Promoter Dmitriy Salita proudly announces the signing of undefeated women’s unified world middleweight champion Christina Hammer to a multi-fight promotional contract.

Already a superstar in Europe, “Lady Hammer” (22-0, 10 KOs), from Dortmund, Germany, (via Novodolinka, Kazakhstan) is the current WBC and WBO Middleweight Champion. She has also previously held the WBF Middleweight, as well as WBO and WBF Super Middleweight Championships.

Under Salita’s promotional direction, Hammer will make her United States boxing debut on Friday, January 12, at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, on the non-televised undercard of a ShoBox: The New Generation telecast (10 p.m. ET/PT), featuring unified Women’s Super Middleweight World Champion Claressa Shields’ WBC and IBF title defense against mandatory challenger Tori Nelson. Hammer is scheduled for a 10-round fight, highlights of which will be shown on SHOWTIME.

“I never had any doubt that my manager Harald Pia and I would reach an agreement,” said a happy Hammer of the signing. “I love the U.S.,” she continued. “If you are successful here, you will be successful everywhere. Since the beginning of my boxing career it has been a dream of mine to fight in the U.S.. I can’t wait for January 12.”

Hammer joins the Salita Promotions roster that also includes women’s superstar, unified super middleweight champion and two-time gold medalist Claressa Shields, as well as world, European (2X) and Russian (6X) amateur champion and 2012 Olympian, Elena Savelyeva.

“Christina has all the tools to become a star in the U.S.,” said Dmitriy Salita. “Her skills, personality and appeal outside the ring make Christina a unique and special fighter in the talent-filled middleweight division. I believe 2018 is going to be a historic year for women’s boxing all over the world.”

Hammer is a technically outstanding boxer, but her outstanding physical strength is what separates her from the rest of the world’s 160-pound fighters. She was voted WBF Female Fighter of the Year in 2011 and 2013; the WBO Female Fighter of the Year in 2013; the BDB Female Boxer of the Year in 2016; the HERQUL Female Boxer of the Year in 2017 and is the only woman in Europe to earn the Diamond Ring of the WBO.

“It is always a pleasure to work with highly professional partners,” said manager Pia of the deal. “I’m confident we have a contract that is good for all parties. Christina is very happy to be fighting in the U.S. It is a dream of hers to be successful over here and she can’t wait to show the U.S. public who Christina Hammer is!”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, are currently on sale for $75 for the first two rows of ringside, $65 for remaining ringside seats and all others priced at $49 and $37, plus any applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased in person or by calling the Turning Stone Resort Box Office at 800.771.7711 or online at Ticketmaster.

In the telecast opener Uzbekistan power-puncher Shohjahon Ergashev (11-0, 11 KOs) will face fellow undefeated and top-10 ranked Sonny Fredrickson (18-0, 12 KOs) of Toledo, Ohio. In the co-feature, Jesse Hernandez (10-1, 7 KOs) will take on Ernesto Garza (9-2, 5 KOs; 1-3 WSB) in a 10-round super bantamweight bout.

# # #

About Turning Stone Resort Casino
Host of the January 12 event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is an award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier venue for fight-of-the-year level boxing. The January event will mark Turning Stone’s 24th nationally-televised boxing event, cementing the resort as a leading destination for nationally-televised combat sports. Turning Stone features world-class amenities including four hotels, more than 20 signature restaurants and dining options, two spas, an all-new 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, a cabaret-style Showroom, a 5,000 seat arena, five golf courses, several bars, cocktail lounges and nightlife venues with live entertainment every weekend.

Professional media requesting credentials for must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at kelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

Bensalem, PA — Joe Hand Promotions announced Monday that Parx Casino® will host Joe Hand’s Xcite Fight Night at the Xcite Center on Friday, March 9. The night of professional boxing features homegrown talent from the Philadelphia area.

Promoter Joe Hand Sr. is working with Hall of Fame matchmaker J Russell Peltz to ensure entertaining fights and competitive matchups. With their combined experience of nearly 100 years, they know the secret to the ultimate boxing experience is to put Philadelphia fighters in front of a local crowd.

“In my 50 years in the boxing business, having the opportunity to work with a high-quality partner such as Parx Casino® at their new entertainment venue, the Xcite Center, is second to none,” Joe Hand Sr. said. ‘This is a very exciting time for us here at Joe Hand Promotions.”

The main event and full March 9 fight card will be announced shortly. Tickets to go on sale this Friday, December 22, 2017.

ABOUT MARCH 9

The March 9 card will consist of a minimum of eight fights with the first one beginning at 7.30 p.m. Doors to open at 6:30 p.m. The cards are promoted by Joe Hand Promotions. This event is only for adults age 21 and older. Tickets priced at $50, $75 and $100 are on sale at Joe Hand Promotions (215-364-9000) and also online at www.joehandpromotions.com. You can also purchase tickets from the Hold My Ticket Call Center at (1-877-466-3404) and at www.parxcasino.com

ABOUT PARX CASINO

Parx Casino® is owned and operated by Greenwood Racing, Inc. Parx Casino® is conveniently located 20 minutes north of center city Philadelphia, I-95 exit 37 or PA Turnpike exit 351 (westbound), exit 352 (eastbound) onto Street Road in Bensalem. Parx features over 200,000 square feet of gaming; over 3,300 slot machines and 133 live table games; over 80 poker tables; live racing & simulcast action; Parxgrill, an upscale signature restaurant; Foodies quick service dining; Chickie’s & Pete’s Crab House and Sports Bar; 360 bar and live music venue; Jax sports bar; Circle Bar; Bambu Noodle House; Earl of Sandwich®; Xlounge, ultramodern luxury lounge and complimentary parking for over 5,000 cars. Coming January 2018 – The opening of the 1,500 seat live entertainment venue the Xcite Center; Lombardi’s, America’s first Pizzeria; The Liberty Bell Gastropub, farm-to-fork inspired menu; Parx Poker, the brand new poker room moving inside the main casino. For more information on Parx Casino®, visit www.parxcasino.com.

LAS VEGAS, NV (December 18, 2017) – Uzbekistani superstar and 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist, Shakhram Giyasov, has landed in the United States, and will settle in Las Vegas, NV, to start his pro career. As a professional, Giyasov will campaign in the welterweight division, where he was a sensational amateur standout.

At age 24, Giyasov who stands at 5’9″, is one of the most talented boxers to enter the professional ranks in the last decade. This past summer in Hamburg, Germany, the right handed Giyasov captured Gold (Welterweight) at the 2017 International Boxing Association (AIBA) World Championships. Giyasov’s victory in the finals against Cuba’s Roniel Iglesias, the 2012 Olympic Gold medalist, came to no one’s surprise, as the Uzbekistan was the #1 seed entering the tournament. Shakhram was voted best boxer of the tournament by his peers, winning 56% of the AIBA online poll.

“I have arrived in the United States of America and plan to establish myself as the next great champion from Uzbekistan,” said Shakhram Giyasov. “My goal is to conquer the welterweight division and become a pound-for-pound champion. I set my goals high because I believe in myself and the team I’ve put around me. Together we will go to the top.”

Giyasov, who is a mega-star in his native land of Uzbekistan, is managed by Ruslan Khusinov, an international sports agent with ties to some of the best amateur boxers in the world. His reasoning for bringing Giyasov to the bright lights of Las Vegas was easy, to establish his brand in the mecca of professional boxing.

“We are very please with our decision to bring Shakhram Giyasov to Las Vegas,” said Ruslan Khusinov. “Everyone recognizes Las Vegas as the mecca of boxing and this is where we want to build our foundation. I have big plans to make Giyasov a super-star here in the States, just like back home where his popularity is undeniable.”

Training Giyasov, will be Justin Gamber, who guides the corner of undefeated world ranked contender, Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant (16-0, 10 KOs). Gamber believes Giyasov can jump on the fast track to a world title.

“In today’s boxing game, you have many boxers with high amateur pedigree’s, fighting for a world title before their 15th pro fight,” Justin Gamber stated. “I believe Giyasov fits that mold. I can see him fighting for a world title early in his career.”

WEST JORDAN, Utah (December 18, 2017) – United States Boxing Association (USBA) featherweight champion Jose “Pepito” Haro (14-1-1, 8 KOs) is suffering from unfair blowback for the accidental role he played this past summer, in which his opponent, Daniel Franco, nearly died from injuries resulting from their nationally televised fight in Idaho.

The 3-2 underdog Haro, fighting out of West Jordan, Utah, dropped Franco with a chopping right in the eighth round, soon followed by a crisp combination of devastating punches, which resulted in a knockout victory and the USBA title for Haro.

Sadly, Franco (16-2-3, 11 KOs) was sent to Mercy Medical Hospital, where he underwent two brain surgeries to relieve pressure caused by brain bleeds. He came out of a medically induced coma and, fortunately, Franco continues to recover at home in California from what his father/trainer, Al Franco, has described as a miracle.

“I can’t forget it,” Haro said about his last fight. “It’s been traumatic. I’m very happy Franco is recovering but, every time something comes up about him on social media, a lot of people tag me. I don’t answer, I just need to deal with it. My victory was taken away, I couldn’t enjoy it. I fought a clean fight, but some people blame me for what happened.”

Haro hasn’t fought since that fateful night in Iowa last June. Whitfield Haydon, who serves as Haro’s agent, is a veteran Southern California matchmaker, perhaps, best known for discovering under-the-radar boxing talent such as Haro. It appeared that Haro was finally going to catch a big break in late October, when Haydon was contacted about a non-mandatory title fight for Haro with International World Boxing (IBF) Featherweight World Champion “Lightning” Lee Selby (26-1, 9 KOs). The Selby vs. Haro world title fight contract was reportedly being drawn up and Team Haro had agreed to promotional options in the event of him winning. Suddenly, though, communications with Team Selby went dark. Team Haro later learned that Selby had gone in another direction, Eduardo Ramirez, who Selby defeated by way of a 12-round unanimous decision December 9 in London.

“We were going to London for short money because the world title shot was worth it,” Haydon explained. “Haro would have been one helluva live dog in that fight. I must not have been the only one thinking that way. I’ve been hearing that, within the boxing industry, Haro has become a hot potato after his Franco fight. How ridiculous is this? Last time I checked, Haro’s a featherweight who’s also capable of fighting at junior lightweight or super lightweight. My phone has been silent, though, other than for a late notice fight or a fight at lightweight. Boxing sometimes eats its own. This is a joke.”

Haro, who was a member of the USA Junior Olympic Boxing Team during his amateur days, isn’t 100-percent sure why he’s not being offered good fights, but he does blame most of it on boxing politics.

“After the Franco fight,” Haro remarked, “I feel like I’ve been benched. I think I’m not getting good fights is because I’m a high risk, no reward fighter. I’m depressed right now about it. I love boxing but, I’m 30 with a wife and five kids. Boxing politics is the reason!”

Boxing is the most unforgiving sport, boxers risk their lives every time they walk up the three steps into the ring. The aftereffects of a boxing tragedy like this is traumatic for all parties involved. Nobody knows that better than the 30-year-old Haro.

Ranked No. 15 in the world by the IBF, Haro works fulltime for Pepsi, putting product on shelves at supermarkets in Utah. The father of three girls and two boys, the hard-working Mexican-American starts at 3 a.m. and works until 12 noon, then goes home to watch his children because his wife, Yesenia, also needs to work to make ends meet.

Haro has overcome so many obstacles during his career that some refer to him as, “Hard Luck Haro.” In addition to repercussions from the Franco fight, back in 2015, he was shot in both feet (see accompanying picture) in a parking lot after shopping by a stranger for no apparent reason. Haro noted, “I was tainted by that because only bad guys get shot, right?”

Losing the opportunity to fight in his world title fight against Shelby was another example of what Haro’s been facing the past six months. “I’m not much of a talker,” he admitted, “but I won’t be used for leverage. I won’t’ be used as piece of meat. I’m not taking a fight just for the money, I’m going in the ring to give it my all to win for me, my family and team.

“I’m riding this out (boxing career) for my wife and children. I’m teaching my kids to never give up and to continue working hard no matter what life may throw you. It’s been rough. We’ve had our ups and downs, but I have to continue working until, hopefully, I get a big payday.”

For Haro and Haydon, they’re both due for a big break in 2018.

LAS VEGAS, NV (December 15, 2017) – Undefeated super-lightweight prospect, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (8-0, 6 KOs), who is managed by Prince Ranch Boxing’s Greg Hannley, has signed a promotional agreement with Golden Boy Promotions. Cobbs, who trains in Las Vegas by way of Philadelphia, is ready to take his career to the next level, and vows to bring value to an already loaded stable at GBP.

“I’m super excited that I’ve signed with Golden Boy Promotions,” said Blair Cobbs. “I worked extremely hard to get in position to sign with a top-notch promoter and all that hard work has paid off. It’s time to step up my game and show the world that I belong with the elite fighters in my division. I’m going to make everyone proud at Golden Boy with electrifying performances. I want to thank Greg Hannley for making my dreams come true.”

“This is just the beginning of a great working relationship with Golden Boy Promotions,” Greg Hannley, president of Prince Ranch Boxing, stated. “Blair Cobbs is an exceptional fighter with a ton of upside. His dedication to the sport of boxing, along with his elevated ring IQ, is what makes him special. Golden Boy Promotions is a first-class operation, and Blair will shine with every opportunity that comes his way.”

Last Saturday night, two-time Argentinean Olympian Alberto “Impact” Melian turned professional the “Lomachenko way” by knocking out the former world title challenger Diego Ricardo Santillan in the fifth round.

Fighting in front of a sold out F.A.B. Stadium in his hometown of Buenos Aires, Melian hit Santillan (now 23-3, 15 KOs) with a sizzling right hand that dropped him for the 10 count.

Promoted by Sampson Boxing, in association with Tello Box and JEB Boxing and with the sponsorship of Abitab and Asociación Atlética Argentinos Juniors, “Night Of High Impact” and was broadcast live by TyC Sports for all of Latin America and a large part of the United States.

Next up, the Argentinean super bantamweight phenom will face Julián “Chispita” Aristule for the Argentinean championship.

“Alberto is the newest star in boxing,” said promoter Sampson Lewkowicz. “He is the Argentine Lomachenko. In his first fight, he knocked out a world title challenger and will be world champion by next year.”

On the same fight card, the Buenos Aires native Tomás “The Cobra” Reynoso won by disqualification in the fifth round to Sebastian “The Promise” Papeschi and snatched the super middleweight WBC Latin title.

The referee Rodolfo Stella punished Papeschi after his repeated dangerous use of the head, a situation that had already earned him a one point discount in the second episode.

Reynoso (12-2-1, 3 KOs) gets the belt and he broke the unbeaten record of “The Promise”, who has now a pro record of 12-1, with 6 KOs.

In an international special attraction, the undefeated Californian Sebastian “The Infernal Tower” Fundora (8-0, 4 KOs) won by points in unanimous decision after six rounds to the local idol David Ezequiel “Horseshoe” Romero (11-7-1, 5 KOs). Fundora is getting famous for his extraordinary size of 1.98 m. which makes him the tallest super welterweight boxer in the history of his weight class.

In another six-rounder, the Dominican middleweight, Felix “Jay Jay” Vargas (7-2, 2 KOs) won in split decision to the now former unbeaten Julián Isaias “The Diamond” Gómez (3-1, 3 KOs) from Buenos Aires.

In addition, the former national Argentina amateur team member, the undefeated light flyweight Anyelén “La Peke” Espinosa (5-0) won by unanimous decision after six rounds to María Laura Cano (1-3).

And in a four-rounder, Federico Rodríguez (1-0) makes his pro debut with a victory by points in split decision over Matías Díaz (2-4).
About Sampson Boxing
After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

Sampson Boxing has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious promotional firms, representing many of the world’s best fighters and most promising young contenders.

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America and Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, VS. and several international networks.

Reading, PA (December 18, 2017) – Marshall Kauffman’s King’s Promotions is pleased to announce that the company will stage at least 14 events in Pennsylvania in 2018.

The dates will be spread out over three of the premiere venues in the state.

The 2300 Arena and SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia as well as the Sands Bethlehem Event Center will stage the fight cards which will be seen live on national television.

“I want to thank these three tremendous venues for the opportunity to bring the best fights to the fans in Eastern Pennsylvania. We have built up a great following in all of these places, and over the past three years or so we have been the busiest promoter in the country. 2018 will be the same. King’s Promotions continues to grow and, we are working on dates all over the country,” said King’s Promotions President Marshall Kauffman.

The 1st event will take place on February 13th at The Sands Bethlehem Event Center.

The dates are as follows.

SANDS BETHLEHEM EVENT CENTER
February 13th
May 22nd
September 25th
November 13th

SUGARHOUSE CASINO
March 2nd
May 11th
June 8th
August 10th
November 9th

2300 ARENA
April 6th
June 29th
September 14th
October 12th
December 7th

SAN ANTONIO, TX (December 18, 2017) – The two most avoided female boxers’ in the country are about to face each other, in what looks to be an all-out war, when undefeated sensation, lightweight Selina “Aztec Queen” Barrios, takes on the dangerous “Lovely” Lisa Porter.

On the line will be the NABF lightweight title, as both fighters were granted by the NABF committee to fight for this respected belt. The 10-round bout will take place at the Rapides Parish Coliseum on December 29, 2017, in Alexandria, LA. The only other female pro to fight for a major title this quickly is 2-time gold medalist Clarissa Shields.

When everyone in the lightweight division has refused to fight Barrios or Porter, the two agreed to fight each other. Barrios is a winner of four Ringside World Amateur Titles to go along with her many national championships. Porter was a decorated amateur herself, winning three National PAL championships, US Golden Gloves, and was a US National Silver medalist. Both fighters are coming in with undefeated records.

To put things in perspective, Barrios’ last opponent Jasmine Clarkson, was world champion Katie Taylor’s sixth opponent, before Taylor fought for the WBA world title. In Porter’s case, she fought to a draw with Katonya Fisher, who defeated Jessica McCaskill, who is just went the distance with Taylor for WBA world title.

“I’m very excited to be fighting for the NABF title,” said Selina Barrios. “All I want is an opportunity to win a world title, and winning the NABF belt will get me closer to my dream of becoming a world champion. I know I’m going to be facing a dangerous opponent in Lisa Porter, but nothing comes easy in boxing. With that being said, I’m willing to fight anyone they put in front of me. I’m confident I can win this fight. I just want to fight the best and prove I’m elite.”

“I’m glad Selina Barrios and I have come to an agreement to make this fight happen, especially for the NABF title,” stated Lisa Porter. “It’s been tough getting opponents to step in the ring with me, so this is truly a blessing. I’m very grateful to the folks at the NABF for sanctioning this fight. Selina Barrios is going to be a tough test, but one I believe I can pass. The fans are going to see a great fight.”

“With Selina being the most avoided female fighter in boxing, I had to do my part on getting her ranked by the NABF,” said advisor Kerry Daigle. “It’s not going to be an easy road to the top. There’s a lot of good fighters out there with a lot of experience that she’s going to have to fight. That will be the case when Selina steps in the ring with Lisa Porter, who has a plethora of amateur experience. She, also is one of the most avoided fighters in the lightweight division. This will be a battle of two fighters who are putting everything on the line to advance their career to the next level.

18 December 2017 – Jakarta, Indonesia: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced a blockbuster main event set for the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia. ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE is set for 20 January, and is ONE Championship’s first global broadcast of 2018. In the main event, Tiffany “No Chill” Teo of Singapore will take on “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan of China for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship.

Ticket information for ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE is available at www.onefc.com.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “I am super excited to announce Tiffany Teo versus Xiong Jing Nan at ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE in Jakarta. It is our first global broadcast of 2018 and we are going big. The two women are exemplary martial artists who compete at the highest level of skill. It should be an exciting bout for all the fans watching, and at the end of the night, we will be crowning our first ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion. In addition, our co-main event contest between local hero Stefer Rahardian and Muhammad Imran will see the winner go on to challenge for the ONE Flyweight World Championship.”

Tiffany Teo, ONE World Title Challenger, stated: “First of all, I would like to thank ONE Championship for believing in me. I’ve always kept my head down and let the hard work and my achievements speak for itself. I got the win in my last bout, but I still feel like I could have done better. As a martial artist, I am constantly seeking to improve. This title shot means a lot to me and I am excited to get right back in the cage. I would like to thank Xiong Jing Nan for the opportunity to showcase my skills again. This one is for my fans in Singapore. I will bring the belt home for you guys.”

Xiong Jing Nan, ONE World Title Challenger, stated: “I would like to thank ONE Championship for the opportunity. I am so glad to have a title shot against Tiffany [Teo]. This is a great honor for me, and for China. I have been training and dreaming of becoming a world champion for a long time and I am ready to defeat whoever is standing in front of me. My entire career has been about making this dream come true, and now it’s time for me to make that dream a reality.”

Tiffany “No Chill” Teo of Singapore is a rising female martial arts star who competes in ONE Championship’s women’s strawweight division. She holds an unblemished professional record of seven wins and no losses, including three submissions and two knockouts. Teo began training in taekwondo before moving on to compete in boxing and Muay Thai and eventually transitioning to the ONE Championship cage. In her last bout, Teo impressed with a quick submission victory over Puja Tomar. Up next, Teo will take on Xiong Jing Nan for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship.

“The Panda” Xiong Jingnan of Shandong is an upcoming female strawweight contender in ONE Championship. She is known as one of the top three leading female martial arts talents in China. With a professional record of 10-1, Xiong began her career competing in professional boxing and was inspired by her father, who imparted in her values of courage and integrity. Featuring a wide array of skills, Xiong recently bagged a gold medal at the prestigious China Open Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament in 2017. In her last bout, Xiong made quick work of Filipino wushu specialist April Osenio, finishing her opponent via technical knockout in the first round. Up next, Xiong will take on Tiffany Teo for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship.

Top Indonesian martial arts talent Stefer Rahardian impressed in his ONE Championship debut by winning the ONE: TITLES & TITANS Flyweight Tournament in August of 2016. Rahardian finished both Yotha Hutagalung and Hendrick Wijaya by first round rear-naked choke to become the tournament winner. Since then, Rahardian has blazed a trail in the ONE Championship cage, winning three additional bouts to cap an unprecedented run as a professional. In his last outing, Rahardian outperformed Cambodia’s Sim Bunsrun to win by impressive first-round submission. Still unbeaten, Rahardian puts his perfect record on the line against Muhammad Imran in a ONE Flyweight World Championship title eliminator..

Muhammad “The Spider” Imran of Gujar Khan, Pakistan is a martial artist making his ONE Championship debut. He is the former PFC Strawweight Champion who specializes in budokai karate and grappling. The 26-year-old is looking to make a solid impact at flyweight, challenging one of the top talents in the division in his first appearance for the promotion. In his next outing, Imran is set to battle Indonesia’s Stefer Rahardian for the right to challenge for the ONE Flyweight World Championship.

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. 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 billion potential viewers across 128+ 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.

Nutley, NJ (December 15, 2017)–This Saturday night world-ranked middleweight Antoine Douglas (22-1-1, 16 KOs) will make his HBO debut when he takes on Gary O’Sullivan (26-2, 18 KOs) in the co-feature bout of an HBO World Championship Boxing® tripleheader from Laval, Quebec, Canada.

The main of event will pit undefeated WBO world middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders defending his title against Canadian knockout artist David Lemieux.

Douglas and O’Sullivan will battle for the WBO Intercontinental Middleweight title as well as Douglas defending his NABA Middleweight title with the winner moving up the line to face the winner of the main event.

Douglas’ longtime promoter GH3 Promotions’ Vito Mielnicki is excited about the opportunity that his fighter has not only on Saturday, but going forward with a new alliance with Golden Boy Promotions.

“Antoine had an awesome training camp. He trained not far from our offices in New Jersey, and I was able to visit him often, and he looks tremendous,” said Mielnicki.

“We know Gary O’Sullivan is a tough competitor, and Antoine knows that he has to perform on HBO this Saturday. This has been a long process, but now we have a multi-fight agreement with Golden Boy Promotions, so the prospect of major fights are clearly in his sight.”

Saunders vs. Lemieux, a 12-round fight for the Saunders’ WBO World Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of the Tiger Management in association with Frank Warren. Douglas vs. O’Sullivan is a 10-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of The Tiger Management in association with GH3 Promotions and Murphy’s Boxing. Seldin vs. Ulysse, Jr. is a 10-round super lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Eye of The Tiger Management and Star Boxing. The event will take place Saturday, Dec. 16 at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:40 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Saunders vs. Lemieux are priced beginning at $45 to $500 and are on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Place Bell Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.goldenboytickets.com or www.placebell.ca/en.

Visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.eottm.com, www.frankwarren.com, www.StarBoxing.com and www.hbo.com/boxing for more information. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EOTMVD, @hboboxing, @bjsaunders_, @LemieuxBoxing, @Action_Douglas, @spike_osullivan, @StarBoxing, @LifeOfCletus, @frankwarren_tv; and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @eottm_boxing, @saundersbillyjoe, @davidlemieuxboxing, @action_douglass @garyspikeosullivan, @StarBoxing, @BearJewUSA; and follow the conversation using #SaundersLemieux.

Photos and videos are available for download via the link: http://bit.ly/SaundersLemieux. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used. Download the French language version of the Saunders vs. Lemieux press kit here: bit.ly/SaundersLemieuxFR. Photo credit: Vincent Ethier / Eye of the Tiger Management.

Saturday’s HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast begins at 9:40 p.m. ET/PT.

Opening the telecast from Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, is Cletus Seldin facing Yves Ulysse, Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout to be contested at 142 pounds.

In the co-feature of the night, Antoine Douglas takes on Gary O’Sullivan in a 10-round middleweight battle.

In the main event of the evening, middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders defends his title against David Lemieux in a 12-round match.

Official Weights from Quebec:

Billy Joe Saunders: 160.0 lbs.

David Lemieux: 160.0 lbs.

Antoine Douglas: 159.2 lbs.

Gary O’Sullivan: 158.8 lbs.

Cletus Seldin: 141.6 lbs.

Yves Ulysse, Jr.: 141.2 lbs.

Saturday’s Top Rank on ESPN telecast, featuring Vasiliy Lomachenko successfully defending his WBO World Junior Lightweight title against Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-1-0, 11 KO), delivered big on ratings and viewership, making it Saturday’s most-viewed telecast on cable television among men 18-34 and men 18-49, according to final viewership data from Nielsen Media Research.

December 9 Top Things to Know

· All four of Saturday night’s fights within the telecast averaged at least 1.6 million viewers and rank among the top eight fights on cable in 2017

· Saturday’s Top Rank on ESPN averaged 1,845,000 viewers across ESPN and ESPN Deportes, including 405,000 Hispanic viewers

· On ESPN, the full telecast averaged 1,730,000 viewers and was the most-viewed Hispanic telecast of the day on the network

· On ESPN Deportes, the full telecast averaged 115,000 viewers and was the most-viewed telecast of the day on the network

· On ESPN, the telecast averaged 290,000 Hispanic viewers and 17% of the audience was of Hispanic descent. The telecast was the most-viewed telecast of the day on cable television among Hispanic adults 18 to 49.

Top Rank on ESPN to date

· Saturday’s Top Rank on ESPN telecast ranks as the second most-viewed boxing telecast on cable in 2017, behind the Top Rank on ESPN Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn July telecast

· To date, Top Rank on ESPN is averaging 1.6 million viewers and 55% of the audience has been multicultural

· Top Rank on ESPN has also aired the twelve most-viewed fights on cable in 2017

*Note that telecast refers to full window (e.g. 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.) and fight refers to each single fight during the telecast

Viewers for Top Boxing Fights on Cable Television in 2017

NET

Date

Fight

Viewers

ESPN

07/01/2017

Manny Pacquiao/Jeff Horn

3,925,000

ESPN

07/01/2017

Jerwin Ancajas/Teiru Kinoshita

2,234,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Vasiliy Lomachenko/Guillermo Rigondeaux

2,114,000

ESPN

07/01/2017

Michael Conlan/Jarrett Owen

1,867,000

ESPN

11/11/2017

Artur Beterbiev/Enrico Koelling

1,725,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Shakur Stevenson/Oscar Mendoza

1,687,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Chris Diaz/Bryant Cruz

1,647,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Michael Conlan/Luis Fernando Molina

1,635,000

ESPN

08/19/2017

Terence Crawford/Julius Indongo

1,327,000

ESPN

11/11/2017

José Ramírez/Mike Reed

1,182,000

ESPN

07/01/2017

Shane Mosley Jr./David Touissaint

1,177,000

ESPN

08/19/2017

Oleksandr Gvozdyk/Craig Baker

968,000

Next up for Top Rank on ESPN is the Saturday, February 3 bout between Gilbert “Zurdo” Ramirez, Mexico’s super middleweight champion, defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) title against Top-Five world-rated contender Habib “Wild Hurricane” Ahmed from Accra, Ghana. The fight will take place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX, and will be televised live and exclusively at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and stream live on the ESPN App.

Fourteen fights, 14 wins, 13 stoppages and a top five world rating; all achieved in just 19 months and 28 rounds as a pro. The core stats reveal all you need to know about Anthony Yarde’s meteoric rise through the light-heavyweight ranks.

Following Saturday’s explosive four round demolition of Serbia’s tungsten tough Nikola Sjekloca, the 26 year old Beast from the East (London) reflects and speculates with Glynn Evans head of his return to the Copper Box Arena on February 10th.

You’ve enjoyed a fabulous 2017, collecting three belts and registering five explosive stoppage wins in just 13 rounds combined. What have been the key factors that have enabled you to achieve that?
I’ve achieved what I have this year by just focussing on myself, living in my own bubble, sticking to the basics and working hard. 85% of my success is down to grafting and 15% is down to talent. And you can lose talent if you just rely on it and don’t work hard to sustain and improve it.

The 15% God given talent that I have is my mentality and the speed that I have for my size. My speed is far more important than the power. It’s all about being able to LAND the heavy shots and I’m able to do that because I’m so quick.

The Sjekloca gig represented a massive step up in class. The Serbian medalled at both the European and World Seniors as an amateur, has lost just four of 37 as a pro and has fought more than ten times as many pro rounds. Were you apprehensive about that step up?
Not at all. I feel every opponent represents a different challenge and sometimes those that are supposed to be easier prove the hardest to impress against because they just tuck up and go into survival mode.

For once, I was facing an opponent who genuinely believed that he could win. His recent form was very good. In his previous fight, he drew with Robert Stieglitz, the European champion, over in Germany. He arrived with plenty of ambition. That provided opportunities for me to exploit.

Sjekloca took Gennady Golovkin and Andy Lee the full trip in the amateurs and had never been stopped during an 11 year pro career that has seen him face three world champions (Sakio Bika, Arthur Abraham and Tyron Zeuge). What did it mean to register a spectacular stoppage victory over him?
I’m not really into proving anything to others, I’m just about proving things to myself but it was fantastic. It sent out a big statement to the division. I’ve accelerated through the ranks relatively quickly.

I think I’m already one of the hardest punchers in the light-heavyweight division, at least as hard, if not harder than Kovalev, Beterbiev and Stevenson. The raw power is either there or it’s not and mine has been evident from the very beginning. This year, believe me, I’ve not always been digging with maximum power because I’ve been looking to gain a few crucial extra minutes in the ring.

What are your aspirations for 2018? Domestic and continental titles? World eliminators?
If you’d asked me the same question at the end of 2016, I doubt I’d have said I’d be world top five and holding three title belts so I’m not about to put a lid on anything. Whatever is meant to happen will happen but I’m not in any rush.

My job is to keep my head down, work hard and enjoy the journey. When it comes to career moves, ask my manager Tunde Ajayi and my promoter Frank Warren. Right now, I’m still a pretty inexperienced boxer and a very inexperienced businessman. I abide by the saying: ‘If you put your hands on too many pots, you won’t have control of any pot.’ I leave everyone in my team to do their job. I just focus on the boxing.

You’re gradually creeping higher up the card on the major bills. How do you feel about the prospect of headlining at The Copper Box or O2 next year?
Well I sort of topped the card at The Copper Box by default in July, after Billy Joe (Saunders) was forced to pull out at late notice. So I think I’m probably quite close to that, provided I keep winning.

It’s most definitely what I want; to be the key face on the posters, the main event and eventually pay-per-view. When I started out, I didn’t say: ‘I hope to do those things or I’d like to do those things….’ Those were things that I said: ‘I’m going to achieve, I will do….’

You have to have aspirations. Those are the things that keep me training so hard, keep me so focussed.

Promoter pre-sale tickets for ‘The untouchables’ are available now from www.frankwarren.com and on 01992 505 550.

Tickets priced at £50 (Lower Tier), £70 (Floor), £100 (Floor), £150 (Floor) and VIP/Hospitality £250 are available via See Tickets, Eventim and Ticketmaster on Wednesday 20th December at 12.00 noon.

See Tickets
0871 230 7148
www.seetickets.com

Eventim
0844 249 1000
www.eventim.co.uk

Ticketmaster
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Four of the most avoided fighters in the United Kingdom return to action on Frank Warren’s first card of 2018 at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday 10th February, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

The bumper ‘UNTOUCHABLES’ card at the Olympic Park venue will feature Anthony Yarde, Daniel Dubois, Bradley Skeete and WBO World Bantamweight Champion Zolani Tete, as they each seek to entice their elusive rivals into the ring to set up a big 2018.

Ilford Light-Heavyweight Anthony Yarde (14-0, 13 KO’s) is quickly establishing himself as one of the rising stars of boxing and will be aiming to pick up from where he left off in 2017 after becoming the first man to stop Nikola Sjekloca with a heavy-handed display last weekend which lasted less than four rounds.

A fruitful 2017 that saw Yarde win the Southern Area, WBO Intercontinental and WBO European Light-Heavyweight belts has cemented his position as the number one Light-Heavyweight in Britain and he is determined to prove it by enticing Londoner Frank Buglioni into the ring, which has so far proven difficult for the big punching ‘Beast From the East’.

“Everyone knows that an offer has been made for Buglioni to fight me,” said Yarde. “If he really wants to fight me like he says he does then let’s make it happen on February 10th. This is the fight everybody wants to see, I’m the number one Light-Heavyweight in the UK and he’s number two.

“If he doesn’t want to know then I’ll carry on doing what I’ve been doing for the past year and progressing up that World ladder. My World ranking is improving with every fight and if he isn’t careful then Buglioni will become irrelevant.”

Heavyweight sensation Daniel ‘Dynamite’ Dubois (6-0, 6 KO’s) returns to action after his two-round destruction of former Anthony Joshua opponent Dorian Darch. Dubois floored the Welshman four times on the way to his sixth successive stoppage win and is determined to kick-off the New Year with another explosive KO win.

Already a Southern Area and WBC World Youth Champion, the young giant could be adding more belts before his 21st birthday in September.

“Daniel is by far the most exciting young Heavyweight prospect that I have seen during my 37 years as a boxing promoter,” said Frank Warren. “He is also the hardest prospect to match because nobody wants to get in the ring with him!

“Guys are asking for ridiculous money to face him, which means he must be doing something right. 2018 is going to be an evening bigger year for Daniel and he will be stepping up in class again on February 10th.”

British Welterweight Champion Bradley ‘Super’ Skeete (27-1, 12 KO’s) wants to throw his name into World Title contention after securing the Lord Lonsdale belt outright against Dale Evans last time out at the Copper Box Arena.

The Penge punch picker was left bitterly frustrated when WBO World Champion Jeff Horn, a fight that at one stage looked possible, declined to defend his Title against him and instead opted for Gary Corcoran. Skeete is undeterred and will be hoping to secure a dream World Title shot later in 2018.

“Horn took the easier fight in Corcoran and blatantly avoided me,” said Skeete. “I’d have taken Horn to school and his team and his advisors knew that. That’s all in the past now and I’ll be aiming to start the year in style with a win on February 10th. Mark my words, I will win a World Title in 2018.”

Also in action, is WBO Bantamweight Champion of the World Zolani Tete, who makes the second defence of his crown against Omar Andres Narvaez.

Tete (26-3, 21 KO’s) stopped Siboniso Gonya in just eleven seconds last month, sleeping him with the very first punch of the fight and setting a new World record for the fastest KO ever recorded in a World Title fight. The 29-year-old landed a brutal right hook just six seconds into the bout to retain his WBO Bantamweight title at Belfast’s SSE Arena.

‘Last Born’ is determined to prove he is the best 118lbs fighter on the planet by unifying the division in what would be a huge showdown with Belfast’s IBF and WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Ryan Burnett, but must first come through his latest test against Narvaez.

The Argentinian (47-2-2, 25 KO) is 4-0 since a knockout loss to Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue and recently forced unbeaten Nikolai Potapov to quit in seven. He has held the WBO Flyweight and Super-Flyweight World Titles and will be aiming to become a three-weight World Champion by defeating Tete.

Tete however has become frustrated that the three belt unification with Burnett has so far proved elusive and will be looking to take those frustrations out on his mandatory challenger Narvaez on February 10th.

“Where is Ryan Burnett at?” asked Tete. “I want to unify the Bantamweight division and he is standing in my way. As a World Champion it is your duty to fight the best in the World. I am willing to travel anywhere on the planet to unify the Bantamweight division. If Burnett wants me to travel to Belfast I will happily do it. If he wants to be considered a top fighter and seriously be considered a unified champion he should want to test himself against the best.

“His promoter is talking about financial legacy – I’ve heard some bad excuses for not making fights in the past but this is the worst, it’s nothing but a blatant duck. They are robbing the public of a brilliant fight.”

“My promoter Frank Warren has offered to pay my purse for me to fight Burnett on a card promoted by his team. This means it will be by far Burnett’s biggest pay day. It is the biggest fight in the division, for the most money, to not fight me when there are no obstacles in the way would be shameful and cowardly.

“I hope Burnett hears this, as I would never allow the people around me make me look like a coward, and that is what his promoter’s comments make him look like.”

Further exciting additions to the February 10 undercard will be announced in due course.

Promoter pre-sale tickets for ‘The untouchables’ are available now from www.frankwarren.com and on 01992 505 550.

Tickets priced at £50 (Lower Tier), £70 (Floor), £100 (Floor), £150 (Floor) and VIP/Hospitality £250 are available via See Tickets, Eventim and Ticketmaster on Wednesday 20th December at 12.00 noon.

See Tickets
0871 230 7148
www.seetickets.com

Eventim
0844 249 1000
www.eventim.co.uk

Ticketmaster
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

MONTREAL (Dec. 14, 2017) – WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders (25-0, 12 KOs) and former IBF World Middleweight Champion David Lemieux (38-3, 33 KOs) hosted their final press conference today for their WBO World Middleweight Championship fight that will take place this upcoming Saturday, Dec. 16 at Place Bell in Laval, Québec. The co-main attraction will be a 10-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental Middleweight title between Antoine “Action” Douglas (22-1-1, 16 KOs) and Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (26-2, 18 KOs). Also on the televised card will be Cletus “Hebrew Hammer” Seldin (21-0, 17 KOs) who will face Yves Ulysse Jr. (14-1, 9 KOs) for a 10-round super lightweight bout. The action will be televised by HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:40 p.m. ET/PT.

Here is what the participants had to say:

BILLY JOE SAUNDERS, WBO World Middleweight Champion
“I’ve been in the ring 25 times now, and in a lot of those fights, I’ve been the underdog, bigtime. And in those fights, I was outboxed 60 per cent of the time. When you don’t love boxing and you’re still winning, and you look back and wonder, ‘how did I do that? How did I get through that?’ But when you do find a love for it, and you have good people working around you, people who make you happy – there’s a saying, a happy fighter is a thankful fighter. And I haven’t been this happy since my amateur days. For the last six or seven months, I’ve never been happier. I’m excited to get into the ring. I’m excited to get into the ring and eager to put on a classic display. Because not only am I mixing it with a boxer who is in the top-5, but I’ll be fighting in front of great fighters I’ve watched as a kid, like Bernard Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya.”

“David has to come from round one and try to knock me out. Because when he’s eating fresh air, he’s very injury prone. But what I don’t want from David’s team are excuses. David is a good fighter, he’s mixed it with Golovkin at a very elite level. But some boxers are not quite enough to be at that elite level. And David, you’re not quite good enough. Am I good enough? We’ll soon see. In my own mind, I know I can deal with it, and then with Golovkin or Canelo, we’ll see where I really am.”

DAVID LEMIEUX, Former IBF World Middleweight Champion
“The time to talk is over and now it’s time to let the fists do the talk and show you who the real World Champion is. A lot of things are going to happen on Saturday, but my promise to you is that by the time I will leave Place Bell, I will have the WBO belt on me. I will be World Champion. I’m ready to give you guys a great evening of boxing. Saunders made a lot of promises, about his chin, about his purse, and that’s something I haven’t forgotten.”
Let’s see for how long you will be able to back up those words and put them together again this Saturday. I’m well aware of your abilities, I hope you are aware of mine. I’m not just a puncher. People like to see blood and big punches, and that’s what they’ll see on Saturday.”

CAMILLE ESTEPHAN, President of Eye of the Tiger Management
“We promised, we delivered, the goal was to offer the best boxing card in Quebec, and that is what we will deliver. The ultimate goal and what we want to make sure of, is that David Lemieux becomes World Champion again. He’s the real deal, he’s a man who represents our team as well as the province of Quebec with pride. I am so proud of the person and the athlete that he is, and also of all the efforts he’s put into this, inside the ring as well as outside.”

ERIC GOMEZ, President of Golden Boy Promotions
“This really is a historic event. Four different promoters here in Montreal. I want to thank Billy Joe Saunders for coming out here, we have great respect for you. He truly wants to be great. We are really excited for David, to have this other opportunity to be champion again. The fact that he is now able to give the fans in Montreal, an exciting fight, another world title is truly exceptional. This promises to be a historic event.”

PETER NELSON, Executive Vice president of HBO Sports
“It’s always great having shows in Quebec. Media always shows up, true fight fans always shows up. It’s truly wonderful when the sport works together to make great fights possible. There is no predetermined results in boxing. On Saturday night, we expect that all three fights are going to be 50/50 fights. I want to particularly thank the champion Billy Joe Saunders for stepping up and coming up into enemy territory to fight on David’s turf. I want to thank David Lemieux who’s never backed away from a great fight, who’s always stepped up for great challenges that’s been put in front of him like this one. We commend fighters like him, and we reward fighters like him. Sometimes, putting on events like this is complicated, but in this case, it was easy, because both fighters wanted to put on a great event. And that is, I think, what we are going to see on Saturday, from top to bottom of the show. ”

BERNARD HOPKINS, Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions Partner
“David Lemieux… Billy Joe Saunders… They both have the goods to carry on in the middleweight division, over the next year, 2018, with an excitement of what’s going to happen next. I look at this fight… We have two guys whose styles really go together. When you have that type of skills and that type of matchup, you’re going to have fireworks. Anyone that underestimates a fighter that Frank Warren brings over, from wherever he brings him from, you gotta take that seriously. I know from experience that he didn’t come here to lay down, he didn’t come here to give anything away. So David Lemieux has to know that he needs to be at his best. Both fighters now have the opportunity to become superstars in their weight division, but first they have to pass the test that comes Saturday. After the works that’s been done so far, the best is to come. ”

FRANK WARREN, President of Frank Warren Promotions
“I think you’re in for something very special on Saturday. This is a great athlete I’m involved with, Billy Joe Saunders is a fantastic ambassador for British boxing, and he’s done everything the hard way, all the titles he’s won. He’s here, he’s in David’s backyard, and I think we’re going to see something very special, because we have two boxing styles that complement each other well. Billy’s a very smart boxer, he’s got a great chin, he’s never been on the floor whether it be in the amateurs or the pros, he’s gotten himself into a fantastic position at the moment. He’s in top shape physically and mentally. I think this has the potential to be the fight of the year. ”

DOMINIC INGLE, Trainer to Billy Joe Saunders
“It’s going to be a great fight, it’s a 50/50 fight. I’ve always said that Billy Joe can walk the talk and walk the walk. Interesting analogy of Bernard Hopkins of boxing being like a book and a story. I think he is right, I’m reading the first chapter of Billy Joe Saunders. But I think we’re on the final chapter of David Lemieux. And he’s not going to have a fairy tale ending. This is a classic Bull and Matador fight. David can punch, Billy can box. And I can tell you that on Saturday, Billy Joe Saunders will be leaving the ring still WBO World Middleweight Champion.

MARC RAMSAY, Trainer to David Lemieux
“David Lemieux, as he usually does, had a great training camp. He never takes shortcuts. He is in the best shape of his life. A lot of things were said over the last few weeks on social media, I will leave that to the fighters, and I’m comfortable with that. David has shown recently that he can talk, but the second that the bell will ring, he will show up, he will fight. We will see for Saunders. Like the expression says, you can talk the talk, but you also have to walk the walk.”

ANTOINE DOUGLAS, Middleweight Contender
“It feels great to be here. I’ve had a beautiful training camp, I feel strong. I’ve never felt this great or this strong at 160 pounds, in my entire career. And I know it makes a big difference. I’m facing a great seasoned veteran in Gary O’Sullivan, a tough guy, we’re in for a good fight. Like the Saunders-Lemieux fight, it will be a bull-matador fight on Saturday night. I plan to leave Canada as champion.”

GARY O’SULLIVAN, Middleweight Contender
“It’s been great so far here in Quebec, the people are lovely here. It’s been cold, but it’s gonna get very hot this Saturday night. I have no doubt I will be victorious. We’ve both been beaten in the past, we’ve had similar lessons, but the difference was that I didn’t give in, my corner stopped me. As for Antoine, he was beaten in style but he gave up that night, and he’s gonna have a similar experience on Saturday night. I look forward to returning to my home country as the champion.”

JOE DEGUARDIA, President of Star Boxing
“It’s spectacular to have a fighter joining the names of Roy Jones and Mike Tyson by being the third person to be on HBO on back to back consecutive months in a featured fight. It’s a testament to my fighter. It’s a great opportunity. If you haven’t seen Seldin, he really is something special. You’re in for a treat Saturday night. I expect fireworks. ”

CLETUS SELDIN, Super Lightweight Contender
“I believe that if you sacrifice everything single thing possible, you have to do that to make yourself be a successful person. I don’t live a luxurious life. The truth of working extremely hard and sacrificing everything that you have is the only way to accept your performance as a dream. It’ll be a fun and exciting fight. I want to show that you don’t need to have had a long amateur career to become a main-event fighter, that a refuse-to-lose attitude can go a long way.”

YVES ULYSSE JUNIOR, Super Lightweight Contender
“It’s time to shine. I’ve been doing this for 10 years, and it’s my moment. Time to shine.”

Saunders vs. Lemieux, a 12-round fight for the Saunders’ WBO World Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of the Tiger Management in association with Frank Warren. Douglas vs. O’Sullivan is a 10-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of The Tiger Management in association with GH3 Promotions and Murphy’s Boxing. Seldin vs. Ulysse, Jr. is a 10-round super lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Eye of The Tiger Management and Star Boxing. The event will take place Saturday, Dec. 16 at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:40 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Saunders vs. Lemieux are priced beginning at $45 to $500 and are on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Place Bell Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.goldenboytickets.com or www.placebell.ca/en.

Visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.eottm.com, www.frankwarren.com, www.StarBoxing.com and www.hbo.com/boxing for more information. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EOTMVD, @hboboxing, @bjsaunders_, @LemieuxBoxing, @Action_Douglas, @spike_osullivan, @StarBoxing, @LifeOfCletus, @frankwarren_tv; and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @eottm_boxing, @saundersbillyjoe, @davidlemieuxboxing, @action_douglass @garyspikeosullivan, @StarBoxing, @BearJewUSA; and follow the conversation using #SaundersLemieux.

Photos and videos are available for download via the link: http://bit.ly/SaundersLemieux. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used. Download the French language version of the Saunders vs. Lemieux press kit here: bit.ly/SaundersLemieuxFR. Photo credit: Vincent Ethier / Eye of the Tiger Management.

SAN ANTONIO (December 14, 2017) – Undefeated three-division world champion Mikey Garcia will attempt to win a world title in a fourth weight class when he challenges unbeaten IBF 140-pound world champion Sergey Lipinets on Saturday, February 10 live on SHOWTIME. The matchup of top-5 ranked junior welterweights will take place at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas and is presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy will face Kiryl Relikh in a rematch of their May showdown on SHOWTIME, this time for the vacant WBA 140-pound world title. The doubleheader of title bouts in the wide-open 140-pound division sets the stage for a potential unification match.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are priced at $250, $150, $75, $50 and $20. Tickets will go on sale next week and will be available at Ticketmaster.com.

The 29-year-old Garcia (37-0, 30 KOs), emphatically returned to pound-for-pound lists in 2017 by scoring a highlight reel knockout of Dejan Zlaticanin to win the WBC Lightweight World Championship in January and then dominating four-division champion Adrien Broner on his way to a unanimous decision in July. Garcia is a member of a renowned boxing family, and is noted for his sportsmanship and his commanding presence in the ring, honed by his brother and acclaimed trainer Robert Garcia.

Garcia, of Moreno Valley by way of Oxnard, Calif., returned to the ring after a two-and-half-year layoff in July 2016 without missing a beat by stopping former champion Elio Rojas. Garcia, who has held world titles at 126, 130 and 135 pounds, has stopped 19 of his last 22 opponents including Roman “Rocky” Martinez, Juan Manuel Lopez and Orlando Salido.

With a win, Garcia would become only the third fighter in modern history to become champion at 126, 130, 135 and 140-pounds, joining future Hall of Famers Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao*.

“It is a dream to have the opportunity to become a four-division world champion,” Garcia said. “San Antonio has some of the greatest boxing fans in the country, including some key supporters of my Robert Garcia Boxing Academy family. Since my last fight, I have stayed in the gym. I can’t wait to give the fans in Texas and those watching at home on SHOWTIME another great performance.”

The unbeaten Lipinets (13-0, 10 KOs) captured a super lightweight world title in just his 13th pro fight by defeating Akihiro Kondo via a unanimous decision on November 4 on SHOWTIME. He is originally from Kazakhstan but moved to Russia when he was six years old. He currently lives in Beverly Hills, California, Lipinets and is trained by Buddy McGirt.

The 28-year-old moved up the 140-pound rankings with victories over then unbeaten Haskell Rhodes, Levan Ghvamichava and Walter Castillo before knocking out Leonardo Zappavigna in a world title eliminator last December. Lipinets will look to stamp his place as an elite fighter when he takes on the accomplished and dangerous Garcia on February 10.

“Getting the title is one thing, but keeping the title is a more difficult task,” said Lipinets. “I’m not about to give it away to anybody. No disrespect to Mikey Garcia or anybody else out there, but I’m keeping my title. Beating Mikey Garcia will put me in the elite of boxing where I believe I belong. I’m happy my team was able to put this great fight together. I can promise you this won’t be a snoozer. It’s going to be an action-packed fight for sure.”

“We’re going to call it’ ‘Undefeated.’ That pretty much sums it up. Two undefeated fighters, champion versus champion,” said Richard Schaefer, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports. “It’s a big challenge for Mikey Garcia to win a championship belt in his fourth weight class. Lipinets never backs down and he’s out to show that’s he one of the biggest punchers in the division. A win for Lipinets is a game-changer for his family and his career. A win for Mikey is another feather in his cap and will help him be recognized as pound-for-pound best in the world. I’m happy to be back in San Antonio at the Alamodome. I’ve promoted some big fights there. San Antonio fight fans are in for a real treat seeing two of the best fighting each other. I’m sure the fans will embrace this fight.”

“We have another intriguing matchup of two young, hungry undefeated fighters who lay it on the line every time they step into the ring,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “As talented as Mikey is, you can’t count Lipinets out. He’s one of the hardest hitters in the 140-pound division. He’s a tough competitor and there’s a reason why he’s a world champion. He knows this is a career-defining fight and he’s going to do everything he can to spoil the party for Garcia in San Antonio on Feb. 10.”

“In three consecutive fights on SHOWTIME since his return to the sport, Mikey Garcia has solidified his position on boxing’s pound-for-pound lists,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “Mikey has proven he’s willing to take on the most avoided opponents in any division as he seeks out the biggest possible matchups in the sport. He’ll face yet another dangerous opponent in Sergey Lipinets, an undefeated champion in his own right, as he seeks to become a four-division world champion. On the heels of Errol Spence vs. Lamont Peterson on January 20, a matchup of consensus top-10 welterweights, we’re proud to deliver this main event of top-5 ranked fighters to build on the momentum.”

Barthelemy (26-0, 13 KOs), who was born in Arroyo Naranjo, Cuba and now lives in Las Vegas, has won world titles at 130 and 135 pounds. He defeated Relikh by unanimous decision in his debut at 140 pound in his last fight on May 20. If he defeats Relikh again, he will become the first Cuban boxer to win world championships in three different weight classes. He defeated Argenis Mendez by unanimous decision to win the 130-pound world title in 2014 and a year later scored a unanimous decision over Denis Shafikov for the 135-pound world title. Barthelemy, 31, has two brothers, Yan and Leduan, who are professional boxers who he trains alongside with under the tutelage of Ismael Salas.

Relikh (21-2, 19 KOs) believes that he won the first match with Barthelemy and that the scorecards did not reflect the competitive nature of the fight. The 28-year-old nearly had Barthelemy out after landing a barrage of punches that penned Barthelemy on the ropes, but he was only awarded a knockdown. In the eighth round, Barthelemy came back to drop Relikh with a body shot. Shortly after the May 20 title eliminator, the WBA ordered a rematch, this time to be contested for the vacant 140-pound title. This will be Relikh’s second world title shot after the fighter from Minsk, Belarus lost a unanimous decision to Ricky Burns in Glasgow, Scotland on Oct. 7, 2016.

*Pacquiao won lineal championships at 126 and 140-pounds, although he did not win alphabet titles.

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For more information visit www.sho.com/sports , www.premierboxingchampions.com,
follow us on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @Ringstar @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/RingstarSports. PBC is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Tickets for the World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight Semi-Final fight for the IBF and WBA titles between Russian Murat Gassiev and Cuban Yunier Dorticos are on sale now.

The fight will take place on on February, 3rd in Sochi, Russia at the Bolshoy Ice Dome.

Ticket prices start at 1,000 RUB and go up to 90,000 RUB and can be purchased at: sochi.ponominalu.ru/event/gassiev-dortikos

VIP Tickets will go on sale soon.

Canadian contender David Lemieux is looking to take Billy Joe Saunders to task this Saturday in his hometown, and tells his opponent that he’s going give him the hardest 12 rounds in his career, live on BT Sport 2 HD and BoxNation.

Speaking on a media call on Monday, the Montreal native says he’s more than prepared to give Saunders hell in the ring to make sure he takes home the title.

“He has a very, very aggressive Lemieux on his back, and I’m going to be ready. I’m extremely prepared for this fight. So, it’s not going to be easy for him. It’s actually going to be hell for him.

“I’m more excited, actually, just to lay my hands on Billy Joe Saunders more than anything else. He’s got a big mouth. It’s rare I see fighters with such a big mouth. I just hope his fighting is going to come as close as his mouth on Saturday night,” he added.

Lemieux has been on a roll of late, clocking four consecutive wins, including two knockouts, against Glen Tapia, Cristian Rios, Curtis Stevens and Marcos Reyes. He’s a known heavy hitter, which means traditional boxer Saunders will be weary of the dangerous Canadian.

“I’m here to knock him out. I’m here to destroy him every round. It’s 12 rounds. It’s unfortunate for him, but I’m ready for 12 big rounds. I’m excited for this fight to give the fans their money’s worth and finish the year with a new WBO Title.

“I’m going to make him pay in the ring,” warned Lemieux. “All this animosity is going to come out in the ring. If he thinks he can run away for 12 rounds, he’s in a lot of trouble.”

Following a loss to Gennady Golovkin in 2015, the challenger is adamant that he is a different fighter than he was two years ago, and that it would be a different story if the two were to meet in the ring again.

“I’m a whole different guy than I am facing Golovkin. I’m a whole different guy. You put Golovkin back in front of me, and it’s going to be a whole different scenario,” he added.

Watch Saunders vs. Lemieux live on BT Sport 2 HD and BoxNation from 2.00am this Sunday.

Nicola Adams OBE is aiming for a World Title in 2018 after she fights in Canada for the first time as a professional against Soledad Macedo at the Place Bell in Laval, Quebec this weekend, live on BT Sport 2 HD and BoxNation.

Double Olympic Champion Adams is delighted to be starring on the undercard of the mouth-watering WBO Middleweight World Championship showdown between fellow Brit Billy Joe Saunders and dynamite-punching Canadian David Lemieux.

“Fighting overseas for the first time as a pro is something you dream about as a kid and it’s amazing to be doing it on the undercard of such a huge World Title fight,” said Adams. “What’s even better is that it’s on the undercard of a British World Champion and a fellow Olympian. Saunders is one of the best natural boxers in the World and I’m confident he’ll be bringing the belt home with him.”

‘The Lioness’ has made a perfect start to her professional career, outpointing Virginia Noemi Carcamo on her debut at the Manchester Arena in April before stopping Maryan Salazar at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, and now she is aiming to end the year in style against Uruguay’s Macedo.

“I’ve loved every minute of my first year as a professional boxer. It’s been a steep learning curve and I’m constantly developing and improving as a fighter. My next opponent is very experienced but I’m determined to steal the show and end 2017 on a high.

“I’d love to be fighting for a World Title of my own next year. If it was up to me I would be fighting for a World Title tomorrow but I need to take my time and listen to the advice of my team. Fighting for a World Title in my hometown of Leeds would be an absolute dream come true for me, but I’ll travel anywhere to get a shot at World glory.”

Watch Adams vs. Macedo live on BT Sport 2 HD and BoxNation from 2.00am this Sunday.

WBO Middleweight World Champion Billy Joe Saunders has vowed to put David Lemieux ‘out like a candle’ when the bitter rivals square off at the Place Bell in Laval, Quebec this weekend, live on BT Sport HD2 and BoxNation.

Hatfield star Saunders will be fighting overseas for the first time in his professional career when he makes the third defence of his crown against the hard-hitting Lemieux in his own backyard, and is unfazed by fighting in hostile territory.

“I’m a fighting man, a gypsy warrior, and I’ll travel anywhere on the planet to defend my World Title,” said Saunders. “I’m heading into the lions den this weekend, Lemieux will have the whole arena behind him but that won’t make one ounce of a difference, I’ll thrive off their hate for me. Once that bell goes it’s just me and him stood in that ring, he’s is for one hell of a tough night.

“I know I will have 13,000 or 14,000 people against me on Saturday night but I can perform under that kind of pressure. I’ve boxed since I was 16 all over the World, that was as an amateur but you still get that same fear factor, winning or losing, and travelling away to fights.”

Former Middleweight title holder Lemieux has promised to ‘do everyone a favour’ by ‘getting rid’ of Saunders. The Montreal native boasts 33 big knockouts from 38 career wins and is eager to ‘do damage’ to Saunders, telling journalists at Tuesday’s media workout that the Champion will ‘hit the floor’.

Hertfordshire hitter Saunders is in a typically confident mood heading into Saturday’s showdown, even promising Lemieux his entire fight purse if the Canadian manages to knock him out.

“Lemieux shows a lot of heart when he comes to fight but the real truth is, I’m too slick and too good for him. People bang on about him being this monster puncher but you can’t hit what you can’t see – we’re going to play a game of eat the jab and then I’m going to put him out like a candle! I’m in this game to take on the best and once I’ve wiped out ‘little legs’ I’m coming for Canelo and Golovkin.”

Watch Saunders vs. Lemieux live on BT Sport 2HD and BoxNation from 2.00am this Sunday.

Arfan Iqbal (12-0, 5 KOs) will defend his English Cruiserweight Title against Simon Vallily (12-1, 3 KOs) at the Manchester Arena, February 17.

The thrilling encounter will take place on the undercard of the World Boxing Super Series Super Middleweight Semi-Final clash between George Groves and Chris Eubank Jr.

Arfan Iqbal, the 26-year old current title holder from Derby, is delighted to be given a chance to showcase his skills on such a big show.

“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity my whole career,” said Iqbal.

“Vallily is a decent fighter. But you have to be a lot better than just ‘decent’ to beat me. He almost got stopped by a journeyman in his last fight, so just imagine what I will do to him.

I’ve knocked out opponents a lot stronger, more skillful and more experienced than Vallily before, so I predict that I’ll KO him early.”

Simon Vallily, the 32-year old mandatory challenger from Middlesborough, is a former Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist and his only defeat came against World Boxing Super Series semi-finalist Mairis Briedis last year.

“I’m so excited about this opportunity,” said Vallily.

“I’ve boxed on some big TV shows before but this is by far the biggest.

It will be a great honour to become English Champion, and it’s also a great stepping stone for me to go on and win bigger titles.

Iqbal and his team are a bit deluded, they’ve been deceived by my record and some of my performances. They’re in for a real shock come fight night! The best version of me will have no problems beating this guy.”

The Ali Trophy super middleweight semi-final between George Groves and Chris Eubank Jr. as well as the exciting undercard will be live on ITV Box Office on February 17.

DETROIT (Dec. 13, 2017) – Unified Women’s Super Middleweight World Champion Claressa Shields met with local members of the media and took part in an open-to-the-public workout on Tuesday at Kronk Gym, exactly one month away from defending her 168-pound WBC and IBF titles against undefeated IBF mandatory challenger Tori Nelson on Friday, Jan. 12 live on SHOWTIME.

A two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Shields (4-0, 2 KOs) will face her second consecutive undefeated opponent in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation live at 10 p.m. ET/PT from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, are currently on sale for $75 for the first two rows of ringside, $65 for remaining ringside seats and all others priced at $49 and $37, plus any applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased in person or by calling the Turning Stone Resort Box Office at 800.771.7711 or online at Ticketmaster.

Here is what the 22-year-old native of Flint, Mich., had to say on Tuesday:

CLARESSA SHIELDS

“I am calm – focused – but still hungry like a challenger with the added confidence of being a world champion. I took some time off after my last win but I look forward to getting busy again in 2018.

“This training camp I did eight weeks instead of six. A lot of camp has been extremely hard. But I’m so focused and determined on 2018 and starting great and staying busy. I expect my opponent to apply pressure, and to use some dirty tactics. She has more experience, but not that much when you speak of her amateur experience

“There is no doubt I will start 2018 with a win. Then I just take it one fight at a time. Right now my focus is Nelson.

“I’m excited to be on SHOWTIME as the first fight of the year, and just to be back inside the ring. I feel I have been the face of women’s boxing for some time now. I don’t let it feel like pressure – I just work really hard in the gym.

“In 2018 I expect great fights against the best contenders. I expect to make history again on SHOWTIME and also looking forward to dropping to 160 to fight against [Christina] Hammer mid-2018. January 12th will be the beginning of great things to come

“Training through the holidays is fine. The difference between the amateurs and now is that I was always in other countries competing. Now I get to be home with my family getting ready and I feel good.

“The match-up to me will play out with the first few rounds of me using my jab. Then I’ll add the combinations as the fight goes on. I see it being competitive though. I’m going to earn the win. I believe I can KO her by the sixth, seventh round.”

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

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 73 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

About Turning Stone Resort Casino
Host of the January 12 event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is an award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier venue for fight-of-the-year level boxing. The January event will mark Turning Stone’s 24th nationally-televised boxing event, cementing the resort as a leading destination for nationally-televised combat sports. Turning Stone features world-class amenities including four hotels, more than 20 signature restaurants and dining options, two spas, an all-new 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, a cabaret-style Showroom, a 5,000 seat arena, five golf courses, several bars, cocktail lounges and nightlife venues with live entertainment every weekend.

LANCASTER, CA. (December 13, 2017) – A stacked night of action will feature 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas and 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist Misael Rodriguez entering the ringing in separate undercard matchups this Friday, December 15 from Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, California.

The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by former welterweight champion Jessie Vargas taking on hard-hitting veteran Aaron Herrera in a 10-round showdown. Televised coverage on FS1 and FOX Deportes begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features a welterweight matchup between rugged veteran Diego Chaves and rising contender Jamal James, plus a super lightweight bout between John Molina Jr. and Ivan Redkach. The telecast begins with exciting welterweight Wale Omotoso (26-3, 21 KOs) facing Freddy Hernandez (34-8, 22 KOs) in a 10-round contest.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, begin at $30 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit the Pioneer Event Center’s website: www.uavpec.com. The first 300 fans who bring a toy to donate to the Holiday Toy Drive will receive a free t-shirt and five dollars off of general admission tickets. The Holiday Toy Drive will benefit the Inner Circle Foster Care & Adoption Service in Palmdale, Calif.

Balderas (2-0, 2 KO) will enter the ring for a lightweight fight against Mexico’s Carlo Flores (4-7-1, 3 KOs) while Rodriguez (5-0, 3 KOs) takes on Cuba’s Yunier Calzada (6-2-1, 1 KO) in a six round super middleweight contest.

Additional undercard action will see once-beaten prospect Marcos Hernandez (10-1, 2 KOs) taking on Oscar Mora (7-4, 6 KOs) in an eight round junior middleweight affair.

Rounding out the night of fights are a trio of prospects as unbeaten Alejandro Guerrero meets Phillip Percy in a four-round super featherweight contest, while undefeated Efren Lopez battles Tyler Marshall in a four-round junior welterweight bout and once-beaten Luis Coria faces Leonardo Torres in a junior lightweight matchup.

Fighting out of Santa Maria, California, the 21-year-old Balderas is the son of Mexican parents who immigrated to the United States to give their children a better life. Balderas had an impressive amateur career that included a 2014 Youth National Championship, four National PAL championships and an impressive run in the World Series of Boxing. His amateur career culminated in a trip to the 2016 Olympic Games where he represented the U.S. and defeated fighters from Kazakhstan and Japan before a decision loss in the quarterfinals. He made his pro debut back in April, forcing Michael Thomas to retire after one round and followed that up with a first round stoppage of Eder Fajardo in July.

At last year’s Rio games, the 23-year-old Rodriguez overcame incredible odds to win the first Olympic boxing medal for Mexico since Christian Bejerano in 2000. The Chihuahua native and his teammates had to resort to begging on public buses and streets in Mexico to raise money to compete in international boxing tournaments. He completed his road to the medal stand by defeating Egypt’s Hosam Bakr Abdin to clinch a medal in the middleweight division. Rodriguez mad his pro debut in April with a dominant decision victory over Brian True and has continued his winning ways with more victories so far in 2017.

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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com.
Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

OMAHA (December 13. 2017) — Undefeated two-division world champion TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD (32-0, 32 KOs), from Omaha,is ready to move out of the junior welterweight division and up to the welterweight class. Crawford, the 2014 Fighter of the Year, became boxing’s first undisputed world champion in 15 years when he knocked out fellow unified world champion Julius Indongo over the summer. Tune ups may be good for engines but they have no place in Crawford’s repertoire. After unifying the four major junior welterweight titles this year, Crawford, who has been designated the mandatory challenger to World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world champion JEFF “The Hornet” HORN, is ready to challenge for the 147-pound title. Horn (18-0-1, 12 KOs), from Brisbane, Australia, successfully defended his title earlier today, stopping Top-10 contender Gary Corcoran (17-2, 7 KOs), of London in the 11th round. The two undefeated world champions will face each other next, in the spring of 2018. Televised live in the U.S. on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, the Horn-Corcoran title tilt will be replayed today on ESPN2 at 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT

Here is what Terence had to say after watching the Horn – Corcoran title fight on ESPN:

“Jeff Horn did what he had to do to get the job done tonight but I’m a totally different fighter than Gary Corcoran. I have more power and more speed than Corcoran. When he steps in to the ring with me, it’s going to be a very different story.

“When I move up to the 147 pound division, everyone is going to see a bigger, stronger fighter and a harder puncher than they saw at 140 pounds. I plan to do the same thing at 147 that I did at 135 and 140 and clean out the division.

“2017 has been a huge year for me with stoppages over Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz and fellow undefeated unified World Champion Julius Indongo, my move to the number one spot on the pound-for-pound list and becoming the undisputed Junior Welterweight Champion of the World.

“In 2018, I’m going to continue to be successful. I feel like I’m getting better each and every time I step foot in to the ring and I know that will continue next year in my new weight division.”

On Glenn Rushton’s (Horn’s trainer) comments:

“There are holes in everybody’s game. There’s a lot of holes in Jeff Horn’s game and everyone will see that when he gets in the ring with me.”

********************************

2017 was another banner year for Crawford, who successfully defended his titles by knockout while being rated No. 1 in many pound for pound fighter polls. Crawford laid waste to Olympic gold medalist and top-rated welterweight contender Félix Díaz (19-1, 9 KOs), at Madison Square Garden, and International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Association (WBA) world champion Julius Indongo (22-0, 12 KOs), at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, on May 20 and August 19, respectively. Both telecasts were among the highest-rated of the year.

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.

MONTREAL (Dec. 12, 2017) Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of the Tiger Management, in association with Frank Warren and Vidéotron, today hosted a media workout for the upcoming WBO Middleweight World Championship fight between Billy Joe Saunders (25-0, 12 KOs) and David Lemieux (38-3, 33 KOs), set to take place this Saturday, Dec. 16 at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada. The evening’s co-main event will feature Antoine “Action” Douglas (22-1-1, 16 KOs) against Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (26-2, 18 KOs) for the WBO Intercontinental Middleweight title while Cletus “Hebrew Hammer” Seldin (21-0, 17 KOs) will face off against Yves Ulysse, Jr. (14-1, 9 KOs) in the opener of the HBO World Championship Boxing event that will kick off live at 9:40 pm ET/PT.
Here is what the participants had to say at today’s media workout:
BILLY JOE SAUNDERS, WBO Middleweight World Champion:
“I’m used to fight outside the UK, I’m a traveler of the world. I don’t care if there’s a million people. It’s just me and him in that ring, end of the story. As for the rest, I don’t care.
“David has no chance of winning, and I’m convinced that he will not make the distance against me. I’m willing to bet part of my purse to charity if I lose and the winner will choose which charity to give it to. I’m not here for the money or anything like that, I’m here to make a statement. There’s no point in talking anymore, all that matters now is what happens on Saturday.”

DAVID LEMIEUX, Former IBF Middleweight World Champion:
“I’ve never said that I doubted his chin. Regardless he will hit the floor. And whether I win by knock out or go 12 rounds, it’s no matter. But I will drop him and I will hurt him.
“There are a lot of fans in England who’ve written to me because they don’t like Saunders, and they want me to get rid of him. I’ll do everyone a favor, I’ll take care of him.”
ANTOINE DOUGLAS, Middleweight Contender:
“I’m very exited to have the opportunity to fight on HBO. I had a very strong camp, moved up to Jersey with my team. I’m prepared to fight 10 explosive rounds and give fans in Canada a show to remember.”
GARY O’SULLIVAN, Former WBC International Silver Super Lightweight Champion and Middleweight Contender:
“It’s absolutely fantastic to fight here on HBO! It’s a very big opportunity, and it’s nice to be here. To me, fighting out of town makes no difference because I fought most of my career out of town – the US, the UK, and I come from Ireland.”
CLETUS SELDIN, Super Lightweight Contender:
“I’m nice outside the ring but once I’m inside the ring, I become an animal that I can’t even contain. I don’t come to score points but to do damage and hurt, and that’s the difference between me and Ulysse, Jr. My trainer and I have studied Yves Ulysse, Jr. and we know he is a solid boxer-puncher who fights with intensity and angles. He can try to dance like Sugar Ray Leonard but he is not Leonard. His strategy will not work against me, I’m very excited about being able to get back on the ring quickly and it’s an honor to be part of such a big event.”
YVES ULYSSE, JR., Super Lightweight Contender:
“He’s a high-calibre fighter, it’s gonna make a great show! I know that this fight will bring out my character, what kind of person I am. Every time I’ve faced obstacles, I’ve always responded with strength. I will do it again.”

Saunders vs. Lemieux, a 12-round fight for the Saunders’ WBO World Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of the Tiger Management in association with Frank Warren. Douglas vs. O’Sullivan is a 10-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of The Tiger Management in association with GH3 Promotions and Murphy’s Boxing. Seldin vs. Ulysse, Jr. is a 10-round super lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Eye of The Tiger Management and Star Boxing. The event will take place Saturday, Dec. 16 at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:40 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Saunders vs. Lemieux are priced beginning at $45 to $500 and are on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Place Bell Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.goldenboytickets.com or www.placebell.ca/en.

Visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.eottm.com, www.frankwarren.com, www.StarBoxing.com and www.hbo.com/boxing for more information. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EOTMVD, @hboboxing, @bjsaunders_, @LemieuxBoxing, @Action_Douglas, @spike_osullivan, @StarBoxing, @LifeOfCletus, @frankwarren_tv; and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @eottm_boxing, @saundersbillyjoe, @davidlemieuxboxing, @action_douglass @garyspikeosullivan, @StarBoxing, @BearJewUSA; and follow the conversation using #SaundersLemieux.

Photos and videos are available for download via the link: http://bit.ly/SaundersLemieux. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used. Download the French language version of the Saunders vs. Lemieux press kit here: bit.ly/SaundersLemieuxFR. Photo credit: Vincent Ethier / Eye of the Tiger Management.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Dec. 12, 2017): Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse (38-4, 35 KOs), the current WBA Inter-Continental and WBO International Welterweight Champion of Chubut, Argentina held a press conference today at Malbec Argentinean Cuisine in Santa Monica ahead of his fight for the vacant WBA Welterweight World Championship against undefeated Thai superstar Tewa Kiram (38-0, 28 KOs) in a 12-round battle at the “Fabulous” Forum in Inglewood, Calif. In the second main event, Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (31-1-2, 17 KOs), who was also in attendance, will challenge Venezuela’s Jorge “El Nino De Oro” Linares (43-3, 27 KOs) in a 12-round championship bout for Linares’ WBA, WBC Diamond, and Ring Magazine lightweight titles. The event will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.

(L-R: Joel Diaz, Lucas Matthysse, Roberto Diaz, Mercito Gesta, and Freddie Roach on the dais.)

Here’s what today’s participants had to say at today’s press conference:

LUCAS “LA MAQUINA” MATTHYSSE, WBA Inter-Continental Welterweight and WBO International Welterweight Champion:
“I’m happy to be back in the United States. We’re preparing well. I’ve had a great camp. I started camp early in Argentina, and now I’m looking forward to closing camp with Joel Diaz in Indio, California. I don’t train for the knockout, but if the knockout comes, I’ll welcome it. I fought everyone at 140. I want to do the same as I did at 140; I want to fight the best.”

MERCITO “NO MERCY” GESTA, Lightweight Contender:

“I know it will be a tough fight. I’m a challenger, an underdog. But I love that feeling. It makes me hungrier, train harder and box smarter. I’ve worked with Jorge [Linares] before with some sparring. I know sparring is different, but I did well. Still, I know his style and power. With the help of Coach Freddie, we’ll have the right strategy. I am hungry for this title. I’ll do anything to get that title. I will give a good show in that fight.”

FREDDIE ROACH, Trainer to Mercito Gesta:
“We’re in a real tough fight. My guy [Mercito Gesta] is definitely getting ready for this fight. We’re going over a lot of strategy. We started sparring yesterday, and it went well. We still have a lot of time to work a little more. He’s looking good so far. I feel we can win this fight. This is a good opportunity for us and we have to take advantage of it as much as we can.”

JOEL DIAZ, Trainer to Lucas Matthysse:

“I’m really happy to be part of Lucas Matthysse’s team. He’s a great fighter. Coming in he’s very motivated. In my first fight him with him, he did really well with Emmanuel Taylor. Coming in to his second fight, he was motivated and happy. I always say that a happy fighter is a successful fighter. You’re going to see a great Matthysse, one who is ready to become world champion.”

ROBERTO DIAZ, Head Matchmaker of Golden Boy Promotions:
“On January 27, Argentine knockout artist “La Maquina” Matthysse will battle Thai superstar Tewa Kiram in a 12-round battle for the vacant WBA Welterweight World Championship at the “Fabulous” Forum.That night, Golden Boy Promotions will have a double main event at the Forum, with Jorge “El Nino De Oro” Linares battling the once-defeated Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta in a 12-round fight for Linares’ WBA, WBC Diamond and Ring Magazine Lightweight World Championships.”

“Lucas Matthysse is a power puncher who is one of the best 140-pounders of this era and has defeated some of the very best of that division. Mathysse recently entered welterweight division when he stopped Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor, and he is ready to fight the very best at welterweight.”

“Gesta has not tasted defeat in six fights, beating quality opponents including Gilberto “El Flaco” Gonzalez and former contender Martin “El Brochas” Honorio. He is hungry for this fight and for this chance to be world champion.”

EVELYN CARRION, Vice President of Special Events for the “Fabulous” Forum:
“We’ve hosted the best of boxing and more than 400 important fights since it opened in 1967, including fights with Muhammed Ali, Oscar De La Hoya, Ken Norton and Shane Mosley. We’ve also hosted many more recent fighters as well. Today we are honored to welcome back Jorge Linares and Mercito Gesta, and we are thrilled to add Lucas Matthysse and Tewa Kiram to the great list of champs who have fought at our historic venue. All of us at the Forum are happy to welcome our friends at Golden Boy Promotions and HBO Boxing.

Matthysse vs. Kiram is a 12-round fight for the vacant WBA Welterweight
World Championship, and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box and Galaxy Promotions. Linares vs. Gesta, a 12-round fight for the WBA, WBC Diamond and Ring Magazine Lightweight World Championships is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions.The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING.” The event will take place Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018 at the ‘Fabulous’ Forum in Inglewood, Calif. and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @hboboxing; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing; visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing; and follow the conversation using #MatthysseKiram.

Tickets for Matthysse vs. Kiram are priced at $10, $25, $50 and $100, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person, go on sale Thursday, December 14 at 10:00 a.m. PST. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. PST to 7:00 p.m. PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

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

FRESNO, CA (December 12, 2017) – Amateur standout, featherweight Efren “Chico” Lopez (1-0, 1 KO), from Fresno, CA, will step in the ring for the second time this year. The 4-round bout will take place on the Vargas vs. Herrera card at the Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, CA, this Friday December 15, 2017. Lopez will square off against Tyler Marshall.

Lopez age 21, who was an Olympic hopeful with over 200 fights as an amateur, has a tremendous pedigree. He made his pro debut in July of 2016. During the last year he was able to get his (A.S.) degree in phycology and communications. He’s trained by Ruben Guerrero Sr., but will be guided by former world champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, for this fight. The Ghost will be making his head cornerman debut.

“I’m ready to get back in the ring and pick up where I left off,” said Efren Lopez. “I’ve been training with Ruben and Robert Guerrero in Gilroy for the last few months, and things are going great. I’m learning a lot and I’ll be ready for my fight this Friday.”

“Chico is looking more and more like a polished pro with every training session,” said Robert Guerrero. “Unfortunately, my dad suffered an injury and won’t be able to work his corner this fight. I’ll be guiding Efren for this bout, along with my brother Eric. He’s ready to go.”

For your awareness, Roc Nation Sports is announcing a slate of upcoming bouts for its stable of young boxers ­­on Dec. 15 in Atlanta, Georgia – Tramaine Williams (13-0, 5 KOs), Wellington Romero (13-0-1, 7 KO’s), Tyler McCreary (14-0, 6 KOs) and John Bauza (7-0, 4 KOs).

At the Riverside Epicenter, Tramaine “Mighty Midget” Williams will be one of the headlining fights as he squares off against German Meraz (58-45-2, 35 KOs) and vies to cap 2017 with his fifth win of the year. During Williams’ last fight on Sept. 23, he defeated Derrick Murray at the Hartman Arena, scoring a 10-round, unanimous decision victory.

Wellington “W.A.R.” Romero will appear on the Atlanta-based card versus Kevin Womack (8-14-4, 6 KO’s) of Baltimore, Maryland in an eight-round contest. The Dominican native – and Newburgh, NY resident – will look to keep his momentum going following a first-round destruction of Mike Fowler in his last bout.

Junior welterweight boxer John “El Terrible” Bauza will join Romero and Williams at the Riverside Epicenter, going up against Hamza Sempewo (14-9, 7 KO’s). It will be Bauza’s first fight since June 17 — the 19-year-old was scheduled to fight in September before Hurricane Maria disrupted his training in Puerto Rico and forced him to evacuate the island with his family.

Finally, Tyler “Golden Child” McCreary will return to the ring for his third fight of the year and take on Ricky Dulay (10-3, 7 KOs) on the same card as his Roc Nation counterparts. When McCreary last fought in the ring on July 29, he recorded a unanimous decision victory over Edward Kakembo to preserve his unbeaten record.

More details can be found below for a write-up or any inclusion in an article.

NEW YORK (Dec. 12, 2017) – Uzbekistan power-puncher Shohjahon Ergashev will face the toughest test of his career in fellow undefeated and top-10 ranked Sonny Fredrickson in the telecast opener of ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, Jan. 12 live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.

In the co-feature of the tripleheader headlined by the Claressa Shields-Tori Nelson Women’s 10-round Super Middleweight World Championship, Jesse Hernandez (10-1, 7 KOs) will take on former National Golden Gloves Gold Medalist Ernesto Garza (9-2, 5 KOs; 1-3 WSB) in a 10-round super bantamweight bout between two all-action fighters.

Ergashev (11-0, 11 KOs), who has recorded a knockout in each of his first 11 professional fights, and Fredrickson (18-0, 12 KOs) of Toledo, Ohio, will contest an eight-round super lightweight bout.

“This card is a great way to set the tone for competitive fights in the 2018,” said promoter Dmitriy Salita. “These are two pick’em fights with the winners having a legitimate shot at world title contention in the near future. Egrashev has the power, skills and ambition to be an exciting addition to the already packed junior welterweight division, but he’s facing his toughest test in Sonny Fredrickson. Jessy Hernandez is coming off impressive wins over two undefeated fighters and he’s returning against a very durable challenger with solid pro experience and strong amateur boxing pedigree. I am excited and grateful to SHOWTIME that we were able to put together these fantastic fights as the first show of the year.”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, are currently on sale for $75 for the first two rows of ringside, $65 for remaining ringside seats and all others priced at $49 and $37, plus any applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased in person or by calling the Turning Stone Resort Box Office at 800.771.7711 or online at Ticketmaster.

The 26-year-old Ergashev has been a pro for just over one year and is a former six-year member of the Uzbek national team where he won 202 of his 216 amateur bouts. A decorated amateur, Ergashev owns a win over Uzbekistan’s Shakhram Giyasov, a silver medalist in the welterweight division at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Ergashev registered a TKO against Marquis Hawthorne at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., in his last fight – and first in the United States – on Nov. 11. He now trains in Detroit under Javan “Sugar” Hill Steward and Rick Phillips at the famed Kronk Gym in Detroit.

“I know Sonny is a world-ranked, highly touted fighter,” Ergashev said. “I look forward to continuing my knockout streak and getting my 12th KO on January 12. I am excited to fight on SHOWTIME and show the world what I bring to the ring.”

The 23-year-old Fredrickson is currently ranked No. 9 by the World Boxing Association. An active amateur who had 130 amateur bouts with more than 120 wins, Fredrickson traveled to Medellin, Colombia, in his last fight to face unbeaten Placido Ramirez as part of the annual WBA Convention and looked impressive in a third-round knockout.

Fredrickson competed in both the U.S. Amateur National Championships and National Golden Gloves and has been an active pro with five fights in 2015, four in 2016 and three in 2017. He is represented by Roc Nation Sports and trained by Lamar Wright.

“If you look at Ergashev’s past opponents, he hasn’t fought against anyone that talented, so I’m confident that I’ll stop him in his tracks,” Fredrickson said. “I’m sure he’ll try to come out strong in the beginning of the fight, but I plan to break him down.

“Plenty of boxing stars got their first break on SHOWTIME, so fighting on this network is huge for me. I’m ready to capitalize on this opportunity and showcase my skills on one of the biggest platforms in boxing. My goal is to put on a great performance at Turning Stone and get the victory.”

Hernandez is coming off two consecutive wins over previously undefeated, top-15 ranked fighters – a unanimous decision over Glenn Dezurn on Nov. 11, and fifth-round TKO of Vladimir Tikhonov in his ShoBox debut on Aug. 4. The 27-year-old Hernandez, the youngest of 15 children, was 67-6 as an amateur and took five years off from boxing between 2009 and 2014 to work construction jobs in his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas.

“This is going to be a tough fight, but I am putting in the work and feel like I will definitely come out on top,” said Hernandez, who has six brothers that have boxed professionally. “It will be action-packed and a must-watch fight. I feel like my aggressive style is meant for TV. I will fight whoever is put in front of me to prove my worth. Dominance in the 122-pound weight division is my ultimate goal.”

Garza, of Saginaw, Mich., was the 2008 National Golden Gloves Gold Medalist and a 2009 U.S. National Championships Bronze Medalist. The 29-year-old is fighting on ShoBox for the second time having suffered a third-round knockout against Jon Fernandez on Feb. 10, in Miami, Okla. Garza has won his last two fights since the defeat, both coming in Michigan.

“I’ve been training hard for this fight, and I can’t wait to step into the ring to show the world my talent,” Garza said. “I know I’m going to come out on top and bring back this win for my hometown. I’m extremely blessed and grateful for this opportunity. I can’t let it slip away.”

In the main event, Unified Women’s Super Middleweight World Champion Shields will defend her 168-pound titles against undefeated IBF mandatory challenger Nelson. A two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Shields (4-0, 2 KOs) will face her second consecutive undefeated opponent in the main event on ShoBox.

Nelson (17-0-3, 2 KOs) won a middleweight world championship in 2011 and owns wins over previously unbeaten Alicia Napoleon and Mia St. John. The 41-year-old Ashburn, Va., native looks to capture her second world title in a showdown with the fastest rising star in women’s boxing.

This will be the sixth ShoBox visit to Turning Stone Resort Casino, which hosted its first ShoBox telecast during the 2013 Hall of Fame weekend.

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

# # #

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

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 73 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

About Turning Stone Resort Casino
Host of the January 12 event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is an award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier venue for fight-of-the-year level boxing. The January event will mark Turning Stone’s 24th nationally-televised boxing event, cementing the resort as a leading destination for nationally-televised combat sports. Turning Stone features world-class amenities including four hotels, more than 20 signature restaurants and dining options, two spas, an all-new 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, a cabaret-style Showroom, a 5,000 seat arena, five golf courses, several bars, cocktail lounges and nightlife venues with live entertainment every weekend.

Los Angeles, CA (December 12, 2017) Following the outstanding response to SUPERFLY 2 being announced last week, a sensational ten-round super flyweight clash has been added with former WBC Super Flyweight World Champion, CARLOS “Principe” CUADRAS, (36-2-1, 27 KO’s), of Mexico City, MX facing hard-hitting, two-time world title challenger MC WILLIAMS ARROYO, (16-3, 14 KO’s), of Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on Saturday, February 24 from the Forum in Los Angeles, CA, televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for SUPERFLY 2, priced at $250, $150, $100, $60 and $30 are now on sale and can be purchased through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000) and the Forum Box Office. The Forum is located at 3900 W. Manchester Blvd, Inglewood CA 90305.

SUPERFLY 2 is headlined by WBC Super Flyweight World Champion SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI, (43-4-1, 39 KO’s), of Si Sa Ket, Thailand, defending his title over 12-rounds for the second time against former world champion and #1 ranked mandatory challenger JUAN FRANCISCO “El Gallo” ESTRADA, (36-2, 25 KO’s), of Sonora, Mexico.

“We’re very excited to add this classic matchup of Mexico vs. Puerto Rico to the SUPERFLY 2 HBO triple header in what will be one of the most entertaining boxing events of 2018,” said TOM LOEFFLER of 360 Promotions.

“Carlos Cuadras has proved to be one of the most exciting and most popular fighters in boxing over the last couple of years with his action-packed fights being telecast on HBO. His close fight with Roman Gonzalez last year at the Forum was a ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate as was his war with Juan Francisco Estrada at the first SUPERFLY event on September 9.”

“In April 2016, McWilliams Arroyo had a spectacular fight with then #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter and Flyweight World Champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez and we expect another thrilling fight against Carlos Cuadras on February 24.”

“With previous fights against “Chocolatito”, Cuadras and Williams both know what it takes to face the best in the world and will be very highly motivated for victory on February 24.”

Stated Cuadras, “This is exactly what I want, to fight the best fighters in the division on the biggest stages. I love fighting in Los Angeles and for this fight I’m planning on training in Big Bear Lake, California with Abel Sanchez. If I win this fight I’ll be one step closer to getting my title back. I can’t be stopped in 2018 and will be a world champion once again.”

“My fight with “Chocolatito” was a great experience,” said Arroyo. “I loved fighting at the Forum with its loud and passionate fans and history of great fights particularly in the lower weight classes. I can’t wait to get to Los Angeles to face Cuadras.”

Defending his WBC Super Flyweight World Title, Cuadras made his HBO and Los Angeles area debut on September 10, 2016 at the Forum in a memorable 12-round war with then three-division world champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez.

With boxing fans on their feet throughout the battle waving Mexican and Nicaraguan flags, Cuadras and Gonzalez would clash in an epic 12-round battle that echoed the historic fights that have been held at the iconic venue over the last 43 years. Coming up just short on the scorecards, Cuadras has vowed to regain his belt in 2018.

The 29-year-old Cuadras successfully bounced back into the win column on March 18, 2017 at Madison Square Garden with a 10-round unanimous decision over David Carmona on the HBO Pay-Per-View undercard of the World Middleweight Championship between Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and Daniel Jacobs.

Most recently, Cuadras and fellow Mexican warrior and former flyweight world champion Juan Francisco Estrada had the packed house on their feet at the StubHub Center on September 9 during their extraordinary 12-round battle won by Estrada at the initial SUPERFLY event.

Arroyo first challenged for the world title traveling to Thailand in 2014 where he lost a highly controversial split decision to Amnat Ruenroeng for the IBF World Flyweight Title.

Returning to Puerto Rico, Arroyo would stop Victor Ruiz in the third round on April 11, 2015 in San Juan. Back in the win column, Arroyo challenged ‘Chocolatito’ for the WBC Flyweight World Title on April 23, 2016 at the Forum losing to the then #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter.

SUPERFLY 2 is presented by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions in association with Nakornluong Promotions and Zanfer Promotions. Cuadras vs. Arroyo is presented in association with Promociones del Pueblo and PR Best Boxing.

Additional information on this tremendous night of world class professional boxing will be announced shortly.

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