LONDON (May 18) – Floyd Mayweather protégé Gervonta Davis says he wants to become boxing’s next superstar but must first get past Cromer’s Liam Walsh.

The 22-year-old from the mean streets of Baltimore will make the first defence of his IBF super-featherweight world title when he steps into a British ring for the first time to take on the undefeated Walsh, live this Saturday night on BoxNation.

In his dazzling stoppage win over Jose Pedraza earlier this year to win his world title, ‘Tank’ as Davis is nicknamed, showcased all the tools needed to reach the very pinnacle of the sport and sees Walsh as just another step towards reaching that goal.

“It’s been pretty good since winning the world title. I’m actually staying level headed, staying focused. Getting the world title is a step closer to where I want to be,” said Davis.

“Having a belt is cool, but I’m trying to do more in the sport. I want to be the next star of boxing. I want to do more in the sport. This is just one more step to me,” he said.

Preparing for his fight at the Copper Box Arena this weekend, Davis has been guided in the final part of his training camp by his promoter Mayweather, who has been sharing some words of wisdom with the 130-pounder.

“When I got back to Vegas, Floyd Mayweather was hands on more than usual, working with me in the gym late nights,” he said.

“I’ve been working extra hard. Having him back in the gym gives me that extra push and has my mind on another level.

“Having him in my corner makes me feel like I have that chance. I have one of the best in the business backing me. It means a lot. It makes me work harder,” Davis said.

30-year-old Walsh is no pushover himself and has stacked up 21 wins unbeaten, with 14 of those by knockout.

The Norfolk boxer is adamant that he will keep his unblemished record intact by handing Davis his very first loss.

“He certainly has potential and star quality – that was clear to see when he beat [Jose] Pedraza. But he has to come through me first,” said Walsh

“I don’t see any other way than me winning. If he’s going to be a star in the future, it’s going to have to be with a loss after fighting me,” he said.

Walsh is sceptical about the names on Davis’ record and believes he still has a lot of questions to answer.

“I don’t think he’s completely overrated, but I think there are still a lot of questions to be asked of him. He looked very good and brilliant against Pedraza. The only other reputable fighter on his record is Cristobal Cruz. There are a lot of question marks lingering on,” said Walsh.

“I feel like I’ve been in tougher fights than him. I feel like I’ve been in longer fights. I think I have a better boxing IQ than him. He’s very powerful, very physical and very fast, but we haven’t seen him in a long fight or a dog fight or a gruelling fight though.

“I will certainly ask all these questions. I’ll do it any which way that it has to go. I’m more than confident I’ll get the job done,” he said.

Following Davis v Walsh, BoxNation will then turn its attention across the Atlantic where pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford takes on the slick Felix Diaz, exclusively live from Madison Square Garden.

WBC and WBO super-lightweight world champion Crawford is very much the man to beat at 140-pounds but against the Dominican Republic’s Diaz he will need to be at the very top of his game if he hopes to continue his dominance of the division.

Diaz, a 2008 Olympic gold medallist and with just a solitary loss on his record, has been calling out 29-year-old Crawford for months, with the Nebraska native saying he will be ready for whatever comes his way.

“Come Saturday, I will be ready for whatever Felix Diaz brings to the ring that night,” said Crawford. “It’s going to be a great experience fighting at Madison Square Garden in the big arena where all the greats have fought. I’m looking forward to that night,” he said.

Davis v Walsh will be live from 7.30pm BST on BoxNation, followed by Crawford v Diaz from 2am BST.

Davis v Walsh & Crawford v Diaz is live on BoxNation this Saturday night. Sky customers can get free registration by using the offer code MAYBOXING. 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 Khan vs Canelo.
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

18 May 2017 – Singapore: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has announced a partnership with GoDaddy, the world’s largest cloud platform dedicated to small, independent ventures. Both companies will work closely together to bring mixed martial arts in Asia to greater heights. GoDaddy branding is set to be featured at ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES which will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 26 May. The main event of the card will feature ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee as she defends her title against Brazil’s Istela Nunes. In the co-main event, ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben “Funky” Askren takes on rising young star Agilan “Alligator” Thani of Malaysia.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “I’m thrilled to be working with GoDaddy as our partnership signifies another monumental moment for the sport of mixed martial arts and for ONE Championship. GoDaddy has a great history of working with other sporting organizations and it is a privilege for ONE Championship to announce this collaboration. Singapore is set to witness the biggest mixed martial arts event in history on 26 May, and we are delighted to have GoDaddy on board with us in delivering world-class MMA action to fans all over the globe.”

Roger Chen, Vice President of Asia, GoDaddy, stated: “GoDaddy is committed to helping small businesses and entrepreneurs get online and grow their ventures. We have a successful track record of partnerships with global sporting bodies and we’re delighted to partner with one of Asia’s largest sports media properties, ONE Championship. ONE Championship provides a great opportunity for GoDaddy to build relationships with people across Asia and bring attention to the importance of having a strong online presence.”

GoDaddy powers the world’s largest cloud platform dedicated to small, independent ventures. With more than 17 million customers worldwide and more than 71 million domain names under management, GoDaddy is the place people come to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers and manage their work.

ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES features the absolute best in local and international mixed martial arts talent. The card is headlined by a tremendous matchup between ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee and Muay Thai champion Istela Nunes. Lee won the title in 2016 at just 19-years of age, becoming the youngest world champion in the history of mixed martial arts.

Former 2x Olympian and one of the best welterweights in the world pound-for-pound, Ben Askren, will grace the ONE Championship cage in the evening’s co-main event opposite the awe-inspiring Agilan Thani. Thani earned the right to challenge Askren after going unbeaten in his professional career, winning seven bouts in a row by spectacular finish.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

For more information about GoDaddy, please visit: sg.godaddy.com/.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, OSN and more.

About GoDaddy
GoDaddy powers the world’s largest cloud platform dedicated to small, independent ventures. With more than 17 million customers worldwide and more than 71 million domain names under management, GoDaddy is the place people come to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers and manage their work. Our mission is to give our customers the tools, insights and the people to transform their ideas and personal initiative into success. To learn more about the company, visitwww.GoDaddy.com.

© 2017 ONE Championship™. All Rights Reserved.

Fight fans should witness the full extent of Anthony Yarde’s feted potential this weekend when he enters a championship ring for the first time at the Copper Box Arena in Hackney.

The 25 year old ‘Beast’ from Ilford, Essex has required just 16 rounds combined to exterminate his opening 10 opponents since entering the profession as a relative novice two years ago.

However, as a warm up act to Liam Walsh’s world title tilt at Baltimore’s Gervonta Davis this Saturday, rock hard Yarde confronts Southampton champion Chris Hobbs for the Southern Area light-heavyweight strap. BT Sport and BoxNation screen live.

Serving soldier Hobbs is four years his senior, has boxed almost three times as many pro rounds and has already completed the 10 round championship trip whilst collecting the crown from Hemel Hempstead’s previously unbeaten Jordan Joseph at the York Hall in March.

In eight paid gigs, hard man Hobbs has never been dropped and his only reverse came when he was withdrawn with a dislocated left shoulder against Swindon’s very able Kelvin Young (just five losses in 24 at the time) in March 2016.

He represents Yarde’s toughest test by some distance but the Tunde Ajayi coached prospect covets the challenge.

‘I’m now entering the lowest title level, in line with my periodical progress. Others talk about me targeting higher titles but I don’t believe in rushing. I’m developing at the perfect rate,’ says ‘The Beast’ who is yet to venture past round four.

‘I don’t feel any greater pressure. The only pressure is what you put on yourself. It’s just another fight. I’m 100% confident that I win, the pressure is the manner I win, how impressive I look.

‘Chris Hobbs brings this reputation for toughness. But the human body can only tolerate so much punishment and there won’t be much he can do once the right shots land. My prep is totally focussed on using my skills to dissect opponents, rather than to blast through them.

‘I’ve only watched a 10 second clip of him. That’s it. He’s not an opponent I need to unduly worry about. Tunde will do the research and pass on a few little pointers on the day of the fight but if I can’t deal with guys at this level without studying their strengths and weaknesses for hours then I’m not the fighter that I think I am.

‘I focus on what I do best and just work things out on the job. I’d be very surprised if Hobbs is still standing after five or six rounds….very surprised!

‘I win because I’m bigger, stronger, tougher, the better technician and I have a higher boxing IQ and I guarantee I’ll want it more. I’m superior in every department due to all the graft I put in at The Peacock gym.’

Body beautiful Yarde has slaughtered six victims in the opening session and a further three in round two but has no intention of prolonging his championship debut simply to acquire ‘artificial’ experience.

‘Everybody else covets that I get some rounds onto my CV but I don’t. I’m quite happy to continue bashing up every opponent early. I know from gym spars that I can go 12, 15 rounds when the time comes,’ he claims.

‘As I’ve said before, Mike Tyson and Deontay Wilder banged everybody out early but, when they were forced to go late rounds, they did it effortlessly. Wilder hadn’t been beyond round four prior to being taken the (12 round) distance against Bermane Stiverne in his first world title challenge.

‘Eventually, someone will take me late….but I don’t think it’ll be this Saturday!

All floor seating at the Copper Box Arena has now SOLD OUT.

Remaining tickets are available from www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

LOS ANGELES (May 17, 2017) – The white-hot super featherweight division will be on full display Saturday, July 15 when two world title fights come to Los Angeles’ “Fabulous” Forum as part of a stacked tripleheader on HBO Boxing After Dark.

In the main event that has “Fight of the Year” candidate written all over it, newly crowned WBC World Super Featherweight Champion Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt (31-1, 28 KOs) will make his first title defense against former world champion and mandatory challenger Takashi Miura (31-3-2, 24 KOs).

In the co-main, Panamanian superstar and WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales (21-0, 8 KOs) will look to keep his title and undefeated record, as he makes his stateside debut against a resurgent Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (24-12, 14 KOs), hot off his massive upset victory over two-time world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Opening up the televised card, WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion Joe Smith, Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) will return West from Long Island to put his belt on the line against the Miami-based Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs) in a battle of heavy-handed sluggers.

“The super featherweight division is absolutely stacked with skilled, high-action fighters right now, and the four competitors atop this card are competing to see who will be the top dog,” Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions said.”Add to that a showdown between two of the top light heavyweights in the world in Smith and Barrera, and you have all the makings of a trio of absolute wars on July 15.”

Riding a 10-consecutive knockout streak culminating in an 11th-round stoppage of Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas in January, Berchelt — fighting out of Merida, Mexico — will look to continue his winning ways in just his second fight on American soil.

“I took on this challenge, because I only want to fight the best,” Berchelt, 25, said. “I know that Miura is a true warrior and always leaves it all in the ring, but I am young and hungry and am confident that I will return to Mexico with the world championship belt still around my waist.”

Miura, one half of the consensus 2015 Fight of the Year with Vargas, returns after a dynamic 12th-round stoppage against Miguel “Mickey” Roman on the same card that Berchelt defeated Vargas for the WBC crown.

“I have wanted to regain my championship belt from the moment I lost it in November of 2015,” Miura said. “I know Berchelt is strong, and I know that we’ll go head to head for this world championship title that will prove to be a great fight.”

The 25-year-old Corrales, a southpaw, earned his title with back-to-back victories over Takashi Uchiyama, who was at the time thought to be the No. 1 fighter in the division.

“I am excited to make my United States debut and defend my world title,” Corrales said. “While people in America might not yet be familiar with me, they will surely know my name after this fight.”

His opponent, Castellanos, has defeated top opponents throughout his career including Ronny Rios and Rocky Juarez, but his shocking TKO victory over Gamboa is what catapulted the 35-year-old Castellanos into title contention.

“This is the biggest fight of my career, and I am not going to let the opportunity slip away,” Castellanos said. “I have the experience and power to take out Corrales and that’s exactly what I’m going to do on July 15.”

In the televised opener, Joe Smith Jr. returns to the site of his greatest victory looking to follow up on his knockout of legendary Bernard Hopkins at the end of 2016.

“I’m thrilled to be back on HBO against another top light heavyweight,Sullivan Barrera,” Smith said. “I’ve already started training and will be more than ready on July 15. There’s a number of great fighters in our division and I’m looking forward to another victory on my way to a world title shot.”

Smith will take on the heavy-handed Sullivan Barrera, who is riding a two-fight knockout streak – including a seventh-round stoppage of previously undefeated Vyacheslav Shabranskyy — after taking his only professional loss against top five pound-for-pound fighter, Andre “S.O.G.” Ward.

“This is a great opportunity for me. I want to thank my entire team for making this happen,” Barrera said. “I respect Joe for taking this fight. He is a great fighter and I have a tough test on July 15. I will work hard to put on a great show for all the fans.”

“This should be a spectacular fight,” said Joe DeGuardia, President and CEO of Star Boxing.”Over the past few months many have refused to fight Joe Smith Jr., so I give credit to Sullivan Barrera, who, like Joe, is a tough fighter willing to fight anyone. Joe’s captivating rise as a humble working-class ‘Common Man’ has resonated with sports fans all over the world and I look forward to being at the Forum on HBO as Joe and Sullivan battle for the future.”

This is a really interesting fight,” said Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events. “It is a can’t miss fight because Barrera and Smith are both finishers. We are all eager to see how this plays out and I give credit to both men for wanting a challenge.”

Tickets for Berchelt vs. Miura are priced at $25, $50, $75 and $125, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person, go on sale Wednesday, May 24 at 10:00 a.m. PT. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. PST to 7:00 p.m. PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Berchelt vs. Miura, a 12-round fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Zanfer Promotions and Teiken Promotions. Corrales vs. Castellanos is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. Smith vs. Barerra is presented by Star Boxing in association with Main Events. The event is sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, July 15 at Los Angeles’ “Fabulous” Forum and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 9:50 P.M EST/PST.

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

· WBC Youth World Champion Diego de la Hoya to Headline Event from Casino del Sol in Tucson, Arizona
· Televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PST

Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN continues tomorrow Thursday, May 18 with a 10-round super bantamweight bout set featuring Diego De La Hoya (17-0, 9 KOs) and Erik Ruiz (16-6-1, 6 KOs) – live on ESPN and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes from Casino del Sol in Tucson, Arizona beginning at 10 p.m. EST/ 7 p.m. PST. ESPN International will present live coverage across networks in Latin America, Brazil, the Caribbean and parts of Asia. Live coverage will also be available through WatchESPN.

Commentators:
Blow-by-blow commentator Bernardo Osuna will comprise ESPN’s commentary team. Calling the action live ringside for ESPN will be future Hall of Fame middleweight and light heavyweight, Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins. Pablo Viruega and professional boxer in the Super Welterweight division Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights on ESPN Deportes, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will co-host the show. Jessica Rosales joins the team as ringside and social media reporter starting this week.

Fighter background:
In his most recent fights, Diego De La Hoya (17-0, 9 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, the super bantamweight phenom remained undefeated when he fought Luis Orlando Del Valle on the grand stage of AT&T Stadium September 17, 2016 successfully defending his WBC Youth World super bantamweight title. He remained undefeated in his bout with Mexico City’s Roberto Pucheta as he won by unanimous decision on the Lemieux versus Stevens undercard on March 11, 2017.

In his most recent fights, Erik Ruiz (16-6-1, 6 KOs), from Oxnard, California won the WBA International Super Bantamweight title on September 30, 2016 against highly regarded Hanzel Martinez in a majority decision victory that headlined at the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center. Following the fight, he suffered a tough loss against former WBA super bantamweight world champion Rico Ramos on March 11, 2017 at the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center

Undercard fights on ESPN3:
Undercard will be available on ESPN3 beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET in both English and Spanish. The following fights will be broadcasted:
· Jonathan Navarro vs. Ricardo Fernandez (6 rounds)
· Eben Vargas vs. Rodolfo Gamez (4 rounds)
· Roberto Manzanarez vs. Erick Martinez (8 rounds)

Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN:
Earlier this year ESPN announced a multiyear agreement with Golden Boy Promotions. In the first year of the deal, ESPN will televise 18 fight cards throughout the U.S., in both English and Spanish, and on its wholly-owned and affiliated networks in Latin America, Canada, the Caribbean, Australia and parts of Asia.

Boca Raton, FL (May 17, 2017) – WBA number-4 ranked and WBO number-6 ranked junior middleweight Kanat Islam will take on Norberto Gonzalez in a battle for the WBO / NABO and WBA Intercontinental Junior Middleweight championships on Friday night, May 26th at the beautiful Boca Raton Resort & Spa in Boca Raton, Florida.

The international card is promoted by Nelsons Promotions.

The event will be distributed world-wide exclusively by New York-based MultiVision Media, Inc. The Executive Producer is Brian Ricco. The event will be produced and directed by Ira Steven Glass.

The card will feature fighters from no less than six countries.

“This is a very special event with an International feel,” said Nelson Lopez, Sr. of Nelson’s Promotions.

“The Boca Raton Resort & Spa is an incredible facility that every A-List celebrity visits and vacations at. This will be a great night, and we look forward to having a great crowd to see one of the best fighters in the world in Kanat Islam on May 26th.”

Islam of Almaty, Kazakhstan has a record of 23-0 with 19 big knockouts.

The 32 year-old has built up a reputation of being an exciting fighter who is constantly going for the knockout.

Islam turned professional in 2012 after competing in the 2004 and winning a Bronze medal in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Islam started to gain recognition when he stopped Humberto Toledo (41-8-2) in the 1st round. He then scored impressive stoppage victories over Francisco Cordero (29-2) & Juan De Angel (16-3-1).

On October 29, 2016, Islam returned home to Kazakhstan and won a 12-round unanimous decision over Patrick Allotey (30-2) in front of over 18,000 fans.

In his last bout, Islam was cut badly in the 1st round of his bout with Robson Assis (16-3), yet stopped his Brazilian foe in the first round of their bout on February 17th as part of the Roy Jones, Jr. – Bobby Gunn Pay-Per-View undercard in Wilmington, Delaware.

Gonzalez of Nuevo Leon, Mexico has a record of 23-8 with 13 knockouts.

The 36 year-old is a 10 year-professional who has solid wins over Joel Juarez (22-3-1), Jesus Arras Perea (18-2), Michael Oliveira (20-1), former world title challenger Javier Maciel (30-3) and in his last bout when Gonzalez when an eight-round split decision over Daniel Rosario Cruz (11-1) on November 18, 2016 in Las Vegas,

In the eight round co-feature, Islam stablemate, Zhankosh Turarov will face Gustavo Garibay in a welterweight battle.

Like Islam, Turarov is from Almaty, Kazakhstan and sports a perfect mark of 20-0 with 14 knockouts.

On October 18, 2013, Turarov won the WBA Fedecentro super lightweight title with a 5th round stoppage over Abrahan Peralta (10-1). In Turarov’s last bout, he stopped Isaac Aryee in 4 rounds in Almaty, Kazakhstan on October 29, 2016.

Garibay of Mexico is 13-8-2 with five knockouts.

The 36 year-old Garibay is a nine year professional who has victories over Mario Alberto Lozano (29-6) & Jose Napoles (4-1).

Lozano is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision defeat to Sebastian Bouchard (14-1) on February 24th in Quebec City, Canada.

In eight-round bouts:

Dagoberto Aguero (11-0, 8 KO’s) San Cristobal, Dominican Republic will take on Gustavo Molina (24-10, 9 KO’s) of Mexico in a super bantamweight bout.

Zhilei Zhang (15-0, 11 KO’s) of Zhoukou, China will take on Curtis Harper (12-4, 8 KO’s) of Jacksonville, Florida heavyweight attraction.

Wellington Romero (12-0-1, 9 KO’s) of the Dominican Republic battles Wilfrido Buelvas (18-7, 12 KO’s) of Barranquilla, Colombia in a junior welterweight bout.

In a six-round bout, Mike Bolagun (10-0, 9 KO’s) of Upper Marlboro, Maryland will take on Ytalo Perea (8-2-2, 5 KO’s) of Howard Beach, NY in a heavyweight bout.

Justin Wright will make his pro debut in a bantamweight bout against Christopher Salerno (0-1) of Florida.

For tickets, click:
https://www.showclix.com/event/FIGHTNIGHTBRRC/pre-sale

On paper, it looks like a terrible mismatch: This Friday, unbeaten but untested cruiserweight contender Mario Daser (12-0) takes on former IBO world champion and multiple time world title challenger Ola Afolabi for the IBO International International and WBO European Championship. The 37-year-old Brit who lives in Hollywood, California, has a record of 22 wins with only five defeats and four draws. Afolabi has been in the ring with some of the best fighters of his generation including Marco Huck (four times), Rakhim Chakhkiev, Victor Emilio Ramirez, Valery Brudov and Enzo Maccarinelli while Daser’s best opponent so far was Bosnian journeyman Drazan Janjanin.

„I was already retired but this offer was just too good to be rejected“, says Afolabi. „When I saw the figures on the contract I knew I had to come back. They are paying me a lot of money to beat up a guy who just isn’t my league. I couldn’t study any of his fights because they are not on YouTube. But I saw training videos on his Instagram account. No offense, but man, his shadowboxing looks like shit!“
Daser knows that he is the underdog due to his lack of experience but he feels comfortable with this role. „All my life people told me that I couldn’t do this and couldn’t do that. However, I always did it – and in the end I succeeded.“ Who is this guy who thinks that he can handle Afolabi?
28-year-old Daser was born in Munich, Germany, and is a self-made millionaire. Four years ago he bought a gravel quarry and worked 24/7 to turn his business into a success. He invested the money he made in real estate and made millions. „Everybody warned me to get into the gravel business and said that I would never make money with that. I proved them wrong. Now I want to do the same in boxing. I love it when people say that I don’t have a chance. That’s what brings out the best in me.“
The winner of the fight labeled as „The Big Deal“ may be in line for a world title fight soon. Afolabi is considering to enroll for the World Boxing Super Series after beating Daser. „I heard that they have a 50 million Dollar budget. That could be worth a try“, says Afolabi. „I am sure that there will be lots of young and hungry guys like this dude here who want to participate. If I can take care of him, I can take care of some others, too.“

Daser vs. Afolabi is the main event of a seven-bout card promoter by EC Boxing which also features top rated heavyweight contender Christian Hammer and the IBO World Lightheavyweight Championship between former European Champion Igor Mikhalkin and unbeaten Thomas Oosthuizen from South Africa.

Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz proudly announces the signing of three-time women’s world champion Carolina Duer of Buenos Aires to a promotional contract.

Duer (19-3-1, 6 KOs), undefeated since her fifth fight in 2008, is the current interim IBF World Female Bantamweight Champion. She won the WBO Bantamweight Championship in July 2013 and made two successful defenses, as well as the WBO Super Flyweight Championship in 2010 and made six successful defenses.

The Jewish daughter of Syrian immigrants to Argentina, Duer is a celebrity in her homeland, having appeared on the reality TV show Celebrity Splash!, which taught celebrities the art of diving, and now moonlighting as a prominent boxing commentator for Argentine National TV.

As an amateur, Duer won 19 of 20 fights. She is also the first women of Jewish descent to win a WBO title.

Lewkowicz says for his first move as her new promoter, he’ll relocate the South American star to the United States.

“Carolina Duer is one of the best female fighters in boxing,” said Lewkowicz. “In the US, she will get the best training possible. It is only a matter of time before she becomes the star North America that she is back home. I am very happy to be working with her. This is the perfect time for her career, as female boxing has become very popular once again.”
About Sampson Boxing
After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

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

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

KENSINGTON, MARYLAND – May 17, 2017 – Victory Boxing Promotions is keeping with its promise to keep its top prospects busy, with Jaron “Boots” Ennis (11-0, 9KO) and Carlos “El Tiburon” Sanchez (13-0, 12KO) stepping into the ring in Virginia and Mexico over the weekend.

Ennis’ bout, which was scheduled for six rounds, was the fourth this year for the highly-touted prospect. He faced journeyman Eduardo Flores (25-27-3, 15KO), stopping him in the fourth round. The fight was a learning experience for Ennis, who has faced increasingly more experienced competition in his last three fights. Flores has bouts with Egis Kavaliauskas, Brad Solomon, Kermit Cintron & Thomas LaManna under his belt, and gave boxing fans in attendance at the Masonic Temple in Norfolk, Virginia a good show before having the fight stopped by the referee at 1:57 of the fourth round due to an accumulation of unanswered punches. Ennis wasted no time in returning to the gym, where he trains with his father, “Bozy” Ennis, to prepare for his next bout, June 10th in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It is the first of four bouts already scheduled into the third quarter of 2017. The welterweight sensation has stayed busy, racking up eleven wins in thirteen months.

“This is what we’ve planned for Victory Boxing’s prospects,” said Victory Boxing Promoter Chris Middendorf. “We want to keep them busy and keep them learning. Boots is a special talent, and we want to get him in the ring and in front of his fans as much as possible.”

Carlos “El Tiburon” Sanchez returned to his hometown of San Felipe, Mexico for the first time since his January 2016 professional debut, facing Ivan “Tigre” Chevelas, a veteran of 33 fights. Scheduled for six rounds, the fight ended in the fourth, with Carlos dropping Chevelas twice en route to landing a barrage of punches, which prompted the referee to wave off the fight. Sanchez has also been busy, racking up thirteen wins in just 19 months.

Victory Boxing Promotions has a busy summer ahead. One of the promotion’s most promising prospects (and 2017 high school graduate), welterweight Brandun Lee (2-0, 2KO) is back in action June 1st in Phoenix, and flyweight Manuel Flores makes his professional debut this Saturday in Palm Springs.

For more information on Victory Boxing’s stable of fighters, please visit www.victoryboxingpromotions.com.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR became the latest boxing superstar to grace the spiritual home of British boxing tonight.

The fight legend made a shock appearance at York Hall, Bethnal Green to check out his fighter Gervonta Davis.

‘The Tank’ who defends his IBF super-featherweight crown against Liam Walsh at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday night performed a public workout.

Mayweather, who retired with a stunning 49-0, was chased by fans when he arrived at the venue in London’s East End before relaxing with the boxer he promotes.

Moments earlier underdog Walsh had performed and is ready to cause an upset after a 16 week training camp.

Walsh said: “The intensity increased slowly. If I had a ten week camp it would have been intense from the off.

“I say I have been training hard for four months, but I train all year round. I was even running the day after Klimov and I’m ready.

“He is getting a lot of media because Mayweather says he is the future of boxing.

“Some people just think it’s true and just at follow along instead of having their own thoughts and believe everything they’re told.

“For me he looks very good and there is no doubt he’s a world class fighter, but there are still a lot of questions to be asked.”

All floor seating at the Copper Box Arena has now SOLD OUT.

Remaining tickets are available from www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Philadelphia, PA (May 17, 2017) – Lightweight Carlos Rosario is ready for his headlining appearance this Friday night when he takes on Josh Davis in a bout scheduled for eight-rounds at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia.

The show is promoted by King’s Promotions. (1st bout 6:30 PM; Doors 6 PM)

Rosario of Pennsauken, New Jersey, has a record of 7-1 with four knockouts, and has won seven consecutive since dropping his pro debut.

“Everything is going great. I am just winding down, losing the last couple of pounds , and I will be ready on Friday, said Rosario on Tuesday night.

In Davis, he is fighting his toughest opponent, but 26 year-old Rosario is ready for for whatever the Washington, DC native will bring.

“Even though he has an impressive record (10-1, 4 KO’s), I do not know a lot about him. His record is actually better then mine. I am fighting at home but I still feel that I am the underdog. I think this is a fight that could go all eight-rounds, and I am looking forward to that as I have never gone that distance.”

Rosario, who has won seven consecutive fights has been slowly moving up the card and now finds himself in the main event.

“That has not hit me yet that I am the main event fighter. I just continue to fight and my team has done a good job of finding me the right fights. I am gaining more confidence with each fight and my opponents continue to get better.”

Rosario has been in the gym since age 10 but did not start to competing until he was 18. He then embarked on a 28 fight amateur career.

The full-time corrections officer is taking his boxing career one step at a time, but he is seeing improvement in every fight.

“As long as I keep winning, and stay consistent, I can maybe fight for a minor title this year.”

“I hope the fans come out. I have never been in a bad fight. Sometimes it’s not about winning. I want the fans to say that I am one of their favorite fighters to watch.”

In the co-feature, Amir Shabazz (4-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will take on Antowyan Aikens (10-3-1, 1 KO) of Atlantic City, NJ in a six-round light heavyweight bout.

Also in six-round bouts:

Tyrone Crawley, Jr (6-0) of Philadelphia will take on Juan Rodriguez (7-6, 5 KO’s) of Manasa, Virginia in a lightweight fight.

David Gonzales (8-2, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will look to get back in the win column when he battles Darius Ervin (4-1) of Los Angeles, California in a junior welterweight bout.

Steven Ortiz (5-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia takes on Hector Rivera (3-1, 2 KO’s) of San Juan, Puerto Rico in a lightweight bout.

Anthony Burgin (10-3, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be named in a lightweight bout

Thomas Velasquez (8-0, 5 KO’s) of Philadelphia will battle Brandon Sanudo (5-3, 2 KO’s) of Baja California, Mexico in a lightweight bout.

In four-round Bouts:

Vincent Floyd (2-2-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will square off with Rafael Montalvo (3-3, 3 KO’s) of St. Clair, PA.

Antonio Allen (0-5) will take on Demetrius Williams (0-2) in a battle of Philadelphia based junior welterweights looking for their first win.

Lucas Dos Santos (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Miami, Florida will battle an opponent to be named in a welterweight bout.

Rounding out the card will be a four round junior welterweight bout between Titos Gosalves of Philadelphia (0-1) and pro debuting Gerardo Martinez of Phoenixville, PA.

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

THE WEIGH IN WILL BE THIS THURSDAY, MAY 18 AT THE STADIUM HOLIDAY INN AT 5:30 PM

The World Series of Fighting MMA brand, through WSOF Global continues to thrive all around the world. This past weekend, fans were thrilled to see the first live Russian fights streaming when WSOF Global co-promoted an awesome event with Modern Fighting Pankration at the sold out arena in Khabarovsk, Russia. Fans of WSOF Global will certainly see more great MMA fights and superior talent with 3 more live events scheduled on May 20, 2017 from Argentina, Japan, and Brazil. A week later, events will also be held in Australia and England. Additionally, WSOF Global will host WSOF Global Championship 5 in South Africa on June 3rd 2017 and then WSOF Global Championship 6 in Australia on July 8th 2017.

“When the news was released about WSOF (USA) planning on changing their business model and promotion name, there was a lot of speculation that took place. There may have been certain reasons behind a name change domestically for the US company and its events, but this is globally branded company. We at WSOF Global want the fans to know we are still promoting more exciting MMA events this year, and offering a platform for everyone in the world to watch these fights.” WSOF Global’s COO, Darren Owen states. “There are a lot of great MMA markets around the world, and many world class promotions and fights are taking place. We are working with dozens of different promotions to improve their product and showcase their fighters and events to millions of fans. Our business model is currently booming and we are adding more and more promotions weekly.”

Shawn Wright, President of WSOF Global added, “As a founding co-owner of the World Series of Fighting, it certainly has been exciting to see the continued evolution of the US company, and we look forward to also promoting the new US brand under the exclusive license agreement. More importantly to me were the accomplishments and accolades of the unique WSOF Global team from around the world. I have never experienced this type of comradery from so many individual promotions to promote pure MMA at a global scale. This isn’t the Hollywood style fights you experience on PPV in the USA, this is just pure sport. Having so many fighters, coaches, teams, and promotions working together has been a phenomenal experience that many said we couldn’t accomplish. Our Global team did it.”

WSOF Global’s platform currently consists of 24 promotions from 21 different countries on 6 continents hosting approximately 100 events in 2017. With WSOF Global’s online subscription of only $9.99/month, fans can watch all of the live events and have access to the full fight library of many promotions worldwide.

World Series of Fighting Global Championship is dedicated to growing the international brand of World Series of Fighting throughout the world by adding affiliate organizations to develop their athletes and provide them with opportunities to compete on larger platforms for the advancement of the sport of MMA. Media inquiries should be sent to Darren Owen, Chief Operations Officer of World Series of Fighting Global Championship, at dowen@themmaworldcup.com Follow them on Twitter and Instagram @wsofglobal

ORANGE, Calif. (May 17, 2017) – Blue chip featherweight prospect Ruben Villa (5-0, 3 KOs) headlines an action-packed “New Blood” undercard when he puts his undefeated record on the line against Anthony de Jesus Ruiz (2-2, 2 KOs) this Friday, May 19, from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Thompson Boxing’s 17 year anniversary show will be live streamed on its website and Facebook Live beginning at 7:45 p.m. PDT this Friday.

Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and are available for purchase online at ThompsonBoxing.com, or by calling 714-935-0900.

Friday’s bout marks the fourth time Villa will fight in front of an expected sold out crowd at the Doubletree Ontario. It will be his first, however, fighting on a live streamed show.

“I’m definitely excited for it. It’s great exposure for us new guys trying to make a name for ourselves,” said Villa, who is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing. “I know a lot of my friends and family will be watching. It also gives an opportunity for boxing fans all over the country to tune in and watch some quality fights.”

Villa, a southpaw, is coming off his East Coast debut in April where we notched his third career knockout win over the previously unbeaten Luis Diaz Torres. Villa stopped the stiff-chinned Torres in the sixth and final round. It was the first, sixth round fight of Villa’s career, one that tough him several impactful lessons.

“It’s important to stick to the plan and listen to my corner,” said the 20-year-old, who hails from Salinas, Calif. “He was somewhat reckless so I needed to show a little more patience with him. I’m used to fighting guys who are a little more technical. Diaz was able to take a shot. He was willing to absorb two or three punches to set up one of his own. I learned not to give him those opportunities.”

For Friday’s six-round bout versus Ruiz, Villa spent most of his training camp sparring at the Robert Garcia Gym in Riverside, widely seen as one of Southern California’s most boxing rich environments. His chief sparring partner was Hector Tanajara, another highly regarded prospect with an undefeated record.

“Training camp went great,” said Villa, who as an amateur won back-to-back National Golden Gloves championships. “I had quality sparring sessions against Hector Tanajara. He fights one division higher than me so it’s always good to learn from guys that are naturally bigger than you.”

While Villa comes from a well-rounded amateur career that saw him bank two wins against fellow high ceiling prospect Shakur Stevenson, the Northern California native is always on the quest to better his skills.

“I’ve been working on using more angles to set up punches,” Villa said. “The goal is to develop better range with my jab so I can be more effective. With Ruiz, I plan to feel him out for the first round and then I’ll start going at his weaknesses. A lot of what I plan to do will come off the jab.”

The live stream, titled “TB Presents: New Blood,” will be anchored by blow-by-blow announcer Beto Duran with Steve Kim providing expert color commentary.

Connect with Ruben Villa on social media: Instagram: RubenV4 , Facebook: Ruben Villa IV , & Twitter: @Ruben_Villa4 .

It will be a hot night of world-class boxing action in the Big Apple when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: TERENCE CRAWFORD VS. FELIX DIAZ AND RAYMUNDO BELTRAN VS JONATHAN MAICELO is seen SATURDAY, May 20 at 10:15 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from Madison Square Garden in New York, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports broadcasting team will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

The fight will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

The main event features the talented rising superstar from Omaha, NE, Terence Crawford (30-0, 21 KOs) as he returns to Broadway to take on Felix Diaz (19-1, 9 KOs), from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and now living in New York City, in a scheduled 12-round junior welterweight title contest. 29-year-old Crawford has become a force in the junior welterweight division and a standout star in the sport. Known for his knockout power and ring dominance, the 2014 BWAA Fighter of the Year is coming off a knockout title defense victory over John Molina, Jr. and is determined to dominate the 140-pound division. Diaz, a crafty 33-year-old southpaw, with only one blemish on his record, is a 2008 Olympic gold medalist seeking to pull off an upset by demonstrating that his formidable and seasoned ring skill set can outfox the reigning undefeated champion.

Crawford’s New York debut was a year ago when he handled Hank Lundy in the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Now, Crawford gets to showcase his dazzling skills in the big room at the Mecca of Boxing.

The evening’s opening bout features a lightweight match and 12-round title eliminator between Raymundo Beltran (32-7-1, 20 KOs) from Los Mochis, Mexico, now living in Phoenix, AZ going against Jonathan Maicelo (25-2, 12 KOs) from North Bergen, NJ originally from Callao, Peru. Beltran, 35, is looking to continue his climb in the division after his previous loss to Terence Crawford in November of 2014. He has won his last three bouts, while Maicelo, 33, is in on a four-bout winning streak. Beltran was profiled last December on the HBO State of Play series from FILM 45 (“Fighting Chance”) and on May 9 it was recognized with the Sports Emmy® Award for Outstanding Short Documentary.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Dave Harmon; director, Johnathan Evans.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

ence
Errol Spence has set up camp in Amir Khan’s gym in Bolton as he prepares to challenge Kell Brook for the IBF World Welterweight title on May 27 at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, live on Sky Sports.

Spence touched down in Manchester on Monday as he looks to rip the crown from the Sheffield ace in his backyard, and the unbeaten mandatory challenger will sharpen his tools in the Bolton training base of Brook’s bitter rival, Amir Khan.

Brook is finalising preparations for the fourth defence of his crown in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands and says that there is nothing that the challenger can do to prevent him cementing his spot as the number one Welterweight in the world at the home of Sheffield United.

“That’s Amir Khan through and through,” said Brook. “He would love to see me lose this fight so he doesn’t have to fight me but that’s not going to happen.

“He can lend Errol his gym but he can’t save him on May 27 and the only thing on my mind is the fight.

“The fans know what I’m about. I’ve gone from moving up to Middleweight to fight Gennady Golovkin to coming back down to face one of the most dangerous Welterweights out there. All I want to do is give the fans what they want – that’s what they deserve.”

Brook’s clash with Spence tops a huge night of action in the steel city where George Groves faces Fedor Chudinov for the vacant WBA World Super-Middleweight title.

Jamie Cox meets Lewis Taylor for the WBA Inter-Continental Super-Middleweight title on his Matchroom Boxing debut while Dave Allen takes on with Lenroy Thomas for the vacant Commonwealth Heavyweight title.

Tickets for the night are still on general sale priced as follows: tiered seating at £40, £60 and £80 and pitch seats at £80, £100, £150 and £200 –VIP Packages are sold out.

Tickets are on sale from Sheffield United’s Box Office at http://www.sufc.co.uk/tickets/, on 0114 253 7200 and in person from the box office at Bramall Lane – all tickets purchased from Sheffield United are subject to a 10 per cent booking fee.

Face value tickets for May 27 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.

NEW YORK, NY – May 17, 2017 – Evander Holyfield’s Real Deal Sports & Entertainment is proud to announce their partnering with VENUM, a world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of sports apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of combat sports and fitness activities. VENUM is based in Paris, France, with offices in Paris, Los Angeles, London, and Hong Kong. The company sponsors top athletes in MMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, karate, boxing, Muay-Thai and fitness. Founded in 2006, VENUM is the official boxing glove brand of Real Deal Sports & Entertainment.

“We are excited to announce our new partnership with VENUM, as they have proven to be a superior-quality product and company,” said Eric Bentley, COO of Real Deal Sports & Entertainment. “We are committed to providing our fighters with the very best and, by partnering with VENUM, we continue to honor that commitment by supplying them with the necessary training apparel and equipment to enhance their performance and preparation.”

For more information, please visit www.therealdealboxing.com and www.venum.com.

###

ABOUT REAL DEAL SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Evander Holyfield’s Real Deal Sports & Entertainment will promote world-class and entertaining boxing events and will strive to be a company that does what is best for the sport and the fighters. With Holyfield’s vision to provide mentorship to athletes, prioritize fighter health and safety, and create innovative and interactive platforms for the fans, Real Deal Sports & Entertainment is at the forefront of revolutionizing the sport of boxing.

For more information, please visit www.therealdealboxing.com and visit us at Facebook.com/TheRealDealBoxing, on Instagram @therealdealboxing and on Twitter @therealdealbox.

PARIS (May 17, 2017) – Exciting unbeaten prospect Money Powell IV (1-0, 1 KO) will make his second professional start on Friday, June 2 when he takes on Hungary’s Sandor Jozsa (5-3-1, 2 KOs) in a four-round super welterweight attraction from Le Dome – Palais Des Sports de Paris.

The June 2 event is headlined by French Olympian and 2016 super heavyweight gold medalist Tony Yoka making his professional debut against unbeaten Travis Clark (12-0, 8 KOs) live in France on Canal Plus at 7:30 p.m. CET.

“Stepping into the ring in Paris is going to be a special experience and I can’t wait to show the French fans what I’m all about,” said Powell IV. “I want to be able to connect with as many people as possible and this is a great opportunity in just my second fight. I’m going to keep training hard like I do every day and give the fans something to remember on June 2.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar France and sponsored by Unkut Paris, start at 25 € and are available by calling Ticketmaster at 0825 038 039, or visiting www.ticketmaster.fr and www.FranceBillet.com.

“I am very happy to take ‘Money’ Global! All of France will get a chance to see the future of Boxing. Money Powell is an American, born in Germany and now fighting in Paris, France in only his second professional outing. This goes to show you that ‘Money’ truly knows no borders,” said Richard Schaefer, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports. “This young man has so many great attributes inside and outside of the ring and we’re excited to introduce him to as many new fans as possible. This is going to be a great experience for Money as he continues to sharpen his skills in the pro ranks.”

Powell made his pro debut on April 9 in Los Angeles in spectacular fashion as he used his height and reach advantage to dominate Todd Templeton and score two knockdowns before the referee halted the fight at 2:55 of the first round.

Born in Germany, where his former boxer father was stationed in the military, Powell dedicated himself to boxing for good when his family moved back to the U.S. in 2011. The 19-year-old has quickly made a name for himself since then, winning the 2016 Youth Welterweight National Championship to earn the top ranking in the 152-pound division by USA Boxing. Fighting out of Fort Mitchell, on the state line of Alabama and Georgia, Powell will continue his pro campaign on June 2.

The 26-year-old Jozsa turned pro last October and won his first three contests, including two victories by way of stoppage. Representing Hungary, Jozsa has been busy in 2017, fighting five times already including one draw and victories over Levente Siktar and most recently Laszlo Vadasz.

For more information visit www.ringstar.com or follow in Twitter @Ringstar, @laboxesurcanal, @TonyYoka and @Swanson_Comm.

LOS ANGELES (May 17, 2017) – Heavy-handed super lightweights Pablo “El Demoledor” Cesar Cano (30-5-1, 21 KOs) and Fidel “The Atrisco Kid” Maldonado Jr. (23-3-1, 19 KOs) will battle over 10 rounds for the vacant WBC Fecarbox super lightweight title as the main event of the June 17 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN in the Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Championship hardware will be on the line in the all-Texas co-main event as standout Golden Boy Prospect Joshua “The Professor” Franco (10-0, 5 KOs) of San Antonio faces off against Oscar Mojica (10-2, 1 KO) of Dallas for the WBC Youth Silver Super Flyweight title.

Cano, a 27-year-old former interim WBA World Super Lightweight champion and veteran contender who has faced off against the likes of Sugar Shane Mosley, Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi and Ashley Theophane is coming off a significant victory over Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera in his last bout.

“Even though I have been a professional for 11 years, I feel like I am just hitting my prime,” Cano, of Atizapan de Zaragoza, Mexico, said. “With a win over Maldonado, I feel like I will be ready to take on the top opponents at 140 pounds and compete for a world title.”

Maldonado, a 25-year-old southpaw out of Albuquerque, New Mexico is undefeated in his last five fights after engaging in a five-knockdown firefight with Amir Imam and is hungry to push further towards a world championship.

“I can’t wait to get in the ring with Cano and show the Texas fans what I’m all about,” Maldonado Jr., said. “People may call this a crossroads fight, but I’m only interested in taking one road — towards a world championship.”

“We’re honored to host a great fight night with Golden Boy Boxing at Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star,” said Stephen Jones, Dallas Cowboys Chief Operating Officer. “With Ford Center’s outdoor video board and the turf in the plaza, the outdoor area will create a lively experience for boxing fans, and we’re excited to have this event here in Frisco, Texas.”

Rounding out the card will be a quartet of Golden Boy’s top Texas prospects.

Hot off his fifth consecutive knockout in five fights, highly decorated amateur and super lightweight prospect Vergil Ortiz, Jr. (5-0, 5 KOs) will be scheduled to go six rounds for the first time against a soon-to-be-named opponent.

Other Dallas-based Golden Boy prospects Javier Martinez (1-0, 1 KO), a super featherweight, and Alex Rincon (1-0, 1 KO), a super welterweight, will appear in separate bouts with Martinez to face an opponent to be named and Rincon stepping in against Saul Palacios (1-0, 1 KO) of El Paso.

Opening up the card, San Antonio native Hector “El Finito” Tanajara Jr. (8-0, 4 KOs), a super featherweight, will fight Eduardo Reyes (7-9, 5 KOs) of Reynosa, Mexico.

Cano vs. Maldonado Jr., a 10-round super lightweight fight, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD and Hennessy, never stop, never settle. The bout will take place outside on Saturday, June 17 at Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star in Frisco, Texas on ESPN 2 and ESPN Deportes starting at 9:00 p.m. CT.

Tickets for Fight Night at The Star are on sale and priced at $90, $50, and $20, not including applicable service charges. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will be available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Additionally, walk up purchases are available at the AT&T Stadium Box Office (Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. CT to 5:00 p.m. CT) or on day of the event at the Ford Center Box Office beginning at 3:00 p.m.

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

NEW YORK – Kell Brook will defend his IBF World Welterweight title against U.S. star Errol Spence Jr. at Bramall Lane in Sheffield on Saturday May 27, live on Sky Sports Box Office and live on SHOWTIME®. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will begin at 5:15 p.m. ET / 2:15 p.m. PT.

Both Brook and Spence took part in a media conference call on Tuesday to discuss next week’s bout. Brook (36-1, 25 KOs) will make the fourth defense of his IBF belt against Spence (21-0, 18 KOs), the mandatory challenger and one of the most highly regarded contenders in the sport today.

Also joining the call were Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport, and Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports.

Here is what the principals had to say on the call on Tuesday:

KELL BROOK
“I think [Errol Spence] is a great talent. He’s been doing what is being asked of him. He’s been knocking over everyone that’s been put in front of him, but he’s up against the champion now. A big strong welterweight and I believe that I train very, very hard and I’m ready to fight and I am very honored to fight in my home city of Sheffield.

“I’m up for this fight and I know what I’m up against. Errol Spence is a talented fighter and I know that it is going to be a very, very tough match but I have been putting the work in at the gym and I’m in absolute focus… I’m ready for anything that comes next Saturday.

“[The crowd size] is definitely up there and that added pressure is going to make me sharper and more aware on the night of the fight. I’m fighting in my hometown and it’s going to give me a lot more energy, I’m very positive. I’m out here training in the Canary Islands and in the storm and in the heat. I’ve been sparring with big fat guys that are strong, tough middleweights with good punches… I’d like to say I’ve sparred with two to three fighters a day… I’ve been putting myself through it in training and I’ve made sure that I’ve done everything to make sure I dominate and I’m in a great place.”

I assume that you feel you are the best welterweight in this division. Who do you think is second best? And where do you think Errol Spence fits in that mix?
“I think the second best has to be Keith Thurman. I think Errol is maybe next below Thurman. He’s definitely high up there. I’ve got a lot of respect for Errol Spence. His hook is the real deal and I think he’s the real deal. I just don’t think it’s his turn yet. Specially up against someone like me. I’m an animal. I’ve done the weight right and like I said, I’m ready for whatever Errol brings.

What was the decision-making process behind staying a welterweight?
“Everybody wanted me to move up because they know that I’m a happier and a better fighter at a slightly heavier weight. But all of my career I’ve been champion and I’ve become a world champion at welterweight. It’s been hard with ups and downs and I just couldn’t give up that title just to move up in weight… I just didn’t want to move up in weight without defending my world title. It took me a long time to get. That’s why I would rather put myself through it to make this welterweight limit… Nobody is just going to get the belt without fighting me for it.”

What does it say about Errol that he is willing to go to your hometown for a world title shot like you did coming to the U.S. to win your world title?
“It just shows me that he believes in his abilities. I was in the same position that he was in. End of the day it’s just going to be me and him in the ring no matter where it is. It’s just going to be me and him. He believes in his talent and I know he’s going to be up for it because when I was coming to fight Porter as the challenger it was a dream and it’s now his dream fighting for the biggest fight of his life, for all the marbles and the world title. I know what he’s going through. He’s flying over to England, I flew to America. There are many things that go through your mind. You question yourself; you ask yourself many, many questions. I know all that is being asked of him to get him to this stage.

“The thing is that he’s up against me and I know what it takes to be champion. I’ve defended it so many times. I know it’s going to be a hard, hard fight but I’ve also put myself through it. I know what it takes to be champion and I know what it takes to defend that title. So, it’s going to be one hell of a fight. It’s the best fighting the best so all I can say is it’s going to be an amazing fight.”

How much of an advantage do you feel in this fight?
“I can’t really tell you that. I just know that I’ve fought at a world title level. I’ve beat the champion before. I’ve been in big fights. I know it is hard being the challenger, I know it is hard being the champion. All I know is I’m up against a very, very good fighter in Errol Spence and all I can say is I’ve prepared 100 percent for this fight.”

When were you confident that your eye was okay?
“I am very confident in my surgeon… You know it’s always nice, well not nice, but getting punched for the first time and feeling it in the first spar it’s always good to take that first boxer. Since then, it just feels brand new so there’s no doubt there in the eye.”

What was the process in getting back down to welterweight?
“[My nutritionist] has brought new things to the table to improve with me. Getting the weight back to welter, you know, you never stop learning. I’m not as moody as I thought I was going to be cutting down the weight. If you’ve seen me, I’m in great shape, I’m light. I’m down to weight. So, I’m not feeling as bad and I’ve got plenty of energy than thinking back to other times I’ve had to make welterweight.

“Just with the fight I know that I had to go back down to welterweight. I’m not thinking ‘this meal’s going to taste nice.’ I’m thinking this meal is just fuel for my next weight class. It’s all about the mindset and I’ve got my mind focused and my mind ready.”

Can you tell us why you think you won the fight against Shawn Porter?
“I won the fight because I won the fight and I threw more shots and caught him with the cleaner shots. He was jumping in and I won the fight with the cleaner shots and I hit him more than he hit me. That’s why.”

How long do you think you’d like to stay at 147 after this fight?
“I’ve not really thought about that too much. After I fight at this weight again, I’d like to unify the division again through Keith Thurman and then move up. That would be the ideal situation for me.”

How does it feel to come off a huge fight and go in to another big fight back-to-back?
“That’s where I want to be… I want to be putting the biggest fights on for the fans because when my time is up I want remembered as the guy who never ducked anybody when the biggest fights could be made… I want to fight all the top guys.”

ERROL SPENCE JR.
“I’m excited to fight for my first world title. It’s something that I’ve been waiting for a long time now. Something that I knew that was going to happen… I’m excited that it’s finally here and that I’m finally getting the opportunity to prove myself and prove that I am the best welterweight in the division. Kell Brook, who’s a good fighter, has great skills and he’s a strong fighter too, he can fight… I know it’s not going to be an easy fight for me; it’s going to be a real test to go to his hometown and to take his title from him. It’s something that real fighters do…they go to other people’s town and fight the champion. I’m going to go to his hometown and take the title.

Can you talk about your anxiousness about having to sit for nine months waiting to get this opportunity?
“It was difficult sometimes. It was positive because I got to hang out with my kids and family. It was difficult watching fighters on TV have success and go on to win titles. It was kind of frustrating sometimes but I knew I had to be patient – timing is everything – and that my opportunity was going to come.”

Were you surprised that Brook returned to the welterweight division to fight you? What were your thoughts about his decision?
“I wasn’t surprised. Kell Brook’s a real fighter that wants to fight the best. A lot of people said he would be ducking me… I kind of knew he was coming down. I wanted him to come down because I wanted to take the belt from the champion. I didn’t want to fight the next available guy. I wanted to fight the champion, the guy who has the belt and earn it the right way.

“I think the triple G fight is in the past. He had nine months to recover… There are guys that have been in tougher wars than that. Nine months is enough time for him to recover and recuperate and get back to normal. I’m expecting a 100% Kell Brook to come to fight. I’m not expecting an injured Kell Brook. It looks like he’s making his weight pretty good. I have to worry about the best Kell Brook.”

Can you tell us why going to London two weeks early was important for you?
“It’s been a struggle with the jet lag and adjusting to the time. We’ve been having great training, great sparring and I’m basically just staying focused out here. It was a good decision to come out here earlier.”

Had you heard or read about anyone else in the past that had gone out there too late?
“I’ve heard about guys coming in on Tuesday or three days before the fight and being jet lagged. We just wanted to take all the precautions and come out here early so we’ll be 100 % prepared.”

Can you tell us what it was like for you to get down to 147 pounds or maybe what you walk around at?
“It’s not easy at all. I’m a big welterweight too. It’s my job and I don’t complain about making weight because it’s my job. It’s part of what I have to do. I walk around pretty heavy, but I get the weight off and come 100% prepared. I’m not worried about my weight; I’m not worried about his weight. That’s what all fighters go through. There are guys that come down 30 or 40 pounds all the time. It’s not something that I worry about.”

What do you expect the environment to be like next week at Bramall Lane?
“I expect the environment to be lively. These are hardcore boxing fans in the UK. These people know their boxing. They really come out to support. I expect him to have a lot of support. I expect me to have a lot of boos and I welcome that. It’s a lot of pressure on him to perform in front of his family and his friends. I’m not worried about the crowd. It’s me and him in the ring… Watch me win the world title.”

In some ways is it better to fight him in his hometown in the sense that all the pressure is on him as you mentioned before?
“I don’t know. You still have to perform in the ring whether you’re fighting in his hometown or fighting in America or fighting anywhere else. You still have to show up and you still have to perform. At the end of the day it’s just me and him in the ring, but it is a lot of pressure fighting at home. You have a lot of expectations and a lot of people who rely on you to put on a great performance. It’s a lot of pressure on him too regardless of where he’s been.”

Do you feel in a sense that you’ll get more credit if you win this fight because you went over to his hometown and did it?
“Definitely. I feel like this is a legacy defining fight for me. Most guys with my pedigree get the title handed to them in some type of way. They don’t go across seas to fight the hometown guy against a good fighter like Kell Brook. That’s really unheard of. So I definitely think I get a lot of credit for going overseas and fighting Kell Brook.”

If you pull of the win, how much sweeter will it be that you did it in the champ’s back yard in front of around 30,000 people who are mostly going to be rooting for that guy?
“That’s a dream situation for most boxers. To win a world title in someone else’s back yard shows that you have a lot of grit about yourself and the utmost confidence in yourself to go and do that. I can’t wait.”

Do you feel that the last time you left England in 2012 without an Olympic medal, that maybe you had something to prove to the English this time around?
“No, I don’t feel like I have anything to prove. With the Olympics, it’s a lot of politics. There are a lot of different things that go on during the Olympic Games. I feel like that’s in the past, that was the amateurs, this is the pros now. I feel like I have a lot to prove to myself. Of course, I have a lot to prove to fans overall…That I’m the best welterweight and I feel like I’m the best fighter in the welterweight division. That’s the only thing I feel like I have to prove.”

You’ve called out Keith Thurman in the past. Is that something that’s on your mind at this point in your career?
“It’s not something that’s on my mind right now but it’s definitely the fight that I want in the future and it’s a fight that’s easy to make. But right now I have to get past Kell Brook for that fight to even be possible.”

What did you learn from the Golovkin fight that you can apply to fighting Kell?
“I thought Kell Brook was going to win the first half of the fight and that Triple G was going to catch up to him. Overall, it shows a lot of heart and a lot of grit to stand in there sometimes and take some shots and trade some shots with Triple G. Overall, I don’t really look into that fight. I saw some shots that Triple G landed and some things that he did but we don’t take too much from that fight.”

What about the fight that he had a couple years ago with Shawn Porter? Is there anything you’ve been able to get from that fight that you could apply?
“Definitely. We’ve been looking at a couple fights and that’s one of the fights that we’ve been looking at and that we could apply a couple things to. It was a close fight; I thought it could have gone either way. It’s one of the fights we’ve been looking at. Shawn Porter’s a different fighter than me but we take little things from everybody.”

Would you like to make a prediction for this fight?
“Prediction is I’m coming home on the airplane with the belt.”

EDDIE HEARN, Matchroom Sports Managing Director and Brook’s promoter
“It’s 30,000 that’ll be packed into Sheffield’s Bramall Lane next week and obviously off of 90,000 at Wembley, as well. It’s a wonderful time for British boxing. It’s a wonderful time for world boxing. And I think it’s fantastic looking at Showtime’s schedule, really the way they’re embracing the national scene as well as the American scene.

“Of course, this weekend they’re in London for the Gervonta Davis-Liam Walsh fight. This, looks like a great fight on paper as well and back in the north of England the week after. So, we’re really excited. This is a fight that is getting huge traction over here now because it really is the best versus the best in my opinion.

“I’ve long believed Kell Brook is the No. 1 welterweight in the division and we’ve all watched the rise of Errol Spence coming through. And I think that this is a fight that perhaps promoters and advisors of another time might’ve swerved.

“Errol Spence has looked sensational, so why go to the UK and gamble against Kell Brook? Because, they believe they can win and because he believes he’s the best. Kell Brook, coming off of a GGG fight, why fight a young, dangerous contender? The answer is, because he believes he can beat him. Because he doesn’t want to swerve the challenge, he wants to be the best as well. I think here, in my opinion, you have the No. 1 and No. 2 welterweights in the world. And that’s no disrespect to Keith Thurman. He’s a wonderful fighter but for me, this is the fight of the year in the welterweight division. I think this could be the fight of the year.

“I am so pleased to get the chance to fulfill a childhood ambition of fighting in these football grounds that he’s supported throughout his whole life. And one of the reasons we wanted to do that is. We could’ve gone to the O2 Arena and we probably would’ve made a little more money, but we need to be like an absolute razor-sharp diamond in this fight. A crowd of 30,000 at Bramall Lane would ensure that Kell Brook is that razor-sharp diamond and I believe will go on and prove that he is the No. 1 fighter in the division and one of the best pound for pound fighters in world boxing.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President & General Manager SHOWTIME Sports
“When the best fight the best, special things happen. We saw that two weeks ago in a Matchroom promoted event at Wembley Stadium, 90,000 fans and a new British Pay-Per-View record.

“We saw that back in March with Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia on CBS in a fight that generated five-million viewers. We saw the best fighting in January on SHOWTIME with the Frampton and Santa Cruz rematch as well as James DeGale and Badou Jack in a potential fight of the year.

“We know that when the best fight the best, we get memorable nights. We get reminded of everything this sport can be. In closing,

“I have to give credit to Errol and Kell and their respective teams for taking the tough fights. This is a real treat for boxing fans. I’m going to be going to the fight in person because as a boxing fan, this is an event that I do not want to miss.”

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing. To become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LAS VEGAS (May 17, 2017) – Let the boxing binge watching begin this Saturday, May 20 when separate shows on SHOWTIME and FS1 deliver six matches running over six consecutive hours. This boxing extravaganza will present a unique opportunity for fans to watch boxing starting at 6 p.m. ET and continue throughout the evening.

“It’s not unusual to spend all day Sunday watching the NFL or to spend the day watching the NBA playoffs,” said Tim Smith, Vice President of Communications for Haymon Boxing. “But it’s rare for boxing fans to be able to turn on the television in the early evening and binge watch great action until late at night. The slate of shows on May 20 will provide that opportunity for boxing fans.”

Kicking off the day will be an action-packed 130-pound championship match with undefeated young star Gervonta Davis (17-0, 16 KOs) defending his title against No. 1 contender Liam Walsh (21-0, 14 KOs) from Copper Box Arena in London, England with coverage beginning on SHOWTIME at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

The 22-year-old Davis is the youngest reigning American world champion in boxing and he will travel to England for his first title defense against Walsh, an undefeated southpaw fighting in his hometown of London.

Immediately following the Davis-Walsh bout, things kick into high gear with three matches originating from MGM National Harbor outside of Washington, D.C. Gary Russell, Jr. (27-1, 16 KOs) defends his 126-pound world title against Oscar Escandon (25-2, 17 KOs) in the main event.

A pair of world title eliminators round out the televised portion of the card. Andre Dirrell (25-2, 16 KOs) and Jose Uzcategui (26-1, 22 KOs) meet in a 168-pound match with the winner set to fight for the interim IBF title and a shot at current champion James DeGale. Two-division champion Rances Barthelemy (25-0, 16 KOs) takes on Kiryl Relikh (21-1, 19 KOs) in a 140-pound title eliminator with the winner earning an opportunity to fight for a world championship.

Rounding out the night is a pair of Premier Boxing Champions matches on FS1 and FOX Deportes from Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas that start at 10 p.m. ET.

David Benavidez (17-0, 16 KOs), an ascending star, will meet former world title challenger Rogelio “Porky” Medina (37-7, 31 KOs) in a 168-pound title eliminator in the main event. Benavidez will face the toughest test of his career against Medina, a veteran who gave DeGale all he could handle last year. The winner will get a shot at the 168-pound world championship.

Unbeaten 126-pound contender Jorge Lara (28-0-2, 20 KOs) takes on hard-hitting brawler Mario Briones (28-5-2, 22 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight match in the co-feature.

Binge Away!

Star Boxing’s popular “Rockin’ Fights” series, returns on Thursday, June 15th at The Paramount in Huntington, NY with an interesting main event when Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin (19-0 16 KO’s Long Island, NY) takes on former world title challenger “Mighty” Mike Arnaoutis (26-10-2 13 KO’s Atlantic City, NJ). The show will be the 27th edition of Joe DeGuardia’s acclaimed “Rockin’ Fights” series.

Seldin last appeared in the ring in June of 2016 destroying the very tough Jesus Selig in 1 round. It was the second consecutive 1st round knockout for Cletus and making it his 7th knockout in a row. Arnaoutis will be the most experienced and dangerous fighter Seldin has ever faced.

Cletus has gone through various ailments since that fight but is 100% healthy now and eager to get back in the ring. His fan friendly style and knockout punching power has attracted large, enthusiastic crowds to every fight. In an ironic twist, the Long Island fans pound out a thunderous “Hammer” chant, almost similar to the symbolic Greek war chant that Mighty Mike’s proud Greek fans shouted when Might Mike was a rising star.

Cletus knows this is his toughest test to date and had these thoughts about Arnaoutis, “I’ve seen Mike fight many times and he is a very good fighter who has fought the best in our division. I know this will be a toughie but that’s what I want for me and my fans”.

Arnaoutis is coming off 2 straight knockout wins in his home country, Greece, and is a veteran of almost 40 fights. Mike challenged for the world title in 2006 but lost due to a highly controversial split decision to then champion Ricardo Torres.

Arnaoutis is also a former USBA champion and has shared the ring with the likes of Victor Ortiz, Delvin Rodriguez, Chris Algieri, and Danny Garcia. Mike knows this may be his one of his roughest fights and has set up camp in Atlantic City to prepare for Seldin. Arnaoutis had this to say about the upcoming fight, “I’ve seen Seldin fight and I know he is a very strong puncher but he has never faced a fighter like me. I will use my skill and experience to beat him”.

Promoter Joe DeGuardia stated, “This is a terrific match between the up and coming Seldin and the highly-experienced Mike Arnaoutis. Cletus is in against his toughest and most experienced opponent ever. Mike has been in with some of the very best in the world throughout his career and this is the kind of tough and dangerous opponent that Cletus has been seeking.”

The fights begin at 7:30 pm ET! Undercard soon to be announced.

Tickets are on sale now at Star Boxing (718) 823-2000 or www.starboxing.com, The Paramount box office (631) 673-7300, or Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1 (800) 745-3000.

Philadelphia, PA (May 16, 2017) – This Friday night, May 19th, Carlos Rosario will take on Josh Davis in a scheduled eight-round lightweight bout that will headline a terrific night at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia.

The show is promoted by King’s Promotions.

Rosario of Pennsauken, New Jersey, has a record of 7-1 with four knockouts, and has won seven consecutive since dropping his pro debut.

The 26 year-old is a three-year professional, and has wins over Victor Vasquez (4-1), Bobby Hornsby (8-1), and his last outing when he stopped Lance Williams on March 11 in Philadelphia.

Davis, also 26, fights out of Washington, D.C., and brings in a respectable record of 10-1 with four knockouts.

The six-year professional will be making his first start in 18 months. Davis, who has won six straight is coming off a four round unanimous decision over Justin Lopez on November 12, 2015.

In the six-round co-feature, it will be a battle of light heavyweight’s as Amir Shabazz (4-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will take on Antowyan Aikens (10-3-1, 1 KO) of Atlantic City.

Also in six-round bouts:

Tyrone Crawley, Jr (6-0) of Philadelphia will take on Juan Rodriguez (7-6, 5 KO’s) of Manasa, Virginia in a lightweight fight.

David Gonzales (8-2, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will look to get back in the win column when he battles Darius Ervin (4-1) of Los Angeles, California in a junior welterweight bout.

Steven Ortiz (5-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia takes on Hector Rivera (3-1, 2 KO’s) of San Juan, Puerto Rico in a lightweight bout.

Anthony Burgin (10-3, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be named in a lightweight bout

Thomas Velasquez (8-0, 5 KO’s) of Philadelphia will battle Brandon Sanudo (5-3, 2 KO’s) of Baja California, Mexico in a lightweight bout.

In four-round Bouts:

Vincent Floyd (2-2-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will square off with Rafael Montalvo (3-3, 3 KO’s) of St. Clair, PA.

Antonio Allen (0-5) will take on Demetrius Williams (0-2) in a battle of Philadelphia based junior welterweights looking for their first win.

Lucas Dos Santos (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Miami, Florida will battle an opponent to be named in a welterweight bout.

Rounding out the card will be a four round junior welterweight bout between Titos Gosalves of Philadelphia (0-1) and pro debuting Gerardo Martinez of Phoenixville, PA.

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

THE WEIGH IN WILL BE THIS THURSDAY, MAY 18 AT THE STADIUM HOLIDAY INN AT 5:30 PM

ORANGE, Calif. (May 16, 2017) – Giovani Santillan, who was slated to highlight Thompson Boxing Promotions’ 17 year anniversary show on Friday night, is off the card due to dehydration.

The junior welterweight was having difficulty getting down to the 140 lb. limit. He was scheduled to fight Juan Garcia Mendez for the vacant WBC FECOMBOX championship (8-rounds).

“It’s unfortunate that Giovani could not cut the required weight in time,” said Alex Camponovo, matchmaker and general manager at Thompson Boxing. “I hope he gets well soon. We’ll see what happens with his career in the next few weeks.”

“I feel bad for Juan Garcia Mendez who trained hard for this fight. We are trying to find him a late replacement. In the meantime, we have elevated the championship bout between Southern California rivals Erick Ituarte and Isaac Zarate as our main event. It is a terrific fight between two hard nosed competitors.”

Ituarte (16-1-1, 2 KOs) and Zarate (12-2-2, 2 KOs) will compete for the vacant Junior NABF featherweight title scheduled for eight compelling rounds.

The new co-feature showcases hard hitting junior bantamweight Ricardo Espinoza (10-1, 8 KOs) of Tijuana, Mex. against fellow brawler and hometown rival Christian Ayala (9-1, 4 KOs) in a bout scheduled for 8-rounds.

Espinoza vs. Ayala has all the makings of a barnburner, as both boxers bring an exciting brand of fighting into the ring.

Thompson Boxing’s 17 year anniversary show will be live streamed on its website and Facebook Live beginning at 7:45 p.m. PDT this Friday.

Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and are available for purchase online at ThompsonBoxing.com, or by calling 714-935-0900.

The live stream, titled “TB Presents: New Blood,” will be anchored by blow-by-blow announcer Beto Duran with Steve Kim providing expert color commentary.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. local time with the first bell at approximately 7:45 p.m. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 N. Vineyard Ave., Ontario, CA 91764 and can be reached at (909) 937-0900.

“New Blood” 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 #NewBlood, #ThompsonBoxing, #TBLiveStream.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook Page, find us on YouTube and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

Robert Helenius’ (24-1, 15 KOs) and Dereck Chisora’s (26-7, 18 KOs) WBC Silver World Heavyweight title fight, which was due to take place on May 27 at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland, will be rescheduled for after the summer.

Helenius and Chisora were set to renew their rivalry following a controversial European title fight in December 2011. However, as promoter Nisse Sauerland explains, boxing fans will now have to wait a little longer before seeing the heavyweight rivals go toe-to-toe in a hotly anticipated rematch.

‘’It is with regret that we have been forced to reschedule this event, but due to a number of contributing factors, this has been a neccesary decision,’’ said Sauerland.

‘’I would like to apologise to all the fans who were looking forward to a great spectacle on May 27, but we will deliver an even bigger and better event after the summer.’’

Further details on the new date will be announced shortly. Tickets purchased for the May 27 event will remain valid for the new date. Customers are also entitled to a full refund. Please contact Ticketmaster for more information: http://www.ticketmaster.fi/

Dillian Whyte has been forced to postpone his clash with Mariusz Wach on June 3 at The O2 in London due to a foot injury.

Whyte was set to face the Pole in his first outing since his epic battle with Dereck Chisora in Manchester in December, with ‘The Bodysnatcher’ aiming for a key win over the former World title challenger to underline his credentials to land a World title shot of his own.

“Dillian is on the verge of a World title shot and we can’t afford to enter a fight at this stage not being 100 per cent,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “We expect to see him return in July before challenging for the World Heavyweight title towards the end of the year.”

Fans who purchased tickets for the event should contact their point of purchase for a refund.

Liam Walsh is so intent on taking the IBF world super-featherweight title from Gervonta Davis he left his wife in labour for a training camp.

Son Ryan was born last month, hours after leaving the family home in Cromer for a sparring trip to Wales. That meant it was several days before Walsh saw his latest arrival for the first time.

He hopes that sort of dedication will help defeat fast rising American star Davis at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday night.

Walsh unbeaten in 21 fights said: “I left my missus in labour a couple of weeks ago on a Thursday because I had to go to Wales for training.

“She gave birth the next day and I didn’t get to see Ryan until five days later. That is part of the sacrifices I have had to make for this fight.

“He is named after my twin brother and my other son after our eldest brother Michael.

“People think I’m mad, but my brothers mean everything to me. It’s the way we are. None of us actually own anything. Anything we have is ours. When I win this fight it will be for the family.”

There is a stack of hype surrounding Davis who is tipped to become the world’s pound-for-pound King by his promoter, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Davis landed in Britain earlier this week and ring great Mayweather Jr will be here for the fight, but Walsh is ready for any mind games they might play on him before fight night.

Walsh, who celebrates his 31st birthday on Thursday added: “I am prepared for anything he wants to do, but come weigh-in time I strictly advise him to stay at arms length.

“Were fighters first and foremost, but although I’m prepared for anything I am professional and will conduct myself in the right way.

“But you can only push me so far before you overstep the boundary.”

All floor seating at the Copper Box Arena has SOLD OUT.

Remaining tickets priced £40 and £50 are available from www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

By Jimmy Tobin-

This Saturday, undefeated American, Terence Crawford, meets Dominican, Felix Diaz, in a fight that is likely to only confirm junior welterweight supremacy. There should be an impassioned crowd on hand in Madison Square Garden that night too, at least in the rows that fit in the frame of a television screen, close enough to the production tables to mask the empty silence sprawling toward the exits.

The question of whether Diaz is a worthy challenger feels almost as out of place as the question of whether he is a deserving one. His lone loss, a disputed majority decision to Lamont Peterson, is respectable enough; his best win, a decision over Sammy Vasquez, was utterly complete. Diaz seems very much to fit into the modern contender mold: there is nothing especially remarkable about the southpaw, but he is capable. And should that assessment prove insufficient to glorify Crawford’s unmaking of him, rest assured the talking heads ringside will reference Diaz’ Olympic gold medal to buttress his professional credentials. Crawford however, knows no threat at 140 pounds, and efforts to fashion those members of the herd he culls into anything but his next opponent feel, if not insincere, then tedious, the product of too much abstraction.

Diaz may pocket a round or two if Crawford lets him, his confidence bolstered by the pyrrhic victories that begin him down the path to his doom. Crawford will measure, switch southpaw both frivolously and with purpose, decide at some point it is time to establish his dominance, and then thoroughly, maliciously, strip Diaz of his illusions. Quietly or otherwise, on his feet or his back, Diaz will go the way of his thirty predecessors; a fact that reflects matchmaking, yes, but also Crawford’s peerlessness. Few—if any—are the Crawford fights where the victor and not the manner of victory is in question.

It should surprise no one then, that Top Rank boss, Bob Arum, has been speaking of his obligation to pit the past against the future, and finally set Manny Pacquiao across the ring from Crawford. And for those who see impatience in the use of “finally” here, ask yourself this: after Crawford defeated Viktor Postol, was there any real challenge to his throne? There will always be opponents—Arum can spit shine a John Molina or Felix Diaz to delay in perpetuity the obvious—but since beating Postol last July there has been only one opponent for Crawford. Arum knows this, which explains his current enthusiasm: dangling a future opponent to distract from the present one is a tactic he has long employed. The bait is set, now await the switch.

There is a catch, of course, which can only mean further delays. Before making Pacquiao-Crawford, Arum would first like to see Crawford unify the division against Namibia’s, Julius Indongo. (And what does it say of Crawford’s next two fights that Arum is making plans beyond them?). Indongo may be a fine fighter, but a fight with Crawford would present aficionados the same uninspiring challenge: discerning how, not whether, Crawford will win (and if that is selling Indongo short, let him prove it first against someone better than Ricky Burns). The unification route makes some sense for Arum in that multiple titles means multiple mandatory defenses. When Crawford unifies he could be hogtied by mandatory defenses, none of which would accomplish more than further establishing the obvious, but each would be financed by HBO (which has already endorsed one fighter’s fetish for titles). For Arum, that is probably justification enough.

And then there is Pacquiao, who might be the underdog against Crawford but who retains enough athleticism and guile to flummox every welterweight on the planet. He is certainly too good for Jeff Horn, who owes his July fight with Pacquiao to his being Australian and little else. If Arum can successfully package Pacquiao elsewhere (and he recently stated he expects the 55,000 seat Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane to sell out), he will do so for as long as he can. He is acting like the retiree who burns through what he could have left to his heirs, living indulgently at the expense of a future he could reasonably be expected to preserve.

That bodes poorly for the future—because Pacquiao can ratify Crawford in a way titles cannot—but also for the present in that Pacquiao is being squandered. Perhaps asking him to immolate himself—even in the name of exposing recency bias—after a career that leaves so few questions is being unfair to a fighter who has earned a relatively tranquil twilight to his career. But such considerations must be made in the context of the price tag attached to his non-events and the obvious ability he retains. Mind you, talk of Pacquiao being squandered might be overly generous to a 38-year-old with 67 professional fights, one who could run aground against a fighter like Kell Brook or Errol Spence or Terence Crawford. But his undoing—so long as it is violent—remains a spectacle to behold, and Pacquiao in something other than a foregone conclusion is an event that need not be transported to Australia. That explains part of the appeal of a Crawford fight: if Crawford is fighter enough to defeat Pacquiao, he will set upon the aged icon with a healthy disdain, ensuring more than a twelve round transaction.

The hope then, is that this time Arum is being genuine and that he indeed intends to make the best fight he can. Crawford has had recent legal troubles and his relationship with the media is fragile at best. He could certainly use the right kind of attention, the right kind of opponent, because he too is being squandered. And in a year that is delivering a number of quality fights, perhaps a little forgotten too.

LOS ANGELES (May 15, 2017) The USNBC Super Middleweight title will be up for grabs when red-hot Super Middleweight prospect D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard (16-0, 12 KOs) rides a five-knockout steak into a 10-round battle against heavy-handed Adrian Luna (18-4-1, 11 KOs) in the co-main event of the May 18 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN. The event was originally scheduled to be live on ESPN2, and has now been upgraded to ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya will be ringside watching the action as Diego De La Hoya faces hard hitting Erik Ruiz.

The fight – which will serve as chief support to WBC Youth World Champion Diego De La Hoya’s (17-0, 9 KOs) fight with Erik Ruiz (16-6-1, 6 KOs) — will take place at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona and be televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes starting at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST. Calling the action live ringside for ESPN will be Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins.

A slew of Golden Boy’s top prospects will round out the stacked card.

Hoping to make TV, super featherweight prospect Hector “El Finito” Tanajara Jr. (8-0, 4 KOs) will face in a four or six-round fight against Daniel Bastien of Monterrey, Mexico. Tanajara is quickly returning from a brutal war in March in which he tasted the canvas for the first time in his career only to rise and win a unanimous decision over Daniel Perales.

Longtime Mexican super lightweight superstar Roberto “Tito” Manzanarez (34-1, 28 KOs) will square off in his second fight in the U.S. under the Golden Boy banner in an eight-round battle against Tijuana, Mexico’s Erick “Platano” Martinez (13-6-1, 7 KOs). Manzanarez was last seen in February taking out longtime contender former world champion Gamaliel Diaz with a brutal body shot in the fourth round.

Phoenix, AZ native Eben Vargas (4-0, 3 KOs) will take on Rodolfo “Rudy” Gamez (1-2) in a four-round welterweight fight. Vargas, a decorated amateur, will return to the ring only weeks after a stellar first-round knockout against Jose Mesa.

Staying active, undefeated super lightweight prospect Jonathan “Thunder” Navarro (9-0, 6 KOs) will return for the second time in just over a month and look for a repeat of his April knockout performance. He will fight Ciudad Juarez’s Ricardo “Maniac” Fernandez (3-4-4) in a six-round super lightweight bout.

Opening up the card, undefeated super flyweight prospect Joshua “The Professor” Franco (9-0, 5 KOs) will battle for six rounds against Mexicali, Mexico’s Marco Sanchez (9-4-2, 4 KOs).

De La Hoya vs. Ruiz is a 10-round super bantamweight bout set for May 18, presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Showdown Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate “Born BOLD” and Hennessy, never stop, never settle. ESPN and ESPN Deportes will transmit the fights live from Casino Del Sol beginning at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST. ESPN3 live stream of the fight will begin at approximately 8:30 p.m. EST/5:30 p.m. PST.

Tickets are on sale and range from $30.00-$105.00 (includes convenience fee). Tickets are available for purchase at the Casino Del Sol gift shop and online at casinodelsol.com.

Videos and images are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/DeLaHoya-Ruiz. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for any photos/video.

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

About Casino Del Sol:
Located in southwest metropolitan Tucson, Ariz., the Pascua Yaqui Tribe is a federally recognized tribe with nearly 20,000 enrolled members. The Tribe owns and operates several enterprises including Casino Del Sol. Arizona’s only Forbes Four Star and AAA Four Diamond casino resort, one of the Best Hotels in Arizona named by U.S. News & World Report; Casino of the Sun; AVA Amphitheater, a 5,000-seat open-air concert venue named Casino Arena/Amphitheater of the Year by Casino Entertainment Awards; Sewailo Golf Club a par-72 championship course designed by Notah Begay III; and the Del Sol Marketplace. For more information, call 1-855-SOL-STAY (765-7829) or visit www.CasinoDelSol.com; Follow Casino Del Sol on Facebook and Twitter.

LOS ANGELES, CA (May 15, 2017) Top prospect DANIEL “TWITCH” FRANCO, of Rancho Cucamonga, CA improved to 16-1-3, 11 KO’s, with a blistering first around knockout of FRANCISCO SUAREZ, (5-5-1, 5KO’s) in Ensenada, Mexico this past Friday night.

The victory was the 25-year-old Franco’s highly anticipated return to battle following his first professional loss to Christopher Martin on March 23rd.

Next up for Franco is a showdown with rival JOSE HARO, (13-1-1, 7 KO’S) on Saturday, June 10 telecast live on CBS Sports Network, (10 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. PT) for Franco’s previously held IBF-USBA Featherweight Title at the WinnaVegas Casino and Resort in Sloan, Iowa.

“I was thrilled to get back in the ring and very relived to score the knockout,” said Franco. “Right after my loss to Martin, I was right back in the gym determined to get my title back.”

“Haro and I have been on the same path for a while now, this is a fight that’s been talked about for at least a year. Now we get to settle it where the stakes are the highest, I’ll be ready.”

Said manager Ray Chaparro, “The loss to Martin was a setback for Daniel and the team but he was in great shape this past Friday and truly showed his determination to get back his title. No doubt he’ll be ready for Jose Haro on June 10 in what will be an excellent TV fight for the fans.”

Franco vs. Haro is featured at “KO Night Boxing: WAR In WinnaVegas”, presented by KO Night Boxing LLC, in association with Roc Nation Sports, Ringside Ticket Inc. and WinnaVegas Resort Casino. TITLE Boxing is the official gloves provider for KO Night Boxing.

Tickets are on sale at the WinnaVegas box office and online at www.tickets.winnavegas.biz. Advance ticket prices are $35.00 ringside (rows 1 & 2), $35.00 VIP Reserved Seating (rows 3 & 4), $20.00 General Admission Reserved Seating (rows 3 & 4) and $15.00 General Admission Standing Room Only.

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NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. (May 15, 2017) – Top 126-pound challenger Oscar Escandon shares his thoughts on training camp and more ahead of his first world title opportunity against WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. Saturday, May 20 on SHOWTIME from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

Coverage on SHOWTIME begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and features super middleweight contenders Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui battling for the IBF Super Middleweight World Championship plus two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy taking on Kiryl Relikh in a 140-pound world title eliminator. In the telecast opener, from Copper Box Arena in London, Gervonta Davis puts his IBF Jr. Lightweight Title on the line against Liam Walsh.

Tickets for the live event at MGM National Harbor, promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $200, $150, $100 and $50, and are now on sale. To purchase tickets go to http://mgmnationalharbor.com/.

Here is what Escandon had to say from Las Vegas before he wraps camp and heads east to headline at MGM National Harbor in Maryland:

On his recent training camp:

“Training camp started off in Gilroy, California where we got a lot of good sparring in the Bay Area. But then we moved camp to Las Vegas where we are training in high elevation. We are running up at Mt. Charleston where the elevation is 8400 feet. All in all, it has been a fantastic camp.”

On fighting in his first main event on SHOWTIME:

“It’s a dream come true to be fighting on SHOWTIME, especially in the main event for a world title. I believe the fans watching will enjoy my fighting style. I always bring excitement to the ring. This will be a fan-friendly fight to watch.”

On facing his opponent, champion Gary Russell Jr:

“Gary Russell Jr. is one of the best fighters in the division. I know it’s not going to be an easy task to defeat him but I’m confident in my ability to come out victorious. I will dig deep and impose my will on him.”

On training with head coach Ruben Guerrero:

“Together Ruben and I get along very well. He’s always there for me when I need him. We are doing everything to get better and we’ll be ready to go. We have a nice game plan that we will display on fight night.”

On what a victory will do for his career:

“This is the biggest fight of my career and a win will lead to bigger and better things, like unification bouts. To capture the WBC world title will be an honor for my team and my people of Colombia. I need to win this fight and capture that WBC title. I can see myself in major fights with a victory.”

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ABOUT RUSSELL JR. vs. ESCANDON

Gary Russell Jr. vs. Oscar Escandon is a featherweight world championship showdown that headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday, May 20 from MGM National Harbor in Maryland. Televised coverage begins on SHOWTIME at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and features super middleweight contenders Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui in a matchup for the Interim IBF Super Middleweight World Championship plus two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy in a WBA 140-pound world title eliminator against Kiryl Relikh. In the telecast opener, from Copper Box Arena in London, Gervonta Davis puts his IBF Jr. Lightweight Title on the line against Liam Walsh.

For more information, follow on Twitter @MrGaryRussellJr, @TGBPromotions, @MGMNatlHarbor and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/MGMNationalHarbor. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.