Chris Eubank Sr. and Dave Coldwell clashed at a press conference today ahead of their charges Chris Eubank Jr and Tom Doran meeting for the British Middleweight title at The O2 on Saturday night live on Sky Sports Box Office – but the fighters say their focus is on their clash.

Eubank Sr. and Coldwell got caught up in a heated exchange on how they manage the careers of their fighters, with the British boxing legend also tangling with Conor Benn, the son of his old nemesis Nigel, in a feisty prelude to the weekend’s action.

Eubank Jr. and Doran kept their cool as they close in on their meeting in Greenwich. Eubank Jr. defends the British strap for the first time, and insisted that his focus was solely on the Welshman despite all the talk of a potential meeting with World champion and pound-for-pound star Gennady Golovkin.

“I’m on the world stage on Saturday and I’m facing a guy in Tom that wants to cause an upset,” said Eubank Jr. “That’s what people want to see, they want a competitive and exciting fight and that’s what I hope we can deliver.

“I’m 100 per cent ready, it’s fight time and I am really looking forward to it. It’s a very good test, it’s always tough when you fight someone that has yet to taste defeat as they have an aura about them so it will be interesting to see how Tom deals with being in the ring with a guy of my quality.

“Any fighter is tricky when they are fighting for a British title because they are going to put it all on the line to take that belt from me. I don’t think he’s on a level with me as far as ability though, but he will give it everything and that makes him so dangerous.

“It’s one fight at a time of course, but when you know you are working towards a super fight, then that always plays a role in your mind and in your preparation. For me, it’s a positive thing, it makes me train harder and focus more because I know that with every step I am moving closer to a World stage fight against any of the guys with a belt. That’s what I dream of, to pursue these guys and take them out in devastating fashion.

“I’m not looking past Tom at all. I know he is a talented fighter and a dangerous guy, and anyone that faces me knows that they will elevate themselves to a whole new level by beating me. It’s a huge opportunity for him and I cannot take anything for granted. Spike O’Sullivan and Nick Blackwell were brawlers so if he’s a brawler, great, it should be an exciting fight. He showed he had heart, and he’ll need that against me.

“Each statement I make gets me closer to the super fight, you cannot have flat performances and then come out and say you want Golovkin. It doesn’t work like that. You have to stop these guys and put on World class performances to earn this shot.”

Doran accepted that Eubank Jr. respects the threat that he carries, but the unbeaten Connahs Quay man believed there is some disrespect from those around the Brighton star about the possible Golovkin fight – but that could play into his hands.

“I think Team Eubank are overlooking me,” said Doran. They are already talking about Golovkin and then massive Super-Middleweight fights, but I expect that, I’m not surprised by it, its part and parcel of the sport.

“To be honest, I think it plays into my hands. I hope that he is overlooking me, because he’s going to get a big shock on fight night. Chris is ranked number three in the world, so he’s right to be putting himself in with those names but he’s got me to deal with first, and I intend to grab that opportunity with both hands.

“Chris is taking me seriously and that’s good to see because on Saturday he has a really serious opponent in front of him.

“Chris is a great fighter, you can’t take that away from him, but I’ll be working to a game plan and I am confident I can rip the title from him. His world ranking speaks for itself, but taking his scalp and getting into the world rankings myself is just another incentive in this fight, it’s a great springboard for my career.”

Eubank and Doran clash in a huge night of action at The O2 as Anthony Joshua MBE makes the first defence of his IBF World Heavyweight title against unbeaten American Dominic Breazeale.

George Groves and Martin Murray meet in an eliminator for the WBA World Super-Middleweight title, John Wayne Hibbert clashes with Andrea Scarpa for the vacant WBC Silver Super-Lightweight title, Brixton Heavyweight Dillian Whyte returns to the fray, unbeaten Super-Flyweight star Kal Yafai is in action, Olympic bronze medallist Anthony Ogogo continues his comeback from injury, Conor Benn fights for the third time in the paid ranks and there’s a debut for Team GB star Felix Cash.

To the delight of the sizable Mexican community in Detroit, on Saturday, July 16, world-rated Mexican heavyweight contender Andy “The Destroyer from Mexicali” Ruiz will appear in the 10-round main event of Salita Promotions’ next “Detroit Brawl” installment at the Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit.

26-year-old Ruiz, from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, is a former amateur standout, now undefeated at 27-0, 18 KOs as a professional and rated WBO #5, IBF #5, and WBC #7 at heavyweight. Ruiz is the current NABF heavyweight champion and has already made four successful defenses. Before that, he held the WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight Championship and made an additional three successful defenses before relinquishing.

In his last in-ring appearance, Ruiz stopped former world title challenger Ray Austin in the fourth round on May 14 in Studio City, California.

“I cannot wait to get back into the ring,” said Ruiz. “I’ve got some thunder coming with me to Detroit.”

Sponsored by Greektown Casino and Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar, tickets for “Detroit Brawl” will be priced at VIP $123, Box Seats $100, Ringside $93, Reserved $63 and $38, and Balcony $28, and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets and Tickmaster.com.

“I am very excited about bringing another sensational show to Detroit that will feature local talent as well as some of the best fighters from around the country and the world,” said Dmitriy Salita of Salita Promotions. “I have a vision of helping Detroit become known as America’s Greatest Comeback City and the East Coast hub of professional boxing. With each show, we are showcasing great fighters and building a fan base locally and around the world.”

Giving the “Detroit Brawl” crowd its usual international flavor will be red-hot welterweight KO artist Bakhtiyer Eubov (10-0, 10 KOs) of Aktjubinsk, Kazakhstan making a very special six-round appearance, along with welterweights Giorgi Gelashvili (4-0, 2 KOs) Brooklyn via Georgia and Serdar Hadurbadyev (2-0, 2 KOs) of Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan in other six-round bouts.

Making his long-awaited four-round pro debut that night will be “Southpaw Prince” Gheith Karim, a three-time national amateur champion from Dearborn, Michigan. A product of the Kronk Gym, Karim was being touted as a future star by legendary Kronk founder Emanuel Steward since the age of 11. He will compete as a junior middleweight.

Also scheduled for action that night are crowd-favorite Detroit prospects including cruiserweight Demetrius Banks (7-0, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder; middleweight Dorell Van Horn Jr (9-0, 6 KOs) in a six-rounder; as well as Detroit bantamweight Jarico O’Quinn (1-0, 1 KO); super bantamweight Zach Shamoun (3-0-1, 3 KOs) of Bloomfield Hills Michigan; and cruiserweight Clarence Dubose (3-0, 3 KOs) of Eastpointe, Michigan, in separate four-rounders.

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On fight night, doors open at 6:30 pm and the fights begin at 7:15 pm.

Fort Myers, FL (June 22, 2016) – Welterweight rising star Bryant “Goodfella” Perrella has returned to the gym and is training in anticipation of his next bout.

On June 4, Perrella destroyed previously unbeaten two time National Golden Gloves champion David Grayton on ESPN. Rather than go on vacation or celebrate his victory, Perrella immediately wanted to resume training. At the advice of his team, he took a short period of time off before getting back into the gym less than two weeks after his career best victory.

Even though he’s currently waiting to get the word on his next fight date, the 27-year-old Fort Myers native believes he’ll be in another televised bout in the coming months. Naturally, his immediate goal is to raise his record to 15-0 while continuing to fight his way into the upper echelon of the 147 pound division.

“I live, eat and sleep boxing,” said Perrella. “This is what I do for a living and I take my career seriously. Since I’m moving up and believe I’m ready to take a big step forward in the welterweight division, there’s no time to waste. I don’t have any vices and stay in shape year round. Next fight, I’ll be even better and want there to be no doubt in anybody’s mind that I’m one of the next stars in the welterweight division.”

Fans can follow Bryant on Twitter @Bryantperrella.

Information on Perrella’s next move will be available in the near future.

Deontay Wilder says that Anthony Joshua’s IBF World Heavyweight title clash with Dominic Breazeale is a 50-50 fight at The O2 in London on Saturday night (June 25) live on Sky Sports Box Office and on Showtime in the US.

Wilder will be part of the Showtime team covering the fight from New York City and the WBC king will be on the edge of his seat as he cannot split champion or challenger as Joshua prepares to defend the World title he landed in April with a devastating second round KO win over Charles Martin.

“I definitely see the fight as a 50-50,” said Wilder. “You’ve got two big Heavyweights, and the challenger wants what the champion has, and the champion wants to keep what he has.

“It’s going to be interesting because we’ve seen Breazeale in a lot of wars. He’s almost been taken out by some of the smaller Heavyweights, he’s been punched around, but he has always survived.

“We’ve seen Joshua has also been busted up as well, but he has kept his composure, and this fight is in his backyard amongst his people.

“I don’t put anything past Breazeale because he’s coming in hustlers’ territory. I think that it’ll be a good fight because of Breazeale – I think he really wants it.”

Wilder makes the fourth defence of his WBC strap on July 16 against Chris Arreola in his hometown of Alabama, and the 30 year old says that Joshua will feel like a different fighter as he goes into his first fight as World champion – but that there’s now an even bigger target on his back.

“Once you’ve got that belt, you feel like ‘I’m the man’,” said Wilder. “After the first fight, that’s when you really feel confident. You really feel you’re the man, you’re the champ. You’re the ruler once you’ve had your first defence.

“For Joshua, this is his first title defence, so he should feel some kind of security about himself and confidence about himself. But he’s going to find out that to continue his career and defend that title, these guys aren’t going to lay down after one punch or after two punches.

“They’re going to keep taking punches, they’re going to keep getting knocked down and they’re going to keep getting up. This is for a World title. This can bring you out of poverty, you know what I mean? For that reason, these challengers are hungry. That’s one of the things that I had to realise.

“I put myself in their position. When I was a challenger, I was hungry and I already had the mentality that ‘you’re going to really have to kill me or hurt me bad to get me out of this ring.’ So that’s the mentality that these challengers have.

“It’s going to be interesting when you have a guy with a big heart that really, really wants it and I think Breazeale really wants it. We’re going to see where his heart is. I can’t say what kind of heart he has, but we’re going to see.”

Breazeale is following compatriot Charles Martin into Joshua’s Greenwich fortress, where the 2012 Olympic gold medalist is fighting for the seventh time in his pro career. Wilder has boxed outside of the US many times – including his one-round KO of Audley Harrison MBE in Sheffield – and he believes Breazeale’s confidence must be sky-high to travel to Joshua’s backyard.

“It takes a lot of courage, will and heart to fight in someone’s backyard,” said Wilder. “It takes someone that has confidence in themselves. And not to mention going to someone else’s country, because then the environment has completely changed. It’s a big difference and not a lot of guys are willing to travel outside of their country where they would be uncomfortable.

“Only a very few that really want to build their legacy, such as myself, will travel and have no problem. I don’t like to worry about judges or nothing. You go do what you have to do. That’s just my philosophy and mentality as a champion now. When you say the Heavyweight Champion of the World, that’s why this is tough, we travel all over the world.”

Joshua’s clash with Breazeale tops a huge night of boxing at The O2 as George Groves and Martin Murray meet in an eliminator for the WBA World Super-Middleweight title.
Chris Eubank Jr defends his British Middleweight title against Welshman Tom Doran, John Wayne Hibbert clashes with Andrea Scarpa for the vacant WBC Silver Super-Lightweight title, Brixton Heavyweight Dillian Whyte returns to the fray, unbeaten Birmingham star Kal Yafai is in action, Olympic bronze medal man Anthony Ogogo continues his comeback from injury, Conor Benn fights for the third time in the paid ranks and there’s a debut for Team GB star Felix Cash.

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 21, 2016) – Heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and former title challenger Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola went face-to-face for the first time Tuesday at a Los Angeles press conference for their Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on FOX & FOX Deportes showdown Saturday, July 16 from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features undefeated welterweight contender Sammy “The Sergeant” Vasquez Jr. taking on former world champion Luis Collazo. Two more hours of boxing on FS1 and FOX Deportes will immediately follow at 10 p.m. ET after the Wilder vs. Arreola fight on FOX. Further details will be announced shortly.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and TGB Promotions in association with Bruno Event Team, start at only $20 and are on sale now. For tickets please visit www.alabamatitlefight.com and www.ticketmaster.com.

The fighters were together at the Conga Room at L.A. Live after Wilder had hosted a press conference in Birmingham the week before, that Arreola joined via skype.

Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday:

DEONTAY WILDER

“This is going to be an exciting fight for everyone. It’s two dangerous heavyweights. Two guys who fight with their hearts. It’s going to be an action-packed fight from beginning to end.

“People said Arreola doesn’t deserve the shot, but who are they to say things about a man who every time he gets in the ring, fights with his heart.

“I feel like this is a special occasion. It’s a short notice fight. A lot of guys said they would take it, but used the short notice as an excuse. It takes a lot to put together a fight. But when you can get someone who can make the best of this and put on a great show, it’s a job well done.

“There’s only one name who can make this be what it is. Every time he steps in the ring, he comes to fight. I think we chose the right person.

“This is going to be a great fight for boxing fans. I chose to go back home because of all the travel I did preparing for the Povetkin fight. I’m excited to be in my backyard and have the great support behind me. I won’t crack under the pressure.

“The fans will get their money’s worth. It’s two tough and determined fighters who are trying to knock each other’s head off.

“This was my longest layoff. I’ve wanted to be an active champion since I won the belt. When one door closes, another one opens.

“It’s up to Chris to take advantage of this opportunity. He has his own history that he can make and it will mean a lot to him.

“My mentality is to go all out. Everything I say, I really believe. I don’t need anyone to believe in me, because I believe in myself.

“I have a guy in front of me who’s trying to stop me from getting to the next level. I promise this is going to be an outstanding fight.”

CHRIS ARREOLA

“I’m grateful for this opportunity. A lot of people say that I don’t deserve this title fight. A lot of people said Deontay didn’t deserve his title shot. I said that. But when he got it, he made the most out of it. He beat the guy who beat me.

“He’s defended his title and done everything you’re supposed to do as a champion. I respect him a lot. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“I’m going to his backyard. I’m fine with people not recognizing me out there. He’s going to be dealing with ticket requests and I’m just going to be focused on beating Deontay Wilder.

“I’m not fighting the fans, at the end of the day it’s me and Deontay Wilder in that ring. That’s what I know about this sport, there’s a lot of talk, but at the end of the day, it’s mano a mano.

“I’m blessed to have this opportunity and I’m going to make the most of it.”

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,
www.alabamatitlefight.com www.dbe1.com,www.TGBPromotions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and foxdeportes.com follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @BronzeBomber, @NightmareBoxing @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing, www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Follow the conversation using #PBConFOX. PBC on FOX is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

LOS ANGELES (June 21, 2016) – Former five-division boxing world champion and International Boxing Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard will be on hand for an electric night of boxing at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino on July 15. Fans with tickets to the event will get a chance to meet the former undisputed welterweight champion and former Olympic gold medalist at the Special Events Center prior to the televised fights from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Leonard will join viewers in the Coachella Valley for what is sure to be an exciting card, as Mexican warrior Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano (29-5- 1, 21 KOs) will square off against top welterweight contender KeAndre “The Truth” Gibson (15-0-1, 7 KOs) in an explosive 10-round main event broadcast live on Estrella TV’s Boxeo Estelar. In the televised 10-round co-feature of the night, former world title challenger Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez (23-2- 1, 16 KOs) will battle former WBC Silver Featherweight Champion Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado (23-7, 16 KOs).
Tickets for the event are on sale and priced at $45, $35, and $25. They can be purchased at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.
Sugar Ray Leonard is a boxing gold medalist and legendary sports icon of the 20th century. He has a passion to help fund research and awareness for type 1 & 2 diabetes and obesity prevention. In 2009, Leonard and his wife Bernadette started the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation and have been supporting the life-changing programs at the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Pablo Cesar Cano vs. KeAndre Gibson is a 10-round welterweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bout beings at 5:15 p.m. 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 RingTVlive.com live stream will begin at approximately 5:15 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.

BETHLEHEM, PA. (June 21, 2016) – Unbeaten prospect Antonio Russell (6-0, 5 KOs) will take on Jamaica’s Rudolph Hedge (10-3-3, 4 KOs) in a six-round super bantamweight showdown as part of Premier Boxing Champions ­TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday, June 28 from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

The June 28 event is headlined by a lightweight showdown between former title challenger Edner Cherry and quick-fisted contender Lydell Rhodes. Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with unbeaten featherweight Omar Douglas taking on Cuba’s Alexei Collado.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $100, $75,and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available atwww.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

Additional undercard action features unbeaten Brooklyn-prospect Chris Colbert (4-0, 2 KOs) taking on fellow unbeaten Antonio Dubose (8-0-1, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia in a six-round super bantamweight bout, unbeaten Philadelphia-prospect Milton Santiago against veteran Osumanu Akaba (32-10-1, 25 KOs) in an eight-round super lightweight attraction, local heavyweight Eric Newell (8-3-2, 5 KOs) in a four-round bout against Randy Easton (3-9-1, 3 KOs) and the pro debut of Philadelphia’s Yurik Mamedov in a four-round welterweight bout.

Rounding out the night of fights Maryland-prospect Mykal Fox (9-0, 2 KOs) in a six-round super lightweight bout against Puerto Rico’s Jose Valderrama (5-13, 3 KOs), Yonkers-native Victor Vasquez (4-2, 2 KOs) against Philadelphia’s Seifullah Jihad Wise (3-1, 1 KO) in a six-round lightweight battle and unbeaten Washington, D.C. prospect Marcus Bates (3-0-1, 3 KOs) in a bantamweight bout against Bennie Culpepper.

Twice a National Golden Gloves runner up, Russell won the national championship in 2013 and he now looks to follow in the footsteps of his older brother and current 126-pound world champion Gary. The 23-year-old fighting out of Washington, D.C. turned pro in 2015 and delivered five victories before making his 2-16 debut in April with a stoppage of Alberto Serna. He will take on Kingston, Jamaica’s Hedge who made his U.S. debut in May.

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.

BROOKLYN (June 21, 2016) – The stacked undercard for the highly anticipated Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter welterweight showdown is complete and will feature a pair of popular Brooklyn fighters as heavyweight Adam Kownacki (13-0, 10 KOs) battles hard-hitting Jesse Barboza (11-1-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round bout while crowd-pleasing featherweight Heather “The Heat” Hardy (16-0, 4 KOs) takes on Colorado’s Kirstie Simmons (8-1, 2 KOs) in an eight-round contest on Saturday, June 25 from Barclays Center.

The June 25 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® on CBS event, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, is headlined by the world title fight between defending world champion Keith Thurman and former champion Shawn Porter. Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The live telecast will open with an exciting battle between undefeated super welterweight prospects Jarrett Hurd and Oscar Molina.

Additional undercard action features unbeaten prospect Jonathan Alonso taking on Los Angeles native Brian Jones in a junior welterweight match, Bronx native Josue Vargas opposing Oklahoma’s David Nelson in a four-round welterweight bout and a recent addition to the card, Puerto Rico’s Nicklaus Flaz, in a four-round junior middleweight battle against Brooklyn’s Mack Babb.

Completed matchups that were previously announced include fast-rising prospect David Benavidez (14-0, 13 KOs) taking on Francy Ntetu (16-0, 3 KOs) in an eight-round light heavyweight bout and unbeaten junior welterweight Regis Prograis (17-0, 14 KOs) versus Luis Eduardo Flores (21-3, 17 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $49 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

A popular Brooklyn fighter who competed in Barclays Center’s first-ever professional female boxing match, Hardy has become a staple at the arena since. On June 25, she will be making her seventh appearance at Barclays Center. A little over two years after her pro debut, Hardy won an international title belt in the super bantamweight division in October 2014. In 2015, she defeated Noemi Bosques and Renata Domsodi twice. In her lone 2016 fight, she stopped Anna Donatella Hultin in the fourth round. She will be opposed by Aurora, Colorado’s Simmons who has won nine fights in a row after losing her pro debut.

A two-time New York Golden Gloves champion, Kownacki had a big 2015, notching four victories including knockouts of Maurenzo Smith and Randy Easton. Born in Lomza, Poland, the 26-year-old now calls Brooklyn home. His 2016 campaign began in January at Barclays Center when he defeated Danny Kelly in front of a raucous Polish crowd. He will take on Barboza out of Hyannis, Massachusetts. The 29-year-old Barboza was a three-time New England Heavyweight Golden Gloves champion.

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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.facebook.com/BarclaysCenter.

NEW YORK (June 21, 2016) – WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder will join the SHOWTIME announce team as an in-studio analyst for the SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® presentation of the IBF Heavyweight World Championship between undefeated champion Anthony Joshua and unbeaten challenger Dominic Breazeale on Saturday, June 25, live on SHOWTIME (5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT).

The charismatic Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) will provide commentary and insight from a New York studio along with Barry Tompkins and Steve Farhood before and after the fight.

Coverage of Joshua vs. Breazeale from the sold-out The O2 in London will be provided by Sky Sports with the play-by-play call from Nick Halling, analysis from Jim Watt, additional in-fight analysis from former WBA Heavyweight Champion David Haye, and post-fight interviews from Andy Scott.

An encore presentation of the SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL telecast will air later that evening on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

The 26-year-old Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) has compiled a perfect knockout record of 16-0 with 16 knockouts since turning professional shortly after winning the 2012 Olympic Gold Medal. Earlier this year, Joshua earned the IBF Heavyweight World Championship with a second-round knockout of defending champion Charles Martin on SHOWTIME, earning a heavyweight belt in the fewest number of fights in more than 20 years. The showdown with Breazeale is Joshua’s first since signing a multi-fight licensing agreement for Showtime Networks Inc., to be the exclusive U.S. television partner of the British sensation.

The 30-year-old Breazeale (17-0, 15 KOs) has knocked out nearly 90 percent of his opponents since turning professional after representing the United States at the 2012 Olympics. Standing at 6-foot-7, the Los Angeles native is one inch taller than the 6-foot-6 Joshua. The former NCAA football quarterback is coming off a career-best victory of previously once-beaten Amir Mansour on Jan. 23.

Also on Saturday, June 25, Keith Thurman will defend his WBA Welterweight World Championship against former titlist Shawn Porter in a blockbuster matchup of two of the world’s best 147-pound fighters, live in Primetime on CBS at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. In the co-main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar will defend his title against former three-division world champion Abner Mares.

Tickets for Anthony Crolla’s unification blockbuster with Jorge Linares for the WBA and WBC Diamond World and Ring Magazine Lightweight Championships at the Manchester Arena on September 24 will go on sale on Monday June 27.

Matchroom Fight Pass members will be the first fight fans to get the chance to purchase tickets to ‘Million Dollar’ Crolla’s battle with the Venezuelan star. Tickets go on sale at midday priced from £40, £60, £80, £100, £150 and £250 VIP – these tickets will be available from the Fight Pass members area of www.matchroomboxing.com

Tickets go on general sale at midday on Tuesday June 28 with tickets in the £40-£150 bracket available from the Manchester Arena at www.manchester-arena.com or by calling 0844 847 8000. VIPs tickets are exclusively available through www.matchroomboxing.com priced at £250.

Williams: “He definitely doesn’t want to come and have a fight with me because he’s going to get himself hurt.”

Corcoran: “You’re not that big a puncher, you’re an average puncher. He thinks he’s Golovkin. All I can say is he better not run on the night.”

A war of words erupted between bitter super-welterweight rivals Liam Williams and Gary Corcoran at today’s heated press conference at the Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff. British and Commonwealth Champion Williams puts it all on the line against unbeaten WBO Intercontinental Champion Corcoran on July 16th, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Clydach Vale puncher Williams, 24, is raring to get back on his world title trail after blasting out Gustavo Alberto Sanchez inside three rounds on his 2016 ring return on the undercard of Liam Smith’s world title defence against Predrag Radosevic earlier this month.

The big-punching Welshman is determined to deliver a career best performance in-front of his home crowd and is predicting his brutal power will be too much for his challenger to handle.

“I’m not bothered by what he’s going to try and do. If he comes to box I’m going to outbox him and he definitely doesn’t want to come and have a fight with me because he’s going to get himself hurt.

“He’s not going to keep rushing forward when I’m landing big shots on him trust me. This fight is only going to end one way; Gary is getting knocked out. I’ll see him in the middle of the ring on July 16th.

All-action Corcoran, 25, has ripped through his first 15 opponents, claiming six knockouts along the way. Known as the ‘Hell-Raiser’ for his non-stop ferocious fighting style, Corcoran has promised to live up to his name and take Williams deep into the trenches.

“Let’s be honest, who has he fought? I’ve fought better fighters than him. He’s not a big puncher, he’s an average puncher. Everyone seems to think he’s Golovkin but nobody has tested him yet.

“Coming down to Wales to fight him on his own patch doesn’t bother me one bit. I can’t wait for the fight, he can hit this chin as much as he wants. I’ll let him have a free crack at it as well. We’ll see who’s on the back foot.

Co-headlining a huge night of boxing in Cardiff is pound-for-pound superstar Guillermo Rigondeaux who defends his WBA Super-Bantamweight crown against Merseyside hero Jazza Dickens in a real life ‘Rocky’ story.

A talent-stacked undercard sees British and Commonwealth Champion Super Bradley Skeete make the fifth defence of his WBO European Welterweight title; Baggies banger Tommy Langford defends his WBO Inter-Continental belt; ‘The Mexican’ Jamie Conlan returns to the ring after his fight of the year contender, Southampton’s red-hot Joe Pigford looks to extend his unbeaten run to eleven fights; Welshmen Craig Evans, Alex Hughes, Gary Buckland, Jay Harris, Dale Evans and Rhys Saunders all look to impress in front of their home crowd; big-hitting cruiserweight prospect Gary Sweeney looks to go 2-0 and Belfast’s Tyrone McKenna fights over six rounds.

Tickets priced at £35, £40, £70, £100 and £150 are available from:

Eventim
0844 249 1000
www.eventim.co.uk
Ticketmaster
0844 844 0444
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Ticketline UK
02920 230 130
www.ticketlineuk.com

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions, will televise the show live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 415, Freeview 255 and also on smart connected devices via multiple platforms. Go to www.boxnation.comto see how you can watch this fight and more live!

William Hill have signed a deal with Matchroom Sport to be the title sponsors of IBF World Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua’s next three fight nights’. The new agreement follows on from their sponsorship of AJ’s last two fights – against Dillian Whyte and his World title winning performance against Charles Martin.

Joshua (16-0-16 KO) defends his title for the first time at The O2 in London this Saturday when he faces the unbeaten American Dominic Breazeale. The Californian (17-0-15 KO) is no stranger to London having represented the USA in the 2012 Olympic Games, where Joshua won gold. Both fighters predicted an explosive knockout on ‘The Gloves Are Off’ preview on Sky Sports on Sunday night – and unsurprisingly the bookmakers agree. The sponsors are offering odds of 14/1 for both fighters to be knocked down at any stage of the fight.

The Joshua v Breazeale undercard features some other mouth-watering bouts – including the Super-Middleweight clash between Martin Murray and George Groves. Other big names on the undercard include Chris Eubank Junior, Dillian Whyte, Anthony Ogogo, Kal Yafai and Conor Benn.

The event will be watched by a 17,000 strong sell-out crowd at the O2 Arena in London, while millions more will tune in on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK, Showtime in the USA and via other associated broadcasters around the world.

Alex O’Shaughnessy, Chief Marketing Officer at William Hill said “We’re delighted to sign this new deal with Matchroom Sport. Anthony Joshua is one of the most talked about boxers of our generation and it’s exciting to align our brand to this true British sporting icon.”

Eddie Hearn, Managing Director at Matchroom Sport, said “AJ is one of the biggest draws in world boxing right now and it’s fantastic to have one of Britain’s biggest brands with us on his journey to greatness. We’ve built up a really strong working relationship with William Hill over the last year and I believe it will continue for many years to come.”

Do you feel like the underdog in this fight? What would a win do for your career?

VIKTOR POSTOL:

“I do not consider myself an underdog in this fight. Terence Crawford’s fans might consider me as the underdog but that does not bother me. I’m 100% confident in myself and in my victory on July 23rd and the reasons are simple. I work harder in training camp than my opponents because I have to. Because I want to. I have the best trainer working with me and his name his Freddie Roach. He has been named Trainer of the Year a record seven times and he is in the Hall of Fame. Crawford has no one like that on his team. Since I have been training with Freddie I have knocked out two of the three opponents I have faced — Lucas Matthysse and Selcuk Aydin. Both were No. 2 world-rated contenders and both times I was considered the underdog. I have passed every test that I have taken as a professional fighter and with the best teacher in boxing working with me I intend to pass this one on July 23rd with flying colors. This victory will prove to everyone that I am the best fighter at 140 pounds and the king of the division.”

FREDDIE ROACH:

“I do not feel that Viktor is an underdog going into this fight. Why should I? In his two toughest tests — Lucas Matthysse and Selcuk Aydin — he didn’t just knock them out, he took their will to fight away. He broke them down brick by brick. His experience against blue chip opposition has been great preparation for his fight with Terence Crawford. Don’t get me wrong. I have a lot of respect for Crawford. He has a lot of talent. But I think this is going to come down to resumes and I think Postol has fought tougher and better opponents than Crawford. Postol even spent an entire training camp with Manny Pacquiao in 2014 when Manny was preparing for Chris Algieri. Viktor more than held his own against Manny. Crawford is going to find out that defending a title against Hank Lundy and Dierry Jean is a lot different than fighting a fellow undefeated world champion like Viktor Postol. A win for Viktor will mean that the U.S. and the world has a new star in boxing. A star as bright as boxing has ever seen.”

The HBO Sports Special, Terence Crawford: My Fight, debuts Saturday, July 9 at 11:15 p.m. on HBO.

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

NEW YORK(June 20, 2016) – Undefeated IBF Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) will make the first defense of his title against fellow unbeaten Dominic Breazeale (17-0, 15 KOs) of Upland, Calif., this Saturday, June 25 on SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® from The O2 in London, live on SHOWTIME® on at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.

Just a few hours later in Primetime on CBS (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT), Keith “One Time” Thurman will defend his WBA Welterweight World Title against former champ Shawn “Showtime” Porter in a welterweight blockbuster that headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Both Joshua and Breazeale participated in an international media conference call on Monday. Also taking part were Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports; Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport and Brittany Goossen-Brown of TGB Promotions introducing Breazeale.

Below are highlights of what the principals had to say on the conference call. A full transcript will be available in the coming days.

ANTHONY JOSHUA
Thoughts on his preparation for the fight:
“I feel great condition wise, and mentally I’m in a good place. I’ve never felt so relaxed because I just know I’m capable of doing it. I’ve trained weeks and years and it’s just about getting it right on the night of the fight. My tactics and my mind have not let me down so far, so that’s why I don’t want to change anything.

“I’m not putting too much pressure on myself. I’m going to attack the fight the same way I have my last 16 and put on an explosive show. That’s what the Americans love. They like knockouts and I won’t let them down.

“Every fight can be my last fight. As much as I would like to tell you I’m confident and ‘I’m going to do this, I’m going to do that’ I do understand I have to approach this as if it could be my last fight.

“I know he can hang around, he doesn’t go down easy. He’s a big guy, he can eat shots. The Dominic Breazeale I’m used to watching on YouTube and I’m reading about is the enhanced Dominic Breazeale – the Dominic Breazeale that is 50 percent better because I think he knows he wants to come prove himself on a global stage. And this is his chance come Saturday, so I need to prepare for the best of Breazeale.”

On going from being the hunter as a challenger to being the hunted as a champion:
“I’m not the cream of the crop in the gym. I’m around guys that are achieving things on the same level so I’m still hunting. I still have that mentality as if I’m a main killer in the jungle. I haven’t lost that hunger.

On potential to fight in the US in the future:
“I just keep on hearing the United States is where it’s happening. And if I come to the U.S., I’m going to shut it down.”

Thoughts on Breazeale’s performance against Amir Mansour:
“He’s a tough guy. He managed to go out there and break Mansour’s jaw and capture a win, which has led him into where he is now. Whichever angels were floating in the ring with him that day have led him to this point, so I’ve got to put an end to his dream.”

On winning a piece of the heavyweight championship in just his 16th pro fight:
“It didn’t mean much. I still have another couple titles I need to get my hands on. I’m still hunting. There’s still work to be done. So it only ticked one of the boxes on my to-do list.”

DOMINIC BREAZEALE
“I’m out here very excited. I can’t wait to get in the ring June 25 and shock the world, that’s for sure. I’ve been lucky enough to prepare for the biggest fight of my life and I’m really super excited about it.”

On why he thinks he was selected for this matchup:
“Honestly, the way I see it is that someone didn’t do their research. They didn’t look deep enough. They didn’t find out enough about me and maybe they’re looking at me as just another football player that transitioned into boxing. And I’m hoping they’re overlooking me. It definitely can be a situation where they’re just watching one fight, especially my last fight. But there’s been a lot of tough ones. If they’re looking at that one situation, I’m glad because that’s to my liking.”

On his feelings about fighting overseas:
“The way I’m thinking about it is, June 25, I gain 20,000 fans. I’m in a situation where I’m very confident going into this fight and I know for sure I’m going to put on a great show, come out victorious and go back to the U.S. with 20,000 UK fans.

“I definitely believe [Joshua] realizes; he understands that he’s got a big test in front of him. He’s got a big fighter in front of him. He’s got a guy that’s going to break him down, test his will and see if he is a true champion.

“I am coming into this fight very confident and I’ve got some things that I know are going to work for me, as well as some things that I plan on exploiting out of Joshua.

“I’m blessed to have been picked for this fight and am thankful for this opportunity. The way I look at it, and the way I look at every fight that I go into, is that as long as I do everything that I need to do in the gym as far as sparring, preparation and training, running my miles, sleeping right and eating right – I’ve crossed all of my T’s and dotted all of my I’s. I’ve got nothing to worry about. I’ve got nothing to second-guess. I’ve done everything I’m supposed to and I just can’t wait to shine.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports

“Anthony quickly went from a diamond in the rough to really one of the foremost stars in the UK and Europe, and we are happy to be his partner as he establishes his presence in North America.

“We are particularly excited about this bout because we have, pardon the phraseology, two behemoths. There are two skilled boxers, really the epitome of what heavyweight boxing should be – big, strong athletes skilled in their sport, with amateur pedigree, meeting on the afternoon here in the US, evening in the UK to determine who is the best fighter.”

EDDIE HEARN, President, Matchroom Sport

“Over here, the feeling is that it’s going to be quite a routine defense, but Anthony hasn’t trained like that. He is not expecting that. He knows the background and roots of Dominic Breazeale. He knows his skill, and he knows how dangerous he can be and he knows how hungry he is as well. I think you’re going to get a different kind of fight than the Charles Martin fight. I think you’re going to get a guy that’s not afraid to let his hands go. He’s not going to wait and the sold out O2 Arena is going to be an electric place to be.”

“SHOWTIME is a deal we are very excited about. To link up with an American broadcaster for us was an obvious move, but it was a move we had to choose carefully. And I think we chose very, very well in SHOWTIME.”

BRITTANY GOOSSEN-BROWN, TGB Promotions

“Over here in the U.S. we have gotten to see Dominic grow before our eyes. We know he is definitely capable of challenging for the world title. On Saturday we expect him to be victorious and bring that back to America.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing and @SHOSports, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/ShoSports

Also follow Dominic Breazeale on Twitter @TroubleBoxing, Anthony Joshua @AnthonyJoshua and use hashtag #JoshuaBreazeale to join the conversation.

How will it feel fighting in Vegas for first time? PPV for the first time?

TERENCE CRAWFORD

“It is an honor to fight in Las Vegas, especially at the MGM Grand where so many historic fights have taken place and so many great fighters have made their mark. It’s the same way I felt when I headlined my first card at Madison Square Garden earlier this year. Many fighters dream of fighting on such a big stage but it’s something you have to earn. I have worked very hard to get to this point in my career — to earn the right to headline my first pay-per-view event. I can’t think of a better place to do it than in the Fight Capital of the World. It’s very exciting, but I need to keep my eye on the ball. There will be a lot of hard work to do in training camp to make my pay-per-view debut successful. This isn’t just opening night for a new phase of my career. I want this to be the beginning of a long run as boxing’s next pound for pound star and a worthy successor to Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.”

BRIAN McINTYRE:

“Fighting in Las Vegas in the main event and headlining a pay-per-view is a tremendous honor. Years ago I never imagined we would get to this point. We are representing Omaha on the biggest stage boxing has to offer and Terence is not about to let his hometown down. He is proud to represent Omaha and he will be carrying that pride in his heart and soul when he enters the ring on July 23rd and beats Viktor Postol. We know we are in this position because of hard work and more hard work. And with hard work came success, success that produced an undefeated record against the best fighters and two world titles in two different divisions. No one has ever been able to outthink or outfight Terence and that’s a lesson Postol is going to learn the hard way — in front of a very big audience.”

The HBO Sports Special, Terence Crawford: My Fight, debuts Saturday, July 9 at 11:15 p.m. on HBO.

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

BROOKLYN (June 20, 2016) – An intriguing matchup between undefeated super welterweights Jarrett Hurd and Oscar Molina will open this Saturday’s Primetime CBS broadcast from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS broadcast, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, airs live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by a welterweight blockbuster between undefeated champion Keith Thurman and once-beaten former titlist Shawn Porter.

The 10-round showdown between the 25-year-old Hurd (17-0, 11 KOs) and 26-year-old Molina (13-0-10 KOs) is a rare matchup between young undefeated prospects in one of boxing’s hottest divisions. The winner graduates to contender status in the stacked 154-pound class, a division featuring Erislandy Lara, Jermall and Jermell Charlo, Demetrius Andrade and Julian Williams.

Hurd vs. Molina represents the toughest professional fight for either man.

“The dictionary definition of ‘Swift’ is to happen quickly or promptly,” said Hurd. “So just like my ring name, that’s exactly what you’ll see on Saturday night. I’m so grateful that this fight was made and that the whole world will be able to see my boxing skills on this highly anticipated card.”

“I’m excited for this fight and I’m grateful that it’s even bigger now that it’s on CBS,” said Molina. “I’ve seen Hurd fight. I know what he does well and what his weaknesses are and I’ll be looking to capitalize on them. It’s important for me to defeat the top guys and this is someone I have to beat to become a world champion one day. I’m excited about fighting in Brooklyn on the big stage, but my focus will be on my trainer’s game plan and coming out victorious.”

Hurd, of Accokeek, Md., just south of Washington, D.C., has an unblemished record since turning professional in 2012. He is coming off a career-best performance last November with a six-round destruction of previously undefeated Frank Galarza on ShoBox: The New Generation. Hurd, who has never been down or cut as a professional, will be facing his third consecutive unbeaten opponent.

Molina, of Norwalk, Calif., just east of Los Angeles, was a 2012 Mexican Olympian. He tore through his opposition after turning professional in 2013, registering knockouts in 10 of his 14 fights. Molina, who has also never been down, is coming off a 10-round draw with fellow unbeaten highly regarded prospect Dominque Dolton last September. He returns to the ring this Saturday against another undefeated opponent as he looks to make a statement in the 154-pound division.

# # #

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $49 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP. Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebookat www.Facebook.com/SHOSports,www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.facebook.com/BarclaysCenter.

June 20, 2016 – Springfield, NJ – Last week the IBF’s Executive Officers and Board of Directors conferred to discuss the organizations stance on AIBA’s and the IOC’s decision to allow professional boxers to compete in the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Preliminary discussions were held during the IBF’s annual convention this past May in Beijing, China where IBF Medical Committee member and ringside physician, Dr. Paul Wallace presented the organization with a letter sent to AIBA’s President, Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu, by Dr. Raymond Monsell, Chairman of the Association of Ringside Physicians and Dr. Larry Lovelace, President of the Association of Ringside Physicians. In the letter the doctors address the dangers faced by an amateur boxer competing against a professional boxer. In particular they reference skill level, the difference in scoring amateur bouts vs. professional bouts and the use of head gear.

Upon reviewing the medical opinions put forth in this letter, and conferring with other individuals and organizations involved in the sport, the IBF believes that there is an inherent risk with professionals competing against amateurs. While the IBF/USBA Rules Governing Championships Contests do not specifically address professional boxers competing against amateur boxers, the organization will apply its rules 5 and 14 in addressing any situation where an IBF Champion or fighter rated by the IBF chooses to compete as a boxer in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. The rules are as follows:

Rule 5 of the IBF/USBA Rules Governing Championship Contest cites:

“A Champion and Challenger must at all times set high ideals and act in a sportsmanlike manner. Any action by a Champion, Challenger promoter, manager or cornerman which reflects poorly on the IBF/USBA or the sport of boxing will subject the contestant to the imposition of discipline and penalties. The provisions of Rule 14 will be applied to any such situation.”

Rule 14 of the IBF/USBA Rules Governing Championship Contest cites:
“Should any Champion or Challenger be found in violation of any of the rules of the IBF/USBA, he may be removed from the rankings for a period of not less than one (1) year. Should any Champion, Challenger, promoter, cornerman or manager be found to have acted in an unsportsmanlike or unprofessional manner as provided in Rule 5 (IBF and USBA championship, elimination and unification bouts) by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, the Champion or the Challenger may be subject to fine, forfeiture of monies, vacation of title, lowering or removal from the ratings or any other discipline directed by the Board of Directors. Any boxer, promoter, cornerman or manager subjected to discipline under this rule has a right to appeal the finding of a violation or the imposition of discipline, or both, under Rule 12, Appeal Procedure.”

Essentially, an IBF Champion or fighter included in the IBF ratings that chooses to participate in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio will be found in violation of rule 5. Their participation in these games will be considered unsportsmanlike behavior due to the potential risks involved with amateur boxers competing against professional boxers. An IBF Champion found in violation of rule 5 will have the title vacated and will be removed from the ratings for one year, and an IBF rated fighter will be removed from the ratings for one year.

“Making this decision was not difficult for us. We felt it was important for the IBF to get involved and take a stance against professional boxers competing against amateurs due to safety concerns as part of our commitment to this sport is to promote the health and well-being of the boxers,” noted IBF President Daryl Peoples.

NEW YORK (JUNE 20, 2016) – Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas “Hitman” Hearns might be uniquely qualified to talk about what WBA welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman and “Showtime” Shawn Porter are thinking and feeling heading into their battle that pits two men against each other who are in their primes in a highly charged battle for supremacy in the talent-laden welterweight division.

The highly anticipated showdown headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® on CBS presented by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) with televised coverage starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Leonard had a record of 30-1 with 21 KOs and held the WBC welterweight title when he took on Hearns, who was 32-0 with 30 KOs and held the WBA title, in a 15-round title unification match in Las Vegas on September 16, 1981. The match was billed as “The Showdown” and had a worldwide television audience of 300 million.

The fight was a pitched back-and-forth battle, but Hearns appeared to be in control having won rounds nine through 12 on all three judges’ scorecards. It was between rounds 12 and 13 that Leonard’s trainer, the late Angelo Dundee, famously screamed at Leonard: “You’re blowing it now, son! You’re blowing it!”

Leonard, with his left eye badly swollen, turned the tide in the 14th round by staggering Hearns with an overhand right and then pinning Hearns on the ropes and unleashing a barrage of punches, which prompted referee Davey Pearl to stop the fight, giving Leonard the victory and making him the undisputed welterweight champion and king of the division. At the time of the stoppage Hearns was leading on all three scorecards – 124-122, 125-122 and 125-121.

“It was the toughest fight of my life. It took every ounce of will and strength to beat Tommy Hearns. I couldn’t have taken that many of those in my career,” Leonard said. “The Tommy Hearns fight was the one that propelled me to the penthouse.”

Leonard felt like the victory over Hearns launched him into superstardom. He believes the same thing awaits the winner of Thurman-Porter.

Hearns on the fight: “I wanted to show my world my boxing ability. They knew I could knock people out, but they didn’t know that I could box very well.”

Both Leonard and Hearns said they are anxiously awaiting the match between Thurman and Porter because they believe it will hold just as much drama as their match 35 years ago.

“Yeah, you can make the comparison,” Leonard said. “Both guys are at the top of the welterweight division. The only thing that’s different is that me and Tommy were so well known by sports fans. We were on TV a lot, and that’s what built our names and gave people the chance to see us so much. And that’s what they’re doing now with the PBC and the shows being on network TV. This could be a fight like ours. Who knows? But I do know that the fans are waiting on this fight.”

HOW DO YOU PREPARE TO FACE THE BEST MAN IN YOUR DIVISION?

HEARNS: “It’s always hard to get prepared for someone like that because you think about what the outcome is going to be and what are your chances of winning the fight. I never thought about losing, but I thought about what my chances were.
I knew if I went out and boxed the way I knew I could box, I would beat Ray. Just the thought of fighting Ray brought a lot of questions to my mind. Some I had answers to and some I didn’t have. Most other guys I knew I could go out there and knock them out.”

WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THIS MATCHUP?

LEONARD: “Just the heart of Keith and Shawn. Both of these guys have heart and both have that will. That composure. You can’t teach composure. It’s something that you either have or you don’t. You can’t learn that. That deep, deep composure when your left eye is closed and your liver is busted and you got to get up on the canvas.”

HEARNS: “I know Thurman and Porter have the ability to get each other out of there. It’s going to be a matter of who gets to who first. I’m definitely watching. I hope to be there in person.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE MENTAL ASPECT OF THIS MATCH?

HEARNS: “I know what it’s like to go against somebody that people don’t think you can beat. You have to prepare for that. It’s a mental stage that you go through, how you prepare your mind. If you can control your mind and tell your body what you’re going to do, then you can do it. You can’t worry about how good the other guy can punch. Just stay out of the way. Keep on laying that stick on him and he won’t be able to punch you.”

WHAT WAS YOUR MENTALITY GOING INTO THE MATCH AGAINST LEONARD?

HEARNS: “I didn’t come to go 12 or 15 rounds. I came to whip your butt and go home. I had no desire to go 15 rounds. I trained for it, but I was never going 15 rounds.”

WHAT WAS YOUR MENTALITY GOING INTO THE MATCH AGAINST HEARNS?

LEONARD: “I felt that I could beat anyone. My brother Roger didn’t think I could beat Tommy. He didn’t tell me that until it was over. In training camp I used to box Roger and he would land a lot of right hands. He figured if Tommy’s right hand landed on me it would be over. My brother didn’t have much confidence in me.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $49 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Former Cuban amateur standout Sullivan Barrera (17-1 12 KOs) is training hard with new trainer Derik Santos. The Florida-based duo have gelled and can’t wait to show off the new and improved Barrera in the very near future.

With Sergey Kovalev and Adonis Stevenson already locked into their next bouts, Barrera wants to face former champion Jean Pascal in a high stakes showdown. With both fighters coming off of losses, the heavy handed fighters are sure to produce fireworks in what would be the definition of a crossroads roads battle. The winner would be in a great position for several major fights in the winter and spring of 2017.

Pascal in fact has already agreed to the bout, displaying his desires on his verified Twitter timeline. Barrera intends to take him up on his offer and has no problem traveling to Canada to make the fight happen.

@sullivanbarrera if you can cross the boarder I'm down. I have a good market in Montreal, Canada. Let's fight in front of a packed house.

— Jean Pascal (@jeanpascalchamp) April 23, 2016

“I’ve been trying to get a fight against Pascal since last year,” Barrera stated. “I have power and he has power. I need a win and he does too, so let’s do it. You already agreed to the fight so stop ducking me. You’ve been all talk so be a man of your word and make it happen. I am ready to fight you now. Let’s give the fans a great fight.”

With Barrera coming off his first career loss and Pascal losing 2 of his last 3, and all three losses between them coming against elite competition, there is no better time than now for these heavy hitters two face each other.

Dominic Breazeale says that Anthony Joshua MBE has had it easy in his career so far but he’ll take him into deep waters when they clash for Joshua’s IBF World Heavyweight title at The O2 in London on Saturday June 25, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Breazeale returns to London four years after he was Team USA’s Super-Heavyweight representative at the London 2012 Olympics. Joshua would go onto win gold that summer and become a British sporting hero in the process, and the Londoner has built on that momentum to move to 16-0 with 16 KO wins, the latest in April landing him the IBF crown he defends on Saturday.

Breazeale has not been swept away by the waves of support and attention that’s followed Joshua since the Olympics, as he believes he was gifted the gold medal. The 30 year old was far from impressed by the efforts of deposed IBF champ and fellow countryman Charles Martin in April, and ‘Trouble’ says he is in town to derail the Joshua journey.

“I plan on putting on some extreme pressure and taking Joshua to places he’s never been,” said Breazeale. “We’ll find out on Saturday night if he can handle it.

“I want him to feel uncomfortable at all given times of the fight, every second of every round. Yes, he’s got rid of a lot of his guys in the earlier rounds, he hasn’t been taken into deep waters. Do I want to see him go into uncharted territory? Of course, without a doubt.

“I’ve been there, I know what it feels like and I’ve done it several times now. At the same time, I’m not going to let an opportunity pass me. If I see something I can take in the first, second round I’m definitely going to get him out of there.

“I was sitting third row and I hands down believe that he lost that gold medal fight. But when you’ve got judges on your side, in your own country Olympics, it looks better when the home native wins.

“I think he’s had it easy so far, fighting in the Olympics in his backyard, having the judges there in his backyard. Even as a professional, he fought a guy in Charles Martin that really didn’t show up fight night. Charles himself had an easy road and path to the title with the whole slip and fall against Vyacheslav Glazkov.

“I think Joshua’s thinking of me as a stepping stone and he’s going to be sorry about that. He’s just wrong. He’s fighting a guy at 6ft7in, 255 pounds that brings the pressure and a great pace from round-to-round. I’m one of those guys that I might take a shot, I might work some defence or I might work a strong jab.

“Either way, I’m going to make it a fight. All of my opponents have been in deep trouble against me and I don’t think Joshua is going to come shy of that as well.

“I’m going in as the underdog, I’m going into an arena with 17,000 opposing fans. I’ve been picked as the smaller guy in the ring, by the IBF as a stepping stone and I feel like my back is against the wall. I’m going to come out fighting.”

Breazeale’s clash with Joshua tops a huge night of boxing at The O2 as George Groves and Martin Murray meet in an eliminator for the WBA World Super-Middleweight title.

Chris Eubank Jr defends his British Middleweight title against Welshman Tom Doran, John Wayne Hibbert clashes with Andrea Scarpa for the vacant WBC Silver Super-Lightweight title, Brixton Heavyweight Dillian Whyte returns to the fray, unbeaten Birmingham star Kal Yafai is in action, Olympic bronze medal man Anthony Ogogo continues his comeback from injury, Conor Benn fights for the third time in the paid ranks and there’s a debut for Team GB star Felix Cash.

20 June 2016 – Hefei, China: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced its return to mainland China with another stacked fight card featuring the absolute best in local and international mixed martial arts talent. ONE: DYNASTY OF CHAMPIONS is set to electrify the Hefei Olympic Sports Center this 2 July in the great city of Hefei. In the main event, former featherweight champion Narantungalag Jadambaa will take on top contender Eric “The Natural” Kelly of the Philippines.

Tickets for ONE: DYNASTY OF CHAMPIONS are available at www.onefc.com.

CEO of ONE Championship, Victor Cui stated, “It feels so good to return to China where we know a lot of MMA fans are hungry for more world-class mixed martial arts action. We have some great matchups to look forward to along with an exciting flyweight tournament featuring local homegrown talent. Our main event between Narantungalag Jadambaa and Eric Kelly also promises another memorable battle that fans will not want to miss.”

Former ONE Featherweight World Champion Narantungalag Jadambaa of Mongolia is coming off an impressive Von Flue choke submission victory over highly-regarded Japanese veteran and former ONE Lightweight World Champion Kotetsu Boku last May, proving that he is not just a fearsome striker but also a world-class grappler. Jadambaa is one of the top talents at featherweight, and will look to make his way back into title contention if he can get past the Philippines’ top contender, Eric Kelly.

Featherweight standout Eric “The Natural” Kelly of Baguio City is highly-regarded as perhaps the best homegrown mixed martial artist to come out of the Philippines. The Filipino combines solid striking techniques with high-level grappling skills, which has resulted in 9 impressive submissions out of 12 victories. Although Kelly is considered among the premier talents in his weight class, he will most certainly be tested against former champion Narantungalag Jadambaa in his next bout.

Li Kai Wen of Tianjin is ONE Featherweight Beijing Tournament 2014 Champion and is one of the most fearsome young competitors from China. Li utilizes his vicious striking and aggression to overwhelm his foes which has resulted in a series of impressive highlight reel stoppages in his young career. On his way to becoming a complete mixed martial artist, Li will be faced with a tough challenge in fellow rising star Keanu Subba.

At just 21-years of age, Keanu Subba is a former amateur MMA champion and is one of the most promising young talents in ONE Championship’s featherweight ranks. Subba is on a three-fight win streak that saw him stop countryman Rayner Kinsiong by technical knockout in his last bout. With momentum in his favor, the promising young fighter will look to continue his success by taking on the electrifying Li Kai Wen next.

With 26 professional fights on his resume, Aung La N Sang is arguably one of the world’s most renowned Burmese fighters whose constricting style of fighting has earned him the moniker of the “Burmese Python”. Born in Myitkyina in the mountainous Kachin State, Aung belonged to an ethnic minority known as the Kachin. His complete MMA skillset has earned him two straight victories inside the ONE Championship cage and now, he takes on capable Russian foe Aleksei Butorin.

St. Petersburg, Russia middleweight contender Aleksei Butorin debuted successfully at ONE Championship with a thrilling knockout over highly-regarded Leandro Ataides last September. Butorin made waves with his frightening knockout power and relentless attack, showing fans why he remains undefeated in his seven-year mixed martial arts career. Now, Butorin receives the opportunity to compete against Myanmar’s top talent in Aung La N Sang.

21-year old Wu Ze of Shenyang is one of China’s most talented young fighters. He has three victories inside the ONE Championship cage since making his promotional debut in June of 2015, with an impressive rear naked choke submission victory over Hui Qiang Wu. Known for his aggressive striking style and capable ground game, Wu Ze will now take on fellow Chinese fighter Zheng Xiao Liang.

Zheng Xiao Liang of Beijing, China made his professional mixed martial arts debut just last April, and is making a quick turnaround to compete once more, this time in Asia’s largest and most prolific MMA promotion. The 27-year old combatant will get a chance to make a great first impression when he steps inside the ONE Championship cage against the flashy Wu Ze.

American Roger “El Matador” Huerta of Austin, Texas has been in the mixed martial arts game for more than a decade and has a wealth of fight experience under various promotions on his resume. He has competed against some of the best fighters the world over, and has amassed a stellar 22-8 overall record. With a solid background in Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Huerta will return to the ONE Championship cage to take on grappling ace Ariel Sexton.

Ariel “Tarzan” Sexton of Vancouver, Canada is widely-considered one of the most skilled grapplers in the world. With a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu earned under the watchful eye of the legendary Renzo Gracie, Sexton boasts of 8 submissions out of 10 total victories. He is coming off two straight wins by submission and will look to impress the crowd with a similar performance in his next outing. After carefully honing his skills in preparation for his next bout, Sexton is now ready to take on the extremely versatile MMA veteran, Roger Huerta.

Ann “Athena” Osman of Kota Kinabalu is Malaysia’s fighting belle. Training out of the coastal locale of Sabah, the female warrior hones her craft at Borneo Tribal Squad, advancing her skills in various disciplines such as wrestling, jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai. A well-rounded mixed martial artist, Osman likes to overpower her opponents and is extremely aggressive, always looking for a finish. Osman will take on Haiat Farag in her return to the ONE Championship cage.

Haiat Farag is a former Egyptian freestyle wrestler who competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Also a former Wushu practitioner, the 29-year old Farag combines lightning-quick and pinpoint striking with tenacious grappling and mat skills. Farag makes her professional mixed martial arts debut inside the ONE Championship cage against Ann Osman of Malaysia.

The Hefei Flyweight Tournament semifinals and finals matchups will take place the day before ONE: DYNASTY OF CHAMPIONS, Friday, 1 July, and will feature Bu Huo You Ga against Maimai Tituo Heti, and Li Hao Jie against Tang De Pan. In the alternate bout, Zhang You Liang takes on Tang Ren Xing. The winners will go on to compete in the tournament final match.

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.

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.

6/18/16, New York- Star Boxing’s Rockin’ Fights took center stage on Friday night (June 17), and WBC Silver International Champion and WBC World #4-ranked Junior Welterweight contender Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin (19-0, 16 KO’s Long Island, NY) extended his unbeaten streak with his 19th consecutive victory, a rousing first round TKO over Jesus Selig (19-4-1, 12 KO’s Douglas, Arizona) at The Paramount in Huntington, New York. Seldin attacked with thrilling ferocity from the get go. He knocked the seasoned Selig to the mat the first time he landed flush to his head. Selig rose but the writing was on the wall as Seldin went in for the kill. Cletus then drilled a wobbly Selig in what will be a highlight reel knockout for many years to come. The referee didn’t bother to count. The 10-round Junior Welterweight main event headlined the 24th edition of the popular series promoted by Joe DeGuardia.

Seldin, the Patchogue product fighting out of Shirley, Long Island, has been sensational in compiling an unblemished 19-0 mark, with 16 of his triumphs coming via highlight reel knockouts. Seldin has won 11 straight and 16 out of 17 at the popular Long Island venue.

The undercard featured a bevy of top local prospects, and here are those results: In another junior welterweight clash, Woodhaven’s Danny Gonzalez (12-0-1, 5 KO’s) remained undefeated with a unanimous eight round decision over Curtis Morton (4-6-4) of Myrtle Beach in an eight-rounder. El Gallo displayed eye catching combinations, superior footwork and resolve in his impressive victory.

Sweden’s Naim Terbunja, (8-1) earned a unanimous six round decision over Lanny Dardar (3-6-2, 1 KO) of Louisiana. Both combatants threw caution to the wind, unloaded with a barrage of shots in every round.

Tyrone “Pretty Boy” James (3-0, 2 KO) remained unbeaten with his third straight triumph, a first round TKO over New York City’s Kasif Muhammad (0-3). James is starting to live up to some big hype following his impressive amateur background.

Another Elmont, Long Island fighter showcased his talents with a victory, as Terell Bostic (2-0, 1 KO) won by unanimous decision over Miguel Gloria (1-3) of Albuquerque; and Brooklyn’s Laurend Stewart (3-0, 2 KOs) continued his winning ways scored a second round destruction over Daniel Flores (0-3).

www.StarBoxing.com
Twitter at @Star Boxing, Instagram at StarBoxing, and
Facebook.com/StarBoxing

ABOUT THE PARAMOUNT:
Since Opening in September 2011, The Paramount has become a top live entertainment venue. Located in Huntington, Long Island, New York; The Paramount – in concert with TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank® – hosts a variety of concerts, comedy, boxing and other special events. Booked by Live Nation and utilizing Ticketmaster ticketing; The Paramount hosts an average of 200 events per year. In less than 5 years since opening, The Paramount has quickly established itself as the premier live venue on Long Island – the 20th largest U.S. media market (*2.5M HH-Arbitron: Nassau/Suffolk MSA). Pollstar Magazine ranked The Paramount as the #11 club venue worldwide (*Att. Q3 ’15). With almost 70k+ Facebook fans & 10k+ Twitter followers, the venue was also ranked by Billboard Magazine as the “23rd Hottest Club” in 2014.

ABOUT MODELL’S SPORTING GOODS
Founded in 1889, Modell’s Sporting Goods is the local family sporting goods destination that provides a convenient and compelling shopping experience for the athlete and fan in all of us. Modell’s offers customers an assortment of top brands in sporting goods equipment, footwear and active apparel for every level of play year round. The retailer operates 153 stores located in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC. In addition towww.Modells.com, which services customers all over the country.

ABOUT THE FOX HOLLOW:
Nestled upon 8 private acres of Long Island’s north shore is the Fox Hollow, which features a state of the art event venue, fine dining restaurant and an all-suite luxury boutique hotel. Owned & operated by the Scotto Brothers, their Above & Beyond philosophy in providing each & every guest with superior services and amenities is paramount. Visit the Fox Hollow online at www.TheFoxHollow.com & www.TheInnAtFoxHollow.com

ABOUT CAMELOT LIMOUSINE:
“Official Sponsor of the Paramount Boxing Series, Camelot Specialty Limos is a Family Owned and Operated Business located in Central Long Island. At Camelot, Quality and Personalized Customer Service Truly Matters! Visit Camelot Limos online at, www.CamelotLimo.com, to learn more about us. At Camelot Limos, Your Chariot Awaits!”

ABOUT WBAB 102.3:
WBAB 102.3 is the home of Long Island’s Classic Rock anchored by their Long Island Rock ‘N’ Roll Morning Show with Roger and JP. For more information or to listen online, visit their website at
www.wbab.com and follow them on Facebook.com/1023wbab
and on Twitter @1023wbab.

New York, NY (6/17/16) – Regrettably, due to a medical issue that renders former three-division world champion Abner Mares presently unable to fight in New York State, the Cuellar vs. Mares fight has been cancelled and will be replaced on the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, Presented by Premier Boxing Champions, telecast next Saturday, June 25. Abner’s condition is in no way life-threatening, nor was it revealed in a blood or urine test; there was no use of any drugs, including PEDs or other banned substances.

In honoring Abner’s right to medical confidentiality, no further information will be released on this situation unless he chooses.

An announcement will be forthcoming with respect to the replacement bout that will open the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, Presented by Premier Boxing Champions, broadcast.

LOS ANGELES (June 17, 2016) – As the summer heats up, the fights at LA FIGHT CLUBwillbring non-stop action to downtown Los Angeles with two weekends of boxing on August 5 and August 19. First, headlining the August 5 card, Carlos “The Solution” Morales (13-1-3, 6 KOs) of Los Angeles will fight in a 10-round super featherweight main event. Returning to LA FIGHT CLUB for the third time, Los Angeles transplant Gilberto “El Flaco” Gonzalez (27-3, 22 KOs) of Mexico City will face off in a 10-round lightweight main event for the August 19 edition of the popular series. Both events will be broadcast live nationally on Estrella TV’s Boxeo Estelar starting at 10:00 p.m. ET /7:00 p.m. PT and streamed live by The Ring TV beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.

“Summer is a great time to enjoy live boxing in downtown Los Angeles as the city is filled with energy and excitement during those months, more so than any other time of the year,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “LA FIGHT CLUB has continuously produced some of the most entertaining boxing events in the area, and fans will have the opportunity to catch the action twice in one month with the August 5 and August 19 editions. Tickets will likely sell out so I recommend fans purchase them now before they are left out.”

On the August 5 undercard, Joet Gonzalez (13-0, 6 KOs) of Glendora, Calif. will face seasoned fighter Sergio “Micky” Lopez (19-11-1, 12 KOs) of Los Angeles in a 10-round featherweight co-main event. Los Angeles bragging rights will be on the line as two top prospects and veterans of LA FIGHT CLUB, Pablo “The Shark” Rubio Jr. (6-0, 3 KOs) of Whittier, Calif. will take on the tough Rafael “El Alikin” Gramajo (8-1-1, 2 KOs) of Los Angeles in a six-round all-action super bantamweight bout hoping to make air time on Estrella TV.

Also on the August 5 card, fighting on the RingTVLive.com live stream, Glendora, California’s Jousce Gonzalez (1-0, 1 KOs) will fight his second professional bout against the experienced David Montes (11-10, 8 KOs) of Las Cruces, N.M. in a four-round super featherweight bout. Returning to Los Angeles, and fighting out of Francisco Vargas’ Feroz Fight Factory, Francisco Esparza (3-0) is scheduled for a four-round featherweight fight also part of the The Ring TV live stream. Opponents will be announced shortly.

The August 19 card will feature undefeated super featherweight prospect Ivan “Striker” Delgado (9-0-1, 2 KOs) taking on the tough Alejandro Ochoa (7-11-2, 1 KO) of Santa Ana, Calif. in an eight-round co-main event. Also on the card, rising star Alexis Rocha (3-0, 2 KOs) also of Santa Ana, Calif. will face Israel “Isra” Villela (4-2, 1 KO) in a four-round welterweight bout hoping to make airtime on Estrella TV.

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 and October 7.

AUGUST 5 FEATURED FIGHTERS:

A three-year professional, Carlos “The Solution” Morales got off to a shaky start in his career in 2012, but once the calendar shifted to 2013, “The Solution” has been unstoppable winning 10 straight bouts. Morales once again proved his rising star status last September when he knocked out the tough O’Nell “La Bestia” Negron in the seventh round of their eight-round bout at LA FIGHT CLUB. Morales was last seen in the ring on Feb. 19 defeating Omar “Heroe” Tienda via unanimous decision. Now the rising contender will be looking to add another victory to his record when he headlines the August 5 edition of the Los Angeles based popular series.

Nicknamed “The Shark,” 19-year-old super bantamweight Pablo Rubio Jr. has been a terror to all opponents he’s faced since turning professional in 2015. Rubio has impressively taken on and defeated Bryan Perez Nevarez, Juan Carlos Benavides and Jorge Perez in 2016. A Belasco Theater veteran who has fought all his professional fights at the venue in Los Angeles, Rubio will be looking to win over the Coachella Valley fans when he takes on one of the toughest challenges of his career in Rafael Gramajo on August 5.

Winner of seven straight bouts, Westside Boxing Club star and super bantamweight Rafael “El Alikin” Gramajo makes his third appearance of 2016 after handing Sharone Carter his first professional loss in March, and defeating Harold Ryes via unanimous decision on June. Grajamo will be looking to continue the momentum when he takes on undefeated prospects Pablo Rubio Jr. on August 5.

Always swift in the ring, Glendora, California’s Joet Gonzalez has so far taken on the likes of Marcos “No Money” Rios, Miguel “Yaqui” Tamayo, and Jose Angel “Pepe” Beranza in his hopeful boxing career. After his latest knockout last November at LA FIGHT CLUB, this undefeated fighter maintained his undefeated status, opening up the Cinco de Mayo weekend festivities against Ricardo Proano of Chihuahua, Mexico on May 6, defeating the fighter via unanimous decision. Gonzalez will now be looking to keep the momentum going when he is set to face Sergio Lopez on August 5.

An experienced boxer with over 30 fights under his belt, Sergio “Micky” Lopez has been a busy fighter since his professional debut in 2005. Taking on tough opposition throughout his career, Lopez has faced top talent on his climb up the featherweight ladder. He has been seen inside the ring against Cesar Vazquez, Daniel Ramirez, Victor Betancourt and top prospects Alejandro Luna and Toka Khan Clary. In his most recent fight, Lopez secured a victory against Victor Serrando in January 2016 and will be looking to continue the momentum when he faces Joet Gonzalez on August 5.

Jousce Gonzalez is part of a fighting family that includes his brothers, undefeated professional Joet Gonzalez, amateur standout JonJairo, and sister Jajaira, one of the top amateurs in the country rated number one in the junior welterweight and number 2 in the lightweight divisions. After a stellar amateur career, Glendora’s Gonzalez will entered the professional ring for the first time on April 15 in a four round lightweight opening up the night at LA FIGHT CLUB via first round knockout of Noe Munoz Perez. Now, Gonzalez will be looking to add a second victory to his record when he takes on the experienced David Montes on August 5.

Not a stranger to the Los Angeles crowd, David Montes is determined to impress on August 5 in his second outing to LA FIGHT CLUB against decorated amateur and new professional boxer Jousce Gonzalez. In his first and most recent fight of 2016, Montes took on Tenochtitlan “T-Dog” Nava on June 3, losing a tough fight via decision. Now the experienced fighter will be looking for redemption when he steps into the ring on August 5.

Las Vegas based Francisco Esparza, who trains with former World Champion and future Hall of Famer “El Feroz” Fernando Vargas, will seek his fourth professional win in a featherweight match scheduled for four rounds. Esparza made his professional debut against Carlos Gonzalez with a victory via unanimous decision on Sept. 18, 2015 and quickly followed that up with another additional decision victories over Jose Rodriguez on November 20 and Antonio Martinez on February 2016. Set to come back to the Belasco Theater for the third time, Esparza will be looking to impress the Los Angeles fans that have supported him from his first fight at the venue.

AUGUST 19 FEATURED FIGHTERS:

Hailing from Mexico City, Gilberto “El Flaco” Gonzalez has made a steady climb and has proven to be one of Mexico’s top talents to watch out for. Making his way through the super lightweight division since turning professional in 2005, and having impressive wins over 15-0 Puerto Rico’s Jeffrey Fontanez and David “Nene” Rangel, “El Flaco” has been turning heads and grabbing the attention outside the local boxing scene in Mexico. The former Youth WBC Youth World Lightweight Champion made his debut in the United States, knocking out Hevinson Herrera in the third round. In his last outing, Gonzalez took on Luis “El Vampiro” Arceo on April 1, 2016 defeating Arceo via sixth-round technical knockout.

Unbeaten in nine professional bouts, local favorite Ivan “Striker” Delgado will make his second 2016 appearance in the ring at LA FIGHT CLUB on August 19. The 25-year-old stayed busy in 2015, winning all five bouts, four of which were LA FIGHT CLUB victories. Delgado has stayed local, building up his name and reputation on the Southern California boxing circuit, including a win by unanimous decision against Angel Albelo at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on the Herrera vs. Lundy undercard on July 11. In his first outing of 2016, Delgado defeated Jesus Sandoval via unanimous decision on March 4 and will be looking to continue his winning streak against the tough Alejandro Ochoa on August 19.

A busy an experienced fighter, Alejandro Ochoa is known around the boxing circuit as a tough fighter who has won several fights against highly touted prospects. A professional since 2007 the 26-year is an experienced fighter with more than 83 total professional rounds under his belt and a reputation for his aggressive style that will give any fighter a tough time. 2015 was a busy year for a Ochoa as went the distance with Isaac Dogboe, Luis Sedano and rising prospect Kevin “K-Smoove” Rivers Jr, and most recently lost via second round knockout against Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez. In his first fight of 2016, Ochoa will look to start of the year with a victory when he takes on Ivan “Striker” Delgado on August 19.

The youngest fighter to ever take home the gold from the Junior Olympics in 2012, Alexis Rocha has been the talk of the boxing world since becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. As the younger brother ofcurrent WBC Silver Featherweight Champion, Ronny Rios, the six-time national champion signed a promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions in 2016. The young standout Rocha made his professional debut in March via third-round knockout over Jordan Rosario. Since then, Rocha defeated Abdel Vera on May 6 via first round knockout at the Toshiba Plaza in Las Vegas and went the distance for the first time in his career to secure an unanimous decision victory against Anthony Woods on June 4. Now, set to face Isreal Villela on August 19, Rocha will be looking to maintain his perfect record intact.

A professional since 2015, Israel “Isra” Villela is a new fighter who has enjoyed his share of success thus far. A winner of 4 of his six bouts, Villela knows there is still time to improve his record in order to achieve his dream of becoming a world champion. Villela will make his third outing of 2016 when he takes on Alexis Rocha on August 19, having already shared the ring with Jesus Portillo in February and Jorge Garcia in March.

Media interested in attending the August 5 and August 19 installments of LA FIGHT CLUB must be pre-approved for credentials. Credential applications will be available shortly. Media will not be credentialed on-site, no exceptions.

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.

Martin Murray says George Groves got his name from losing twice to Carl Froch – and believes he’ll look to shift the blame when he beats him in their clash for the WBA International Super-Middleweight title at The O2 on Saturday June 25, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Murray believes Groves is too focused on being the ‘a-side’ of their battle, rather than focusing on the fight itself, as the Brit rivals look to move into line for a crack at the World title in the second half of the year.

The St Helens star has fought the best of the best over the last five years in World title fights, meeting Gennady Golovkin, Sergio Martinez and Felix Sturm in his Middleweight World title battles and tackling Arthur Abraham at 168lbs for the WBO World Super-Middleweight crown.

Groves holds three losses in World title scraps – twice at the hands of Carl Froch and most recently against Badou Jack in Las Vegas for the WBC title – and in their ‘The Gloves Are Off’ head-to-head on Sky Sports 1 at 10.30pm tonight, Murray says his resume at elite level outshines Groves’ and that the Hammersmith man passes the buck when he loses.

“I’ve been in bigger fights than him all over the world against better opposition,” said Murray. “The fact that his name comes first means nothing to me – I’m a 33 year old grown man, how’s that going to bother me?

“He got his name by losing twice to Carl Froch and that’s how he’s the a-side. If I’m not established enough as a World class fighter as it stands now, I’m going to get it when I beat George, even though I’ve been in the bigger and tougher fights than him, that’s the way it is. He thinks that the 80,000 tickets at Wembley were down to him, nothing to do with Carl.

“I don’t think he should’ve left Adam Booth. He finds it easy to pass the blame. He blamed the referee after the first Froch fight, he blamed a ‘punch from the gods’ for the second fight and blamed Paddy Fitzpatrick for the Jack loss.

“After Badou Jack I heard he was talking about retiring. He’s come back and had two fights where he’s been firing at sitting ducks where there’s been nothing coming back at him, so he’s got his confidence back now, and that makes now he thinks that this is an easy fight; but it’s not, and when it gets tough he will crumble. I want him to keep thinking that it’s easy, because he’ll find out next Saturday how wrong he is and I can’t wait to prove it.”

Murray and Groves clash on a huge night of boxing at The O2, as Anthony Joshua MBE defends his IBF World Heavyweight title against unbeaten American Dominic Breazeale.

Chris Eubank Jr defends his British Middleweight title against Welshman Tom Doran, John Wayne Hibbert clashes with Andrea Scarpa for the vacant WBC Silver Super-Lightweight title, Brixton Heavyweight Dillian Whyte returns to the fray, unbeaten Birmingham star Kal Yafai is in action, Olympic bronze medal man Anthony Ogogo continues his comeback from injury, Conor Benn fights for the third time in the paid ranks and there’s a debut for Team GB star Felix Cash.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents live coverage of the official prelims for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: MACDONALD vs. THOMPSON from TD Place Arena in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada this Saturday, June 18 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Fight Network will air the live UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: MACDONALD vs. THOMPSON prelims exclusively in Canada at 8:30 p.m. ET, preceded by a live pre-show at 7:30 p.m. ET. The main card airs live on TSN5 at 10:30 p.m. ET.

In featured preliminary bouts, Toronto native Jason Saggo (11-2) takes on Brazil’s Leandro Silva (19-2-1, 1NC) in a lightweight matchup, Latvian-Canadian powerhouse Misha Cirkunov (11-2) welcomes Moldova’s Ion Cutelaba (11-1, 1NC) to the sport’s biggest stage for a light heavyweight showdown, slick Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Tamdam McCrory (14-3) faces Polish veteran Krzysztof Jotko (17-1) in a middleweight clash, plus bantamweights Chris Beal (10-2) and Joe Soto (15-5) will kick off the televised festivities with a bang.

Before all the action, the fighters will come face-to-face during Fight Network’s live broadcast of the UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: MACDONALD vs. THOMPSON weigh-ins on Friday, June 17 at 5 p.m. ET, as headliners Rory MacDonald and Stephen Thompson, plus co-main event stars Donald Cerrone and Patrick Cote, tip the scales ahead of their highly anticipated clashes.

Following Saturday’s main card, Fight Network will broadcast the live UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: MACDONALD vs. THOMPSON post-fight press conference in its entirety.

In addition to all the live events, Fight Network is the destination for UFC library content, specials and series, including The Ultimate Fighter, UFC Unleashed, UFC Now, UFC Ultimate Insider and classic UFC PPV events.

This Sunday, June 19 at 9 p.m. ET, Fight Network presents UFC 74: Respect from August 2007 in Las Vegas, featuring a heavyweight championship showdown between Randy Couture and Gabriel Gonzaga, plus Georges St-Pierre battles Josh Koscheck and Patrick Cote collides with Kendall Grove.

The full card for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: MACDONALD vs. THOMPSON includes:

Main Card (Live on TSN5, 10:30 p.m. ET):
-Rory MacDonald (18-3) vs. Stephen Thompson (12-1)
-Donald Cerrone (29-7, 1NC) vs. Patrick Cote (24-9)
-Steve Bosse (11-2) vs. Sean O’Connell (17-7)
-Olivier Aubin-Mercier (8-2) vs. Thibault Gouti (11-1)
-Valerie Letourneau (8-4) vs. Joanne Calderwood (10-1)

Preliminary Card (Live on Fight Network, 8:30 p.m. ET):
-Jason Saggo (11-2) vs. Leandro Silva (19-2-1, 1NC)
-Misha Cirkunov (11-2) vs. Ion Cutelaba (11-1)
-Tamdan McCrory (14-3) vs. Krzysztof Jotko (17-1)
-Chris Beal (10-2) vs. Joe Soto (15-5)

Preliminary Card (Live on UFC Fight Pass, 6:45 p.m. ET):
-Elias Theodorou (12-1) vs. Sam Alvey (26-7, 1NC)
-Randa Markos (5-4) vs. Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger (6-2)
-Colby Covington (8-1) vs. Jonathan Meunier (7-0)
-Ali Bagautinov (13-4) vs. Geane Herrera (9-1)

But first, Fight Network gets the live action underway on Friday, June 17 with a mixed martial arts tripleheader, beginning with a live 9 p.m. ET broadcast of World Series of Fighting 31: Ivanov vs. Copeland from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn., followed by Hard Knocks Fighting 50 live from Calgary, Alberta, Canada’s Century Casino at 11 p.m. ET. Finally, RFA 39: Barcelos vs. Moffett will air via short tape delay from Indiana’s Hammond Civic Center at 2 a.m. ET.

All three cards will air on Fight Network across Canada and globally in over 30 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The live presentation of Hard Knocks Fighting 50 will also air on Fight Network in the U.S. on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, CenturyLink, Suddenlink Communications, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable, Armstrong Cable and other select carriers, as well as digitally on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.

Headlining the live World Series of Fighting lineup, reigning kingpin Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) defends the WSOF heavyweight title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1). In the lightweight co-main event, superstars Jason “The Kansas City Bandit” High (19-5) and Mike “The Martian” Ricci (11-4) will square off with the No. 1 contender ranking at stake. Rounding out the star-studded main card, undefeated Jackson-Winkeljohn middleweight prospect Phil Hawes (3-0) makes his promotional debut against Joshua “The Prince of MMA” Key (6-11, 2NC), battle-tested warrior John “Doomsday” Howard (23-12) will face late replacement “Mad” Mike Arrant (15-10) in a middleweight bout, plus Luis “Baboon” Palomino (24-12) returns to the featherweight division for a scrap with former title challenger Sheymon Moraes (8-1).

The live broadcast of Hard Knocks Fighting 50 is topped by a bantamweight championship showdown pitting red-hot Jesse Arnett (10-4) against surging Michigan Top Team representative Mike Hernandez (10-2). In other action, Stephanie Essensa (2-1) battles Brazil’s Paula Baack (2-4) in a women’s strawweight tilt, Josh Griffin (3-4) meets Trenton Rowell (3-4) in a middleweight affair and Leo Xavier (3-0-1) takes on Thomas Richardson (3-0) in a clash of undefeated welterweights.

RFA’s first trip to Chicagoland will feature RFA featherweight champion Raoni Barcelos (9-1) defending his title for the first time against local favorite Bobby “The Wolfman” Moffett (8-1). The event will also feature a featherweight encounter between Luis Saldana (11-4) and Mike Santiago (17-9), a middleweight matchup pitting undefeated Joseph Gigliotti (7-0) against Daniel Vizcaya (9-3), a light heavyweight bout between Jordan Johnson (4-0) and Shaun Asher (11-2-1), a bantamweight fight between unbeaten prospects Ode Osbourne (3-0) and Antonio Sanchez (2-0), plus a welterweight homecoming for Deray Davis (7-2-1), as he welcomes Bobby Nash (7-1) into enemy territory.

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

On Saturday, July 16, at the historic Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit, Salita Promotions will host another installment of their fan-favorite boxing series “Detroit Brawl.”

Salita Promotions chief Dmitriy Salita says the next installment will be held, like all the previous ones, at the Masonic because of the “vintage Detroit” feel the classic venue creates.

Once again sponsored by Greektown Casino and Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar, tickets for “Detroit Brawl” will be priced at VIP $123, Balcony $100, Ringside $93, $63, $38, and $28 and available at all Ticketmaster outlets and Tickmaster.com.

“The last Detroit Brawl produced several unforgettable fights and this one will build on that momentum,” said Dmitriy Salita. “We are putting the fights together right now, making sure we have all the elements of another classic Detroit Brawl in place. We also make sure we only host the types of fighters who will give back to their community by volunteering their time. Spending time to give back to the community has become as much of a Detroit Brawl tradition as the all-action fights themselves. I’m excited to be putting on another great event for the wonderful boxing fans in this city.”

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Your downtown playground, Greektown Casino Hotel is consistently voted Detroit’s Best Casino. Located right in the hub of the historic Greektown district it’s impossible to be any closer to the action. No matter what you want to play, Greektown Casino Hotel has your non-stop gaming action. From the newest slots and table games to live poker, Greektown Casino Hotel has 100,000 square feet of exciting, action-packed choices and so many thrilling ways to win!

Greektown Casino Hotel features a 30-story hotel with 400 stunning guestrooms and suites devoted to your comfort. And for your culinary needs, you can savor eclectic cuisine at one of their outstanding restaurants: Prism, Bistro 555 and The Market District.

For your special event or corporate gathering, Greektown Casino Hotel offers impeccable service in addition to a variety of exceptional spaces to help make your event an unforgettable experience.

Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar offers patrons an old-school sports and whiskey bar in Downtown Detroit’s Eastern Market district. Thomas Magee’s prides itself on providing every sport, every game, and every fight, plus great beer and whiskey!

For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visit www.salitapromotions.com. The Greektown Casino Hotel is located at 555 E Lafayette Street in Detroit. For more information, visit them online at greektowncasino.com. Twitter: @GreektownCasino.

Thomas Magee’s Sporting House Whiskey Bar is located at 1408 E Fisher Service Drive in Detroit. For more information, call 313-263-4342 or visit their official Facebook page:www.facebook.com/ThomasMageesSportingHouseWhiskeyBar

On fight night, doors open at 6:30 pm and the fights begin at 7:15 pm.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (June 17, 2016) – Former three-time Bellator champion Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko submitted Vyacheslav Vasilevsky to capture the M-1 Grand Prix Middleweight Championship, while fellow Russian Alexander “Drago” Volkov knocked out Attila “Pumukli” Vegh, last night at M-1 Challenge 68 in St. Petersburg, Russia’s Yubileyny Sports Palace.

Shlemenko (53-9-0, M-1: 4-0-0) qualified for the M-1 Grand Prix middleweight final as did reigning M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramazan Emeev (14-3-0, M-1: 8-1-0). Leading up to their showdown, however, Emeev suffered ligament damage to his elbow, forcing him out of his fight with Shlemenko. Vasilevsky (28-5-0, M-1: 10-3-0), who Shlemenko had defeated by decision in the M-1 Grand Prix middleweight semifinals, accepted the challenge to replace Emeev a rematch. Shlemenko used a choke hold to submit the always tough Vasilevsky in the third round.

In his first M-1 Challenge heavyweight title defense, Volkov (26-6-0, M-1: 9-3-0) stopped Vegh (11-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0), fighting out of Slovakia, in the opening round.

M-1 Challenge heavyweight champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov

In other main event fights, Russian welterweight Sergey Romonav (9-1-0, M-1: 2-0-0) defeated Andreas Birgels (12-10-0, M-1: 0-1-0), of Germany, by way of a first-round technical knockout, Russian welterweight Abukar Yandiev (5-1-0, M-1: 2-1-0) submitted Greek-born American Tony Christodoulou (12-7-0, M-1: 0-1-0) in the opening round, Russian middleweight Valery “The Russian Hammer” Myasnikov (10-1-2, M-1: 1-1-2) and Spaniard Enoc Solves Torres (18-9-1, M-1: 5-6-1) fought to a three-round draw.

On the preliminary card, Ukrainian featherweight Andrei “Iron” Lezhnev (8-5-0, M-1: 2-2-0) choked out Russian foe Kuznetsov (5-2-0 (M-1: 2-2-0). Russian lightweight Alexey “Ataman” Makhno (11-4-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russian heavyweight Anton Vyazigin (6-1-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russian welterweight Maksim Grabovich (4-2-0, M-1: 4-0-0) and Belarussian lightweight Maksim Pugachev (3-0-00, M-1 1-0-0) all won their matches by unanimous three-round decisions.

Complete results and photo gallery below:

MAIN CARD

MAIN EVENT – M-1 GRAND PRIX MIDDLEWEIHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Alexander Shlemenko (53-9-0, M-1: 4-0-0), Russia
WSUB3
Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (28-5-0, M-1: 10-2-0), Russia
(Sclemenko won M-1 Grand Prix middleweight title)

CO-FEATURE – M-1 CHALLENGE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Alexander Volkov (26-6-0, M-1: 10-3-0), Russia
WKO1
Attila Vegh (11-2-0, M-1: 7-2-0), Slovakia
(Volkov retained M-1 Challenge heavyweight title)

MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Enoc Solves Torres (18-9-1, M-1: 5-6-1)
DRAW3
Valery Myasnikov (10-1-2, M-1: 1-1-2)

WELTERWEIGHTS
Sergei Romanov (9-1-0, M-1: 2-0-0), Russia
WTKO1
Andreas Birgels (12-10-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Germany

Abukar Yandiev (5-1-0, M-1: 2-1-0), Russia
WSUB1
Tony Christodoulou (12-7-0, M-1: 0-1-0), USA

PRELIMINARY CARD

HEAVYWEIGHTS
Anton Vyazigin (6-1-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia
WDEC3
Daniil Arepyev (5-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia

WELTERWEIGHTS
Maksim Grabovich (4-2-0, M-1: 4-0-0), Russia
WDEC3
Danila Prikaza (3-1-1, M-1: 2-1-0), Russia

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Alexey Makhno (11-4-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia
WDEC3
Felipe Rego (7-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Brazil

Murodzhon Kodirov (2-0-0), M-1: 1-0-0), Russia
WDEC3
Maksim Pugachev (2-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0)

FEATHERWEIGHTS
Andrei Lezhnev (8-5-0, M-1: 2-2-0), Ukraine
WSUB1
Mikhail Kuznetsov (5-2-0, M-1: 2-2-0), Russia

Vasilvesky & Shlemenko

Volkov & Vegh

Christodoulou & Yandiev

Torres & Myasnikov

Grabovich & Prikaza
Kodirov & Pugachev

Information

www.M1Global.tv
www.mixfight.ru
www.wmmaa.org

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/M-1-GlobalNews

On Friday night (June 17), the undefeated, WBC Silver International Champion and WBC World #4-ranked Junior Welterweight contender Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin, 140 lbs. (18-0, 15 KO’s Long Island, NY), squares off against Mexican brawler Jesus Selig, 139.8 lbs. (19-3-1, 12 KO’s Douglas, Arizona) at The Paramount in Huntington, New York in the 10-round Junior Welterweight affair. The main event headlines the 24th edition of Joe DeGuardia’s popular “Rockin Fights” series.

Seldin, the Patchogue product fighting out of Shirley, Long Island, has been superb in compiling an unblemished 18-0 mark, with 15 of his triumphs coming via highlight reel knockouts. Seldin has won 10 straight and 15 out of 16 at the popular Long Island venue.

More on Seldin vs. Selig: Seldin, who has continually climbed the ranks of the Junior Welterweight division, will be appearing for the 15th time at the Paramount. Seldin has become a must-see attraction for his all action fights and tremendous punching power. The Hebrew Hammer captured the WBC title on December 20, 2014, stopping the very tough Bayan Jargal in nine rounds, and has successfully defended the championship three times. In his last outing at The Paramount on March 5, Seldin returned from shoulder surgery and picked right up where he left off by destroying Orlando Vasquez in the opening round.
Selig is coming off two straight knockout wins and has crossed gloves with world rated fighters Sadam Ali and John Jackson as well as top prospect Jose Ramirez.

Says DeGuardia: “Cletus Seldin is becoming a major force in the already loaded Junior Welterweight division. His ferocious style has attracted droves of fans and on June 17th we expect the same as he faces a tough task when he battles Jesus Selig, who hopes to upset the applecart. I expect another exciting night of fights at The Paramount, as has become the tradition with the Rockin Fights series”.

The undercard features a bevy of top local prospects. In another junior welterweight clash, Woodhaven’s undefeated Danny Gonzalez, 140.8 lbs. (11-0-1, 5 KO’s) squares off against Curtis Morton, 140.0 lbs. (4-5-4) of Myrtle Beach in an eight-rounder. Sweden’s Naim Terbunja, 170 lbs. (7-1) takes on Lanny Dardar, 167.8 lbs. (3-5-2, 1 KO) of Louisiana in a six round contest. Two Elmont, Long Island fighters will showcase their talents on the home turf in four-round bouts. Terell Bostic, 139.4 lbs. (1-0, 1 KO) comes off an outstanding first round KO debut to face Miguel Gloria, 140.8 lbs. (1-2) of Albuquerque; and unbeaten Tyrone James, 147.8 lbs. (2-0, 1 KO) battles New York City’s Kasif Muhammad, 147.6 lbs. (0-2). Brooklyn’s Laurend Stewart, 157.2 lbs. (2-0, 1 KO) takes on another Albuquerque import in Daniel Flores, 155.8 lbs. (0-2).

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

Experts comment on The Paramount:
“Joe has a magical formula at The Paramount,” says former heavyweight contender Gerry Cooney. “As a former boxer, I believe that really helps him. He understands the fighters, and watches out for them. He makes these guys fight durable guys. He and matchmaker Ron Katz are a great combination. They put them in tough fights. The Paramount is sold out every time at the Paramount, so the fighters have also been able to build the fan base.”
Former NYSAC Randy Gordon, now a boxing commentator and radio host, echoes Cooney’s sentiment. “As a former boxer himself on a high level, Joe understands the boxer’s mentality. Building a fighter’s career is not about one fight, it’s a process.”

ABOUT THE PARAMOUNT:
Since Opening in September 2011, The Paramount has become a top live entertainment venue. Located in Huntington, Long Island, New York; The Paramount – in concert with TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank® – hosts a variety of concerts, comedy, boxing and other special events. Booked by Live Nation and utilizing Ticketmaster ticketing; The Paramount hosts an average of 200 events per year. In less than 5 years since opening, The Paramount has quickly established itself as the premier live venue on Long Island – the 20th largest U.S. media market (*2.5M HH-Arbitron: Nassau/Suffolk MSA). Pollstar Magazine ranked The Paramount as the #11 club venue worldwide (*Att. Q3 ’15). With almost 70k+ Facebook fans & 10k+ Twitter followers, the venue was also ranked by Billboard Magazine as the “23rd Hottest Club” in 2014.

www.StarBoxing.com;
on Twitter at @Star Boxing; Instagram at StarBoxing, and Facebook.com/StarBoxing.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 17th, 2016) — Having missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime in May due to an untimely foot injury, undefeated light heavyweight champion Angel Camacho Jr. is back to put his record — and titles — on the line against another worthy challenger.

The Providence native Camacho (15-0, 5 KOs) returns Friday, July 15th, 2016 to defend his Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) International and New England Light Heavyweight Titles in a 10-round bout against Willimantic, Conn., vet Kevin Cobbs (10-2, 4 KOs), headlining CES Boxing’s stacked summer fight card at Twin River Casino.

The Camacho-Cobbs main event is one of three title fights July 15th; Cranston, R.I., super lightweight Nick DeLomba (9-1, 2 KOs) makes the first defense of his New England Title in a six-round bout against Oscar Bonilla (3-1-2) of Bridgeport, Conn.; and Thomas Falowo (14-3, 8 KOs) of Pawtucket, R.I., the reigning New England Middleweight Champion, returns to Twin River for the first time in more than two years and puts his belt on the line in an eight-round rematch against Jersey City, N.J., slugger Chris Chatman (13-5-1, 5 KOs), who beat Falowo at Twin River in 2013.

Tickets for the event are priced at $42.00, $67.00, $102.00 and $152.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com or 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.

July 15th also features the return of newly-crowned World Boxing Council (WBC) Female Middleweight World Champion Kali Reis (9-5-1), who captured the belt in April in New Zealand, plus lightweight Jamaine Ortiz (1-0, 1 KO) and middleweight Kendrick Ball Jr. (1-0, 1 KO), both from Worcester, Mass.

In a four-round junior middleweight attraction featuring two undefeated New England fighters, Ray Oliviera Jr. (4-0, 1 KO) of New Bedford, Mass., battles Worcester’s Andy Gonzalez (2-0, 2 KOs).

A fight nearly three years in the making, the Camacho-Cobbs main event features two of New England’s top light heavyweights. Camacho, 32, overcame a three-year layoff — the second of his career — between 2011 and 2014 to win three critical fights and capture two belts in a 10-month span, starting with a win over Paul Gonsalves in November of 2014 and culminating in an eighth-round stoppage of Rich Gingras in September to capture Gingras’ N.E. title and the vacant UBF crown.

Camacho was scheduled to face Rhode Island icon Peter Manfredo Jr. on May 13th, but was forced to withdraw due to a foot injury. Manfredo, who came out of retirement following his own three-year layoff, went on to fight to a draw against Providence’s Vladine Biosse in what may be the final bout of Manfredo’s storied career.

In Cobbs, Camacho faces another tall task. The 6-foot-2, 32-year-old light heavyweight rose to prominence in 2012, winning his first six pro fights and four in a row under the guidance of CES Boxing before an upset to Tylon Burris later that year. Cobbs fought just once over the next year and a half, but returned strong in 2014 with three consecutive wins before challenging unbeaten Mexican sensation David Benavidez in California in January.

The Chatman-Falowo co-feature could steal the show. The two fought eight hard rounds in July of 2013, exchanging knockdowns in the fourth round. Chatman won by unanimous decision, 77-75 on all three scorecards, and will make his seventh appearance at Twin River, a Rhode Island fan favorite since his back-and-forth war with former Olympian and world champion Demetrius Andrade in 2009. Chatman is 4-2 lifetime at Twin River, including wins over former The Contender reality television star Grady Brewer and a thrilling, 10-round unanimous decision win over Biosse last July.

Falowo, making his first Rhode Island appearance since June of 2014, is coming off back-to-back wins over Maine’s Russell Lamour, both by unanimous decision. Falowo captured the vacant N.E. title in the rematch in November. The Pawtucket native debuted for CES Boxing in 2010 with wins in his first six bouts before suffering one of only three career losses by split decision to Samuel Clarkson in 2012.

DeLomba’s first title defense comes just two months after capturing the vacant belt with a dynamic win over Worcester’s previously unbeaten Freddy Sanchez in May. The fight was DeLomba’s first since September while Bonilla moves up in weight to 140 pounds and steps back in the ring for the time since May of 2015.

Reis returns three months after defeating Maricela Cornejo by split decision to win the WBC Title in New Zealand, her third world title to go along with her UBF and International Boxing Association (IBA) championships. The fearless Providence native has now won back-to-back fights, including a first-round knockout win over Victoria Cisneros at her Rhode Island homecoming in February for the UBF crown.

Ball and Ortiz return in separate four-round bouts following impressive knockout wins of their own in May. Ball flattened Providence’s Tunde Odumosu at 1:39 of the opening round of their super middleweight bout while Ortiz stopped Maine’s Josh Parker at the 3:00 mark of the first round of their scheduled four-round super lightweight bout.

Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information, follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING and use the hashtag #CamachoCobbs to join the conversation.