BROOKLYN (June 3, 2015) – Do not make the mistake of being fooled by his nickname, “Big Baby.”

Heavyweight prospect Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller possesses adult-sized power, and he’s the one making opponents ttwice when he steps in with them, and starts unloading power shots.

The 6-4, 260 pound Brooklyn-based boxer gloves up Thursday, June 4, in Brooklyn, on a show promoted by Dmitriy Salita’s Star of David Promotions. Miller, age 26, faces off with Michigan’s Damon “Bulldog” McCreary, who sports a 15-4 record.

Miller offered his prediction of what will go down on Thursday night at the LIU Brooklyn Paramount Theater. Or, rather, who…

“I will win by first round knockout,” Miller stated. “The jab will be the key. McCreary is a jittery fighter. The jab will calm him down and then I will bring the power.”

Longer term, Miller says he’s looking to build his record to 20-0, and then? “Look out Anthony Joshua! I’m looking at you!”

Joshua is a Brit boxer, who is making noise in the heavyweight division. Miller knows he can upset his apple-cart, soon.

First up, McCreary, though. Promoter Salita spoke about the show and Miller’s promise.

“I am honored to promote the first boxing show at this historic venue, the Brooklyn Paramount Theater,” Salita said. “It will feature Brooklyn’s own undefeated heavyweight sensation Jarrell Miller, who will electrify NYC. The buzz is building around Miller, me and co-promoter Greg Cohen are keeping him busy. He also fights June 26.With his power, and his charisma–his smile lights up a room!–I think the sky is the limit for “Big Baby!”

The Paramount is located at Long Island University, 1 University Plaza, Brooklyn, NY

In the 8-round co-feature, Dimash Niyazov (7-0-3, 4 KO’s) of Staten Island, NY takes on Ariel Duran (8-7-1, 5 KO’s) of Queens, NY in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

In 6-round bouts:

Steven Martinez (15-2, 12 KO’s) of Bronx, NY will take on an opponent to be named in a Super Welterweight bout.

Akil Auguste (6-1, 5 KO’s) of Brooklyn, NY will fight Quincy Brown (1-2, 1 KO) of Millbrook, AL in a Middleweight bout.

In 4-round bouts:

Steve Geffrard (10-2, 7 KO’s) of Miami, FL will battle Eric George (3-9) of Niagara Falls, NY in a Cruiserweight bout.

Bakhtiyar Eyubov (5-0, 5 KO’s) of Almaty, Kazakhstan will take on Jason Thompson (5-9-4, 4 KO’s) of New York in a Super Welterweight bout.

Dewayne Zeigler (4-0-1, 4 KO’s) of Montgomery, AL will fight Jeremy Graves (0-4) of Niagara Falls, NY in a Lightweight bout.

Julian Sosa (1-0) of Brooklyn, NY will take on an opponent to be named in a Welterweight bout.

Super Bantamweight Michael Stoute of Long Island, NY will make his pro debut against an opponent to be named.

Tickets for the event are on sale and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

PEC was launched in April by Barclays Center developer Bruce Ratner and Onexim Sports and Entertainment, with all business operations overseen by Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark. PEC and LIU Brooklyn announced recently that LIU Brooklyn Paramount Theatre, located at Flatbush and DeKalb Avenues on the LIU Brooklyn campus, will focus on booking emerging talent. LIU Brooklyn Paramount will soon undergo a 24-month renovation and will host more than 120 events annually.

ABOUT STAR OF DAVID PROMOTIONS
Star of David Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature the brightest prospects, as well as seasoned pugilists, in and around the New York City area. Viewers have enjoyed watching Star of David fighters in recent years on Spike TV, ESPN2, MSG, and Universal Sports Network. Please visit www.Salitapromotions.com for more information.

LOS ANGELES (June 3)- Eye of the Tiger Management and Golden Boy Promotions in association with King Sports Worldwide and Evenko are excited to announce the U.S. broadcast of the highly anticipated vacant IBF Middleweight World Championship match-up between the Quebec power puncher David Lemieux (33-2, 31 KOs) and number one contender Hassan N’Dam (31-1, 18 KOs) on FOX Sports 2 and FOX Deportes on June 20 at 10:00 p.m. ET from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

The FOX Sports 2 and FOX Deportes triple-header will feature the return of the undefeated Cuban heavyweight Luis “King Kong” Ortiz (21-0, 18 KOs) in the eight-round televised opener. In the co-main event, Dierry “All In” Jean (28-1, 20 KOs) of Quebec, Canada will face Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes (19-6, 5 KOs) of Corpus Christi, Texas in a 10-round fight for the NABF Lightweight title.

“Being on FOX Sports is a great opportunity to use this exposure and show fans an explosive night of boxing,” said David Lemieux. “I plan to put on a show and draw more people as fans to my sport.”

“We are very pleased to have FOX Sports as a partner helping in the visibility of David Lemieux’s career,” said Camille Estephan, President of Eye of the Tiger Management. “David is a rising star not only in the world of boxing but as well in the world of sports generally and the coverage should help in making a cross over from his sport of boxing to the world of sports.”

“The broadcast on FOX Sports will allow American audiences the chance to see a great fight featuring two of the most exciting stars in boxing,” said Oscar De La Hoya, President and Found of Golden Boy Promotions. “This match-up will deliver action-packed intensity as both Lemieux and N’Dam are hungry to move their careers forward and claim the title.”

Tickets, which will be offered for as low as $70 (CAD) (taxes and service charges included), and are on sale now at www.evenko.ca and at the Bell Centre box office. For further information, please visit us at and www.eottm.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.evenko.ca or call 1-855-310-2525. Follow us on Twitter @Lemieuxboxing, @EOTMVD, @GoldenBoyBoxing and @evenko.

Currently ranked in the top ten middleweight fighters by the IBF, WBO, and WBA, David Lemieux is coming off of his eighth consecutive win and seventh consecutive knockout against Gabriel “King” Rosado in a headlining bout at Barclays Center on December 2014. Lemieux’s previous bout against Fernando Guerrero for the then vacant NABF middleweight title resulted in a dominating win, knocking down Guerrero in the first round, second round, third round and finally a technical knockout in the fourth round. Now David Lemieux is certainly seen as a serious contender against the elite of the middleweight division.

Number one contender Hassan N’Dam of Pantin, Seine-Saint-Denis, France is a fierce fighter known for his speed and endurance in the ring. A professional since 2004, N’Dam has already accumulated the WBA International Middleweight Title and the WBA World Middleweight title beating out seasoned fighters Omard Gabriel Weis and Giovanni Lorenzo for his shot at a world title. Having lost via unanimous decision to Peter Quillin for the WBO World Middleweight Title in 2012, the top contender is ready for prove that he has the makings for of a world champion when he faces David Lemieux for the vacant IBF Middleweight World Title.

Undefeated Cuba heavyweight, Luis “King Kong” Ortiz has had a successful career knocking out opponent after opponent since his professional debut in 2010. Ortiz has faced and defeated some of the toughest fighters of the sport, including Luis Andres Pineda, Henry Saenz, Alex Gonzalez and Lateef Kayode, all while adding the WBA FECARBOX Heavyweight Title, the WBA Fedelatin Heavyweight Title and the WBO and WBC Latino Heavyweight titles to his collection. The contender is returning from a seven-month hiatus after fighting for the interim WBA Heavyweight World Championship in September 2014 and is ready to prove himself in front of fans and critics that he is back as a serious contender in the sport.

Haitian-born Canadian boxer Dierry Jean made his professional debut in December 2006, triumphing over Stephane Fleury in current home of Montreal. Since his debut, the 33 year-old fighter has racked up an impressive record of 28 wins. In January 2014, Jean lost in the IBF Welterweight championship bout against Lamont Peterson but rebounded by recently defeating Mario Perez and Daniel Ruiz in 2014 and Carlos Manuel Reyes in March 2015. He looks to continue his current winning streak as he goes up against Jerry Belmontes vying for the NABF lightweight title.

Hailing from Corpus Christi, Texas, Jerry Belmontes made his professional debut winning over Olvin Mejia in January 2008 and continued his winning streak with an impressive 17 straight wins before his first loss to Eric Hunter in 2012. After tough fights against Francisco Vargas in 2013, amateur rival Omar Figueroa Jr and Abner Cotto in 2014, and Miguel Vazquez in 2015, Belmontes will look to make a comeback against Dierry Jean on June 20.

David Lemieux vs. Hassan N’Dam is a 12-round fight for the vacant IBF Middleweight World Championship presented by Eye of the Tiger Management and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Evenko. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET and the first bell rings at 6:45 p.m. ET. The live PPV telecast airs at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT and the FOX Sports 2 and FOX Deportes broadcast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT. The live action on FOX Sports 2 and FOX Deportes is available to customers of participating pay TV providers via FOX Sports GO app and on the web through FOXSportsGO.com. FOX Sports GO is currently available for iOS, Android, Kindle Fire tablets and Fire phones and select Windows devices.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, today announced an exclusive multi-year programming agreement with Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts organization World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) to broadcast live events and the existing archive in Canada, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The deal kicks off this weekend with a short tape delay broadcast of WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki from Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Airing June 6 at Midnight ET, the event is headlined by WSOF featherweight champion Lance Palmer defending against Canada’s own Chris Horodecki, while WSOF heavyweight champion Smealinho Rama, another Canadian, defends the coveted title against Bulgarian powerhouse Blagoi Ivanov.

WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki will repeat on Saturday, June 6 at 4 p.m. ET and Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. ET.

WSOF is led by president Ray Sefo, a six-time world kickboxing champion and two-time Hall of Famer. The promotion has staged 20 events to date, featuring internationally renowned superstars such as Andrei Arlovski, Anthony Johnson, David Branch, Rousimar Palhares, Jake Shields, Yushin Okami and Jon Fitch. .

WSOF has also spawned the careers of the next generation of MMA superstars, including reigning bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes, featherweight champion Palmer, undefeated lightweight champion Justin Gaethje and undefeated light heavyweight Tyrone Spong.

The first event scheduled to air live on Fight Network is the blockbuster WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields world championship card on Aug. 1, 2015 in Las Vegas, headlined by a showcase of elite grapplers as WSOF welterweight champion Palhares defends against former Strikeforce champion and UFC title challenger Shields.

Also featured at WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields is a bantamweight title bout pitting the champion Moraes against undefeated Brazilian Sheymon Moraes, and a light heavyweight special attraction featuring Spong in the toughest test of his MMA career against heavy-handed veteran Mike Kyle, who makes his third appearance in the WSOF cage.

“WSOF has rapidly become one of the top promotions in North America and we’re thrilled to bring these world-class live events to our viewers,” said Chad Midgley, VP of Content at Fight Network. “Shows feature a great assortment of established names and highly touted prospects, providing a perfect balance of nostalgia for longtime fans while exposing viewers to fresh talent. With regularly scheduled events in Canada, homegrown stars can now be seen nationally across the country.”

“We are thrilled to partner with such a dynamic and robust television platform like Fight Network, and bring our live event programming to the highly passionate combat sports fan base in Canada where we have made a concerted effort to establish WSOF’s footprint,” said WSOF president, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer, Ray Sefo.

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

About Fight Network:

Fight Network (www.fightnetwork.com) is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available on Cablevision’s Optimum TV and Texas-based Grande Communications in the U.S., all major carriers in Canada, over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, a programming block on Pursuit Channel (www.pursuitchannel.com), on TSN Radio in Canada via its program “Live Audio Wrestling,” and its programming on Sirius XM Channel 167. Fight Network’s parent company Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp. launched Fantasy (FNTSY) Sports Network (www.fantasysportsnetwork.com) across North America in March 2014 and also holds a significant ownership interest in Pursuit Channel.

About World Series of Fighting (WSOF):

“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

Newark, NJ (June 3, 2015)–Just two weeks after winning the 2015 Boxcino Jr, Middleweight tournament, John “Apollo Kidd” Thompson (17-1, 6 KO’s) is already getting back in shape and wants a quick ring return.

Thompson won his title by stopping Brandon Adams in two rounds on May 22 in Corona, California, in what was the last show of ESPN Friday Night Fights.

“Everything is going well. I am already back working out. I have been receiving a lot of calls to do interviews and being acknowledged,” said Thompson.

“I am going back to down to camp this weekend and start preparing for my next fight.”

Thompson credits his self belief for his success and knows that the best is yet to come.

“I always had big confidence in myself. If you don’t believe in yourself, you already lost. My goal is to be number-one.”

“I am just ready to get back in the ring and put on a good show, entertain and continue to win,” finished Thompson.

Thompson is promoted by GH3 Promotions and Banner Promotions.

GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Jr. Middleweight John Thompson, Jr., undefeated Welterweight Jerrell Harris,undefeated Super Bantamweight Qa’id Muhammad, undefeated lightweight Oscar Bonilla and Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell to the GH3 Promotions stable.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents the latest edition of Golden Boy Promotions’ popular new LA FIGHT CLUB series this Thursday, June 4 at 10 p.m. ET from Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, Calif.

Fight Network’s live broadcast will air exclusively in Canada.

In the main event, undefeated top prospect Jayson Velez (22-0-1, 16 KOs) of Caguas, Puerto Rico will battle it out against Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico’s Daniel “Huracan” Ramirez (11-1, 5 KOs), in hopes of continuing his winning streak in a 10-round featherweight bout.

“In response to high demand, LA FIGHT CLUB is back June 4 at The Belasco Theater for the fourth time and will feature another card of thrilling fights from start to finish,” said Oscar De La Hoya, founder and president of Golden Boy Promotions. “These sellouts crowds demonstrate that boxing is not dead. The fans want to be entertained; they want to see fighters give it their all and battle it out in the ring for the win, and that is what LA FIGHT CLUB continues to deliver every month.”

The co-main televised event features Carlos “The Solution” Morales (7-1-3, 2 KOs) of Los Angeles taking on Emmanuel Gonzalez (14-1, 7 KOs) of the Bronx, New York in an eight-round super bantamweight bout. Opening the telecast, Los Angeles favorite Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (9-0, 9 KOs) will face Darryl Hayes (3-4, 1 KO) of Houston in a six-round super featherweight fight.

Hailing from Caguas, Puerto Rico, Jayson Velez made his professional debut in 2007 and his U.S. debut in his ninth fight in June 2009 triumphing over Jesus Bayron at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In 2012, Velez returned to Madison Square Garden to face Salvador Sánchez II, winning the WBC Silver featherweight championship. Velez has continued his winning streak through 2014, most recently taking down Miguel Soto in a second round technical knockout victory in April 2014 in Puerto Rico. Velez’s debut at LA FIGHT CLUB marks his first fight of 2015.

A professional since 2012, Daniel “Huracan” Ramirez of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico is looking to add another win to his record when he faces Velez on June 4. Fighting in the U.S. in all of his 2014 bouts facing top prospects Guy Robb, Aaron Garcia, and Eric Hunter, the Mexican fighter is looking to impress in his first fight of 2015.

LA FIGHT CLUB: Velez vs. Ramirez is a 10-round featherweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions. Fight Network’s broadcast will air live at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT.

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

Las Vegas – UFC® announced today the unveiling of its new, ground-breaking Athlete Marketing and Development program, introduced to provide athletes with programs and tools to help them maximize their careers and succeed long-term, both inside and outside the Octagon®. In coordination with key organizations such as the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Fusionetics, and EXOS, UFC continues to be at the forefront of athlete development, making a significant investment into the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) and, most importantly, the athletes who step into the Octagon.

“Earlier this year, we vowed to take a leadership position on key areas impacting our sport, fighter health and fighter safety,” UFC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lorenzo Fertitta said. “After months of hard work, and the addition of Jeff Novitzky, we have taken the opportunity to not only launch an elite anti-doping policy, but to invest, develop and deploy a year-round Athlete Marketing and Development program focused on the preparation, performance and education of our athletes.”

As UFC continues to evolve as one of the world’s leading sports organizations, it has engaged USADA to run the first all-encompassing, independently administered, anti-doping policy for a professional sports organization. The policy is a central part of UFC’s expanded efforts to protect the health and safety of its athletes, and to protect their right to compete with natural ability on an even playing field.

USADA, universally recognized as a premier anti-doping agency, will act as the independent administrator of the anti-doping policy, beginning July 1, 2015. As the policy ramps up, UFC and USADA will provide athletes with multiple levels of education including: written copies of the policy and accompanying materials, in-person presentations, hands-on demonstration of online and mobile applications, and on-line education courses. Jeff Novitzky, UFC Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance, will spearhead the roll out of the anti-doping policy.

UFC and USADA will release the finalized policy to the athletes, the media and the public by mid-June.

Fusionetics, developed under the leadership of Dr. Micheal A. Clark and a group of scientists, sports medicine professionals, coaches, athletes and business leaders, is a system that was designed and is utilized in the world of professional sports to help athletes improve their performance, speed up their recovery and avoid future injury. The newly announced partnership will allow UFC athletes to access Fusionetics facilities and interact with their staff, providing individualized digital plans that can be utilized on the athletes’ tablets and phones.

EXOS, the leaders in training, nutrition and physical therapy for elite athletes, have worked with some of the best professional athletes in sport and will now begin working closely with UFC athletes. The goal is to help UFC athletes maximize performance and minimize injury risk. During the last week of May, middleweight Luke Rockhold, former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and newly signed middleweight CM Punk became the first UFC athletes to take part in a full week of training at the EXOS facilities in Phoenix learning innovative ways to train, plan and prepare for competition. Phase two of the program will include sending additional athletes to the EXOS facilities, as well as deploying a mobile EXOS team to some of the top gyms in the sport.

Lastly, on June 1 and 2, UFC gathered nearly fifty up-an-coming athletes for its Athlete Summit to unveil the new anti-doping policy and deploy its new Athlete Marketing and Development program. The two-day summit offered classes featuring experts in financial planning, nutrition, and health and wellness, press and social media training, and allowed for personal interaction with all three organizations: USADA, Fusionetics and EXOS.

This new program, and future initiatives to be developed under its umbrella, reflects UFC’s absolute on-going commitment to the health and well-being of its contracted athletes.

For additional information please visit UFC.com, and follow UFC on Twitter @ufc.

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About UFC

UFC® is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Singapore and Sao Paulo, 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 134 countries and territories to over 700 million TV households worldwide in 21 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS™, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT® (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, UFC branded apparel, DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

New York, June 3 – Star Boxing’s popular super welterweight veteran Delvin Rodriguez (28-7-4, 16 KOs) will square off against WBA World Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (20-2-2, 12 KOs) in a 12-round title affair at UIC Pavilion in Chicago on Friday night, June 12. SPIKE TV will televise on its Premiere Boxing Champions series at 9:00 PM.

“We’re proud to have Delvin Rodriguez, with whom we have had a long and successful relationship, showcased on Spike TV, our second fighter in three weeks to appear on the network,” said Joe DeGuardia, president of Star Boxing. “Delvin is extremely popular and familiar to TV boxing fans with regular appearances on ESPN’s ‘Friday Night Fights.’ He is a true gentleman and competitor who has had some spectacular outings.”

After last week’s action-packed welterweight contest featuring Star Boxing’s Chris Algieri and Amir Khan averaged over 1 million views, SPIKE TV will present another primetime fight.

“I know I have a tough fight ahead because Lara is a great, slick boxer,” says the Dominican-born Rodriguez. “I’m not going to tell the people what I’m going to do, but they should know I’m in the best shape ever and my mind is set on autopilot to win no matter what it takes.”

During a 39-fight career, Rodriguez has faced off against such champions as Miguel Cotto and Austin Trout, while notching victories against top-caliber fighters like Mike Arnaoutis, Shamone Alvarez and Pawel Wolak.

Lara has wins over Freddy Hernandez, Alfredo Angulo and Austin Trout. The 32-year-old Cuban champion has recently won his 20th match, defeating former world champion Ishe Smith.

For more information visit official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow on Twitter @ Star Boxing and Facebook.com/StarBoxing.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 3, 2015) – With a complete four-fight main card already announced for “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” on June 26, the promotion has turned its focus to the preliminary showcase with four new fights.

The newly announced bouts include bantamweights Jeimeson “The Minion” Saudino (8-4) vs. Aaron “The Cyborg” Ely (4-2), lightweights Bobby “Super Duper” Cooper (12-5) vs. Pablo Villaseca (9-0), as well as heavyweights Daniel “Big Kansas” Gallemore (4-2) vs. Augusto Sakai (7-0), and female featherweights Iony Razafiarison (2-0) and Bryanna “Pink Ranger” Fissori (1-0).

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” is headlined by a heavyweight clash between French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5). The event takes place June 26 at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.

The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 6:45 p.m. ET/ 5:45 p.m. CT. Tickets for “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” start at just $17 and are currently available at Ticketmaster.com.

Additional announced pairings on the SPIKE-televised card include lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs. John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17), former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) and a contest between middleweight sluggers with Joe “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1) on the event’s featured portion.

In a bantamweight battle between two Kansas natives, Wichita’s Saudino is a scrapper who has won half of his eight professional victories without the judge’s help. He looks to improve to nine wins against Leavenworth’s Ely, a ground game specialist who has earned all four professional victories by submission. This 135-pound bout will be a must-see showcase of Midwest MMA talent.

RFA and Titan FC veteran Cooper has already earned two victories in the Bellator cage and will look to make his fight at Bellator 139 three in a row. He goes up against Villaseca, a Chilean MMA prospect with an unblemished professional record at 9-0, with three knockouts and three submission finishes.

Emporia’s “Big Kansas” Gallemore is a heavyweight who’s hands have earned all four of his victories, three of which have taken place under the Bellator banner. He will meet the undefeated Sakai, a dangerous Brazilian striker who has finished six of seven of his opponents with either his fists or knees.

Iony Razafiarison is a coming off of a unanimous decision victory in her professional debut this past January, and will look to make an immediate impact in her first fight with the Bellator promotion. She will take on Bryanna Fissori, who also makes her promotional debut at Bellator 139 after winning her first career victory by knockout last October.

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” – Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)
Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)
Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1)

Preliminary Card

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Bubba Jenkins (8-2) vs. Joe Wilk (18-10)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Jeimeson Saudino (8-4) vs. Aaron Ely (4-2)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Bobby Cooper (12-5) vs. Pablo Villaseca (9-0)
Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Daniel Gallemore (4-2) vs. Augusto Sakai (7-0)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Iony Razafiarison (2-0) vs. Bryanna Fissori (1-0)

About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About Kansas Star Arena
The Kansas Star Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility, is located just off Exit 33 on the Kansas Turnpike and is adjacent to the Kansas Star Casino. The 42,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Kansas Star Arena is south-central Kansas’ home for big-name national acts such as Journey, Pat Benatar, Championship Rodeo, mixed martial arts events and more. The Arena accommodates up to 6,500 guests for headliner events. In 2014, Midwest Gaming and Travel awarded the Kansas Star more than 25 honors in its annual Reader’s Choice Awards, including “Best Concert Venue” in the state of Kansas. For more information, visit kansasstarcasino.com. Connect with Kansas Star Arena at facebook.com/kansasstararena and www.kansasstarcasino.com/entertain/arena. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming is a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Jersey. Boyd Gaming and Kansas Star Casino press releases are available at boydgaming.mediaroom.com.

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Wednesday, June 3, 2015) – Uprising Promotions super featherweight Angel Luna (10-1-1, 6 KOs) returns to action on Saturday night, where he will compete on the undercard of the WBC Middleweight Championship Bout between titleholder Miguel Cotto and Daniel Geale at Barclays Center. A tough task awaits the Dominican prospect in Brooklyn, facing undefeated Puerto Rican Jose Lopez (15-0-1, 11 KOs).

“Angel has a tough fight in front of him, but I am expecting him to put on a really good performance,” said promoter Ronson Frank, who will also be working Luna’s corner with trainer Mateo De La Cruz. “We have been working on adding a few new components to his game that will make him a more polished fighter. Both mentally and physically, Angel is ready for the task he is facing on Saturday night, and it should be a really good match-up.”

Luna returns to the ring on Saturday night for the third time in 2015, with his last bout occurring on an episode of ESPN Friday Night Fights against tactical Philadelphia fighter Tevin Farmer. In that fight, Luna looked to apply pressure to the elusive and more experienced Farmer, but the end result was a decision defeat. Despite the loss, it served a great learning experience for the young Dominican.

Prior to the bout with Farmer, Luna fought on a February 13th Uprising Promotions card in Long Island City, Queens. In that contest, Luna dropped Jhovanny Collado twice in the opening round before cruising to landslide victory on the cards.

Undefeated Jose Lopez will be fighting outside of the Dominican Republic and his native Puerto Rico for just the second time of his professional career on Saturday night. His only other bout in the United States occurred on the undercard to Miguel Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez at Madison Square Garden, where Cotto defeated Martinez to earn the WBC crown he defends against Geale in this weekend’s main event.

Uprising Promotions is currently planning its next fight card for July, with details regarding that announcement being unveiled in the coming weeks.

For more information on Uprising Promotions and to keep up with all of the latest news, make sure to follow us on social media: @UprisingNYC
UPRISING PROMOTIONS MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to grow interest in the sport of boxing in New York City by showcasing entertaining and evenly matched fights. We are focused on providing opportunities to local New York City area fighters.

Mateusz Masternak (35-2, 25 KOs) is oozing with confidence ahead of his ten round cruiserweight clash with Johnny Muller (18-4-2, 13 KOs) on Saturday night at the Emperors Palace in Gauteng, South Africa.

Accompanied by his training team of Georg Bramowski and Ralf Lewandowski, Masternak arrived in the South African province on Monday, giving the Polish-puncher optimum time to adjust to the change in climate and altitude.

‘’I like it here in South Africa,’’ revealed the 28 year-old. ‘’Everyone is very friendly, and my team and I feel very comfortable. The weather is similar to Germany, there’s no time difference and I’ve had enough time to adapt to the slightly different climate and high altitude. I feel great and will definitely be in top form on Saturday night.’’

While in South Africa, Masternak has also had the opportunity to size up his opponent Muller, and ‘The Master’ has offered the following assessment of the man he will meet on Saturday night.

‘’Muller is a blown up light heavyweight and I intend to show him what it means to box at cruiserweight,’’ said the former European Champion. ‘’It means more than just eating more food and putting on weight. After the fight, I’m sure he will have learned his lesson and move back down to light heavyweight.’’

Having suffered a setback in his last title fight, Masternak has got his promising career back on track. Following an impressive points victory over former cruiserweight king Jean Marc Mormeck in Paris, the Pole is on the cusp of a world title challenge. Coach Georg Bramowski, one of the senior members of Ulli Wegner’s training team, knows Masternak cannot afford any slips up in South Africa, and has warned him not to ‘’underestimate’’ Muller.

‘’We know that it won’t be an easy fight,” said Bramowski. ‘’But we are well prepared. Muller is physically very strong and we must not underestimate him. He is also boxing at home, which will be an advantage for him, but Mateusz has proven in Paris, that for him it doesn’t matter where he fights, he has to give his best at all times, he knows how to fight for a victory and that’s what we will do on Saturday.’’

Polish fans can watch Masternak vs. Muller on POLSAT Sport from 22.00.

In a massive night for Norwegian boxing, the country’s star super middleweight Tim-Robin Lihaug (12-1, 7 KOs) will take on the undefeated Arne Ernestsen (7-0, 3 KOs) in a hotly anticipated domestic dust up on June 20 at the Ballerup Super Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark.

With speculation building in the press, the verbal sparring between both camps has already begun. Now confirmed, the war of words has intensified as Lihaug and Ernestsen prepare for their super middleweight showdown.

‘’I’m extremely confident,’’ said Lihaug. ‘’I know exactly what Arne will be bringing to the table and I know exactly what I must do to beat him. I’ve already stopped him as an amateur and now I’m going to beat him as a professional. Arne and his team have already said a lot in the press but I honestly don’t know where they get their confidence from.

‘’It will be a good test for me but I only see one outcome. I’ve been in this kind of situation before. I’ve had tough fights, I’ve fought undefeated fighters and I’ve gone ten rounds. I have all the advantages. On June 20, I will be bringing my best and that will be more than enough to beat Arne.’’

‘’I’m coming to win and I will do whatever it takes to achieve this,’’ said Ernestsen. ‘’I know Tim well from when we used to train together and I know I can beat him. He is going to be in for the toughest fight of his career. It’s an exciting time for Norwegian boxing and I’m pleased to be a part of it. This fight will be another step forward in my boxing career and a chance for me to prove I’m the best in Norway!’’

With only three weeks to go until fight night, Lihaug is currently being put through his paces by coach Ulf Johansen, who having taken control of the Bergen-boxer’s corner in September 2014 has guided him to five consecutive victories, including a memorable win against fellow Norwegian Simen Smaadal. With another domestic showdown on the horizon, Johansen is confident of continuing their unbeaten run.

‘’This is a fight we are looking forward to,’’ said the renowned Norwegian coach. ‘’They have backed themselves into a corner with the comments they have made in the press and now I’m sure they’re regretting it! Arne has never fought at this level before. There is no way Tim can lose. He is the better boxer and the bigger puncher. I don’t see this fight going the distance. Tim has already stopped him once as an amateur and I expect him to stop Arne again.’’

Another man not lost for words is Ernestsen’s manager and trainer Helge Wærøy, who last month laid down the challenge for Lihaug to face his unbeaten protégé. ‘’This is the most interesting fight between two Norwegian fighters in years,’’ said Wærøy. ‘’Lihaug has received a lot of attention in the Norwegian media, while Arne is totally unknown. Lihaug also has the coach with the biggest mouth in Europe, but that is not going to help them in the ring. They do not know what they are facing, and they are probably trembling at the knees at the thought of it, as all humans do when they are facing something unknown and terrifying.’’

Said promoter Nisse Sauerland: ‘’This is going to be a fascinating match up and an excellent showpiece for Norwegian boxing. We have two young, hungry fighters ready to go to war to prove they are their country’s number one. They fought as amateurs and used to train together, so they know each other well. It will be interesting to see how they have both developed since then. Whatever the outcome we’re expecting an entertaining fight and an exciting addition to our Nordic Fight Night event at the Ballerup Super Arena.’’

Lihaug and Ernestsen join a star-studded Scandinavian line up for the Nordic Fight Night on June 20. Danish super middleweight Patrick Nielsen (25-1, 12 KOs) defends his WBA International title against Charles Adamu (23-6, 17 KOs), featherweight talent Dennis Ceylan (14-0-1, 7 KOs) takes on Sergio Prado (10-4-1, 4 KOs) and Swedish light welterweight Anthony Yigit (13-0-1, 5 KOs) faces Tony Owen (16-3, 3 KOs). All the action will be shown live on Viasat Sport in Norway. Tickets are available via billetlugen.dk.

LONDON (3 June) – BoxNation has added the exciting clash between Quebec puncher David Lemieux and number one contender Hassan N’Dam for the vacant IBF middleweight world title on June 20 to its sizzling summer schedule.

The 160-pound duo will meet in Montreal, Canada at the Bell Centre as they compete for the middleweight crown in a division stacked from top to bottom with star-studded talent.

Hard-hitting Lemieux, with a record of 31 knockouts from 33 wins, first captured the attention of the boxing world during his impressive win against Gabriel Rosado in Brooklyn, New York last year.

When the IBF middleweight title became vacant, the confrontation between Lemieux, who is currently ranked fourth in the world by the IBF, and number one contender N’Dam became eminent.

The division is currently stacked with world-class names including Kazakh assassin Gennady Golovkin and Puerto Rican legend Miguel Cotto.

“It was really important for my team and I to bring this fight here to Quebec,” said Lemieux. “The fans here have supported me from the beginning of my career and for that I am extremely grateful. I want to live this significant moment of my career with Quebecers and will do all that I can for them to be proud of me. I am ready to offer the very best of myself. Those close to me and my fans will see all the blood they want!”

“I’m thrilled to be fighting for the middleweight championship,” said N’Dam. “I’ve very thankful and I look forward to fighting in Montreal and leaving with the title.”

The undercard will feature some of the most talented boxers in Quebec, including Dierry Jean (28-1, 20 KOs), Schiller Hyppolite (15-1, 10 KOs), Ghislain Maduma (16-1, 10 KOs), Steven Butler (11-0, 9 KOs), Mian Hussain (11-0, 6 KOs), Ayaz Hussain (5-0, 3 KOs), Yves Ulysse Jr. (6-0, 4 KOs) and Mathieu Germain (1-0).

The stacked bill joins a cracking summer line-up on BoxNation which sees a host of top class action including Cotto vs. Daniel Geale this Saturday, Nicholas Walters vs. Miguel Marriaga, Tim Bradley vs. Jessie Vargas, Terry Flanagan vs. Jose Zepeda, Frank Buglioni vs. Lee Markham and Sergey Kovalev vs. Nadjib Mohammedi.

For details on how to subscribe to BoxNation for just £12 a month please visit boxnation.com.

-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.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

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

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03 June 2015 – Guangzhou, China: Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has announced the complete fight card for ONE: DYNASTY OF CHAMPIONS which takes place 20 June, 2015 at the Guangzhou Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou, China. ONE will feature an epic clash of featherweights in the main event, as Timofey Nastyukhin and Yusuke Kawanago go head-to-head.

Marcos Santana and Ruel “The Wushu” Catalan of the Philippines will face off in a flyweight contest. Zorobabel Moreira returns to the ONE cage against Christian Holley.

In the ONE Championship Chinese Flyweight Tournament, Wang Shuo battles Ba Ya La Ga while Wu Ze takes on Wu Hui Qiang. In addition, the Guangzhou Flyweight Tournament Alternate Bout will see Hu Ri Ge battle Zhao Xiao Tong.

In the ONE Championship Chinese Featherweight Tournament, Ma Jia Wen faces Biekemulati Nulijiao and Huang Di Yuan meets Tian Jian She. The Guangzhou Featherweight Tournament Alternate Bout will see the clash between Chinese fighters Wang Ya Yong and Li Yun Long.

Tickets for ONE: DYNASTY OF CHAMPIONS are available NOW at http://damai.cn.

CEO of ONE Championship™, Victor Cui, stated, “We are ecstatic that we have put together a fantastic fight card for Chinese fight fans. In the main event, we have two international stars squaring off as the hard-hitting Timofey Nastyukhin of Russia takes on Yusuke Kawanago of Japan. We also have a flyweight and a featherweight tournament in place to determine the best prospects to come out of the mainland. Get ready for an evening of world-class mixed martial arts!”

Timofey Nastyukhin announced his arrival on the global stage with a devastating knockout of Eduard Folayang at ONE: WARRIOR’S WAY last December. After a series of ferocious striking exchanges, Nastyukhin landed a perfectly timed flying knee on Folayang, effectively ending the bout in just one round. The knockout is considered by most as one of the best knockouts of 2014. He now returns to action against a fellow striker. Nastyukhin will take on the tough Yusuke Kawanago.

Yusuke Kawanago is a featherweight contender with a record of 13 wins and 4 losses. His well-rounded skills have brought him success in the sport, racking up wins in other promotions before making his ONE Championship debut against Rob Lisita last May 2014. Kawanago’s vast experience makes him a formidable opponent for any fighter. He’ll try to derail the fast rise of Nastyukhin in his next bout.

Zorobabel Moreira is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and a 3rd degree black belt under Carlos Gracie Junior. He has only been to a decision once in 10 professional bouts and has defeated some of the best lightweights in the world. Moreira returns to the ONE cage after being seen in an epic battle with Koji Ando at ONE: BATTLE OF LIONS last November. This time Moreira faces Christian Holley in a matchup of top lightweights.

Originally from England, Christian Holley spent most of his life in Spain having moved there when he was five years old. He has finished 8 of the 11 opponents he has faced thus far, all in impressive fashion. Having reached the pinnacle of the sport in Europe, Holley has set his sights on conquering the lightweight division in ONE. Looking to stake his claim among the top fighters in the division, Holley will be back in the ONE arena to face Brazillian Zorobabel Moreira.

Ruel Catalan of the Philippines is a Wushu practitioner and possesses a solid stand-up game to compliment his great matt skills. Catalan made a successful ONE Championship debut in a 2013 knockout win over Khim Dima and has since then gone 1-1 for the promotion. Known for his lightning quick flurries and his ability to draw opponents into intense striking battles, Catalan will look to take the fight directly to Marcos Santana.

Marcos Santana is originally from Brazil, but now resides in Singapore and is a member of the Evolve Fight Team. He is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion, winning numerous tournaments in his native Brazil. A holder of a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Santana will be making his ONE Championship debut against one of the best flyweights to emerge from the Philippines in Ruel Catalan.

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

About Fun88
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About ONE Championship™
With a 90%+ market share in Asia, ONE Championship™ is Asia’s largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.

LONDON (3 JUNE) Japanese star Ryosuke Iwasa heads to Bristol this week ahead of his June 13 battle with Lee Haskins for the IBF interim world bantamweight championship and is determined to return to the Land of the Rising Sun with the belt around his waist.

The 25-year-old southpaw has long been considered one of Japan’s standout boxing talents and his fight with Haskins marks the first time he will have fought for a version of the world title. It is, therefore, a significant step-up in class – and one he’s more than ready for.

“There is no doubt this is the biggest fight of my career,” said Iwasa, 19-1 (12 KOs). “I have watched a few of Haskins’ videos – the fight with Stephane Jamoye and a few others – and my first impression was that his style reminded me of ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed. He’s a very difficult fighter to figure out. His awkward and tricky style is something that has made him who he is.

“(Shinsuke) Yamanaka is the best opponent I have faced so far in my career, but I’m expecting Haskins to be better, stronger and tougher than him. I have improved so much since then, though. The Yamanaka fight was four years ago for a domestic title. Now I’m fighting at the world-class level.

“Haskins gets careless at times, but I expect him to be fully focused on June 13. My speed and sense of distance will be the difference, though.”

Included on Iwasa’s 20-fight record are impressive wins over David De La Mora and Hiroki Shiino to lift the OPBF bantamweight title. He was formerly the Japanese bantamweight champion and is currently ranked at number three in the world according to the IBF.

Nevertheless, this trip to England represents the first time Iwasa will have fought outside his native Japan and that, combined with Haskins’ all-round awkwardness, figures to present a problem or two on June 13.

“It is an honour for me to be fighting in Bristol,” said Iwasa. “It doesn’t bother me that much that the fight is in his hometown. Once we’re both in the ring, it’s the same anywhere in the world. It’s our job to give the fans a good performance and put on an exciting show. I will show the fans in Bristol a beautiful style of boxing.

“I know that British people are big sports fans. I am expecting a big crowd cheering for Haskins, but hope for respect and fair support as well.

“I have great respect for Haskins. He is not my enemy and neither are his fans. This fight is about two world-class athletes both trying to win a prestigious title. I know he has been waiting a long time for this opportunity, but so have I. This will be the toughest and the most exciting fight for both of us, and the better man on the night will walk away with the belt around his waist.

“I trust the judges to come up with a fair decision if the fight goes twelve rounds, but I won’t be fighting for a decision. I don’t think Haskins will be, either.”

*** Lee Haskins and Ryosuke Iwasa fight for the vacant IBF Interim World Bantamweight Title and Bob Ajisafe and Daniel Wanyonyi fight for the vacant Commonwealth light-heavyweight title on June 13 at Bristol’s Action Indoor Sports Arena. For tickets, please contact the Ticketline Box Office on 0844 888 4402 or Sanigar Events on 0117 949 6699 ***

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Europe’s leading boxing promoter Team Sauerland has lodged an official application with the Swedish Boxing Federation for Erik Skoglund (22-0, 11 KOs) to box twelve rounds in a defence of his IBF Intercontinental Light Heavyweight title against Oleksander Cherviak (15-4-1, 5 KOs) on September 19 at the Nyköpings Arenor in Nyköping, Sweden.

In a potential milestone for Swedish boxing, should the application be successful, Skoglund would become the first male boxer to participate in a major title fight on Swedish soil since the ban on professional boxing was imposed in 1969.

Skoglund is undefeated in twenty-two professional contests and a top ten world ranked fighter. Having boxed all of his previous contests in Denmark, Germany and Finland, the 24 year-old from Nyköping is excited about the prospect of competing in his home country.

‘’It would be a dream come true,’’ said Skoglund. ‘’Since I started boxing, it has been my goal to bring the sport home as we have not had this level of boxing in Sweden since 1968. To be fighting in Nyköping, in my hometown, would make it extra special. The arena is just two minutes from my house, so it really is in my backyard. I would expect a lot of support, not just from Nyköping, but from all over Sweden.

‘’I’m hopeful the application will be successful. MMA fighters and female boxers have received permission to fight for the full distance so I see no reason why they would reject our application. Particularly as this is the first time someone has applied for a title fight at this level.’’

With the application lodged, the Swedish Boxing Federation must now file for dispensation with the Swedish Fighting Delegation, who will then be responsible for accepting or rejecting the proposed bout.

‘’The decision is now in the hands of the delegation and we expect them to make the right choice,’’ said promoter Nisse Sauerland. ‘’Erik is a remarkable athlete, who deserves the chance showcase his skills in his own country. We honestly believe we are looking at the country’s next world champion, and this for us is the first step towards bringing world championship boxing back to Sweden.’’

If the application is approved, Skoglund will be making the first defence of his IBF Intercontinental title against the tough Ukrainian Oleksander Cherviak in the Swede’s first fight back since undergoing back surgery in February to repair a herniated disc.

NEW YORK (June 2, 2015) – Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions hosted the final press conference for the June 6 showdown between WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto and former Two-Time World Champion Daniel Geale on Tuesday, June 2 at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City. Along with the main event participants, undercard fighters Junior Younan and Zhang Zhilei were also in attendance. Other speakers included Michael Yormark (President & Chief of Branding and Strategy of Roc Nation), Hector Soto (Miguel Cotto Promotions), Freddie Roach (Cotto’s Trainer), Gary Shaw (Gary Shaw Productions), Graham Shaw (Geale’s Trainer), Brett Yormark (CEO of Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets), Peter Nelson (VP HBO Sports Programming), David Berlin (Executive Director of the New York State Athletic Commission) and Ululy Martinez (Vice Chairman of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Board of Directors). The press conference was emceed by Brooklyn Nets Public Address Announcer David Diamante.

PHOTOS:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zghog55phfcebgl/AADdHvtxcpbR-JVk2zOI54qPa?dl=0
PHOTO CREDIT: Rich Kane – Hoganphotos/Roc Nation Sports

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wzeqxzlc7s79fev/AAAZBtNFUxTp3M_WOX65_pvNa?dl=0
PHOTO CREDIT: Miguel Cotto Promotions/Roc Nation Sports

VIDEO:
https://afcdmc.wetransfer.com/downloads/3f23a9e586626a96ca1668595cf3bd9a20150602192446/289ecc8fa6501bef51b475409c0db45d20150602192446/45c282
VIDEO CREDIT: Miguel Cotto Promotions/Roc Nation Sports

Here’s what press conference participants had to say:

Michael Yormark – President & Chief of Branding and Strategy of Roc Nation

“Led by our Chairman JAY Z and his partners, Roc Nation was founded to work with artists and entertainers to guide them and help them build their careers even beyond the boundaries of the music industry. It is fitting then, that today we stand in a setting named for the legendary BB King – may he rest in peace – an artist and a man that knew no boundaries during a career that transcended his art. In a few short years, Roc Nation itself has expanded beyond the world of music, diversifying in a way that many never thought possible. Today we begin to celebrate a landmark in that expansion, as another legend, World Champion Miguel Cotto, prepares to headline Roc Nation’s first major fight on Saturday night against Daniel Geale, live at Barclays Center and on HBO.”

“When Roc Nation founded its boxing division less than a year ago, we committed to doing things differently, and what you will see on Saturday night will be different. The eyes of the boxing world will be fixed on Barclays Center on Saturday, with celebrities and VIP’s lining the ring and a captivated audience watching at home. They will watch with anticipation, awaiting not only a masterful performance from the champion Miguel Cotto against a formidable opponent, but also an electric appearance from Roc Nation artist and hip-hop superstar Big Sean, as well as the voice of New York Angie Martinez, and a host of other surprises that will make this live boxing experience different from anything you’ve ever seen before.”

“Saturday is the start of something new and fresh for the boxing industry. It is a chance for all of us to show boxing fans, and sports and entertainment fans around the world, that the action on fight night can and will live up to the hype.”

Hector Soto – Miguel Cotto Promotions

“It has been several months of hard work and dedication. Puerto Rico will shine again on the night of June 6 when Miguel Cotto defends his titles successfully.”

Ululy Rafael Martinez – Puerto Rican Day Parade

“We’re really happy this year to formalize a relationship with Miguel Cotto thanks to Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions. I also want to thank Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions for contributing to our scholarship fund. They are helping us empower young high school students and college students we provide scholarships to so they can further their education. I’m encouraging everyone planning on coming to the Parade on June 14 to support our man Miguel Cotto On Saturday, June 6 at Barclays Center for the boxing match of the year.”

David Berlin – New York Athletic Commission

“Miguel Cotto and Daniel Geale represent the best in boxing. These are men that carry themselves with dignity both inside and outside the ring. Men who can be respectful because they don’t have to prove themselves with words. Where they prove themselves each and every time they fight is inside that ring.”

“Now that I am with the commission, I no longer root for fighters. I’m in a neutral role, but I do root for fights. I root for fights when fighters come into the ring and they fight hard but they leave the ring safely. I root for fights that satisfy the fans and fights where the right man has his hand raised at the end. That of course is where the New York State Athletic Commission comes in.

“This promises to be a competitive fight. Obviously a competitive fight means it’s a hard night for judges, but what I’m committing to the fighters and fans is that we are going to have competent, qualified and neutral officials in place and the right man is going to have his hand raised at the end of the fight. I wish both men good luck on Saturday night.”

Brett Yormark – CEO of Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets

“We’re expecting a great night on Saturday night. So, hopefully we see all of you. Tickets are still on sale. Saturday night represents our 13th night of championship boxing at Barclays Center since we opened the building 32 months ago and boxing plays a huge role in what we do in Brooklyn.”

Peter Nelson – Vice President of Programming HBO Sports Programming

“We look forward to two fighters who have always rose to every challenge that has been put in front of them. Daniel Geale had a lucrative opportunity at one point in time to make his HBO debut and he actually decided instead to go to Germany, to Felix Sturm’s backyard, fight him for his world titles and ended up lifting the titles away from him. He is naturally the largest opponent that Miguel Cotto has ever fought and he’s stepped up to every challenge that’s ever been put in front of him.”

“Miguel Cotto…the last time he stepped into the ring, he entered it an underdog and he ended up leaving it the lineal middleweight champion. He joined just a handful of fighters ever to win four world titles in four separate divisions and he was the first man from Puerto Rico ever to do so. He performed what I saw as one of the strangest punches ever in boxing when he touched a man on the temple and it caused his knee to twist into a knot. I’ve never seen that happen. It was an extraordinary performance.”

“We look to see in this fight, fighters who are going to give us moments of great bravery and great courage. These are the kind of men we want to have on the network. That’s what makes great fights.”

Gary Shaw – Gary Shaw Productions

“I have a personal problem with catch weights. We accepted the catch weight of 157 and I’m not here to complain about the catch weight. We’re going to make the weight. It’s going to be tough. I believe that if a fighter wants to fight at any weight that he wants to fight at, he has that opportunity, but he shouldn’t stop the opponent from fighting at the sanctioned weight which in this case is 160.”

“I believe Daniel Geale is going to win the fight. I believe that Miguel and his team made a mistake. If they were looking at the Golovkin fight, thinking that’s the Daniel that is going to come into the ring…it will not be that same Daniel Geale.”

“It’s truly an honor to represent Daniel Geale because he’s a different young man. The first time I met him, I flew to Germany. I looked around and I couldn’t identify Daniel Geale. Little did I know, he was standing against the back wall. After taking my seat at the dais, Daniel Geale walked up. I looked at him and I said “we’re in trouble! This kid looks like a choir boy not a fighter,” but he gave it all he got and he won the fight. He’s a family man. Doesn’t travel with an entourage. Always on time. Trains hard. Does everything that a true champion has to do.”

Daniel Geale – Former Two-Time World Champion

“This is a huge opportunity and I’m very excited. We’re so excited as a team that this fight is taking place. We’ve put a great training camp in for this fight and I’m feeling as good as I ever have. There’s no excuses. I’m going in as the best fighter I can possibly be. I’m hoping Miguel Cotto is the best fighter he can be as well. I want the fans to enjoy a great fight and I believe it will be a great fight. I can’t wait to walk away with another title. I’m going in very confident and I know a lot of people aren’t giving me much of a chance, but I have a huge amount of confidence in myself knowing I’ve completed a great training camp. Knowing that I have put everything that I possibly can into it and knowing that I have such a great team. I look forward to Saturday night.”

Freddie Roach – Cotto’s Trainer

“We’ve had a great training camp. Miguel is in great shape. Our sparring partners on our team have been great. And we’re ready for this fight. Gary’s been making a big deal about catch weights, but they have been around for a long time and he knows how to read a contract and he’s had that contract for a long time now, so I don’t think that’s an issue. We look forward to seeing you at the fight.”

Miguel Cotto – WBC & Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion

“I want to thank my lovely family for being here with my. My kids, my wife, my lovely mom. Thank you for always supporting my career no matter how hard it seems or looks to you. I love you.”

“I think that people are making a big issue where there does not need to be a big issue with catch weights. Freddie, back in 2009, made me go down from 147 to 145. Did anyone hear anything about Miguel Cotto disagreeing with the catch weights? No, I was a gentlemen the whole way. Catch weights were our main point to make this fight happen. Daniel and his team agreed to going down to 157 and I hope he can make weight on Friday. I hope to see everyone there on Saturday night.”

“Freddie brings the confidence back to Miguel. He comes every day no matter what he feels and gives his best to me. When you have this kind of person in front of you giving you his best and making sure that you are going to do your best, the only way you can pay him back is bringing your best too. We only talk about boxing when we are in the gym. He’s my trainer there, but as soon as we finish our training session, he’s my friend.”

Cotto vs. Geale, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, June 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised live on HBO. The fight, which is presented by Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions, will be the official kick-off event of the 2015 National Puerto Rican Day Parade Week and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, Jaybird, TapouT, Tequila Cazadores, Venue Kings and Nüe Resource. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that will further serve spectators with an enhanced fan experience, including Roc Nation and Grammy nominated artist Big Sean taking to the ring for a special performance prior to the main event. The event will be hosted by notable emcee “The Voice of New York” Angie Martinez and will also feature hit master DJ Lobo who will serve alongside Martinez throughout the night. Tickets priced at $500, $250, $200, $150, $100, $80, $50, $35 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now and available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Doors open at 6:00 PM, the first fight begins at 6:15 PM and the HBO telecast begins at 10:30 PM ET/PT.

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

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

A superstar makes his 2015 debut when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: MIGUEL COTTO VS. DANIEL GEALE is seen SATURDAY, JUNE 6 at 10:30 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will be ringside to call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: June 7 (9:45 a.m.) and 8 (11:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdate: June 7 (3:30 p.m.)

Returning to the ring for the first time in nearly a year, Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KOs) defends his middleweight title against former champion Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round contest. Cotto, 34, is coming off a knockout victory over middleweight titleholder Sergio Martinez, which ended his opponent’s nearly five-year reign as middleweight champ. The June 6 bout, Cotto’s first at Barclays Center, marks his 21st appearance on HBO. Since debuting on the network, he’s amassed titles in four different weight divisions, making him the first Puerto Rican to do so.

Australia’s Daniel Geale, 34, most recently scored a unanimous decision victory over fellow countryman Jarrod Fletcher last December. Known more for tactical precision than knockout power, he enjoyed a two-fight span as middleweight champ in 2012, and has challenged for two titles in the U.S. in recent years. The fight marks Geale’s third HBO appearance.

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

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

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

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

Las Vegas (June 2, 2015) – Four-time world champion “Terrible” Terry Norris has confirmed that he will appear and have a booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the second annual Box Fan Expo that will take place Saturday Sept. 12, 2015. The Box Fan Expo will coincide with Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s last fight and Mexican Independence weekend.

The Hall of Famer, Norris will have merchandise to sell to his fans, as well as photos and memorabilia.

This unique fan experience event, which allowed fans to meet and greet boxing legends, past and current champions and other celebrities of the sport, debuted last September to large, enthusiastic crowds. This year the Expo will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and once again, allow fans a chance to collect autographs, take photos and purchase merchandise and memorabilia.

Exhibitors such as boxing gear, apparel, broadcasting media and other brand companies who wish to participate will have a chance to showcase their products to fans and the whole boxing industry.

Last year’s inaugural Box Fan Expo featured some of the most popular fighters and boxing celebrities in recent history. Fans were treated to visits with Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr, Sergio Martinez, Amir Khan, Zab Judah, Mikey Garcia, James Toney, Riddick Bowe, Leon Spinks Terry Norris, Shawn Porter, Chris Byrd, Jesse James Leija, Lamon Brewster, Ray Mercer, Earnie Shavers, Mia St-John, Erislandy Lara, Peter Quillin, Jean Pascal and Austin Trout. Also appearing were current WBC Champion Deontay Wilder, the charismatic Vinny Pazienza, Paul Williams, noted commentator Al Bernstein and top trainer Roger Mayweather of Mayweather Promotions.

The roster of attendees for this year’s Box Fan Expo will be announced throughout the next several months and weeks leading up to the event.

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available online at: http://www.boxfanexpo.eventbrite.com

View the official promo video of Box Fan Expo here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/video-2/

View Promo Flyer here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/promo-flyer/

View Photos Gallery 2014 here: http://www.boxfanexpo.com/photos/

For anyone in the boxing industry or brand companies who wish to be involved and reserve a booth as an exhibitor or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Box Fan Expo at:

U.S.A telephone number: (702) 997-1927 or (514) 572-7222

For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com

More information on the Box Fan Expo is available at: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

You can follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter at: https://www.twitter.com/BoxFanExpo and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

LOS ANGELES (June 2) – Fighters on Thursday’s LA FIGHT CLUB fight cardtook some time to tell us what to expect on fight night and also shared with us their favorite things about the upcoming summer season. The action-packed Los Angeles based series on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes returns to The Belasco Theater this Thursday for another explosive night in a classic Puerto Rico vs. Mexico main event where Puerto Rico’s Jayson “Star” Velez (22-0-1, 16 KOs) of Juncos, takes on Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico’s Daniel “Huracan” Ramirez (11-1, 5 KOs), in a 10-round featherweight bout that is sure to excite fans.

Also, Oscar De La Hoya President and Founder of Golden Boy Promotions is scheduled to attend LA FIGHT CLUB and will host a special meet and greet at the Belasco Theater’s ballroom prior to the televised bouts from 6:00 pm to 7:00 p.m.

The co-main televised event features Carlos “The Solution” Morales (7-1-3, 2 KOs) of Los Angeles taking on Emmanuel Gonzalez (14-1, 7 KOs) of the Bronx, New York in an eight-round super bantamweight bout. Opening the telecast, Los Angeles favorite Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (9-0, 9 KOs) will face Darryl Hayes (3-4, 1 KOs) of Houston in a six-round super featherweight fight. Westside Boxing Club’s Rafael “El Alikin” Gramajo (3-1-1, 2 KOs) of Los Angeles is hoping to make airtime in a four-round super bantamweight fight against Pablo Cupul (4-16, 3 KOs) of Merida, Mexico.

Here is what the fighters had to say:

JAYSON “STAR” VELEZ, Featherweight Contender:

What should fans expect on June 4?
I’ve been training since January so I am more than prepared to give fans an exciting night of boxing. My focus is always the same, become a World Champion and be the best in every weight class.

Anything that you think will surprise your fans when they see you on fight night?
My routine is basically always the same but I always adjust my strategy for every opponent. I know my opponent is an aggressive fighter; he throws a lot of punches to the body. My strategy will be to have a strong defense as well as be on the offensive. This will be an exciting fight, with explosive fighters, with action from the first round to the last. My power will surprise the fans and my opponent.

What is your favorite summer activity?
I’m planning to go to Vieques for a few days. It’s part of Puerto Rico, but I’ve never been there and am excited to visit. I think like every Puerto Rican, go to the beach and swim.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would love to go to Hawaii and see all the beautiful beaches. It would be a dream vacation.

Any summer treats that you love?
Ice cream. I love ice cream, I can eat it all year, even in winter.

What would be your perfect summer weekend?
Relaxing at the beach with my wife, watching our children play, a bottle of red wine and a lot of ice cream.

DANIEL “HURACAN” RAMIREZ, Featherweight Contender:

What should fans expect on June 4?
A war!

What are your plans for this summer, any special trips?
I plan to spend time with my family and go to the beach as often as possible.

What would be your perfect summer weekend?
Staying at any beach in Baja California.

Any summer treats that you love, ice cream, shaved ice?
Micheladas! They are very refreshing.

If you could spend the summer anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would like to go to a faraway beach, away from everyone.

CARLOS “THE SOLUTION” MORALES, Super Bantamweight Prospect:

What should fans expect on June 4?
Another victory for “The Solution.”

What are your plans for this summer, any special trips?
I plan to hang out with my family.

What is your favorite summer activity?
Training is my favorite summer activity, I never stop working and improving.

If you could spend the summer anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would love to travel to Europe and spend a whole summer there.

Any summer treats that you love?
Ice cream- rainbow sherbet is my all-time favorite flavor.

What is your favorite thing about the summer?
You get to go to the beach and enjoy the sun.

CHRISTIAN “CHIMPA” GONZALEZ, Super Featherweight Prospect:

What should fans expect on June 4?
They should expect a very exciting fight.

What are your plans for this summer, any special trips?
I really enjoy water parks; I look forward to them every year. I also plan on going to the beach as often as I can this year.

If you could spend the summer anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would really like to go to Hawaii and spend the summer there.

What is your favorite thing about the summer?
The hot weather. I really enjoy it.

RAFAEL “EL ALIKIN”GRAMAJO, Super Bantamweight Prospect:
What should fans expect on June 4?
They should expect a good fight, full of action.

What are your plans for this summer, any special trips?
My plan is to jump back in the gym and continue working on improving every day.

What is your favorite summer activity?
I love to go fishing and camping during the summer. It is the perfect time of the year to go out to the sea, lake or river and relax.

If you could spend the summer anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would spend it in Kansas because that’s where my family is.

Any summer treats that you love?
I really love raspados, or “shaved ice.” I look forward to them every summer.

What is your favorite thing about the summer?
My favorite thing is about the summer is that I get more time to spend time with my wife and sons. We go on short trips.

LA FIGHT CLUB: Velez vs. Ramirez is a 10-round featherweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Cotto Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., and the first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast will air live at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the June 4 LA FIGHT CLUB are on sale now. Prices start at $20 and can be purchased online by going to www.goldenboypromotions.com or by visiting the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page. For ticket information, email LAFightClub@goldenboypromotions.com.

The “Knockout Experience VIP Package” is also available for an additional $25 upgrade and includes VIP entrance, access to an exclusive lounge offering food and beverages for purchase; a meet and greet opportunity with fighters and celebrities attending the event; an automatic entry into the LA FIGHT CLUB grand prize drawing, which can include but is not limited to: autograph gloves, picture in the ring, backstage access, tour of locker rooms, fighter ring walk, tickets to upcoming boxing events and additional merchandise and prizes.

The LA FIGHT CLUB is a monthly boxing series that takes place on the first Thursday of each month. It will showcase the brightest stars in the sport and present these exciting matchups in a nightclub atmosphere with an original setup. The boxing ring will be set on the main floor of The Belasco Theater with on-camera standing room for fans in front of the ring similar to a concert pit, as well as reserved balcony and floor seats. Los Angeles’ own DJ Ray of Big Boy’s Neighborhood will spin music during the fights and fans will be able to dance and mingle with the fighters when the venue converts into a night club, in a VIP experience not matched by any promoter in the industry.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.belascous.com, www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1, www.FOXDeportes.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @FoxSports, @FoxSports1, @FoxDeportes, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/TheBelascoLA, www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @belascola and follow the conversation using #LAFIGHTCLUB.

Las Vegas – In one of the most highly anticipated rematches in recent memory, UFC® bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw will meet former champ Renan Barao when the Octagon® returns to United Center in Chicago on Saturday, July 25. UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: DILLASHAW vs. BARAO 2 marks the seventh UFC championship title bout to air on FOX.

After pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport by dethroning then-champ Barao at UFC 173, Dillashaw (12-2, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) will put the 135-pound strap on the line against the very man he took it from. Barao (35-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), whose record includes eight wins by knockout and 15 by submission, looks to reclaim the title he held for almost two years. With more than 30 finishes between them, this championship rematch could be one of the best fights of the year.

Also, No. 2 women’s bantamweight Miesha Tate (16-5, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) will clash with fifth-ranked Jessica Eye (11-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio). With both women’s eyes set on a shot at champion Ronda Rousey’s title, Tate and Eye will be in a high-stakes battle. As the only woman to take Rousey out of the first round of competition, Tate hopes a dominant performance over Eye will secure a trilogy matchup against the champ. For Eye, she looks to earn her first shot at the world title; something she feels is already rightfully hers.

In addition, the main card will feature a classic striker vs. grappler matchup as No. 7 lightweight contender Edson Barboza (15-3, fighting out of Nova Fridurgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) meets eighth-ranked Myles Jury (15-1, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.). Barboza’s elite striking has earned him victories over veterans Bobby Green and Evan Dunham, while Jury is known for his slick jiu-jitsu submissions and finishing prowess.

Additional bouts include:
· Fan favorite Joe Lauzon (24-11, fighting out of Bridgewater, Mass.) meets Japan’s Takanori Gomi (35-10, 1 NC, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan) in a lightweight showdown.

· Former WEC® bantamweight champion Eddie Wineland (21-10-1, fighting out of Chesterton, Ind.) takes on No. 10 bantamweight Bryan Caraway (19-8, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.).

· No. 15 light heavyweight contender Gian Villante (13-5, fighting out of Bellmore, N.Y.) welcomes Tom Lawlor (9-5, 1 NC, fighting out of Providence, R.I.) back to the Octagon.

· In a battle of lightweight strikers, Daron Cruickshank (16-6, 1 NC, fighting out of Detroit, Mich.) clashes with James Krause (21-7, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.).

· The Ultimate Fighter® Season 13 finalist Ramsey Nijem (10-4, fighting out of San Francisco, Calif.) takes on submission specialist Erik Koch (14-4, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) in a 155-pound bout.

· Lightweight takedown artist Rustam Khabilov (17-3, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M. by way of Dagestan, Russia) meets Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Danny Castillo (17-8, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.).

· In a middleweight battle, jiu-jitsu specialists Zak Cummings (17-4, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.) and Antonio Braga Neto (9-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) square off.

· Looking to make it four consecutive victories, Illinois’ own Kenny Robertson (15-3, fighting out of Washington, Ill.) squares off against welterweight veteran Ben Saunders (18-6-2, fighting out of Orlando, Fla.).

· Jessamyn Duke (3-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) of ‘The Four Horsewomen’, a quartet of fighters led by UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, meets Elizabeth Phillips (4-3, fighting out of Spokane, Wash.) in a women’s 135-pound scrap.

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

Visit the UFC® Press Portal for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: DILLASHAW vs. BARAO 2 on sale Friday, June 5 at 10 a.m. CT and are priced at $253, $178, $128, $93, $78, $53 and $43. Tickets are available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at United Center box office. Ticket prices do not include applicable service charges.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, June 3 at 10 a.m. CT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, June 4 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: DILLASHAW vs. BARAO 2 will air live on FOX at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Saturday, July 25, with the prelims kicking off the evening on FOX at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

About UFC®
UFC® is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Singapore and Sao Paulo, 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 134 countries and territories to over 700 million TV households worldwide in 21 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT® (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, UFC branded apparel, DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

Los Angeles, CA (June 2, 2015) Boxing Superstar GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN will travel to New York City this weekend to watch Miguel Cotto and Daniel Geale fight for the WBC middleweight title at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York this Saturday night, June 6.

Universally recognized as the best middleweight in the world, Golovkin is the mandatory challenger for the World Boxing Council’s Middleweight Title, which Cotto will be defending.

“I want to watch this fight in person and look forward to fighting the winner to show who the real WBC middleweight champion is,” said Golovkin, holder of the WBA and IBO Middleweight Titles. “A unification fight with the winner is very important to me.”

With an extraordinary record of 33-0 with 30 knockouts, Golovkin has the highest KO% in middleweight history and has become one of the most marketable international stars in boxing.

On May 16, Golovkin filled the legendary Forum in Los Angeles with over 12,000 fight fans as he stopped #2 ranked challenger Willie Monroe Jr. in the sixth round. In keeping with his outstanding international television ratings, the fight reached 1.5 million viewers on HBO in the United States and was shown in over 120 countries worldwide.

“His two most recent US fights have sold over 21,000 tickets, making him the highest ticket seller in the State of California. This coupled with his continued growth in TV ratings, has made Gennady one of the sport’s most watched fighters,” said TOM LOEFFLER of K2 PROMOTIONS.

His all-action style and dominance of his division has Golovkin ranked # 4 Pound For Pound by ESPN.com and Ring Magazine, riding a knockout streak of 20 KOs in a row.

“Three of Gennady’s most dominant KO performances have come in front of his huge fan base in New York City and he looks forward to returning this weekend. As the mandated WBC challenger to the winner of the Miguel Cotto-Daniel Geale bout, he has a very strong interest in the fight.”

On July 26, 2014, Golovkin stopped Geale at Madison Square Garden with a stunning third round knockout featured on numerous “Knockout of the Year” year-end lists.

For more information on Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, follow him on Twitter @GGGBoxing, Facebook @GGGBoxing and visit his website at www.GGGBoxing.com

BROOKLYN (June 2, 2015) -Promoter Dmitriy Salita is excited to present a night of professional boxing action at the Paramount Events Center on Thursday, June 4. The card will be topped by a main event which pits Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, a charismatic power puncher, from Brooklyn, taking on Detroit resident Damon “Bulldog” McCreary. Miller, who has pop in both hands, as evidenced by his 12-0-1 mark (10 KO’s), will be tested by the 15-4 Detroit native in a heavyweight clash.

“Detroit has produced some of the best fighters in the U.S. and the world,” said promoter Salita. “The rich history of Emanuel Steward and the Kronk Gym is something all Detroit fighters are aware of and seek to live up to. Detroit fighters come to fight! They will come to “Brawl” in Brooklyn and I can assure you, boxing fans will enjoy great, exciting fights!”

Edward Williams, another Michigan native seeks to add to his 9-0-1 mark (4 KOs) on Thursday, as does 4-0-1 lightweight Dewayne Zeigler. He is another Detroit destroyer, with four stoppages in his short career. The Alabama born boxer meets Jeremy Graves from upstate New York at the first boxing event at the new venue.

Trainer Theotrice Chambers III, who trains IBF Jr. Middleweight champ Cornelius Bundrage, trains Williams and Zeigler and says they are coming to wreak havoc in NYC.

“Zeigler is an exciting kid, very explosive, punches hard with both hands,” he said. “And Williams is a good boxer, has a lot of heart and determination. The people in Brooklyn are gonna love them.”

PEC was launched in April by Barclays Center developer Bruce Ratner and Onexim Sports and Entertainment, with all business operations overseen by Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark.

“I am thrilled to join with PEC to bring boxing to LIU Brooklyn Paramount,” said Salita. “Over the last few years, Star of David Promotions has brought New York boxing fans exciting shows with incredible fights through our Brooklyn Brawl Series. This card will be an exciting addition to our series.”

“This June 4 boxing event will reintroduce LIU Brooklyn Paramount to the sports community,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Barclays Center. “Dmitriy has provided great opportunities for aspiring fighters and we are looking forward to working with him to solidify our grassroots boxing efforts in Brooklyn.”

You can purchase tickets by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

ABOUT STAR OF DAVID PROMOTIONS
Star of David Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature the brightest prospects, as well as seasoned pugilists, in and around the New York City area. Viewers have enjoyed watching Star of David fighters in recent years on Spike TV, ESPN2, MSG, and Universal Sports Network. Please visit www.Salitapromotions.com for more information.

BRISTOL (2 JUNE) By Lee Haskins: This week is the last really hard week of training and I’m determined to put it all in. After this week I start to taper down and allow my body to repair ahead of my fight against Ryosuke Iwasa on June 13. It’s important to get the balance right; heavy stuff this week and then lighter stuff during fight week. It’s something I’ve done many times before, of course, so I like to think I know what I’m doing by now.

It’s been a great few months for Bristol sport lately. Bristol City Football Club walked League One and will play in the Championship next season, while Bristol Rovers, their big rivals, won at Wembley Stadium a couple of weeks ago to gain promotion back into the Football League from the Conference.

It sounds weird to some people, but I actually support both Bristol teams. I’m there for City and I’m there for Rovers. I never decided to pick one over the other – love one, hate one. That just isn’t how I’ve ever seen it. I’m a Bristol boy, they’re two Bristol clubs, and I want to see them both do well.

I find it kind of strange how fellow Bristolians can love one club and then really hate the other. It seems weird to me when they’re only a stone’s throw apart. My way of thinking is that if you’re from Bristol, you should support Bristol.

Boxing in Bristol is getting bigger all the time. It’s always been a bit of a love or hate sport around here – as it probably is in most cities – but gyms are doing well now and I see a lot of kids coming through. It’s really encouraging.

I watch these kids do their thing in the gym and I get great satisfaction from helping them out and guiding them whenever I can. I really want to win this fight on June 13 for Bristol and for the young kids who aspire to become boxers – it gives them something to aim for, it shows it can be done. If I can win a world title, there’s no reason why the kids in the gym can’t one day do the same. It’s great to be able to lead by example.

I didn’t really know much about boxing when I started out in the sport. And I definitely didn’t know of any boxers from Bristol. It was all new to me. Boxing was just something I wanted to do – it wasn’t a sport I particularly liked to watch or follow.

I know Glenn Catley was a world champion from Bristol, but I didn’t watch any of his fights during the time he was around. I’ve watched his fights since, of course, and I’d love to do the same as Glenn and bring a world title back to Bristol.

Everybody’s talking about the fight in Bristol now and it’s really going down well. It seems everyone is planning on watching the fight, either at the venue or on Channel 5; tickets are selling well and there’s a buzz about the place.

I like fighting in my hometown, and I like fighting in front of my people, but this fight does feel extra special, extra big. It’s the biggest fight of my life. There are more nerves and expectation for this one than any other fight I’ve had. At times it almost feels like it’s too much. But I’m really looking forward to it and I’d rather be fighting in Bristol than Japan, that’s for sure.

*** Lee Haskins and Ryosuke Iwasa fight for the vacant IBF Interim World Bantamweight Title and Bob Ajisafe and Daniel Wanyonyi fight for the vacant Commonwealth light-heavyweight title on June 13 at Bristol’s Action Indoor Sports Arena. For tickets, please contact the Ticketline Box Office on 0844 888 4402 or Sanigar Events on 0117 949 6699 ***

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For more information on Channel 5, MaxiNutrition, Sanigar Events and Hennessy Sports:

www.channel5.com
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LONDON (2 JUNE) Trowbridge warrior Nick Blackwell won the British middleweight title in stunning fashion on Saturday night (May 30) when stopping Londoner John Ryder inside seven swashbuckling rounds at a sold-out O2 Arena.

The win landed Blackwell the coveted Lonsdale belt at the third time of asking and instantly catapulted his name up the world rankings. It also went some way to highlighting the importance of perseverance.

“I remember thinking in the first few rounds that I needed to get my arse in gear and turn it around,” said Blackwell, who lost the opening three rounds to Ryder before clawing back the deficit.

“Gary (Lockett, trainer) was telling me to do stuff and I just couldn’t do it. I was too tense and stiff. I needed to relax, I needed to let my shots flow. After this happened, in the fourth round, I saw signs of Ryder breaking.

“In fact, I was talking to Ryder throughout the whole fight. A lot of people said he was quite mentally weak, so I tried tapping into that. When he picked up a cut, I kept telling him how bad his cut was. When we got into the middle rounds, I kept reminding him that I was just warming up. I could tell it was all playing on his mind and that he was getting weaker and weaker. I think I just mentally destroyed him.

“I then caught him with a right hand that wobbled him, followed by an uppercut and a left hook and he wasn’t in any position to guard himself. Some people said it was a bit of an early stoppage, but I disagree. I tried talking to Ryder after the fight and he was all over the place. He then sat down and spoke to his trainer, Tony Sims, and he said to him, ‘What just happened?’ Ryder didn’t know where he was.”

Despite halting Ryder with a flurry of heavy and hurtful punches, and effectively turning the fight on its head, Blackwell is philosophical about the overall performance. He knows he could have done even better.

“I was annoyed because I know I didn’t perform anywhere near the level I’m capable of,” he said. “But I look at it this way: a bad Nick Blackwell beat a good John Ryder on the night.

“I’ve got loads more to learn and I’ve got loads more to show. I’ve only been with Gary Lockett for two months now and the stuff I’ve learned in that short space of time has already taken me to a different level. I look forward to seeing how much better I can get.

“I hope a lot of other middleweights look at that fight on Saturday and think to themselves, I can beat this Nick Blackwell kid – he doesn’t bring much to the table. Then maybe they’ll stop avoiding me.”

Often avoided, and something of a dark horse in the division, Blackwell now has a title to his name and the backing of promoter Mick Hennessy and Channel 5. And this newfound power, he hopes, will lead him to even bigger and better things in the future.

“I knew it was going to feel good winning the British title, but I didn’t realise quite how good it was going to feel,” he said. “I’m not an emotional person whatsoever and anyone who knows me will say I have never shown emotion at any point in my life. But I started crying on Saturday night and I couldn’t believe it. Suddenly all the ups and downs, all the hard times, came into focus and I just let it all out. It was the best feeling in the world.”

END

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Glassboro, N.J. (Monday, June 1, 2015) – Derrick “Take it to the Bank” Webster (19-0, 10 KOs) scored his second consecutive stoppage victory on Friday night, blasting through gritty 53-bout veteran William Johnson at W.C. Handy Pavilion in Memphis Tennessee. Webster put on arguably the best performance of his professional career in the five-round destruction, which ended via TKO.

“Going into the fight, I didn’t know a whole lot about my opponent,” Webster admitted. “He was a tough guy, a real hard-nosed guy. I would put him in the category of a Darnell Boone (whom Webster defeated via decision in 2013), a guy with a really hard shell. I took care of business with a lot of rapid-fire combinations and kept the jab on him. During this training camp, we focused on a lot of power, so all of my combinations had bad intentions behind them to where he was cut at several different places on his face. As I was hitting him with all of these combinations, I kept looking at the referee to stop the fight. At the end of the day, the guy didn’t do anything wrong to me, so I didn’t want to put any unnecessary harm upon him. I would say it was my best performance as far as punch output, the combinations I put together, and just how poised and focused I stayed inside the ring.”

Now an owner of double-digit knockouts and performing at the highest level of his career, Webster is just outside the door of an opportunity to show the world exactly what kind of fighter he truly is. Arriving to that kind of stage is where the Glassboro native has strived to reach since he first laced up a pair of boxing gloves, and he intends to take full advantage.

“This is such a huge excitement for me,” he said of entering the next chapter of his professional career. “It’s always exciting when you are able to put your craft into action. After all of the pull-outs and date changes that I’ve dealt with throughout my career, I just want to remain busy because I feel like we are truly turning the corner and finding my comfort level inside the ring. Up until this point, I didn’t really feel like I was fighting yet. I was just working off my natural ability. The things I saw in there this fight, along with the growth I’ve seen in myself, I’m ready to show the world what they’ve been missing.”

As far as bout number 20 is concerned, a tentative date is already on the table.

“Right now, we are looking at July 17th in Las Vegas, which is exciting in itself. My entire career, I couldn’t wait to get to Vegas,” Webster stated. “We don’t know the opponent yet, but we’re looking at being a main event or co-feature. We’ll be fighting someone more relevant, which is also exciting. Hopefully, the fight will be for a regional title or more recognized belt.

“Once we get this recognized belt and get world-ranked, I want a world title shot against Miguel Cotto (who defends his WBC belt against Daniel Geale this Saturday in Brooklyn).”

Something that has always followed Webster throughout his career is an incredibly loyal fan base, something of which the undefeated super middleweight has never taken for granted.

“I appreciate everybody’s support, all of those people who have been standing behind me this whole time,” Webster remarked. “The ride is only going to get better from here on out, too. I’m already right back in the gym, and we’re looking to close out the year in fantastic fashion.”

ORANGE, Calif. (June 1, 2015) – Danny Roman (14-2, 5 KOs) came into his “Path to Glory” main event with six straight wins and managed to push that mark to seven with a one-sided, 8-round unanimous decision win against the more seasoned Chris Martin (28-6-3, 9 KOs).

Roman-Martin formed the centerpiece of Thompson Boxing Promotions fifteenth year anniversary show from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif. It’s the very same venue where Josesito Lopez, Timothy Bradley, and Chris Arreola, among others, mastered their craft before becoming mainstays in the sport.

Roman, a talented super bantamweight from Los Angeles, looked fresh and comfortable against the San Diego based Martin. Martin, as is his tendency, started slow and was unable to pick up momentum. Roman proved too efficient and agile, and won with scores 80-71, all around.

“Our plan was to get him confused,” Roman said. “I was aggressive at first, and then I let him come to me. I think I showed people that I’m a complete boxer. The fact that I won on one of Thompson Boxing’s most memorable nights makes this an even sweeter win.”

“Some people said that we were making a mistake by fighting Chris Martin,” said Eddie Gonzalez, Roman’s manager and trainer. “We were here to prove people wrong. Danny is a very skillful fighter with a high IQ and he showed that on Friday night.”

“Danny is becoming a must watch attraction,” said Ken Thompson, who fifteen years ago founded Thompson Boxing. “He gave the fans a wonderful performance and capped off an exciting fight card.”

“It was an awesome night of boxing,” said Alex Camponovo, matchmaker and general manager for Thompson Boxing. “All the fights were extremely competitive, the atmosphere was electric, and the fans got their moneys’ worth.”

The sold out show from Friday night also featured the always-exciting Juan Reyes (12-2-3, 2 KOs) of Riverside, Calif. Reyes faced veteran Roberto Castaneda (22-9-1, 15 KOs) of Mexico. It was a back and forth fight, but ultimately, Castaneda landed the crisper punches and won by majority decision (59-55, 59-55, 57-57.)

After more than a year away from the ring, former contender Efrain Esquivias (17-4-1, 10 KOs) was outclassed by the younger Jose Haro (9-1-1, 6 KOs). The Salt Lake City native, who fights in the featherweight division, won via unanimous decision with scores, 80-72, 80-72, & 79-73.

Colombian lightweight Cesar Villarraga (7-0, 4 KOs) extended his unbeaten streak to seven, winning a six-round unanimous decision win over Erick Aguirre (6-7-2, 4 KOs). Scores read 60-54, 60-54, & 59-55.

Opening the “Path to Glory” card were welterweights Rigoberto Flores (7-1, 2 KOs) and Luis Hernandez (3-10, 2 KOs). Flores would win by unanimous decision (40-37, 40-36, 39-37).

Thompson Boxing returns to the Doubletree Ontario on Friday, June 26. Details will be announced shorty.

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.

NEW YORK (June 1, 2015) – Unbeaten Heavyweight World Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder, confident heavyweight contender Eric “Drummer Boy” Molina and unbeaten junior lightweight Jose “The Sniper” Pedraza participated in Media Day Workouts last Thursday for their fights Saturday, June 13, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) at Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Ala.

The power-punching, popular hometown favorite Wilder (33-0, 32 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., will make the first defense of his title when he meets Molina (23-2, 17 KOs), of Raymondville, Texas, in the main event on June 13. Pedraza (19-0, 12 KOs), of Caguas, Puerto Rico, will meet Andrey Klimov (19-1, 9 KOs), of Klimovski, Russia, in a 12-rounder for the vacant IBF Junior Lightweight World Championship in the co-feature.

Below is what Wilder, Molina and Pedraza said during their separate Media Days in Northport, Ala., Weslaco, Texas and Cidra, Puerto Rico, respectively:

DEONTAY WILDER, Heavyweight World Champion

“It’s definitely a blessing to be able to fight in my state. When we set the goal to be heavyweight champion of the world that was one of the goals we set, to bring it to Alabama. Just to change it up and give Alabama some spice besides football, and to finally get the opportunity to have a major fight in the state of Alabama. This is what we were looking for when we worked to bring the commission here, and we were successful and got it done. This is what we were looking for.

“I want Alabama to be my home territory. It’s why I stay here. Some people still try to throw me out but my heart is here and I’ve got bigger and better plans. This is just the beginning.

“My team handles all the distractions (from fighting at home). I’ve got a wonderful team. I’m just ready to go. I’m ready to get this party started and welcome Molina to Alabama.

“My hand is fine. We tested it yesterday for 10-ounce gloves because that’s the competition weight. We put it on and I felt great. It gave me even more confidence. I’m ready to get in the ring and do what I have to do and perform for my people.’’

(on being world champion)

“We knew we would be doing a lot of traveling after getting the belt but we didn’t know the capacity of how much. It’s been a journey for me.

“I think I bring a different flavor to the sport of boxing, and I want to bring even more to the world.’’

(on Molina)

“I haven’t heard from Molina but that’s good, that means he’s focused. I want him to come very focused. I know he’s going to be nervous and scared, but they say if you back a rabbit in a corner, they fight back.

“I’m most dangerous when I’m at home. I’m not going to let down my home crowd and let someone take what I’ve worked so hard for. He’s not going to come behind enemy lines and take anything from me.

“I want a great performance from him. I want a great performance for the crowd and people to say, ‘Hey, I want to come back for the next one!’ and to be hungry for the next one. We got a lot of fights we want to do in Alabama, and this is just the start. I want to move on from Bartow to the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC), which is bigger than the MGM Grand.

“Every title defense is proving something. I’m the world’s most wanted, and everyone wants it. I’ve got the WBC crown. It’s the most well-known, famous belt in boxing. Everyone wants their name on this belt, and I have it. Every fight is a dangerous fight when I’m putting the belt on the line, and I train as if everyone is a world champion.’’

(on why he’s defending against Molina)

“We have a lot of other opponents, but Molina was the one to understand the opportunity that lies at hand. Some people can price themselves out and some teams make it so difficult that the fight won’t happen. They can really block themselves out from getting the fight. You can have the money or the opportunity. Molina understands what the situation is, and he stepped up to the plate and understands the opportunity at hand to be the World Heavyweight Champion.

“My last fight I proved to everyone what I was capable of. I can go 12 rounds and take a punch. I can be just as fresh in the 12th round as the 1st.

“The sky’s the limit in what we’re trying to do. I represent the state. Even though I’m from Tuscaloosa, it’s not just where my gym is in Northport or Coffeeville. I represent the state of Alabama. I need a home territory and a home state not only where we can bring in local people, bring in the nation, but also bring in the whole world.”

ERIC MOLINA, Heavyweight Contender

“This is the fight that we dream about when we first lace on the gloves and I am extremely excited about the opportunity to fight for the biggest prize in sports, the WBC heavyweight title. I’ve been preparing and training very hard, and I’m almost at the point where we’re ready to go.

“We’ve studied a lot of Wilder, and expect a very physical fight. I think a lot of people are underestimating my strength and power. They know Wilder can punch but they are underestimating the power that I possess.

“We know it’s going be a hostile environment, fighting in basically his backyard, but he’s now the champion and with that he gets an opportunity in his optional title defense (to fight who he wants, where he wants). He gets to enjoy those opportunities, but that’s where I come in.

“Of course, I’m confident I can win the title. I think people look at my record and think this or that, but I don’t feel they understand my entire career, the things I have gone through and overcome, the different angles of boxing that more than meets the eye.

“Nothing against Deontay, who has worked hard to get to where he is, but he doesn’t represent the kind of fighter, in general, that I am. I’ve always had to fight and struggle from fight to fight. I never had a true training camp situation. I’m not saying he had things easy, but I had to work and juggle things to keep going. Only the fighters in my situation can understand it.

“I’ve been boxing for nine years. I have a BS and Master’s Degree and I’m in my fourth year teaching kids with disabilities. Along with boxing, this is what I do. This is who I am, and I am not ashamed of who I am either. I’m proud. If they want to consider me an underdog, fine. But I’m also the guy who got knocked out in his first pro fight and battled back to where I am now and I’m fighting for the championship.

“What people don’t know about me is that my career has been all about determination, strength and struggles. Other boxers, including Bernard Hopkins, lost their first fights and went on to win a world title. I’ve learned a lot from my two losses and now I have the confidence to accomplish anything.

“Bottom line is I am not trying to convince anybody who I am, I just want people to see who the real Eric Molina is — that I am more than what my record on paper indicates. I was NABF champion for a while but could never get a fight so I was dropped from the rankings. It was like I had to start over again. But I stuck to it, and with everything else I had going on outside the ring, things I had to put aside for this fight, still managed to get into the position I’m in now.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a heavyweight contender like me. Where I train, there are no other real heavyweights except for one or two. I have to fly guys in to help me work with the guys already here. I’ve been in camps with Bermane Stiverne; I often had to go to where the sparring was just to get the work.

“I’ve never been in a spot where things have been easy for me in boxing. I never had the odds on my side, the tools, the resources. But I still made it this far and want to go farther.

“I think the first round is very important. I expect that from the get-go that he will feel like he could hurt me, but I also feel very strongly that I could hurt him. So it is very important to be ready for that first bell.

“This is going to be a great fight, much, much better than many may be expecting, and I am ready.’’

JOSE PEDRAZA, Unbeaten Junior Lightweight Contender

“As a Puerto Rican, every time I fight, I fight for the honor of my people. So, on June 13, I won’t only be fighting to win a world title, I’ll be fighting for Cidra, Puerto Rico and for all the Puerto Ricans out there watching me. Puerto Rico needs another champion and I’m here to deliver and make my people proud. I cannot afford to let them down. I won’t let Puerto Rico down. I’ll come back a champion.

“This is a great opportunity fighting on a big show on SHOWTIME. It has taken hard work, dedication and long gym work to obtain this big exposure on SHOWTIME.

“My last fight against Michael Farenas was very important to me because that fight was a title eliminator and, by winning, it opened the door to this fight and finally my dream of becoming world champion is close to arriving.

“It has been a long and hard training camp — intensive. We opened camp in Las Vegas in December. This camp has been special because it is for the world championship.

“Andrey Klimov is a strong boxer, always going forward, the jab and straight right are his best shots. The only thing I see is he is strong and has good fitness. From his last fight against Terrence Crawford I could see that he has problems when he fights a left-handed boxer with good movement. I will be working in side steps and with speed.

“I hope that he comes well prepared for me. We must do our best to give the fans a good show. On June 13, I will be a new champ and after that I want to make two defenses and move to 135.’’

# # #

ALL ACCESS: Deontay Wilder, which chronicle’s the champion’s January fight against Bermane Stiverne and sets the stage as he prepares for his upcoming title defense, premieres on Wednesday, June 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

“WILDER vs. MOLINA,” a 12-Round fight for Wilder’s WBC Heavyweight Championship, takes place Saturday, June 13, at The Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Ala. DiBella Entertainment and Bruno Event Team have joined forces to bring this event to Alabama. In the co-main event co-romoted by DiBella in association with Universal Promotions, Jose Pedraza will face Andrey Klimov in a 12-Round bout for the IBF Jr. Lightweight World Title. It will air live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will be televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

For more information visit www.sports.sho.com and www.dbe1.com follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @WilderVSMolina, @BronzeBomber, @LouDiBella and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #WilderMolina, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit http://shosportspoundforpound.tumblr.com/

LAS VEGAS (June 1 2015) – The order of bouts is official for World Series of Fighting’s (WSOF.com) much-anticipated, 11-fight Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world championship doubleheader, live on NBCSN from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Friday, June 5.

“We are excited to return to Edmonton with a tremendous lineup of fights, including two world championship bouts and a host of matchups featuring some of the sport’s top rising stars and newly discovered talent,” said WSOF President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo. “It is going to be yet another memorable night of action in the decagon cage for WSOF and the entire sport of MMA.”

The WSOF 21: “Palmer vs. Horodecki” three-fight preliminary card will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT (5:30 p.m. local time), and stream live on an embeddable video player on WSOF.com. The four-fight, live NBCSN televised main card will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT (7 p.m. local time).

Immediately after the conclusion of the main event, the action will continue with a four-bout postliminary card, beginning at 11:05 p.m. ET/8:05 p.m. PT (9:05 p.m. local time), live on WSOF.com.

WSOF 21: “Palmer vs. Horodecki” will be headlined by a WSOF world featherweight (145 pounds) championship showdown between reigning kingpin Lance Palmer (9-1) and battle-tested veteran Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (21-5-1). In the co-main event, WSOF World Heavyweight Champion Smealinho “The Prince” Rama (9-1) will risk his crown for the first time against Bulgarian standout Blagoi Ivanov (11-1).

Priced from $56, tickets for WSOF 21: “Palmer vs. Horodecki,” which takes place at the Edmonton Expo Centre, are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.

PRELIMINARY CARD

Bout # 1, Bantamweight (135 pounds) : Michael Hay (1-1) vs. Louie Grover (1-2)
Bout # 2, Lightweight (155 pounds): Mike Scarcello (7-3-1) vs. Dan Lariviere (4-2)
Bout # 3, Middleweight (185 pounds): Marcus Hicks (20-24) vs. Matt Baker (12-7)

MAIN CARD

Bout # 4, Featherweight (145 pounds) Bout:
Hakeem Dawodu (4-0) vs. Chuka Willis (4-0)

Bout # 5, Welterweight (170 pounds) Swing Bout:
Mark Drummond (7-2) vs. Michael Hill (7-3)

Bout # 6, World Heavyweight Championship Co-Main Event:
(Champion) Smealinho Rama (9-1) vs. (Challenger) Blagoi Ivanov (11-1)

Bout # 7, World Featherweight Championship Main Event:
(Champion) Lance Palmer (9-1) vs. (Challenger) Chris Horodecki (21-5-1)

POSTLIMINARY CARD

Bout # 8, Lightweight: Roger Alves (2-1) vs. Danny Doig (2-2)
Bout # 9, Lightweight: Garrett Nybakken (7-7) vs. Nick Hrabec (3-1)
Bout # 10, Lightweight: Tim Smith (14-8) vs. Spencer Rohovie (9-7)
Bout # 11, Catchweight (165 pounds): Stephen Beaumont (7-2) vs. Jose Rodriguez (7-2)

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

Valley Forge, PA (June 1, 2015)–On Saturday night, June 20, King’s Boxing will present a championship night of boxing at the Valley Forge Casino Resort.

In the main event, Garrett “The Ultimate Warrior” Wilson will take on Anthony Caputo Smith in a 10-round battle for the Pennsylvania Cruiserweight championship.

Wilson of Philadelphia has a record of 13-9-1 with 7 knockouts and has lived up to his nickname as he is willing to fight anybody at anytime. He has fought seven undefeated fighters and countless contenders.

Wilson, 32 won the USBA Cruiserweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Omar Sheika. He defended the the twice with thrilling knockout wins over Chuck Mussachio (17-1-2) and Andres Taylor (20-1-2).

Those fights set him for an IBF Elimination bout against Alexander Alekseev (23-2-1).

Wilson fought well but came up just short on the scorecards. In his next bout, Wilson jumped up to Heavyweight to fight current number-one ranked Vychslav Glazkov. Wilson took the fight on two days notice and gave a good account of himself before dropping a decision.

Wilson will be looking to break a 4-fight losing streak.

Caputo Smith of Kennett Square, PA has a record of 15-4 with 10 knockouts.

The 30 year-old is like Wilson as he willing to fight anybody.

He won his first thirteen bouts and then captured the Pennsylvania Light Heavyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Dhafir Smith. Caputo Smith then stepped up and lost to undefeated Seanie Monaghan (18-0) on the Juan Manuel Marquez – Timothy Bradley Pay Per View undercard in Las Vegas.

Caputo Smith moved up to win the Pennsylvania Cruiserweight title with a 10-round split decision over Tony Ferrante.

Caputo Smith is on a two fight losing streak after dropping fights to BJ Flores (29-1-1) and former interim world champion Ola Afolabi (20-3-4).

In the 8-round co-feature, Keenan Collins (15-9-3, 10 KO’s) of York, PA will take on Pavel Miranda (19-10-1, 6 KO’s) of Tijuana, Mexico in a Middleweight bout.

In 6-round bouts:

Coy Evans (10-2-1, 2 KO’s) will fight Jose Bustos (7-4-3, 4 KO’s) of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico in a Jr. Lightweight bout.

Earl Newman (5-0, 4 KO’s) of Brooklyn, NY will fight Lamont Capers (5-6) of Hawley, PA in a Cruiserweight bout.

John Magda (10-0, 7 KO’s) of Rutherford, NJ will take on an opponent to be named in a Super Middleweight bout.

Stephen Fulton (5-0, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be named in a Featherweight bout.

Samuel Quinones (8-3, 3 KO’s) of York, PA will fight an opponent to be named in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Lightweight Milton Santiago (10-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA will take on an opponent to be named

In 4-rounds bouts:

Kevin Garcia (1-1) of Phoenixville, PA will fight Jack Grady (0-1) of Buffalo, NY in a Lightweight bout.

Eric Spring (5-0, 1 KO) will take on Robert Sweeney (3-2) of Hampton, VA in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Tickets are priced at $100, $75 and $50 and can purchased at ticketmaster and www.ticketmaster.com

The 1st bout will start at 6:45 PM with the doors opening at 6 PM.

New York, June 1-Star Boxing president Joe DeGuardia says that Chris Algieri “clearly established himself as a legitimate contender” in the welterweight division in spite of the 12-round decision loss to Amir Khan last Friday night (May 29) at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

In the most aggressive performance of his 22-fight professional career, Algieri was moving forward throughout the 12-round tilt, putting the pressure on Khan from the outset. It was a courageous effort for the Long Island product during an action-packed tilt which went to the judges’ scorecards. Joe Pasquale andBenoit Roussel both scored the fight 117-111. But Don Ackerman’s card had it much closer – 115-113 – and many ringside observers, and those watching on television, scored it that close (Spike TV televised as part of the Premier Boxing Champions series).

Algieri fought with purpose and aggression, and the statistics provided byCompuBox after the fight indicated that. Algieri threw 703 punches, landing 199, while Khan was 218 for 609. In the power punch department, the totals were 145 of 433 for Algieri compared to 154 of 333 for Khan.

“I thought I did great pressuring him,” Algieri said. “I got my touches in. He definitely didn’t like it when I got into his body. I thought I hurt him several times. But Khan is a cagey guy, and he spun off. I guess the judges liked that. I thought the cleaner, harder shots would get more respect.”

Khan praised Algieri following the decision saying: “I give Chris a lot of credit. He came forward more than I expected.”

DeGuardia says that he will evaluate the timing and possible opponents for Algieri’s next fight in the days and weeks ahead.

For more information visit official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow on Twitter @ Star Boxing and Facebook.com/StarBoxing.