Followed by

4 x 3 mins Light-Heavyweight contest
CRAIG RICHARDS v NORBERT SZEKERES
(Crystal Palace) (Hungary)

Followed by

6 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
JOE FITZPATRICK v MWENYA CHISANGA
(Belfast) (Chichester)

Followed by (FACEBOOK LIVE)

6 x 3 mins Cruiserweight contest
TOMMY McCARTHY v PETER HEGYES
(Belfast) (Hungary)

Followed by (FACEBOOK LIVE)

10 x 3 mins Super-Lightweight contest
TYRONE McKENNA (10st 3lbs) v RENALD GARRIDO (10st 3lbs 8oz)
(Belfast) (France)

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS – 19:30 – 23:30

6 x 3 mins Super-Welterweight contest
ANTHONY FOWLER (11st 2lbs) v LASZLO FAZEKAS (11st 4lbs)
(Liverpool) (Hungary)

Followed by

8 x 3 mins Welterweight contest
JOSH KELLY (10st 13lbs) v JOSE LUIS ZUNIGA (10st 13lbs)
(Sunderland) (Mexico)

Followed by

10 x 3 mins WBA International Super-Featherweight Championship
JAMES TENNYSON (9st 3lbs 3oz) v DARREN TRAYNOR (9st 3lbs)
(Belfast) (Aberdeen)

Followed by

12 x 3 mins IBF East/West Europe Lightweight Championship
PAUL HYLAND Jr (9st 8lbs 8oz) v STEPHEN ORMOND (9st 8lbs 4oz)
(Belfast) (Dublin)

Followed by

12 x 3 mins IBF & WBA Super World Bantamweight Championship
RYAN BURNETT (8st 5lbs 6oz) v ZHANAT ZHAKIYANOV (8st 5lbs 4oz)
(Belfast) (Kazakhstan)

LIVE TV FLOAT

6 x 3 mins Super-Featherweight Championship
FEARGAL McCRORY v CALLUM BUSITTIL
(Coalisland) (Caerphilly)

FLOAT

4 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
DAVID JOYCE v ANDY HARRIS
(Mullingar) (Gloucester)

Rob Brant (22-0, 15 KOs) is confident he will beat Juergen Braehmer (48-3, 35 KOs) in their Ali Trophy quarter-final clash on October 27 in Schwerin, Germany. In fact Brant is confident he will win the whole tournament.

27-year-old Brant was born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota, but is now living and fighting out of Dallas, Texas. In this interview he take us back to where it all started and reveals his ambition to win the super middleweight division of the World Boxing Super Series.

“I found boxing when I was fifteen, and I started going to the gym every once in a while. I thought my father would be upset because my father played football, my brother played football and basketball so I went a bit off the beaten path when I discovered boxing. But my father was completely cool with it. He wanted me to stay focused at something other than sitting at the house. From that point I started focusing on boxing.

I got my competitive edge from my brother who is 18 months older than me. He beat me in everything growing up. I wanted to play basketball and he was really good at that so it always got to a point where I got mad and kicked the ball and went back to the house. In football he was a quarterback, I was a running back. He had pinpoint accuracy; I couldn’t catch to save my life.

I had hands of stone. It sounds good in boxing to have hands of stone, but in football it means you can’t catch anything. I was really good in own mind when it came to football, but the running joke was that my position was ‘ass back’. I would say to the coach: “Put me in the game!” And he would say: “Get your ass back!”

My father is very proud of where I am today. He is proud that I found something that I decided, that I would stick to, run with and now maybe become one of the best in the world at what I do. I get a lot of happiness out of knowing that he is so proud.

I am a very simple person. I feel that I have much more that I could ask for in life. My dream is to accomplish the things I want to accomplish. I want to be the best in the world and make the maximum amount of money, but I box because I love to box.

I hope the best for everyone in boxing, for everyone fighting to win the Muhammad Ali Trophy in the World Boxing Super Series, because I know they are going through the same things as me, the same struggles as me. I wish them the top amount of success, just not when they are facing me. I want succes for myself more than anything and that is just the competitive nature in me.

Juergen Braehmer is a veteran. He is a very good fighter. He has been in the game for so long. I am not going to be able to do anything in there that he has not seen before. This guy will not take 15-20 nervous pisses before going to the fight. He has done everything before and that has to be respected, but let us see if I can put some doubt in him. I want to beat him in every round. I want to treat every round as a fight in itself. I just have to be better and more than prepared than Braehmer.

I feel I am an underdog to win this tournament, but for every fight my odds will get better. After I beat Braehmer – and I am very confident I will beat Braehmer – I will move on to the next level. I am confident that I will win the entire tournament.

I always told myself when I started boxing: “At 27 I want to fight for a title, but I want to take my time and learn to be a pro.” I was a phenomenal point system fighter, and I have a decent amount of professional experience that will carry me in to these big fights with these gentlemen. I don’t care who they fought. They never fought me.”

Tickets for Braehmer vs. Brant are available at the Sport-und-Kongresshalle in Schwerin are available at www.eventim.de.

www.WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com
Photos are free to use, but please credit WBSS.
For higher res images, please email Matt Rich: MJR@WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES FIXTURES

21/10/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Finals:
Murat Gassiev vs. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (IBF World)
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA

27/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Finals:
Juergen Braehmer vs. Rob Brant
Kongresshalle, Schwerin, Germany

WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES AT A GLANCE
Number of participants: 16
Number of belts: 7
Number of world champions: 6
Number of former world champions: 3
Number of undefeated fighters: 9
Combined Record of participants: 423 wins, 17 losses, 294 KOs

ABOUT THE WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES:
Organised by Comosa AG, the World Boxing Super Series will kick off in September 2017, featuring the Cruiserweight and Super Middleweight divisions. In each weight class, eight elite boxers will battle it out in a bracket-style elimination tournament, with four quarter-finals (fall 2017), two semi-finals (early 2018) and one final (May 2018). This makes for seven top fights per weight class, and a total of 14 fights in Season One to be staged in premier venues around the globe. The winners of the World Boxing Super Series will rightfully receive The Greatest Prize in Boxing, the Muhammad Ali Trophy. Please visit our website WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com for more information or follow @WBSuperSeries on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram

Fight # 1 – 16:30 HRS
4 X 3 Minute Rounds International Super-Featherweight Contest
JACK DANIEL 9st 1lb 9oz V ROLAND PETROVICS 9st 1lb 11oz

Fight # 2
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Featherweight Contest
REECE MOULD 9st 3lbs 3oz V COLIN O’DONOVAN 9st

Fight # 3
8 X 3 Minute Rounds Welterweight Contest
DARREN TETLEY 10st 8lb V TERRY NEEDHAM 10st 8lbs 15oz

Fight # 4
4 X 3 Minute Rounds International Bantamweight Contest
JACK BATESON 8st 11lbs 14oz V KAMIL JAWOREK 8st 9lbs 11oz

Fight # 5
8 X 3 Minute Rounds Cruiserweight Contest
JACK MASSEY 14st 3lbs V BLAISE MENDOUO 14st 3lbs

Fight # 6
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Middleweight Contest
TOMMY LANGFORD 11st 8lbs 11oz V MIGUEL AGUILAR 11st 3lbs 7oz

LIVE ON BOXNATION 19.30

Fight # 7
OFFICIAL ELIMINATOR FOR BRITISH SUPER-WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
10 X 3 Minute Rounds
J.J METCALF 11st V DAMON JONES 11st

LIVE ON BT SPORT 20.30

Fight # 8
THE VACANT ENGLISH SUPER-FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
10 X 3 Minute Rounds @ 130 lbs
ZELFA BARRETT 9st 2lbs 8oz V CHRIS CONWELL 9st 3lbs 4oz

Fight # 9
THE VACANT WBO EUROPEAN SUPER-FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
10 X 3 Minute Rounds
LYON WOODSTOCK 9st 3lbs 14oz V CRAIG POXTON 9st 3lbs 4oz

Fight # 10
THE BRITISH SUPER-LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
TYRONE NURSE 9st 13lbs 8oz V JACK CATTERALL 9st 12lbs 10oz

Fight # 11
FINAL ELIMINATOR FOR IBF WORLD FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
JOSH WARRINGTON 8st 13lbs 2oz V DENNIS CEYLAN 8st 13lbs

LIVE TV FLOATER
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Super-Lightweight Contest
SAM MAXWELL 10st 1lb 7oz V GYULA TALLOSI 10st 1lb 4oz

Limited remaining tickets are available from:

First Direct Arena
www.firstdirectarena.com
0844 2481585

Philadelphia, PA (October 20, 2017) – Exciting Tyrone Brunson will headline a stacked night of boxing when he takes on Manny Woods in the ten-round junior middleweight main event on Friday, December 1 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

The show is promoted by King’s Promotions.

Brunson of Philadelphia has a record of 25-6-2 with 22 knockouts.

The 32 year-old began his career in 2005 with 19 consecutive 1st round knockouts.

Brunson has wins over Jasmes Morrow (8-1-2), Brandon Quarles (18-3-2) and his last bout when he came off the deck twice to score a stunning 5th round stoppage over former two-time world champion Kermit Cintron (39-5-3) in 5 rounds at the 2300 Arena on June 24th.

The fight is a Fight of the Year candidate.

Woods of Saint Petersburg, Florida has a record of 16-6-1 with six knockouts.

The 30 year-old Woods is an eight-year professional, who has a win over contender Wilky Campfort (1-0), Sheldon Moore (3-0) & Elias Espadas (9-2).

In his last bout, Woods stopped Danny Pastrana in two rounds in a bout that took place on July 28th in Kissimmee, Florida.

In the exciting co-feature, hard punching super middleweight’s Brandon Robinson and Christopher Brooker will square off in a bout for the UBF Jr. Regional title that is scheduled for eight-rounds.

Robinson of Upper Draby, Pa. has a record of 7-1 with knockouts.

Robinson after dropping his pro debut to former National Golden Gloves champion Mike Hilton, Robinson has won seven in a row and most have come via explosive knockout, which includes a devastating 1st round stoppage over previously undefeated Brandon Clark. In his last bout, Robinson took out George Sheppard in four rounds on September 29th at the 2300 Arena.

Brooker of Philadelphia has a record of 12-4 with five knockouts.

The 26 year Brooker turned professional in 2015, and has very impressive victories over Leo Hall (8-0), John Magda (11-0), Antowyan Aikens (10-1-1), Gabriel Pham (6-0), former world title challenger Elvin Ayala (28-7-1). Brooker is looking to get back in the win column as he is coming off a stoppage defeat at the hands of undefeated Ahmed Elbiali on July 18th.

A stacked undercard is being lined up with some of the best fighters in the area in action.

In eight-round bouts:

Omar Douglas (17-2, 12 KOs) of Wilmington, Delaware will take on an opponent to be named in a lightweight bout.

Kyrone Davis ((12-1, 5 KOs) of Wilmington, Delaware will take on an opponent to be named in a middleweight bout.

Joe Hanks (21-2, 14 KOs) of Newark, NJ will take on Ronald Baca (9-3-2, 3 KOs) of Gallup, Mexico in a heavyweight bout.

In six-round bouts:

Marcus Bates (7-0-1, 6 KOs) of Washington, DC will take on an opponent to be named in a bantamweight bout.

In four-round bouts:

Romuel Cruz of Philadelphia will make his pro debut in a bantamweight bout against an opponent to be named.

Rasheed Johnson (2-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will fight Kashon Hutchinson (3-3-1, 2 KOs) of Reading, PA in a welterweight fight.

Shamsuddeen Jutsice (1-0) of Philadelphia will fight Latorie Woodberry (1-5-1) of Roanoke, VA in a junior welterweight bout.

Christopher Burgos of Philadelphia will make his pro debut against Gerardo Tiburcio (1-0, 1 KO) of Coatesville, PA in a lightweight bout.

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

Springfield, Virginia – October 20, 2017 – Victory Boxing Promotions, along with Now Boxing Promotions, saw two of its top prospects in action last weekend, with Jaron “Boots” Ennis (16-0, 14KO) and Adam Daranyi (13-0, 12KO) finishing their respective opponents inside of a round each in Virginia.

On paper, Ennis was facing his toughest opponent to date in Ayi Bruce (23-14, 15KO) in a six-round bout at welterweight. It took the twenty year old just a minute and 37 seconds to break down the overmatched Bruce, before the referee, William Johnson, called a halt to the bout. Ennis capped off the weekend at Philadelphia’s prestigious Briscoe Awards, where the prospect took home “Rookie of the Year” honors for 2016. It was his third Briscoe Award. Ennis is among the busiest prospects in boxing, having fought eight times already in 2017. He returns to the ring in November.

Adam Daranyi used his talent, size and ring generalship to outclass Fabian Lyimo (23-8-2, 15KO). The super welterweight’s range and footwork were on display over 1 minute, 32 seconds, as he attacked Lyimo patiently from all angles. The referee, Mark D’Attilio, ended the contest after a swift and hard knockdown. The Canadian also expects to see action in November.

Victory Boxing and Now Boxing Promotions are expected to keep Ennis and Daranyi busy through the end of 2017, with 2018 seeing both fighters on television and facing tougher and tougher competition.

For more information on Victory Boxing Promotions, visit www.victoryboxingpromotions.com. For more information on Now Boxing Promotions, visit www.nowboxingpromotions.com.

Main Event
Karim Mayfield 147 vs. Miguel Dumas 147

8-round Middleweight Co-Main Event
Raquel Miller 157 vs. Lisa Noel Williams 154

8-Round Super-Featherweight Bout
Xavier Martinez 131 vs. Raymond Chacon 125

6-Round Middleweight Bout
Ricardo Pinell 165 vs. Carlos Ruiz 169

4-Round Super-Lightweight Bout
Willie Shaw 137 vs. Lennard Davis 137

INFO: Professional boxing returns to the city of San Francisco, CA, on October
21, 2017, as hometown hero Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield (19-4-1, 11
KOs), takes on undefeated prospect Miguel Dumas (10-0, 7 KOs). The
main-event bout will take place at the beautiful historic San Francisco
Armory. On the line with be the WBU Welterweight Americas Belt.

Tickets priced $40 (standing room only), $50 (floor seats tier 3), $60
(floor seat tier 2), $80 floor tier 1, $125 (front seats), and ringside $250,
are on sale now at EVENTBRITE.COM.

Doors open up at 5:30 p.m. First bout at 6:00 p.m. The San Francisco
Armory is located at 1800 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103. Located
conveniently at the corner of Mission Street and 14th Street, the SF Armory
is served by Muni routes, major bus lines and is easily accessible by BART
that serves the East Bay and the airport. Parking can be arranged using
local lots or valet

# # #

LONDON (21 October) – BoxNation will air the end of an era fight when four-division and six-time world champion Miguel Cotto enters the ring for the final time to defend his WBO light-middleweight world title in a 12-round battle against Sadam “World Kid” Ali exclusively live on December 2nd.

Taking place at the iconic Madison Square Garden, Cotto will fittingly bring down the curtain on an illustrious career at the world famous arena which has become a second home for him having fought there on numerous occasions.

The legendary Cotto, a future Hall-of-Famer, has held world titles in the light-welterweight, welterweight, light-middleweight and middleweight divisions.

The native of Caguas, Puerto Rico has faced a who’s who of elite world champions including Demarcus Corley, Paulie Malignaggi, Zab Judah, Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Ricardo Mayorga, Sergio Martinez and Canelo Alvarez.

He will now be looking to go out in style live on BoxNation when he faces the skilled 29-year-old Ali, who is hoping to crash the party and make it a nightmare farewell for the veteran superstar.

In his last outing, Cotto defeated the tough and determined Yoshihiro “Maestrito” Kamegai to win the WBO light-middleweight world title, which he will look to defend successfully in front of a packed crowd of his loyal New York supporters before sailing into the sunset.

“I’m very excited to be back in the ring for my final fight at The Garden. I’ve worked really hard my entire career to be at this level,” Cotto said. “I am fully concentrated on getting together with Freddie Roach so we can work hard and have a great victory on December 2.”

Ali, a 2008 U.S. Olympian fighting out of Brooklyn who has held multiple regional titles, will get his second shot at a world title after earning wins over top welterweight contenders including Francisco Santana, Luis Carlos Abregu and most recently Johan Perez.

“I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to fight a legend in Madison Square Garden in front of all my fans,” said Ali. “My time is now. God willing, I will leave the Garden with the championship belt.”

Jim McMunn, BoxNation Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to be able to showcase the final fight of a true legend in Miguel Cotto exclusively live on BoxNation. He has thrilled boxing fans for so long and been involved in some of the most memorable fights in recent years. In true Miguel Cotto style he is not taking a back step and will really be tested against Sadam Ali who is a very talented fighter in his own right. It’s a matchup with many possible outcomes and BoxNation subscribers will be able to tune in on December 2nd to witness the final chapter of the Miguel Cotto story.”

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

– ENDS –
About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.
Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Canelo vs Golovkin.
The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.
Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.
BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.
For more information visit www.boxnation.com
*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers

LAS VEGAS, NV (October 19, 2017) – Undefeated super-lightweight prospect, 18-year old sensation, Devin “The Dream” Haney (17-0, 11 KOs), will make his return to the ring on Saturday, November 4, 2017 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta. Haney, who resides in Las Vegas, NV, will square off against Hamza Sempewo (14-8, 7 KOs) of Kampala, Uganda. Haney vs. Sempewo, an 8-round bout in the super-lightweight division, will serve as the co-main event to heavyweight’s, Devin “The General” Vargas (19-4, 7 KOs) of Toledo, Ohio, vs. Galen “Bad Boy” Brown (44-38-1, 25 KOs) of St. Joseph’s, Missouri.

The card titled, “Remembering Our Fallen Officers Charity Boxing Gala” is being promoted by Fight Tyme Promotions, the Atlanta Boxing Association, in conjunction with Devin Haney Promotions. A live Pay-Per-Stream broadcast will be available exclusively on Fight Tyme Live for $5.99

Tickets for “Remembering Our Fallen Officers Charity Boxing Gala” are priced at GENERAL ADMISSION $500.00, CORPORATE & V.I.P. TABLES of 10 Seats including Dinner $5,000.00, and are available at www.FightTyme.com/Atlanta.

Haney, who captured the WBC Youth World lightweight title at just 18-years old, the youngest to ever do so, is excited about fighting in Atlanta, Georgia, for the first time in his career.

“This will be my first time fighting in Atlanta and I’m excited to bring an exciting fight to all those who’ll be in attendance,” said Devin Haney. “Everyone who’s seen me fight, knows I like to put on a great show. One thing I know for sure…there’s going to be fireworks coming from my fists on fight night, that you can guarantee.”

William Haney who is the father, trainer, and manager of Devin Haney, explains why this fight means so much.

“Devin hasn’t gotten the chance yet to fight in the Atlanta area as a professional,” said William Haney. “Our goal is to fight in every major media market in America and Atlanta, Georgia is a great place to expand the Devin Haney brand. Devin is getting better with each fight and November 4th, everyone watching will see why he is the future of boxing.”

The official weigh in will take place Friday, November 3, 2017 (5PM EST – 7PM EST) at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel located at 265 Peachtree Center Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA, 30303-7402.

More fights, opponents and rounds will be announced shortly. On fight night, doors open at 5PM EST (Casino & Cocktails); 7PM EST (Dinner); and #FightTyme begins at 8:30PM EST (Broadcast Starts at 7PM featuring opening words by world renown motivational speaker Les Brown). The entire card will be available to watch live by subscribing to #FightTyme on your Android, Apple, Apple TV, FireStick, Computer, MoovieTyme.com or Roku Devices.

# # #

For more information on the “#FTAtlantaOfficers” or Fight Tyme Promotions, Inc., visit www.FightTyme.com. Facebook and Twitter: @FightTyme

ORANGE, Calif. (Oct. 19, 2017) – Isaac Zarate (13-3-2, 2 KOs), fresh off his unanimous decision win over recent world title challenger Carlos Carlson, headlines “Path to Glory” this Friday, Oct. 20 against veteran Christian Esquivel (29-12, 22 KOs).

At Thursday’s weigh in, Zarate weighed in at 123 lbs., while Esquivel measured 122.5 lbs.

WEIGHTS

Isaac Zarate, 123 lbs. vs. Christian Esquivel, 122.5 lbs. (8-rounds)
Mohammed Rodriguez, 138.5 lbs. vs. Cesar Villarraga, 137.2 lbs. (8-rounds)
Saul Sanchez, 117.6 lbs. vs. Nestor Ramos, 118 lbs. (4-rounds)
Daniel Guzman, 118.5 lbs. vs. Jose Mora, 121.5 lbs. (4-rounds)
Brandon Trejo, 131.7 lbs. vs. Carlos Apodaca, 132.8 lbs. (4-rounds)

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

Remaining tickets for “Path to Glory” are priced at $40 & $100 and are available for purchase on the day of the event (Friday) from the will call booth at the Doubletree Ontario starting at 5:30 p.m. local time.

All five fights are streamed live on TB Presents: Path to Glory via our Facebook page and ThompsonBoxing.com.

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

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

“Path to Glory” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Lucas Oil, in association with Everlast.

Photos by: Carlos Baeza / Thompson Boxing Promotions

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

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

MACON, GA (October 19, 2017) – Boxing returns to Macon, Georgia this Saturday, October 21st at the Shrine Temple as the Montgomery Brothers, Maliek, Mikhail, and Michael Jr, all guided by Witness Sports Management’s Greg Hannely and Jared Shaw, look to prove why they’re the future of boxing atop a stacked card in the heart of the south.

All three brothers who were born and raised in Macon, GA, are featured in four-round bouts as Maliek Montgomery (1-0, 1KO) will face veteran Calvin Smith (2-11), Mikhail Montgomery (1-0 1KO), who will be making his pro debut, will face Tony Jones, as Michael Montgomery Jr. will face Edwin Aceves (Pro debut). As amateur boxers, the three brothers had an outstanding combined record of 419-44. All three brothers are trained by their father, Michael Montgomery Sr.

“It is an honor to fight in Macon, Georgia, as we didn’t have many boxing cards growing up out here, and it is a great feeling to help bring a professional boxing match to my hometown,” said Maliek Montgomery. “This is a rare opportunity for my brothers and I show our hometown fans what we got, now that we are professional boxers.”

“I am proud to fight in Georgia and it is Macon, that makes it even better,” Michael Montgomery Jr.
stated. “I am excited about this fight and wish it was fight night already. All I can tell you is get ready for a great performance as I’m looking to bring some heat when I step in the ring.”

“It is a great feeling to make my professional debut in my hometown and alongside my brothers and father,” Mikhail Montgomery said. “We’ve all worked very hard for moments like this. With this being my pro debut, I’m looking to shine. This is going to be a fight you don’t want to miss.”

“My boys are ready to show our hometown fans that they are elite fighters,” said Michael Montgomery Sr. “No fighter out of Macon, Georgia has ever won a world title and my boys have a great chance to become the first to do so. I’m expecting a lot of family and friends to be in attendance. My sons are super excited to be fighting in Macon and everyone watching will know they are some rough boys, with some serious boxing skills.”

“The Montgomery brothers are special.” said Greg Hannely. “They have a fan friendly style that I know will resonate with their hometown fans. In boxing, you want to see fighters that like to engage, and the Montgomery brothers are a perfect example of what action fighters should look like. These boys can bang.”

“The time has come where all three brothers will be fighting on the same card,” said co-manager Jared Shaw. “The fact that this card is taking place in Macon, Georgia, is truly amazing. As managers, you always want to build a solid fanbase in the city where the fighter is from. In this case, we got three bonified fighters, fighting in their hometown. Real fighters, fight, and Macon is going to be proud to call the Montgomery’s their own.”

Tickets are $25 for general admission and $45 for seating. For tickets please contact (478)319-1502.

The event is promoted E Butts Jr Promotions, more information about the promotion can be found here (https://www.facebook.com/ebuttsjrpromotions/). First bell is at 7:30 PM.

NEW YORK (October 19, 2017) – IBF Champion Murat Gassiev and former champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before they enter the ring this Saturday, October 21 in World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight quarter-final action from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. live on AUDIENCE Network.

Promoted by Ringstar Sports in association with World Boxing Super Series, tickets for the live event are on sale now and are available at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available to purchase at the Prudential Center box office.

Also facing off Thursday and competing in featured bouts on October 21 were Polish contender Mateusz Masternak and once-beaten Stivens Bujaj, who meet in a WBSS cruiserweight reserve match and unbeaten Polish contender Maciej Sulecki and former title challenger Jack Culcay, who square-off in super welterweight action.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from BB King’s Blues Club & Grill:

MURAT GASSIEV

“I have a great opponent who is a very tough two-time champion. He is experienced and this will give me a great challenge on Saturday.

“I worked hard with Abel Sanchez all camp to put on a great performance on Saturday night. To be a champion and defend my belt is something I always dreamed of. I want to stay in this position for a long time.

“When we faced-off I looked inside his eyes and saw that he is very serious. He’s ready for a big fight and I will make sure this is a great fight on Saturday.

“This is someone who earned his chance to fight me. I will always challenge the best in the division no matter who they are.

“I don’t like to think ahead to a potential matchup with Yunier Dorticos. It would be a great fight but my focus is fully on Wlodarczyk.

“I feel great physically. This is an exciting tournament with four world champions. This is a great opportunity for all the fighters.

“I’m so thankful to be a part of this tournament. This is the best way to unify titles and show everyone that I am the best cruiserweight in the world.”

KRZYSZTOF WLODARCZYK

“I have a great challenge in front of me on Saturday night. This is a young, tough opponent who earned his belt. I am going to have to be at my best and I feel I will be.

“What I can say is, we are going to find out who is better in the ring on Saturday. We’ll see who has what it takes to make the next round of this tournament.

“I have to be the smarter fighter in the ring. I think I can take advantage of my experience by staying smart and making the better adjustments.

“My training has been very good and I feel completely ready for Saturday night. I’m going to be ready for anything Gassiev throws at me. We will find out who the better man is.

“I hope everyone on this card gets through healthy and may the better man win. This is what boxing is all about.

“I’m very thankful for the chance to fight in this tournament and for a belt and I look forward to making the most of it.”

MATEUSZ MASTERNAK

“It’s very important for me to be fighting here in the U.S. and I’m excited for this chance. I’m in great shape after training in Poland and London and I feel strong heading into the fight.

“My opponent is someone that I am familiar with from sparring and I have to take him seriously. In the end, I will be too much for him.

“I feel very strong and ready to put on a great performance for the Polish fans on Saturday night. This will be a great fight for the fans.”

STIVENS BUJAJ

“I’m really motivated heading into this fight. I’m feeling as healthy as I have in years. I’ve had a really strong training camp and stayed focus on what I have to do Saturday.

“I already dominated Masternak in sparring years ago and I’m ready to do the same when we fight. I’m going to be prepared to adjust and show-off my skills.

“I love fighting here near my home. It’s a seamless transition into fight week with all the work we’ve done leading up to it.

“This is going to be a great fight. I’m definitely trying to steal the show and just do whatever it takes to grab the victory.”

MACIEJ SULECKI

“I’m very happy to be fighting here in the U.S. for this fight. Last time I fought here was 15 months ago and I had a great victory. I love this opportunity.

“I think the move to super welterweight will be great for my career. I feel at my very best fighting at this weight and I’ll get even more comfortable at the weight as I continue.

“Training camp is always very difficult but it was a good grind. I’m very focused and not thinking about anything other than beating Culcay. If I can defeat Culcay, there are a ton

“I am in great shape. I am strong, fast and ready for this. This will be a great fight and I can’t wait to get in the ring.”

JACK CULCAY

“This is a great matchup and I anticipate that the fans are going to really enjoy our styles. I’m going to bring it to him. This fight could steal the show on Saturday.

“I know that Sulecki is a good undefeated fighter, but I’ve prepared for everything he can bring to the ring. The winner of this I feel will definitely be in line for a title shot.

“I am very confident after fighting Demetrius Andrade. I’ve always known I could compete with the best and that fight proved it. Now I just need to make the adjustments to look even better this time.

“I fight for Germany and Ecuador and I can’t wait to get in the ring and fight with pride until the final bell.

“This was the best training camp that I ever had. I’m just hitting my prime now and I will show off all of my skills.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports

“This is going to be a special treat for boxing fans this Saturday with the cruiserweight quarter-final at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. between IBF Champion Murat Gassiev and former two-time champions Krzysztof Wlodarczyk.

“These truly are two of the best cruiserweights in the world. The best are fighting the best on Saturday night.

“This card is great overall and features a lot of rising talent and three of the best Polish fighters today, on the same card. Sulecki, Masternak and Wlodarczyk will give the Polish fans a great show.

“This cruiserweight tournament features all four world champions. So far three world champions have all come through and advanced to the semi-finals. Will it be more of the same when ‘Iron’ battles ‘El Diablo’? We shall see on Saturday night.

“Gassiev is making a name for himself as one of the best fighters in the sport period, while Wlodaczyk is one of the best fighters from Poland in their history. It will be youth vs. experience, which one will win? I can’t wait to find out.”

# # #

For more information visit worldboxingsuperseries.com or www.ringstar.com

Follow on Twitter @WBsuperSeries, @Ringstar and become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/WBSuperSeries and facebook.com/RingstarSports. Tonight’s fight was promoted by Ringstar Sports in association with World Boxing Super Series.

WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES FIXTURES

21/10/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Murat Gassiev vs. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (IBF World)
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA

27/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
Juergen Braehmer vs. Rob Brant
Kongresshalle in Schwerin, Germany

WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES AT A GLANCE
Number of participants: 16
Number of belts: 7
Number of world champions: 6
Number of former world champions: 3
Number of undefeated fighters: 9
Combined Record of participants: 423 wins, 17 losses, 294 KOs

ABOUT THE WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES
Organized by Comosa AG, the World Boxing Super Series will kick off in September 2017, featuring the Cruiserweight and Super Middleweight divisions. In each weight class, eight elite boxers will battle it out in a bracket-style elimination tournament, with four quarter-finals (fall 2017), two semi-finals (early 2018) and one final (May 2018). This makes for seven top fights per weight class, and a total of 14 fights in Season One to be staged in premier venues around the globe. The winners of the World Boxing Super Series will rightfully receive The Greatest Prize in Boxing, the Muhammad Ali Trophy. Please visit our website WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com for more information or follow @WBSuperSeries on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

About Prudential Center
Prudential Center is a world-class sports and entertainment venue located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Opened in October 2007, the state-of-the-art arena is the home of theNational Hockey League’s (NHL) three-time Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball program, and more than 175 concerts, family shows and special events each year. Ranked in the Top 10 nationally by Pollstar, Billboard and Venues Today, Prudential Center is recognized as one of the premier venues in the United States, and welcomes 1.75 million guests annually. For more information about Prudential Center, visit PruCenter.com and follow the arena on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @PruCenter.

PHILADELPHIA, PENN./ORANGE, Calif. (Oct. 19, 2017) – Heralded prospects, featherweight Ruben Villa (8-0, 4KOs) and junior lightweight Michael Dutchover (6-0, 4 KOs) will return to action this Saturday night on the non-televised portion of an HBO Boxing After Dark® card at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Villa of Salinas, California will take on 103 fight veteran German Meraz in a featherweight bout, while Dutchover of Santa Fe Springs, California via Midland, Texas will fight Anthony De Jesus Ruiz in a junior lightweight contest.

Villa and Dutchover are co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

Both are training in Santa Fe Springs, California and are ready for their 2nd appearances on the East Coast.

Each fighter chimed in with thoughts on their respective battles.

“Everything has gone good in training camp. I just fought four weeks ago, but I stay ready and that is the case now. I am ready for Saturday night,” said Villa.

Meraz is by far the most veteran opponent that Villa has faced. He has been in the ring with 25 undefeated opponents and 9 world champions.

“I just need to be patient against him. He has over 100 fights and knows his way around the ring. If a knockout presents itself then I have to take it, but I want to display my skills.”

Being on a big card has the 20 year-old Villa excited, and he is looking to endear himself to the New York fight crowd.

“I am excited to be fighting on a bigger show. It motivates me to do better and get on the broadcast someday soon. It is very exciting to be on these types of events.”

This will be the ninth bout for Villa in just fifteen months he is very happy about the progress of his career.

“When I signed the plan was to be active, and that has been the case. I would like to get one more fight in this year. But I first I am very excited to put on a great performance on Saturday night.”

Dutchover has moved his camp from Texas to California, and the results have been very good as he heads into his bout on Saturday.

Photo by Carlos Baeza/Thompson Boxing

“Everything is going great. I just fought last month, and I felt good. I am ready to go back to the east coast, and put on a great show.”

Like Villa, Dutchover was very impressive in his east coast debut on April 14th, and he is looking to cement himself as one of the top prospects in the junior lightweight division.

“This is nothing new. I have fought on big shows before in the amateurs. The ring is my home. As long as I am in the ring, I will do my thing and put on an impressive performance.”

Even though Dutchover has very little to go on when it comes to scouting Ruiz, Dutchover is already a young veteran and is leaving no stone unturned.

“I do not know much about him, but I am prepared for anything he will bring, and then I will adjust. I have had many different sparring partners with diverse styles, so that gets me ready for any opponent.”

“I planned for this, and I train hard. I am always ready when I get the call for a fight. I am glad that I have been busy, and I have been improving with each fight, and next year should be a good year in my career. I have a mentality that if I train hard, the fight is easy. When I get in the ring, I just like to have fun.”

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check Banner Promotions Facebook Page , and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing.

TORONTO – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents an action-packed event from Gdansk, Poland this Saturday, Oct. 21 at 3:00 p.m. ET, as the main card for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Cerrone vs. Till emanates from Ergo Arena, headlined by a pivotal welterweight showdown pitting No. 6-ranked contender Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (32-9, 1NC) against highly touted undefeated British prospect Darren Till (15-0-1).

In addition to the main event clash between Cerrone and Till, Saturday’s live UFC FIGHT NIGHT® main card will feature a women’s strawweight tilt between No. 3-ranked former title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz (10-2), a native of Poland, and American Jodie Esquibel (6-2), a light heavyweight bout between Poland’s Jan Blachowicz (19-7) and South Dakota native Devin Clark (8-1), and a middleweight matchup between undefeated Polish up-and-comer Oskar Piechota (9-0) and California’s Jonathan Wilson (7-2).

The main card for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Cerrone vs. Till will repeat in its entirety in primetime on Saturday night, Oct. 21, at 9:00 p.m. ET, and Sunday night, Oct. 22, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit www.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

NEW YORK CITY (Oct. 19, 2017) Two of the most experienced fighters in the stacked 130-pound division will continue the heated Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry when Jason “El Canito” Sosa (20-2-4, 14 KOs) takes on Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (24-13, 14 KOs) in a 10-round super featherweight fight at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on the televised undercard for Kovalev vs. Shabrankskyy. The event takes place Saturday, Nov. 25 and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Although the competition between Puerto Rico and Mexico runs deep in the ring, Latinos and Hispanics come together and support each other in times of need. In light of the natural disasters affecting Mexico and the Caribbean, a portion of the proceeds of the ticket sales form this event will be donated to relief efforts for Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the earthquake in Mexico City when ticket buyers use the code LATINOSUNIDOS to purchase their tickets through Ticketmaster.

“With the terrible natural disasters that have impacted Puerto Rico and Mexico recently, it was incredibly important to us that we find opportunities in boxing to give back to those affected,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Though Puerto Rico and Mexico are rivals when it comes to boxing we stand together united to help these communities recover and rebuild their lives.”

The 29-year-old Sosa, of Camden, NJ and of Puerto Rican descent, is the former WBA World Super Featherweight Champion. He earned his title by handing Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna his first loss as a pro with an 11th-round knockout in Beijing, China in June 2016. Sosa successfully defended his title with a 12-round decision win over Stephen Smith in Monte Carlo in November 2016 before returning several months later in a tough fight against Vasyl “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko in April 2017. Sosa is also known for fighting to an impressive majority draw against former WBA Super World Featherweight Champion Nicholas “Axe Man” Walters and for stopping former world title challenger Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes in only one round. Sosa’s aggressive style should produce fireworks against Castellanos.

“Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico,” said Sosa. “I have been living there for the last few months and I opened a business there. Now to see the destruction and devastation that my people are going through, it breaks my heart. It was very difficult for me to leave and begin my training camp back in New Jersey to get ready for the fight against Castellanos. This fight is important for many reasons. It is the beginning of the road to becoming champion again and it is my way of giving Puerto Rico a reason to smile and be proud. They are my biggest supporters and that little island shows me so much love. I can’t do much but I can show them that this win is for them. I want to thank Castellanos and HBO for this opportunity.”

Castellanos is a battle-tested warrior who is coming off a spectacular performance against current WBA Super World Super Featherweight Champion Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales in July of this year. The 35-year-old native of Guanajuato, Mexico also handed super bantamweight contender and world title challenger Ronny Rios his first career loss, stopping him by TKO in October of 2014. Before challenging for a world title, Castellanos stopped Cuban former unified WBA and IBF Featherweight Champion Yuriorkis “El Ciclon de Guantánamo” Gamboa on the May 5 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN. After having been so close to winning a world title in his last outing, Castellanos will look to make sure that he gets another crack at the top of the division with a victory on Nov. 25.

“What has happened in Mexico and Puerto [Rico] has been devastating,” said Castellanos. But it has also reminded us that we are strong and united. The crisis won’t be resolved from one day to another, but however long it takes we will lift ourselves up. I know little about Jason [Sosa], but I know that he was a world champion. He has already accomplished a dream that I am still looking to accomplish. I know that I’ll need a victory to fight for a world title again. Both of us will have to leave everything in the ring, and I hope that the people in New York really enjoy our fight.”

Tickets are currently on sale and are available at ticketmaster.com and the Madison Square Garden Box Office. Use the code LATINOSUNIDOS when purchasing your tickets to donate a portion of the proceeds to hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico and the rebuilding efforts in Mexico following the earthquake in Mexico City. The donations will go to the Hispanic Federation’s Unidos fund and to Habitat for Humanity Mexico.

To make a direct donation for hurricane relief, please visit the Hispanic Federation’s website: https://hispanicfederation.org/unidos/. To make a direct donation for earthquake relief in Mexico, please visit the website of Habitat for Humanity and direct your donation to “2017 Mexico Earthquake Response”: https://www.habitat.org/donate/?link=878.

Kovalev vs. Shabranskyy is a 10-round light heavyweight fight promoted by Main Events and Krusher Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions. Sosa vs. Castellanos is a 10-round super featherweight fight promoted by Peltz Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions. The event will take place at the Theater 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.

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UNCASVILLE, Conn. (October 19, 2017, 2017) – His induction into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame (CBHOF) on Saturday night, October 28, as part of the six-member Class of 2017, will cap the boxing career of retiring judge Clark Sammartino at 13TH annual CBHOF Gala Induction Dinner in the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun.

The other new CBHOF inductees are pioneer boxer “Professor” Charles Hadley, ring physician Dr. Tony Alessi, referee/judge Dick Flaherty, boxing writer Dan Parker and boxer/boxing contributor Hugh Devlin, Sr.

A graduate of Brown University, the now 80-year-old Sammartino has enjoyed two other careers as an oral surgeon and investment advisor at Blue Fin in Providence, in addition to his role as an international boxing judge since 1985.

“I first got into boxing because Joey Angelo married my cousin,” Sammartino explained. “He fought back in the early forties. Joey fought Willie Pep twice and Sandy Saddler. That’s what got me started. We used to have the great Monday Night Fights at Rhode Island Auditorium and I remember watching Rocky Marciano fight “Tiger” Ted Lowry there.”

Because he was a successful oral surgeon, Clark could take long weekends to judge fights all over the world. His first and most memorable world title fight was Vinny Paz-Greg Haughn I. Through his long career, Sammartino judged more than 400 pro fights, including 50 major world title fights.

The list of boxers whose fights Sammartino judged reads like a Who’s Who of Boxing during the past 32 years: Mike Tyson, Oscar de la Hoya, Evander Holyfield, Julio Cesar Chavez, Johnny Tapia, Naseem Hamed, Chris Eubank, Marco Antonio Barrera, Mark Johnson, Wayne McCullough, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennady Golovkin, Anthony Joshua, Sergey Kovalev, Bernard Hopkins, Juan Manuel Lopez, Nonito Donaire, Acelino Freitas, Ivan Calderon, Felix Trinidad, Tommy Morrison and many more.

Sammartino, who proudly says he never missed a day of work in 40 years, has decided to retire, although he’ll remain a boxing fans for the rest of his life. “I started slowing down at my age, doing local shows and maybe three or four world title fights a year, mostly WBO and IBF,” Sammartino remarked. “I had a tough bout with pneumonia the past 5-6 months and that made working difficult.”

His CBHOF induction is a fitting ending and tremendous tribute to Sammartino and his career in boxing. “I’m humbled to be inducted into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame,” he said. “This is a great way to end my career.”

Limited tickets for the CBHOF 13th annual Gala Induction Dinner, reasonably priced at $90.00, are still available to purchase by calling Kim Baker at Mohegan Sun (1.860.862.7377) or Sherman Cain at the Manchester Journal Inquirer (1.800.237.3606 X321). Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET, cocktails from 6:00- p.m. ET (cash bar), followed by a full sit-down dinner.

Go online to www.ctboxinghof.org for additional information about the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame, its 13th annual Gala Inductee Dinner, event sponsorship opportunities, or past CBHOF inductees.
ABOUT CBHOF: The Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame was founded in 2004 to honor and celebrate the careers of outstanding individuals involved in the sport of boxing. Its inaugural Induction Ceremony & Dinner was held in 2005. Connecticut’s rich boxing history could never have flourished if it weren’t for the achievements of those enshrined in the Hall of Fame. The CBHOF’s new location is in the Sky Casino at Mohegan Sun.

As a non-profit organization, the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame is deeply committed to keeping the fighting spirit of Connecticut thriving through various charitable contributions.

Top Rank on ESPN debuted July 1 when Manny Pacquiao met Jeff Horn down under in Brisbane, Australia, resulting in the most-watched boxing telecast on cable television since 2006. Each of the four Top Rank on ESPN telecasts (7/1, 8/5, 8/19 and 9/22) have been world championship fights, and they have delivered top tier ratings, scored big with Hispanic fans and led to significant Out-of-Home viewing. Two more Top Rank on ESPN fights are on the horizon for 2017—November 11 and December 9. Both are widely regarded as the best fight cards remaining on the 2017 boxing calendar.

Fans Are Watching Top Rank on ESPN in Record Numbers
· Top Rank on ESPN telecasts have averaged 1.6 million viewers across ESPN and ESPN Deportes, including 1.9 million viewers during the main event fight windows
· Top Rank on ESPN telecasts have been the three most-watched boxing telecasts on cable in 2017
· Top Rank’s debut fight on ESPN–Pacquiao vs. Horn–was the most-watched boxing fight on cable since 2006 (2.8 million viewers) and the highest-rated fight on ESPN since 1995
· The five most-streamed boxing telecasts on ESPN networks ever were all Top Rank telecasts
· From July through September, daily unique visitors to ESPN’s boxing digital content is up 484% compared to the same period in 2016
·
Top Rank on ESPN is Also a Favorite with Hispanic and Multicultural Fans:
· All four fights (7/1, 8/5, 8/19, 9/22) were the top Hispanic telecast of the day on ESPN and three of the four were the highest-rated telecast for the network overall on that day
· To date, 59% of the Top Rank on ESPN audience on ESPN and ESPN2 has been multicultural (1.6 times more than the ESPN average)
· Additionally, 19% of the ESPN and ESPN2 audience has been Hispanic (2.5 times greater than the ESPN average)
· In the average minute, about 400,000 Hispanic viewers are tuning in to Top Rank on ESPN across ESPN and ESPN Deportes. ESPN has averaged 300,000 Hispanic viewers
·
Top Rank on ESPN is Lifting Out-of-Home (OOH) Viewing:
· OOH viewership has provided a significant +15% lift to the Top Rank on ESPN audience.
· By comparison, ESPN has averaged a total day OOH lift of +9%
· Top Rank’s OOH lifts are especially strong for P18-34 (+21% lift) and Hispanics (+18% lift)
·
2017’s Remaining Top Rank on ESPN Fights are the Best of the Remaining Calendar Year
Veteran’s Day, November 11, at 10:30 p.m. ET Live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and the ESPN App
The November 11 Top Rank on ESPN opening fight features two-time Russian Olympian Artur Beterbiev (11-0, 11 KOs) against Germany’s Enrico Koelling (23-1, 6 KOs) competing for the vacant IBF Light Heavyweight World title. This title became available with Andre Ward’s recent retirement.
In the co-feature, Jose Ramirez (20-0,15 KOs), a big ticket-seller from nearby Avenal, will take on Mike Reed (23-0, 12 KO) of Maryland in a battle of unbeaten junior welterweights. The card will benefit the California Latino Water Coalition, an organization that Ramirez has supported for years to raise awareness of the importance of bringing water to his community.

The fights will take place at Save Mart Center at Fresno State, CA.

December 9, 9 p.m. ET Live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and the ESPN App
A day of crowing champions (the MLS Cup and the 83rd Annual Heisman Memorial Trophy Dinner Gala) is complete with Top Rank on ESPN from New York City’s The Theater at Madison Square Garden for a night featuring both an industry-stopping world title main event and some of the best up-and-coming fighters in the world. The event has already sold all of the 5500 seats.
The main event features Vasily Lomachenko (9-1, 7 KOs) against Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KOs), the first time two Olympic gold medalists have fought each other professionally at the highest level. Lomachenko will defend his WBO junior lightweight world title against the reigning (WBA) super bantamweight champion Rigondeaux. Lomachenko and Rigondeaux are ranked second and fifth, respectively, in the latest Boxing Writers Association of America pound-for-pound rankings.

In the lead-up fights to the main event, Top Rank will feature two of their most prominent up-and-coming fighters in separate bouts. Michael Conlan (4-0, 4 KOs) of Ireland and 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist Shakur Stevenson (3-0, 1 KO) of New Jersey. Their competitors will be announced in the near future.

The co-main event will feature a 10-round battle between rising contenders Christopher Diaz and Casey Ramos battling for the vacant NABO junior lightweight title. Diaz (21-0, 13 KOs), from Barraquitas, Puerto Rico, will be risking his undefeated record and Top-Five world-rating in the biggest test of his professional career. Ramos (24-1 (6 KOs), from Austin, TX., returns to the ring fresh from his best performance to date, a unanimous decision victory over former world title challenger Miguel Beltran, Jr. on April 28.

–30–

WORCESTER, Mass. (October 19, 2017) – The next chapter of former UFC heavyweight title challenger Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga starts October 28th when he makes his professional boxing debut fighting on the “New England Future 4” card, the fourth and final 2017 installment of the popular professional boxing series, “New England’s Future”, to be held at the DCU Center (Exhibition Hall) in Worcester, Massachusetts.

“New England’s Future 4″ is presented by Rivera Promotions Entertainment (RPE), which is owned and operated by retired three-time, two division world champion Jose Antonio Rivera and his son, Anthonee (A.J.) Rivera.

The 38-year-old Gonzaga teaches Brazilian Ju-Jitsu (BJJ) in Worcester and lives nearby in Ludlow (MA). An imposing physical fighter, the 6′ 2”, 260-pound Gonzaga (17-11-0, 7 KOs, 9 SUBs, 1 DEC), holds 4th degree black belt in BJJ. The highlight of his MMA career was at the 2007 UFC 70, held in Manchester, United Kingdom, in which he knocked out K-1, Pride and Rizen champion Mirko Cro Cop with a head kick in the opening round, positioning Gonzaga for his unsuccessful challenge of UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture in his next fight.

Gonzaga, who retired from MMA 1 ½ years ago, also defeated Ben Rothwell, Shawn Jordan and Chris Tuchscherer, among the more notable UFC fighters he faced in the Octagon.

(L-R) – Rocky Gonzalez & Gabriel Gonzaga

Gonzago has a new opponent for his four-round bout, Tampa’s pro-debuting Alejandro Esquilin Santiago, who also has a pro MMA background.

“I like challenges in my life,” Gonzaga explained why he’s making his pro debut. “I set new goals because I like to be competitive in sports. I have a good boxing coach who told me I should try. I was a BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) world champion and UFC title contender. I have good boxing skills and plan to put on a good show. I do have one-punch power and hit hard.

“I started boxing in 2001 and worked at it every day for two years to learn, but then I was competing in MMA. Now, I’m focused on boxing. I think boxing is the hardest part of MMA. I know you can’t make mistakes in boxing and there’s no time to relax. In MMA, I could relax a little at times in clinches, but the referee won’t allow that in boxing. I’ll probably fight more than once but not too many because of my age and I’m not really at the high-level of boxing like I was in MMA.”

Gonzaga’s head boxing trainer, Rocky Gonzalez, has been working with several MMA fighters, including Gonzaga, for more than a decade to help them improve their striking skills. Gonzalez freely admits that Gonzaga knew how to box before he started working with him, crediting Gonzaga’s Muay Thai coach, and that boxing came naturally to the big Brazilian who has made an easy adjustment from the Octagon to the ring. Gonzalez also feels that leg positioning differences for MMA fighters switching to boxing, in terms of throwing proper punches, is somewhat overrated.

“In boxing,” Gonzalez said, “fighters need their hands like their legs and elbows in MMA. Distance and timing is more important than where their legs and feet are positioned. Gabriel doesn’t like sparring with headgear, so, his sparring is more like real fighting. He’s been hot with some real shots but he’s responded well. He’s always going to have a puncher’s chance and he’s deceptive because he doesn’t look as fast as he is.

“We didn’t really plan anything but he got this good opportunity. He’s always wanted to turn pro as a boxer and go from there. Gabriel is a good listener who keeps working hard to get better. When he first brought up boxing, he was contracted by the UFC, but we started talking about him boxing after the UFC released him. He knew Jose from him teaching boxing. Gabriel isn’t doing this for the money. He’s a competitive guy who wanted to try boxing.”

Former WBU Americans and IBU North American cruiserweight champion, Vinnie “American Nightmare” Carita (16-1-1, 15 KOs), fighting out of Pembroke (MA), will take on Bolivian heavyweight champion Saul “El Fenjx Asesino” Faraff (64-23-3, 56 KOs) in the eight-round main event.

Hartford’s (CT) popular Richard “Popeye The Sailor Man” Rivera (3-0, 2 KOs) meets Hansen Castillo (0-2) in the four-round, co-featured event to be contested at a 180-pound catchweight.

Many of New England’s best and most popular N.E. fighters will be in action, including 2014 N.E. Golden Gloves champion Adrian “Tonka” Sosa (4-0, 3 KOs), fighting out of nearby Lawrence (MA), vs. veteran Norwalk (CT) welterweight Shakha Moore (12-23-3, 2 KOs) in a six-round match.

Also fighting on the undercard in four-round fights include 2016 N.E. Golden Gloves champio, Anthony Laureano (5-0, 3 KOs), of East Hartford (CT) vs. Bruno Dias (0-3), of Woburn (MA), New Haven (CT) Edwin Soto (10-2-2, 4 KOs) vs. Anthony Everett (1-6). of Lawrence, at a 150-pound catchweight, three-time USA Boxing Nationals champion Elvis Figueroa (2-0, 1 KO), of New Haven (CT), vs. pro-debuting Brazilian native Rene Nazare, Southbridge (MA) junior welterweight Wilfredo “El Sucaro” Pagan (2-0) vs. Patrick Leal (0-3), of Woburn (MA), at a 150-pound catchweight, Danbury (CT) junior welterweight Omar Bordoy, Jr. (2-0) vs. Schenectady (NY) veteran Bryan “The Brick” Abraham (6-30, 6 KOs), and Timmy Ramos (4-0-1, 4 KOs), of Framingham (MA) vs. Seth Basler (0-2), of Illinois.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $75.00 (ringside) and $45.00 (general admission), are on sale and available to purchase at the DCU Center box office, www.dcu.centerworcester.com, by contacting Jose Rivera (elgallojar@gmail.com/508.864.6954), AJ Rivera
(anthoneerivera@gmail.com/774.272.2269) or any of the fighters

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., first bout 7:00 p.m. ET.

Sponsors include Lundgren Honda, Championsofhealth.usna.com, and American Pyramids.

Part of the proceeds will go to Worcester Latino Dollars For Scholars.

INFORMATION:
Facebook.com/RiveraPromotionsEntertainment
Twitter: @RiveraPromoEnt @joseriverachamp @KingRivera_

James Tennyson says he’s on the cusp of major fights as he defends his WBA International Super-Featherweight title against Darren Traynor at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

Tennyson defends the strap for the first time against Traynor, and a win could see him improve on his number five rating with the WBA.

The WBA Super king Jezreel Corrales defends his title on the same night in upstate New York against unbeaten Puerto Rican Alberto Machado, rated one spot higher than Tennyson by the governing body.

Tennyson has his immediate sights set on the weekend’s work with the Scot and then could target British and Commonwealth champion Martin J. Ward, but with such a healthy ranking, he’s open to a World title shot.

“I’ve started to be more aware of those in the World rankings now,” said Tennyson. “I’m currently fifth with the WBA which I didn’t really expect but if the opportunity comes I’m going to take it. It’s the pinnacle and if you don’t take the risks, you may not reap the rewards.

“It’s very exciting to be in the mix. I haven’t looked too deep into it. Who knows what may happen, but if the Champion is looking down the rankings I may be in with a shout of a voluntary shot or further down the line it’ll be down to me and my team to force the issue and eventually be in a position where they will have to fight me.

“I’d love to get my hands on the British title. I lost out down at Featherweight but I want to keep developing and capturing more belts moving forward.”

Traynor comes to Belfast with plans of his own though and would also like to get a crack at the British title. The Aberdeen man took on Ryan Walsh for the Featherweight version in January 2016 and Tennyson followed him three months later – with Walsh winning both fights in the fifth round.

Traynor has since landed the Scottish Area title at Lightweight before dropping back down to face Tennyson, who admits he hasn’t seen much of the challenger for the title he won after forcing Ryan Doyle to retire after six rounds here in June.

“In all honesty I don’t know that much about Traynor,” said Tennyson. “He’s sharp with quick hands. I’m going in there with a bit of an open mind but we’ll see what he brings on the night.

“My team have been struggling to find some recent footage of him since the Walsh defeat. I don’t worry about that side of the game, I just focus on myself and listen to what they are telling me in training. We’ll work him out on the night as the fight unfolds.

“The weight is all good, I’m looking forward to getting the show on the road. I’ve got itchy knuckles for sure. I want to get in there, enjoy myself and perform.

“Last time the atmosphere was unreal. I think they sold nearer enough the equivalent of all the tickets last time in just a week or two so it makes for an even better night.

“Doyle started fast and faded away which is what we were expecting, so the game plan worked. Fair play to him, he took it on a couple of days’ notice but I was definitely getting through to him as the fight went on.

“The power comes naturally. I do my strength and conditioning on the side but it’s just continued to develop since the amateurs all the way through to the pros.

“Belfast boxing is booming. It’s full of competitive talent. To be a part of it is fantastic. The fans are unreal.”

Tennyson’s clash with Traynor is part of an historic night of action in Belfast as hometown star Ryan Burnett clashes with Zhanat Zhakiyanov in a unification battle for the IBF and WBA Super World Bantamweight titles.
Paul Hyland Jnr defends his IBF European Lightweight title against Stephen Ormond, Burnett’s Adam Booth gym mate Josh Kelly fights for the fourth time in the paid ranks, as is his Team GB Rio Olympic teammate Anthony Fowler.

A host of local and Irish talents appear on the bill with Cruiserweight Tommy McCarthy, Super-Lightweight Tyrone McKenna, Lightweights Joe Fitzpatrick and Gary Cully and Super-Featherweight Feargal McCrory.

Tickets are on sale now priced at £33, £44, £65 and £105 from the SSE Arena Belfast at www.ssearenabelfast.com (ticket price includes inside charge)

VIP tickets priced at £150 are exclusively available from http://www.matchroomboxing.com/

Face value tickets for October 21 are also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

Katie Taylor says she’s prepared to seize her biggest moment in boxing when she challenges WBA Lightweight champion Anahi Esther Sanchez at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday October 28, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Taylor has raced to her first World title shot in the paid ranks after six fights, with her final eliminator win to land the shot coming at Wembley Stadium against Nina Meinke on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s epic clash with Wladimir Klitschko in April.

The Irish sensation supports her fellow Olympic gold medal winner in another stadium and tackles newly-crowned WBA ruler Sanchez who became a two-weight champion when she stopped fellow Argentine Cecila Sofia Mena in September.

Taylor swept the board in the amateur ranks before turning over, but with a decorated career for Ireland in the past, the 31 year old feels her World title challenge in Cardiff is the fight that can catapult her into super-stardom and mega-fights down the line.

“Since the fight was announced the weeks have flown by,” said Taylor. “There’s an element of nerves for every fight. I’ve had the opportunity to box on big shows before but this fight without a doubt is going to be the biggest of my career and open more doors in the future. I cannot let this chance slip which brings pressure but it’s the type of fights I want.

“I train for every fight like it’s a World title fight. The great thing about this one is I’ve had a much longer camp. The last couple have been so close together. I’ve had a good few months preparing for this one.

“When we first sat down with Eddie he wanted us to fight for a World title within a year and he’s stayed true to his word and delivered. It’s an honour to be fighting for the WBA Title. I’m delighted with the progression of my pro career to date.

“It’s my first time at Principality Stadium – what a stage to be fighting on. Wembley Stadium was good preparation for this and I do love an Anthony Joshua undercard. This is more than a dream for me.”

Taylor’s clash with Sanchez is part of a huge night of action in Cardiff where Joshua defends his World Heavyweight titles against Carlos Takam, the Londoner’s bitter foe Dillian Whyte aims to take a giant step to his first World title shot by facing Robert Helenius for the WBC Silver strap and Kal Yafai defends his WBA World Super-Flyweight title against Japanese mandatory challenger Sho Ishida.

There’s a mouth-watering British and Commonwealth Light-Heavyweight battle between Frank Buglioni, Lenroy Thomas and Dave Allen rematch for the Commonwealth Heavyweight title and Team GB Olympian and Welsh talent Joe Cordina appears in his fifth pro outing.

A limited number of tickets remain on sale via www.StubHub.co.uk.

Accessibility, ambulant and wheelchair tickets – please contact the Principality stadium via 02920 822432 – also on sale from midday Tuesday.

Official hospitality packages are available to purchase directly from Principality Stadium Experience. Both private suite and premium lounge packages are available to purchase, with prices starting from £450 per person + VAT. For further information please call the team on 02920 822 413.

Official Travel & Hospitality packages are also available via Sportsworld via www.sportsworld.co.uk or by calling 0208 9712966

Please ensure you plan your travel into the city before purchasing your tickets and allow plenty of time for additional security checks at the venue – please visit http://www.principalitystadium.wales/events/v/joshua-v-pulev-2017-10-28 to view the travel page for the event.

Fort Worth, TX (October 17, 2017)–Roy Jones Jr. Promotions proudly announces the signing of up and coming prospect and Fort Worth, TX native Edward “Kid” Vazquez to a promotional agreement.

The 22 year old Vazquez is not only coming off of a UD4 victory from September 29th, he also walked away with a promotional agreement with Roy Jones Jr. Promotions.

A love, passion and knowledge of the sport, Vazquez choose to pursue his career at the young age of 8yrs old, leaving his amateur career with a record of 82 victories and only 8 defeats, was a former State Champion, Jr. Olympics semi-finalist and was ranked 5th. The support and guidance from his parents has helped Vazquez remain humbled in what he loves to do and choose boxing over school. He felt that the lesson of life can be taught and learned in a nontraditional way, and here we are with a true warrior at heart.

“This is what I have worked for every single day since I was a young kid.” said Edward. “No one can outwork me! I look forward to giving it my all, and I can’t wait to show my value to Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. and the rest of RJJ.” Lastly, he stated, “I hope this can be an inspiration to the youngins coming up under me, with hard work and determination anything can be possible.”

As a professional, Vazquez has earned a 3-0-0 record and two of those victories are under the training of Coach Ray Barrera as well as his manager Casey Gutierrez, President of FHG. Youth, initiative, work ethic and his sparring techniques are what bridged the gap for Vazquez and his team to sign the deal and welcome Vazquez to the FHG (Faith, Hope & Gloves) family.

His manager, Casey Gutierrez stated, “Edward is a breath of fresh air. He has an outstanding drive, work ethic, and talent which will fit right in with Roy Jones, Jr. Boxing. At his young age, he has built a considerable following I’m sure will be excited to hear the news of landing with such quality promotion company. Many thanks to Mr. Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr., and congrats to Edward “Kid” Vazquez.”

“Roy and I were excited to sign Vazquez,” stated Keith Veltre, CEO / C)-Founder of Roy Jones Jr. Promotions. ” He is durable and an exciting fighter. Vazquez will make a great addition to the RJJ stable and you will see this young warrior opening our TV fights on beIN SPORTS in the upcoming months.”

About Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is on its way to reinventing boxing. RJJ has already made a huge impact in the boxing community in a few short years. Creating exhilarating content for CBS Sports, Showtime, ESPN and beIN Sports in some of the finest venues across the country, RJJ has proven to that we conquering the sweet science of the sport.
Based in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, NV, Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions is climbing to the top at a fast pace, adding young talent to its growing stable such as Super Featherweight Bryan Vasquez, Super Bantamweight Joseph Agbeko, Super Flyweight Aston Francis Palicite, Lightweight Ismail Muwendo & Demond Brock, Super Lightweight Emmanuel Robles, Super Welterweight John Vera & Daniel Rosario Cruz, Super Featherweight Randy Moreno, Bantamweight Max Ornelas, Welterweight Flavio Rodriquez, Cruiserweight Adrain Taylor, Middleweight Shady Gamhour and Featherweight Edward Vazquez.

Las Vegas, NV (October 18, 2017)–Roy Jones Jr. Promotions stable is full of youth, dedication and winners and Randy Moreno (9-1-0, 8KO’s) is no exception.

Tomorrow night, Thursday, October 19, 2017, Randy will square off against what potentially can be his toughest opponent to date, Raul “El Ciclon De Miami” Chirino (11-6-0, 6KO’s). A Cuban decent by way of Miami, FL is ready to get inside and make it ugly and uncomfortable for the Roy Jones Jr. young prospect.

Kicking off the night at Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino, Randy looks to continue his winning streak.

“I am ready for this fight in my hometown against a tough opponent,” stated Randy “Training camp has been great and I believe this is another step forward in my career. I know I have a really tough opponent, but I really do not have a game plan for this fight. I just want to go out there and have fun doing what I do. This would not be possible without the support of my coach and my promoter Roy Jones Jr. and Keith Veltre. I want to thank my promotion company for this opportunity.”

VERONA, NY (Oct. 18, 2017) There are just mere few days until Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales (22-1-0, 8 KOs) and Alberto “Explosivo” Machado (18-0, 15 KOs) go toe to toe in their highly anticipated 12-round battle for Corrales’ WBA Super World Super Featherweight Title this Saturday, Oct. 21 at Turning Stone Resort Casino. In the most important fight of their professional careers, both fighters shared their thoughts as they wrap up their respective training camps ahead of the championship main event, to be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.

Corrales, a 26-year-old native of San Miguelito, Panama, trains at the Irving Saladino
Sports Complez in Panama City. Corrales is working hard to make the third defense of his title in only his second appearance both in the United States and on HBO. Machado, a 27-year-old native of San Juan, Puerto Rico will look to take advantage of his first world title opportunity and his first appearance on HBO. The bout is sure to produce fireworks as two of the best 130-pounders square off for a spot at the pinnacle of the stacked super featherweight division.

Here’s what the main event fighters had to say regarding their respective training camps:

JEZREEL “EL INVISIBLE” CORRALES, WBA Super World Super Featherweight Champion:

“I am working really well in training camp. We are correcting errors detail by detail, and we are trying to get in the best shape for fight night.

“My team consists of former world champion Ricardo Cordoba, Juan Mosquera, and Juancito Malcom Mosquera. All three work on fight tactics and strategies with me. My physical trainer is the Cuban professor, Ismael Ortega.

“We are working a really great strategy, the details of which I cannot share. However, I will arrive in the best shape of my life on Oct. 21.

“My daily routine consists of doing roadwork in the morning. Then, after some rest, I join my team at the gym for the boxing workout. I close my training days with some more road work at around six in the evening.

“I’m working with sparring partners who are southpaws, so training for a southpaw has not been a problem. We have three good sparring partners who help me very much with the work we need to do for this fight.

“A victory would allow me to keep my world title and to retain my status as one of the best in my division. I dedicate this fight to all Panamanians, but especially to those in my home city of San Miguelito.”

ALBERTO “EXPLOSIVO” MACHADO, Unified NABA and NABO Super Featherweight Champion:

“A great fight requires a great training camp and a lot of concentration. That’s what we’ve been doing. Everything is going super well, just as we planned.

“Working with Freddie Roach has been great. He prepares me and gives me the confidence necessary to be successful. His experience working in world title fights, along with the work in the gym, will be the key to winning this fight.

“The first time I came to train with Freddie Roach was with Miguel [Cotto]. This time I’m alone in training camp, which has been a completely different experience. We are preparing for a 12-round fight, and we have been making adjustments based on my last fight against Morales in August and looking at Corrales as well as his fighting style.

“I’ve trained for almost my entire career with southpaws, and I come from a boxing gym where most of the boxers were left-handed. Once you adjust, it is more or less the same fighting as fighting an orthodox fighter. The only thing that changes are the combinations, which we have adjusted according to Corrales’s style.

“Training includes sparring three days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with Tuesdays and Thursdays focusing on the technical work. All of this training is for the people of Puerto Rico, who I know will come out of recent events strong.”

Corrales vs. Machado is a 12-round fight for the WBA Super World Super Featherweight Championship, to be held Saturday, Oct. 21 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. The main event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Cotto Promotions. The event is sponsored by TECATE, THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING, Casa Mexico Tequila, and Thor: Ragnarok, and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for this highly anticipated match up are on sale now and available for $65 for ringside seats and others priced at $25, $30, $40 and $49, plus any applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office, by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

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

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

NEW YORK (Oct. 18, 2017) – Undefeated featherweight Luis Rosa will face once-beaten Yuandale Evans in a 10-round matchup of 126-pound prospects looking to make a statement in one of boxing’s deepest divisions in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation Friday, Nov. 10 live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Masonic Temple & Performing Arts Center in Cleveland.

The quadruple header features eight fighters making their ShoBox debuts, including six undefeated prospects. The four-fight telecast is ShoBox’s first return to Cleveland since 2014.

In the co-feature, former Russian amateur standout Radzhab Butaev (7-0, 6 KOs, WSOB: 9-1) will take on Colombia’s Janer Gonzalez (19-0-1, 15 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight matchup. Butaev compiled a record of 304-12 in the unpaid ranks, followed by a 9-1 record in the World Series of Boxing, while Gonzalez was a member of the Colombian National Team with an equally impressive 291-29 record as an amateur.

In a televised heavyweight attraction, New Zealand’s Junior Fa (12-0, 7 KOs), who owns two amateur victories over countryman and current WBO Heavyweight World Champion Joseph Parker, will face Pittsburgh’s Fred Latham (9-0-2, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout.

In the ShoBox opening bout, undefeated 2016 U.S. Olympian and Cleveland native Charles Conwell (5-0, 5 KOs) will look to keep his knockout streak intact in his hometown debut in a six-round super welterweight matchup with Panama’s Roque “Rocky” Zapata (4-1-3, 0 KOs).

“I am thrilled to bring this talent-filled quadruple header to the ShoBox series, from the Masonic Temple in Cleveland, Ohio,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Undefeated featherweight contender Luis Rosa Jr. faces hard puncher Yuandale Evans. Amateur prodigy Radzhab Butaev and New Zealand heavyweight prospect Junior Fa –who defeated Joseph Parker as an amateur—will be tested by fellow unbeaten opponents. U.S. Olympian Charles Conwell, one of the most exciting young prospects in boxing, will make his national TV debut in his hometown. On November 10, to quote Ian Hunter, ‘Cleveland Rocks!'”

Tickets are priced from $35 to $90 and can be obtained by visiting BoxingCleveland.com. The Masonic Temple and Performance Arts Center is located at 3615 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115. Doors will open on the night of the event at 7:00 p.m.

LUIS ROSA vs. YUANDALE EVANS – 10-Round Featherweight Bout
The 26-year-old Rosa (23-0, 11 KOs) is a Puerto Rico native who lives and fights out of New Haven, Conn. The come-forward, aggressive Rosa has recorded four knockouts in his last seven fights.

Trained by his father Luis Rosa Sr. and managed by his mother Marilyn, Rosa is currently ranked No. 10 by the WBC at 126 pounds, and was 95-10 as an amateur. Fighting in one of boxing’s deepest divisions (Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares, Carl Frampton, Gary Russell Jr.), the U.S. National Silver Medalist is looking to establish himself as a featherweight contender, and has career wins over Luis Orlando Del Valle (18-1) and Jorge Diaz (17-2).

“I’m dedicating this fight to the people who are still suffering from the tragedy of the hurricane,” Rosa said. “We are and always have been very strong people and I take that into the ring with me on November 10. I’ve seen some tapes of Evans. He’s a tough, strong fighter but my skills are much greater and I will be victorious and move one step closer to a shot at a world title.”

The 28-year-old Evans (19-1, 14 KOs) is a Cleveland native fighting in his hometown for the first time. Known as a power-puncher who works fast, Evans has recorded eight of his 14 knockouts in the first round. His only professional loss came against future world title holder Javier Fortuna in April of 2012.

Evans, who took a three-year hiatus following the Fortuna loss, is coming off the best win of his career – a hard-fought 10-round unanimous decision over Billel Dib (21-1; WBO No. 7-ranked coming into the fight) in Miami, Okla., in April.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting at home in Cleveland, the city of Champions,” Evans said. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve had a home fight. Truly, I’ve been a road warrior fighting all over the world.

“I’ve followed Luis Rosa for a couple years, I know he’s a very tough Puerto Rican fighter. He’s the same height as me and will come to fight, which will make for an all-action fight. But I know I’m the toughest competition he’s had and I’m planning to win in front of the big hometown crowd and everyone watching on SHOWTIME.”

The vacant WBC Continental Americas Title belt is on the line for this fight.

RADZHAB BUTAEV vs. JANER GONZALEZ – 8-Round Welterweight Bout
Russian Radzhab Butaev had a stellar amateur career during which he compiled a record of 304-12 with 164 KOs. A former Russian National Champion, Butaev qualified for the 2016 Olympics but instead elected to turn pro in the United States.

Butaev has progressed quickly since turning professional in March of 2016 – of his seven professional fights, six of his seven opponents have had winning records. The 23-year old is coming into his fifth fight of the year and the eighth fight in his short, 18-month professional career. Five of Butaev’s seven fights have taken place in the U.S, while his other two victories were on his home turf in Moscow, Russia. In his last fight in July, the 23-year-old Butaev knocked out Sherzodbek Alimjanov in Red Square in Moscow.

Said Butaev, “This is a great opportunity to fight on SHOWTIME and I’m looking forward to putting on a tremendous performance. I know that Colombian fighters are well known for their power but I faced many hard hitters in the amateurs and I’ll be ready for victory on November 10.”
A native of Barranquilla, Colombia, the heavy-handed Janer Gonzalez sports a record of 19-0-1 with 15 knockouts. Prior to turning professional in 2011, Gonzalez was a member of the Colombian National Boxing Team, compiling a record of 291-29. Gonzalez, who returned in September following a two and a half-year layoff, will make his U.S. debut against Butaev.

“It’s a dream come true to make my television debut in the United States,” said Gonzalez. “I grew up watching all of my favorite boxers fighting in the U.S. and now it’s my turn. It’s truly surreal how everything unfolded. I was ready to give up on boxing when an opportunity just came my way. I fought in Mexico and here I am.

“I had a long layoff, but I needed it. It has made me more appreciative, more motivated. I work harder now. I had my last fight on a Saturday and on Monday I was back in the gym. I’ve studied my opponent. I’m ready. My style will mold to his. I’ll get on his face and counterpunch. On November 10 boxing fans will see a Colombian warrior that came to America to become a legend.”

Butaev vs. Gonzalez is promoted in association with Fight Promotions.

JUNIOR FA vs. FRED LATHAM – Eight Rounds Heavyweight Bout
Standing 6-feet, 5 inches and weighing 270 pounds, the 27-year-old Junior Fa has compiled a professional record of 12-0 with seven knockouts since turning pro in February 2016. Fa had a successful amateur career, which included two victories over reigning WBO Heavyweight Champion Joseph Parker. The native of Papakura, New Zealand has most recently trained in England with heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and has also sparred with Joshua’s Oct. 28 opponent Carlos Takam.

Fa, who won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games, will fight for just the second time in the United States.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting in the United States again and on SHOWTIME,” said Fa. “I know Latham is undefeated but I also plan on staying unbeaten on November 10. Training with Anthony Joshua improved my boxing in many ways and just as important taught me what it takes inside the gym to become a world champion.”

Fighting out of Pittsburgh, Pa., Fred Latham (9-0-2, 5 KOs) is a former Pennsylvania Golden Gloves Champion. In his last bout on December 3, 2016, the 27-year-old Latham battled to a split decision draw against Alonzo Butler.

Said Latham, “I appreciate the opportunity to fight on SHOWTIME and I am looking forward to facing Fa. I’ve heard a lot about him and the great heavyweight prospect he is but on November 10 I’ll show the world that I’m a much better fighter.”

CHARLES CONWELL vs. ROQUE ‘Rocky’ ZAPATA – Six-Round Super Welterweight Bout
Nineteen-year-old Charles Conwell, who turns 20 on Nov. 2, is 5-0 with all of his victories coming by way of technical knockout. The Cleveland native has a decorated resume – he went 134-14, was the National Gold Gloves Champion in 2015, and a 2016 U.S. Olympian. Conwell has been busy since turning pro last year, having fought all five of his professional fights in the past eight months. In his last fight in August, Conwell earned a technical knockout against Rey Trujillo.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting at home for the first time as a professional and on ShoBox,” said Conwell. “I can’t wait to put on a great performance for the Cleveland fans and those seeing me for the first time on national television.”

The 21-year-old Zapata is a native of Panama City, Panama now fighting out of Culpepper, Va. Having compiled a record of 4-1-3 since turning professional 18 months ago, he is currently riding a three bout winning streak. Zapata is coming off the biggest win of his career, a six-round decision over previously undefeated Justin Steave on June 24 in Pittsburgh.

“This fight with Charles Conwell is an exciting challenge for me. He had a great amateur career and he made the Olympic team,” said Zapata. “I’ve been offered to fight him twice, but at the time I was injured and had to decline. But on November 10, Charles and I will come face-to-face and put on a show for the fans. I’m ready to do my job.”

# # #

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

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

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 72 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, Errol Spence Jr. and more.

HOBOKEN, N.J. (October 18, 2017) – Fight week for the final World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight quarter-final kicked off Wednesday with media workouts at the Everlast Lab in Hoboken, N.J. before the clash between IBF champion Murat Gassiev and former champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk headlines action this Saturday, October 21 from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. live on AUDIENCE Network.

Promoted by Ringstar Sports in association with World Boxing Super Series, tickets for the live event are on sale now and are available at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available to purchase at the Prudential Center box office.

Also in attendance Wednesday and competing in featured bouts on October 21 were Polish contender Mateusz Masternak and once-beaten Stivens Bujaj, who meet in a WBSS cruiserweight reserve match and unbeaten Polish contender Maciej Sulecki and former title challenger Jack Culcay, who square-off in super welterweight action.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:

MURAT GASSIEV

“I’ve been working very hard in Big Bear, California with Abel Sanchez for about 10 weeks preparing for this fight. We are like a family up there. I have my Russian brothers, plus Gennady Golovkin, who is definitely like an older brother to me.

“Abel has helped me so much. He hasn’t tried to change my style. He’s just gone in and made my style better. He means so much to me.

“My last fight was my first title shot and I felt great in the moment. My nerves were calm and I feel like this is what I was made for. I want to be in this position for a very long time.

“I’m very thankful to be a part of this tournament. I’m very happy to be a part of this. This is an opportunity to be a unified world champion and prove that I’m the best in the division.

“My opponent has a lot of experience and has been in a lot of tough fights. He’s been in more fights than me, so I just need to be ready. I’m prepared for 12 rounds or a short fight. This is what I train for.

“I will show everyone what I am all about on Saturday night. I’m not a big talker, but I will speak loudly with my fists on Saturday.”

KRZYSZTOF WLODARCZYK

“Training camp went very well and I am physically ready for this challenge. You will see how strong I am mentally when I get in the ring on Saturday.

“I have to be ready for anything. I know that he worked hard to get in there and hurt me so I’ll have to be ready to fight back against anything he does.

“Everyone knows that my experience will help me. I’ve had a lot more pro bouts than Gassiev. But I also will need to display smart boxing. I think I am the more intelligent fighter and will show it on Saturday.

“My first goal is to win and become IBF world champion. That would put me in a special place in the history of Polish boxing as a three-time world champion. Winning this tournament would be very prestigious and lucrative for me.

“It’s always great to have the support of the great Polish fans. They really support all of their guys from Poland. But I have lots of experience fighting on the road with no Polish fans so it will just be a nice bonus.

“It’s going to be a clash of styles, I don’t know exactly what it will look like, but I can guarantee that it’s going to be exciting.”

MATEUSZ MASTERNAK

“I had a good camp. My sparring was strong and I was very happy with the training in Poland. I finished my camp in London for some new sparring and everything is all set for Saturday.

“I have a very good opponent. He’s going to use his boxing skills. We sparred with each other a few years ago and it was good, hard sparring for eight rounds. It could help me on Saturday but sparring is different from a real fight.

“It’s very important for me to fight in the U.S. and to perform well. I haven’t fought in the U.S. in seven years so I’m excited to be back. I’m motivated to do well and keep getting big fights.

“I’m fully concentrated on this opponent. I have to get in there and take care of my strategy. I don’t know exactly how the fight is going to go, but I will be ready and have a plan for everything.”

STIVENS BUJAJ

“I feel perfect physically. I’m ready to rumble on Saturday night. We’ve done all the conditioning, sparring and dieting to be in the right position on fight night. I did what I had to do.

“I’ve been training here in New York, mostly in the Bronx but also moving around and finding the best possible sparring to prepare for Saturday.

“He’s a tough opponent and I can’t underestimate him. I’ve trained to win. I’m going to come out on top one way or another.

“I’ve sparred with Masternak before, so I know what I’m dealing with. I’m going to go in there and pick him apart. He’s an aggressive fighter who will come forward and throw power punches, but I’m ready for that.

“I’m so happy with where my body is at heading into this fight. This is the best I’ve felt in a long time. The shoulder injuries are behind me and I’m healthy now.

“I can’t really say what the fight will look like but I hope everybody comes out Saturday to see the show. I feel comfortable fighting in the New York/New Jersey area and I can’t wait to go get this win.”

MACIEJ SULECKI

“Everything was perfect in training camp and I feel very strong. I worked well with my coach and we were on the same page all of camp. I worked very hard and I’m ready to show-off on this big card.

“I know that Culcay was a great amateur champion and an interim champion in the pros, so he’s obviously a very good fighter. But I will win this fight because I’m better and stronger more determined to get the win.

“I saw Culcay fight Demetrius Andrade. It was a good fight, but I don’t think Andrade performed well. Culcay lost but he made it very competitive so I know that he will be a challenge.

“I feel better at super welterweight than I did at middleweight. I always knew I could go down in weight and now was the time. So far I have felt much stronger at this weight.

“I am fully focused on fighting Culcay. First I must beat Jack Culcay, but I want to fight all the best fighters in the division. Jermell Charlo, Erislandy Lara and Jarrett Hurd, I’m ready for all of them.

“It’s a lot of extra motivation to fight in front of the Polish fans. They are the best fans in the world and I’m ready to perform.”

JACK CULCAY

“I feel perfect physically. This was one of my best training camps ever. I trained for about five months in Germany. I had four or five very tough sparring partners to get me prepared for this.

“Sulecki is undefeated and that’s the most important thing I know about him. I trained my hardest for this and on Saturday you will see the best versus the best.

“I have speed, I have gained strength and I will show the mix of Ecuadorian and German styles. I was an amateur champion and now I’m going to be a champion in the pros.

“I learned against Demetrius Andrade that I can fight with anybody. I can compete with anybody in this sport. I’m going to show my experience on Saturday night.”

# # #

For more information visit worldboxingsuperseries.com or www.ringstar.com

Follow on Twitter @WBsuperSeries, @Ringstar and become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/WBSuperSeries and facebook.com/RingstarSports. Tonight’s fight was promoted by Ringstar Sports in association with World Boxing Super Series.

WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES FIXTURES

21/10/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Murat Gassiev vs. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (IBF World)
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA

27/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
Juergen Braehmer vs. Rob Brant
Kongresshalle in Schwerin, Germany

WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES AT A GLANCE
Number of participants: 16
Number of belts: 7
Number of world champions: 6
Number of former world champions: 3
Number of undefeated fighters: 9
Combined Record of participants: 423 wins, 17 losses, 294 KOs

ABOUT THE WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES
Organized by Comosa AG, the World Boxing Super Series will kick off in September 2017, featuring the Cruiserweight and Super Middleweight divisions. In each weight class, eight elite boxers will battle it out in a bracket-style elimination tournament, with four quarter-finals (fall 2017), two semi-finals (early 2018) and one final (May 2018). This makes for seven top fights per weight class, and a total of 14 fights in Season One to be staged in premier venues around the globe. The winners of the World Boxing Super Series will rightfully receive The Greatest Prize in Boxing, the Muhammad Ali Trophy. Please visit our website WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com for more information or follow @WBSuperSeries on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

About Prudential Center
Prudential Center is a world-class sports and entertainment venue located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Opened in October 2007, the state-of-the-art arena is the home of theNational Hockey League’s (NHL) three-time Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball program, and more than 175 concerts, family shows and special events each year. Ranked in the Top 10 nationally by Pollstar, Billboard and Venues Today, Prudential Center is recognized as one of the premier venues in the United States, and welcomes 1.75 million guests annually. For more information about Prudential Center, visit PruCenter.com and follow the arena on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @PruCenter.

NEW YORK – October 18 2017 –Combate Americas today announced the addition of a women’s strawweight (115 pounds) showdown between undefeated knockout artist Melissa “Super Melly” Martinez (2-0) and Gloria “Gloriosa” Bravo (4-2) that will serve as the co-main event on the highly-anticipated, live Telemundo broadcast (11:35 p.m. ET/10:35 p.m. CT, or following “Titulares y Mas”) of the “COPA COMBATE” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) extravaganza from Cancun, Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 11.

The battle between the 20-year-old Martinez of Mexico City, Mexico and the 31-year-old Bravo, of Santiago, Chile, will immediately precede the championship stage bout and finale of the one-night, eight-man bantamweight (135 pounds) “COPA COMBATE” tournament that will award its winner a grand prize of $100,000 and that, for the first time ever, will see top-ranked fighters from the U.S., Latin America and Spain represent their respective countries in a quest for glory.

“This is a phenomenal addition to an already stellar and historic fight card created for the Telemundo broadcast television platform,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren.

“With the incredibly relentless and hard-hitting action we have seen from the women of Combate Americas,” continued McLaren, “it is only fitting that we showcase a matchup between two of the sport’s brightest and fastest rising female stars like Melissa Martinez and Gloria Bravo on the ‘COPA COMBATE’ platform.”

“COPA COMBATE” takes place on the 24th anniversary of McLaren’s now legendary UFC 1 event that he executive produced as the co-founder of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The storied event set off a combat sports revolution, and changed the martial arts fight world forever.

The 5-foot-2 Martinez will return to La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, for the second time in her career after shelling out a stunning, highlight reel knockout of Yajaira “Shokolate” Romo in the second round (2:45) of battle at Combate 15 in Mexico City on June 30.

Following the promotional debut victory, Martinez, also a decorated Muay Thai competitor, earned a second-place finish at WAKO Kickboxing’s “The World Games 2017 – Wroclaw” tournament in Poland on July 30.

The 5-foot-5 Bravo will enter La Jaula for the first time ever and put a three-fight winning streak on the line. All three of her latest victories came by way of armlock submission.

Bravo recently ventured from Chile to Las Vegas, Nev. to train for the upcoming matchup with famed, retired, former UFC world champion Miesha Tate.

In addition to the “COPA COMBATE” tournament championship bout and the featured women’s fight between Martinez and Bravo, Telemundo’s live broadcast of “COPA COMBATE” will feature the tournament’s semifinal stage consisting of two bouts that pit the winners of the quarterfinal stage bouts in each tournament bracket against one another. The entire quarterfinal stage of the tournament will stream live on the Telemundo Deportes En Vivo app and TelemundoDeportes.com.

Telemundo Deportes, one of the leading providers of sports content in Spanish in the United States, is home to two of the world’s most popular sporting events: the FIFA World Cup™ through 2026 and the Summer Olympic Games through 2032. In addition, Telemundo Deportes broadcasts the FIFA World Cup™ CONCACAF qualifying matches for most of the region, including the Mexico and USA national teams’ away matches and the Premier League. Telemundo Deportes is also home to “Boxeo Telemundo Ford,” the #1 boxing program in Spanish, and “Titulares y Más,” the #1 sports news, entertainment and commentary show in Spanish, among other recognized sports properties.

ORANGE, Calif. (Oct. 18, 2017) – Super bantamweight Isaac Zarate (13-3-2, 2 KOs), fresh off routine sparring sessions with WBA world champion Danny Roman, looks to capitalize on his latest win against recent world title contender Carlos Carlson when he headlines the latest edition of “Path to Glory” this Friday, Oct. 20, from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Zarate faces Christian Esquivel (29-12, 22 KOs) in the 8-round main event.

Zarate, fighting out of the Los Angeles port city of San Pedro, Calif., is going up against a big puncher in Esquivel.

“I’m not worried about his power,” said Zarate, who turned 26 in September. “I’m a pressure fighter so I won’t give him the chance to throw anything big.”

The southpaw is only now entering his prime and is peaking at just the right time. His convincing win in July against Carlson and his frequent sparring with top-flight talent such as Roman has him feeling supremely confident heading into Friday night.

“It’s the perfect time to start another winning streak,” said Zarate, who is trained and managed by Eddie Gonzalez. “I’ve had some recent setbacks, but I feel as though I’ve elevated my game in the last five months. I’m ready to put on a show.”

To access the “Path to Glory” promotional video, please click here, or on the graphic above.

In the co-feature, junior welterweight Mohammed Rodriguez (10-4, 4 KOs) of Mexico makes his second appearance on a Thompson Boxing card when he fights Colombian Cesar Villarraga (9-3-1, 4 KOs) in a bout set for 8-rounds.

Tickets for “Path to Glory” are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and are available for purchase by calling 714-935-0900, or visiting ThompsonBoxing.com.

All six fights will be live streamed on TB Presents: Path to Glory via our Facebook page and ThompsonBoxing.com.

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

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

“Path to Glory” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Lucas Oil, in association with Everlast.

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

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

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 18, 2017): Christmas will come early for boxing fans this year as WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders (25-0, 12 KOs) will put his belt on the line on Saturday, December 16 against former IBF World Middleweight Champion David Lemieux (38-3, 33 KOs) at a soon-to-be announced venue in Montreal, Canada. The fight will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:40 p.m. ET/PT.

Saunders, 28, from the United Kingdom, is undefeated and coming off back-to-back defenses of the WBO belt he won against “Irish” Andy Lee in late 2015. Over a standout career, Saunders has defeated the likes of former WBA Interim World Middleweight Champion Chris Eubank, Jr., then-undefeated Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan and longtime contender Willie “The Mongoose” Monroe Jr.

“Firstly, I’d like to thank Golden Boy Promotions for putting the show on,” said Saunders. “Lemieux looks good against ‘B level’ fighters, but he is now getting in the ring with someone who is far more superior and slick than anyone he has ever been in with. I don’t just want the dog meat that Golovkin has left behind. I want the dog himself, and when I come through this fight I will have him. He is a mandatory and we’ve agreed to a deal to go over to foreign soil and get it on. I have a lot of friends in Canada, and I’ll be bringing a lot of supporters over to Canada from the UK. It has all the makings of a good fight. I’m expecting a good, clean, fair decision. Once I beat Lemieux, I’ll be moving onto bigger fish: the winner of the rematch between Canelo and Golovkin. I’m looking forward to a great fight.”

Lemieux, 28, and from Montreal, is a thunderous puncher with tremendous power in both hands who captured the IBF World Middleweight championship against Hassan N’Dam in 2015, knocking the then-world titleholder down four times en route to a unanimous decision victory. This year alone, Lemieux blasted out title contender Curtis “Cerebral Assassin” Stevens in a third-round knockout-of-the-year contender before earning a unanimous decision win against Marcos “Dorado” Reyes.

“It’s time to be world champion again,” Lemieux said. “Saunders is about to get destroyed. I’m going to be extremely ready for this fight and I’m going to inflict a lot of pain on Saunders. His 0 must go.'”

“Saunders vs. Lemieux is exactly the right way to end a year that has been tremendous for boxing,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO and Chairman Oscar De La Hoya. “Will Saunders be able to use his speed and craftiness to outbox Lemieux, or will David land a massive shot to end it in short order? We’ll find out December 16.”

“This has ‘great fight’ written all over it,” said Camille Estephan, President of Eye of the Tiger Management. “I know David is extremely motivated and viscerally dislikes Saunders. When he’s in that state, watch out. This promises to be a war. We are thrilled to have the opportunity for David to fight for the WBO title at home and keep it here. ”

“We’re delighted to be working again with Golden Boy Promotions, who we continue to enjoy a fantastic relationship with,” said Frank Warren. “Billy Joe Saunders is going into the lions’ den as he believes he has the beating of David Lemieux. It’s a great opportunity for Billy Joe to defend his WBO World Title against a big-name opponent and headline his first bill on HBO at American prime time. He is looking forward to making a statement to the American audience to ensure he secures a fight with the winner of the Canelo vs. Golovkin rematch, for the Undisputed Middleweight World Championship. Billy Joe is out to prove he is the best Middleweight in the world. He has been continually avoided and if it means he has to go to Canada to ensure he can no longer be overlooked, then that is what he is prepared to do!’

“The middleweight division is stacked with the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, and Daniel Jacobs, and on December 16, fans will see champion BJ Saunders travel across the Atlantic to fight one of the divisions biggest punchers in David Lemieux on his home turf in Montreal,” said Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports.

Saunders vs. Lemieux, a 12-round fight for the Saunders’ WBO World Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of the Tiger Management in association with Frank Warren. The event is sponsored by Tecate,”THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING.” The event will take place December 16, in Montreal, Canada and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.eottm.com, www.frankwarren.com and www.hbo.com/boxing. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EOTMVD, @hboboxing, @bjsaunders_, @LemieuxBoxing, @frankwarren_tv and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @eottm_boxing, @saundersbillyjoe, @davidlemieuxboxing, and follow the conversation using #SaundersLemieux.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 18, 2017) – Witness Sports Management (WSM) has come to a managerial agreement with undefeated prospect, Marcus “The Dream Crusher” Bates (7-0-1, 6 KOs). Greg Hannely and Jared Shaw will now be managing the career of Bates, who hails from Washington DC. Bates, who is signed with King’s Promotions on the promotional side, will work closely with WSM’s Hannely and Shaw, as they jointly look to keep Bates busy, while guiding him toward a world title.

“My team is complete now that I have a management team looking out for my best interest,” said Marcus Bates. “I’m very happy with the direction my career is heading. I know if I put in the hard work, everything will be there at the end. Greg and Jared are two guys I trust, and I know they will get the job done managing my career. I’m looking forward to my next fight.”

“Greg and I are extremely happy that Marcus Bates is part of our team.” Jared Shaw said. “We believe he has the power and speed to be a force in the featherweight division. We have big plans for him and will work harmoniously with Marshall Kauffman’s King’s Promotions. The sky is the limit for this kid.”

“Mr. Bates is a bright young man with astonishing talent.” stated Greg Hannely. “He has the punching power to end a fight with one punch, and that type of power is what sells. We are happy that we were able to sign him to our stable of fighters.”

October 18th, RENO — Let’s Get It On Promotions and the Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa are pleased to announce an exciting night of world-class professional boxing Saturday, November 17th, 2017 at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center. The card will be co-headlined by lightweight sensation Gabriel Flores Jr., and Reno’s own Oscar Vasquez in separate bouts.

The youngest-ever Top Rank Inc. signed fighter, Gabe Flores Jr. (4-0, 3KOs) is on a meteoric rise in the fight game. The Stockton, CA seventeen-year-old manages to fight as he is completing high school. For the third time he will fight in Northern Nevada, where he regularly draws hundreds from his hometown. Flores will fight in a four-round lightweight bout.

Reno’s own Oscar Vasquez (14-1) is coming off an impressive ten-round unanimous decision victory this August in Fallon against the tough Javier Gallo. Vasquez is currently ranked fifteenth in the world in the flyweight division by the World Boxing Organization. Vasquez will be fighting Victory Ruiz (22-7) in a ten-round fight.

Ricardo Lucio Galvan, also from Reno, will be making his pro debut on November 17th. Galvan, a second-year business major at UNR, is also a Dreamer. He is enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and hopes he can use his boxing career to bring awareness to the issue. He is an experience amatuer with nearly eighty bouts. Galvan will be fighting in a four-round jr. lightweight bout.

Carson City’s Diego Elizondo (1-0) will be returning to the ring on November 17th after beating Chandler Clements via unanimous decision in Fallon in August. Elizondo attributes his toughness to his Basque and Mexican heritage. He will be fighting in a four-round lightweight bout.

Super flyweight Bruno Escalante (14-3-1) of Redwood City, CA is slated to fight in a six-round bout in Reno. Escalante is trying to get his world title run back on track after some recent bumps in the road. Born in Cebu City, Philippines, Escalante is one of a handful of young Filipino boxers who are carrying the torch for Pinoy boxing. Escalante will be fighting the tough Alex Rangel (17-7).

Rounding out the card is bantamweight Brent Venegas (3-0) of Stockton, CA. Venegas is scheduled for a four-round scrap.

More information will be announced soon. Fight card subject to change.

First bell is at 7pm. Tickets are available and can be purchased at the Atlantis Gift Shop $35, $65, $100, by calling Atlantis Special Events 888.551.7007 or 775.824.4467, or via ticketmaster.com.

Paul Hyland Jnr believes beating Stephen Ormond in style will prove he’s ready for the British Lightweight title as they clash at the SSE Arena on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

Hyland Jnr puts his IBF European strap on the line for the first time against the experienced Dubliner, and the champion says this is his first big test in his 17th pro outing.

The 27 year old won the belt in fine fashion in June, blasting Adam Dingsdale away inside the opening round in the Arena where he faces Ormond in three days.

Lewis Ritson wrestled the British crown from Robbie Barrett in Manchester earlier in the month and the Newcastle talent was promptly snapped up by promoter Eddie Hearn. ‘Hylo’ wants to put on an impressive display in front of the Matchroom boss to get to the front of the queue to face Ritson next year.

“Next year I’d love to fight for the British title,” said Hyland. “I’m in the top ten in Britain now and I know Matchroom have just signed Lewis who had a good win over Barrett. I feel like he wouldn’t be able to push me back as easy so it would make for a cracking fight.

“He’s definitely my toughest opponent to date. I respect what he’s done and am expecting a tough fight but it’s my time to take over now.

“He’s had an up and down couple of years but there’s no doubt he’s boxed at a higher level than I have at present. It’s a good measuring stick for me to get in and see where I am at.

“Everything has gone well. I’ve done some great strength and condition work for this camp. I’m feeling fit, strong and sharp for this one.

“I wasn’t expecting the fight to finish so early against Dingsdale. The game plan was to push him back early and show him he was in for a tough night from the start. But I just caught him, I knew as soon as I hit him he was in trouble. His legs and eyes were gone and I just jumped on him.

“I’ve done a proper programme this time with a friend of mine who is qualified. I can feel my power and strength improving. It’s very specialist. It’s all going to plan so far and I’m excited to get in there and test it all out.

“It’ll be a cracking atmosphere in the arena. I have sold a lot more tickets than last time. The Dublin fans for Ormond will be vocal too.”

Hyland’s clash with Ormond is part of an historic night of action in Belfast as hometown star Ryan Burnett clashes with Zhanat Zhakiyanov in a unification battle for the IBF And WBA Super World Bantamweight titles.

James Tennyson puts his WBA International Super-Featherweight title against Darren Traynor, Burnett’s Adam Booth gym mate Josh Kelly fights for the fourth time in the paid ranks, as is his Team GB Rio Olympic teammate Anthony Fowler.

A host of local and Irish talents appear on the bill with Cruiserweight Tommy McCarthy, Super-Lightweight Tyrone McKenna, Lightweights Joe Fitzpatrick and Gary Cully and Super-Featherweight Feargal McCrory.

Tickets are on sale now priced at £33, £44, £65 and £105 from the SSE Arena Belfast at www.ssearenabelfast.com (ticket price includes inside charge)

VIP tickets priced at £150 are exclusively available from http://www.matchroomboxing.com/

Face value tickets for October 21 are also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.