Friday, July 6, and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 7.

Fans will be able to purchase exclusive UFC merchandise at the UFC store dome and at other UFC store locations, while also having the chance to participate in numerous activities with brand partners such as: BODYARMOR, Modelo, Toyo Tires®, Monster Energy, MetroPCS® and Motel 6.

The 27th season of UFC’s landmark reality series, The Ultimate Fighter®, will conclude on Friday, July 6, with THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER® FINALE: TAVARES vs. ADESANYA at T-Mobile Arena. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.

UFC will also host two official pool parties during the week at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino’s Rehab Beach Club on Wednesday, July 4 (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) and Sunday, July 8 (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.). On Saturday, July 7, the official UFC 226 after party will take place at Hakkasan beginning at 11 p.m.

The UFC International Fight Week app will be the official destination for the most updated schedule of events, as well as the only place to secure your spot for autograph sessions. The app is scheduled to launch on Monday, June 25. All of these exciting events are in addition to the regularly scheduled fight week activities. For additional information, please visit UFC.com/fightweek.

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 400 events in 21 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.

MARTIN MURRAY lashed out at WBC Silver Middleweight Champion Roberto Garcia ahead of their big clash on Saturday night at London’s o2.

The feuding ?ghters clashed after both weighing in for Garcia’s title defence against the St Helens man, where the mandatory position for Gennady Golovkin’s WBC crown is at stake.

After weighing in the pair had an intense 15 second stare just inches apart, but when they turned to face the press and TV cameras, Murray saw red.

He muttered, then shoved the Mexican sending him hurtling. It sparked a furious reaction from Garcia’s trainers and calm was only restored when security guards separated the teams.

It adds even more anticipation to the BT Sport televised clash that promises to be a war between two men who know a loss will wreck any world title hopes.

RUNNING ORDER AND WEIGHTS

Fight # 1 – 16:00 hrs
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Super-Middleweight Contest
DARRYL WILLIAMS (12st 2lb 5oz) V RAIMOND SNIEDZE (12st 3lb 3oz)

4 X 3 Minute Rounds Welterweight Contest
SAM GILLEY V SAM OMIDI

6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Featherweight Contest
RAZZA HAMZA (8st 13lb) V SERGIO GONZALEZ

Fight# 4
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Flyweight Contest
HARVEY HORN (8st 4lb) V GYULA DODU (8st 3lb)

Fight #5
8 X 3 Minute Rounds International Welterweight Contest
JOHNNY GARTON (10st 9lb) V NELSON ALTAMIRANO

Fight #6
8 X 3 Minute Rounds International Super-Featherweight Contest
ARCHIE SHARP (9st 3lb) V LESTER CANTILLANO

BT SPORT GO LIVE AT 19:00 HRS

Fight # 7 – 19:10 hrs
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Cruiserweight Contest
JAMES BRANCH JNR V KEVIN WILLIAMS

Fight # 8
THE WBC INTERNATIONAL SUPER-LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
10 X 3 Minute Rounds
PAUL KAMANGA (9st 13lb 4oz) V OHARA DAVIES (9st 13lb 5oz)

Fight # 9
THE VACANT ENGLISH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
10 X 3 Minute Rounds
DANIEL DUBOIS (16st 12lb 8oz) V TOM LITTLE (17st 12lb 3oz)

Fight # 10
THE WBO INTERCONTINENTAL & EUROPEAN LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
10 X 3 Minute Rounds
ANTHONY YARDE (12st 6lb 7oz) V DARIUS SEK (12st 6lb 7oz)

Fight # 11 THE WBC SILVER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
ROBERTO GARCIA (11st 4lb) V MARTIN MURRAY (11st 5lb 9oz)

Fight # 12 – Live Floater (TV)
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Super-Middleweight Contest
UMAR SADIQ (12st 4lb) V KAMIL AL TEMIMI

Frampton will defend his ‘interim’ WBO world featherweight title against Australian Luke Jackson, who is ranked ?fth in the world.

It is a huge occasion for Frampton and he hopes victory will set-up a showdown with IBF champion Josh Warrington.

Lineal World Heavyweight Champion Fury will box a non-title ten rounder in his second comeback ?ght and is on a mission to conquer the world.

Frampton’s close friend Barnes will challenge for the WBC World Flyweight title in just his sixth professional contest when he faces champion Cristofer Rosales, who will making his ?rst defence.

A talent stacked undercard will be announced by promoter Frank Warren in the coming weeks featuring some of the big names and emerging stars in world boxing.

Don’t miss out on your chance to get your hands on the hottest tickets in boxing before they sell out.

Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.ie. priced at £40, £50, £80, £100, £120, £150, £250, £400 (includes hospitality).

Buying tickets over the phone – 0844 847 2455

To purchase Accessible Seating – 0333 321 9996

New York, NY (6/22/18) – In front of a lively crowd on Thursday night, DiBella Entertainment (DBE) debuted its Broadway Boxing series at Melrose Ballroom, in Astoria, Queens, NY. The bouts were shown live at DBE’s new streaming home, LIVE.DBE1.com. Broadway Boxing is presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance.

(Photo Credit: Marilyn Paulino/DIBella Entertainment)

In the main event, Brooklyn’s Mikkel Lespierre, 144.2, expertly picked apart and gradually broke down Gustavo Vittori, 146.6, of Concordia, Argentina. Though Vittori came out aggressively to start the bout, LesPierre kept him at a distance looking to create openings for his straight left. Soon he was landing that punch along with combinations and countering well. A left uppercut to the body dropped Vittori in round two. The Argentinean stayed in front of LesPierre all night, but did not show any head movement, leading to a session of target practice for the local southpaw. LesPierre’s body shots continued to hurt Vittori and he began to wear down. A right uppercut stunned Vittori in the fourth. LesPierre scored a second knockdown in round six with two rights to the body followed by a left hook upstairs. Early in the seventh, another barrage of shots brought Vittori to his knees and the referee immediately waved off the contest at the 0:38 mark. Vittori will return home with a 20-4-1 (11 KOs) record. In his best performance as a pro, LesPierre, now 20-0-1 (9 KOs), demonstrated that he is ready to take on world class opposition. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, LesPierre moved to the US at age six and was raised in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. He is trained by Don Saxby out of Gleason’s Gym.

(Photo Credit: Marilyn Paulino/DiBella Entertainment)

Brooklyn’s Jude “King Zar” Franklin, 127, also a Gleason’s Gym fighter, trained by Elmo Serrano, got off to a quick start, decking Mexico City’s Enrique Aguilar, 130, in the opening round with a straight right upstairs. Throughout the contest, much of Franklin’s offense was focused on the body. Aguilar tried to retaliate with his own attack to the midsection, though Franklin deftly blocked those shots with his elbows and forearms. In round four, Franklin unleashed a torrent of blistering shots downstairs, which resulted in Aguilar unable to come out of his corner for the fifth stanza. The popular Brooklynite upped his record to 8-0 (7 KOs) with the TKO stoppage. Despite his lopsided record, Aguilar, now 8-15 (1 KO), had never before been stopped.

In a wild and bloody brawl that lasted just five-and-a-half minutes, former WBC world lightweight champion Dejan Zlaticanin, 135.4, of Podgorica, Montenegro, was shockingly upset by Tijuana, Mexico’s Robert Ramirez, 135.8. Zlaticanin applied pressure in round one but was tagged by uppercuts on his way inside. Montenegro’s first boxing world champion retaliated, creating exciting exchanges. A left uppercut-right hand combination from his much taller foe felled Zlaticanin early in the second. With Ramirez intent on doing damage and throwing a combination, Zlaticanin landed two left hooks that badly staggered and nearly dropped the Mexican. Moments later, a series of overhand rights and right uppercuts put Zlaticanin on the deck once more and the referee halted the contest at the 2:32 mark. Losing for the second time, Zlaticanin, 23-2 (16 KOs), suffered a broken jaw and broken nose. Ramirez, now 18-2-1 (13 KOs), earned his fifth straight victory following a TKO loss to Abel Ramos in 2015. His only other defeat came to former world title challenger Carlos Ocampo via split decision in 2013.

(Photo Credit: Marilyn Paulino/DiBella Entertainment)

Highly touted female prospect Raquel Miller, 159.8, of San Francisco, CA, impressed in her DBE and New York debut, unloading her arsenal on the very gutsy Hungarian Szilvia Szabados, 154.8, of Miskolc, for six one-sided rounds. Though she was hurt and wobbled on occasion, Szabados, a former world title challenger, showed tremendous heart and never hit the canvas. Miller, clearly the physically stronger boxer, continued to batter her outgunned foe with stiff jabs, right uppercuts, combinations to the body and counterpunches en route to a shutout win on three tallies of 60-54. Szabados, who has shared the ring with Claressa Shields, Alicia Napoleon, Layla McCarter, and Nikki Adler, saw her ledger drop to 17-12 (8 KOs). Managed by David McWater’s Split-T Management, Miller turned pro in May 2016 and is now 6-0 (3 KOs). As an amateur, Miller was a 2012 National champion, a silver medalist at the 2012 Women’s World Championships, and a 2012 Olympic Team Alternate. She also won the Colorado Springs Golden Gloves tournament in 2013 and won gold at the National Police Athletic League tournament in 2014.

In his New York debut, three-time Puerto Rican National Boxing team member Jose Roman, 149.6, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, kept the pressure on southpaw Marcus Beckford, 151.4, of Patchogue, NY, for six frames, landing stiff jabs and attacking the body whenever he had his foe trapped against the ropes. As the rounds wore on, Roman began to find a home for his overhand right, using that weapon with increasing regularity. Though he was getting outworked, the game Beckford fought back well in the final three minutes. Three identical scorecards of 59-55 awarded the unanimous decision victory to Roman, now 6-0 (3 KOs), while Beckford’s record dipped to 5-9-3 (1 KO).

SAN JUAN, P.R. (June 21, 2018) — Total focus. Undefeated Puerto Rican contender Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz has only one goal on his mind: become a world champion. During a press conference held on Thursday afternoon at ‘The Island of Enchantment’, Díaz guaranteed that on July 28 he will leave the Kissimmee Civic Center as world champion.

On that night, in front of the fans of the city called “Little Puerto Rico” in the state of Florida, Díaz will compete for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Junior Lightweight title against Japan’s Masayuki Ito. In the co-feature, undefeated Dominican welterweight Carlos “Caballo Bronco” Adames will face Artemio Reyes of San Bernardino, California.

Diaz-Ito and Adames-Reyes will stream live and exclusively in the United States at 9:30 ET on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN. Undercard bouts will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. ESPN+ is available to all fans on the ESPN App and ESPN.com.

This is what Diaz and his trainer Raul ‘Chino’ Rivas had to say during the press conference.

CHRISTOPHER ‘PITUFO’ DÍAZ

On his World Title Opportunity

“We are only one step away, there are only five weeks left. I have worked for 15 years of my life for this moment. I have a lot of focus, a lot of discipline and I have an immense desire to be someone in life.”

“In this fight, there are no excuses, this is win or win fight for me. I have prepared myself throughout my career for this moment, the time has come and now it is a matter of performing and knowing how to do things inside the ring. If I make a mistake in the ring, my family will pay for it and I will not let that happen.”

“Puerto Rico will have a new world champion on July 28. And I will not only be the best 130 pounds fighter of Puerto Rico, I will be the best 130 pounds fighter in the world.”

On the Motivation to Become a World Champion

“I have the motivation of my daughter, my twins who are on their way, my wife, my mother, my brothers, I have a family that follows me wherever I go, I leave it all in the ring for them. Everything I do is for them.”

RAÚL ‘CHINO’ RIVAS

On Training Camp

“The training camp has been excellent, the sparring sessions are very important for this fight and we have the sparring partners that are perfect for Christopher. On July 28 we will be ready and in excellent condition.”

Diaz (23-0, 15 KOs), from Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, is entering his first world title match riding a four-bout knockout streak. The WBO’s No. 1 junior lightweight contender, Diazwon the vacant NABO junior lightweight title last December with a third-round knockout of Bryant Cruz, knocking Cruz down five times en route to the stoppage. In his last bout,March 17 on the Jose Ramirez-Amir Imam undercard at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Diaz defeated Braulio Rodriguez via fourth-round TKO to earn the shot at the world title. For Diaz, this world title opportunity is beacon of hope, as his home and most of his possessions were destroyed when Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico last year.

Ito (23-1-1, 12 KOs), from Tokyo, is the WBO’s No. 2 junior lightweight contender. He has won seven consecutive bouts since the lone defeat of his career, a 10-round majority decision to then-undefeated Rikki Naito in February 2015. Ito, who has fought all of his professional bouts in Japan, has won four of his past five bouts via knockout, including a ninth-round stoppage of Lorenzo Villanueva in April of last year. In his last bout, on March 3 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Ito stopped Vergil Puton in the ninth round.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with All Star Boxing and Teiken Promotions, tickets to this world championship are now on sale. Priced at $100 (red carpet ringside), $50 (lower bowl), and $30 (general admission), tickets may be purchased at the Kissimmee Civic Center box office, online at ticketerapr.com, or charge by phone at (787) 305-3600.

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/espndeportes; Twitter:twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, @ESPN @ESPNBoxeo,@ESPNDeportes. Use the hashtag #DiazIto to join the conversation on social media.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN. ESPN+ offers fans two exclusive, original boxing programs The Boxing Beat with Dan Rafael (Tuesdays, weekly) and In This Corner (twice monthly). In addition to boxing content, fans can watch thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks. This includes hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, Grand Slam tennis, Top Rank boxing, PGA Tour golf, college sports, international rugby, cricket, the full library of ESPN Films (including 30 for 30) and more. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ORANGE, Calif. (June 21, 2018) – Isaac Zarate (14-3-3, 2 KOs) and Ramiro Robles (15-7-1, 8 KOs) successfully weighed in at Thursday’s “New Blood” weigh in from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Zarate weighed 122.7 lbs, while Robles checked in at 121.7 lbs. The contract weight for Friday’s 8-round main event is 123 lbs.

Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $40 & $100, and are available for purchase on the day of the event (Friday) from the will call booth at the Doubletree Hotel starting at 5:30 p.m. local time.

To watch a replay of Thursday’s weigh in, please click here.

WEIGHTS

Isaac Zarate, 122.7 lbs. vs. Ramiro Robles, 121.7 lbs.
Manuel Mendez, 136.5 lbs. vs. Gilberto Espinoza, 135.6 lbs.
Saul Sanchez, 118.7 lbs. vs. Leonardo Torres, 118.8 lbs.
Brandon Valdes, 122 lbs. vs. Jose Fabian Naranjo, 122.4 lbs.
George Acosta, 134.9 lbs. vs. Alberto Castillo, 130.7 lbs.
Anthony Chavez, 124.9 lbs. vs. Josafath Vazquez, 124.1 lbs.

All fights will be live streamed on TB Presents: New Blood via our Facebook page and ThompsonBoxing.com.

The livestream starts at 8:00 p.m. PT / 11:00 p.m. ET with Beto Duran as the blow-by-blow announcer and Steve Kim providing expert, color commentary.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. local time with the first bout at approximately 8:00 p.m. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 N. Vineyard Ave. in Ontario, CA 91764 and can be reached at 909-937-0900.

“New Blood” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Everlast.

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. To follow the conversation on social media, please use #NewBlood, #TBPresents, and #ThompsonBoxing.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook Page, watch our YouTube channel on Thompson Boxing TV, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

New York, NY (June 21, 2018) DiBella Entertainment is ready to go LIVE from the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York, for Broadway Boxing, featuring undefeated welterweight Mikkel LesPierre (19-0-1, 13 KOs) and former WBC lightweight champion Dejan Zlaticanin (23-1, 16 KOs) in separate bouts.

The stream will begin at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT and will be broadcast on LIVE.DBE1.COM, part of the SportsLive OTT service, as part of a partnership with CBS Sports Digital. Fans can subscribe to the event for $6.95 now by visiting live.dbe1.com.

LesPierre will attempt to take the leap from top prospect to contender when he takes on Argentinian veteran Gustavo David Vittori (20-3-1, 11 KOs). Zlaticanin, only 16 months removed from his championship reign, will take on Roberto Ramirez (17-2-1, 12 KOs), who is undefeated in his last 5 bouts.

Also featured on the show will be a trio of undefeated prospects: welterweight Jose Roman (5-0, 3 KOs), of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Jude Franklin (7-0, 6 KOs), of Brooklyn, New York, and women’s sensation Raquel Miller (5-0, 3 KOs), of San Diego, California.

Join the voice of big time boxing, Ray Flores, and Brian Adams as they call the action live from Queens on LIVE.DBE1.COM.

IBF and WBA Women’s Middleweight World Championship

Claressa Shields – 159 ½ lbs.

Hanna Gabriels – 159 ½ lbs.

Referee: Gerard White (California); Judges: Michael Ancona (Ohio), Jeremy Hayes (Toronto, Canada), Pasquale Procopio (Montreal, Canada)

WBC and WBO Women’s Middleweight World Championship

Christina Hammer – 159 ½ lbs.

Tori Nelson – 157 ½ lbs.

Referee: Frank Garza (Michigan); Judges: Katealia Chambers (Michigan), Benoit Roussel (Montreal), Pasquale Procopio (Montreal, Canada)

Light Heavyweight 10-Round Bout

Umar Salamov – 174 ½ lbs.

Brian Howard – 174 ½ lbs.

Referee: Sam Williams (Michigan); Judges: Ansel Stewart (Michigan), Michael Ancona (Ohio), Pasquale Procopio (Montreal, Canada)

NOTE: see PDF email attachment for bout sheet and all weights.

FLASH QUOTES:

CLARESSA SHIELDS:

“I have John David Jackson now and I’ve learned so much from him since we got together back in February. I’ve had coaches in the past who tried to change my style and game, but at the end of the day I just have to go in there and fight like I know how to.

“Being in Flint for my last camp, you wouldn’t believe all the things I had to deal with. Just stuff that shouldn’t be happening to a world champion. It was stressful, and I was stressed even the week of the fight [in January]. I had to get out. I was able to train in Florida this time around.

“[Hanna’s] a good fighter. She has skills and just the way she carries herself. She’s very calm and her facial expressions never change. I watched the fight where she got knocked out, and even then her facial expressions didn’t change. I think she’s tough, but not as tough as I am. I know I’m the better fighter.

“Tori underestimated my power. I think Tori has a punchers’ chance [against Hammer]. I don’t wrap my career around Hammer. Our lives don’t intertwine. I have to worry about what’s in front of me. I’m not going to watch that fight.

“I was focused on my diet for this fight. I don’t have much family in Florida and didn’t have any distractions.”

HANNA GABRIELS:

“We need to step up to the plate and make sure our game plan is on point and we give the fans what they want to see, which is a great fight. You have to overcome a lot and sacrifice to get to this point, and my team has done that.

“I’ve never feared anyone. Words don’t do anything. When I get in the ring I’m going to be a beast.

“I’m OK with whatever comes, win or loss. I’m a champion and that’s my mentality in the ring. We’re going for the victory, and I’m appreciating everything that’s happening preparing for this fight.

“I don’t underestimate her power. But boxing isn’t just about power, there’s so much more. You can be powerful, but can you land the punch? Can it be precise? There are so many things going on in the ring that you have to worry about.”

CHRISTINA HAMMER:

“I was very disappointed that I wasn’t able to fight back in January because of my visa issues.

“I was at the Claressa Shields-Tori Nelson fight and now it’s my turn to get in the ring. I like to go forward and be aggressive. When you can finish, you finish. The American people will like my style.

“Boxing is my passion and my job, and I’m prepared and looking forward to this. Now the day is here and it’s on SHOWTIME. We aren’t thinking about Claressa Shields. Out of respect to Tori Nelson, I’m focused on this fight only.”

TORI NELSON:

“I’m a power puncher and I’ve been using my legs more in camp so this camp has been so much different than what I’m used to.

“They say lighting strikes only once, but I got another chance. I am so grateful I got the call for this fight. This is my second chance. A lot of people don’t get second chances.

‘I really have something to prove. A lot of people have believed in me and I’ve got to show what I can do in the ring.

“I think Christina is overlooking me. It’s disrespectful but I’m glad. It’s better for me that she does overlook me.”

UMAR SALAMOV:

“This fight is going to be a good test. I know I can make it into the top 10, and this is my start.

“There’s a big difference living here in Detroit, but it’s a lot like Moscow, a big city.

“I love to fight, and this is a dream come true coming to America. Brian Howard is a tough opponent. It will not be an easy fight but I’m confident I can beat him.”

BRIAN HOWARD:

“I have a little bit of ring rust, but I’m going to be sharp. I’ve prepared well and I’m in shape. I have great metabolism, and can lose weight easily.

“I took my first loss in 2012 and after I took that loss I didn’t have the support I needed. I got back into it and it was just tough getting a fight. I got a lot of nos.

“I’ve seen some tape of my opponent. But you don’t know if he will change or bring something else.

“I box better than I play football. My nickname is MVP – Most Vicious Puncher.

“I don’t look at it that I’m the B-side fighter. This is a real opportunity for me, and I’m going to take full advantage of it.”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, are available at Ticketmaster.com or at the Masonic Temple Box Office at (313) 832-7100. VIP tickets are priced at $300, ringside tickets at $125, and remaining tickets at $75, $50 and $35.

# # #

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.

Philadelphia, PA (June 21, 2018) – THIS TUESDAY, The Abrams Boxing Hour will re-boot on new platforms at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT.

The show can be viewed LIVE all over the world on ABRAMS BOXING FACEBOOK PAGE; ABRAMS BOXING YOUTUBE PAGE & ABRAMS BOXING LIVESTREAM PAGE.

The show, will feature 1-on-1 sit-down interviews with the some of the biggest names in the sport, and will also go over the latest boxing news and opinions. The Abrams Boxing Hour will originate from boxing-centric venues throughout the country.

The debut show will originate from The Joe Hand Boxing Gym in Philadelphia.

“I am glad and excited to be able to do a show like this and bring some enlightening and thoughtful boxing conversation with some terrific guests,” said Marc Abrams, host and creator of The Abrams Boxing Hour.

“Doing the show at the Joe Hand Boxing Gym will give the show an authentic feel. I will be taking the show on the road as well, as I plan to have the most meaningful guests around fights that will get the fans primed and ready for the weekend action. It also will provide an opportunity for fans to be interactive with the guests as we will be answering real-time questions and comments. This will also bring exposure to fighters and events.”

The guests for Tuesday’s show will be announced in the next couple of days.

LOS ANGELES (June 21, 2018): Rising hot welterweight contender Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis (19-0, 13 KOs) of Boston, Mass. will return to the ring in a 10-round welterweight fight against rugged Panamanian warrior Alberto “Metralleta” Mosquera (25-3-2, 16 KOs) in the main event of the June 29 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN at the Oasis Arena in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. ESPN and ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. ESPN3 will live stream undercards beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.

Ellis is an elusive boxer with quick hands who captured his first regional title by defeating
Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez in via stunning first-round knockout in Dec. 2016. Ellis has also defeated tough fighters such as JohnKarl Sosa. The 25-year-old will return after his fourth-round technical stoppage victory against Fidel Monterrosa Muñoz, who is a common opponent of Mosquera.

“I’m excited to fight for the first time in Mexico on a card of international proportions and televised on ESPN,” said Rashidi Ellis.”My opponent this time, Alberto Mosquera, has a lot of experience because he has fought a lot of good fighters. All of this is double motivation for me because a victory against him will be very important.”

Mosquera is a 31-year-old fighter with stiff opposition on his resume as well, including fights against Erick Bone and Sammy “The Who Can Mexican” Vazquez. The southpaw contender has also defeated Fidel Monterrosa Muñoz by knockout and is ready to use all of his experience to derail Ellis’s chance at a world title.

In the co-main event, Francisco Horta (16-3-1, 10 KOs) of Cancun, Mexico will face David Reyes (17-4-1, 6 KOs) of Ciudad Obregon, Mexico in an eight-round super bantamweight fight. Eduardo Nunez(10-0, 10 KOs) of Los Mochis, Mexico will battle Hiram Gallardo (6-2-1, 1 KO) of Chetumal, Mexico across six-rounds of 126-pound action in the televised opener.

Carlos Licona (12-0, 2 KOs) of Westminster, Calif. will face Jose Ramirez (9-3, 4 KOs) of Tlalchapa, Mexico in an eight-round clash in the 105-pound division. Eric Gamboa (14-1, 9 KOs) of Cancun, Mexico and Jose Lopez (9-3-2, 6 KOs) will meet in an eight-round bantamweight fight.

Luis Salamanca (12-1-1, 5 KOs) will square off against Jose Aguilar (8-3-1, 1 KO) in a six-round super lightweight fight between two Cancun, Mexico natives. Simon Madsen (3-0, 2 KOs) of Horsens, Denmark will battle Pascual Mendoza (0-1) of Cancun, Mexico in a four-round 160-pound clash. Calex Castro will make his professional debut in the first fight of the evening, which is scheduled for four-rounds in the competitive super featherweight division against Daniel Hoil (0-1) of Playa de Carmen, Mexico.

Ellis vs. Mosquera is a 10-round welterweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Cancun Boxing. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle.” The fights will take place Friday, June 29, 2018 at Oasis Arena in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. ESPN and ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. ESPN3 will live stream undercards beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and http://www.espn.com/boxing/. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPN, and @ESPNBoxeo; become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing; and follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @OscarDeLaHoya. Follow the conversation using #GBPonESPN and #EllisMosquera.

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

(JUNE 21, 2018) — ESPN+ will have a full day of boxing on Saturday, June 23, with a pair of broadcasts from two continents.

From the O2 Arena in London, Martin Murray will face off against Roberto Garcia in the main event for the WBC Silver middleweight title. Also appearing on the broadcast will be undefeated heavyweight sensation Daniel Dubois (7-0, 7 KOs) against Tom Little for the vacant British title, unbeaten light heavyweight Anthony Yarde (15-0, 14 KOs) versus Dariusz Sek (27-3-3, 9 KOs) for the WBO Intercontinental light heavyweight title, and 140-pound contender Ohara Davies (17-1, 13 KOs) will challenge WBC International super lightweight champion Paul Kamanga (21-1, 12 KOs). The broadcast will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET, with the Murray-Garcia bout expected to air shortly after 5:30 p.m. ET.

Then, at 11 p.m. ET, from Poliforum Zamna in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, WBC super featherweight champion Miguel Berchelt (33-1, 29 KOs) will make the third defense of his title against Jonathan Barros (41-5-1, 22 KOs).

Murray (36-4-1, 17 KOs,), a four-time world title challenger, is riding a three-bout winning streak. He lost a split decision to Arthur Abraham for the WBO super middleweight title in November 2015 and has had three previous cracks at middleweight world titles. He was held to a controversial draw against Felix Sturm for the WBA crown in 2011, lost a disputed unanimous decision to WBC champion Sergio Martinez in 2013, and was knocked out in the 11th round by unified champion Gennady Golovkin on Feb. 21, 2015 in Monte Carlo.

Berchelt will be making the third defense of his title against Barros, an Argentine who once held the WBA featherweight title. Berchelt won the title via 11th-round KO against Francisco Vargas on Jan. 28, 2017 in what was one of the year’s best fights. Less than six months later, he outboxed former world champion Takashi Miura en route to a unanimous decision. In his last bout, Feb. 10 in Cancun, Mexico, Berchelt stopped Maxwell Awuku in the third round. Barros will be hitting the road for a title shot once again. He came up short in his last bout, on July 15, 2017 in London, losing a unanimous decision to Lee Selby for the IBF featherweight crown.

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit plus.espn.com.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with 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.

The ESPN+ lineup includes 18 exclusive, live Top Rank events per year, dozens of fights from other Top Rank undercards, an unmatched library of the greatest fights in boxing history, and two exclusive, original boxing programs: The Boxing Beat with Dan Rafael (Tuesdays) and In This Corner (twice monthly).

It also features hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, Grand Slam tennis, PGA TOUR golf, college sports, international rugby, cricket, the full library of ESPN Films (including 30 for 30) and more. Fans can 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 completely redesigned ESPN App. Already the leading sports app, the new ESPN App is the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans and is a showcase of the company’s culture of innovation. With a richer, increasingly more personalized experience, the new ESPN App curates all of ESPN’s incredible content into an experience unique to each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also available through ESPN.com.

New York, NY (June 21, 2018)-TONIGHT, undefeated middleweight Raquel “The Pretty Beast” Miller will be back in action when she takes on Szilvia Szabados at The Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York.

Miller (5-0, 3 KO’s) of San Francisco, weighed in at a 159.8 lbs while Szabados tipped the scales at 154.8 lbs.

Miller is managed by Split-T Management.

“I’m excited to make my New York City debut,” said Miller. “I’m thankful for David McWater and DiBella Entertainment for giving me the opportunity for bringing me 1 step closer to the title. It’s great to be with a promoter like Lou DiBella who has a strong commitment to women’s boxing .”

Miller was an U.S. Olympic Alternate as she lost a close split decision to Claressa Shields in the finals of the Olympic Trials.

“I’m excited to be in this journey with Raquel, the best female fighter Pound for Pound and she is ready to start collecting titles,” said Split-T Management CEO, David McWater.

Miler is promoted my DiBella Entertainment.

ABOUT SPLIT-T MANAGEMENT

Headed by David McWater, Split-T Management has amassed one of the top stables in boxing.

Their impressive roster includes:

World Rated Contenders

IBF Super Lightweight Mandatory Title Challenger Ivan Baranchyk

Welterweight “The New” Ray Robinson

Former Bantamweight Title Challenger Antonio Nieves

2016 Olympians

Lightweight Teofimo Lopez

Junior Middleweight Charles Conwell

Bantamweight Antonio Vargas

Undefeated Prospects

Heavyweights: Stephen Shaw, Marcus Carter, Yegor Plevako

Cruiserweights: Joshua Temple, “Mighty” Joe Jones

Light Heavyweights: Joseph Williams, Bortirali Mamajonov

Super Middleweights: Isiah Steen, DeAndre Ware, Isiah Jones

Middleweights: Marquis Moore, Raquel Miller

Junior Middleweights: Ardreal Holmes, Hurshidbek Normatov, Fred Wilson, Jr.

Welterweight’s Janelson Bocachica, Poindexter Knight, Mark Dawson, Boubacar Sylla, Brian Ceballo

Junior Lightweight: Erick De Leon

MICHAEL CONLAN will face former world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos in his homecoming ?ght on Saturday June 30 live on BT Sport.

His ?rst seven ?ghts have taken place in the United States but Frank Warren is bringing him home to the Odyssey Arena on another brilliant ?ght night in Belfast.

Conlan’s return to his back yard is also the featherweight star’s ?rst ever ten rounder and another step towards him emulating Irish greats and becoming a world champion.

Conlan hasn’t boxed in his home city since December 2010 when he lost a controversial decision in the Ulster Senior Championships.

He said: “It is an honour to be boxing at the Odyssey Arena and an even bigger honour to be headlining the card.

“I have been there watching Carl Frampton box many times and often pictured myself in that ring being cheered on.”

Brazilian Dos Santos, 26, has won 19 of his 23 professional and last year challenged Jessie Magdaleno for the WBO super-bantamweight title.

On a previous British visit in 2014 he lost on points against Kid Galahad over 12 rounds and promises to give Conlan a tough night.

‘The Conlan Revolution,’ as it has become known since the Irish Olympian turned professional under the Top Rank banner in March of 2017, will come across its sternest test to date.

Conlan added: “Dos Santos has competed at the highest level and this ?ght will be my toughest ?ght as professional to date.

“He has challenged for the world title, made Kid Galahad work, but I believe it’s a test I am ready for.

“At this stage it’s all about progression and learning. I believe it’s the right step at the right time.”

The undercard has produced one of the most competitive undercards ever seen in Belfast with a catalogue of 50-50 needle showdowns.

World ranked Jack Catterall risks his WBO super-lightweight title against Belfast’s Tyrone McKenna.

There is a brilliant all Dublin rematch when Jono Carroll defends his IBF intercontinental crown against Declan Geraghty. When the warring rivals met in November 2014, Geraghty was ahead on the cards when he was disquali?ed in the fourth round.

Belfast’s Paddy Gallagher faces recent world title challenger Gary Corcoran in a British welterweight title eliminator.

In a clash of unbeaten hopefuls, Derry’s Tyrone McCullagh meets Glasgow’s Joe Ham in vacant Celtic super-bantamweight title clash that doubles as a British championship eliminator.

The undercard is stacked with top prospects including Lewis Crocker, Sunny Edwards, Padraig McCrory, Taylor McGoldrick, Neslan Machado, Garry Cully plus Johnny Coyle and Lewis Benson who clash over ten rounds.

Tickets priced at £44, £55, £65, £85, £105, £125, £205
are available via the SSE Arena Belfast official website