NEW YORK (Dec. 5, 2017) – A Thursday night celebration is in store as FIGHTNIGHT LIVE partners with renowned promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. and CES Boxing one more time in 2017 – as the promotion caps its year-long 25th anniversary campaign and the Facebook combat sports platform looks to reach its one-millionth live view. Fans from across the globe can catch all the action beginning at 8 p.m. ET live from Twin River Casino in Rhode Island on any device wherever Facebook is available, as the series caps 2017 with a tenth show on the seven month-old platform.

“The FIGHTNIGHT LIVE series continues to grow, and has a chance to reach its 1,000,000th view in only eight months and across 10 shows. We may or may not get there on Thursday, but we’ve been extremely pleased with the growth of the series and want to thank fight fans everywhere for their support,” said Mark Fratto, Principal of Linacre Media. “We’d like to congratulate CES and Jimmy Burchfield on their quarter-century of success, and though we just joined the party, we’re happy to celebrate with their outstanding promotion and may have something to celebrate of our own.”

“CES Boxing is once again excited to partner up with FIGHTNIGHT LIVE to showcase some of the best boxing talent around to fight fans from all around the world. The special “Thursday Night Fights” card is stacked with competitive, action packed matchups. We are also proud to be celebrating 25 years of Boxing Excellence. On December 7, the tradition continues,” Said CES President Jimmy Burchfield, Sr.

In the main event on Thursday night, Worcester’s Khiary Gray (14-3, 11 KOs) squares off against Philly’s Greg Jackson (8-4-1, 2 KOs) for the vacant New England Interim Welterweight Title. In his toughest challenge yet, unbeaten area lightweight sensation Jamaine Ortiz (6-0, 4 KOs) battles “Dangerous” Derrick Murray (13-3-1, 5 KOs) in a six-round special attraction, while Providence fan favorite Anthony Marsella Jr. (6-0, 3 KOs) puts his perfect record on the line in a six-round lightweight bout, plus much more.

Over the first seven months of programming, the numbers on the FIGHTNIGHT LIVE series have showed promise and potential for the new platform with an average of almost 96,749 fight fans tuning in per event. The Sept. 9 “Real Deal Promotions: Empire State” from Resorts World Casino (225,000), the August CES “Super Saturday” from Foxwoods (203,000), the Sept. CES “Twin River Twinbill” from Lincoln, R.I. (157,000), the Sept. Star Boxing “Showdown at the Paramount” from Long Island (92,255), the July Roy Jones Jr. “Desert Showdown” from Phoenix (63,000), the May “Slugfest at the Sun” from Mohegan Sun (45,000), the June “Rosemont Rumble” from Chicago (32,000) and the Sept. DiBella “Friday Night Foxwoods Fights” (32,000) saw a total of more than 15,000 total hours of Facebook video consumed by 870,700-plus users across all devices.

In addition to the raw viewership numbers, the fully-interactive, fan-friendly productions have seen more than 127,000 collective live post engagements (14,204-plus per show), including more than 90,000 “likes” or “loves,” more than 15,000 comments and 4,600-plus shares. FIGHTNIGHT LIVE broadcasts are viewed by 76 percent men, 24 percent women. The top demographic is comprised of males ages 25-34, which encompasses approximately 30.0 percent of the audience, on average.

The Sept. 9 “Real Deal Promotions: Empire State” set a new bar with 224,658 views and the Sept. 15-16 DiBella-CES doubleheader carried the series to three-quarters-of-a-million views in just over four months. The Aug. 26 Foxwoods “Super Saturday” show stands out individually with 3,336 live hours of content viewed, while the Sept. 15 DiBella card saw more than 40,000 viewer interactions including almost 39,000 “likes” or “loves.”

On Thursday night, Dec. 7, live from live from Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., fans can expect a high-impact, multi-camera streaming experience complete with graphics, animations, replays, interviews and an announce team anchored by blow-by-blow announcer Michael Woods of the TalkBox Podcast, NYFights.com and The Ring and analyst Xavier Porter of BrooklynFights.com, Notorious Boxing and the “Shoot the 5” radio show. To provide spectators with a fully-interactive ringside experience, commentators will ask and respond to questions from the Facebook audience throughout the broadcast.

Created and produced by Linacre Media out of New York City, the FIGHTNIGHT LIVE series features professional announcers, multiple camera angles, television graphics, replays and behind-the-scenes access and interviews. The streamed shows are available globally wherever Facebook is available. The initiative not only enables fans from around the world to tune in, but also gives up-and-coming fighters a global platform to showcase their abilities, gives promoters an accessible “broadcast” solution and gives sponsors the ability to reach a mass audience via branded content.

More FIGHTNIGHT LIVE Winter 2017-18 dates will be officially announced in the coming weeks.

FIGHTNIGHT LIVE is available online at: https://www.facebook.com/FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE/

Follow all the action via social media at FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE on Facebook, @FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE on Instagram and @FIGHTNIGHTLIVE_ on Twitter, or by using the hashtag #FIGHTNIGHTLIVE. For the latest Linacre Media events and broadcast schedule, follow @LinacreMedia across all social platforms or use the tags #LinacreMediaEvents or #LinacreMediaOnTV..

CANASTOTA, NY – DECEMBER 5, 2017 – The International Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum announced today the members of the Class of 2018. Inductees include three Modern category boxers who all enter the Hall in their first year of eligibility; heavyweight champion “Dr. Ironfist” Vitali Klitschko, four-division world champion Erik “El Terrible” Morales and light middleweight champion Ronald “Winky” Wright. Non-participants and observers to be inducted include German promoter Klaus-Peter Kohl and broadcasters Steve Albert and Jim Gray.

“We’re extremely excited about the Class of 2018 and are very much looking forward to paying tribute to the new inductees in Canastota next June,” said Executive Director Edward Brophy.

The 2018 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend will be held June 7-10th in Canastota, NY. Many events in “Boxing’s Hometown” of Canastota throughout the four-day celebration, including a 5K Race / Fun Run, golf tournament, boxing autograph card show, VIP Cocktail Reception, Parade of Champions and the Official Induction Ceremony on the Hall of Fame Museum Grounds, are scheduled. The Hall of Fame Weekend evening events include Friday night’s Fight Night at Turning Stone and Saturday’s Banquet of Champions. Both events will take place at Turning Stone Resort Casino.

The Hall of Fame also released names of posthumous honorees: Sid Terris in the Old-Timer Category; and ring announcer Johnny Addie and promoter Lorraine Chargin in the Non Participant Category. Inductees were voted in by members of the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of international boxing historians. Biographies on the Class of 2018 can be found on www.ibhof.com

For more information on the events planned for the 2018 International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, please call the Hall of Fame at (315) 697-7095, visit online at www.ibhof.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/InternationalBoxingHallofFame and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BoxingHall.

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COMMENTS UPON RECEIVING INDUCTION NEWS

“It’s a dream of many boxers to be a member of the Hall of Fame family. I’ve thought about the Hall of Fame but I never expected one day that I would be among the legends who were always examples for me such as Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and so many world famous boxers. It’s a big honor for me.”
– Vitali Klitschko

“It’s an honor to be elected into the Hall of Fame and recognized for my achievements. I’m overwhelmed by the news. It is a dream come true to be part of the Hall of Fame and I can’t wait until next June to be in Canastota.”
– Erik Morales

“Wow! It’s great. It’s an honor. I love my fans and I’m grateful that my accomplishments in boxing are being honored. It feels so great to be in the Hall of Fame.”
– Winky Wright

“Oh great! This news has made my day. I’m just so happy. I’ve been wishing and praying for this. For her to be the only woman besides Aileen Eaton in the Hall, on many fronts it’s a great honor. I’m really at a loss for words. I’ve dreamt of this.”
– Don Chargin, husband of Lorraine Chargin

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Oh my God. I’m completely surprised. I’m looking forward to coming to Canastota in June for the Hall of Fame Weekend.”
– Klaus-Peter Kohl

“It’s an honor. I didn’t expect this. I heard from some boxing friends that I was on the ballot but having been out of the sport for a few years I didn’t expect it to happen. It is quite an honor and I appreciate the call very much. It’s a little overwhelming. I’ve never been to Canastota and I’ve heard so many great things about that weekend through other friends who have been inducted and I look forward to it. It’s rare for me, but I’m a little speechless right now.”
– Steve Albert

“I got chills. I’m so honored and so grateful to the sport, the fighters and the Hall of Fame. What an amazing feeling to have this unique recognition. It’s just an amazing feeling to have been able to have observed and witnessed the excellence of so many incredible athletes. To have been able to have played a part in being able to interview them and bring it to the public is an incredible feeling.”
– Jim Gray

TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO
OFFICIAL RESORT CASINO OF THE
INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAME WEEKEND

In October, Turning Stone Resort Casino and the International Boxing Hall of Fame announced a major five-year partnership. The multifaceted program will spotlight the entire region, garnering national attention and will boost Central New York tourism. The program includes a series of exhilarating nationally-televised boxing events at Turning Stone and will culminate every year in June with an elaborate and bigger-than-ever International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend celebration with several events, promotions, restaurant specials and more. Turning Stone has become internationally-known for legendary fight-of-the-year level boxing matches, rivaling arenas in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Miami. In fact, one of the very first fights held at the resort was boxing legend Hector “Macho” Camacho defeating Tommy Small in a sixth round knockout. Over the years, several Boxing Hall-of-Famers and boxing legends have fought or promoted fights at Turning Stone, including Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto and Oscar de la Hoya.

Philadelphia, PA (December 5, 2017) – Last Friday night Tyrone Brunson stopped Manny Woods to win the UBF International Junior Middleweight title after eight-rounds of a scheduled ten-round bout in front of a sold out crowd at the 2300 Arena.

The exciting 12-bout card was promoted by King’s Promotions.

Brunson of Philadelphia systematically broke down woods as he boxed well using a pinpoint jab over the first half of the fight. In round six, Brunson started landing hard power punches and began to stagger Woods. Finally after round eight, the corner of Woods pulled the plug on the bout, and Brunson scored his 3rd straight win.

Brunson is now 26-6-2 with 24 knockouts. Woods of Saint Petersburg, Florida is 16-7-1.

In the co-feature Brandon Robinson scored the biggest win of his career by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Christopher Brooker to win the UBF All Americas super middleweight title.

Robinson got the better of the action as he cut Brooker in 2 places around the left eye. Brooker tried to get back in the fight over the last couple rounds, but it was Robinson’s boxing and power punches that propelled him to the victory by 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74.

Robinson of Philadelphia is 8-1. Brooker of Philadelphia is 12-5.

Brandon Robinson

Jaron Ennis took out George Sosa at 1:09 of round two of a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.

The top prospect, Ennis scored two knockdowns and the fight was stopped at 1:09 of round two.

Ennis of Philadelphia is now 17-0 with 15 knockouts. Sosa of Reading, PA is 15-11-1.

Omar Douglas made short work of Isais Martin Gonzales by scoring a 1st round stoppage in a scheduled six-round super featherweight bout.

The time of the bout was 1:52 for Douglas of Wilmington, Delaware, who raised his mark to 18-2 with 13 knockouts. Gonzales falls to 22-10.

Kyrone Davis won an eight-round unanimous decision over Jamie Barboza in a middleweight bout.

Davis of Wilmington, Delaware took all cards in shutout fashion (Barboza was deducted points on two occasions) by scores of 80-70, and he is now 13-1. Barboza is 19-13.

Joe Hanks won a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Joel Cauldle in an entertaining heavyweight bout.

Hanks landed the harder shots and was more active against the game Caudle.

Scores were 60-54 twice and 58-56 for Hanks, of Newark, NJ and he is now 22-2. Caudle of Raleigh, North Carolina is 7-1-1.

Marcus Banks boxed very well for five-plus rounds and then finished off Antonio Rodriguez in the 6th and final round of their super bantamweight bout.

A body shot dropped and stopped Rodriguez at 2:37 of round six, and Bates of Washington, DC is now 8-0-1 with seven knockouts. Rodriguez of Mexico is 11-20-1.

Marcus Bates

Colby Madison survived a 1st round knockdown to come back and stop Randy Easton with a body shot at 2:44 of round two of their scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.

Madison of Owings Mills, Maryland is 5-0-1 with 4 knockouts. Easton of Sunbury, PA is 4-10-2.

Colby Madison

Romuel Cruz made a successful pro debut with a 3rd round stoppage over Rondarrius Hunter in a bantamweight bout.

A series of body shot put Hunter down and the bout was stopped at 2:#5.

Cruz of Philadelphia is 1-0 with 1 knockout, Hunter of Atlanta is 1-2.

Romuel Cruz

Rasheed Johnson of Philadelphia won a four-round unanimous decision over Kashon Hutchinson in a welterweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 twice and 39-37 for Johnson, who raised his mark to 3-1. Hutchinosn of Reading, PA is 3-4.

Shamsuddeen Justice stopped late-replacement Jack Grady at 2:07 of round one of their welterweight bout.

The time of the finsh came at 2:07 for Justice of Philadelphia, who is now 2-0 with two knockouts. Gardy of Buffalo, NY is 0-7-1.

Gerardo Martinez won a four-round split decision over Christopher Burgos in a lightweight bout.

Martinez took took cards 39-37 while Burgos won a card 39-37.

Martinez is 2-0. Burgos is 0-2.

Gerardo Martinez

The much-anticipated rematch between Tony Bellew and David Haye will take place on Saturday May 5 at The O2, London, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Haye and Bellew were set to renew hostilities on December 17, however the fight was postponed after David Haye injured his bicep in a freak accident.

Tony Bellew commented “I’m pleased to get a new date in the diary and I look forward to giving boxing fans a great night on May 5. To be honest I was looking forward to a great victory in December and a relaxing family break over Xmas but my mind is still very much on this fight and I will punish him for that.

I now have a very clear plan for 2018 and that is to knock out David Haye and then knock out Tyson ‘Stavros Flatley’ Fury and end both their careers but first things first I need to rid the sport of David Haye on May 5 and I look forward to doing this in what I believe will be an explosive fight.”

David Haye commented: “I’m thrilled to confirm that The Rematch between myself and Tony Bellew will take place on May 5, returning to The O2.

Whilst the first chapter of the Haye Bellew saga didn’t go my way, fans were left on the edge of their seats throughout the thrilling eleven round battle. The Rematch in May will no doubt eclipse this, Tony has boasted that The Rematch gives him the opportunity to force me into retirement. Unquestionably, I step into the ring on May 5 with both my career and legacy on the line.

After my freak accident down a stairwell last month I was heartbroken not to give everyone the ending to 2017 I wanted. Since then I had to accept the cards I had been dealt, remain positive and focus on factors which are within my control; rehabilitation and rescheduling the fight.

Over the past five years, I’ve had a number of challenges to overcome, but learnt often during times of adversity we learn and grow. As a result, come May, Tony will be faced with a more experienced and more determined opponent.

On May 5, whether you are lucky enough to witness the showcase live, or tune in from home on Sky Box Office, you will not be disappointed. I will give fans the ending I have promised.

In 2018 the Hayemaker will be back and I will once again give fans the biggest, most explosive, blockbuster fight nights they deserve”

Tickets for the original December 17 date are still valid for this event. If you require a refund, please contact your point of purchase.

Any returned tickets will be returned on general sale via www.theO2.co.uk on Thursday December 14 at midday

The Ali Trophy semi-final bout in the cruiserweight edition of the World Boxing Super Series between IBF World Champion Murat Gassiev (25-0, 18 KOs) and WBA World Champion Yunier Dorticos (22-0, 21 KOs) takes place at the Bolshoy Ice Dome in Sochi, Russia on February 3, 2018.

“The consistent growth of our tournament concept keeps attracting major sports investors. Comosa is very proud to bring the Ali Trophy semi-final to Sochi,” said Comosa’s CEO, Roberto Dalmiglio.

“This fight is a very special one,” said Kalle Sauerland, Comosa’s Chief Boxing Officer:

“The level in the Ali Trophy tournament is already of the very highest, but when you have two such decorated boxers with massive KO power then the only guaranteed winner is the fans.

Two World Champions collide in Sochi, this special Olympic City. Russia hold tight for the Ali Trophy experience, the lights and stars are on their way!”

Murat ‘Iron’ Gassiev, the Russian second seed, earned his spot in the semi-final when he blew away Polish Krzysztof Wlodarczyk in New Jersey in October with a powerful performance to produce a third-round KO.

“The location for the semi-final was not important for me, but the fact that it will be in Russia and the beautiful city of Sochi makes me very glad,” said Gassiev.

“This means my family and friends and a lot of people from my home region of Ossetia will be attending. Also, it is always an honour and pleasure to fight in front of my countrymen,” said the 24-year-old and expresses a lot of respect for his upcoming challenge.

“Dorticos is a very good dangerous fighter. It is going to be great to test my skills against an opponent like him. I am confident we will deliver great boxing for fans around the world.”

Cuban Dorticos aka ‘The KO Doctor’, the tournament’s fourth seed, impressed in his quarter-final with a devastating KO victory in the third round over Russian Dmitri Kudryashov in San Antonio in September. And he predicts another jaw-dropping output against another Russian in the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

“I am looking forward to fighting in Sochi. No matter where I fight, I will work hard to take my opponent out,” said 31-year-old Dorticos who is fighting out of Miami, USA.

“I believe I am the best in the world and the future winner of the Muhammad Ali Trophy. I can’t wait to show Gassiev and the fans in Russia and all over the world what ‘The KO Doctor’ is about!”

The cruiserweight final of the World Boxing Super Series will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in May 2018.

Tickets for the Ali Trophy semi-final between Gassiev and Dorticos are going on sale later this month. Fans are asked to sign-up for ticket alerts at worldboxingsuperseries.com to avoid disappointment.

MIAMI (December 4, 2017) – Top-rated heavyweight title contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz will take on Daniel “The Mountain” Martz in an added 10-round featured bout on a special Friday night edition of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes at Hialeah Park in Miami, Florida on Dec. 8.

The main event of the card features Ahmed Elbiali taking on former world champion Jean Pascal in a 10-round light heavyweight bout. Televised coverage of the 2-1/2 hour show begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with a battle between unbeaten featherweight prospects Stephen Fulton (11-0, 5 KOs) and Adam Lopez (8-0, 3 KOs) and also features welterweight prospects Bryant Perrella (14-1, 13 KOs) and Alex Martin (13-2, 5 KOs) in undercard action.

Ortiz is returning to the ring one week after the World Boxing Council lifted a sanction that it had imposed against the Cuban heavyweight contender in October. Ortiz was pulled from a match against world champion Deontay Wilder scheduled for Nov. 4, after Ortiz failed a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association drug test. Last week the WBC ruled that Ortiz had failed to disclose two medications that he was taking, which triggered his positive test. He was fined $25,000 for failing to make the disclosure, and re-instated into the organization’s rankings.

That cleared the way for Ortiz to return to the ring, and he will waste no time doing so with a match that he hopes will help propel him toward another world title shot in 2018.

“I’m just thankful to be back in the sport I love so much. I can’t wait to get some action and feel that ring and those gloves tight on my wrist,” Ortiz said. “I’d like to thank everyone, especially my loyal fans, who stood by me and supported me through this rough time. I don’t think it would have been possible without you guys. I’d like to thank the WBC and Mr. Sulaiman for being humane enough to take time for their investigation, and my entire team who never lost faith in me. But most of all I need to thank God because without him there wouldn’t be anything worth living for.”

The 38-year-old Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs), of Camaguey, Cuba now resides in Miami, Fla., and will be fighting Martz in a 10-round bout in front of his adopted hometown crowd. The hard-hitting southpaw turned pro seven years ago after defecting from Cuba and has since been steadily climbing the heavyweight ladder. He cemented his standing in the division with victories over veteran contenders Bryant Jennings, Tony Thompson and Malik Scott and is currently ranked No. 3 by the WBC. Ortiz hasn’t fought in almost a year, having scored a technical knockout victory over David Allen at Manchester Arena in England on Dec. 10, 2016 in his last fight.

Ortiz-Martz replaces the Chad Dawson-Edwin Rodriguez light heavyweight bout on the card. The match was cancelled after Dawson suffered an injury in training camp.

The 27-year-old Martz (16-5-1, 13 KOs), a 6-foot-7 heavyweight from Clarksburg, West Virginia, has taken on world champion Joseph Parker and contender Bryant Jennings during his five-year professional career. He is coming off a second round technical knockout victory over Tim Washington on Nov. 17.

# # #

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.

Lee Selby insists that re-aligning with Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren is the final cog in his quest to secure universal recognition as the world’s leading featherweight.

‘The Welsh Mayweather’ from Barry makes a fourth defence of the IBF strap – that he captured in May 2015- at London’s Copper Box Arena this Saturday, knowing that a sizzling show will propel him into the big fights for big coin that he has long coveted, in 2018.

‘Frank has got Josh Warrington and Carl Frampton so those fights should be easy to make and hopefully Scott Quigg can also hop on board so we can have a round robin. Everyone can make money and we’ll find out who’s the best,’ says the quiet 30 year old Welshman who meets unbeaten Mexican southpaw Eduardo Ramirez on a card that also features IBF Super-Middle boss James DeGale in world title action.

‘Ideally, I’d like to fight three times in 2018; three months to train for each fight, then a month off in between. I’d love to beat Warrington in Leeds, beat Frampton in Belfast then propel myself into a unification fight in the US.

Presently the 126lb division is white hot and world beater Selby is aware there are a few domestic scores that need settling before he can set his antennae on unification.

He continues: ‘Josh, Carl and Scott are all very good fighters with good qualities. Warrington has a good jab, a high work rate and he has to be decent to have stayed unbeaten and become mandatory challenger.

‘Carl darts in and out of range and judges distance very well for a relatively small guy. He’s experienced, well schooled and can punch. If I had a bad night he’d knock me out, no doubt. Quigg is fit and game, well seasoned.

‘But I bring something different. I believe my boxing ability is better than any of them and I can always find a way to win. I’ve an edge in class over all of them.

‘Frampton and Quigg might punch harder but I box far better, retain my focus, when I’m in with the big hitters. Besides, I’ve an iron chin. Power never worries me. Head shots never hurt me.

‘My style is all wrong for Warrington while Quigg lacks for head movement and doesn’t give enough thought as to what’s coming back at him. That’d play right into my hands.

‘Frampton’s the fight I want most because he’s the best known and a win over him would be a massive boost for my career. While I’d probably start favourite against the other two, I’d be even money or an underdog against Carl over in Belfast. But I believe I’d have too much class and ability.’

The rival world thrones are presently occupied by daunting trinity of Leo Santa Cruz (WBA), Gary Russell Jr (WBC) and Oscar Valdez (WBO), making the 126lbs division one of the most densely talented in the sport. But Selby refuses to be fazed by the competition.

‘They’re all very talented champions at the moment but I know that if I box to the best of my ability I can beat any featherweight in the world,’ he claims.

‘I’d say that Russell Jr is probably the best of the rest. He’s a hard punching southpaw with probably the fastest hands in boxing at any weight. Abner Mares (WBA ‘regular’ champ) is very experienced now, also darts in and out with fast bursts but my timing beats their speed.

‘I’ve already sparred a lot of rounds with Oscar Valdez at The Rock Gym over in LA. I’d be confident. He loads up a bit too much, tries to take your head off even when he’s jabbing. Though he’s a two time Olympian, he lacks the experience of the other belt holders as a pro.

‘Leo Santa Cruz is generally regarded as the best in the division and probably has the highest profile so he’s the one I’d most like to face. He’s good all round, brings a very high workrate but the secret is not to let him hit you. He can throw as many as he likes if they’re hitting fresh air. Victory over him would finally bring the recognition that I’m number one at 9st.’

James DeGale MBE (23-1-1, 14 KOs) tops an unmissable evening of boxing in the capital when he makes the fourth defence of his IBF Super-Middleweight World Title against American Caleb Truax (28-3-2, 18 KOs);

Light-Heavyweight ‘Beast’ Anthony Yarde (13-0, 12 KOs) defends his WBO Intercontinental and European belts against Nikola Sjekloca (32-4-1, 11 KOs), Heavyweight sensation Daniel Dubois (5-0, 5 KOs) aims to continue his KO streak when he faces former Anthony Joshua opponent Dorian Darch (12-5-1, 1 KO) in his sixth contest;

Former English Middleweight Champion Joe Mullender (10-2-0 4 KOs) takes on Welshman Lee Churcher (13-3-1, 4 KOs) for the Vacant IBF European Middleweight Championship while the hugely-popular former English Welterweight Champion Johnny Garton (20-1-1 7 KOs) fights for the Vacant IBF European Welterweight title;

WBO European Lightweight Champion Craig Evans features in an eight round International contest and rising talents Archie Sharp (Welling), Sanjeev Sahota (Hornchurch), Ben Smith (Wycombe), Hamza Sheeraz (Ilford), Umar Sadiq (Ilford) and debutant Harvey Horn (Chigwell) complete an action-packed night of boxing.

Remaining tickets for The Boys Are Back In Town are available via See Tickets, Eventim and Ticketmaster:

See Tickets
0871 230 7148
www.seetickets.com

Eventim
0844 249 1000
www.eventim.co.uk

Ticketmaster
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Hammer hitting Newport middleweight Lee Churcher could experience a resurrection of biblical proportions if he can spring an upset against Essex ticket seller Joe Mullender on Frank Warren’s Xmas bonanza at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday evening.

Less than three years ago, the then reigning Welsh champion – a father of four – was languishing in a prison cell reflecting on the folly of supplying cocaine; his promising ring career seemingly in tatters.

But a stunning victory over leading contender Mullender in their spat for the IBF European belt this weekend could be rewarded with a British title challenge at the ripe old age of 37.

‘It was very bad timing, very frustrating to lose that time, something I hugely regret,’ says the plasterer who served five years in the British Army.

‘But I’ve been able to take a lot of positives from it. It was a turning point both in my life and my career. I was training stupid and my lifestyle wasn’t right. Thankfully, I’ve come out the other side.

‘Victory next Saturday could earn me a fight for the Lonsdale Belt – a beautiful thing – and get me a top 15 world ranking.’

Cruncher Churcher’s ring journey started at the age of 12 when he laced up hoping to learn how to defend himself. His career in a singlet spanned 14 years but just 26 bouts and peaked with an appearance in the 2009 Welsh ABA final.

He was already 28 when he chanced his arm with the profession in 2009 but the popular ticket seller triumphed in just six of his first ten and twice suffered crushing stoppage losses inside five minutes.

‘I’ve always had plenty of power – all of my knockout wins have been one punch jobs – but early in my career my former manager told me to carry the journeyman otherwise I’d get no work,’ recalls Lee.

‘Trouble was, my fans who buy the tickets started to question why I wasn’t finishing guys off after I’d wobbled or dropped them. I started listening to my mates rather than my manager and twice copped big right hands on the chin. You can’t argue with them!’

However, either side of his ‘interruption’, Churcher has won seven straight – with several victories achieved by chilling kayos – and insists he isn’t visiting London this weekend for a spot of sightseeing.

‘It’s by far the biggest test, biggest opportunity of my boxing career but there’s no pressure at all on me and I love that,’ says Churcher who has lost just three of 17.

‘I’ve always had a successful building company so I’ve never really boxed for money. I just want to get as high as I possibly can. Any money is a bonus.

‘Joe Mullender’s an interesting fighter, very big for a middleweight. But whereas Joe can only come forward, I’ve got options. I’m known as a powerful puncher and a skilful puncher but I can box front or back foot, move laterally or plant my feet and unload my bombs. Mullender will have to wait to see what I choose.

‘He’ll discover I’m a huge puncher. As a plasterer, moving my arms up and down walls all day helps develop real power and 12 rounds is a long time for him to avoid getting hit clean. If he hasn’t got a granite chin, he’s going to sleep.

‘It’s a well matched fight and I’m really looking forward to it. I believe I win because I’m a better boxer and I hit harder.’

Coach Gavin Rees, the former WBA Light-Welterweight Champion adds: ‘Not many have heard of Lee but he’s got a decent record and we believe he could pull off a shock. He’s got a nice dig on him; hits far harder than his record suggests.

‘Lee’s a lot fresher 37 year old that I am. Ok, he’s been to jail but everyone makes mistakes in life and honestly, he’s a lovely kid.

‘At his age, you can’t turn chances like this down. It’s a great opportunity to finally showcase what he’s about. Better late than never. You don’t know what might come off the back of it.

‘For once Lee has had six or seven weeks notice. He’s trained very hard and we’ve got him as good as he’s gonna get. Joe Mullender is very fit but, from what I’ve seen, he’s not the best technically, doesn’t bring much fire power.

‘Mullender will be in Lee’s face and it’ll be a brawl. Lee will have to hold his ground and bang back. Our plan is to take him out early. Lee’s certainly capable of that.’

James DeGale MBE (23-1-1, 14 KOs) tops an unmissable evening of boxing in the capital when he makes the fourth defence of his IBF Super-Middleweight World Title against American Caleb Truax (28-3-2, 18 KOs); Lee Selby (25-0-1, 9 KO’s) defends his IBF Featherweight crown against Mexico’s Eduardo Ramirez (20-0-3, 7 KO’s);

Light-Heavyweight ‘Beast’ Anthony Yarde (13-0, 12 KOs) defends his WBO Intercontinental and European belts against Nikola Sjekloca (32-4-1, 11 KOs), Heavyweight sensation Daniel Dubois (5-0, 5 KOs) aims to continue his KO streak when he faces former Anthony Joshua opponent Dorian Darch (12-5-1, 1 KO) in his sixth contest;

Hugely-popular former English Welterweight Champion Johnny Garton (20-1-1 7 KOs) fights for the Vacant IBF European Welterweight title;

WBO European Lightweight Champion Craig Evans features in an eight round International contest and rising talents Archie Sharp (Welling), Sanjeev Sahota (Hornchurch), Ben Smith (Wycombe), Hamza Sheeraz (Ilford), Umar Sadiq (Ilford) and debutant Harvey Horn (Chigwell) complete an action-packed night of boxing.

Remaining tickets for The Boys Are Back In Town are available via See Tickets, Eventim and Ticketmaster:

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The abuse of power has once again hit our sport in a dramatic way, as Orlando Salido and Micky Roman will be prevented of accomplishing their dream of winning the WBC title due to a decision taken by a man sitting on a desk mandating terms of their bout.

HBO has mandated their fight to be only for 10 rounds.

The promoters have no say in the matter, and simply take the orders from the Power force of the sport, the TV Network. Tom Loeffler, Fernando Beltran, and Oswaldo Kuchle simply have to bow down and remain quiet and accept to go against the essence of our sport. I wonder how will they look into the eyes of their fighters to explain that they will not be competing for the WBC green belt, that their fight is a simple 10-round fight with no meaning whatsoever. It will be like watching a pre-season game of the NFL.

HBO will be airing a 10 round main event next Saturday night from Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay.

The WBC will not disrespect the sport and sanction a world title fight for 10 rounds. That would have been easy to do and join the bandwagon, but the WBC Board would not favor such, as there is no real explanation of the change from 12 to 10.

The WBC accepted a request for Salido to fight Miguel Berchelt in a title defense of the WBC super featherweight championship, which was accepted by HBO. Then, when Berchelt injured his hand, the WBC, supporting the card, accepted to sanction a fight for the WBC interim title between Salido and Roman.

I am very sorry for Salido, as he has expressed countless times his dream of becoming WBC champion. I am very sorry for Roman, who has done the same, and I am very sorry for boxing, as a main championship fight has been downgraded to a 10-round fight with nothing at stake.

On to a better note, to what the real world is and matters.

I am sitting in my hotel room in Chicago simply thinking of the great memories that these past four days have given me. The WBC Amateur committee supported a five-state amateur boxing tournament at Cicero Stadium in Illinois.

It was great to be with the kids and their families during this four-day event which crowned some talented boys and girls after sensational matches.

Amateur boxing is so important, and it is often ignored by most in the boxing community and supported by very few. It all starts here, at the amateur level. Muhammad Ali, Ray Leonard, and almost all fighters began their journey with a solid amateur career which led to glory in the Olympics and then into the professional world of boxing. They all started as young kids, hungry and dedicated. Their families following their steps day after day, going to competitions, learning, growing, dreaming.

I saw great talent this past few days and saw the reality of our sport. It is the greatest sport in the world. It was all family gathering around a boxing competition, all fair play and respect.

I had the opportunity to meet with Mike McAtee, executive director of USA Boxing and discussed the future of Amateur boxing in this great country, the USA. I am extremely happy to learn that USA Boxing, which is the entity in charge of regulations of amateur boxing in the USA, shares most of the concerns that most in the world have regarding the practices of AIBA which have hurt the sport in recent years and will not allow such practices to take place in the USA, including the rejection of professionals in the Olympics and making head gear mandatory in all amateur bouts.

WBC lightweight champion Mikey Garcia was here with us as “The Godfather” of the tournament, and he keeps on making me feel so proud of him every time I see him. He was there for all the fights, enjoyed every second of it, and took pictures and signed autographs with a sincere smile. Mikey is a class act, a true role model and ambassador of our sport.

The boxing commission of Illinois is a true example of excellency and support. Nancy Illg has a tremendous team with Joel Campuzano and all the members who participated in support of this event with passion for the betterment of the youth.

November is gone, so is my mustache!

The WBC dedicates the month of December to HIV/AIDS awareness and Safe Driving!

In 2017, 20 year old heavyweight sensation Daniel Dubois has stormed the nation.

Since debuting in April, the 6ft 5in, 17 stone tower of power has flattened all paid victims inside five minutes.

Ahead of his pending 10 rounder with Welsh hard case Dorian Darch at London’s Copper Box Arena, this weekend, this cool, calm but frighteningly clinical ring assassin explained his psyche to boxing writer Glynn Evans.

“As a youngster, I was always very tall and lean compared to my peers. I was into sports from a very young age – always individual sports like boxing, athletics and swimming, never team games – and all that training helped to keep me calm and disciplined.

Every day it was straight from school to the gym. I was a full-time athlete very young, never had time for mischief. I loved the benefits that all the training brought. I was always very strong among my age group.

Despite my size, I never encountered bullying from older boys. I always kept myself to myself.

Growing up, I had very few physical altercations outside of the boxing ring. Nothing in life really makes me lose my temper. I seldom get irritated or agitated. That’s just the way I was born.

As a boxer, I always strive to stay fully focussed on the job at hand but, if I read something uncomplimentary in the media or hear something negative from an opponent, then I store it till fight night. That’s when I inflict my retribution. Talk is cheap.

To be fair, I’ve not really encountered much hostility to date but I’m sure it’ll come as I move up the levels. I embrace the threat of being challenged. It’s a fight, all part of the game.

I’ll start to get my ‘fight head’ on from the moment I’m given a date. From that, I’ll get to work, week by week, preparing for battle. It’s all the hard work in the gym that instils real confidence, not shouting and hollering at press conferences or staring at opponents at the weigh-in or face-off. That won’t faze me. I pay no attention to that.

In the changing room on fight night I’ll finally start to get some butterflies about an hour beforehand but that’s a good thing. I never feel threatened by the job in hand and just prepare me mind to do what I have to do.

Punching hard, causing the destruction I do, is a combination of brute strength, technique and a clinical mindset. I do weights to increase my power and refine the technique through repetition every day on the bags, pads and spars. Sparring is my main thing.

I never worry about what damage I could inflict because I know the opponent will have trained hard to hurt me. People talk about me needing to get some rounds in but I do plenty in sparring. That’s not a concern for me. I take them out as soon as I can. I never feel bad when they’re laid out at my feet.

Dorian Darch is a good test for sure – some say my toughest – but we’ll see. I’ve worked very hard to finish the year with another knockout victory. I’m more than ready!”

James DeGale MBE (23-1-1, 14 KOs) tops an unmissable evening of boxing in the capital when he makes the fourth defence of his IBF Super-Middleweight World Title against American Caleb Truax (28-3-2, 18 KOs); Lee Selby (25-0-1, 9 KO’s) defends his IBF Featherweight crown against Mexico’s Eduardo Ramirez (20-0-3, 7 KO’s);

Light-Heavyweight ‘Beast’ Anthony Yarde (13-0, 12 KOs) defends his WBO Intercontinental and European belts against Nikola Sjekloca (32-4-1, 11 KOs);

Former English Middleweight Champion Joe Mullender (10-2-0 4 KOs) fights Welshman Lee Churcher (13-1-1, 4 KOs) for the Vacant IBF European Middleweight Championship; Hugely-popular former English Welterweight Champion Johnny Garton (20-1-1 7 KOs) fights for the Vacant IBF European Welterweight title;

WBO European Lightweight Champion Craig Evans features in an eight round International contest and rising talents Archie Sharp (Welling), Sanjeev Sahota (Hornchurch), Ben Smith (Wycombe), Hamza Sheeraz (Ilford), Umar Sadiq (Ilford) and debutant Harvey Horn (Chigwell) complete an action-packed night of boxing.

Remaining tickets for The Boys Are Back In Town are available via See Tickets, Eventim and Ticketmaster:

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BEIJING – China’s Dancing Sports, an organization at the forefront of sports development in China, and Filipino senator and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, recently inked a comprehensive agreement to develop and promote professional boxing in China.

Dancing Sports president Vincent Zhou and Pacquiao signed the agreement in an elaborate ceremony last December 2 at the Diaoyutai Hotel in Beijing which was attended by Chinese dignitaries and representatives from the Chinese media.
Part of the agreement was the establishment of the Manny Pacquiao International Boxing Academy (PIBA) in China envisioned to become an instrument to attract, train and develop Chinese world class boxers and to regularly promote professional boxing matches all over China.
“This agreement of course will definitely shower a new boxing era in our sports and will contribute to help realize our great potential in boxing,” Zhou said.
Pacquiao, who was in Bejing from Dec. 1 to 3 to also attend the Chinese Communist Party’s ‘World Political Parties Dialogue’ said, “Yesterday, I met with President Xi and Prime Minister Li Keqiang, and I am glad that the high level relationship between China and the Philippines is going further. President Xi’s Belt and Road initiative is very important, it will help countries along exchanges and cooperation at all levels across borders. It is not difficult to see that the signing of this comprehensive agreement is exactly the implementation of the two top leadership initiatives of China and an important action to promote cooperation between China and the Philippines.”
Zhou and Pacquiao jointly held its first promotion in China on September 29, 2017, a ‘by invitation only’ boxing event at the Heyuan Royal Garden Hotel in Beijing that featured Zhou’s prospect Lu Bin on the main event and undefeated former Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga of the Philippines on the main undercard.
Dancing Sports has calendared six to eight events for 2018 with initial promotion projected to be held during the Chinese New Year celebrations in February.
Among the Chinese dignitaries who were in attendance during the launching and signing ceremony included Feng Hope, secretary general of the Information Office of the State Council; Zou Yan, deputy director of the Department of the Ministry of Justice; Zhang Hong, secretary of the party committee of the Chinese Film Association; He Zhewen, director of the Anti-Doping Center of the State Sports General Administration; Zhang Wei, vice-president of the Beijing Sports University and director of the Sports Industry Office of the National Development and Reform Commission; Wang Guojun, head coach of China National Boxing Team; and Wang Tongzhou, general manager of China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group.

Saturday’s HBO World Championship Boxing^® telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Opening the telecast from Madison Square Garden in New York City is Rey Vargas defending his title against Oscar Negrete in a 12-round super bantamweight fight.

In the main event of the evening, future hall of famer Miguel Cotto defends his junior middleweight title in a 12-round battle against Sadam Ali.

Official Weights from New York City:

Miguel Cotto: 151.6 lbs.

Sadam Ali: 153.0 lbs.

Rey Vargas: 121.4 lbs.

Oscar Negrete: 121.2 lbs.

Joe Mullender will face Welshman Lee Churcher for the Vacant IBF European Middleweight Championship next Saturday at London’s Copper Box Arena.

The 31-year-old from Brentwood takes on Churcher over 12-rounds for the belt that instantly propels the winner into the top-15 in the IBF World rankings.

Mullender was crowned the new English Middleweight Champion back in June after beating former Champion and club mate Lee Markham to avenge his loss at the 02 Arena in 2016.

He decided to vacate his English title in September in order to secure a shot at the IBF title but is still determined to secure a British title showdown with Frank Warren stablemate Tommy Langford in 2018.

“The British title is 100 per cent in my sights still,” asserted the Essex boxer. “But given the option to fight for this IBF belt and earn a top-15 World ranking, it’s silly to turn it down because just one or two defences and you could get up in the top-5 in the World.

“You never know what opportunities that could lead to – someone with the World title may choose you as a voluntary defence and every fight could also push you up further for the British.”

Newport’s Churcher, 37, holds a record of 13 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw and is currently enjoying a 7-fight winning streak that stretches back to September 2011.

James DeGale MBE (23-1-1, 14 KOs) tops an unmissable evening of boxing in the capital when he makes the fourth defence of his IBF Super-Middleweight World Title against American Caleb Truax (28-3-2, 18 KOs); Lee Selby (25-0-1, 9 KO’s) defends his IBF Featherweight crown against Mexico’s Eduardo Ramirez (20-0-3, 7 KO’s);

Light-Heavyweight ‘Beast’ Anthony Yarde (13-0, 12 KOs) defends his WBO Intercontinental and European belts against Nikola Sjekloca (32-4-1, 11 KOs), Heavyweight sensation Daniel Dubois (5-0, 5 KOs) aims to continue his KO streak when he faces former Anthony Joshua opponent Dorian Darch (12-5-1, 1 KO) in his sixth contest;

Hugely-popular former English Welterweight Champion Johnny Garton (20-1-1 7 KOs) fights for the Vacant IBF European Welterweight title;

WBO European Lightweight Champion Craig Evans features in an eight round International contest and rising talents Archie Sharp (Welling), Sanjeev Sahota (Hornchurch), Ben Smith (Wycombe), Hamza Sheeraz (Ilford), Umar Sadiq (Ilford) and debutant Harvey Horn (Chigwell) complete an action-packed night of boxing.

Tickets for The Boys Are Back In Town priced at £40 (Upper Tier), £50 (Lower Tier), £70 (Floor), £100 (Floor), £150 (Floor) and VIP/Hospitality £250 are now on sale via See Tickets, Eventim and Ticketmaster:

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NEW YORK CITY (Dec. 1, 2017): Canelo Alvarez, the worldwide boxing phenomenon who is currently enjoying a well-deserved vacation in Europe, sent a warm message to Miguel Cotto (41-5, 33 KOs), the only four-division world champion in Puerto Rico’s rich boxing history and the current WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion, as he prepares for the final fight of his illustrious career against Sadam “World Kid” Ali (25-1, 14 KOs) at Madison Square Garden. The event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 2 and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Canelo, who faced Cotto in Nov. 2015 for the Middleweight Championship of the World in one of the most important fights of this era, sent his best wishes to the legendary Puerto Rican as he closes the book on his career.

“Miguel Angel Cotto, I just wanted to wish you success in your fight,” said Canelo. “I know that it is the last fight of your extraordinary career. I think that you did a lot for the sport of boxing. I wish you success in your life after you retire. Now it’s your time to enjoy everything you did for the sport of boxing and everything that boxing has given you.”

“Personally, it was an honor to be in the ring with you. I learned a lot from that fight. It was an honor, and I wish you all the success in the world in your retirement. A strong hug from me, and much success!”

Cotto vs. Ali, a 12-round fight for the Cotto’s WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. Vargas vs. Negrete is a 12-round fight for Vargas’ WBC World Super Bantamweight Title and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” “Hennessy: Never Stop. Never Settle.”, and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will take place Saturday, Dec. 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The RingTV.com livestream will begin at approximately 6:45 p.m. ET/ 3:45 p.m. PT. 

Tickets for Cotto vs. Ali are priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50 and are on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.goldenboytickets.com or www.MSG.com.

For more information visit  www.goldenboypromotions.com, and  www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, and  www.hbo.com/boxing. Follow on Twitter at @cottopromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, and @hboboxing, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/realmiguelacotto. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @realmiguelacotto and follow the conversation using #CottoAli.

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

LONDON (1 December) – Boxing legend Miguel Cotto has vowed to go out with a bang as he enters the ring for the final time this Saturday night. 

The future Hall-of-Famer who has won world titles in four different divisions will fight for the last time against 2008 Olympian Sadam Ali, exclusively live on BoxNation.

Taking place at the iconic Madison Square Garden, for what will be the 10th time Cotto has fought there, the Puerto Rican superstar has been reflecting on his glorious career and promised one last big performance before hanging up the gloves.

“I enjoyed my whole career, and I can’t point at one fight. Every moment made me the boxer I am right now, the person I am right now. I would have to say my whole career has been amazing for me,” said Cotto.

“I have done everything in my career that I wanted to do. This is the final fight. My decision is to retire now and spend more time with my family

“But on Saturday, I will be the same Miguel you have watched for the last 16 years. I am going to be a warrior and do my best for the benefit of my family, as always,” he said.

Brooklyn’s Ali who has won all but one of his 26 fights stepped into face 35-year-old Cotto after unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin and Mexican star Canelo Alvarez where unavailable.

Cotto’s trainer, the great Freddie Roach, believes his fighter would have been up for such a challenge against either man but is now ready to deal with what is in front of him.

“Triple G and Canelo would be great opponents, and we looked forward to fighting them, but they all have obligations, and the next best guy was the young guy coming up, the next generation,” said Roach.

“We are getting a chance at that, and we’ll see how good he really is. Miguel will be on top of his game. And, again, we would have loved to go out with one of the bigger names, but the thing is they’re not available at this point, and we want to stay busy,” he said.

29-year-old Ali is unconcerned about having to move up to super-welterweight for the fight having regularly operated at welterweight and is ready to crash the Cotto party as he looks to make a name for himself.

“I’ve been fighting since I was eight years old, and I’ve been in big arenas. Of course, it’s going to be a little bit more in this one. But this is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I took the challenge against a legend,” Ali said.

“I dare to be great, like Oscar De La Hoya says. I fear nothing, and I don’t hold back. This is the opportunity of a lifetime in Madison Square Garden. It’s going to be amazing. I feel like we’re going to put on a great show, and I’m excited, and I’m ready.

“He is the biggest opponent in my career, and I’m also moving up to another weight class. But I love the challenge, and I’m ready to do whatever I have to do,” he said.

Mexican super-bantamweight talent Rey Vargas will also defend his WBC crown against Colombia’s undefeated Oscar Negrete on the card, with BoxNation on air from 2am this Saturdaynight.

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

– ENDS –

About BoxNation

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

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

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Anthony Yigit (20-0-1, 7 KOs) and his opponent Joe Hughes (15-2-1, 6 KOs) both made weight today ahead of their European Super Lightweight Championship fight tomorrow at the Leicester Arena in Leicester, United Kingdom.

Yigit, from Stockholm, Sweden, will be making a second defence of the EBU strap he claimed with a unanimous points victory over former British Champion Lenny Daws and then retained in a historic hometown bout with Sandor Martin.

The 26 year-old southpaw says he is expecting a tough fight from the former English Champion and British title challenger, but is confident of securing another win before setting his sights of World title opportunities in 2018.

“I’m really looking forward to defending my title again,” said Yigit. “I feel good. I made the weight well and now I’m ready for tomorrow. Joe Hughes is a tough opponent and he has my respect, but I believe I am the better boxer and I’m confident I will defend my title.

I won the belt in the UK so I have no problem coming back here to defend it. I want entertain the fans watching in the arena and also on TV in Sweden. Defending my title for a second time would be a great end to a great year for me. Next year, I want to build on this success and start to challenge for World titles.”

Both fighters tipped the scales at 9st 13lb 2oz (63.1 kg).

The European Championship fight between Anthony Yigit and Joe Hughes will be shown live and exclusive on TV10 in Sweden from 23.00 and on Channel 5 in the UK.

New York City (December 1, 2017) WBO junior featherweight world champion AMANDA SERRANO (34-1-1, 26 KOs), of Brooklyn, New York, has been nominated by UNIVISION for its prestigious “Female Athlete of the Year” award, it was announced this week.

The award ceremony will take place on Sunday, December 17, 2017, from Miami, Florida, and will be telecast live on Univision at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Among the other world class female athletes nominated are 2016 Olympic silver medalist LUPITA GONZALEZ, who competed in race walking for her native Mexico, and three-time professional racquetball world champion PAOLA LONGORIA, also from Mexico. The 2017 Wimbledon champion GARBINE MUGURUZA, of Spain, and 2016 Olympic silver medalist triple-jumper YULIMAR ROJAS are also nominated.

“This is an extraordinary honor to be included with these great athletes for Univision’s ‘Female Athlete of the Year,'” said the Puerto Rican-born Serrano. “I’ve won a number of awards in boxing, such as ‘fighter of the year’ and been a five-division world champion, but this is much more as I’m being recognized with these other amazing athletes who have been so successful in their respective fields. Just being nominated feels like winning for me. I can’t wait to meet all the great Latin athletes who will be at the awards ceremony on December 17.”

Said LOU DIBELLA, President of DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT, “I’m thrilled for Amanda that she is nominated as Univision’s ‘Female Athlete of the Year.’ While she’s received numerous accolades as a world champion boxer, to be in the company of these other world class Latina athletes truly validates the international impact of her career.”

“Even though women’s boxing hasn’t reached the heights it deserves in this country, Amanda has overcome this perception to build a tremendous career that has flourished. She’s been a pleasure to promote and I’m excited for the opportunities that lie ahead for her in 2018.”

Since its inception in 2014, “Premios Univision Deportes” has grown to be the most-viewed celebration of sports by US Hispanics. The two-hour live event will feature some of the biggest names in Latin music and honor elite athletes in the most popular sports, as well as those who use sports as a vehicle for social change. A full list of categories and nominees will be announced at a later date.

For more information about the fourth annual “Premios Univision Deportes”, or to find out how to vote for the nominees in the main categories, visit PremiosUnivisionDeportes.com.

Feisty Peckham crowd pleaser Johnny Garton concedes he’s like a kid at Christmas.

The man they call ‘The Pexican’ in honour of his rough and ready ring manner enjoys an unexpected berth on Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren’s festive fiesta at London’s Copper Box Arena on December 9th.

The 30 year old ex Southern Area and English champion contests the vacant IBF European title on the undercard of James DeGale and Lee Selby’s IBF world title defences and knows that an impressive victory is likely to cement a crack at the British title and a slot in the IBF world rankings.

‘Turning pro, I never thought I’d get anywhere near as far as I have,’ claims the chirpy south Londoner who has lost just once in 22 (7 early wins).

‘My goal starting out was simply to fight for a Southern Area belt, win or lose. I’ve already gone way beyond that. If I had to retire tomorrow, I’d be more than happy with my career.’

With 10 defeats in 35 bouts and just a brace of South-East London Divisional titles to garnish his amateur CV, grafter Garton was a long shot to hit the heights when he entered the profession, well into his 25th year, back in October 2011.

However, the free swinging slugger has made giant strides since trainer Al Smith convinced him that, in the austere world of paid prize fighting, it’s far more profitable to give than to receive.

‘As an amateur, a friend took me around loads of gyms to spar and I spent time at Al’s iBox gym, working with Bradley Skeete. In 2011, Al offered me a trial, I came through and signed to go pro with him,’ recalls Garton.

‘It’s such a brilliant gym to be a part of. Al lives for his boxing and all the lads do everything together; win, lose, laugh, socialise. It’s obligatory to turn up if a gym mate is boxing. We’re all very close.

‘Whereas I was about all out aggression in the amateurs, Al’s very defence minded and we’ve gradually reached a compromise that suits and succeeds. I still march forward but now I move me head….occasionally!

‘I do graft hard in the gym but I’ve had such tough hard spars that I have to learn. I’ve worked with the likes of Andy Lee, Liam Williams, Gary Corcoran, Larry Ekundayo, Selcuk Aydin and Josh Kelly but (British welter champion) Bradley Skeete is probably the most important person behind my improvement. He has such a good jab and is so clever. He’s going way beyond British level.’

The sole reverse in his six year paid career was a second round cuts loss to future British and European boss Sam Eggington in an April 2014 Prizefighter sprint.

‘Sam gave me a real beating but I still enjoyed it. I just love fighting!’ quips the former car mechanic who has a five month old daughter

‘Him going on to do so well did me a huge favour. Al never wanted me to enter anyway and his game plan went out the window the moment Sam landed on me. I just had a ‘tear-up’ and came up short. Al gave me a real grilling afterwards!’

Suitably chastened, he listened, learned and recovered sufficiently to obtain and retain both the Southern Area and English 147lb titles between 2014-16.

‘On December 9th I hope to excite, do full justice to the ‘Pexican’ nickname that my fans have given me and strengthen my case for a British title fight early next year. That’s the plan!’ says Garton.

‘I’ve not fought since April so I just hope that whoever comes out of the opposite corner will stand and give me a right good scrap. Whenever there’s been a title on the line and the opposition brings a winning record and a bit of ambition, I win by stoppage. They take a few risks and I can ‘get hold of ‘em’!

‘A win at the Copper Box will put me right into the British title mix for when Bradley opts to vacate. That’s the one belt I’ve most wanted to box for. Hopefully, I can challenge whoever in February or March. Now I’m definitely top five in Britain and on the verge.’

James DeGale MBE (23-1-1, 14 KOs) tops an unmissable evening of boxing in the capital when he makes the fourth defence of his IBF Super-Middleweight World Title against American Caleb Truax (28-3-2, 18 KOs); Lee Selby (25-0-1, 9 KO’s) defends his IBF Featherweight crown against Mexico’s Eduardo Ramirez (20-0-3, 7 KO’s);

Light-Heavyweight ‘Beast’ Anthony Yarde (13-0, 12 KOs) defends his WBO Intercontinental and European belts against Nikola Sjekloca (32-4-1, 11 KOs), Heavyweight sensation Daniel Dubois (5-0, 5 KOs) aims to continue his KO streak when he faces former Anthony Joshua opponent Dorian Darch (12-5-1, 1 KO) in his sixth contest;

Former English Middleweight Champion Joe Mullender (10-2-0 4 KOs) fights for the Vacant IBF European Middleweight Championship;

WBO European Lightweight Champion Craig Evans features in an eight round International contest and rising talents Archie Sharp (Welling), Sanjeev Sahota (Hornchurch), Ben Smith (Wycombe), Hamza Sheeraz (Ilford), Umar Sadiq (Ilford) and debutant Harvey Horn (Chigwell) complete an action-packed night of boxing.

Remaining tickets for The Boys Are Back In Town priced at £40 (Upper Tier), £50 (Lower Tier), £70 (Floor), £100 (Floor), £150 (Floor) and VIP/Hospitality £250 are now on sale via See Tickets, Eventim and Ticketmaster:

See Tickets
0871 230 7148
www.seetickets.com

Eventim
0844 249 1000
www.eventim.co.uk

Ticketmaster
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Hall of Fame Promoter Frank Warren paid a special visit to The Boxing Academy in Hackney yesterday along with rising British stars Anthony Yarde and Daniel Dubois ahead of their fights at London’s Copper Box Arena next Saturday.

The Boxing Academy offers an alternative education pathway for students who are at risk of exclusion, or who have already been excluded, from mainstream education. Their mission is to offer high quality alternative education to even the most hard-to-reach young people, realised through the discipline, ethos and culture of boxing.

Warren, Yarde and Dubois were joined by The Boxing Academy’s Principal Anna Cain to give a talk on the benefits of boxing to the media and students in attendance before both fighters laced up their gloves and put on a knockout training session.

“We thought it would be appropriate to come down here today with two of our young stars Anthony Yarde and Daniel Dubois,” said Warren. “Boxing is a catalyst to help educate youngsters and give them some direction in their lives. The work that Anna and her staff do here is absolutely fantastic and it’s a real pleasure to be here today to meet you all.

“It’s nice to give something back to the community and I can’t wait to welcome you all to our show next week. I feel that boxing doesn’t always get the respect that it deserves and it is places like this that highlight the positive impact boxing can have on people’s lives. Boxing can give youngsters much needed self esteem and respect that can help them moving forward in life.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Frank, Anthony and Daniel to The Boxing Academy,” said Principal Cain. “It is no surprise that people in boxing get the point of this school, you don’t have to be a boxer for the sport to have a positive effect on your life. Boxing is a force for good. It’s incredibly positive. From our point of view, we love the fact that we can be a proper school with the ethos of a boxing gym.

“The results and the student’s achievements at the school and after they leave us are testament to the quality of the teachers, boxers and staff. They all do a brilliant job and we couldn’t do it without them. It is brilliant that Frank has invited our pupils, staff and their families along to his event at the Copper Box Arena next Saturday and we are all looking forward to a great evening of boxing!”

“I was born in Hackney and I grew up in Stratford so I can relate to a lot of you,” said Yarde. “The streets are tough but sport, and boxing especially, has put me on the right path in my life. If I could give any advice to the kids in attendance today it would be to make yourself a leader. Make something of yourself, it’s never too late to change your life around. Work hard towards something and you’ve got a better chance, trust me.”

“Sport has always been a part of what I’ve done day to day,” said Dubois. “I’ve always been around a gym – I was very energetic as a kid and that needed to be controlled in a positive way. I was five when I started boxing as a little nipper. As you go on you get more addicted to it and you want to go further and further.

“It is brilliant to see how the discipline of boxing is being used to help the students here at The Boxing Academy and it’s a pleasure to be here today to share my story with them.”

To find out more about The Boxing Academy and the work they do visit www.theboxingacademy.co.uk.

On December 9th Light-Heavyweight ‘Beast’ Anthony Yarde (13-0, 12 KOs) defends his WBO Intercontinental and European belts against Nikola Sjekloca (32-4-1, 11 KOs) while Heavyweight sensation Daniel Dubois (5-0, 5 KOs) aims to continue his KO streak when he faces former Anthony Joshua opponent Dorian Darch (12-5-1, 1 KO) in his sixth contest.

Remaining tickets for The Boys Are Back In Town priced at £40 (Upper Tier), £50 (Lower Tier), £70 (Floor), £100 (Floor), £150 (Floor) and VIP/Hospitality £250 are now on sale via See Tickets, Eventim and Ticketmaster:

See Tickets
0871 230 7148
www.seetickets.com

Eventim
0844 249 1000
www.eventim.co.uk

Ticketmaster
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

01 December 2017 – Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced the addition of three new leaders to its senior management team. Hua Fung Teh is named Chief Financial Officer, Mahesh Subramanian is named Chief Technology Officer, and Souvik Dutta is named Vice President of Engineering. The senior leaders have joined ONE Championship to help lead the organization in critical areas for 2018 and beyond.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “I am pleased to announce the addition of three new leaders for ONE Championship in Hua Fung Teh, Mahesh Subramanian, and Souvik Dutta. These senior executives will add significant leadership strength to ONE Championship, and will allow us to continue to scale across Asia.”

With global domain expertise in finance and sports, Hua Fung Teh will join as Chief Financial Officer of ONE Championship in January 2018. Teh is currently a Principal at leading global private equity firm TPG Capital, where he is a senior member of the Southeast Asia investment team based in Singapore. In his six years at TPG he has also served on the China and US teams. Prior to TPG, Teh held various leadership positions in the Republic of Singapore Air Force and Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry. Teh was a key member of the team that brought Formula One to Singapore, organizing the first night race in Formula One history in a groundbreaking initiative by the Singapore Government. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard Business School, Hua Fung serves on the Board of Commissioners of BUMA in Indonesia. He also sits on the Steering Committee of the Milken Institute Young Leaders Circle (Asia), and is a member of The Forum of Young Global Leaders at the World Economic Forum. As CFO, Teh will be responsible for all areas of finance, accounting, HR and corporate development, including oversight of key strategic projects and partnerships.

Mahesh Subramanian joins as Chief Technology Officer of ONE Championship. Subramanian brings over 20 years of experience in the technology industry with Intel, Siemens, Marvell, and Lucent Technologies to Asia’s largest global sports media property. Subramanian has over 10 years of mobile video streaming experience, including with startups such as StrmEasy and Touchfone Technology in the micro social and mobile content delivery space. Subramanian will oversee all aspects of ONE Championship’s technology and infrastructure, including mobile, OTT, data and technology asset management, network architecture, support, and more.

With a passion for technology and a deep interest in new products, Souvik Dutta is named Vice President of Engineering of ONE Championship. With a decade of experience in the role of VP of Engineering with fast-paced startups, Touchfone Technology and Scoopwhoop, in the micro social and mobile content delivery space, Dutta will be responsible for driving the execution of ONE Championship’s mobile and digital technology solutions. Dutta is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.

ONE Championship announced earlier this year its 2018 calendar, promising to deliver a record-high 24 events across the major iconic cities of Asia. Additionally, 2018 will also give birth to the first weekly reality TV series by ONE 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.

Tyrone Brunson 155 – Manny Woods 153.5
(UBF International Super Welterweight Title)

Brandon Robinson 166 – Christopher Brooker 165.5
(UBF All Americas Super Middleweight Title)

Jaron Ennis 148.5 – George Sosa 148.5
Omar Douglas 131 – Isaias Martin Gonzalez 131
Shamsuddeen Justice 141 – Latorie Woodberry TBA
Rashheed Johnson 145.5 – Kashon Hutchinson 144
Kyrone Davis 158 – Jaime Barboza 157
Joe Hanks 251 – Joel Caudle 255.5
Colby Madison 240.5 – Randy Easton 232
Romuel Cruz 121 – Rondarrius Hunter 115
Christopher Burgos 136.5 – Gerado Tiburcio 134.5
Marcus Bates 122.5 – Antonio Rodriguez 121

Promoter: King’s Promotions
Venue: 2300 Arena
1st Bell: 6:45 PM ET
TV: Eleven Sports –9:30 PM ET

Photo Credit / King’s Promotions

VIP TICKETHOLDERS WILL HAVE A SPECIAL MEET AND GREET AT 5 PM ON FIGHT NIGHT. THAT WILL INCLUDE SPECIAL DRINK SPECIALS ($3 DRAFT BEER, $5 CITYWIDE SPECIALS WHICH INCLUDES A SHOT OF WHISKEY AND DRAT BEER AS WELL AS $4 MARGARITAS OR GLASS OF WINE FOR LADIES)

We are ten days away from arguably the most historic fight we have seen in many a year. Two 2-time Olympic Gold Medalists facing off for the first time professionally, at the highest level, in a world championship fight. It will be Saturday, December 9 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, which has been sold out for nearly two months. It and it will be televised live on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. There will be a four-bout telecast that will end up with the grand finale of a great night of boxing, Lomachenko vs. Rigondeaux. The entire card will stream live on the ESPN App., beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT

TEAM RIGONDEAUX

MICHAEL YORMARK (President & Chief of Branding & Strategy, Roc Nation): Thank you and good afternoon everybody. We are equally excited about this incredible night of boxing. On behalf of Guillermo as well as Roc Nation, we want to thank Top Rank; we want to thank ESPN; and all of the organizations that have been involved in making this event what it will be on December 9. I’m joined today by Dino Duva who heads up Roc Nation Boxing and would like for him to talk about the bout.

DINO DUVA (Head of Boxing, Roc Nation): Thank you and just to echo what Michael said we are just extremely proud and excited to be part of this great historic fight. It’s a pleasure doing business with Bob and Top Rank and everyone on their team and obviously ESPN who is the leader in sports around the world to be a part of this historic event as a boxing fan I can’t wait to see this fight. We are very excited for Rigo, amongst everything. Rigo has had a historic legendary career as an Olympic fighter and now as a professional and this is a fight that he’s been waiting for his entire career, to bring him not just to the top of the pound-for-pound list, where he has always been, to bring him the exposure and the accolades as one of the most popular fighters in the world that he’s so deserving of. But he’s never had the chance to get there. This is the fight that’s going to bring him over that hump. We congratulate Lomachenko – he’s a great fighter – we think he’s stepped up a little too much in this fight, but it’s going to be a great match. We are just really proud to be a part of this historic event.

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I’m very happy that everything has been put in place. I started on ESPN so I am very happy that this fight is taking place there and I would like to thank Roc Nation and Top Rank for putting it together. I have been anticipating this fight for a long time and now everything is concrete and the fight is on its way.

Lomachenko said yesterday that if Rigondeaux wants to win he will have to come straight at me. What do you think of that?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Let him think what he wants. We are going to do what we need to do. We have our game plan.

What was the thought process to move up two divisions to make this fight happen? Did you think about staying at 122?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I went up to 130 because it was the only way I could get this fight made. I would rather it have been at a lower weight, but I want to show the world that I can do it by moving up two weight classes.

There are not many fighters in history that have been on par with Guillermo’s amateur career – does you view Lomachenko as an equal?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: He is a great boxer and he has a lot of qualities and he is also an Olympic Champion, multiple times, so he’s got a lot of talent, yes.

How do you feel about that fact that most people are looking at mostly your amateur backgrounds when talking about the fight? After all, it is the first time that two-time Olympic Gold Medal winners are going to fight each other.

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Yes, it is the first time in history that two multiple Olympic champions are going to fight each other, face each other off, and it is going to be a very good fight. It’s going to be a great fight for the fans and it’s going to be a great historical fight that fans will forever look back on.

Since fighting Drian Francisco in 2015, you have only had two fights that lasted a total of three rounds. Are you concerned about any kind of rust because of the way you fight it is so much about his timing and quickness?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: No, not at all. I can assure you 100% that I am at 100% and I am going to show the world what I have been preparing for.

Do you think that eight pounds is too much to give up?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: No, not at all. If this is what it takes to fight the big fights then you guys are going to see on December 9 if I am ready or not.

What other champions would you like to face ideally?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I am tired of saying, ‘don’t talk to me about Santa Cruz, don’t talk to me about Frampton’ – I have already said I want to fight these guys. Ask them if they want to fight – anybody, any time, but I am tired of saying that. Ask them who they want too fight because they don’t want to fight me.

Considering you are jumping two weight classes how will you rate your power?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I feel stronger than ever and I am going to do it and do it right. Moving up has had no negative effect whatsoever on my speed or power.

What about the WBA and the 122 lb. title – do you have any comments on that?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Not right now. At this time we are concentrating on this fight and we can worry about that when it’s over.

DINO DUVA: Just so everyone knows, we are actually still working with the WBA to reconsider their resolution and position on this. I am hopeful and confident they will do the right thing and allow Rigo to make his decision after the fight. It is not a closed subject yet.

Do you expect this fight to go the distance and do you worry that some of the subtle moves that you do will go unnoticed by the judges?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: It is going to be a massacre. People should anticipate a massacre. Absolutely – not at all, I am not worried at all. I will just go in there and do my job.

Is there added pressure to make this fight exciting?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: The one that has to worry is Lomachenko. I am fine and I will do what I need to do when I get in the ring. I don’t worry too much what people think. I have my power every time I step in the ring.

Do you think you will knock him out?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I don’t look for a knockout. It just happens. It’s unpredictable.

You beat Donaire, The Ring Fighter of the Year, and never really received the proper respect for that and here you are five years later. How do you feel about that?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I don’t spend too much time thinking about that. I do my job and I do it well. I leave all that other stuff to the people that handle that. I’ve gone through a lot of adversity in my life as it is. I just take care of what I need to do in the ring.

Do you feel motivated to beat a Top Rank fighter after leaving Top Rank?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Even if it is the Son of God, I don’t care. I fight whoever I need to fight.

Are you worried about getting a fair shake from the judges?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Absolutely not – forget about that – I don’t think about that. I just do what I think I need to do.

What is the key to this fight?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I’ve got to do my job and I have to win convincingly so they can’t rob me.

This is the second time they have tried to strip you. Does it make you look at belts differently?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I leave the sanctioning negotiations and all the tough negotiating to Dino. He’s the one that handles that. I don’t let that affect my fighting or my training for the fight. Give the belt to anyone. Dino will then find a way for me to get it back in the ring.

How long have you wanted to fight Lomachenko?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I wanted to fight him when he was at 126. And we tried and we tried and we tried and he wouldn’t step in the ring with me. Now he is at 130 and wants to step in the ring with me because he believes now he has the advantage over me.

Most pundits have you as an underdog in this fight. If you win would you regard it as your greatest victory?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: There are a lot of things that are more important to me in my professional career, however, this would be a big feat and let the world see who is the best pound-for-pound boxer.

What would the other greater things in career be?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: It is my way of thinking that there will be a lot of greater things that will come my way after this fight – yes a lot of things. This win will be a great thing for my career but I have had a lot of great victories in the past and this will be one more to add to my great victories, but there will be better tings to come once I get past him.

Do you think this fight will go 12 rounds?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: It could finish before or it could finish after.

So do you think you will stop him?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Lomachenko and forty more like him.

Who are the other fighters that you think could be bigger wins than Lomachenko?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I will need two more fights in my career to retire. I will fight Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder. I will go into heavyweight. I am willing to fight anyone in the world.

Lomachenko said the only reason you are taking this fight is because you are older now and want to get a big payday and retire.

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: That’s fine – let him think that way.

Does it make you mad?

ALEX BORNOTE (Rigondeaux Manager): I’ll answer that for him. Yes, of course it makes him mad. All he’s ever done, if anyone asks him who he wants to fight? He’ll fight anyone and he’ll fight everybody. The only reason he doesn’t fight more is because no one wants to fight him for whatever reason that may be. He wants to fight a lot more people before his career is over.

Lomachenko also feels that you both are the same size, except he may be a little taller.

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Yes more or less we are almost right there.

In Closing…

MICHAEL YORMARK: Once again I would like to thank all of the media and ESPN and everybody on the call here today and especially Top Rank for giving us this opportunity. Obviously it’s an exciting fight it’s going to be a great night of boxing. We look forward to seeing everybody in New York City next Saturday night.

DINO DUVA: The only think I would like to say in closing, to all the media, thank you for joining us. When Rigo beats Lomachenko all I ask is that you give him the credit he deserves. He’s been knocked around a lot and a lot of it has been undeserving. When he beats Lomachenko, please, give him the credit he deserves, because he is one of the all time greats. When he performs on December 9, give him what he deserves. That’s all I ask.

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Thank you for putting this event together – all the promoters and ESPN and all of the fans, so stay tuned and wait to see what you’re going to see on December 9.

ALEX BORNOTE: This is the fight the fans want to see and he has to go up two weight classes to do it. It’s the only way the fight was going to happen and it’s great for boxing, and see you there next week.

TEAM LOMACHENKO

EGIS KLIMAS (Lomachenko Manager): Yes we have been on the line for ten minutes listening to that bull shit.

BOB ARUM: I had to watch my blood pressure so I didn’t listen.

Bob, this is your 30th promotion at The Garden, dating back to Muhammad Ali vs. Oscar Bonavena (December 7, 1970), and it’s a big one…

BOB ARUM: This is a conference call with the greatest fighter since Muhammad Ali. A guy that I can’t wait to see in a historic fight that has never happened before – in each corner a fighter having two Gold Medals. This is an historic battle and it’s going to be one of many historic battles for Vasyl Lomachenko who I have said from the beginning he is the best fighter I have seen since the early Muhammad Ali.

VASYL LOMACHENKO: I would like to thank everyone who is participating in this call. This is the first time I am going to be talking in two months about the fight. Yesterday was my media workout day and I am very happy to talk to the media about this bout.

You said yesterday that if Rigondeaux wants to win he will have to come straight at me. Do you think Rigondeaux is going to do that?

VASYL LOMACHENKO: No, I don’t think he’s going to be doing that. He has never done that in his whole career. When he goes forward he falls down in the ring. I don’t think he’s going to be doing that.

Can you respond to Rigondeaux’s comment saying you wouldn’t fight him at featherweight?

VASYL LOMACHENKO: We all can’t believe in that nonsense. There is a video of one of the reporters asking him ‘would you like to fight Vasyl Lomachenko?’ when he was at 126. He said to the reporter “wait a second, what weight am I fighting?’ and the reporter said 122 and he said ‘well what kind of questions do we have? I am at 122.’ It is on video on YouTube – anybody can find it. It’s not the truth.

How do you feel about the two greatest amateurs in the history of the sport fighting against each other?

VASYL LOMACHENKO: Yes, I agree that it is a historical bout, it is an interesting bout and most importantly it is an interesting bout for me. A lot of time was spent to make this bout. For awhile it was never happening and finally it happened. It is very, very interesting and all of the boxing fans wanted to see the bout and finally we can deliver it.

Rigondeaux is known for his defense – how do you break through it?

VASYL LOMACHENKO: Yes of course I have a plan in my head, a picture of what I am going to do but I don’t think it would be too smart to talk about it right now. I think it is better one time to see than 100 times to say.

Are you worried that Rigondeaux may go in there and stink it out?

BOB ARUM: Let me give you my expert opinion because I’ve been around the sport for a lot of years. What you are looking at here are two different schools of boxing. The Cuban and the Eastern European. The Eastern European, let me start with Vasyl Lomachenko – he is very technically proficient and very good and when he is fighting he is very defensive minded, looks for an opening, but always with the goal in mind, not only to win a points victory but also to hurt, or knockout or make his opponent quit. Watch every one of his fights – it’s always designed, very crowd pleasing because it gives the crowd – the crowd gets into it – because he is looking to destroy his opponent. That’s pretty much the Eastern European style. The Cuban style is different, they pile up points then they stink you out till the end of the fight because all they care about is winning the fight on points. So in this fight, Vasyl will not allow Rigondeaux to pile up points, so Rigondeaux, to win the fight, will have to be more aggressive than he wants to be. When you watch Rigondeaux fight you will see a fantastic fighter who is aggressive, piles up points and then stinks you out by just coasting to victory. That’s the Cuban style – just win, brother. Win by the points — a different style form the Easter European. I think this is going to be a very, very good fight, a very interesting fight because Rigondeaux is not going to be able to gut out a big lead on points on Vasyl, therefore he will have to fight the entire fight as long as it goes to win a victory.

BOB ARUM: Rigondeaux is a very, very good fighter. He is one of the best fighters that I have seen. He is a terrific fighter. You can’t let him pile up points because then he will coast and stink you out. Vasyl is no only a great fighter – he is the best fighter since the young Muhammad Ali. He will not seed the ground early, therefore Rigondeaux will have to fight the entire fight in order to win and therefore I see a very, very exciting fight and you are going to see the best of these guys.

When Bob Arum calls you the best fighter since the young Muhammad Ali does that put added pressure on you?

VASYL LOMACHENKO: I am hearing from Mr. Arum saying these things about me for almost two years. It doesn’t put pressure on my any more – it used to but no more.

How long did you know this fight would be next and how did that factor into your Twitter war?

EGIS KLIMAS: We were fooling around with Twitter – the people that run Rigondeaux’s twitter, they were very aggressive abut the fight. To tell you the truth, I never believed the fight was going to happen until I got the phone call from Bob telling me “the deal is done, I have a signed contract, so let’s get ready for the fight.” That was the only time I knew the fight was going to happen.

Orlando Salido is also fighting December 9. Should you both be successful, do you think a revenge fight with him would be next?

VASYL LOMACHENKO: Yes, sure but I don’t think he’s going to fight me because he already found, to him, a good excuse. He’s been saying, “I don’t need this bout. Lomachenko needs this bout. So because Lomachenko needs this bout you need to pay me good money.” That is just his excuse and Salido is nobody now.

Do you have any plans to fight above 130 pounds?

VASYL LOMACHENKO: I already said that I am ready to fight at 130 or 135, but that is not my job. Whoever is going to be put in front of me I will fight. It is not my job to organize the bouts. It is not my job to choose opponents. My promoters organize the bouts and whoever they put in front of me I am ready to fight at 130 or 135. I never passed on any of the bouts and I never passed on any of the opponents.

You recently said, “I am going to squash him.“ Will you be satisfied with anything other than a knockout?

VASYL LOMACHENKO: I said I am going to walk through him like a tank. They are two different things. I am going to walk through him like a tank and knock him out. They are two different impressions. I am like every single fighter – going into the ring I have in my mind ‘finish the bout before all the rounds are over and to get the victory before that. There is a good possibility that the fight will end before the twelfth round. I am not promising to knock him out but I am promising to squash him.

In Closing…

BOB ARUM: I just can’t wait for December 9th. We had a fastest sellout in the history of Madison Square Garden. Everybody who is anybody is going to be at the fight. We expect a tremendous rating on ESPN. This will be Loma’s second fight on ESPN. He is one of the tent poles in the ESPN-Top Rank boxing program. As far as this fight, it should be a tremendously interesting fight. Whether he’ll go up to 135 after this fight we’ll see. I know we have a tremendous offer for Loma to fight in Australia against Paul Fleming who will be fighting on December 13 and of course ultimately some time next year you’ll see Loma fighting for the lightweight championship of the world.

VASYL LOMACHENKO: Thank you very much for your attention and we’ll see you in New York!

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

Top-rated pound-for-pound fighters and Olympic legends VASILY “Hi-Tech” LOMACHENKO.and GUILLERMO “El Chacal” RIGONDEAUX will go mano a mano in a collision of world champions, Next Saturday, December 9, at the The Theater at Madison Square Garden. This historic battle will mark the first time two-time Olympic gold medalists have fought each other professionally at the highest level. Lomachenko will be defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior lightweight world title against the reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight champion Rigondeaux. The fight, which will headline a spectacular all-action card that will be will be televised live and exclusively at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and stream live on the ESPN App, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Roc Nation Sports and Madison Square Garden, tickets to the Lomachenko vs. Rigondeaux world championship event sold out two months in advance! It is Lomachenko’s second advance sellout in his past three fights. His April 8 title defense against former world champion Jason Sosa sold out the MGM National Harbor one month in prior to the event.

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

ORANGE, Calif. (Nov. 30, 2017) – Unbeaten welterweight prospect Francisco Armenta (4-0, 1 KO), signed by Thompson Boxing Promotions last year, headlines the first show of his young career in his native Mexico this Saturday, Dec. 2.

The 6-round fight, the first for Armenta as a professional, comes against a seasoned boxer in Miguel Lopez from the Hernando de Villafañe in Lopez’s hometown of Guasave, Sinaloa.

Armenta, who is trained by Cuban Juan Quezada, hails from Guamuchil, a town about 45 minutes east of Guasave.

“Lopez is a dangerous opponent so I expect a tough fight,” said Armenta, who will be fighting for the fifth time this year. “He’s not someone that you can easily knock out. We’re prepared to give a great fight and if we follow our game plan, the knockout will present itself.”

Armenta, 23, is unfazed by the experience gap between himself and Lopez. As an amateur, he tallied about 250 fights and won numerous regional and national tournaments in Mexico.

“I saw a lot of different styles in the amateurs,” Armenta said. “I’ll be ready for whatever Lopez brings on Saturday night. I’ll have a lot of support behind me. My hometown isn’t very far from where I’ll be fighting. My fans are going to see a great fight.”

In the six-round co-feature, lightweight Miguel Madueño (5-0, 4 KOs) of Guasave, Sinaloa will test his unblemished mark against Carlos Bacasegua. Madueño signed with Thompson Boxing last year.

Madueño, like Armenta, is a graduate of one of Mexico’s most renowned boxing academies – Centro de Alto Rendimieto de Boxeo. The academy, which prepares its students for careers in boxing, also consists of an academic and civic component that strives to develop solid citizens out of its alumni.

Madueño, 19, will be making his sixth start of the year.

“When we signed Armenta and Madueño the goal was to keep them active right from the start,” said Alex Camponovo, longtime matchmaker and general manager for Thompson Boxing. “We’ve been able to get them plenty of fights in Mexico with the understanding that they’ll soon be fighting in the United States as early as next year.”

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com.

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

LAS VEGAS (November 30, 2017) – Rounding out an outstanding double-header on HBO Latino Boxing on Saturday, December 9 from the beautiful Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, an action packed eight rounder has been announced between highly touted and undefeated junior middleweight prospect JAIME MUNGIA, (25-0-0, 21 KO’s) of Tijuana, Mexico and fellow Mexican PAUL ‘CHICO’ VALENZUELA JR., (20-6-0, 14 KO’s) of Baja, Mexico. Mungia vs. Valenzuela will open the HBO Latino telecast.

HBO Latino Boxing will air on tape-delay starting at 1:05 a.m. ET or immediately following the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast (10:20 p.m. ET).

Presented by Zanfer Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and Tom Loeffler, tickets priced at $250, $200, $150, $100 and $50 are now on-sale and can be purchased at AXS.com or in person at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Box Office.

“We’re excited to add another great fight on HBO Latino Boxing to this tremendous evening on December 9,” said Loeffler. “Boxing fans in Las Vegas or traveling from the United States and Mexico will enjoy a memorable evening of excitement at one of the country’s premier venues for entertainment.”

Stated Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions, “We’re thrilled that boxing fans in the United States can see what we’ve known for a couple of years, that Jamie Mungia is the next world champion and boxing superstar to come from Mexico.”

Headlining the HBO Latino Boxing telecast in a previously announced ten-round junior lightweight contest, two-time world title challenger DENIS SHAFIKOV, (38-3-1, 20 KO’s), of Miass, Russia now fighting out of Big Bear Lake, California will face-off against Managua, Nicaragua native RENE ALVARADO, (27-8-0, 19 KO’s).

Making his highly anticipated United States debut, the 21-year-old Mungia will be fighting for the seventh time in 2017 with five of his six victories coming by way of stoppage. Most recently the heavy-handed prospect knocked out Uriel Gonzalez in the second round on September 2, 2017 in Chihuahua, Mexico.

The 31-year-old Valenzuela has also stayed busy in 2017, fighting four previous times. Among the top prospects that Valenzuela has provided the toughest tests to include Tony Harrison, Wilky Campfort, Alantez Fox and Esquiva Falcao.

The previously announced HBO Boxing After Dark tripleheader is headlined by the long-awaited return of four-time world champion in two weight divisions, ORLANDO “Siri” SALIDO (44-13-4, 31 KOs), of Sonora, MX, facing off against fellow Mexican warrior MIGUEL “Mickey” ROMAN (57-12, 44 KOs), of Chihuahua, MX, in a 10-round junior lightweight clash.

Also featured on the card is a 12-round bout between TEVIN “American Idol” FARMER (25-4-1, 5 KO’s), of Philadelphia, PA as he squares off against KENICHI OGAWA (22-1-0, 17 KO’s), of Tokyo, Japan for the vacant IBF Junior Lightweight World Title. Farmer vs. Ogawa is presented in association with DiBella Entertainment and Teiken Promotions.

Opening the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast is former WBC World Super Featherweight Champion FRANCISCO “El Bandido” VARGAS (23-1-2, 17 KOs) who will return to the ring once again to make a case for title contention when he takes on former two-time world title challenger STEPHEN “Swifty” SMITH (25-3, 15 KOs) in a 10-round junior lightweight fight. Vargas vs. Smith is presented in association with Matchroom Boxing.

SOCIAL MEDIA
#SalidoRoma
@Siri_Salido
@TevinFarmer22
@ElBandido130
@SwiftySmith
@Aarroonn15
@ZanferBox
@GoldenBoyBoxing
@TomLoeffler1
@DiBella Entertainment
@MatchroomBoxing
@TheRealDealBox
@HBOBoxing
@MandalayBay

MAIN EVENT – VACANT WBC USNBC FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (10) – CBSSN
Toka Kahn-Clary (23-1, 15 KOs), Providence, RI by way of Liberia 125 lbs.
John Vincent Moralde (19-0, 10 KOs), General Santos, Philippines 125 lbs.

CO-FEATURE – CRUISERWEIGHTS (8) – CBSSN
Fabio Turchi (12-0, 9 KOs), Florence, Italy 200 lbs.
Demetrius Banks (9-3, 4 KOs), Detroit, MI 201 lbs.

FEATHERWEIGHTS (6) – CBSSN
Irvin Gonzalez (7-0, 6 KOs), Worcester, MA 126 lbs.
Marlon Olea (13-1, 12 KOs), Barranquilla, Colombia 126 lbs.

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS (8)
Nick DeLomba (11-2, 2 KOs), Cranston, RI 140 lbs.
Louis Cruz (12-3, 6 KOs), Bronx, NY 140 lbs.

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)
Timmy Ramos (4-0-1, 4 KOs), Framingham, MA 126 lbs.
Phil Davis (1-1), Worcester, MA 128 lbs.

WELTERWEIGHTS (4)
Poindexter Knight (pro debut), Philadelphia, PA 147 lbs.
Samuel Forjoe (0-1), Bronx, NY `148 lbs.

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS (6)
Jeremy Nichols (7-1-1, 2 KOs), Las Vegas, NV 148 lbs.
Daniel Sostre (13-15-1, 5 KOs), Vega Maja, Puerto Rico 146 lbs.

WHAT: “Real Deal Championship Boxing 5”

WHEN: Friday, December 1, 2017

WHERE: The Strand Ballroom and Theatre in Providence, RI

PROMOTER: The Real Deal Boxing

TELEVISION: Live on CBS Sports Network (live-streamed undercard starting at 7 p.m. ET online at www.TheRealDealBoxing.com)

DOORS OPEN: 6:00 p.m. ET

FIRST BOUT: 7:00 p.m. ET

FIRST TV BOUT: 9:00 p.m. ET

TICKETS: Starting at $45 and may be purchased through www.TheRealDealBoxing.com and www.thestrandri.comand at The Stand Ballroom and Theatre box office.

OTHER: Real Deal Sports & Entertainment is proud to partner with Medical Arts Radiology (www.medicalartsradiology.com) and Venum (www.venum.com)

SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: @TheRealDealPromotions
Twitter: @TheRealDealBox, @Holyfield
Instagram: @TheRealDealBoxing

Joining Cotto and Ali at the final press conference were undercard fighters including WBC World Super Bantamweight Champion Rey Vargas (30-0, 22 KOs) and NABF Bantamweight Champion Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (17-0, 7 KOs), who will fight for Vargas’s belt in the HBO-televised co-main event. They were also joined by featherweight contender Ronny Rios (28-2, 13 KOs), super lightweight contender Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (17-1, 7 KOs), junior flyweight contender Angel “Tito” Acosta (16-1, 16 KOs), and Aaron “Silencer” McKenna, Ireland’s no. 1 ranked amateur fighter who will make his professional debut under the Golden Boy Promotions banner on Saturday.

Here are what the fighters, their teams, and promoters had to say at today’s final press conference at Madison Square Garden:

MIGUEL COTTO, FOUR DIVISION WORLD CHAMPION:
“It’s been a pleasure for me to try to entertain you guys for 17 years. I have done my best at every opportunity for the benefit of my family. They mean everything to me and I am so proud of them and they are so proud of me.

“On Saturday, I will be the same Miguel you have watched for the last 16 years. I am going to be a warrior and do my best for the benefit of my family, as always.”

SADAM “WORLD KID” ALI, Current WBA International Welterweight Champion:
“Thank you to Team Cotto for this opportunity. I’ve been training almost my whole life, since I was eight years old. Everyone wants an opportunity like this for a world title against a legend. If you’re not ready for a legend like Miguel Cotto then you’re going to be in trouble. On Saturday night you are going to see an amazing fight.”

FREDDIE ROACH, Trainer to Miguel Cotto:
“It’s a sad moment to say this is our last training camp because I’m going to miss Miguel a lot. Yesterday in the gym was the best I’ve ever seen Miguel. No one talked about retirement in camp. He’s in great shape and didn’t take anything lightly in camp. He’s going to go out on top and you’re going to see the best Miguel yet.”

ANDRE ROZIER, Trainer to Sadam “World Kid” Ali:
“Here we are – the work has been done. It’s been a strong, hard and diligent camp. He showed me that he wants to be that fighter that contends against a legend like Miguel Cotto, someone who is one of my favorite fighters. We are coming to entertain a crowd and come out victorious on Saturday.”

ERIC GOMEZ, President of Golden Boy Promotions:
“We are extremely excited for Saturday’s historic event at the ‘Mecca of Boxing,’ Madison Square Garden, and very happy with the response and ticket sales. The tickets are going fast, it’s going to be a big push these last final days for tickets.

“Miguel has fought at The Garden many times. This place is like a second home to him. He’s definitely going to be a hall of famer once it’s all said and done but he will have a tough test come Saturday night.

“Sadam deserves credit and recognition for doing something far too many boxers shy away from – taking on a legend in daring to be great. That is how you make a real name for yourself in boxing. You’ll never know what’s possible if you don’t try it. Greatness happens when you pursue tough challenges, win or lose.

“I’ve never seen Sadam in better shape so I know he worked hard. You cannot underestimate the power of a dream. Sadam has always dreamed at being at this stage in his career. I’ve done boxing for many years and these are the types that can be dangerous fights – anything can happen when you have a young, hungry fighter like Sadam Ali.

“This is the second fight for Golden Boy to work with Miguel Cotto. The conversation with Miguel and his team for this fight was ‘Is Golovkin available? If not, I’ll fight anybody. Just tell me the date and the weight and I’ll be there.’ That is so refreshing to hear as a promoter and that is how Miguel has been throughout his career. It goes to show that when you believe in yourself, you’ll fight anyone. Saturday will be a great celebration and it will be a special night.”

REY VARGAS, Current WBC World Super Bantamweight Champion:
“I’m happy and motivated to be part of this great fight. Miguel Cotto is a great fighter, and I’m happy to be part of this card. I’m enthusiastic for this fight because Oscar Negrete is a great fighter, and he is coming for my title.

“You will see on Saturday why I am number one and why I would like to be number one forever. I am a champion, and I will do what Cotto did in his career – I want to be number one for the people. I’m ready for Saturday, and I’m going to give it my everything.”

OSCAR “EL JAGUAR” NEGRETE, Current NABF Bantamweight Champion:
“I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions for the opportunity to fight for this title. In order to become a champion you have to take these types of fighters on. I know that Rey is a great champion, but I am at a great moment in my career, and I am here to win the title..”

CESAR GARCIA, Manager to Oscar Negrete:
“I realized early in his career that Oscar would be fighter that is able to fight for a title. I never thought it would happen as a co-main event on a great card like this one at The Garden. We are here to win and fully intend to do so.”

IGNACIO “NACHO” BERISTAIN, Trainer to Rey Vargas:
“Fighting Oscar Negrete will be a great fight. This is Rey Vargas’ second title defense and it is a great honor to be the co-main event for the card that is Miguel Cotto’s retirement fight.”

PETER NELSON, Executive Vice President of HBO Sports:
“Saturday will be Miguel’s 24th appearance on HBO. Its privilege to have Miguel on HBO for the final fight of his career. It’s been a great honor for HBO to be associated with Miguel’s career. He is a terrific ambassador for the sport.

“We wanted the best fight possible for the final fight of his career. Miguel has never walked away from a tough challenge, and Saturday night will be no different. Miguel wants to cement his legacy against a young and hungry fighter like Ali who also wants to cement his place in the sport.”

JOEL FISHER, Executive Vice President of Marquee Events:
“Saturday will be a bittersweet day for us at The Garden. We’ve have a great relationship with Miguel that dates back to 2005.

“When we first started with Miguel, his kids were little but now they are grown. He has sold more than 150,000 tickets at The Garden. Saturday will be the tenth time Miguel has fought at The Garden. Miguel is what makes The Garden what it is as the ‘Mecca of Boxing.’ It makes us happy that Miguel is going out on his own terms.”

HECTOR SOTO, Vice President of Miguel Cotto Promotions:
“This Saturday is going to be an emotional but great event. We want to thank Golden Boy Promotions their work with us to help promote Puerto Rican boxing. Thank you Miguel for giving me the opportunity to do this work. Thank you to Sadam Ali and his team for accepting this challenge. On Saturday, we will celebrate the end of a great career.”

FRANCISCO “PACO” VALCARCEL, President of the WBO:
“Thank you to HBO and Golden Boy Promotions for supporting this show. Thank you to Sadam Ali for agreeing to fight the legend Miguel Cotto. Boxing will miss Miguel Cotto but we will celebrate him on Saturday. Good luck to both fighters.”

ANGEL “TITO” ACOSTA, Junior Flyweight Contender:
“Thank you Paco Valcarcel for this opportunity to fight for a title. I know I have a tough opponent and that he is hungry and wants a world title as well. Thank you DirectTV for showing my title fight in Puerto Rico so that all my friends and family can watch it.”

RONNY RIOS, Featherweight Contender:
“This is the second chapter of my career. I’m looking to going out there on Saturday to show that I am not boring, that I am a great fighter and put on a performance for everyone.”

ZACHARY OCHOA, Super Lightweight Contender:
“Thank you to my trainer and manager for their support. It’s been a rocky year for me but that’s what life is about. On Saturday I am going to put on a great performance.”

AARON MCKENNA, Welterweight Prospect Making his Professional Debut:
“I’m really looking forward to my fight on Saturday. It’s an honor to fight and make my professional debut on such a big card.”

Cotto vs. Ali, a 12-round fight for the Cotto’s WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. Vargas vs. Negrete is a 12-round fight for Vargas’ WBC World Super Bantamweight Title and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” “Hennessy: Never Stop. Never Settle.”, and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will take place Saturday, Dec. 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The RingTV.com livestream will begin at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Cotto vs. Ali are priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50 and are on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.goldenboytickets.com or www.MSG.com.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, and www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, and www.hbo.com/boxing. Follow on Twitter at @cottopromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, and @hboboxing, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/realmiguelacotto. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @realmiguelacotto and follow the conversation using #CottoAli.
Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/CottoAli into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

MIAMI (November 30, 2017) – Unbeaten light heavyweight Ahmed Elbiali will look to stamp his contender status when he faces former champion Jean Pascal in the 10-round main event of a special Friday night edition of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes, December 8 from Hialeah Park in Miami, Florida. Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Warriors Boxing, begin at $30 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at www.TicketForce.com or calling (877) 840-0457, and are also available at the casino cage.

Here is what Elbiali had to say about training camp and more as he prepares for his toughest opponent to date:

On fighting in the main event on FS1 and FOX Deportes:
“It’s a dream come true to be headlining my first main event, especially on FS1 and FOX Deportes, where the world will be watching. I’ve worked very hard to get to this point in my career and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I’m looking to bring excitement to the audience. Those tuning in will get to see a hungry undefeated fighter who will be looking to end the fight early.”

On his current training camp:
“For the first time during a training camp, I’ve really secluded myself from society. I’m living at my trainer Carlos Albuerne’s house. It’s like I’m in prison. I don’t see any of my close friends or family. It’s hard, but I know it’s a necessary sacrifice if I want to get to the top. I’m working on all aspects of my game, especially using my jab to set up my power shots. My body is healthy and I’m in the best shape I’ve been in years. All the hard work is paying off. I feel great going into this fight.”

On facing former world champion Jean Pascal:
“Pascal is a very experienced fighter who knows what it’s like to win a world title. He’s a former world champion who’s fought at the elite level. He’s a dangerous puncher with a lot of skill. I’m taking this fight seriously and I feel this will be a defining fight in my career. I’m happy to have this opportunity and may the best man win.”

On fighting in his hometown of Miami:
“Fighting in my hometown is always a great experience. This is my big coming out party and I’m pleased that all my family and friends will be there to watch me fight. I’m hoping to be the first big star boxer to come out of the ‘305.’ Miami has many boxing fans and the time is now to put Miami boxers on the map.”

On what a win will do for his career:
“A victory against Pascal will catapult my career to heights I’ve never seen. A win will lead to a higher ranking and one step closer to a world title shot. Everything is riding on this fight. Victory is a must!

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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.