LOS ANGELES (Aug. 3, 2016) – Golden Boy Promotions fighters set to demonstrate their skills in the ring at the August 5 and August 19 editions of LA FIGHT CLUB today hosted a media workout at C M Boxing Stables in the City of Alhambra. Headlining the August 5 card, Carlos “The Solution” Morales, Angel Bojado, Joet Gonzalez, Pablo “The Shark” Rubio, Jr., and Jousce Gonzalez, were in attendance as well as Vyacheslav “Lion Heart – Chingonsky” Shabranskyy, who is set to headline the August 19 edition along with stable mates Ivan “Striker” Delgado, Alexis Rocha, and David Mijares.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s media workout:

August 5 LA FIGHT CLUB card fighters:

CARLOS “THE SOLUTION” MORALES, Super Featherweight Contender:

“The way I’ve been preparing for this fight is focusing on body shots and applying pressure there.

“Since my opponent and I have similar records, I feel I have fought tougher fighters than he has. My opponent is very fast, so I’ve been working on my speed.

“One of the hardest parts of boxing is making weight. Right now, I’m a few pounds over, but it’s all part of the business.

“I’m excited to get back in the ring. Someday, I’d like to be a world champion. I see this as another fight to move up in the ranks.”

JOET GONZALEZ, Featherweight Prospect:

“My last fight was on May 6, the night before Canelo Alvarez’s last fight, and I’m coming in ready for this fight coming up.

“I have a few rivals nationally and here in California. My biggest rival has probably been Joseph Diaz, Jr. because we have trained together, and I’ve seen him fight.”

ANGEL BOJADO, Super Welterweight Prospect:

“I’ve had a really great camp, and I’m training super hard. Camp went so well I’m coming in underweight and feel no stress. The next few days I’ll be reviewing videos of my opponent, studying what he does and relaxing. I want to improve to be the best fighter I can be.

“I know my opponent is coming in with three losses and will be hungry to fight so I’m preparing to be ready.”

PABLO RUBIO, JR., Super Bantamweight Prospect:

“I’m always excited to be back at the Belasco Theater. My camp and I have trained very hard for this.

“My opponent is 4-7 and seems like an aggressive fighter. We’re going to be very smart about this and go in for the knockout if we can.

“I’m going to make this a great and exciting fight to give the fans what they want.”

JOUSCE GONZALEZ, Super Featherweight Prospect:

“I’m newly signed with Golden Boy Promotions, and I’m very excited for my upcoming fight. It feels great to go from amateur to professional in boxing.

“I’ve learned a lot from my brother Joet [Gonzalez] and watching him fight.

“My first fight was April 15 at the Belasco Theater, and I worked very hard for it to get my first knockout. You never know what could happen in boxing, anything could happen in the ring.”

August 18 LA FIGHT CLUB card fighters:

VYACHESLAV “LION HEART-CHINGONSKYY” SHABRANSKYY, Light Heavyweight Contender:

“My training camp is focused on working hard. Usually it is six weeks before the fight. We are working on sparring, and I am ready for the fight.

“I am very excited to be the main event at LA FIGHT CLUB. This is my second time headlining a fight in my career.

“I don’t know a lot about my opponent, but I am training my hardest to beat him. He is a southpaw so I will be using my right hand.”

IVAN “STRIKER” DELGAGO, Super Featherweight Prospect:

“I’m excited because this is my first co-main event fight. My opponent is a strong fighter, and I’m coming out to fight. This is my first eight-round fight, and I’ve been preparing by conditioning more.

“My daily routine has been waking up early, going for a run, heading to the gym and sparring. I do training and conditioning every other day. I’m at 132 lbs., and my diet has been healthy and consistent.

“My opponent has only been knocked out, and he’s going to come to win. I’ve seen him fight before and he’s tough.”

ALEXIS ROCHA, Welterweight Prospect:

“This fight is my first six round fight, so I’m focusing on conditioning. I’m going to go for the body shots in this one.

“I don’t know too much about my opponent, but I’m ready for what he brings.

“Coming back to the Belasco Theater is very exciting. Lots of fans will be there, and it feels great to hear them chanting my name.

“Camp has been great. I have a few more weeks, and I’m working on sparring. It’s more of a waiting game right now.

“My brother Ronny is the biggest inspiration for me. He gives me lots of mental advice. Boxing is 90 percent a mental sport.”

DAVID MIJARES, Super Lightweight Prospect:

“So far as a professional, I have fought on the undercard of Canelo vs. Khan. It was very nerve wracking because it was the first fight at the T-Mobile Arena, but once I got over it, I got straight to business.

“I’m not too familiar with my opponent, but I believe he is from Texas and it’s a string state for talented boxers.

“My number one priority for this fight is sitting on my punches and putting on a great show for the fans.

“My training camp has been going well. My sparring has been sharp. I even sparred with Viktor Postol at the end of his camp against Terence Crawford.”

Carlos Morales vs. Luis Franco, is a 10-round super featherweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” Casa Mexico Tequila, Carmelita Coconut Water, and Hands of Stone: The True Story of Robert Duran out in theatres August. The Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Estrella TV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The card will also stream live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

Vyacheslav Shabranskyy vs. Oscar Riojas is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD, Casa Mexico Tequila and Carmelita Chorizo. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. The Estrella TV Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Friday, Aug. 19 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT and will stream live simultaneously on estrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios: youtube.com/FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for LA FIGHT CLUB starting at only $20 with Flex Passes for multiple fight packages, Group Tickets and Knockout Experience upgrade are available for purchase now at www.goldenboypromotions.com, the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page, by calling 213-233-2957 or by emailing LAFightClub@goldenboypromotions.com. Mark your calendars and purchase tickets in advance before they sell out for the remaining summer dates taking place August 5, August 19, September 2, October 7, November 4 and December 2.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.belascous.com, www.estrellatv.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV and become a fanon Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/TheBelascoLA, www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @belascola and @EstrellaTV, follow the conversation using #LAFIGHTCLUB and #BoxeoEstelar.

BETHLEHEM, PA. (August 3, 2016) – Undefeated prospect Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant (13-0, 10 KOs) will square off against hard-hitting Colombian Juan De Angel (18-4-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight matchup that serves as the main event of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday, August 23 from
Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a pair of undercard bouts as unbeaten prospect Earl Newman (9-0, 7 KOs) takes on Detroit’s Leo Hall (8-1, 7 KOs) in eight-rounds of light heavyweight action while Carlos Gongora (5-0, 4 KOs) faces Ronald Mixon (7-0, 6 KOs) in an eight-round matchup of undefeated light heavyweight prospects.

“It’s a blessing to be headlining on my own show,” said Plant. “It’s all thanks to my family and my team. I’m happy with how far I’ve come in my career. I’ve had obstacles in front of me my entire life and I have had to rise to the occasion. I know De Angel is a tough guy, but I have too much in my game for him.”

“I had a great camp in Colombia and I’m going to Florida to put the finishing touches on training,” said De Angel. “Plant is strong and he counters well, but he gets hit hard and often. I’ve had experience in big fights and I’m going to do my best to put my hands on him. I’m thankful for this opportunity and I’m going to make the most it.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $108, $83 and $58, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

A 2011 National Golden Gloves champion, Plant has begun to make his name in the professional ranks since turning pro in 2014. Last year, the 24-year-old picked up six victories including hard fought triumphs over Jamar Freeman in September and Tyrone Brunson in October. Fighting out of Nashville, he kicked off his 2016 campaign by stopping Adasat Rodriguez in January and delivered a fourth-round knockout of Carlos Galvan in June. He takes on an experienced opponent in Barranquilla, Colombia’s De Angel. The 29-year-old has a reputation for knockouts, having delivered victories inside of the distance in seventeen of his eighteen victories.

A former New York Golden Gloves champion, Newman has shown impressive power in stopping seven of his first nine opponents since turning pro in 2014. The 24-year-old out of Brooklyn is coming in off of a stoppage victory over Dustin Craig Echard in April. He faces his toughest opponent to date in the 21-year-old Hall out of Detroit. Hall knocked out seven of his first eight opponents before losing for the first time in December 2015.

A two-time Ecuadorian Olympian, Gongora now trains out of Brooklyn and is undefeated since turning pro in May 2015. The 27-year-old has delivered knockouts in four of his first five pro fights, including three in the first round. He takes on fellow unbeaten Mixon out of Los Angeles. The 27-year-old has delivered two stoppage victories in 2016.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com www.sandseventcenter.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com.

Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @FS1, @TheSBEC, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes and www.Facebook.com/the SBEC. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

New York, NY (8/3/16) – Fresh off his sensational upset victory over previously undefeated and top-rated welterweight Sammy Vasquez Jr. on July 16th, Felix Diaz has signed an exclusive long-term promotional agreement with DiBella Entertainment (DBE). The only gold medalist in the history of the Dominican Republic Olympic Boxing team, Diaz, who fights in both the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions, is looking for the absolute biggest names in boxing and is thrilled to be joining the DBE roster.

“Signing with Lou DiBella means that the team around me just got even better,” said Diaz. “I have the best advisor in the game in Al Haymon and now I have the best promoter in Lou. Lou can turn me into a household name and promote me the way that I should be promoted. I am very excited to join DiBella Entertainment and I can’t wait to get back in the ring with one of the biggest names in the sport.”

“Felix Diaz is one of the best fighters in the world between 140-147 pounds,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “He can compete with anyone at these weights and is capable of beating them. It’s not an accident that Felix is the only gold medalist in the history of his native Dominican Republic. We look forward to working with Felix and his management team as we build him into a recognizable name to all boxing fans while pursuing the biggest and best fights available for him.”

“I am very excited about Felix joining the DBE team. I have known Lou for over 10 years; no one works harder than him. He is very passionate about this sport and his fighters. I know that he will guide Felix in the right direction and bring him to the top,” said manager Jose Nunez.

Coming off a majority decision loss to Lamont Peterson in October of last year, Diaz took the fight against the highly regarded, much bigger, and undefeated Vasquez Jr. on short notice, after Vasquez Jr.’s original opponent Luis Collazo pulled out. Entering the bout against Vasquez as a significant underdog, Diaz took the fight right to Vasquez from the outset and never let off the gas, ultimately winning a unanimous 10-round decision in an absolute war on the undercard of Deontay Wilder’s heavyweight title defense against Chris Arreola. It was a sensational performance by Diaz, which was broadcast live and in primetime on the Fox network.

While Diaz is looking at any and all of the top names in the 140-147lb. divisions, there is one name in particular that he has his eye on.

“I want Danny Garcia,” stated Diaz. “I have made this very clear to my team that this is the fight I want. If Danny wants to avoid me though, then I want one of the other big names out there. Broner, Burns, Porter, Berto, Bradley, Crawford, I like all of those fights. I don’t turn down fights. I have been thrown to the wolves since I first got into this game and I have never backed down from a challenge. I just want to fight the best and I believe that before the end of the year, I will be in the ring with one of the biggest names in boxing.”

For additional information, you can visit www.dbe1.com, follow us on Twitter @loudibella @DiBellaEnt or like our fan page on facebook/DiBellaEntertainment.

PHILADELPHIA (August 3, 2016) – Five top Philadelphia based fighters will be on the undercard this Friday night at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia on a Premier Boxing champions card on ESPN & ESPN Deportes.

In the main event, David Benavidez (15-0, 14 KO’s) of Phoenix, Arizona takes on Denis Douglin (20-4, 13 KO’s) of Las Vegas in the ten-round super middleweight main event. In the televised co-feature, Alejandro Luna (20-0, 15 KO’s) of Bellflower, CA. will battle Stephen Ormand (21-2, 11 KO’s) of Dublin, Ireland in a lightweight tussle.

The undercard will be littered with Philly fighter’s as Naim Nelson (13-1, 11 KO’s) will take on Edgardo Rivera (7-3-2, 5 KO’s) of Caguas, Puerto Rico in a six-round super lightweight bout; Knockout artist Tyrone Brunson (22-6-1, 21 KO’s) battles Carlos Garcia (10-16-1) of Aguada, Puerto Rico in a junior middleweight bout scheduled for eight-rounds.; In a six-round lightweight bout, Jerome Conquest (6-1, 1 KO) will fight Victor Vasquez (5-2, 2 KO’s) of Yonkers, New York; There will also be two pro debuter’s featured as junior middleweight Kieran Hooks will fight Miguel Martinez (2-1) of Reading, Pennsylvania and lightweight Jeffrey Torres will take Mariano Rolon (Pro debut) of Reading, Pennsylvania.

Also on the bill will be a four-round super middleweight clash between Darryl Bunting (2-0-1, 1 KO) of Asbury, NJ and Edward Jeramie Ortiz (1-0, 1 KO) of San Antonio, Texas.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $50, $75 and $100, not including fees, and are on sale now. To purchase tickets click HERE.

Thursday, August 4

5:30 p.m. OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN
Location: 2300 Arena
2300 S. Swanson St.; Philadelphia, PA 19148
5:30 p.m. – Media Arrival
6:00 p.m. – Fighters to Scales

Friday, August 5

6:00 p.m. 2300 ARENA DOORS OPEN
Location: 2300 S. Swanson St.; Philadelphia, PA 19148

6:30 p.m. FIRST BOUT

9:00 p.m. ESPN & ESPN DEPORTES BROADCAST BEGINS

Toronto, Ontario, Canada (August 3, 2016) – Toronto-based Lee Baxter Promotions is proud to announce the signing of undefeated super featherweight contender Logan “Cotton” McGuinness to an exclusive promotional agreement.

Living and fighting out of Orangeville, Ontario, McGuinness has an outstanding 23-0-1 professional ledger with 10 victories coming by knockout. The 29-year-old McGuinness is a former WBA-NABA champion at 126, 130 and 135 pounds, earning NABA Fighter of the Year in 2011.

Formerly ranked number 4 in the world by the WBA, McGuinness has been inactive since May 2015 due to out of the ring issues and is excited to get back in the squared circle.

McGuinness said of his new promotional agreement and return to fighting in Canada “it feels great to have signed with Lee Baxter and this is something I feel has been a long time coming. I think the two of us will make some noise and do big things together. I have had an unfortunate couple of years as anyone who has followed my career understands but I’m a true believer in things happening for a reason and everything seems to be falling into place. I’m motivated and rejuvenated. I can’t wait to fight in Toronto!”

Baxter, a longtime fixture in the Canadian boxing scene who recently created the “Next Generation” fight series, is thrilled to be working with a longtime friend who he believes has a bright future ahead of him.

“I’m thrilled to be working with Logan and the timing is great for both of us. He had some unexpected layoffs but is still unbeaten and a very talented fighter. There’s been a public demand for him to fight in Canada again since 18 of his professional matches have been here and we’re proud to be making this happen. I’m looking at having him potentially fight twice in 2016 and the people in Ontario are as excited to see him fight as he is to fight in front of them. The sky is definitely the limit with Logan!”

Details on Logan’s return to the ring will be announced shortly.

Bristol, PA (August 3,, 2016) – Chazz “The Gentleman” Witherspoon is ready for a big fight against a top heavyweight, but first, he must get past Mike Marrone On Saturday night, as D & D Promotions and Silver Spoon Promotions will present “Rumble at the Rink II” at the Grundy Arena in Bristol, Pennsylvania.

Witherspoon (34-3, 26 KO’s) of Paulsboro, New Jersey is ready for the former world title challenger and he has taken him as a serious challenge for this Saturday’s main event.

“Training has been good. I am ready to fight on Saturday,” said Witherspoon.

“I know Marrone from the amateurs. We have spoken before at tournaments. He seems like a nice guy, and I know he will come to fight. He won’t lay down and I am expecting a good fight.”

Witherspoon has won four in a row by knockout knows that with another win or two, he will have a big opportunity at one of the top names in the heavyweight division.

“I am waiting for the right opportunity. It has to make sense. I am willing to take stay busy fights and continue to hone my craft. If the opportunity isn’t next, then I will continue to stay busy.”

Witherspoon knows that it will take one big win to become a major player in the suddenly wide-open heavyweight division.

“I think the division is exciting again. Different guys have belts and all roads do not lead to one person. I know I will fit somewhere in there when I get a shot at one of these titles.”

In the meantime, Witherspoon will continue and promote the sport. Along with D & D Promotions, he is the co-promoter of Saturday’s fight.

“We have been trying to get the word out to the area. It’s a good surrounding area with Neshaminy and Bensalem and just over the bridge, you have Burlington, Florence and Willingboro.”

Seeing action in the eight-round co-feature will be junior welterweight Emanuel “The Tranzforma” Taylor (19-4, 13 KO’s) battling Carlos Aguilera (10-16, 4 KO’s) of Chiapas, Mexico.

With a win, Taylor is earmarked for a September fight with WBO number-two ranked Jose Zepeda.

The Taylor – Aguilera bout is promoted in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

In a six-round bout, Alvin Vermall Jr. (10-0-1, 8 KO’s) of Catskills, NY will take on James Jones (2-8, 1 KO) of Nashville, NJ in a cruiserweight bout

In four-round bouts:

Cruiserweight Mike Hilton (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Trenton, NJ will take on an opponent to be named.

Middleweight Elijah Vines (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will battle Julian Valerio (3-3, 2 KO’s) of Atlanta, GA

Junior welterweight Sam Teah (7-1-1, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will all see action against Samuel Amoako (21-12, 15 KO’s) of Silver Spring, MD.

LeShawn Rodriguez (3-0, 2 KO’s) of Shirley, NY will fight Jason Wahr (4-12-3, 1 KO) of Virginia Beach, VA. in a middleweight bout.

Jaron Ennis (4-0, 4 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take on Matthew Murphy (1-3-1, 1 KO) of St. Louis, MO. a junior welterweight bout.

Luis Perozo (1-1, 1 KO) of New York will battle Alberto Martinez (0-1) of Tifton, GA

Tickets for this night of boxing are $150 VIP with food and soft drinks; $100; $50; $25 (for children under 17) and can be purchased by calling 856-842-7577 or dboysboxing@gmail.com or www.dboysboxing.com

The Grundy Arena is located at 475 Beaver Street in Bristol, PA.

HBO Boxing heads back to the Bay Area when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: ANDRE WARD VS. ALEXANDER BRAND is seen SATURDAY, AUG. 6 at 10:35 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from Oracle Arena in Oakland, Cal., exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team of Jim Lampley, Max Kellerman, Bernard Hopkins and Harold Lederman will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: Aug. 7 (9:45 a.m.) and 8 (12:05 a.m.)

HBO2 playdate: Aug. 7 (4:45 p.m.)

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

Returning to his hometown, Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) continues to pursue dominance in the 175-pound weight class, taking on Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) from Bogota, Columbia in a light heavyweight bout scheduled for 12 rounds. Originally slated for last November, the fight was postponed when Ward sustained an injury in training.

Ward, 32, has succeeded at every level, compiling a near-perfect record as an amateur, winning a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and enjoying a seven-year reign as super middleweight champ. He looked superb against challenger Sullivan Barrera in his 2016 debut last March, registering a unanimous decision victory. This will mark Ward’s seventh fight at Oracle Arena and sixth appearance on HBO. If he scores a victory, Ward is expected to seek another world title by fighting light heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev in the fall.

Brand turned professional at age 32 after racking up more than 400 wins as an amateur. Now 39, he won his first 17 pro fights, 12 by knockout, and has been on an eight-victory run following his only ring loss, in 2012.

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, Jon Crystal; director, Johnathan Evans.

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

OAKLAND, CA (August 3, 2016) – On Tuesday, August 2, Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) and power-punching Colombian Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) participated in a media workout at King’s Gym in Oakland, California in advance of their August 6 fight at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Ward and Brand will meet in 12-round WBO Intercontinental title bout televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT.

After shadowboxing in the ring and a few rounds on the punching bags, both fighters participated in interviews with media members in attendance. Also on hand to catch the hometown hero were a dozen members of the West Oakland Boys and Girls Club chapter. Ward surprised the group of local youths with tickets to Saturday’s fight.

Below is what the fighters had to say during the final media workout:

ANDRE WARD, Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter:

“It was good to get back in camp right after the last fight. I was a lot sharper early in camp than I normally am. The last couple of years, typically, you have to get the rust off first, then work on getting sharp, work on technique and the game plan. This training camp was continuous of the last training camp, I probably put in over 130 rounds. I feel really good.
“I know enough about Brand. He’s got everything to gain and nothing to lose. He swings for the fences with every punch. He’s a dangerous guy to fight.
“It feels good to be back at Oracle Arena multiple times this year. I don’t know how much stock you can put into the last couple of years. A lot of people are talking about it, but people have to weigh in the amount of time I have been doing this, which is all my life. You look at Floyd Mayweather, he took a couple of hiatuses and it may have given him two or three more years. It was a mental break and it was a physical break. Taking those couple years where maybe you’re not fighting as frequently, it’s not always a bad thing, especially late in your career.
“I came up a little different in my Olympic days. Virgil Hunter is the type of coach who will get you away from everybody and turn your phone off. We didn’t have snapchat in 2004, we didn’t have Instagram in 2004. We had a room that we all had to huddle around with desktop computers where we all had to get news about what was going on. But now, in 2016, I see the USA team snapchatting and Instagramming. Part of you wants to tell them to shut it down and do it like I did it, but that may not be the right thing. Understand why you’re there, understand you’re not going to get this moment again. You don’t typically repeat when you go for the Olympics. Understand why you’re there, take it seriously and everything else will fall in place.
“The key is to have a good team. I’ve got a great lawyer, a great manager and a great promotional team in Roc Nation Sports. They are going to make sure the details are right. This is a very much a business, and before there’s combat, business has to be handled and taken care of. I think fighters and all athletes should be unapologetic about taking care of business. That way, when you get into that ring or field or court, your mind can be free.
“Unfortunately, our women don’t get the respect they deserve, they don’t get the notoriety. They don’t get the exposure that they probably should get. Raquel Miller, who will be on the card, and other female fighters, they do what we do. They’re training and grinding but they are not always noticed. I remember the Christie Martin days where she fought on the Mike Tyson undercards with Laila Ali. They got some good publicity and shine. However, there are so many other young female fighters coming up, ones who are established and have been fighting, whom people don’t know about. It’s a beautiful thing. I’m happy for Raquel and excited to have her on the card. I don’t believe when people say there is no market for women’s boxing. Let’s create a market then, let’s create some buzz!
“Sergey Kovalev is not on my mind at all. I’ve got a job to do. I haven’t even talked about Kovalev. We can talk about Kovalev on August 7th, that’s what I told my team. I didn’t watch his last fight, he’s not my next opponent but I know what happened and what people are saying about it.
“I’ve never seen Brand in person. It’s tricky, in my last fight, Sullivan Barrera was a little bit bigger than me. Everyone made a big deal about that, and Brand is smaller than me. You’ve got to be able to get it done, short or tall, explosive or wild. Brand is wild, so it’s going to take a few rounds to break him down and tame him before we start doing what we want to do. As a championship-caliber fighter, you’ve got to be able to deal with everything, every style and size. I’ve never seen the guy in person, so it’s hard to gauge.
“Taking away my opponents’ best weapon away is a skill that I developed as a kid, right here at King’s Gym. Virgil was a really, really good coach. He’s probably the last of the great teachers. I’ve been in here with pros at 13 and 14 years old. Seasoned veterans hitting me on my head, trying to discourage me, trying to bully me. I would go back to the corner and say, ‘Man he hit me on my head. Man he’s pushing my head back.’ And Virgil would say, ‘Then make him stop.’ In other words, I had to figure it out. Having those sessions here year after year, I had to get my respect in here first before I could even fight others. I had to learn to adjust here first before I had the chance to adjust in a big fight. So, it started here. And, it carried over. Even today, we bring in top sparrers. Sparring is different than a fight, but we bring in top sparrers to make sure my senses are on point. I don’t like to lose a second of a round so even when I am tired, I try to figure it out mentally. What can I do to offset him? How can I take that away from him? Exploit his weakness? That is constantly on my mind. I think it shows when the lights come on.
“Being back at home, it’s two-fold. Part of me wants to stop and take it in. Go down memory lane and remember all the times I’ve walked into the gym, all the battles I’ve had in here. Remember the good days and the bad days. Then there is another part of me that doesn’t like looking back too soon. I’ve got to stay in the moment. It’s kind of surreal. It’s surreal to be in the arena that I have driven past for years. Driving down 880 and wishing I could headline. I’m blessed. Not a lot of people get the opportunity. I know a lot of great fighters who didn’t get the opportunity for one reason or another. And to have that opportunity, I don’t take it lightly.
“I’ve been given a tremendous opportunity. God has blessed me a lot. There’s an inscription in the bible that says to whom much is given, much is acquired. He’s given me a talent, and I’m probably not the most talented, but I want to make sure I use it the best I can. I’m running my race right now in this professional game, and when I look back I want to say that I didn’t cheat anybody, that I gave everything that I had, and this is what I have to show for it. Finishing strong is really important to me. Becoming an all-time great is really important to me. I’m just giving God a return on his investment, because he’s invested a lot in me. I’m thankful.”

ALEXANDER BRAND, Former WBC Latino Super Middleweight Champion:

“I didn’t want to show too much at this media workout but I’ve got something in store for the day of the fight.

“It doesn’t really matter that the fight is in Ward’s hometown, it’s going to be a fight. Wherever it is, whether it’s in his backyard or anywhere else, I’m coming to fight and that’s the most important thing.

“It’s nothing new for me, I fought at 175 pounds in the amateurs. My last fight in December was at 175 pounds against an undefeated Russian when Andre Ward got hurt and couldn’t fight me on the Cotto-Canelo card.

“Whatever Ward brings, I’m going to have something for him.

“Ward still has 12 rounds to fight before he can think about Kovalev.”

Ward vs. Brand is a 12-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental title, presented by Roc Nation Sports and sponsored by Corona Extra, Verizon, ProSupps, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (CTMS), Jordan Brand, Shoe Palace, Kingsford, Autocom Nissan, Ticketmaster and The Clorox Company, supporting the Bay Area Community for over 100 years. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $250, $100, $70, $40 and $30, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Follow the conversation using #WardBrand.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Aug. 3rd, 2016) — Matt Bessette has a unique, if not unconventional, approach to choosing his opponents.

While some fighters want to know every last detail about the opponent they’re about to face – sometimes at an excruciatingly painstaking level – Bessette (19-7, 5 KOs) thrives off the element of the unknown, instead choosing to play it by ear and rely on his own ability, not hours upon hours of film study, to carry him through any given fight.

“I like the idea of not knowing much about the guy I’m fighting and I like the idea of him not knowing much about me,” said the Stafford Springs, Conn., vet, who faces a relative unknown in the northeast region, Stephen Cervantes, on Friday, Aug. 12th, 2016 for the vacant CES MMA Featherweight Title on the main card of “CES MMA 37” live on AXS TV from Twin River Casino, one of three championship bouts on the card.

Cervantes (6-1), an Albuquerque, N.M., native, replaces the original opponent, Pedro Gonzalez of Gloucester, Mass., whom Bessette knew a lot about, and vice-versa. Bessette dealt with a similar scenario in June when he faced Colorado vet Ran Weathers on 72 hours’ notice after his original opponent was forced to withdraw from the fight. The result was a surprisingly effortless win for Bessette via guillotine choke 4 minutes, 50 seconds into the opening round.

“I’ve done it so many times that it’s had very, very little affect on me,” Bessette said. “You just change your game plan a tiny bit and that’s it. It took me a collective 24 hours to get over the fact I wasn’t fighting Pedro and then I switched gears to Cervantes. Another day in the office.”

Bessette and Cervantes battle for the promotion’s featherweight title, vacated in 2014 when former champion Rob Font debuted with the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC). A former Jiu Jitsu world champion, Cervantes carries an impressive resume into Friday’s title bout, including a win over Bellator vet Shawn Bunch and a showdown less than three months ago against World Series of Fighting alum Kyle Reyes.

“People aren’t expecting me to go out there and get a win. I’m coming in as a big underdog and rightfully so, but I’m going to show everybody out there in Rhode Island what’s up,” Cervantes said.

“[Bessette’s] a complete fighter. There’s nothing that the dude really can’t do. He’s aggressive. He’s strong-minded. He’s going to be super legit. I’m most impressed with his Jiu Jitsu, but that’s where I’m strongest. I’m not going to take anything away from him, but I just want people out there in Rhode Island and around the country to know I’m coming.”

Cervantes admits he’s watched a lot of his opponent’s fights, which, given the number of times Bessette has fought on network television with both Bellator and CES MMA, pokes holes in the theory that a fighter 2,200 miles east of New Mexico can still be considered an unknown commodity, but Bessette doesn’t view his worldwide exposure as a drawback.

“They can look me up, but unless you’ve seen me firsthand and have really done your homework on me, then it’s going to be harder to figure me out once you get in there,” Bessette said, “and that’s what I like.

“I think I’m going to be a shitstorm coming at him from everywhere. I’m just looking at really, really pressuring him. It’s going to be a long night for him as soon as the first bell starts.”

The proof is undeniable; Bessette made quick work of out-of-town opponents Weathers, Kevin Roddy and Taurean Bogguess, but struggled against Fall River, Mass., vet Josh LaBerge in 2015 on the undercard of Bellator 134, a fight that lasted two full rounds until the doctors finally stopped it before the start of the third.

“I couldn’t put him away,” Bessette said of LaBerge. “The doctor had to stop it, but it took two rounds to do that.

“I have a very unique style and any time I fight a guy around here sometimes I feel like they know a lot about me, which takes away from my ability to get the job done. Maybe it takes me a little longer. I think Cervantes is in a shitstorm and he just doesn’t know it yet.”

While Bessette, currently riding a four-fight win streak, is the heavy favorite entering next Friday, Cervantes has accomplished enough in his brief pro career to earn his opponent’s respect. He’s yet to back down from a fight and he jumped at the opportunity to face Bessette for a title on network television after lobbying to fight for CES MMA in the past.

“It’s a big deal to travel all the way to the east coast to fight and it’s great to fight on TV. It’s a good promotion that will give me a stepping stone for my career,” Cervantes said.

“I don’t shy away from any fight. I’ve taken fights like this on short notice. I stay in shape. I stay ready. My mentality is if you want to fight, I’ll go out there and give everything I have. I won’t shy away from any opportunity.”

Bessette, who makes his fifth appearance with CES MMA next Friday, has handled all the adversity from last-minute changes in the past and will have to o so again on the 16th against a newcomer to the northeast circuit. Now it’s up to Cervantes to weather the “storm” Bessette promises to deliver with the CES MMA title up for grabs.

“To fight for a title for CES is a dream come true,” Bessette said. “This is my first world championship fight and if you were with me day in and day out you’d know there’s something different in my eyes. I can feel it. All it takes now is me going out there and getting the job done and I have no problem going out there and getting the job done.”

Tickets for “CES MMA 37” are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesmma.com, www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Bessette-Cervantes is one of three, five-round title bouts on the main card. Woonsocket, R.I., native Andre Soukhamthath (10-3, 6 KOs), now fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., defends his CES MMA Bantamweight Title for the first time against Cambridge, Mass., vet Kin Moy (8-2, 2 KOs) in the main event, a rematch of their back-and-forth war in January of 2014 in which Moy won by unanimous decision. Providence’s Greg Rebello (20-6, 12 KOs) faces Oklahoma’s Ashley Gooch (9-4, 6 KOs) for the vacant CES MMA Heavyweight Title.

Also on the AXS TV main card, middleweight Chuck O’Neil (16-8, 5 KOs) of Bourne, Mass., faces Roy Jones (7-4, 3 KOs) of Waterloo, Iowa, and featherweight Joe Pingitore (6-2-1, 2 KOs) of Johnston, R.I., returns to network television for the fourth time when he faces Bill Jones (12-10, 3 KOs) of Somersworth, N.H.

The preliminary card features four exciting bouts, highlighted by a middleweight showdown between Berkeley, Mass., vet Pat McCrohan (2-0, 1 KO) and Russian Ruslan Melikov (3-1), fighting out of Fairfield, N.J. Providence bantamweight Marquis Brewster (1-0) faces Turtle Creek, Pa., native Roosevelt Archie (0-1); Boston lightweight Devin Carrier (1-1, 1 KO) battles Holbrook, Mass., native Connor Barry (1-0); and Dylan Lockard of Derry, N.H., makes his professional debut against Seldon, N.Y., featherweight Mak Kelleher (1-2). Quincy, Mass., middleweight Mike Rodriguez (3-1, 1 KO) will be featured in a separate three-round bout against an opponent to be determined.

Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/ces.mma for more information and use the hashtag #CES37 to join the conversation.

Indian ring sensation Vijender Singh has secured a top ten world ranking with the World Boxing Organisation.

Fresh from earning his first professional title in the WBO Asia Pacific Super-Middleweight Championship against Australia’s Kerry Hope last month, Singh has leapfrogged up the WBO world rankings and now finds himself sitting pretty in tenth place.

Undefeated Singh, 7-0 6 KO’s, outworked the experienced Hope over ten rounds to claim his first title in the paid ranks in front of a packed out Thyagaraj Stadium in New Dehli last month.

India’s first ever Olympic Games boxing medallist came away winning every round and claimed a well-deserved unanimous decision with scores of 98-92, 98-92 and 100-90 by the three judges.

Queensberry Promotion’s maiden voyage to India proved a resounding success. The tremendous reaction on social media from the stars of cricket and Bollywood personalities who were in attendance at ringside prove that history was well worth making.

For Singh, already a massive draw in his home country after his amateur exploits, it is now onwards and upwards and his promoter Francis Warren is currently plotting his next moves.

“It’s not about myself, it’s about my nation, my county,” Vjender said after last month’s win.

“This comes after a lot of hard work put in by me, my trainer and my team. I thank my coach, my promoter and my team who have done a fantastic job. I also thank the fans, the celebrities and sportspersons who came out to watch my fight.”

The historical first bout on Norwegian soil since 1981 will be headlined by a rematch of «The fight of the century» in female boxing, as french Anne Sophie Mathis (27-3-1) was announced as opponent for «The First Lady» Cecilia Braekhus.

The two fighters also met in Denmark in September 2012, where Braekhus (record of 28-0) won a close and spectacular 10-rounder on an unanimous decision.

The fight was considered to be between the two greatest female fighters at that time, rising a huge interest in Europe, and also in Braekhus` home country Norway. Nearly 1/5 of the Norwegian population was glued to their tv-screens as their biggest sports celebrity fought Mathis.

Now they will meet again in «The Homecoming» on October 1st in Oslo, where Braekhus titles (WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF and IBO) in welterweight will be on stake.
– Mathis was the only name big enough to top a historical night like this. This is the Worlds greatest puncher versus the Worlds greatest technical and tactical boxer. She is the toughest opponent I have met, and I could have gone for something easier to make this a «safe homecoming». But in this sport you can not make history by being defensive, says Braekhus.

Mathis is by many considered to be «the female Mike Tyson» with an impressive number of 23 victories by knock-out, out of a total of 27.

– I am more than a knock-out boxer. I have a heavy shot that stuns and that hurts. I know people compare me to Mike Tyson which is quite pleasant as comparison because I have always been a a fan of him, says Mathis.

She is comparing her fight against Braekhus with some of the biggest fights of all times – among them the legendary meets between Ali and Frazier.
– Ali vs Frazier was of course a bigger event when it comes to media attention, but seen from a sporting perspective this is among the greatest female fights that has ever been. Braekhus is bringing five belts to this fight, and that has never happened before, says Mathis.

Her recent losses has been controversy. Her last fight was set to «NC» after opponent Oxandia Castillo failed a drugtest. What seemed to be a clear KO-victory over german-based boxer Christina Hammer ended up as a disqualification for hit to the back of the head, but was later overruled after protests by Mathis` management.

Mathis is also known for knocking Holly Holm cold when she was at her very best, but lost the rematch in Holms hometown on points.

The fight on October 1st in a sold-out Oslo Spektrum Arena will be shown on TV3, and is expected to break all former viewer-records.

Undefeated light heavyweight contender Mike Lee will join the broadcast team as a color analyst for this Friday’s (August 5, 2016) CBS Sports Network Championship Boxing quadrupleheader in the Grand Ballroom of the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California.

Lee will join blow-by-blow man Alan Massenagle and color analysts Steve Kim and Patrick Ortiz live at 11 pm ET/8 pm PT when Greg Cohen Promotions and Ringside Ticket Inc. (in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions) present four exciting nationally televised professional fights, headlined by WBA #4- and WBO #7-rated middleweight and current WBO NABO and WBA NABA Middleweight Champion, Rob “Bravo” Brant (20-0, 13 KOs) of Saint Paul, Minnesota, in a 10-round battle against Cleveland’s Chris “The Irish Ghost” Fitzpatrick (15-4, 6 KOs).

Tickets for CBS Sports Network Championship Boxing are priced at $85, $65 and $50 and are available at www.pechanga.com or by calling the Pechanga Box Office: (877) 711-2946.

In the six-round super welterweight co-featured bout, Fort Worth, Texas, slugger Skender Halili (10-1, 10 KOs) will look to keep his perfect knockout record intact against experienced Ghanian veteran (now living in Silver Springs, Maryland) Ben Odamattey (16-14-3, 9 KOs).

In another televised four-rounder, undefeated former amateur world champion Cem Killic (5-0, 2 KOs) of Sherman Oaks, California, via Frankfurt, Germany, will take on pro-debuting middleweight Jerhed Fenderson of Las Vegas.

And in the night’s opening televised bout, red-hot prospect Malik Hawkins (8-0, 7 KOs) of Baltimore, Maryland, will look to keep his march to the top of the welterweight division alive against Portland, Oregon’s Sean Gee (3-4).

An ambassador for the sport of boxing, Lee (17-0, 10 KOs) is a former Subway national spokesperson and holds a Finance degree from The University of Notre Dame. He also does extensive work and donates most of his fight purses to charitable causes such as the Children’s Memorial Hospital and the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation.

The 29-year-old Chicago native has fought on the undercards of some of boxing’s most prestigious events. He was last seen in the ring in June in New York City, where he scored a unanimous eight-round decision over Mike Snider (then 10-3-3).

Lee will join an already stellar broadcast team of experts.

Blow-by-blow man Alan Massenagle is currently known as the “most watched international blow-by-blow boxing announcer on television.” Currently the voice of the World Series of Boxing, Massengale has travelled the globe extensively during his award-winning career, which also includes having served as the most watched Sports Personality in Los Angeles for 10 years. He has also served as anchor for ESPN Sportscenter, Prime Ticket and Fox Sports He received the Golden Mike Award twice for best sportscast in the Los Angeles market, and was honored four times by the Southern California Sportscasters Association.

Long-time boxing journalist Steve Kim is internationally recognized for his commentary and opinion preceding major pay-per-view boxing bouts. Patrick Ortiz is the President of Ringside Ticket Inc. and Lords of the Cage, which specializes in providing Mixed Martial Arts and Boxing events for Tribal Casinos.

The night’s five-fight undercard, packed with local prospects and contenders, will be announced shortly.

The Pechanga Resort & Casino is located at 45000 Pechanga Parkway in Temecula, CA. For more information, call 1-888-PECHANGA or visit www.pechanga.com. On fight night,doors open at 6 pm and the action starts at 7 pm. All bouts subject to change.
About Greg Cohen Promotions
One of boxing’s premier promotional outfits, Greg Cohen Promotions (GCP) is a well-respected name for staging world-class professional boxing events and promoting elite professional fighters throughout the world.

Founder and CEO Greg Cohen has been involved with professional boxing in various capacities since the late 1980s, honing his craft and establishing himself as a shrewd international boxing businessman.

Distinguished by his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Cohen first made promotional headlines for his expert guidance of, among many others, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who Cohen helped guide from unknown New Mexico prospect to elite pay-per-view level superstar.

In addition to Trout, Greg Cohen Promotions has worked with established names such as former unified and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman and all-time-great multiple-weight class world champion James “Lights Out” Toney.

Cohen currently promotes WBA Interim World Lightweight Champion Ismael Barroso, Undefeated WBA NABA Heavyweight Champion and world-rated contender Jarrell Miller, undefeated WBA NABA Middleweight Champion and world-rated contender Robert Brant, former world champion Kendall Holt, as well as current world-rated contenders including long-time elite middleweight “Mean” Joe Greene, top super featherweight Arash Usmanee, Canadian lightweight and TV action hero Tony Luis; WBA and five-time Irish National Amateur Champion, Dennis Hogan; and Australian lightweight prospect Josh King.

Greg Cohen Promotions has hosted world-class boxing events in the finest venues throughout the United States and the world and has also proudly provided talent and/or content for several television networks including CBS Sports Network, HBO, Showtime, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, CBS Sports Network, MSG and FOX Sports Net.

For more information, visit gcpboxing.com. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GCPBoxing. Twitter: @GCPBoxing.
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Philadelphia, PA (August 2, 2016)–Vitor Jones Freitas record remained perfect by stopping Licelio Da Silva Lucio in the first round of their scheduled eight-round lightweight bout this past Saturday in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

With the victory, Freitas of Salvador, Brazil improved his unblemished mark to 14-0, while notching his eighth knockout.

The 23 year-old Freitas registered two knockdowns, both with left hooks in the bout, which lasted just 79 seconds.

Freitas, who is the nephew of former four-time world champion Acelino “Popo” Freitas, will now look to come back to the United States in a higher profile bout.

“Vitor is coming along very nicely in Brazil. We showcased him on four of our cards here in the states to get his feet wet and now he has won four straight back in Brazil,” said Banner Promotions President, Arthur Pelullo. “Now we are looking to bring him back here in the fall and put him on television and fight for a regional title. He is becoming the fighter we thought he could be when we signed him, and we are looking forward for the American public to embrace him in the same way they did his uncle.”

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (August 2, 2016) – Pro Box Management’s 19-year old hot prospect, super-featherweight Antonio “Bang” Williams (3-0, 3 KOs), returns to the ring this Saturday, August 6, 2016 at the Miami Airport Convention Center. Williams will square off against Brian Santos of Puerto Rico is a scheduled 4-round bout.

Williams, who made his pro debut earlier this year at age 18, has never made it past the second round, ending all three of his fights by knockout. With power in both hands, Williams can also box, using movement to win fights. This will be Antonio’s third fight in the Miami, Florida area. His goal is to win this fight by knockout to keep his KO streak alive.

“Although I like to consider myself a smart fighter, my main objective in each fight is to get my opponent out of there early.” said Antonio “Bang” Williams. “I never want to leave any decision in the hands of the judges. I just want to keep this knockout streak going, but if I go the distance, I’m ok with it, as long as I continue winning.”

Williams had an outstanding amateur record of 104-15, winning two state Golden Gloves championships. In addition, Williams was crowned champion in many other national tournaments. Pro Box Management was impressed with Williams superior talent and signed him to a multi-year contract.

“Antonio Williams is a great kid with a lot of heart and skills.” stated Henry Rivalta of Pro Box Management. “This kid has tremendous punching power to go along with his highly intelligent ring IQ. Gary and I believe this kid has every ingredient to become a world champion. He’s a pleasure to be around and he has the charisma to be a star.”

“I’m very grateful that my managers have me fighting on a regular basis. When I signed with Pro Box Management, Gary and Henry told me they would keep my busy, and they’ve kept their word. Now my job is to win fights and climb up the rankings, which I’m very motivated to do. I’m excited about getting back in there this Saturday and putting on a great show for the fans.”

The Miami Airport Convention Center is located at 711 NW 72nd Ave, Miami, FL 33126. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. ET. First fight begins at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets priced $75, $50 and $30 can be purchased at all “Presidente Supermarkets” in Miami, FL, or by calling Michael Luzbet at (786) 553-3895 or by email at luzbetk@gmail.com.

NEW YORK – August 2, 2016 – Combate Americas today announced that reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC) women’s bantamweight (135 pounds) superstar Julianna “The Venezuelan Vixen” Peña, along with 14-time UFC veteran and Team Alpha Male standout Danny “Last Call” Castillo and journalist Andrea Calle, will host the first-ever open tryout for the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise, in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday, Aug. 13.

All men and women, ages 18 and over, who are interested in participating in the tryout with the opportunity to earn a multi-fight promotional agreement with Combate Americas, can pre-register online at www.CombateAmericas.com.

Castillo and Calle will preside over the event, while Peña, along with Combate Americas referee Mike Beltran and Combate Americas Fight Director Mel Valenzuela, will comprise the panel of judges for the tryout that will take place two days after the much-anticipated, 10-bout “Aspira A Mas Presents Combate Americas: Combate OCHO” event, live on UFC FIGHT PASS® from Exchange LA.

“We are on an aggressive hunt to give undiscovered, hungry talent the opportunity to shine on our big stage, and hosting an open tryout in one of the major cities of the U.S. that is also a hotbed for combat sports is one of the best ways to achieve this,” said Combate Americas CEO and UFC co-founder Campbell McLaren.

The tryout process will begin at 12 p.m. and will put candidates through a variety of drills testing speed, endurance and strength.

Basic boxing, kickboxing and grappling skills will also be examined.

Priced from $40, tickets for the “Aspira A Mas Presents Combate Americas: Combate Ocho,” 10-bout event are on sale at ItsMySeat.com as well as at The Exchange box office. UFC FIGHT PASS is available on personal computers, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV and Roku devices.

In the featherweight (145 pounds) main event, Urijah Faber protégé Erick Sanchez (7-2) of Sacramento, Calif. will look for his third win in the Combate Americas cage, or “La Jaula,” and fourth consecutive victory overall when he squares off with dangerous finisher Angel “Tito” Cruz (5-2) of Rio Piedras, P.R.

# # #

ABOUT COMBATE AMERICAS
Combate Americas, LLC. is the first U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise in history, designed to build Latino fighting champions and serve Hispanic fans, one of the world’s most avid groups of prize fighting enthusiasts. The Combate Americas franchise includes reality TV programming, live events and mobile programming. The company’s CEO, Campbell McLaren, is universally recognized as the co-founder/co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). New York Magazine described McLaren as “the marketing genius behind the UFC” and Yahoo! Sports proclaimed that he “knows more about the sport than just about anyone in it today.” With an unprecedented product and a blue-chip ownership and management team, Combate Americas is poised to break new ground and bring about a new era in world championship level MMA competition.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Aug. 2nd, 2016) — It’s one of the more unorthodox title fights you’ll ever see, a rematch between two fighters who say they don’t believe in rematches with the champion, not the challenger, carrying the bigger chip on his shoulder.

Woonsocket, R.I., native Andre Soukhamthath (10-3, 6 KOs), now fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., defends his CES MMA Bantamweight Title for the first time Friday, Aug. 12th, 2016 against Cambridge, Mass., vet Kin Moy (8-2, 2 KOs) in the main event of “CES MMA 37” live on AXS TV from Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., a rematch of their back-and-forth war in January of 2014 in which Moy won by unanimous decision.

Two and a half years later, Soukhamthath, not Moy, is CES MMA’s inaugural bantamweight champion — the region’s highest honor in his weight class — after beating Kody Nordby in March, while Moy is hoping to keep the momentum going following back-to-back wins in 2015 with Bellator.

Having already beaten Soukhamthath once, Moy would’ve had no reason to grant his adversary a rematch were it not for the possibility of snagging Soukhamthath’s CES MMA title, which is the only real incentive to step back into the cage with a fighter he admits is a “real champion” and a “devastating” striker.

“I’ve never asked for a rematch against someone who’s beaten me because if this were real martial arts,” Moy said, “I’d be dead.”

Though Soukhamthath isn’t playing the “revenge” angle in next Friday’s rematch with Moy, the reigning champ, who also says, “I don’t look for fights and I don’t go around saying, ‘I want a rematch!'” is still a bit sour over the fact Moy called him out prior to their first meeting in 2014.

“They had to find a late replacement and they wanted to fight me in two weeks and I still took it because I’m a man,” Soukhamthath said. “I don’t back down from fights.

“I guess they called the matchmaker and said they wanted to fight me. If I wanted to fight somebody I’d call him face to face and say, ‘Hey, I want to fight you.’ That’s it.”

“We had been pushing to fight Andre for a while,” recalled Moy, “because, as I said back then, he was the best and I wanted to challenge the best. That’s why I was pushing it so hard.”

Moy got his wish and delivered, pressuring Soukhamthath from the opening bell and outworking him on the ground to earn the win, which, at the time, was Soukhamthath’s first loss in two and a half years, snapping his seven-fight win streak.

“I was expecting us to stand there and beat the shit out of each other,” Moy said. “The big thing was I had to get in his face, because I had watched Andre fight many times before that and if you give him time or give him the space and respect to get his game going, he’s going to pick you apart.

“He’s got devastating strikes, but he needs room for those, so I got in his face from the get-go. The second I got in his face and he couldn’t strike with me, he started shooting for a takedown. He’s a much better wrestler than I am, but on the ground I’m always active, striking from the bottom, or top, or wherever I am. I was able to outhustle him and push the pace until he started to fade and that’s when I really came alive.”

Those strikes on the ground — “baby punches,” as Soukhamthath calls them — were ultimately the difference in the outcome, but Soukhamthath says he doesn’t plan on doing anything different in next Friday’s rematch, which falls in line with what Moy feels is a consistent approach from his opponent on a fight-by-fight basis.

“To be honest, I think he does the exact same thing he did before, but he just does it better,” Moy said. “Kody Nordby is an amazing grappler and quite the wrestler, and I was impressed with the way Andre stopped him every time.

“Traditionally, he’s had good takedown defense anyway and against great grapplers like Kurt Chase-Patrick and Blair Tugman, Andre was able to stuff the takedowns, so while he’s gotten sharper, I don’t think he’s changed much.

“On the one hand, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but on the other hand I know I for one have made leaps and bounds in terms of not just the efficacy of my style, but what I do is completely different than when we fought before. Despite the fact he’s grown, he looks pretty much the same in my opinion.”

While Soukhamthath acknowledges he’s a better fighter now than he was in January of 2014, he still plans on “bullying” Moy the way he bullied Nordby in March, a heated rivalry that ended with Soukhamthath knocking out his opponent with a flying knee in the fifth and final round.

Though he may not have changed much stylistically, Soukhamthath is clearly more mature and more capable of handling pressure in and out of the cage, as evident by how he channeled his anger toward Nordby and fought a near-perfect fight on the biggest stage of his career.

“At the end of the day, I’m still a fighter. I’ll always be a fighter,” he said. “I don’t get emotional in my fights anymore. At the end of the day, I know I’m a better fighter than a lot of these guys on the regional circuit and I knew I was way better than Kody. He wrestled his whole life, he was an All-American — whatever. I still outwrestled him and I never wrestled a day in my life. The only wrestling I ever did was in MMA and I still outwrestled him. I don’t let those things get to me.

“When people talk, they talk because they’re insecure. That just gives me confidence when I know they’re insecure.”

The fact Soukhamthath is still on top of his weight class in the northeast despite losing to Moy the first time around adds a rare twist to Friday’s highly anticipated rematch. The irony isn’t lost on Moy, who once again finds himself chasing down the proverbial top dog in an attempt to stake his own claim as the region’s No. 1 bantamweight.

“I generally don’t give rematches to people I’ve beaten, but this is for the title and that makes all the difference,” Moy said. “I honestly feel that because it’s been so long ago Andre has both improved his skill level and he’s done some great things between now and then. It’s deserved. If anything, it’s me coming at him, not vice-versa, because he’s the champion.

“That’s who I want to test myself against. These are similar circumstances. He’s the one with the belt and he’s the one I want to beat.”

Tickets for “CES MMA 37” are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesmma.com, www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The Soukhamthath-Moy rematch is one of three, five-round title fights on the televised main card. Stafford Springs, Conn., vet Matt Bessette (19-7, 5 KOs) battles Stephen Cervantes (6-1) of Albuquerque, N.M., for the vacant CES MMA Featherweight Title and Providence’s Greg Rebello (20-6, 12 KOs) faces Oklahoma’s Ashley Gooch (9-4, 6 KOs) for the vacant CES MMA Heavyweight Title.

Also on the AXS TV main card, middleweight Chuck O’Neil (16-8, 5 KOs) of Bourne, Mass., faces Roy Jones (7-4, 3 KOs) of Waterloo, Iowa, and featherweight Joe Pingitore (6-2-1, 2 KOs) of Johnston, R.I., returns to network television for the fourth time when he faces Bill Jones (12-10, 3 KOs) of Somersworth, N.H.

The preliminary card features four exciting bouts, highlighted by a middleweight showdown between Berkeley, Mass., vet Pat McCrohan (2-0, 1 KO) and Russian Ruslan Melikov (3-1), fighting out of Fairfield, N.J. Providence bantamweight Marquis Brewster (1-0) faces Turtle Creek, Pa., native Roosevelt Archie (0-1); Boston lightweight Devin Carrier (1-1, 1 KO) battles Holbrook, Mass., native Connor Barry (1-0); and Dylan Lockard of Derry, N.H., makes his professional debut against Seldon, N.Y., featherweight Mak Kelleher (1-2). Quincy, Mass., middleweight Mike Rodriguez (3-1, 1 KO) will be featured in a separate three-round bout against an opponent to be determined.

Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/ces.mma for more information and use the hashtag #CES37 to join the conversation.

02 August 2016 – Jakarta, Indonesia: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has announced a massive fight card set for 27 August at the state-of-the-art Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia. ONE: TITLES & TITANS features the return of Brazil’s Luis “Sapo” Santos as he takes on former ONE Middleweight World Champion Igor “Lionheart” Svirid in a five-round main event showdown.

CEO of ONE Championship, Victor Cui stated: “These are exciting times for Asian MMA. As ONE Championship continues to push the envelope in sports entertainment across the region, delivering to fans world-class mixed martial arts action, Jakarta is once again set for another explosive evening of fights. In a truly international fight experience, Brazil takes on Kazakhstan as Luis Santos faces the toughest test of his career against the heavy-handed Igor Svirid.”

Tickets information for ONE: TITLES & TITANS are available at www.onefc.com.

Luis “Sapo” Santos is a mixed martial arts veteran from Brazil with over 70 fights on his record and over half of his wins ending by either TKO or KO. With a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a penchant for spectacular finishes, Santos has emerged as one of the promotion’s most overwhelming physical specimens — a fighter capable of finishing a bout in a variety of ways at any given moment. Known for his aggressiveness and brute strength, Santos looks to continue his dominance inside the ONE Championship cage in his next bout against Igor Svirid.

Igor “Lionheart” Svirid is a 30-year old fighter from Almaty, Kazakhstan and is the former ONE Middleweight World Champion. He captured the title with a stunning 17-second knockout victory over Leandro Ataides in 2014 but later succumbed to now reigning champion Vitaly Bigdash in a memorable contest last year. At his best, Svirid employs a tenacious offensive attack partnered with iron-clad toughness to subdue foes inside the cage. He is moving down to welterweight and is set to take on Luis Santos in the main event.

Marcin Prachnio is a Polish mixed martial artist with an impressive 11-2 professional MMA record. He’s won his last six bouts, four of which by devastating technical knockouts. He is currently unbeaten with the promotion, overcoming two tough challenges in both Alexandre Machado and Leandro Ataides in his first two appearances inside the ONE Championship cage. Prachnio is now ready for his biggest challenge yet — against American light heavyweight standout Jake Butler.

Jake Butler has firmly established himself as one of the top elite wrestlers in the division. He has a highlight reel of victories by exciting finishes, and possesses some of the best wrestling in the sport having honed his skills as captain of the Princeton wrestling team. Butler is unstoppable when he utilizes his signature techniques, but has also improved his striking skills by training with Muay Thai world champions in Asia. He’ll be moving down to middleweight next to face the streaking Marcin Prachnio.

Vincent “MagniVincent” Latoel is a Dutch mixed martial arts veteran of Mulakan roots with over 30 professional bouts on his record. A lightweight standout with deep ties to the country of Indonesia, Latoel’s experience in a stacked lightweight division against the very best fighters in his weight class has made him an incredibly resilient and dangerous fighter. Latoel is in his 15th year as a pro and is looking for success in his next bout, this time against the Philippines’ Edward Kelly.

Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly is a 32-year old Filipino MMA talent and is one of the brightest featherweight prospects to emerge from the Philippines. A mixed martial artist with a complete striking and ground game, Kelly brings Team Lakay’s world-renowned Wushu Sanshou to center stage as he looks to showcase his skills inside the ONE Championship cage. In his last bout, Kelly scored an impressive submission victory over the highly-regarded Jordan Lucas. He seeks to replicate the feat this time against Vincent Latoel.

Anthony Engelen is a Dutch mixed martial artist of Indonesian descent who spends his days training full-time in Indonesia. He is an exceptional grappler and a well-rounded striker capable of ending fights quickly and decisively. With a young 4-2 MMA record, Engelen prides himself in being an exciting fighter, willing to please the crowd by always seeking the highlight-reel finish. The talented featherweight will take on Egyptian Sami Amin.

34-year old Sami Amin is the EFC featherweight champion from Cairo, Egypt. He made his promotional debut against Fransino Tirta in 2014, and is now looking for victory inside the ONE Championship cage. A highly-aggressive and fast starter, Amin likes to bring the fight to opponents by blitzing them with powerful combinations. In his next bout, Amin takes on the dynamic Anthony Engelen.

Indonesian mixed martial artists Sunoto and Yohan Mulia “The Iceman” Legowo will go head-to-head in a featherweight matchup of talented local fighters. Sunoto is a highly-aggressive Indonesian warrior while Legowo has proven to be a stellar grappling ace.

Mario Satya Wirawan, who owns a ONE Championship record of fastest knockout finish with a six second stoppage of Cambodia’s Chan Heng last year, will represent Bogor, Indonesia against the Philippines’ Burn Soriano in a bantamweight contest among the preliminary bouts at ONE: TITLES & TITANS.

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

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest 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, Physique TV, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

Roc Nation Sports is pleased to announce the addition of San Francisco’s Raquel Miller (1-0, 1 KO) to the undercard of Andre Ward vs. Alexander Brand at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California on August 6, 2016. This will be the first Roc Nation card to feature a female fighter.

Bayview-Hunters Point native Raquel “Pretty Beast” Miller will be making her second professional start since debuting against Sara Flores on May 21, 2016 in Richmond, California. In her augural pro fight, the former amateur standout wasted no time, scoring a technical knockout over her opponent within the first minute and 14 seconds of the first round. Miller was the 2012 Women’s World Championships Silver Medalist, 2012 USA Boxing Women’s National Champion and 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Bronze Medalist, serving as the U.S Women’s Olympic alternate in the London Games. Miller will be taking on an opponent to be determined on August 6 at Oracle Arena.

Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) will return to the ring on Saturday, August 6, to continue his conquest of the light heavyweight division when he takes on power-punching Colombian Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. Ward vs. Brand is a 12-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental title, presented by Roc Nation Sports and sponsored by Corona Extra, Verizon, ProSupps, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (CTMS), Brand Jordan, Shoe Palace, Kingsford, Autocom Nissan, Ticketmaster and The Clorox Company, supporting the Bay Area Community for over 100 years. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $250, $100, $70, $40 and $30, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Last Saturday’s instant classic “Fight of the Year” contender between Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz will re-air tonight at 11 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME. The thrilling SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event had the Barclays Center rocking as Frampton narrowly edged Santa Cruz in a toe-to-toe battle to dethrone the defending WBA Featherweight World Champion.

Monday’s encore presentation of the entire three-fight telecast also features Mikey Garcia’s emphatic return to the ring and Tony Harrison’s title eliminator victory in the stacked 154-pound division. The SHOWTIME Sports® presentation is also available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND and SHOWTIME ANYTIME.

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

PHILADELPHIA (August 1, 2016) – Undefeated rising contender David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez is on the fast track to a world title opportunity and he will look to make another statement when he battles contender Denis Douglin in the 10-round main event of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN and ESPN Deportes Friday, August 5 live from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with exciting lightweight contender Alejandro “El Charro” Luna (20-0, 15 KOs) taking on Ireland’s Stephen “The Rock” Ormond (21-2, 11 KOs) in a 10-round attraction.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $50, $75 and $100, not including fees, and are on sale now. To purchase tickets click HERE.

Here is what Benavidez had to say about his opponent, training camp and more:

On his recent training camp in Southern California…

“We had another great training camp out here in Long Beach, California. We put the final touches and wrapped up camp and I’m ready to go. There was plenty of good sparring and we worked on some things we know will help us in this fight. I’m in great shape and I feel sharp.”

On fighting in his first main event on ESPN…

“Fighting on ESPN is great exposure for me and my team, especially in the main event. We all worked so hard to get in this position and now it’s time to capitalize on this great opportunity. I know a lot of family and friends back home in Phoenix will be tuning in. I just want to shine out and perform to my best ability.”

On facing his opponent Denis Douglin…

“This is going to be a tough fight. I know Douglin is hungry to give me my first loss. He’s coming off three wins in a row, so I’m taking this fight very seriously. Being that he’s a southpaw, I’ll have to do some things a little different. We worked on all that stuff in camp so I know I’m going to be ready for anything he brings to the ring.”

On training with his father and head coach Jose Benavidez…

“My dad Jose has been guiding my corner from the first day I started boxing around three years old. Together we have a strong bond and I respect him very much. He’s come up with a great game plan tailor made for Douglin. He’s made a lot of sacrifices to help me get to this point and I’m very thankful to him for all that he’s done for me and my brother. I want nothing more than to bring him another great victory.”

On fighting on the East Coast for the second time in his career…

“The East Coast fans are very passionate about their boxing. Douglin, being that he’s from New Jersey, will have a lot of fans rooting against me. But I’m not going to let anything distract me from the task at hand and that’s coming back home with a win.

For information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @KingsBoxing, @ESPNBoxing and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/premierboxingchampions. Highlights available to embed at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on ESPN is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

This Friday, August 5, 2016, in the Grand Ballroom of the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California, Greg Cohen Promotions and Ringside Ticket Inc., in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions, will proudly present a quadrupleheader of professional boxing, televised live on CBS Sports Network (11 pm ET/8 pm PT).

In the night’s televised main event, red-hot WBA #4- and WBO #7-rated middleweight and current WBO NABO and WBA NABA Middleweight Champion, Rob “Bravo” Brant (20-0, 13 KOs) of Saint Paul, Minnesota, will look to keep his momentum going in a 10-round battle against Cleveland’s Chris “The Irish Ghost” Fitzpatrick (15-4, 6 KOs).

In the six-round super welterweight co-featured bout, Fort Worth, Texas, slugger Skender Halili (10-1, 10 KOs) will look to keep his perfect knockout record intact against experienced Ghanian veteran (now living in Silver Springs, Maryland) Ben Odamattey (16-14-3, 9 KOs).

In another televised four-rounder, undefeated former amateur world champion Cem Killic (5-0, 2 KOs) of Sherman Oaks, California, via Frankfurt, Germany, will take on pro-debuting middleweight Jerhed Fenderson of Las Vegas.

And in the night’s opening televised bout, red-hot prospect Malik Hawkins (8-0, 7 KOs) of Baltimore, Maryland, will look to keep his march to the top of the welterweight division alive against Portland, Oregon’s Sean Gee (3-4).

Tickets for CBS Sports Network Championship Boxing are priced at $85, $65 and $50 and are available at www.pechanga.com or by calling the Pechanga Box Office: (877) 711-2946.

25-year-old Brant has already won two fights this year. In April, he took care of Arkansas veteran Delray Raines in less than a round and in January, he scored a nationally televised “Knockout of the Year” candidate against formidable contender DeCarlo Perez. The victory put Brant on the radar of the boxing world.

29-year-old Fitzpatrick went undefeated in his first 15 fights and only suffered setbacks against some of the world’s top middleweights, including world champion Daniel Jacobs. “The Irish Ghost” is never in a bad fight and will test any would-be contender’s true mettle.

Promoter Greg Cohen says he’s excited to be bringing his popular televised boxing series to California.

“This is our first scheduled quadrupleheader and we’re excited to be bringing it to a classic boxing venue like the Pechanga,” said Cohen. “Rob Brant will be in against a guy who will take you out if you don’t have the goods. Skender Halili’s last fight was one of the best of the year, so I look forward to another slugfest. Cem Kilic won’t have it easy. Although his opponent is making his debut, he can really fight. And we all get another look at the amazing talent of Malik Hawkins to open the night. It’s truly a great night of boxing. Thanks to my partners and the wonderful staff at Pechanga for helping make it happen.”

The night’s jam-packed undercard will be announced later this week.

The Pechanga Resort & Casino is located at 45000 Pechanga Parkway in Temecula, CA. For more information, call 1-888-PECHANGA or visit www.pechanga.com. On fight night,doors open at 6 pm and the action starts at 7 pm. All bouts subject to change.
About Greg Cohen Promotions
One of boxing’s premier promotional outfits, Greg Cohen Promotions (GCP) is a well-respected name for staging world-class professional boxing events and promoting elite professional fighters throughout the world.

Founder and CEO Greg Cohen has been involved with professional boxing in various capacities since the late 1980s, honing his craft and establishing himself as a shrewd international boxing businessman.

Distinguished by his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Cohen first made promotional headlines for his expert guidance of, among many others, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who Cohen helped guide from unknown New Mexico prospect to elite pay-per-view level superstar.

In addition to Trout, Greg Cohen Promotions has worked with established names such as former unified and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman and all-time-great multiple-weight class world champion James “Lights Out” Toney.

Cohen currently promotes WBA Interim World Lightweight Champion Ismael Barroso, Undefeated WBA NABA Heavyweight Champion and world-rated contender Jarrell Miller, undefeated WBA NABA Middleweight Champion and world-rated contender Robert Brant, former world champion Kendall Holt, as well as current world-rated contenders including long-time elite middleweight “Mean” Joe Greene, top super featherweight Arash Usmanee, Canadian lightweight and TV action hero Tony Luis; WBA and five-time Irish National Amateur Champion, Dennis Hogan; and Australian lightweight prospect Josh King.

Greg Cohen Promotions has hosted world-class boxing events in the finest venues throughout the United States and the world and has also proudly provided talent and/or content for several television networks including CBS Sports Network, HBO, Showtime, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, CBS Sports Network, MSG and FOX Sports Net.

For more information, visit gcpboxing.com. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GCPBoxing. Twitter: @GCPBoxing.

Gennady “GGG” Golovkin
“I’m very excited and happy to be in London. I’m excited to perform in front of the UK fans. Kell Brook has my full respect and a great team behind him. It’s not easy for us to get opponents, he’s ready for me and I’m ready for him. Kell Brook is the biggest test to me, he’s a great champion, he’s moving up in weight but great fighters have done that and I know he’s a great boxer and he will test me the most. Thanks to Sky Sports and HBO, I can give the UK fans an amazing event and another big drama show.”

“The Special One” Kell Brook
“This is the biggest fight in world boxing. I’m the best Welterweight in the world and no-one wants me, he’s the best Middleweight in the world and no one wants him. I’ll be his size on fight night and I’m bringing the speed to Middleweight. To be the best you have to beat the best. I’m going to be so sharp and so powerful on fight night. No one has got the best out of me before but Gennady will bring that out in me and I’m excited to see that from myself. I always find a way to win and there’s going to be massive drama in the fight, it doesn’t get better than this and I’m doing this for the fans that have wanted me to step-up and show them what Kell Brook can really do.”

“I want to go down in history like Sugar Ray Robinson as doing massive things in big fights and beating the best, Gennady is the best fighter in the world, and I am going to beat him. It’s the best fighting the best.”

Abel Sanchez, Trainer of Golovkin
“These guys are very intelligent in the ring and that’s what makes them great. When the fear becomes aggression they want to win and excel.”

“We are looking forward to a hard fight and to fighting the best Welterweight on the planet. Four years ago we were here for Carson Jones and there’s hundreds more cameras. Kell’s improved massively since then and we’re looking forward to a great fight against the best Welterweight.”

Dominic Ingle, Trainer of Brook
“We are confident that Kell Brook will become the new Middleweight champion of the world. We’ve had a great camp in Spain. We’re in a quiet place and that’s allowing us to get on with our work away from prying eyes.”

“Kell is going to be in great shape and he has to be to fight Gennady. Kell is going to come out on top on the night – we’ve looked at Gennady and we’ll have the right plan. Kell has always says he’s going to deliver something historic and he’s done that already, and on September 10 Kell will become the new Middleweight champion of the world.”

“You have to go through the gears as Gennady is a very clever and accomplished fighter so he has to match his intelligence, power and engine. The fear in the fight makes you perform the best, we’ve addressed all those scenarios and he’ll deliver on the night.”

Tom Loeffler/K2 Promotions
“With the platform of Sky Sports it really contributes to the success currently of British boxing. We really appreciate the hospitality that Eddie and his team have shown here in London.”

“The heart that Kell Brook shows as a Welterweight stepping up to fight Gennady is much bigger than the Middleweight’s that won’t get in the ring with GGG. There’s been a huge response for this fight with HBO in the United States and RTL in Germany, Gennady first fight with them and we’re excited about that.”

“This fight solves the problem for both guys trying to get opponents to get in the ring. The ticket sales were remarkable and the response to the two press conferences has been brilliant, we can’t wait for this fight.”

Eddie Hearn/Matchroom Boxing
“Every now and then you make a fight that makes your hairs on your arms stand on end – this is it. We have the best Middleweight in the World and best Welterweight in the world.”

“It’s my pleasure to bring Gennady to the UK for this wonderful fight – he’s a fighter I admire greatly and it’s great to work with Tom Loeffler and HBO.”

“Kell Brook has been with us for 13 fights and I believe he’s very special. I was in Madison Square Garden when Gennady beat David Lemieux and I had the same feeling about him. Kell is stepping up to face the best fighter in the world – and to be a great fighter you need to do great things. We’re very confident and Kell is here to win not in a no-lose situation”

Photos Courtesy/Lawrence Lustig, Matchroom Boxing

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Golovkin is known as “The Most Exciting, Hardest-Hitting, Most Feared Fighter in the World.” From recently selling out arenas in New York City (Madison Square Garden), Los Angeles (The Fabulous Forum), Carson, California (StubHub Center) and now The O2 (London) to his sponsorships with the JORDAN Brand, Apple, Samsung, and Bijan, Tsesna Bank, BI Group and EXPO 2017, Golovkin is one of the most marketable athletes in the world.

Golovkin’s record includes 22 straight knockouts in addition to 16 consecutive world title defenses. His 91.4% knockout ratio is the highest in boxing’s middleweight division history. Britain’s pound-for-pound number one fighter, Kell Brook, is out to shock the world when he steps up two weight divisions to take on the fearsome Gennady Golovkin.

The unbeaten Sheffield star achieved his childhood dream in August 2014 when he travelled to California to rip the IBF World Welterweight title from Ohio’s highly-rated and then-unbeaten Shawn Porter. He has since defended the title on three occasions, defeating Jo Jo Dan, Frankie Gavin and Kevin Bizier, all by stoppage.

SOCIAL MEDIA: For more information, visit www.MatchroomBoxing.com www.K2Promos.com, www.HBO.com/boxing, www.SkySports.com, and www.theo2.co.uk

Follow on Twitter for Gennady “GGG” Golovkin @GGGBoxing, Kell Brook at @SpecialKBrook, Tom Loeffler/K2 Promotions @TomLoeffler1, Eddie Hearn @EddieHearn and Matchroom Boxing @MatchroomBoxing in addition to HBO Boxing @HBOBoxing and Sky Sports Boxing @SkySportsBoxing.

Use the hashtag #GGGBrook to join the conversation on social media.

Pittsburgh, PA (August 1, 2016) – A group of some of the best amateurs from boxing hotbed Cuba defeated Team Pittsburgh 7-4 on Saturday night in front of a packed crowd of over 2,500 on the Roberto Clemente Bridge adjacent to to PNC Park.

The meet, which was a year in the making that saw the team from Pittsburgh travel to Cuba in May for a dual-training session between the teams and culminated with the historic event.

Not only was the meet staged in front of a capacity crowd, but was broadcast live back to Cuba with an estimated viewing audience of 11 million people.

In attendance were 1996 Olympic Gold Medal winner Maikro Romero of Cuba, who came over as an ambassador for his home country as well as two-time world champion, Steve “USS” Cunningham, who was a coach for Team Pittsburgh and father of team participant, Steve Cunningham Jr.

The younger Cunningham, along with teammates Nehemiah Hollinger, Sylvio Cercone & Kiante Irving were the four members from Team Pittsburgh to have their hand’s raised.

For more information on the event, www.cubasipgh.org

History of the Event

In the sport of amateur boxing, Cuba has established itself as a world power house. Despite only having a population roughly equal to that of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Cuba has won an unbelievable 67 Olympic medals in boxing, 34 of which are Gold. By all accounts, Cuba is a world leader in the sport.

In November of 2015, a diverse delegation of business and community leaders led by Congressman Mike Doyle, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, and Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak traveled to Cuba to invite Cuba to take on Team Pittsburgh. Today, July 30, 2016, right here in Pittsburgh, you are a witness to an unprecedented athletic exchange with Cuba. While Pittsburgh has had a long-standing relationship with the City of Matanzas, Cuba and has engaged in countless academic, cultural, and humanitarian exchanges with our friends in Cuba, this athletic exchange will be a first. Our belief is that if Pittsburgh wants to be the best in the world, we have to learn from the best in the world. Having the opportunity to compete against Cuba provides our athletes with a tremendous opportunity to challenge them to become better boxers while making friends and learning about a different culture

This competition will be unique in the fact that unlike the athletic exchanges of the past between USA and Cuba, this event will be a “friendly” club match. Each of the bouts athletes are evenly matched. The goal of the evening’s competition is to provide young boxers of all skill levels a chance to compete on the international level and ultimately grow as boxers and individuals. Because of the historic nature of this event, we endeavored to stage the boxing match in a manner that reflects its significance. Matanzas is Cuba’s City of Bridges, and Pittsburgh holds that designation in the U.S.A. Because of the need to create a symbolic bridge between the U.S. and Cuba to move past the Cold War Era, we have chosen to hold this match on the Roberto Clemente Bridge, honoring at the same time a man who gave his life building unity among nations.

History of Pittsburgh Matanzas
The Pittsburgh-Matanzas Sister Cities Partnership was founded to create an opportunity for our residents, public officials, and leaders of organizations to engage in mutually beneficial ‘people to people’ exchanges with the residents of Matanzas, Cuba. On February 20, 1998 a signing agreement took place in Matanzas officially designating our sister city relationship.

The Mission of the Pittsburgh-Matanzas Sister Cities Partnership is to expand our sister city relationship between the City of Pittsburgh and the City of Matanzas, Cuba, to foster understanding and bilateral cooperation through mutually beneficial exchanges between individuals, government officials, community groups, organizations, educational, environmental, cultural, sports, business, and other institutions. It is important that ordinary people be able to experience Cuba for themselves and form their own opinions. Over the years, our work has expanded to encompass bilateral relationships within the entire nation of Cuba.
Our work focuses on these 4 objectives:
1. Lift the illegal and immoral blockade (Extra-territorial economic and trade sanctions that impact world trade)
2. Lift the Travel Ban (Allow Americans the same freedom of travel enjoyed by every other democratic nation.)
3. Building International Relations that respect the independence and Sovereignty of Cuba
4. Ending the illegal and immoral occupation of Guantanamo Bay (US is in outright violation of Treaty)

Despite decades of travel restrictions placed on U.S. residents by our own government that remain in place even to this day, as do crippling economic sanctions against Cuba, which have been condemned worldwide as immoral and illegal under international law, we have continued our work to engage in peaceful and constructive activities with the people and institutions of Cuba.

History of Hibernian Celtic Athletic Fund

The Celtic Athletic Fund was created by members of Ancient Order of Hibernians to help make sports accessible for low-income Pittsburgh youth of all nationalities through “Friendship, Unity, and Christian Charity”.
Boxing on the Bridge is the brainchild of the organization.

Michael Diven, a former Pittsburgh councilman and former state representative, is a member of the Hibernian Celtic Athletic Fund and the Pittsburgh Matanzas Sister Cities Partnership. For the past three years on St. Patrick’s Day, the fund has sponsored an exchange with Irish boxers called the Donnybrook organized by Mr. Diven.

The Cuban Constitution guarantees “access to study, culture and sports.” But in the U.S., youth sports, as well as art and music, are among the first to be cut when school district funding shrinks. “Boxing on the Bridge” continues the work of the fund to support sports initiatives for Pittsburgh’s youth and builds on decades of work by the Pittsburgh-Matanzas Sister Cities Partnership

For Pittsburgh, it will be a unique opportunity for our amateur youth boxers to learn from the best boxers in the world. And for our nation, it will help build bridges with Cuba and public support for congressional action to finally end the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba, which continues, despite President Obama’s March visit to the island.

Baltimore, MD (July 31, 2016) – Baltimore Boxing’s Stefon “Showtime” McCray captured the Ringside World Championship in the 201 pound division July 30 in Independence, MO.
A former basketball star at Stevenson University, McCray has less been boxing for less than three years. The 23-year-old McCray entered the tournament coming off a setback June 16 and was determined to defeat whoever was in his way; and he did exactly that.
The rangy 6’6 McCray put his name in the history books with a unanimous decision over Logan Johnson but says he’s just getting started with his in-ring success.
“I’m feeling proud of my team and myself,” said McCray. “I’ve been pushing myself really hard mentally and physically between the gym and watching film. Now it has all paid off because I’ve won the Ringside Tournament but my journey is just beginning!”
Baltimore Boxing Club Owner & Head Trainer Jake Smith, who has worked with McCray since he first entered the gym, is extremely proud of his success.
“Stefon was a great athlete from day one but turning an athlete into a boxer takes a lot of work,” said Smith, a former pro boxer himself. “I’ve seen a lot of guys come into the gym thinking because they were good in another sport that they’ll naturally excel in the ring. They were all in for rude awakenings. Stefon was the exact opposite and learned as much as possible. Of course there were some tough days in training but rather than walk away from the sport,he worked his ass off every day and continued to get better. I’m overjoyed to have him in my gym beucase he’s a champion in and out of the ring.”
McCray will have no time to celebrate as he’s scheduled to fight August 4 as part of Baltimore Boxing’s “Rumble Young Man Rumble” card at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.
Tickets for McCray’s fight are available at Baltimoreboxing.com.

Hitz Boxing presented yet another solid card at the Horseshoe Hammond this evening, featuring the best Chicago talent in tough, action-packed fights. Full Results:

MAIN EVENT
6 Rounds – Welterweight
Ed “Bad Boy” Brown Unanimous Decision over Gilbert Venegas (60-54 on all three cards)

6 Rounds – Cruiserweight
Shawndell Winters KO 5 (2:25) Maxwell Amponsah

6 Rounds – Super Welterweight
David Estrada TKO 4 (0:01) Antony Nelson

6 Rounds – Super Lightweight
Jose Arambula TKO 2 (1:15) Kelly Wright

6 Rounds – Heavyweight
Raphael Murphy TKO 2 (1:22) Skylar Thompson

4 Rounds – Welterweight
Bertha Aracil UD Sarah French (39-37, 40-36, 39-37)

6 rounds – Welterweight
Jaime Herrera KO 4 (1:22) Thomas Allen

4 Rounds – Featherweight
Francisco Saldana KO 1 (1:04) Bryan Ramirez

4 Rounds – Cruiserweight
Martez McGregor TKO 2 (0:46) Frankie Sparks

4 Rounds – Welterweight
Matthew Murphy TKO 1 (1:43) Kenneth Thomas, Jr.

LAS VEGAS (July 30, 2016) – On the heels of the historic and long-awaited passage of legislation making professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bouts legal in New York State, World Series of Fighting (www.WSOF.com) tonight announced that it will bring its star-studded, championship fight series to Madison Square Garden along with a live broadcast of the show on NBC, on Saturday, December 31, pending the approval of the New York State Athletic Commission.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring our exciting, world championship live event series to The Big Apple, where fans have been anxiously waiting for years, for live, professional MMA action to be able to happen in their city,” said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva tonight, during the live NBCSN telecast of WSOF32: Moraes vs. Hill II.

“We have been working diligently,” continued Silva, “with the staff at the New York State Athletic Commission as well as the executives at Madison Square Garden to complete all of the necessary steps to make this historic and great event happen on New Year’s Eve.”

Participating fighters and featured matchups for the New Year’s Eve extravaganza at Madison Square Garden are being worked on by World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo, and will be announced soon.

The event will mark the second live World Series of Fighting broadcast on NBC, which has also been airing one hour, taped programs featuring a collection of the league’s top fights and highlights, twice annually since 2013. To date, the league has aired 31 live events on NBCSN.

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING

“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier, professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion partnered with NBC, NBCSN and international media distribution giant, IMG. Established in 2012 and headquartered in Las Vegas with satellite offices in New York City and Boston, the company is dedicated to delivering an incredible experience for sports fans by producing action-packed, live fights between elite athletes from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com and follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries. WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.

Onatario, CA. (July 30, 2016)–Heralded amateur Ruben Villa (1-0, 1 KO) did not waste any time putting away challenger Gerardo Molina (1-2, 1 KO) this past Friday night in his professional debut. Villa landed a counter left hook early in the first round that sent Molina backpedaling onto the canvas. Seconds later, Villa, who is from Salinas, Calif., rocked Molina with a series of punches, knocking him out at the 2:25 mark of the opening round.

“It felt great to get that first win,” Villa said. “I didn’t go in thinking knockout, but I knew after the first knockdown that I was going to end it early. I had a bunch of friends and family in attendance. I’m glad I gave them something to smile about.”

“Ruben looked sensational in his pro debut,” said Banner Promotions President, Arthur Pelullo. “Even though it was just inside of one round, you could tell that Ruben is a tremendous talent, and we are looking forward to his next fight, which should be announced shortly.

“Ruben looked fantastic tonight,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing Promotions. “He gave us a glimpse into his immense potential. Ruben has a very bright future ahead of him and we are excited to continue to feature him on our Southern California shows.”

Villa is co-promoted through Thompson Boxing and Banner Promotions.

Photos By Carlos Baeza/ Thompson Boxing

Hitz Boxing continues to be the busiest promoter in the Midwest with its latest edition of Fight Night at the Horseshoe, featuring ten action-packed bouts at the Horseshoe Hammond tomorrow night. Boxing veteran and Illinois Hall of Fame Boxing Promoter Bobby Hitz treats fight fans to a main event fight featuring highly acclaimed prospect Ed Brown (17-0, 15KO) in a six-round grudge match versus Gilbert Venegas, who is coming off a six round unanimous decision win over Antoine Ellerson earlier this month. The tall and rangy Brown, who is co-managed by Cameron Dunkin and Chicago’s Mike Cericola, is a highly-touted and very busy fighter, fighting ten times over the last twelve months.
In the co-main event, Chicago cruiserweight Shawndell Winters (7-0, 6KO) faces Ghanan Maxwell Amponsah (11-1, 10KO). Winters is facing his toughest competition yet in stepping up to face Amponsah, who comes to the ring having knocked out his last opponent, Steven Abbey in the third round late last year.
“King” David Estrada (27-6, 17KO) continues his comeback run with a six round bout versus Kansas City’s Antony Nelson.
Local attraction Jose Arambula faces Missouri veteran Kelly Wright, and Jaime Herrera faces the tough and tested Thomas Allen. Female fighter Sarah French makes her debut in a very tough fight with New York’s Bertha Aracil, and Jaime Herrera, Raphael Murphy, Kenneth Thomas, Jr., and Martez McGregor round out the card in separate bouts.
Hitz Boxing will honor the “Men & Women in Blue” by granting a free ticket to attendees that show their badges at the box office. “It’s our way of saying thank you to the brave men and women who are protecting our community,” said promoter Bobby Hitz.

MAIN EVENT
6 Rounds – Welterweight
Ed “Bad Boy” Brown (145.2) vs. Gilbert Venegas (146.4)

6 Rounds – Cruiserweight
Shawndell Winters (181) vs. Maxwell Amponsah (179.8)

6 Rounds – Super Welterweight
David Estrada (152.4) vs. Antony Nelson (152.8)

6 Rounds – Super Lightweight
Jose Arambula (137) vs. Kelly Wright (137.8)

6 Rounds – Heavyweight
Raphael Murphy (202.2) vs. Skylar Thompson (224)

4 Rounds – Welterweight
Sarah French (146.2) vs. Bertha Aracil (144.8)

6 rounds – Welterweight
Jaime Herrera (146.2) vs. Thomas Allen (146.2)

4 Rounds – Featherweight
Francisco Saldana (124.6) vs. Bryan Ramirez (123.8

4 Rounds – Cruiserweight
Martez McGregor (176.6) vs. Frankie Sparks (184.8)

4 Rounds – Welterweight
Kenneth Thomas, Jr. (145) vs. Matthew Murphy (144.4)

Doors to The Venue at Horseshoe Hammond open at 6:00 tomorrow, July 30th, and first bell is at 7:00. Tickets start at $40, and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets. Boxing fans must be 21 years and older to attend events at the Horseshoe Hammond.

Bristol, PA (July 29, 2016) – Chazz “The Gentleman” Witherspoon will take on former world title challenger Mike Marrone On Saturday night, August 6th as D & D Promotions and Silver Spoon Promotions will present “Rumble at the Rink II” at the Grundy Arena in Bristol, Pennsylvania.

Witherspoon (33-4, 26 KO’s) of nearby Paulsboro, New Jersey established himself as one of the top American Heavyweights as the St. Joseph’s University graduate won his first twenty-three bouts with wins over the likes of Michael Alexander (11-0), Talmadge Griffis (24-6-3), Jonathan Haggler (18-1) before suffering his 1st defeat to future two-time world title challenger Chris Arreola via controversial disqualification.

Witherspoon went on to win three fights in a row, which was highlighted by an entertaining 8th round stoppage over Adam “The Swamp Donkey” Richards (21-1). That fight was voted Ring Magazine’s 2008 Heavyweight Fight of the Year.Witherspoon then dropped a fight to future two-time world title challenger Tony Thompson.

Witherspoon went on to score 4-consecutive knockouts which included a devastating 3rd-round destruction over Tyson Cobb (14-2).

Witherspoon then took on undefeated prospect Seth Mitchell on April 28, 2012 in a bout where Witherspoon had Mitchell badly hurt in several occasions before Mitchell came away with the victory.

Witherspoon has scored four consecutive knockouts which includes his last bout when he stopped Nick Guivas (11-2-2) in three rounds on August 15th in Atlantic City.

Marrone of Vero Beach, Florida has a record of 21-5 with 15 knockouts.

The 30 year-old turned professional in 2004 and won his first 18 bouts that was highlighted by a nationally televised win over Malachy Farrell (15-0).

Marrone suffered first defeat at the hands of future world title challenger Francisco Pianeta. Marrone also lost to world title challenger DaVarryl Williamson.

Marrone challenged for the WBA Cruiserweight title, but was defeated by Guillermo Jones. Marrone also came up short against former heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs.

Seeing action in the eight-round co-feature will be junior welterweight Emanuel “The Tranzforma” Taylor (19-4, 13 KO’s) battling Carlos Aguilera (10-16, 4 KO’s) of Chiapas, Mexico.

Taylor of Edgewood, Maryland has a record of 19-4 with 13 knockouts.

The 25 year-old, won his first fourteen bouts has quality wins over Ayi Bruce (15-1); George Sosa (6-0); Raymond Serrano (18-1)’ Victor Cayo (31-3) & Karim Mayfield (18-1-1).

Taylor also battled former world champions Adrien Broner and Chris Algieri to competitive decision defeats.

The Taylor – Aguilera bout is promoted in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

In four-round bouts:

Cruiserweight Mike Hilton (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Trenton, NJ will take on an opponent to be named.

Middleweight Elijah Vines (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will battle Julian Valerio (3-3, 2 KO’s) of Atlanta, GA

Junior welterweight Sam Teah (7-1-1, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will all see action against Samuel Amoako (21-12, 15 KO’s) of Silver Spring, MD.

LaShawn Rodriguez (3-0, 2 KO’s) of Shirley, NY will fight Jason Wahr (4-12-3, 1 KO) of Virginia Beach, VA. in a middleweight bout.

Jaron Ennis (4-0, 4 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be named in a junior welterweight bout.

Luis Perozo (1-1, 1 KO) of New York will battle Alberto Martinez (0-1) of Tifton, GA

Tickets for this night of boxing are $150 VIP with food and soft drinks; $100; $50; $25 (for children under 17) and can be purchased by calling 856-842-7577 or dboysboxing@gmail.com or www.dboysboxing.com

The Grundy Arena is located at 475 Beaver Street in Bristol, PA.

LOS ANGELES (July 29, 2016) – After two thrilling victories at his second home at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (17-3-2, 13 KOs) of Blythe, Calif. will return to on Saturday, September 30 to fight in a 10-round featherweight main event live transmitted nationally, exclusively on Estrella TV’s Boxeo Estelar. The 27-year old standout previously defeated Nicaraguan warrior Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado and former two-time world champion Hugo Fidel “El Increible” Cazares via knockout at the venue and excited the Coachella Valley boxing fans.

In the televised co-main event, Julian “El Camaron” Ramirez (16-1, 8 KOs) of East Los Angeles will make his highly anticipated return after a exhilarating battle on the Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido undercard on June 4. The stellar featherweight fighter, who has already garnered a huge fan base in Southern California, will return to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino for the second time in his career in a sure non-stop action 10-round featherweight event.

“Fight fans can get ready for another thrilling night of action-packed boxing events featuring rising stars in the sport,” said Oscar De La Hoya, chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Andrew Cancio has been on a knockout streak for the past year, taking down powerful opponents such as Hugo Fidel Cazares and Rene Alvarado. We expect to see great things from this talented fighter when he fights as the main event. Co-headlining this card, we have fan favorite Julian Ramirez, a tough, ruthless fighter who is eager to get back in the ring and put on a spectacular show to make a name for himself come September 30 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.”

Golden Boy Promotions has also put together top boxing prospects for the non-televised undercard, which will stream live on RingTVLive.com. First, Bastie Samir (14-0-1, 14 KOs) of Las Vegas will fight in a six-round super middleweight match and East LA’s Jonathan “Thunder” Navarro (6-0, 5 KOs) will participate in a six-round super lightweight fight. Opponents will be announced shortly.

Tickets go on sale, Friday, August 5 at 10:00 a.m. PT and are priced at $25, $35 and $45 and available for purchase now at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Blythe, Calif. native Andrew “Chango” Cancio made his professional debut in 2006, remaining undefeated for ten bouts before his first loss. Cancio’s power has brought him thirteen of seventeen wins by way of knockout, a strength he brought to the ring against Hugo Fidel “El Increible” Cazares in March by taking the knockout victory in the third round. With this impressive win, Cancio hopes to pursue his goal of becoming a featherweight world champion as he fights at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino for the eighth time in his professional boxing career.

The great nephew of boxing legend Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez, East LA’s Julian “El Camaron” Ramirez picked up the family business as a youngster and quickly made a name for himself on the amateur scene. Yet despite his amateur success, it was clear from the moment that he made his professional debut in 2012 that his destiny was to become a world champion. After a heart wrenching loss this past June for the NABF title to Abraham “El Chamaco” Lopez as the co-main event to Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido on HBO Boxing After Dark®, Ramirez will be returning to the ring with a vengeance to gain a victory and prove he is one of the best fighters in the featherweight division.

Hailing all the way from Ghana, Bastie Samir now calls Las Vegas his home and is eager to make a name for himself as a powerful super middleweight fighter. So far, Samir has maintained an undefeated status and is hopeful to keep it that way as he fights for the second time at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, when he knocked out opponent Greg Hackett in the first round. With a 93% knockout record, fight fans can expect to see Samir’s power and strength come September 30.

Jonathan “Thunder” Navarro representing East Los Angeles has lived up to his nickname thus far, as the 19-year-old has ended five of his six wins by knockout. Having most recently taken down Marc Torres by way of technical knockout on June 4 at The StubHub Center on the undercard of Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido, this fan favorite is hungry to make a name for himself in the boxing scene by fighting at Fantasy Spring Resort Casino for the very first time. As the nephew of former boxing Olympian Jose Navarro, “Thunder” has boxing his in his blood and hopes to keep up the family tradition of big victories and sensational knockouts come September 30.

The September 30 event featuring Andrew Canciois a 10-round featherweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD.” The Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Estrella TV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The card will also stream live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via LBI Media, Inc.’s Fenomeno Studios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.estrellatv.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, http://www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @EstrellaTV; and follow the conversation using #BoxeoEstelar.