San Diego, CA – March 14, 2016 – On March 5th in Grozny, Russia Lucas Browne captured the WBA Heavyweight championship with a stunning tenth round stoppage over reigning champion Ruslan Chagaev.

It was a stunning finish to a great fight that saw the WBA Heavyweight change hands.

The bout was seen live and exclusively in the United States on AWE-A Wealth of Entertainment.

The fight was just the latest in great & significant fights that have been broadcasted live on AWE.

AWE has successfully brought boxing fans some of the best and brightest championship bouts from around the globe and with more terrific bouts on the horizon, the network is in the process of securing a plethora of world title and meaningful bouts for 2016.

“Browne and Chagaev was a great Heavyweight championship brawl,” said AWE President Charles Herring. “The division has not had a championship fight like that in a long time and we are very happy that the viewers of AWE were able to watch it. Browne now becomes a serious player in the Heavyweight division. These are the important fights that we at AWE are looking to bring to the great boxing fans in the United States and we will have some announcements real soon about some more championship bouts that we will be televising.”

About AWE LIVE BOXING

AWE LIVE Boxing features live world title championship and elimination bouts showcasing today’s most exciting fighters. Since the inception of AWE’s live boxing events in 2011, AWE has earned multiple Boxing Writers Association of America nominations for “Fight of the Year” and has featured over thirty world class boxing events. In 2013, AWE showcased all live bouts featuring heavyweight David Price. AWE aired live the stunning upsets of Tony Thompson over David Price, along with Adonis Stevenson and Tony Bellew cards, who fought each other for the light Heavyweight championship; 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winner James DeGale. AWE brought boxing fans two of the most controversial bouts which saw Ricky Burns keep his Lightweight title against Ray Beltran. AWE fans have witnessed the explosive power of undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury multiple times on the network, including Fury’s victory over Kevin Johnson. In 2014, AWE televised the crowning of lightweight champion Terence Crawford with his win over Burns as well as the exciting rematches between Carl Frampton and Kiko Martinez along with Tony Bellew defeating Nathan Cleverly. In 2015, AWE brought boxing fans on of the most anticipated rematches of the year, Darleys Perez v. Anthony Crolla II for the WBA Lightweight World Title.

In 2016, AWE was the exclusive American boradcaster of Lucas Browne’s stunning knockout over Ruslan Chagaev to win the WBA Heavyweight title.

About AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment
A Wealth of Entertainment (“AWE”) features a wide range of lifestyles and entertainment programming from exotic travel and outrageous homes to live world championship boxing. AWE is featured on over a hundred cable providers, including AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD and Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD. For more information, please visit www.awetv.com.

ORANGE, Calif. (March 12, 2016) – Heavyweight LaRon Mitchell (12-0, 12 KOs) punched his way to yet another knockout win, pushing his unbeaten streak to twelve and sending Kenyan Raymond Ochieng (8-18, 6 KOs) back home with an embarrassing defeat.

The “Night of Champions” main event was scheduled for six rounds, but the San Francisco-based Mitchell needed only one. Halfway through the opening stanza, Mitchell sent Ochieng to the floor with a counter left hook. Moments later, Mitchell crushed the Kenyan with a counter right, which was enough for Mitchell to bag his twelve straight win by knockout.

“He had a very awkward style,” Mitchell said. “I had to be careful because he was throwing punches from strange angles. I was patient though. I didn’t rush anything. I just needed a few openings to do my damage.”

In the co-feature, lightweight Manuel Mendez (9-1-1, 5 KOs) of Indio, Calif. showed off his power and hard-nosed boxing style by knocking out Jesus Manuel Angulo (8-10, 6 KOs) of Nuevo Laredo, Mex. in the second round.

Mendez, trained by Joel Diaz, advanced on Angulo from the start. In the first, he consistently backed up Angulo with powerful hooks to the head and body. The second round followed a similar script. Mendez fired away at will, prompting referee Raul Caiz to stop the fight.

Recently signed heavyweight Scott Alexander (11-1-1, 6 KOs) of Los Angeles boxed his way to a unanimous decision win over Sylvester Barron (9-8, 3 KOs) of Tacoma, Wash. Alexander’s quick hands and nifty defense were on display throughout the four-round fight.

“After the first round, I knew I could get through his defense,” said Alexander, who swept the three scorecards, 40-36. “I was able to land my jab whenever I wanted.”

Opening the “Night of Champions” event were all-action junior bantamweights Isaiah Najera (3-2, 2 KOs) of Pasco, Wash. and Ricardo Espinoza (7-0, 6 KOs) of Tijuana, Mex.

Najera and Espinoza burst out of the gates with non-stop, back and forth exchanges. In the opening moments of the second round, Najera dropped his guard long enough for Espinoza to launch a vicious combination that floored the Washington-native. Najera could not beat the count, and Espnizoa registered another knockout win.

The event took place on Saturday, March 12 from the Doubletree Hotel in Orange, Calif.

Thompson Boxing Promotions returns on Friday, April 22 from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com.

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

Las Vegas – UFC® and GuardLab® today announced a global licensing agreement to provide UFC athletes with custom mouthguards. GuardLab, a custom mouthguard company, will also offer UFC branded mouthguards for fight fans to purchase through GuardLab.com and certified GuardLab dentist locations.

“With the ever-changing landscape in professional sports, we’re always looking for the next cutting-edge technology and innovation to aid athletes that compete in the UFC,” UFC Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Products Tracey Bleczinski said. “We are excited to partner with GuardLab as they continue to develop products that help improve the overall performance and wellness of professional athletes.”

“UFC is an exciting world-class organization, and we are thrilled about our partnership to equip and offer their athletes with what we believe to be a transformative piece of sports technology,” GuardLab CEO Aidan Butler said. “We are committed to creating an engaging brand experience and delivering a superior product for athletes everywhere.”

UFC and GuardLab will work in conjunction to consistently educate athletes on general awareness and the overall benefits of wearing protective guards. A complimentary mouthguard will be made available to all UFC athletes beginning immediately at athlete summits and all events. All UFC athletes have the option of wearing this mouthguard during training and while competing at UFC events.

GuardLab is a custom mouthguard company using 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies, engineered with a proprietary Alignment Repositioning Cushion (ARC™). For more information about GuardLab, please visit http://www.guardlab.com/.

About UFC®
UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Sao Paulo and Singapore, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in over 150 countries and territories to more than one billion TV households worldwide in 21 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

About GuardLab®
GuardLab, Inc. is a revolutionary custom mouthguard company headquartered in New York City with a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility on Long Island, New York. GuardLab is a custom mouthguard company using 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies, engineered with a proprietary Alignment Repositioning Cushion (ARC™). The neuromuscular mouthguards are designed to reduce the risk of injury from impact and enhance athletic performance through improved body alignment and increased airflow. Pioneered with two world-class dentists, GuardLab optimizes the bite of the individual athlete and captures the information digitally to create a bespoke neuromuscular mouthguard at a cost, quality and speed that truly disrupts the industry. GuardLab offers upper protection mouthguards for contact and combat sports, lower performance mouthguards for training and endurance sports and recovery guards for light clenching and grinding for sleep and post-training. GuardLab mouthguards are designed to benefit every type of athlete, from active individuals, high school and college players, as well as elite professionals. GuardLab mouthguards are available to consumers through events and a growing nationwide network of dentists found on Guardlab.com. For more information visit Guardlab.com and follow GuardLab on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

NEW YORK, NY (March 14, 2016) – A slate of six non-televised undercard bouts will serve as support when Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) faces undefeated and number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) in a 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator at Oracle Arena in Ward’s hometown of Oakland, California on March 26. Opening the HBO® telecast will be Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez in a 10-round fight NABF Featherweight title fight.

In addition to the exciting televised lineup, some of boxing’s hottest rising stars will be featured on the non-televised undercard including Roc Nation Sports standouts Maurice Hooker, Daniel Franco, Rudy Puga Jr. and Junior Younan along with 2008 Olympic Super Heavyweight Silver Medalist Zhang Zhilei and local favorite Aaron Coley who will all see action on March 26.

Roc Nation Sports will bring names from the entertainment world to the event as well, including notable event emcee, SiriusXM/Shade 45 morning show host of Sway in the Morning, Executive Producer and talent for VH1 & MTV and Oakland-native Sway Calloway, who will serve as the event’s host, and hit master DJ Franzen, resident DJ at Las Vegas’ Hot 97.5 and Drais Nightclub. Sway and Franzen will entertain together throughout the night to keep fans entertained between bouts at Oracle Arena.

Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com (bit.ly/WardBarreraTix) and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

On March 26, NABO Junior Welterweight Champion Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (19-0-2, 14 KOs) risks his unbeaten record against Wilfrido “La Roca” Buelvas (17-5, 11 KOs) of Barranquilla, Colombia in a ten-round junior welterweight bout. Hooker, rated number seven by the WBO, is coming off of a career-best win on October 17, 2015 against his toughest opponent to date in Ghislain Maduma (17-2, 11 KOs) at Madison Square Garden. Hooker successfully defended his NABO title with the 10-round decision win over Maduma on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux in a fight that was featured on the event’s “freeview” in the United States and streamed online around the world. Buelvas, a former WBA Fedebol champion, has won two of his last three bouts by knockout and fought Humberto Soto for the WBC Silver International Super Lightweight title in 2014, going the 12-round distance before losing a decision to the former World Champion.

Born and raised in Oak Cliff, Texas, a rough suburb of Dallas, Hooker found a boxing home at Maple Avenue Boxing Gym by way of an outreach program for at-risk youths. His natural talent was soon noticed resulting in him competing as an amateur, during which time he participated in over 100 fights, compiling a record of 97 wins and only 7 losses, with 67 victories coming by way of knockout. Hooker turned professional on April 29, 2011, taking on the vastly more experienced Tyrone Chatman (7-1, 5 KO’s) at the Orpheum Theater in St. Louis. After four rounds, the judges saw the fight 40-36, 37-39 and 38-38, making the fight a split draw. Undeterred, in his next fight on June 24, 2014, Hooker scored his first professional win, knocking out Wilbert Mitchell in the first round at the Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas. Eleven wins (eight by knockout) later, he took on undefeated Abel Ramos (8-0, 4 KO’s) on January 17, 2014 in a bout that was featured on ShoBox from the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. After eight close, hard-fought rounds, the judges saw the fight a draw. Hooker followed the draw with a six-round unanimous decision win over Adrian Rodriguez Garza (8-2, 6 KO’s) on April 26 at Fitzgerald’s Casino and Hotel in Tunica, Mississippi. Four consecutive knockout victories would follow before he took on fellow undefeated prospect Eduardo Galindo (10-0-1, 7 KO’s) on June 26, 2015 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas for the vacant NABO Junior Welterweight Championship. “Mighty Mo” did not disappoint his legion of hometown fans who saw him capture the title with a sixth round technical knockout victory.

Hailing from Rancho Cucamonga, California and fighting out of the boxing hotbed of Oxnard, undefeated Daniel “Twitch” Franco (12-0-3, 7 KO’s) meets Mexican veteran German “Panteonero” Meraz (52-37-1, 30 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout on March 26. Featured for the second time on a Ward undercard, the sharp-boxing Franco will look to improve on his undefeated record against an opponent with literally six times his pro boxing experience. Meraz is only 29 years old but has already logged an amazing 90 professional bouts and has won four of his last six fights by knockout. He has fought current World Champion Juan Carlos Payano, Three-Time U.S. Olympian Rau’shee Warren and highly-touted prospect Gervonta Davis, going the distance with all three.

Franco began boxing at the age of eight, amassing an amateur record of 67-15, winning the Oxnard PAL Championship in 2006 and the California State Silver Gloves Championship in 2007 along the way. During Franco’s professional debut on December 18, 2010, he defeated Emanuel Machorro at Club 401 in Ontario, California via a third round technical knockout. Despite being enrolled as a full-time student at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, Franco impressed early in his career, compiling an undefeated record with two draws in venues throughout California by the end of 2013. One of those draws came against Alejandro Ochoa at Quiet Cannon in Montebello, California on September 20, 2013, but in a rematch three months later, Franco outmatched Ochoa scoring a six-round unanimous decision victory at Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. On June 20, 2015, during Ward’s return to the ring at Oracle Arena, Franco saw action in an eight-round junior lightweight bout against Jonathan Alcantara and won by unanimous decision. A hand injury suffered in that bout kept Franco out of action until December 21 when he scored a decision victory over Hector Garcia in Tijuana, Mexico.

A promising unbeaten prospect from Salinas, California, Rudy “The Revelation” Puja. Jr. (7-0, 6 KOs) looks to extend his undefeated streak against Carlos “Kalimba” Lozano (7-5, 4 KOs) of Ensenada, Mexico in a six-round middleweight bout. Puga turned in a career-best performance in his last match-up on February 12 in knocking out Alejandro Osuna (4-2, 2 KO’s) in two rounds at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario, California. Now, just a little over a month later, “The Revelation” will step into the ring against a tough opponent in Lozanao, a southpaw who has never been stopped and already has a ten-round decision victory under his belt.

Having compiled an exceptional amateur record of 99-8, Puga made his professional debut on September 2, 2011, scoring a fourth round technical knockout victory over Raul Talamontes at the Sports Complex in his hometown. Back in the ring less than two months later, Puga Jr. raised his record to 2-0 with a first round technical knockout of Jose Jesus Hurtado at the Sherwood Inn in Salinas. In June 2012, he sent Thomas Turner to the mat four times in scoring a second round technical knockout win at the Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. After a little more than a year away from the ring, he rededicated himself to the “sweet science” with a vengeance and on February 17, 2014, Puga Jr. made his comeback stopping Charon Spain in the third round with an overpowering body shot at the Salinas Storm House in his native Salinas. Promotional issues kept Puga Jr. out of the ring for the next year and injuries led to a slow 2015, but Puga Jr. scored a a fourth round technical knockout win over of Katrell Straus on April 24 and a six-round unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Rojas on November 21, both fights taking place at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario, California.

Brooklyn’s 20-year-old, undefeated Junior “The Young God” Younan (7-0, 6 KO’s) returns to the ring on March 26 after a nine-month layoff to take on Cristian Solorzano (4-7, 3 KOs) of Sonora, Mexico in a four-round super middleweight fight. Younan has battled multiple nagging injuries since scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Mike Sawyer on the Miguel Cotto vs. Daniel Geale undercard on June 6, 2015 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Now 100 percent healthy, Younan looks to make Solozano his third straight knockout victim. Solorzano, a naturally bigger fighter, has campaigned in the light heavyweight division and is coming off of a knockout win.

Younan, trained by his father Sherif, a former professional boxer himself, began fighting competitively at age eight and only two years later was called a “boxing prodigy” by the New York Times. He compiled an amateur record of 90-5, racking up an impressive series of titles along the way including nine Junior Olympic championships, nine Junior Metro championships, eight New York State Silver Gloves championships and five Regional Silver Gloves championships. In 2011, he was crowned National Junior Golden Gloves champion and was U.S.A. Boxing’s number one rated junior boxer in his weight class. Less than a month after his 18th birthday, Younan made his professional debut on November 9, 2013, at the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, New York, stopping Kenneth Schmitz in the first round. Younan would go on to knockout his next three opponents before going the distance for the first time against Azamat Umarzoda on July 2, 2014 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. He followed that fight with a first round knockout of Marlon Farr on August 13 the BB King Blues Club and Grill in New York on August 13.

Chinese heavyweight Zhang “Big Bang” Zhilei (7-0, 4 KOs) joins the undercard on March 26 in a four-round bout against an opponent yet to be determined. The Silver Medalist from the 2008 Beijing Olympics continues to infuse excitement into the heavyweight division and is coming off of a first round technical knockout win over David Koswara on February 20 at the Lanzhou Sports Arena in Lanzhou, China.

Born on May 2, 1983 in Henan, Zhang began his amateur career in 2003, participating in the World Championships. A breakthrough came in 2007 at the World Championships where Zhang defeated the trio of Nurpais Torobekov, Rustam Rygebayev and Daniel Beahan en route to the semifinals where he lost to Ukrainian Vyacheslav Glazkov. By capturing a bronze medal and finishing the competition in third place, he qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The Chinese powerhouse nearly reached the zenith of amateur success in the summer of 2008, entering the super heavyweight finals at the Summer Olympics in Beijing against Italy’s Roberto Cammarelle. It was not to be as Zhang suffered his first defeat of that Olympiad, losing to Cammarelle, but proudly adding to the host country’s medal total with a Silver. In 2009, Zhang captured a gold medal at the China National Games, an event of equal prestige to the Olympics in China. 2013 saw yet another gold medal winning performance in the China National Games, setting the stage for “Big Bang” to embark on a professional career while basing himself in the United States. On August 8, 2014, Zhang made his professional debut by scoring a first-round knockout win over Curtis Lee Tate in Fallon, Nevada in a fight that was televised live on ESPN2. On March 14, 2015, Zhang beat Eric George via a four-round unanimous decision at the Armory in Jersey City, New Jersey. He followed that with another four-round unanimous decision win, this time over Glenn Thomas on the highly anticipated Cotto-Geale undercard at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 6. Next came a sixth round technical knockout win over Dennis Benson at The Playground in Atlantic City on August 15. To end the year, Zhang was featured on the undercard of the November 21 Cotto vs. Canelo mega-fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, where scored a four-round unanimous decision victory over Juan Goode.

Local Hayward, California favorite Aaron Coley (12-1-1, 6 KO’s) faces a very stern test in a six-round junior middleweight bout against Urmat Ryskeldiev (11-3-2, 7 KOs) of West Hollywood, California, a Kyrgyzstan native who is undefeated in his last seven fights.

On March 26, Coley will look follow his most recent victory, a unanimous decision over Jeremy Ramos on January 23 at the Marriott on Broadway in Oakland, with another win in front of his hometown fans. Prior to his January win he scored two unanimous decision triumphs, including his June 20, 2015 performance against Yusmani Abreu (who Ryskeldiev defeated by technical knockout in September) on the undercard of Ward’s last fight. Considered a promising prospect in boxing circles, Coley’s lone loss came via decision to one of boxing’s hottest prospects in Ievgen Khytrov in a bout that was televised live on Showtime’s ShoBox on April 10, 2015 from The Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, New York.

Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round fight which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Ticketmaster, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms), Glad, Lyft, Zappos, BodyArmor, SAN Nutrition, Shoe Palace and The Waterfront Hotel. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Opening the HBO telecast will be Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez in a 10-round fight for the NABF Featherweight title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions.

For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com, www.mainevents.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation, @main_events, @goldenboyboxing, @cottopromotions and @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Follow the conversation on Twitter by using #WardBarrera.

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ABOUT ROC NATION SPORTS
Roc Nation Sports, a sub-division of Roc Nation, launched in spring 2013. Founder Shawn “JAY Z” Carter’s love of sports lead to the natural formation of Roc Nations Sports, helping athletes in the same way Roc Nation has been helping artists in the music industry for years. Roc Nation Sports focuses on elevating athletes’ career on a global scale both on and off the field. Roc Nation Sports conceptualizes and executes marketing and endorsement deals, community outreach, charitable tie-ins, media relations and brand strategy. Roc Nation Sports launched its boxing division, a full service promotional company which represents Five-Time World Champion Miguel Cotto and Two-Time World Champion Andre Ward, in August 2014. Roc Nation Sports’ roster includes premiere athletes such as Robinson Cano, Skylar Diggins, Kevin Durant, Geno Smith, Victor Cruz, CC Sabathia, James Young, Dez Bryant, Ndamukong Suh, Rusney Castillo, Yoenis Cespedes, Jaelen Strong, Todd Gurley, Wilson Chandler, Erick Aybar, Justise Winslow, Willie Cauley-Stein, Jerome Boateng, Miguel Sano, CJ Prosise and Ronnie Stanley.

ABOUT ORACLE ARENA & O.co COLISEUM:
Oracle Arena and O.co Coliseum, managed by AEG Facilities, are the premiere sports and entertainment complexes in Northern California. These venues are the home of the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, the NFL’s Oakland Raiders and MLB’s Oakland Athletics as well as host to concerts, family shows and special events. Additional information on Oracle Arena and O.co Coliseum, including a complete schedule of events can be found online at www.coliseum.com. Follow Oracle Arena on Twitter, Instagram, Vine and Snapchat @OracleArena and on Facebook www.faecbook.com/OracleArenaO.coColiseum.

MONTE CARLO, Monaco (March 14, 2016)- World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) President Vadim Finkelchtein, who founded the sanctioning organization in 2012, continues to lead WMMAA and the sport into a very bright future.

In four short years, WMMAA has already developed into the strongest sanctioning body in the MMA world, hosting some of the sport’s most prestigious championships, as well as creating a highly respected culture in throughout sports worldwide.

Finkelchtein answered some pertinent questions below about WMMAA, its past and future, in addition to addressing the growth of mixed martial arts:

Can you tell us about you and your experience in Martial Arts?
VF: “I practiced judo when I was a kid. Back then there was no MMA whatsoever.”

How did you first enter the world of MMA?
VF: “In 1995, I was offered an opportunity to sponsor an MMA event. That’s when I learned about and fell in love with no holds barred, or free-fight, as it was called then. In 1997, I organized my own event in Russia. The rest is history.”

When did you first hear of MMA and what was your first impression? Did
you expect this sport to grow as much as it has today?
VF: “When I saw my first MMA event in 1995, I was amazed by its scale and how many people came to watch. People were genuinely interested. It was a whole other level and approach to a sports event. And I had seen a lot so I could compare empirically. I have always believed in MMA and expected it would eventually become the number one sport in the world, although back then no one would acknowledge MMA as a sport. Our
athletes and fight teams had a hard time. They were not even welcome in sambo gyms to train there. It was a long and a hard way to change MMA’s image that was deemed as human cock fighting or closely related to organized crime. Thanks to the fact I have never had any relations to crime, when this sport landed in my hands in late 90’s, it
helped greatly as we were able to turn the tide and after all these years to help governments to officially recognize MMA.”

What is your function and main activities within WMMAA?
VF: “I founded the World MMA Association in 2012 because I felt the time had come. MMA is the fastest growing sport and it’s time to start developing it at another level, giving it a new but essential dimension. Due to its popularity, thousands of fans of all ages started practicing in Mixed Martial Arts. At that moment, I had accumulated a vast network in multiple countries. I knew countless numbers of activists across the globe, so the start was destined to happen. From the get-go over 20 countries joined the WMMAA family. At this moment there are over 60 countries and counting.”

How would you assess WMMAA’s progress during its three year existence?
VF: “WMMAA is still in its infancy. Yes, we lack experience and financing, and MMA is a new kind of sport in many regions. But I have to say that we’re growing and the last World Championship in Czech Republic proved it. Over 40 national teams flew to Prague with over 200 athletes. The level of competition evolved so much. The organizational level was also high and we are thankful to our Czech MMA Federation for its great work. This World Championship proved there is demand for MMA around the world.”

What are the main goals of WMMAA and what are the main obstacles facing
the association?
VF: “The goals are to encourage as many countries as possible to join the WMMAA
family, to facilitate them in their struggle to get MMA recognized in their respective countries, helping them develop amateur MMA. There are countless obstacles but I firmly believe we’ll prevail.”

Were there any countries that stood out or surprised you?
VF: “China surprised me a lot. They joined WMMAA recently but since then they’ve shown solid results. Also, I enjoyed the performance of Latin American teams. It was their debut but one Colombian kid (Andrey Roa Ruiz Dumar) won a bronze medal and that was great.

Once again, Russia won the majority of the medals due to amateur MMA there developing with extremely rapid strides ever since early 2012. Fedor Emelianenko is the main locomotive and driving force in Russia. The selection process there is just unbelievable. You can’t imagine how many steps one needs to make in order to become the champion of the Russian Federation. The City Championship, Oblast Championship, regional and national championship. Each of these events consists of at least three fights, which means that a Russian champion will probably have had at least won 15 fights under his belt by the time of the European or World Championships. Only truly the best get to the top. Imagine this: around 7,000 athletes participated in the aforementioned events in 2015.”

What are the 2016 mid-term goals for WMMAA?
VF: “The normal routine is to hold the Asian Championship, Pan-American Championship, multiple referee and judge seminars and certifications, then prepare for the European and, consequently, the World Championship that will coincide with the annual Congress.”

Can you describe what 2015 was like for WMMAA?
VF: “I was amazed with the Asian Championship in Tajikistan with thousands and thousands of fans at the stacked football stadium. I enjoyed watching how many people turned their eyes to an amateur MMA event.”

What words of wisdom would you like to share with the members of WMMAA family?
VF: “I’d ask all WMMAA members to adhere to the agreements and decisions we reached collectively. It pertains to the set of rules, judging process, equipment, unified rules, and youth sports development.”

WMMAA keeps expanding, however, there are still multiple countries that are not yet WMMAA members. Why should any local Federation apply for WMMAA membership?
VF: “WMMAA is the strongest MMA organization there is. We plan to continuously hold regional and world championships and keep developing and evolving. Athletes’ ethical upbringing is also our target. We believe this sport can give so much to the world in various ways and we put a lot of effort into its development. We’ll gladly accept strong and worthy partners into our ranks.”

“We are truly an amateur association, although others may think we are not. The thing is it’s rather hard to verify the real records of MMA athletes. There is no official and ubiquitous database or instance that would provide 100-percentreliable and accurate information pertaining to the amount of fights under someone’s belt. Some amateur fights might be recorded as professional and professional fights as amateur, which was the reason for us canceling the previous rule of pro fight limitation for the time being, in order to develop a new system of fighters’ eligibility evaluation. We are working on that as we speak.”

People keep asking: why should we use SportID and SportData. Can you
explain why it is so essential?
VF: “We are an official and credible sport. Our association ought to be transparent. These databases show the data on athletes, their statistics and numbers. They show the quantitative as well as qualitative growth of mixed martial artists. They facilitate in overseeing the championships registered in SportData, helping to broadcast them. Furthermore, they contain so many functions that it would take me forever to discuss it. Just think of rankings, both individual and national, fighters’ profiles and so on. I need to remind everyone that, based on the Congress decision, the use of and
registration in these databases are mandatory for all our members.”

Information

www.WMMAA.org
www.facebook.com/World.MMA.Association
www.youtube.com/user/TheWMMAA

THE FIGHT GAME WITH JIM LAMPLEY returns with the season premiere of year five WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO®. Hosted by the four-time Sports Emmy® winner, who has hosted HBO Boxing since joining the network in 1988, the show is a provocative, engaging and informative experience that delves into intriguing storylines, newsmakers and issues that are top-of-mind in boxing.

Other HBO playdates: March 21 (1:40 p.m., 5:15 a.m.), 22 (11:00 p.m.), 24 (4:30 p.m.), 26 (1:30 a.m.), 27 (11:45 a.m.) and 30 (9:50 a.m., 6:00 p.m.), and April 2 (1:10 p.m.) and 7 (10:05 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: March 17 (8:00 p.m.), 23 (2:00 p.m., 12:45 a.m.) and 28 (10:05 a.m., 10:00 p.m.), and April 1 (5:30 p.m., 2:15 a.m.), 3 (3:20 p.m.) and 9 (11:15 a.m.)

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

On this edition of THE FIGHT GAME, Lampley looks at the current state of the very fluid heavyweight division; Max Kellerman and Bernard Hopkins join Lampley to discuss the latest boxing headlines and issues; an all-new THE FIGHT GAME pound-for-pound compilation; and veteran journalist Melissa Stark, the program’s new correspondent, travels to northern New Jersey to profile the women of Main Events, the boxing promotional company comprised almost entirely of females led by CEO Kathy Duva.

Immediately following the show’s debut on March 16, fight fans can log on to hbo.com for an exclusive overtime segment hosted by Lampley.

LONDON (14 MARCH) Explosive super-featherweight prospect Yusuf ‘Yut’ Safa returns to the ring on March 26 at The SSE Arena, Wembley eager to make his way towards title opportunities and represent Afghanistan and Britain on the biggest stage.

The 22-year-old from Bexleyheath was born in Kabul, Afghanistan before moving to England with his parents at five years of age, and now flies the flag for both.

“I’m proud to be from Afghanistan but I’m also proud to call myself English and to live here,” he said. “I do it for both countries. I’ve got Afghan blood, but I’ve been raised more in England than I was in Afghanistan, so England also means an awful lot to me.

“When I came to England at five, I didn’t really know what was going on. I was only young. That helped in terms of adjusting to the culture. I just went straight to primary school and got on with it.

“Our culture is a bit different. Parents are more strict with their kids and my parents were no different. They were strict with me. I always had to behave and do as I was told. That was just the way of life for me. I followed their rules and got on with it.”

A fan of ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed and Manny Pacquiao, Safa found Eltham Amateur Boxing Club at eleven years of age and quickly impressed coaches with his fast hands, fast feet and one-punch power. Then, after a brief but successful amateur career (24-3 record), he turned professional in May 2014 and has since won five fights on the spin.

“I’m very excited to box again on March 26 because it’s a big show with big-name boxers on it,” he said. “The bigger the show, the more enthusiastic I feel and the more energised I feel. I just can’t wait to get out there and show what I can do.

“I want at least five or six fights this year. I want to stay busy. By the end of this year, maybe even around autumn time, I want to be fighting for titles – Area, English, Commonwealth, any of them. I’m more than confident of winning those belts this year.”

Last time out Safa drilled Jiri Jaros to defeat in four rounds – punishing the man from the Czech Republic with body shots throughout – but, in doing so, suffered the first knockdown of his career in round two.

“He was a tricky guy,” conceded Yusuf, 5-0 (3 KOs). “He was much taller than me. I had to work to get inside. Once I got inside, though, after the second or third round, I got comfortable and knew what I was doing.

“He knocked me down in round two but it wasn’t due to a punch. It was due to a head-butt. He caught me on the way in and I went down. The referee didn’t see it, though, so he ruled it a punch.

“That aside, it was an easy fight for me once I found my range and warmed up.”

*** Tickets for the British middleweight title blockbuster between Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell and Chris Eubank Jr. are priced at £35, £50, £75, £175, £200 and £250 for ringside and can be purchased online at ssearena.co.uk and axs.com or by phoning the SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office on 0844 815 0815 ***

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LUCAS BROWNE has fired back at rivals keen to gain publicity off the back of his stunning WBA heavyweight title victory over Ruslan Chagaev.

The heavy-handed Sydney man wrote his name into the history books when he KOed the tough Uzbek to become Australia’s first ever world champion in the heavyweight division last weekend.

And while most in the boxing fraternity are happy for him, it appears that some heavyweights have become embittered and jealous.

In the past week, New Zealander Joseph Parker, former Rugby League star Solomon Haumono, and American veteran Shannon Briggs have all attempted to play down Lucas’s achievement while at the same time suggesting they should be given a shot at his crown.

“I’ve hardly slept a wink since winning the title as my media commitments have been nothing short of incredible. It’s beginning to sink in that I’ve created Aussie sporting history and I’m still buzzing,” Lucas said.

“I’ve been reading all the call outs but it’s simple, I’m the WBA heavyweight champion of the world and I’m involved in the WBA tournament. My next fight will be Fres Oquendo. Let’s hope it is in Australia! I’ll leave all that to my manager Matt Clark and promoter Ricky Hatton.

“Everyone else needs to concentrate on earning a shot like I did. I had to travel all around the world to get an opportunity to make history and these ‘boxers’ think they can jump the queue by throwing out insults.”

Matt Clark clarified: “Prior to the fight with Chagaev we signed an undertaking that our next fight and first defence of the title will be against Fres Oquendo.

“The call outs from Briggs, Parker’s team and Solomon Haumono are absolutely pointless. Realistically they’re just trying to get some media on the back of Lucas’s historic accomplishment.

“We will honour our contractual agreement and we look forward to having Lucas win the WBA tournament and continuing to make history”.

Kell Brook says he’s going to take his frustrations out on Kevin Bizier when he defends his IBF World Welterweight title at the Sheffield Arena on March 26, live on Sky Sports.

Brook makes the third defence of the crown he landed in August 2014, and the second against a Canadian mandatory challenge, as Bizier follows Jo Jo Dan in trying to wrestle the title from the unbeaten Sheffield star, who returns to action for the first time in ten months after injury ruled him out of a winter clash with Diego Chaves.

The 29 year old champion realised his World title dreams after forcing himself into the mandatory position and ripping the belt from Porter in California, and Brook says while the visitor has his full respect, he’s preparing to put on a boxing clinic in his hometown fortress as he targets summer blockbusters against the star names in the 147lb mix.

“You cannot take your eye of the ball,” said Brook. “Kevin is the mandatory challenger, he’s worked hard to get that shot and he deserves it. If I had looked past him and cut corners, you get found out. This is my belt, no-one is taking it from me and I have to be at my best. It’s all well and good saying that I want the big names but without putting on an explosive masterclass against Bizier I won’t get those fights. This is my hometown, my arena and my fans – no-one packs an Arena like I do here with those great fans, and I am going to make sure that my return to this place is going to be stylish. He’s getting in with the best and he’s got his work cut-out.

“The IBF don’t mess about, you have to take on your mandatory challengers and rightly so – that’s how I won this belt. I got injured with the leg in the knife attack so I had to fight Jo Jo Dan then I boxed Frankie Gavin at The O2 in a voluntary. He’d wanted the fight for a while so we got it on in a great night in London. Chaves was meant to be next and that would’ve been a tough fight but the injury means another mandatory. So opponent-wise, it’s been hard, but I want a unification fight next or something similarly huge to get people into a stadium watching me fight.

“The big names in the Welterweight division excite me and I think they excite the fans. I don’t do boring fights and I’m more than willing to go to America and knock the best out, or lay them out at Bramall Lane.

“I’m going to get business done in style on March 26 and then I want to unify the division this year. It’s basically been 10 months of training for this fight and I’m desperate to get in there and put on a show.”

Brook’s clash with Bizier is part of a huge night of action in the Steel City as Hull’s Olympic gold medal star Luke Campbell MBE returns to action in a Yorkshire derby with Dewsbury’s Gary Sykes for the vacant Commonwealth Lightweight title.

Adam Etches is straight back into title action on the card, Sheffield Heavyweights Dave Allen and Richard Towers clash in a British title eliminator and Andy Townend meets Craig Poxton for the English Super-Featherweight title.

Tickets priced at £40, £60, £80, £100 and £150 are on sale now from the Sheffield Arena on 0114 2565656 and at www.sheffieldarena.co.uk. VIP tickets priced at £250 are exclusively available from www.matchroomboxing.com.

Tickets for March 26 are also available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing.

Cromer British Super-Featherweight Champion Liam Walsh has called out the winner of tonight’s massive all-British world title showdown between Manchester’s Terry Flanagan and Liverpool’s Derry Mathews, shown exclusively live on BoxNation.

Undefeated Walsh has been involved in nine championship contests in his 19 professional fights with his first coming in his 10th bout with just three weeks’ notice. The Rochdale-born puncher can cut it with the best at both Super-Featherweight and Lightweight, having won British, Commonwealth and International Super-Featherweight titles and the WBO European Lightweight title.

The slick southpaw is determined to get a shot at the winner of tonight’s North West blockbuster and says he has what it takes to become a WBO World Lightweight champion. Walsh was forced to reluctantly pull out of his world title clash with Ricky Burns back in December 2012 after suffering significant injuries in a car accident during the build-up to the fight. Four years down the line the determined Walsh is now licking his lips at the prospect of another all-British blockbuster fight.

“This is 100% the fight that I’m after. When I fought as chief support in Manchester for Terry’s fight against Jose Zepeda I was under the impression that as long as we both won it was a given that we’d get it on. He was then forced to fight Diego Magdaleno as a mandatory and a fight between us wasn’t possible. I understand the politics of the sport but it was disappointing,” said Walsh.

He added: “For me Flanagan is one of the best, if not the, best Lightweights in the world. It’s an exciting fight and I’d get good props for taking him on. People would class me as an underdog in the fight which I’ve never been and I’d like to be.”

The history-making twin has always wanted to compete as a massive underdog in a hype-fuelled dust-up for world honours. Hot-shot Walsh, 29, is backing Flanagan to successfully defend his title in tonight’s barn burner and says he’d have no problems taking ‘Turbo’ on in his hometown of Manchester.

He said: “It would probably be an away test up in Manchester which I’m happy with. I’m from Rochdale myself and it wouldn’t feel too far away from home. No doubt I’d have tonnes come from Rochdale to support me and I’d obviously have the Farmy Army turn out in their hundreds like they always do so it wouldn’t really feel like an away test,”

“It’s a fight I want because Flanagan is one of the best and I want to fight the best. It doesn’t look like there’s much floating around in the Super-Featherweight division at the moment. The opportunities look limited at the minute and I can hold my own at Super-Featherweight or Lightweight so it’s a fight that makes sense.”

Mancunian Lightweight king Flanagan marches into the lion’s den tonight to defend his world title for the second time against Merseyside hero Mathews, who will be looking to make history in his 50th professional fight. Whilst Walsh holds both men in high regard, he is confident that he would come out on top should he face the winner.

He said: “I know can beat the two men who are fighting tonight but I’ve got to show respect to them. I hope they have a really good fight, it’s a massive British world title fight and I wish them both the best. Personally I think Terry will win and probably look good doing it. Hopefully I get the opportunity to fight the winner. I’ve got ultimate respect for both fighters and I’d love to fight the winner. Just let me know as soon as possible and it’s on!”

Boxing superstar Gennady Golovkin returns exclusively live to BoxNation on Saturday 23rd April when he defends his unified world titles against top undefeated contender Dominic Wade at the Fabulous Forum, Los Angeles.

The pound-for-pound great is back on the The Channel of Champions, headlining an awesome April of fistic entertainment that features Golovkin’s big rival Billy Joe Saunders – with both heading towards a seismic collision this year – defending his WBO World Middleweight title against “Mad” Max Burbank on Saturday 30th April, live from the Copper Box Arena, London.

More big live fight action in April sees the thunderous, punching, all-action, British star Liam Williams defending his British and Commonwealth Super-Welterweight titles against Nav Mansouri on Saturday 2nd April from Harrow, England.

Undefeated Golovkin has destroyed 31 out of 34 opponents – an incredible 91% KO ratio – and the fearsome Kazakh puts his WBA Super, Interim WBC and IBF World Middleweight titles on the line for the 16th time – the second highest in the 160lb division’s history – against Wade and will aim to remain on course for a showdown with Saunders this year to unify all four belts.

Wade, from Largo, Maryland, is the mandatory challenger for GGG’s IBF World title and is undefeated in 18 fights with 12 knockouts. In his last fight he defeated from IBF World Champion Sam Soliman and goes into the showdown against Golovkin looking to cause a tremendous upset.

BoxNation viewers have been treated this year to the world’s best fighters all featuring on the channel with Sergey Kovalev, Terrence Crawford, Andre Ward on March 26th against Sulivan Barrera and now Golovkin.

But on the same card as Golovkin, arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world Roman Gonzalez, the WBC World Flyweight Champion, will defend his title against McWilliams Arroyo.

The Nicaraguan hot-shot has an incredible unbeaten record of 44 wins with 38 KO’s and has left a trail of destruction in the last two and half years with ten-fight KO run.

BoxNation’s Managing Director Jim McMunn is thrilled to have the top three pound-for-pound best: Gonzalez, Golovkin and Kovalev plus the 6th and 9th placed Ward and Crawford all on BoxNation in the first four months of this year.

He said, “That will be some feat to have five of the ten best fighters in the world by April all live on BoxNation and really cements our position as THE channel to watch boxing’s biggest names. Having Golovkin on BoxNation is fantastic, but with Gonzalez also on the card, the number one and two on the planet, it is fantastic for our subscribers to get to see these greats in action, live.”

– Ends –

About BoxNation

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

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

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‘Baby faced Assassin’ Paul Butler stopped Mexico’s Sebastian Sanchez inside nine rounds to claim the vacant WBO Intercontinental Super-Flyweight Championship. A crunching left hook to the body of Sanchez was enough to earn Butler the 21st win of his career.

The Ellesmere Port ace used his lightening quick speed to take control of the bout early on. Butler put on an impressive performance in front of his home crowd, which included rival super-flyweight Jamie Conlan.

27 year-old Butler dominated the bout throughout, landing a series of punishing hooks and jabs on the nippy Mexican. Sanchez proved his toughness by taking everything Butler threw at him despite being caught with some powerful left-hand jabs.

The impressive Butler sent out a powerful message to the watching Conlan by systematically dismantling the gutsy Mexican with a near punch perfect performance in front of the rowdy Echo Arena crowd.

LANGFORD CLAIMS COMMONWEALTH CROWN IN LIVERPOOL

Birmingham middleweight star Tommy Langford overcame a tough challenge Dronfield’s determined Lewis Taylor to defend his WBO Intercontinental title and also claim the Vacant Middleweight Championship at the Liverpool Echo Arena.

It was a gallant effort from both fighters who put on a real barn burner of a domestic scrap. All-action Langford came away with a unanimous decision in what was his 16th professional career win.

Both fighters defences looked questionable in an even and lively opener. Langford slightly edged the first round by using his left jab well and making the middle of the ring his own.

26 year-old Langford stepped up the pace in the third round and began to find his way past Taylor’s defence. The ‘Baggies’ mad bruiser began to show his class by landing some powerful shots on the gutsy challenger.

Taylor refused to take a step back despite taking several big shots to the body. The Birmingham man sensed a stoppage in the ninth round and went after Taylor with a series of punishing combinations. By now, the contest had developed into a real scrap with both men landing shots at will.

Taylor made an impressive reply by steaming into Langford at the beginning of round 11 but Langford took his shots well and came back with some lethal hooks of his own. Devon-born Langford retained his Intercontinental title and took home the Commonwealth belt with a well-earned unanimous decision from the judges.

BRILLIANT TETE CAPTURES IBF INTERNATIONAL TITLE WITH SEVENTH ROUND STOPPAGE OF GONZALEZ

South African super-puncher Zolani Tete made an explosive return to the Liverpool Echo Arena by claiming a seventh round stoppage against Mexico’s Jose Santos Gonzalez.

‘Last Born’ looked eager to impress the Scouse crowd, dictating the pace of the fight from the first round. The polite and softly spoken bantamweight looked a completely different person in the ring, toying with the Mexican at will.

The former IBF World Super-Flyweight Champion looked in spiteful form as he landed several big hooks on his opponent. Tete, from Mdanste in the Easter Cape, lived up to his explosive reputation by dropping Sanchez in the second round. Gonzales looked hurt but was able to beat the referees count and return to the action.

Touted as one of the best boxers to come out of Africa in recent years, Tete justified the hype by delivering a near punch perfect performance for his Liverpool fans. The clinical southpaw landed several precise shots on Gonzalez, who struggled to deal with the African’s speed and movement. The fight was finally won in the seventh after Gonzales was dropped for a second time. The tough Mexcican beat the referees count but was caught by another big shot which ultimately ended the bout. Gutsy Mexican Gonzalez was in no state to continue and the referee ended the contest.

Results from Liverpool:

Fight # 1
6 X 3 Minute Rounds Lightweight Contest
ZELFA BARRETT WPTS6 (60-54) DAMIAN LAWNICZAK

Fight # 2
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Middleweight Contest
VIJENDER SINGH WKO3 (1:02) ALEXANDER HORVATH

Fight # 3
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Featherweight Contest
LYON WOODSTOCK WPTS4 (40-36) IBRAR RIYA

Fight # 4
8 X 3 Minute Rounds Bantamweight Contest
RYAN FARRAG WKO2 (2:12) STEFAN SLAVCHEV

HOT SHOT SINGH REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN LIVERPOOL

Indian boxing sensation Vijinder Singh blew away Hungary’s Alexander Horvath at the Liverpool Echo Arena to claim his fourth successive professional victory. Singh continued his red-hot winning streak by stopping Horvath in the third round with a big body shot.

Undefeated Singh, delivered an explosive performance for the BoxNation viewers. The man from Kaluwas was well on top from the very first bell, landing some big right hand shots on the retreating Horvath. The Indian puncher started the second round with a flurry of big hooks that connected well on Horvath who struggled to handle Singh’s power and movement.

The contest was won in the third round with a powerful body shot that connected on Horvath’s shoulder. The Bulgarian went down and failed to beat the referee’s count. It looks to be a massive year knockout merchant Singh who was delighted to get yet another stoppage win.

“I’m thrilled to get my fourth professional victory and excited for what the future holds for me. I’m happy to get another knockout win and really want to push on from here with some big performances is 2016,” said Singh.

He added: “The support I have received from everyone here in Liverpool and back home in India has been absolutely phenomenal. My phone hasn’t stopped buzzing with messages of support from all around the world and I’m so grateful to all of my new fans. You can expect some big performances from me this year as I look to move up the ranks.”

Earlier results from Liverpool

6 x 3 Minute Rounds Lightweight Contest
Zelfa Barrett WPTS4 (60-54) Damian Lawniczak

MONTREAL (March 11) – Fighters David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs) and James de la Rosa (23-3, 13 KOs) weighed in at 165.6 pounds and 162 pounds respectively today at their official weigh-in from the Casino de Montreal. Lemieux, who came in 2.6 pounds overweight from the contracted weight of 163 pounds, had Canadian co-promoter and manager, Camille Estephan, negotiate with De La Rosa’s camp to try to reach an agreement.

“Despite offering De La Rosa an increase on his purse, De La Rosa has refused to fight due to the weight issue,” said Camille Estephan, President of Eye of the Tiger Management. “He really did not feel comfortable fighting at weight higher than originally agreed. We did make an offer to local undefeated fighter as an alternative opponent however; the fight was not approved by the commission.”

The middleweight event would have marked David Lemieux’s return to the ring after a sell-out event at The Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden, in New York, on October 17, 2015, when he faced unified middleweight world champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin.
The rest of the card will continue as scheduled with Steven “Bang Bang” Butler (14-0-1, 11 KOs) taking on Sladjan “The Tiger” Janjanin (13-0, 11 KOs) in a 10-round now main event for the vacant IBF Youth Super Welterweight Title and Schiller “Batman” Hyppolite (19-1, 13 KOs) facing Darnell “Deezol” Boon (23-22, 12 KOs) to broadcast live in the U.S. by FOX Deportes and will be available in English via live stream by Ring TV, both starting at 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT.
The March 12 event featuring Steven Butler vs. Sladjan Jananin is presented by Eye of the Tiger Management in association with Golden Boy Promotions. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. E.T. and the first fight begins at 7:00 p.m. E.T. The event will be broadcast in HD for $59.99 and $54.99 in SD on Indigo and all pay-per-view channels across Canada starting at 9:00 p.m. E.T. and the undercard will be televised by TVA Sports starting at 7:00 p.m. E.T. The U.S. broadcast is presented by FOX Deportes and via live stream by Ring TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Nutley, NJ (March 11, 2016) – GH3 Promotions is pleased to announce the signing of Bantamweight prospect LeRoy Davila to an exclusive promotional contract.

Davila, 27 years-old of New Brunswick, New Jersey is the latest prospect o sign with Vito Mielnicki’s growing promotional stable.

“I fought at 108 pounds as an amateur but I will turn pro 118. I had 60 amateur fights,” said Davila.

“I feel I fit in with GH3 Promotions. I know a couple of their fighters personally and they are cool guys. Hopefully I will turn pro in June. I am here to make a statement. I am a counter puncher but I can fight any style.”

Said GH3 Promotions Vito Mielnicki, “I am very happy to have signed Leroy. He is a very talented fighter who I have watched very closely over the past couple of years. Being that he is from New Jersey, I have watched him grow as a fighter and I believe that he will be a contender in the Bantamweight division.”

Davila is managed by Pete Festa (AR3 Management)

New York, NY (3/11/16) – The last two years have been somewhat of a roller coaster ride for Avtandil Khurtsidze. A native of Kutaisi, Georgia, Khurtsidze moved to Brooklyn at the beginning of 2014 to resume his promising boxing career that had been put on hold for two and a half years following his December 2011 win over Ossie Duran for the vacant WBC Silver middleweight championship. Khurtsidze signed with DiBella Entertainment and got his career back on track in July of that year. Over the next 13 months, Khurtsidze scored four consecutive knockout victories, as he awaited a shot against one of the top names in the 160lb. division.

Finally, it looked as though Khurtsidze would get his long awaited opportunity, having received an offer to face Hassan N’Dam in a rematch to take place in France last November for the #2 spot in the IBF rankings. N’Dam was the last fighter to defeat Khurtsidze when the Frenchman won a highly disputed majority decision over him for the interim WBA middleweight championship in October of 2010. However, the day that Khurtsidze was scheduled to fly to France was the same day that the tragic terrorist attacks occurred in Paris, and the bout was subsequently cancelled.

Frustrated, but not deterred, Khurtsidze stayed in the gym, preparing and waiting for his next opportunity. That opportunity came last Friday, when Khurtsidze, on just over two weeks notice, took a bout against highly regarded and undefeated prospect Antoine Douglas, as part of a special edition of the ShoBox series on SHOWTIME. The bout was supposed to be a showcase for Douglas, who was rated as high as #3 in the WBO as well as #6 in the WBA and #11 in the IBF, and who many boxing insiders felt was a fight or two away from challenging for a piece of the middleweight crown.

(Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

The moment that the bell sounded, Khurtsidze, who emulates Mike Tyson in style, stormed out of his corner and charged right at the young up-and-coming star. It was apparent from the opening round that Douglas was going to have his hands full. What ensued over the next nine-plus rounds was a brutal beating handed out by Khurtsidze, who dropped Douglas twice, once in the third and again in the seventh, on his way to scoring a 10th-round stoppage. Khurtsidze, now 32-2-2 (21 KOs), looked like a man possessed, throwing over 800 power punches, an absolutely astonishing number, according to CompuBox.

(Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

So what is next for Khurtsidze?

“I would like another fight with one of the top guys in the division, and then I believe I deserve a world title shot,” said Khurtsidze, who is ranked #9 in the WBC, #12 in the IBF and will jump into the WBO ratings now that he has the WBO International title.

“Khurtsidze’s performance against Douglas was remarkable,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Against the odds and in the face of his doubters, Khurtsidze mauled Douglas each round, stalking and pressuring him throughout like his idol Mike Tyson used to do. I am so proud of him and thrilled that he is now receiving the recognition that I’ve known he’s deserved. I will do all I can to bring him the best opportunities to face the elite fighters in the middleweight division as well as to once again challenge for a world title.”

Lou DiBella certainly has had success promoting fighters in the middleweight division. He promoted former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor from the beginning of his career and was the man who took a seemingly old and unknown Argentinian Sergio Martinez and transformed him into one of the most memorable 160lb. champions in decades.

DiBella is heavily invested in the middleweight division and his loaded stable of fighters features some of the biggest names and most promising young talent in all of boxing.

Middleweights promoted by DiBella Entertainment include former world champion Andy Lee, recent world title challenger Sergio Mora, former three-time middleweight world title challenger Matthew Macklin, WBO #6 contender Artur Akavov, Ukrainian amateur standouts and now red-hot prospects Sergey Derevyanchenko and Ievgen Khytrov as well as undefeated up-and-comers Steve Rolls and Alantez Fox.

“Lou believed in me when my career was in doubt,” said Khurtsidze. “I knew that he was the guy who could and would resurrect my career. Lou is the best, and I know that he will get me the opportunity to win a world title.”

Philadelphia, Pa. (March 11, 2016) – Former WBO Junior Welterweight World Champion Ruslan Provodnikov “The Siberian Rocky,” returns to the ring on Saturday, June 11 to headline on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING as he takes on former world title challenger John Molina Jr. in a 12-round super lightweight from bout from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y. The clash will be televised live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) and it will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming.

The fight is promoted by Banner Promotions and tickets for the event will go on sale at a later date.

Dubbed the “Siberian Rocky” for his aggressive attack and unyielding will to win, Beryozovo, Russia’s native Ruslan Provodnikov (25-4, 18 KOs) has earned himself a loyal fan base around the globe for his humble nature outside the ring and ferocious intensity inside the ropes.

A nine-year pro, Provodnikov followed up a stellar amateur career with an even more impressive campaign in the professional game. He has had notable wins over several top foes, including a 2015 ‘Fight of the Year’ nominee with Lucas Matthysse, a 2013 Fight of the Year with Timothy Bradley and a 2013 10th- round stoppage over Mike Alvarado that yielded him the WBO Super Lightweight World title.

Covina, California’s John Molina (28-6, 23 KOs) is also highly regarded among boxing fans for his exciting fights. Since turning pro in 2006, the aggressive-minded Molina has delivered action-packed fights such as his 2014 BWAA ‘Fight of the Year’ against Argentine slugger Matthysse and a surprising upset knockout against previously unbeaten Mickey Bey, Jr. in July 2013.

“I have been waiting for a long time to get back in the ring and to give my fans another fight. The opportunity has finally come and I appreciate that SHOWTIME is looking at me as a future star on their network, and I will not let them down,” said Provodnikov.

“I’m very thankful to SHOWTIME and TGB Promotions for this opportunity and promise the fans a great fight. I’m very familiar with Ruslan and have long believed that our styles would make for an outstanding war on June 11,” Molina said. “Fighting on the Hall of Fame weekend means a great deal to me having been a long-time fan of Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, who is being inducted this year. It would be an honor to fight in front of him and the rest of the inductees.”

“We are very excited to have Ruslan making his SHOWTIME debut on June 11 at Turning Stone Resort Casino during the International Boxing Hall of Fame weekend. This will be another great event, as Ruslan is always in fan-friendly and TV-friendly fights,” said Banner Promotions President Arthur Pelullo.

“Ruslan participated in the Fight of the Year in 2013, Molina was part of the 2014 Fight of the Year, and Provodnikov-Matthysse was a 2015 Fight of the Year nominee. Put all that together, and we expect another Fight of the Year candidate on June 11. As the viewership numbers show across the board, Ruslan is one of the top stars in boxing. He doesn’t know how to make a bad fight.

“On behalf of everybody, I especially want to thank Stephen Espinoza of SHOWTIME for all of his help and work to bring Ruslan to SHOWTIME. This has been a work in progress, and his tireless efforts and patience in getting this deal done have been greatly appreciated. He has shown a real commitment to Ruslan and Banner Promotions, and this is just the beginning of our relationship in making the best and biggest fights possible for Ruslan.”

“We’re very excited for the SHOWTIME debut of Provodnikov on Boxing Hall of Fame weekend. It’s a crossroads fight. Expect fireworks,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports.

Vadim Kornilov, Provodnikov’s manager, said “This is a great opportunity for us. Ruslan is always in Fight of the Year candidates. I think that with all the fans that have been long waiting to see Ruslan return to the ring in the U.S., SHOWTIME has made a great business decision to give Ruslan an opportunity to come back and his fans an opportunity to see him in more of those brawls that they don’t get to see very often!”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.sandseventcenter.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports. Follow Banner Promotions on social media at :
Twitter: www.twitter.com/BannerBoxing ; Facebook: www.facebook.com/BannerPromotions ; Instagram: www.instagram.com/bannerboxing ; LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/banner-promotions-inc-?trk=biz-companies-cym ; Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/bannervideo ; Website: www.banner-promotions.com

LOS ANGELES (March 11, 2016) — Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO and his Hall of Fame Trainer World-Famous FREDDIE ROACH will soon break camp in General Santos City in the Philippines and head to the U.S. On Monday, at Roach’s Hollywood-based Wild Card Boxing Club, they will begin phase two of training for their sole mission — demolishing two-division world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY JR. Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) and Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs) are 29 days away from their date with destiny — their 12-round welterweight battle for pound for pound supremacy.

Team Pacquiao is scheduled to land at Los Angeles International Airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal Tomorrow! Saturday, March 12, at 5:40 p.m. PT via Philippine Airlines Flight 102. This link will give you updated arrival information. http://www.philippineairlines.com/ (click Flight Status – the blue bar located on the right)

“We had a strong camp in the Philippines and Manny, as usual, is way ahead of schedule in his conditioning, and very motivated,” said Roach. “The real business begins for us on Monday at Wild Card. We have great sparring waiting for Manny. I know that ESPN announcer [Teddy Atlas] who is coaching Bradley is a good story teller and likes acting. Let’s see how well they do when we go off script and hit them with a dose of reality TV. Playing ‘fireman’ isn’t going to protect them from the nuclear assault Manny will be launching.”

This fight will also mark the first time Roach and Atlas have ever faced each other from opposite corners — an amazing fact considering they have a combined 70 years of training experience between them and scores of world champions to their credit. Think their isn’t a little competition between them? Take a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un4lLzHnLUE&feature=youtu.be

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

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions, the Manny Pacquiao – Tim Bradley championship event will take place on Saturday, April 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

The NoTrump pay-per-view undercard will feature World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight world champion “King” ARTHUR ABRAHAM defending his title against undefeated No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger GILBERTO “Zurdo” RAMIREZ, undefeated No. 1 WBO featherweight contender and two-time Mexican Olympian ÓSCAR VALDEZ defending his NABO featherweight title against former International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight world champion EVGENY GRADOVICH and 2012 U.S. Olympian JOSE RAMÍREZ defending his World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas super lightweight title against MANNY PEREZ. The Abraham vs. Ramirez world championship fight is co-promoted by Sauerland Event and Zapari Boxing Promotions.

Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley are priced at $1,204, $804, $604, $404, $254 and $154, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to toprank.com, hbo.com/boxing or mgmgrand.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing,, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtags #PacBradley to join the conversation on Twitter.

WBO World Lightweight champion Terry Flanagan and challenger Derry Mathews both hit the weight at today’s weigh-in for their eagerly-anticipated showdown tomorrow night at the Liverpool Echo Arena, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Undefeated Flanagan, making the second defence of his title, looked in sensational shape weighing in spot on the 9st 9lbs limit. The Mancunian lightweight king will be looking to show the Echo Arena crowd why he is rated as one of the very best boxers in the world.

“All the talking is over and now it’s time to get in the ring and get it on. I’ve put everything into my training and I’m ready to show everyone that I’m the best lightweight in the world. I’m expecting a tough fight from Derry, we’re both in the best shape of our lives but I’ll have too much for him to handle,” said Flanagan.

Merseyside hero Mathews came in at 9st 8lbs and looked in tremendous condition ahead of the biggest night of his career. All-action ‘Dirty’ Derry is gearing up to make history in his 50th professional fight in front of his home crowd.

“I’m feeling great, everything has gone perfectly so far. I’m ready for everything that Terry is going to bring. I’m bringing my A game and I hope that he brings his. I hope that the crowd get their money’s worth in an exciting fight and fingers crossed it will be a great night for Liverpool,” said Mathews.

He added: “I’m excited and getting nervous which is only human but I’m loving every minute of it. I can’t wait to get in there now.”

NEW YORK (March 11, 2016)—SHOWTIME Sports on Friday announced seven live boxing telecasts over a 12-week span, a stacked lineup featuring nine world championship fights and 14 overall matches in boxing’s deepest and most exciting divisions.

The full slate of programming is free to SHOWTIME subscribers, and the presentation on CBS is the first Prime Time boxing event on CBS television network in decades.

Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports, also announced a summer blockbuster in the making.

“This is an incredibly exciting time in boxing, a time for emerging stars to make their mark, and for established champions to break through to the next level,” Espinoza said.

“This schedule features high level matchups with champions taking on the highest-rated contenders available, and top-ranked challengers facing one another. We are thrilled and grateful to the promoters and the fighters themselves who have worked with us these last few weeks to put together such an impressive lineup for SHOWTIME Boxing. It has to be one of the best we’ve ever assembled.

“We have seven live telecasts over a 12-week span that runs the gamut of our SHOWTIME boxing series. It includes nine world title fights, and that doesn’t count a great fight that’s just coming together today, as both Leo Santa Cruz and Carl Frampton have now agreed to a championship matchup to be scheduled for late summer.

“All of these events are free to SHOWTIME subscribers, and the June 25 event is the first Prime Time boxing presentation on CBS television network in decades.

“Again, thanks to the fighters and promoters for not only making these great matches a reality, but for their cooperation in today’s major announcement.”

See below for details on the events that Espinoza, and the principals involved, are in the process of finalizing. Additional details on each individual event will be announced in the coming days.

Saturday, April 9 – SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL
Main Event: Charles Martin (23-0-1, 21 KOs) vs. Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15 KOs) – IBF Heavyweight World Title Championship
Co-feature: Lee Selby (22-1, 8 KOs) vs. Eric Hunter (21-3, 11 KOs) – IBF Featherweight Championship
Start Time: TBD
Venue: The O2 – London
Promoter: Warriors Boxing & Matchroom Sport

Friday, April 15 – ShoBox: The New Generation
Main Event: Nikolay Potapov (14-0, 6 KOs) vs. Stephon Young (14-0-2, 6 KOs) – 10-Rd Bantamweight Bout
Start Time: 10 p.m. ET/PT
Venue: Turning Stone Casino – Verona, NY
Promoter: Salita Promotions
Four-fight telecast featuring at least six undefeated fighters.
?
Saturday, April 16 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Main Event: Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) vs. Patrick Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs) – WBC Featherweight World Championship
Co-Feature: Jose Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs) vs. Stephen Smith (23-1, 13 KOs) – IBF Super Featherweight World Championship
Start Time: 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT
Venue: Fox Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino
Promoter: DiBella Entertainment
Featherweight world title fights in consecutive weeks.
Gary Russell Jr. returns to make his first title defense
Crucial Super Featherweight bout between defending champ Jose Pedraza and No. 1 challenger Stephen Smith.

Saturday, April 30 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Main Event: Badou Jack (20-1-1, 12 KOs) vs. Lucian Bute (32-3, 25 KOs) – WBC Super Middleweight Championship
Co-Feature: James DeGale (22-1, 14 KOs) vs. Rogelio Medina (35-6, 29 KOs) – IBF Super Middleweight World Championship
Start Time: 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Venue: TBD
Promoter: Mayweather Promotions
Former champ Bute, fresh off a great fight against DeGale, steps in to replace the injured Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Medina is the IBF’s mandated challenger for DeGale.
The winners will meet in an immediate unification.

Targeting May 2016 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING – PENDING CONFIRMATION
Main Event: Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) vs. Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs) – WBC Heavyweight World Championship
Start Time: TBD
Venue: TBD

Saturday, June 11 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Main Event: Ruslan Provodnikov (25-4, 18 KOs) vs. John Molina Jr. (28-6, 23 KOs) – 12-Rd Super Lightweight Bout
Start Time: 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
Venue: Turning Stone Casino – Verona, NY
Promoter: Banner Promotions
Induction Weekend for International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Main event features two fighters involved in Fights of Year

Saturday, June 25 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS Presented by PBC
Main Event: Keith Thurman (26-0, 1 ND, 22 KOs) vs. Shawn Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs) – WBA Welterweight World Championship
Co-Feature: Jesus Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs) vs. Abner Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs) – WBA (reg.) Featherweight World Championship
Start Time: TBD
Venue: TBD
Promoter: DiBella Entertainment
Thurman cleared to resume training after minor injury
Three-division world champ Mares to now face Jesus Cuellar for featherweight title

Late-Summer 2016 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Main Event: Leo Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs) vs. Carl Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs) – WBA (super) Featherweight World Championship
Frampton the unified 122-pound titlist, will move up to face Santa Cruz for the WBA (super) Featherweight World Championship

FRANK WARREN
Sponsored by Coral, Rainham Steel and 5Dimes
Presents
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
ECHO ARENA. LIVERPOOL
SATURDAY 12TH MARCH 2015

THE WBO WORLD LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
TERRY FLANAGAN (9st 9lbs) vs. DERRY MATHEWS (9st 8lbs 6oz)

THE VACANT WBO INTERNATIONAL SUPER-FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
PAUL BUTLER (8st 4lbs 2oz) vs. SEBASTIAN SANCHEZ (8st 2lbs 5oz)

THE VACANT IBF INTERNATIONAL BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
ZOLANI TETE (8st 4lbs 9oz) vs. JOSE SANTOS GONZALEZ (8st 6lbs 4ox)

THE WBO INTERCONTINENTAL AND VACANT COMMONWEALTH MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
TOMMY LANGFORD (11st 5lbs 6oz) vs. LEWIS TAYLOR (11st 5lbs 1oz)

THE ENGLISH CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
10 X 3 Minute Rounds
MATTY ASKIN (14st 3lbs 3oz) vs. SIMON BARCLAY (14st 4lbs)

RUNNING ORDER

Doors Open: 17:00 hrs

Fight # 1 – 17:30 hrs
6 X 3 Minute Rounds Lightweight Contest
ZELFA BARRETT vs. DAMIAN LAWNICZAK

Fight # 2 – 18:00 hrs
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Middleweight Contest=
VIJENDER SINGH vs. ALEXANDER HORVATH

Fight # 3
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Featherweight Contest
LYON WOODSTOCK vs. TBA

Fight # 4
8 X 3 Minute Rounds Bantamweight Contest
RYAN FARRAG vs. STEFAN SLAVCHEV

Fight # 5
THE WBO INTERCONTINENTAL AND VACANT COMMONWEALTH MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
TOMMY LANGFORD vs. LEWIS TAYLOR

Fight # 6
THE VACANT IBF INTERNATIONAL BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
ZOLANI TETE vs. JOSE SANTOS GONZALEZ

Fight # 7
THE VACANT IBF INTERNATIONAL SUPER-FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
PAUL BUTLER vs. SEBASTIAN SANCHEZ

Fight # 8
THE WBO WORLD LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
TERRY FLANAGAN vs. DERRY MATHEWS

Fight # 9
8 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Bantamweight Contest
JAZZA DICKENS

Fight # 10
THE ENGLISH CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
10 X 3 Minute Rounds
MATTY ASKIN vs. SIMON BARCLAY

Fight # 11
8 X 3 Minute Rounds International Flyweight Contest
KEVIN SATCHELL vs. ADRIAN GARZON

LONDON (11 MARCH) Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell is two weeks away from defending his British middleweight title against Chris Eubank Jr. at The SSE Arena, Wembley and claims the hotly-anticipated grudge match is “better than a world title fight”.

Blackwell and Eubank Jr. lock horns on March 26, following months of heated back-and-forth, and promoter Mick Hennessy’s long-held view that the fight features two world-class middleweights is one shared by Blackwell.

“We can both definitely mix it at the top level,” said Blackwell. “We’ve shown that in the past and the winner on March 26 will no doubt show it again in the future.

“I love calling myself British champion. It’s a real honour. But I’m not content with just winning the belt. I want to win it outright – which I’ll do when I beat Eubank Jr. – and then I want to win titles at European and world level. That has been my aim since day one.

“I know world titles are a real possibility for me once I silence Eubank Jr. and get that British belt outright.”

Blackwell’s hopes of a world title opportunity increased this week when learning former foe Max Bursak, a man Blackwell pushed to the wire only to be robbed on the scorecards, had landed a shot at Billy Joe Saunders’ WBO world middleweight title in April.

“That was a real eye-opener for me,” said the 25-year-old. “I dropped Bursak and beat him up for most of the rounds we shared, but it was in Ukraine and he got the benefit of the doubt. Since then he has lost three fights and I know for a fact I would stop him inside the distance if we were to box again.

“So, to see him get an opportunity like this – a world title shot – gives hope to us all. I’m on better form than he is at the moment, I’ve beaten better opponents and I’m far more deserving of a world title shot.

“If anything, Bursak and Saunders boxing for a world title just goes to show how good this fight with Eubank Jr. really is.

“If you were to ask any boxing fan which fight they’d rather watch I’d imagine the majority of them would say my fight with Eubank Jr. on March 26. In this case, then, a British title fight is far better than a world title fight.”

*** Tickets for the British middleweight title blockbuster between Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell and Chris Eubank Jr. are priced at £35, £50, £75, £175, £200 and £250 for ringside and can be purchased online at ssearena.co.uk and axs.com or by phoning the SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office on 0844 815 0815 ***

FOLLOW US ON ON TWITTER @HENNESSYSPORTS
For more information on Channel 5, MaxiNutrition and Hennessy Sports:

www.channel5.com
www.maxinutrition.com
www.hennessysports.com

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT WWW.HENNESSYSPORTS.COM

Anthony Crolla will defend his WBA World Lightweight title against Ismael Barroso at the Manchester Arena on May 7.

Crolla won the belt in stunning style at the vaunted Manchester venue in November, folding Darleys Perez in the fifth round of their rematch for the Colombian’s title, capping a fairy tale comeback from the life-threatening injuries he suffered in December 2014 when confronting burglars at his neighbours home and then his first fight with Perez ending in a controversial draw in July.

Crolla was present at The O2 when Barroso knocked out Kevin Mitchell in December, effectively ending the career of the popular Londoner in their clash for the interim title, an 18th win inside the distance from 19 victories for the unbeaten 33 year old that poses a serious early threat to Crolla’s reign – but ‘Million Dollar’ says there was no way he was going to avoid a clash with the dangerous mandatory challenger.

“I am under no illusion that this is a tough task but there was no way I was not going to take the fight,” said Crolla.

“I enjoyed a break since winning the title, but I have been in the gym for a while already and I am in a good place.

“People said I was going to duck him – if I don’t fight him I lose my belt, simple. Of course I am going to fight him, I’ve worked too hard to become World champion to give it away.

“I knew that it wasn’t the best of Kevin Mitchell in there when they boxed at The O2. He didn’t look himself at the weigh-in and I was worried he was going to struggle. That said, Barroso was still impressive and we know he’s a big puncher, so it’s a really tough examination but one that I am really up for.”

“Anthony Crolla is jumping straight in with a cracking first defence against Barroso,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Barroso is one of the dangerous fighters in the business but Anthony’s continues to improve and right now I believe he is the man at 135lbs – and he’ll prove it on May 7. He has become one of the biggest stars in British boxing and the following he receives in Manchester is very special. This could be a Fight of the Year contender and will be another huge night for British boxing.”

Announcements on the undercard will be made at a press conference in Manchester on Tuesday.

Tickets go on sale to Matchroom Fight Pass members at midday on Saturday March 12 priced at £40, £60, £80 and £100 and VIPs at £200 from the Fight Pass area at www.matchroomboxing.com.

Tickets go on general sale at midday on Tuesday March 15 with tickets in the £40 to £100 bracket available from www.manchester-arena.com or by calling 0844 847 8000. VIPs are available exclusively through www.matchroomboxing.com priced at £200.

Tickets for May 7 are also available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua MBE.

WBO lightweight boss Terry Flanagan insists he’s suitably refreshed, relaxed and ready to rumble as the hours countdown to the second defence of his crown this weekend.

Having captured and retained the title in his home city of Manchester, the 26 year old takes his ‘Turbo’ engine across the M62 to Liverpool’s Echo Arena to dual home hero Derry Mathews in a showdown that has got the fight trade salivating. The reception is unlikely to be hospitable!

‘I’m not riled about going to Liverpool. I’ve savoured a top atmosphere at the MEN (Manchester Arena), now I get to enter the lion’s den; another experience,’ says the habitually laid-back and unruffled champ, who has triumphed in all 29 paid fights thus far.

‘Besides, I’ve travelled all over Britain and Europe with Man City and away days are always best. It’s a great trip for all the lads. I’ve personally sold nearly 500 tickets already. But home or away, you just blank the crowd out. Whenever I’m in the ring, I’m in the zone. Nothing fazes me.

‘Anyway, I can go back to Manchester for unification against (WBA boss Anthony) Crolla or (WBC king Jorge) Linares. They’re the fights I want. And I’d jump at a chance to defend abroad. There’s also (Puerto Rico’s touted WBO number three) Felix Verdejo, a top talent; perfect for my US debut!

Despite his habitually humble and introverted exterior, the former scaffolder will be bristling with inner belief after his sensational three knockdown, second round slaughter of feted Yank challenger Diego Magdaleno in his maiden defence at Manchester Arena last October.

‘The Magdaleno win brought me big props both in Britain and America but I refuse to get content,’ says Flanagan.

‘I have to keep on proving myself and Mathews is a huge domestic fight. A lot more Brits know Derry than knew Diego. It’s crucial that I shine on Saturday and keep the ball rolling.

Having nailed the vacant belt against feared and previously undefeated California bomber Jose Zepeda in July – albeit on an inconclusive injury retirement – and then rubbed out mandatory contender Magdaleno, the mighty Manc could have been excused if he’d opted to bolster his bank account against one of the tamer threats in the WBO’s listings.

However, his decision to twist against the concussive fists and notoriously wayward head of ‘Dirty Derry’ – and in the Scouser’s own yard – cements Flanagan as a worthy world champion.

He says: ‘I’ve never chosen an opponent or turned one down. I leave that all to the two Steves (trainer Maylett and manager Wood) plus Frank Warren. Because Derry’s with Frank, this makes sense. I need big names that interest the fans, to put myself out there. Though it’s a voluntary, it’s a high profile fight but we obviously fancied our chances.’

While challenger Mathews has the luxury of home court, the Liverpudlian is well into his 33rd year and has already been bettered nine times – seven before the judges were required – in a 13 year, 49 fight innings.

But while Flanagan has already mounted the Mersey man’s scalp after a three round Prizefighter tussle in 2012, and claims the upside of several spars that the pair shared during Flanagan’s apprenticeship, ‘Turbo Terry’ is aware that complacency could prove as big a problem as the Scouser’s feted scuds.

‘I’ve never taken any opponent likely. I’m always 100% switched on, fit and sharp. That’s why I’m still unbeaten,’ insists Flanagan.

’Derry’s got a load of Twitter followers and he’s trying to sell the fight. I’ll stand my corner but there’s no hatred. I like him, find him funny.

‘Sometimes my fans get riled but I never get mad about opponents comments before a fight. They really mean nothing. Derry claims I pulled out in February because I had weight problems but I’ve never made lightweight more comfy. I’ve never struggled in the past, never spoken about moving up.

‘Size doesn’t mean owt. It’s about skill levels and mine are way above his. But lightweight is my division and I’m very fit and strong there. People say I’ve only stopped 12 but, since Prizefighter, nine of 11 have failed to last the distance, including the last six.

‘It’s not just about banging ‘em out – though I showed against Magdaleno I can turn a fight with one shot – it’s about physical maturity. Earlier in my career I relied on speed but now I’ve far more variety to my game. At 26, I’m a proper man. If Derry’s daft and charges on to me, he’ll get stopped.’

Despite venturing out of the away corner, the bookmakers have installed Flanagan as a 5-1 on fancy to retain his belt. Nevertheless, this consummate professional anticipates an almighty argument before his arm is lifted.

‘After the Frampton-Crolla let down, expect Fight of the Year. Everyone’s talking about the fantastic shape that Derry is in. I’m expecting a great fight and I’ve prepared for 12 very hard rounds,’ says the champ who is yet to venture beyond round ten.

‘I told Derry I’d stop him at the press conference but that was only to get him riled. We’re fully aware that he’s always dangerous – especially when his back’s against the wall – so you can never switch off.

‘He never hurt me once in sparring or Prizefighter and he’s no more dangerous than Jose Zepeda who’d stopped 20 of 23. But I know this is a different game with small gloves and no head guards. He’s definitely got a punchers chance. At this level, it’s definitely about not getting hit.

‘I just need to stay switched on. Ninety-nine times out of 100, the better boxer wins the fight and I’m a level above Derry in every department.’

TACOMA, Wash. – Knockout specialist Dionisio Miranda will square off against Andrew Hernandez in the main event of Battle at the Boat 105 at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash. on Saturday, March 26.

Presented by Brian Halquist Productions, Battle at the Boat 105 will have six bouts with Miranda and Hernandez headlining the card in a 10-round super middleweight matchup.

Tickets are available through the EQC box office and all Ticket Master Outlets. Preliminary bouts start at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Miranda, a former NABA and WBC Continental Americas middleweight title holder, is 22-14-2 with 19 KOs and holds a victory over Lajuan Simon, who once challenged Arthur Abraham for the IBF World middleweight title.

Simon lost to Abraham, the world’s current top-ranked super middleweight, in 2009 by unanimous decision. Miranda defeated Simon for the WBC Continental Americas middleweight title in 2010.

Hernandez (10-4-1, 2 KOs) has built a strong reputation as a fighter who is willing to step in between the ropes against anyone, as evidenced by his last four opponents who had a combined record of 51-3-1 (93% winning record) at the time of their bouts.

Hernandez’s most impressive victory came on Nov. 7, 2015 when he knocked out Jeff Page, Jr. to capture the Universal Boxing Federation Intercontinental super middleweight title. Page entered the title fight with a record of 17-1-0 with his only prior defeat coming against top-10 ranked Artur Beterbiev in a contest for the WBA-NABA, NABO and IBF North American light heavyweight championship.

“Miranda and Hernandez are fighters in every sense of the word. They will battle with anyone and if you look through their resumes they have been in the ring with several world-class boxers,” promoter Brian Halquist said. “It’s going to be a thrilling main event between two guys who don’t back down.”

Highlighting the undercard will be a semi-main event between undefeated Isaac Tadeo and Chad McKinney at 155 pounds. Tadeo brings a perfect 6-0-0 record into the bout.

Battle at the Boat 105 is brought to you by Brian Halquist Productions. For more information, please visit www.halquistproductions.com and the Battle at the Boat Facebook page.

Battle at the Boat 105 Card
168-pounds (10 rounds)
Andrew Hernandez (10-4-1) vs. DionisioMiranda (22-14-2)
155-pounds (5 rounds)
Isaac Tadeo (6-0-0) vs. Chad McKinney (1-5-0)
148-pounds (5 rounds)
Zach Cooper (3-1-2) vs. Andres Reyes (3-1-0)
4 Round Undercard Bouts
Andre Keys (1-0-0) vs. Guillermo Maldonado (1-0-0)
Sean Gee (2-3-0) vs. Will Fernandez (0-4-0)
Dave Purnell (debut) vs. Taki Uluilakepa (0-1-0)

###

ABOUT BRIAN HALQUIST
Brian Halquist Productions is the Northwest premiere fight promotion company creator of the famed “Battle at the Boat” boxing series promoting more than 19 years and over 100 fights at the Emerald Queen Casino. BHP has also built the largest professional MMA series on the USA’s west coast with “CageSport MMA” nearing more than 50 fights. Brian Halquist Productions has promoted events for ESPN, ShowTime and HBO and featured on Showtime’s historic boxing event in St Lucia, West Indies. Brian Halquist Productions has been promoting fights and concerts for over 30 years in the Pacific Northwest.

SAN ANTONIO, TX (March 10, 2016) – Undefeated super-featherweight Mario Barrios, 20, is hard at work getting ready for his first fight of the year. He’s scheduled to fight Erick Daniel Martinez (11-4-1, 2 KOs) on March 15, at the Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino in Nice, CA. Premier Boxing Champions Toe-to-Toe Tuesdays PBC on FS1 will air the fight live starting at 9PM ET Eastern Time / 6PM PT Pacific Time.

Tickets priced $20 (back), $30 (mid), $50 (ringside) can be purchased at the Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino box office or by calling 1-800-809-3636. Doors open at 5:00 PM. First fight starts at 5:15 PM.

MMA warriors John “Johnny Merc” Mecurio out of Huntington Beach and a good win away from a possible promotion to Bellator or the UFC will be in tough when he faces veteran fighter in Matt “Berserk” Lagler from San Diego. All this fight offers to fans are two warriors, Mecurio at 7-7 with four of those wins by knockout, and Lagler with 11 wins with four by knockout and five by submission. This fight will be what MMA action is all about.

Not to be overshadowed how about an undefeated amateur MMA star turning pro. It will also happen on April 7th as Gabriel “Vicious Lish” Green, fighting out of Tracy Hess’s Subfighter MMA gym looks to continue his success as a pro. Green was 5-0 as a CAMO amateur with three knockouts and was the #4 ranked welterweight in California. What is amazing is that Green had no previous combat training and won his first bout after only three months of training.

7-0 (7KO’s) Malcolm McAllister pictured above
With Fight Club OC shows always hybrid shows, boxing will also be highlighted with one of the top super middleweight prospects Malcolm McAllister returning to The Hangar. McAllister is an impressive 7-0 with all wins by knockout and has won five of his fights at the OC show venue.

The big boys will be in action as former college football star Adam Stewart turns pro and meets 1-1 Matt McKinney in heavyweight action. Steward played football at Pittsburg State in Kansas and now lives and trains in Huntington Beach. McKinney, out of Oceanside is a former college water polo player and brings a 1-1-1 record to the four rounder.

Santa Ana native and undefeated jr. middleweight Bryan Flores makes his local boxing debut. Flores a graduate of Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Business Administration will look to extend his 3-0 record.

Doors open at 6:30pm with the first bout at 7pm. All tickets priced at $60 are available at www.fightcluboc.com

For Future 2016 Fight Club OC dates and other information go to www.fightcluboc.com.

CBS Sports Network presents KNOCKOUT NIGHT AT THE D on Saturday, March 12 (11:00 PM, ET), headlined by five-time World Champion Zab Judah, who squares off against Josh Torres in the 10-round main event.

SHOWTIME Sports’ Al Bernstein is joined by Jim “JR” Ross to call the action, as well as Kevin Kelley, who will handle post-fight interviews.

In addition to Saturday, CBS Sports Network will air seven other KNOCKOUT NIGHT AT THE D events in 2016, including Saturday, April 16, Friday, May 13 and Friday, June 10. CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.

MONTREAL (March 10, 2016) – Former IBF Middleweight World Champion David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs) and his opponent San Benito, Texas’ “King” James De La Rosa (23-3, 13 KOs) hosted a final press conference, yesterday, ahead of their 10-round middleweight showdown on March 12 at Montreal’s Olympia Theatre.

The exciting middleweight battle is set to broadcast live in the U.S. by FOX Deportes and will be available in English via live stream by Ring TV, both starting at 7:00 p.m. PT/ 10:00 p.m. ET. Below are what the fighters had to say about their upcoming bout:

DAVID LEMIEUX, Former IBF Middleweight World Champion:
“I’m just coming back from a big fight, but I’ve moved on. I am ready to step into the ring to win.

“I’m glad to be back home with all the fans who have supported me throughout my career. People who see this fight will get their money’s worth, it’s going to be an exciting fight.”

JAMES DE LA ROSA, Middleweight Contender:

“I am here to fight. I had a great training camp and feel confident that on fight night I will be the best.”

CAMILLE ESTEPHAN, President of Eye of the Tiger Management:

“We have done our work in and out of the ring and we are happy to announce that everything is set in motion for a wonderful gala this Saturday at the Olympia.

“We also look forward to watch our young and fierce future champions on the undercard take on some serious opponents and of course happy to have David with his home fans.”

Tickets for the event are on sale now starting at $59 CAN and $349 CAN for ringside and available at www.admission.com. For further information, visit www.eottm.com and www.goldenboypromotions.com or follow on Twitter @Lemieuxboxing, @KingJamesDLR, @EOTMVD and @GoldenBoyBoxing.

David Lemieux vs. James de la Rosa is a 10-round fight presented by Eye of the Tiger Management in association with Golden Boy Promotions. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. E.T. and the first fight begins at 7:00 p.m. E.T. The event will be broadcast in HD for $59.99 and $54.99 in SD on Indigo and all pay-per-view channels across Canada starting at 9:00 p.m. E.T. and the undercard will be televised by TVA Sports starting at 7:00 p.m. E.T. The U.S. broadcast is presented by FOX Deportes and via live stream by Ring TV starting at 7:00 p.m. PT/10:00 p.m. ET.

Los Angeles, CA (March 10, 2016) Boxing Superstar, Unified Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and Consensus #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter and WBC Flyweight World Champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez are once again proving to be the hottest ticket in boxing as over 10,000 tickets have already been purchased for UNDEFEATED, set for Saturday, April 23 at The Fabulous Forum.

“Tickets have been selling fast since we put them on sale less than a month ago and we are on pace to have another complete sell out,” said Tom Loeffler. “Coming off a sold-out Madison Square Garden on October 17 with over 20,000 boxing fans, Gennady is demonstrating once again his ability to headline a sold out event.”

“All of the ticket prices are selling fast with our $30 seats already sold out and we strongly encourage fans to purchase their tickets quickly.”

This is Golovkin’s second fight at The Fabulous Forum and tickets are selling at a much faster pace for this promotion than they did for his debut at the iconic venue on May 16, 2015 when 12,732 were in attendance.

Remaining tickets for the April 23rd event can be purchased through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000) and the Forum Box Office.

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Boxing Superstar and Undefeated, Unified World Middleweight Champion Golovkin, 34-0 (31KO’s) will defend his titles against Undefeated Mandatory Challenger Dominic Wade, 18-0 (12KO’s) in the main event at UNDEFEATED.

Co-featured will be Consensus #1 Pound-For-Pound Fighter and WBC Flyweight World Champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, 44-0 (38KO’s) battling World Ranked Contender McWilliams Arroyo, 16-2 (14KO’s) of Puerto Rico.

Both bouts will be televised Live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Golovkin vs. Wade is promoted by K2 Promotions, GGG Promotions and in association with TGB Promotions. Gonzalez vs. McWilliams is presented by K2 Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and PR Best Boxing Promotions.

SOCIAL MEDIA: For more information, visit www.K2Promos.com, www.GGGBoxing.com, www.TGBPromotions.com, www.FabulousForum.com and www.HBO.com/boxing.

Follow on Twitter at Gennady Golovkin @GGGBoxing, Dominic Wade @_DomoWade,
Roman Gonzalez @chocolatitobox, Tom Loeffler/K2 Promotions @TomLoeffler1, TGB Promotions @TGBpromotions, the Forum @theForum and HBO Boxing @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/GGGBoxing, www.facebook.com/TheForum and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Use the hashtags #GolovkinWade and #GonzalezArroyo to join the conversations on social media.

WBO World Lightweight champion Terry Flanagan and challenger Derry Mathews went head to head one last time at today’s press conference before their massive world title showdown at the Liverpool Echo Arena this Saturday, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Merseyside hero Mathews is looking to land a full world title in his 50th professional fight in front of his home crowd. All-action ‘Dirty’ Derry is one of the toughest fighters to come out of Liverpool and is planning on winning by any means necessary. Mathews, 38-9-2, 20 KOs, has previously won interim World, British and Commonwealth titles but now wants to be recognised as the best lightweight in the world.

“I’m in this game to fight the best and Terry Flanagan is the best; he’s the world champion. On Saturday I want people to say I’m the best when I beat him to become the world champion,” said Mathews.

He added: “I think mine and Terry’s styles gel well so it’s going to be an exciting fight. We’re both putting it all on the line and neither of us are going to run away from each other. We both like to have a bit of a fight,”

“I don’t care how I win as long as I win. If it goes early it goes early, if it goes to points it goes to points. As long as I have a new belt around my waist and my arms raised that’s all I care about. I’m here to fight and if I stick to my game plan I win the fight.”

Flanagan holds a win over Mathews from when the North West rivals fought it out in a Prize Fighter contest back in 2013 but is expecting a tougher fight this time round. The Mancunian lightweight star is undefeated in all 29 of his professional fights and is planning on showing the Liverpool crowd why he’s rated as the world’s best.

“I think we’re both different fighters now. The Prize Fighter fight was a few years back now and we’ve both improved since then. Whatever is going to happen will happen on the night. We’ve both trained hard for this, we’re both in the best shape of our lives and the best man will win; I believe that’s me,” said Flanagan.

He said: “It’s going to be a good night in Liverpool. I think it’s going to be a bit hostile for me coming from Manchester so it should be a good atmosphere. The hostility doesn’t bother me; not where I’m from! The atmosphere isn’t going to bother me. I’m sure there’s plenty of Scousers out there who want Derry to get beat and loads of Mancs who want to see me lose,”

He added: “I think I’m the best lightweight in the world but it’s for you to judge. Obviously I can’t look past Derry but when I come through Saturday they’re the kind of fights I want to prove that I’m the best.”

Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren expressed his excitement over the eagerly-anticipated all-British blockbuster and predicted a gripping contest between two determined men who will stop at nothing to get their win.

“The main event is a cracking fight. I think it has all the ingredients of being fight of the year. The build up to the Carl Frampton versus Scott Quigg fight was quite intense but the fight turned out to be a damp squib. They were arguing about dressing rooms but Terry and Derry would get changed in the car park for this fight. All they care about is getting the fight on and getting in the ring and one of them coming out with the prize,” said Warren.

He added: “Steve Maylett and Danny Vaughan have got their guys in fantastic condition. There’s going to be no excuses after; they’re 100% ready. The winner will win on merit and that’s how it’s going to be.”

Manchester’s WBA lightweight champion Anthony Crolla has been earmarked as a potential opponent for the winner of Saturday’s showdown. Crolla lost to Liverpool’s Mathews earlier in his career by a sixth round stoppage and would be keen for revenge. The old foes fought out an absorbing draw when they met in a rematch back in 2013, with many describing it as the fight of the year. ‘Turbo’ would be keen to take on his schoolmate to find out who the real Macunian lightweight king is. Warren believes it is a contest that would make sense for all parties.

He said: “We’ve offered Anthony £500,000 to fight the winner and that offer still stands. It’s a real hotbed up here at the moment in this division so let’s find out who the best fighter is in the North West is. That fight makes a lot of sense, I know he’s not making that kind of money to fight Barroso so there it’s a no brainer. It’s a big pay day for the Anthony and the winner of this fight so let’s get it on.”

Terry Flanagan v Derry Mathews for the WBO World Lightweight Championship headlines the show that features world boxing star and dynamite punching South African Zolani Tete challenging for the Vacant IBF International Bantamweight Championship against Jose Santos Gonzalez; Birmingham ace Tommy Langford defends his WBO Intercontinental Middleweight title against Lewis Taylor; hard-hitting Ellesmere Port’s star Paul Butler will challenge for the Vacant WBO International Super-Flyweight title; Blackpool’s Matty Askin defends his English Cruiserweight title against Corby’s Simon Barclay. The undercard features some of the best talent in Merseyside: undefeated leading world title contender Kevin Satchell; European Champion Ryan Farrag; Indian superstar Vijender Singh plus Manchester prospects Macaulay McGowan and Zelfa Barrett and Leicester ace Lyon Woodstock complete the card.

Doors will open at 5pm with the first fight starting at 5.30pm.

Ticket for ‘A Tale Of Two Cities’ are priced at £40, £60, £80, £100, £150* and are available from:

Eventim
0844 249 1000
www.eventim.co.uk

Liverpool Echo Arena
0844 8000 400
www.echoarena.com

Ticketmaster
0844 844 0444
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

A special V.I.P ticket priced at £250* that includes an inner ringside V.I.P seat, lanyard, complimentary beer, wine and soft drink (between a certain time period) and canapés are available to purchase through the Frank Warren Box Office office only on 01992 505 550.

The Channel Of Champions, BoxNation, will televise live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 415 and Freeview 255. Subscribe at www.boxnation.com or watch online at watch.boxnation.com and via iPhone, iPad or Android and Amazon devices.