Clint Eastwood
Beyonce
Jay Z
Robert DeNiro
Sean Combs
Denzel Washington
Michael Jordan
Ben Affleck
Christian Bale
Michael Keaton
Mark Wahlberg
Bradley Cooper
Michael J. Fox
Jake Gyllenhaal
Don Cheadle
Drew Barrymore
Joe Jonas
Nick Jonas
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Chris Brown
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Joshua Jackson
Diane Kruger
Sugar Ray Leonard
Amanda Peet
Antoine Fuqua
Evander Holyfield
Mike Tyson
Tobey Maguire
Kevin Connolly
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Matt Bomer

HBO Sports presents FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. MANNY PACQUIAO, the replay of their high-stakes world welterweight unification title fight, SATURDAY, MAY 9 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on HBO. The pay-per-view broadcast team, which was ringside at the MGM Grand Garden Arena describing the blow-by-blow, calls all the action. The telecast will be available in HDTV.

The bout featured boxing’s two biggest superstars in a showdown that was six years in the making and captivated sports fans worldwide. The event took place Saturday, May 2, and was carried live on pay-per-view.

The replay will be paired with the previously announced “HBO World Championship Boxing®” live doubleheader from Minute Maid Park in Houston that will be headlined by the highly anticipated super welterweight collision between Canelo Alvarez and James Kirkland. That event marks Canelo’s 2015 ring debut.

Other HBO playdates for all three bouts: May 10 (10:30 a.m.) and May 11 (11:45 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates for all three bouts: May 10 (3:00 p.m.) and May 12 (11:30 p.m.)

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

rica Anabella Farias (Argentina) is the old and new WBC Female World Super Lightweight Champion. “La Pantera” prevailed in the lion’s den when she traveled to Denmark to beat interim champion Klara Svensson (Sweden) by unanimous decision. In an action packed fight Farias put a lot of pressure on her opponent and dropped the “Swedish Princess” with a hard right hook in round five. After ten hard fought rounds judge Esa Lehtosaari (Finland) scored the bout 98:92, Fabian Guggenheim (Switzerland) had it 96:93 and David John Irving (Ireland) saw it 96:94, all in favor of the 30-year-old champion. It was Farias’ 22nd win in her 23rd pro fight while Svensson suffered her first loss after 15 straight wins.

——

“Lightning” strikes in Zambia – Christina McMahon upsets Catherine Phiri to claim the WBC interim bantamweight championship

Christina McMahon is the fighting pride of Ireland. The 40-year-old “Lightning” outworked local hero Catherine Phiri on Saturday night in front of 3,000 enthusiastic fans in Lusaka, Zambia, to win the WBC Female Interim World Bantamweight Championship. In a close fight McMahon did enough to upset former Silver champion Phiri and earn a well deserved majority decision win. One of the judges scored the bout even 1t 95:95 while two judges gave the nod to McMahon (97:94 and 96:95). The Irish veteran moved to 7-0 and is now in line for a unification bout with World Champion Yazmin Rivas. Catherine Phiri suffered her first loss in her 11th pro bout but will surely recover from this setback and start another run for the world title soon.

ORENBURG, Russia (May 2, 2015) – M-1 Challenge light heavyweight title holder Stephan “T-800” Puetz defeated previously undefeated M-1 Challenge heavyweight champion Marcin “Tybur” Tubura in tonight’s heavyweight super fight that headlined M-1 Challenge 57: Battle in the Heart of the Continent in Orenburg, Russia.

In the co-feature, challenger Mansour “Tarzan” Barnaoui upset defending champion Max Divnich to capture the M-1 Challenge lightweight championship.

Puetz (13-1-0, 6 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) established himself as a genuine MMA star by defeating the larger Tybura (12-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 4 SUB). The ultra-talented German won his fourth straight M-1 Challenge fight with a third-round technical knockout of the Polish heavyweight, who was unbeaten in six previous M-1 Challenge bouts, resulting from the doctor’s stoppage.

Barnaoui (12-2-0, 4 KO/TKO, 7 SUB), fighting out of France, stopped previously undefeated champion Divnich (11-1-0, 6 KO/TKO, 1 SUB), of Russia, in the second round via punches.

Also fighting on the main card, Russian welterweight Alexei Kunchenko (9-0-0, 6 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) knocked out British challenger Dez “The Arm Collector” Parker (4-2-0, 1 KO/TKO, 3 SUB) in the opening round, Russian featherweight Magomed Idrisov (5-0-0, 2 KO/TKO, 0 SUB) won a three-round decision over German invader Max Coga (11-4-0, 2 KO/TKO, SUB), and Russian featherweight Nikita “Piranha” Chistyakov (4-1-0, 0 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) took a hard fought three-round decision from Frenchman Moktar “Le Benkaci” Benkaci (11-6-0, 3 KO/TKO, 7 SUB).

In preliminary bouts, lightweight Murad Mirzabekov (2-1-0, 0 SUB) knocked out fellow Russian Fabrice Dato (6-2-0, 2 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) in the first round, Russian heavyweight Kurban Ibragimov (3-2-0, 2 KO/TKO, 0 SUB) punched his way to a second-round victory over Spaniard David Trallero (1-2-0, 1 KO/TKO), Russian light heavyweight Rashid Yusupov (5-1-0, 1 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) registered an impressive first-round KO of Russian Mitry Medvedev (7-5-0, 3 KO/TKO, 3 SUB), Adam “Beard” Yandiev (6-0-0, 3 KO/TKO, 3 SUB) remained undefeated with an opening-round submission (guillotine choke) win against Dmitriy Adeev (1-2-0, 1 KO/TKO) in a battle of Russian light heavyweights, Damir Ismagulov (2-1-0, 1 KO/TKO, 0 SUB) took a three-round unanimous decision from fellow Russian lightweight Sergey Andreev (5-4-0, 2 KO/TKO, 2 SUB), Kazakhstan welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov (2-0-0, 1 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) punched out Bartos “Hulk” Chyrek (4-2-0, 4 SUB) in the first round, and Russian featherweight Timur Nagibin (7-1-0, 2 KO/TKO, 0 SUB) knocked out Akhmandjon Mamurov (0-1-0), of Tajikistan, in round one.

Complete results and picture gallery below:

MAIN CARD

HEAVYWEIGHT SUPERFIGHT
Stephan Puetz (13-1-0), Germany WTKO3 (3:48) Marcin Tubura (12-1-0), Poland

M-1 CHALLENGE LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Mansour Barnaoui (13-2-0), France (WKO1 (punches – 4:48) Maxim Divnich (11-1-0), Russia
(Barnaoui won M-1 Challenge Lightweight Title)

WELTERWEIGHTS
Alexei Kunchenko (9-0-0), Russia WKO1 (punches – 2:55) Dez Parker (4-2-0), England

FEATHERWEIGHTS
Magomed Idrisov (5-0-0), Russia WDEC3 Max Coga (11-4-0), Germany

Nikita Chistyakov (4-1-0), Russia WDEC3 Moktar Benkaci (11-6-0), France

PRELIMINARY CARD

HEAVYWEIGHTS
Kurban Ibragimov (3-2-0), Russia WTKO2 (punches – 2:00) David Trallero (1-2-0), Spain

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Rashid Yusupov (5-1-0), Russia WKO1 (punches – 1:32) Mitry Medvedev (7-5-0), Russia

Adam Yandiev (6-0-0), Russia WSUB1 (guillotine choke – 1:14) Dmitry Adeev (1-2-0), Russia

WELTERWEIGHTS
Shavat Rakhmonov (2-0-0), Kazakhstan WKO1 (punches – 2:50) Bartos Chyrek (4-2-0), Poland

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Damir Ismagulov (2-1-0), Russia WDEC3 Sergey Andreev (5-4-0), Russia

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Murad Mirzabekov (2-1-0), Russia WKO1 (punches – 2:50) Fabrice Dato (6-2-0), Russia

FEATHERWEIGHTS
Timur Nagibin (7-1-0), Russia WKO1 (punches – 1:05) Akhmandjon Mamurov (0-1-0), Tajikistan

The great Fedor Emelianenko addressed the crowd

MMA sperstar Stephan “T-800” Puetz

Mansour vs. Divnich fight is all over

New M-1 Challenge 57 lightweight champion Mansour Barnaoui

Murad Mirzabekov ends fight with Fabrice

Kurban Ibragimov and David Trallero exchange kickx

Shavkat Rakhmonov controls Bartos Chyrek

Adam Yandiev has hold on Dmitriy Adeev

Moktar Benkaci and Mikita Chistyakov mix it up

Rashid Yusupov put Mitry Medvedev to sleep

Damir Ismagulov and Sergey Andreev

Information

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ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premier entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With its office in St Petersburg, Russia, the M-1 brand has staged more than 160 events worldwide, including M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge, M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the U.S. network, Showtime. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Sergei Kharitonov, Aleksander Emelianenko, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2015 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global Champions among the greatest fighters in the sport.

ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TV: Enjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you by M-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database. It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers. Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription. Your world of action. Anytime!

Patrick Nielsen (25-1, 12 KOs) defeated Ruben Eduardo Acosta (30-12-5, 10 KOs) tonight in Copenhagen to set-up a potential Danish mega-fight with domestic rival Rudy Markussen.

Nielsen, who took the fight on short-notice, outclassed the former world title challenger to earn an impressive points victory. After ten-rounds of action, the judges scored the fight 100-90, 99-91 and 99-1 in favour of the Albertslund-boxer.

‘’I was pleased with my performance tonight,’’ said Nielsen. ‘’I knew Acosta would be tough, I knew he would be in my face and I was prepared for that. I stuck to my game plan, used my jab and made it difficult for him.’’

Much of Nielsen’s preparations had been dominated with talk of a super middleweight showdown with Danish rival Rudy Markussen. After beating Acosta, the 24 year-old reiterated his desire to face the 38 year-old ‘Hard Hitter’.

‘’I’m ready whenever he is,’’ declared Nielsen. ‘’He talks my name, says he wants to fight me and even showed up at my press conference. If he wants the fight he’s got it. It’s time to step up or shut up!’’

Promoter Nisse Sauerland was pleased with what he saw from Nieslen and reveals negotiations are underway for an all-Danish duel with Markussen.

‘’Patrick impressed me tonight,’’ said Sauerland. ‘’He beat an experienced fighter and looked good doing it. Now, we want the Rudy fight. Talks are on going, we’ve had some positive dialogue. We still need to iron out some details but it is a fight I’m hopeful of making. The fighters want it, the fans want it, so I see no reason why we can’t come to an agreement and make it happen.’’

In a co-featured main event in Copenhagen, the WBC Female World Light Welterweight Champion Erica Anabella Farias (22-1, 10 KOs) successfully defended her title against ‘The Swedish Princess’ Klara Svensson (15-1, 5 KOs). Svensson fought on bravely following a fifth-round knock down but came up short on the judge’s scorecards.

For more information on ESPN’s week-long coverage from Las Vegas visit ESPN Mediazone.
For behind-the-scenes stories and content, visit ESPNFrontRow.com
For photos of ESPN in Las Vegas visit ESPN Images.

#MayPac Predictions from ESPNers

With one day remaining until the biggest fight of a generation, ESPN on-air personalities offered their fight predictions for tomorrow’s welterweight unification title matchup between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Of the 30 picks, 20 selected Mayweather to win, while six picked Pacquiao to win. Four were undecided or felt the fight would end in a draw.

Reminder: ESPN’s week-long coverage from Las Vegas continues tonight with live coverage of the weigh-in on a SportsCenter Special (5 p.m. ET, ESPN2). SportsCenter will have live coverage throughout the day tomorrow leading up to a SportsCenter Red Carpet Special (8 p.m., ESPN). Following the fight, a SportsCenter Special will provide fans with analysis, interviews and post-fight reactions (approx. 12 a.m. ESPN).

Picking Mayweather:

Paul Azinger, ESPN golf analyst:
Mayweather goes the distance to win.

Max Bretos, ESPN studio anchor:
Mayweather by unanimous decision. Based on everything I have seen and heard, Mayweather has never been more focused for a fight. After losing to Tim Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez, Pac Man has won his last three fights. None of those opponents are anywhere near the quality of “Money.”

Chris Broussard, ESPN NBA Insider:
Mayweather by unanimous decision.

Jonathan Coachman, ESPN Radio host/studio anchor:
There is a reason Floyd Mayweather is undefeated despite all of the out of the ring troubles. My heart is very different than my head here. I believe this fight will go the distance and Mayweather will win a unanimous decision. Floyd just doesn’t knock people out.

Kevin Connors, ESPN anchor:
My heart says Pacquiao – my head says Mayweather. Floyd wins a unanimous decision, as usual, in a fight that fails to live up to the hype. Sorry to be a Grinch, but they’re about five years too late.

Colin Cowherd, ESPN Radio host:
Styles create fights and I think these fighters come together and I fear it could be a pretty pedestrian fight with Mayweather taking the decision.

Robert Flores, SportsCenter co-host:
Mayweather by split decision. Neither one of these fighters have knocked anyone out recently. Mayweather would prefer to use defense and just enough offense to get things done. Pacquiao is fast, and will hit Floyd occasionally, but it won’t be enough to get a decision, much less a knockout.

Brad Gilbert, ESPN Tennis analyst:
Money Mayweather will win easy. Might even be a knockout or like 10-2 in rounds by decision.

Todd Grisham, ESPN Friday Night Fights studio host/anchor:
Anyone expecting an exciting, toe-to-toe thriller on Saturday night is delusional. Yes, Pacquiao can certainly deliver that type of fight but Mayweather has never, and will never. Look back at his 47 wins. They mostly look the same. He pretty much just picks his spots, employs incredible defense and wins on points in less than spine-tingling performance. Same thing happens here. Mayweather by decision.

Chris Hassel, ESPN studio anchor:
Mayweather. Final round KO. With Pacquiao pounding on Mayweather, Justin Bieber distracts the ref when he breaks out into song from his ringside seat while 50 Cent enters the ring and hits Pacquiao, from behind, with a folding chair.

Darren Haynes, ESPN studio anchor:
Mayweather by unanimous decision. Floyd Mayweather is known for his defense. There’s an old saying “Defense Wins Championships” for Floyd Mayweather, his defense is going to win him…A BOAT LOAD OF MONEY!

Doug Kezirian, ESPN studio anchor:
Mayweather by decision. Pacquiao is easier to root for, but he is several years past even having a puncher’s chance in a fight I expect Mayweather to dominate.

Bob Ley, Outside the Lines host, SportsCenter anchor:
Domestic violence consciousness. Unanimous decision.

Juan Manuel Marquez, ESPN Deportes boxing analyst:
My prediction is that Mayweather will win the fight on points.

Patrick McEnroe, ESPN tennis commentator:
Floyd. Unanimous decision.

Bernardo Osuna, ESPN boxing reporter/ESPN Deportes commentator:
My feeling is that this is the fight that Manny Pacquiao can win based on his punching power, hand speed and footwork. The thing is, he’s facing the smartest fighter of his generation who in 47 fights, has proven that he can make in fight adjustments that neutralize his opponents’ strengths. I expect some rocky moments early for Floyd, but anticipate a split decision win for a 48-0 record.

Dr. Jerry Punch, ESPN play-by-play announcer/reporter:
Mayweather in four by KO.

Dan Rafael, ESPN.com senior boxing writer/analyst:
Mayweather wins in 12.

Jorge Eduardo Sánchez, ESPN Deportes commentator:
In my opinion, Floyd Mayweather wins on points.

Marcellus Wiley, SportsNation co-Host, ESPN Radio co-host:
Mayweather wins this fight in an exciting and dominating display of size, savvy, and IQ!

Picking Pacquiao:

Teddy Atlas, ESPN boxing analyst:
Pacquiao by controversial decision.

Allen Bestwick, ESPN play-by-play announcer:
Pacquiao goes the distance, by decision.

John Buccigross, SportsCenter anchor:
Pacquiao. First round. Because it’s my dream and I’ll dream what I want to.

Brian Campbell, ESPN.com boxing writer/analyst:
Pacquiao by split decision.

Dari Nowkhah, SEC Network host:
Pacquiao in a decision. If I were able to choose an outcome, I would choose Manny in a KO 15 seconds into the fight, but I will settle for this.

Reese Waters, SportsCenter fan correspondent:
Pacquiao KO win in the 10th round. Because all the world’s a boxing ring and we are merely betters.

Undecided or Draw:

John Anderson, SportsCenter anchor:
My prediction for the fight – pain. Stolen directly from Clubber Lange (Mr. T) in Rocky III. As for the actually fight…I am one of the few disinterested.

Nigel Collins, ESPN.com boxing and ESPN Friday Night Fights contributor:
I’ve never bought into the opinion that Mayweather would easily outbox Pacquiao. I thought it was a 50-50 fight when the match was first talked about years ago and I still think it’s a 50-50 fight today. If, however, Pacquiao is as aggressive as Marcos Maidana was in his first fight with Mayweather, I can see Manny prevailing a competitive contest. He’s much faster than Maidana and significantly more accurate with his punches, which would allow him to outwork Floyd and win a close decision.

Darren Rovell, ESPN sports business reporter:
My prediction? Three million pay-per-view buys: Even though it’s at a record breaking price of $99.95, $20 more than the previous high, this is a fight that people just have to see. They’ll get to this number despite bars and illegal streams. This will double the previous pay-per-view revenue record of $150 million (Mayweather-Canelo, 2013).

Joe Tessitore, ESPN Friday Night Fights blow-by-blow commentator, in Las Vegas anchoring coverage for SportsCenter:
I am predicting a “majority draw.” If Manny fights his best fight I think this will be a very difficult fight for the judges to score. I can see some judges giving rounds to Manny based on being more the aggressor and his volume of punches against Floyd. Then others will favor Floyd’s effective counter punching and controlled moments. I predict scores of — 115-113 Mayweather, 114-114, 114-114.

ESPN The Magazine’s “Fight for Perfection” issue hits newsstands today, featuring Floyd Mayweather on the cover, with a profile written by senior writer Tim Keown. This third installment of the Keown on Mayweather series in The Mag [following the Money Issue in 2012 and the Fight Issue in 2013], examines Mayweather as he prepares for the pinnacle of his career, and its end.

The feature includes an overall preview of tomorrow night’s bout versus Manny Pacquiao. In addition, there’s an all-access photo story of Pacquiao written by The Mag’s Pablo Torre. Keown provided insight to ESPN FrontRow.com on his latest story with Mayweather. Read Full Q&A

ESPN All-in from Las Vegas for Mayweather Pacquiao

· For more information on ESPN’s week-long coverage from Las Vegas visit ESPN Mediazone.

· For behind-the-scenes stories and content, visit ESPNFrontRow.com

· For photos of ESPN in Las Vegas visit ESPN Images.

Klara Svenson (15-0, 5 KOs) and her opponent Erica Anabella Farias (21-1, 10 KOs) both made weight today ahead of their WBC Female World Light Welterweight Championship fight tomorrow night at the Frederiksberg Hallerne in Copenhagen.

WBC Female World Light Welterweight Championship:
Klara Svensson: 62.8 kg
Erica Anabella Farias: 62.4 kg

In a co-featured main event Danish boxing star Patrick Nielsen (24-1, 12 KOs) faces former world title challenger Ruben Eduardo Acosta (30-11-5, 10 KOs) in a ten-round super middleweight contest.

Super Middleweight – 10 Rounds:
Patrick Nielsen: 79 kg
Ruben Eduardo Acosta: 79 kg

A further seven undercard fights are scheduled for an action-packed Nordic Fight Night show in the Danish capital. A full list of weights can be found below:

Middleweight – 8 Rounds:
Abdul Khattab: 72.6 kg
Howard Cospolite: 72 kg

Super Middleweight – 8 Rounds:
Oscar Ahlin: 75,5 kg
Bernard Donfack: 75.5 kg

Heavyweight – 8 Rounds:
Otto Wallin: 106 kg
Beka Lobjanidze: 102.5 kg

Super Middleweight – 10 Rounds:
Tim-Robin Lihaug: 76.3 kg
Istvan Zeller: 75.4 kg

Light Heavyweight – 6 Rounds:
Alexander Hagen: 79.3 kg
Olegs Fedotovs: 77.5 kg

Super Middleweight – 4 Rounds:
Simen Smaadal: 75.8 kg
Volodymyr Borovskyy: 74 kg

Lightweight – 6 Rounds:
Rashid Kassem: 63kg
Anto Nakic: 61kg

Team Sauerland in association with Betsafe presents the ‘Nordic Fight Night – Going For Gold’ on May 2 at the Frederiksberg-Hallerne in Copenhagen. The event will be broadcast live on Viasat channels across Scandinavia. Tickets are available via billetlugen.dk. Visit betsafe.com for the latest betting odds.

Growing up in the 1970s, young Evander Holyfield fell in love with boxing – in part – by watching ABC’s telecasts of professional and Olympic bouts.

Even as Saturday’s Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao pay-per-view bout in Las Vegas gives boxing its biggest showcase in years, “The Real Deal” believes television remains crucial to the sport’s future.

Holyfield appreciates not only ESPN’s links to ABC’s boxing coverage legacy but also the network’s franchise series Friday Night Fights – “it’s good for the boxing game” – and ESPN Classic. Many of Holyfield’s bouts from his 1990s heyday have been Classic staples, including his 1991 fight with George Foreman. Read full story on ESPNFrontRow.com.

ESPN All-in from Las Vegas for Mayweather Pacquiao

· For more information on ESPN’s week-long coverage from Las Vegas visit ESPN Mediazone.

· For behind-the-scenes stories and content, visit ESPNFrontRow.com

· For photos of ESPN in Las Vegas visit ESPN Images.

LAS VEGAS (April 30, 2015) – Undefeated WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz, WBO Featherweight World Champion Vasyl Lomachenko, their opponents and non-televised fighters participated Thursday in the undercard final press conference before their respective fights taking place this Saturday, May 2, live on pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

In pay-per-view fights before Floyd “Money” Mayweather meets Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao in their epic welterweight championship unificiation showdown, the Mexican star Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) will take on fellow Mexican countryman Jose Cayetano (17-3, 8 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight contest and Ukraine’s Lomachenko (3-1, 1 KO) will defend against Puerto Rico’s Gamalier Rodriguez (25-2-3, 17 KOs).

The pay-per-view telecast will be co-produced and co-distributed by SHOWTIME PPV® and HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

Also appearing at the press conference were boxers fighting on the non-televised portion of the card: Promising unbeaten Chris “Young King” Pearson (11-0, 9 KOs), who meets Said El Harrak (12-2, 7 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout; hard-hitting Jesse Hart (16-0, 13 KOs), who’ll face fellow unbeaten Mike Jimenez (17-0, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the NABO, USBA and NABF Super Middleweight titles, power-punching Andrew “The Beast” Tabiti (9-0, 9 KOs), who will be opposed by Anthony Caputo Smith (15-4, 10 KOs) in a cruiserweight eight-rounder and undefeated super middleweight Brad Solomon (24-0, 9 KOs), who meets Adrian Rene Granados (13-3, 9 KOs) in a 10-round scrap.

Here is what the fighters and executives said Thursday at the Copperfield Theater at the MGM Grand:

LEO SANTA CRUZ
“I’m more than excited to be on this undercard. This is the biggest card I could have been on. I want to show the whole world who I am.

“I prepared very hard for this fight, like I always do. It’s going to be a historic night and I’m happy to be a part of that history.

“I know that everybody is here for Mayweather and Pacquiao but there will still be millions seeing me fight and I want to show them who Leo Santa Cruz is so that I can get a lot more fans.

“”I’m still young and there are many more fights to come. The fights the fans want, we’re going to give it to them. I know those fights are going to happen.

“I want to look spectacular and I want to get Cayetano out of there really fast. Sometimes these kind of fighters are the ones who give you the hardest fights because they come hungrier and have nothing to lose.

“Seeing my family here and having them in the arena on fight night is a huge motivation for me. I feel happier and more relaxed and I’m ready.

“I never underestimate a fighter. Any fighter in the ring is dangerous. I hope that Cayetano is ready so that we can give the fans a great show.”

JOSE CAYETANO
“I know that Leo Santa Cruz is a strong, difficult fighter but he also has weaknesses and that is what we prepared for, to give him a surprise.

“I’m a man that takes challenges and I’ve been preparing very hard, I’m always prepared for these types of fights. I’m very prepared and I feel very strongly that I will win.

“I came here for the opportunity to beat Leo Santa Cruz and for the opportunity to participate in such a grand event that is Mayweather vs. Pacquiao.

“I’m very happy and very grateful and very excited to get into the ring. It’s a huge commitment, the entire world will be watching me but that is why I accepted the fight, I know that if I beat him, bigger and better opportunities will come my way.

“I’m not nervous because it’s not the first time that I’ve faced a tough opponent. I’ve never faced a world champion but I’ve faced opponents that throw hard punches, so I’m not nervous, I’m excited.”

VASYL LOMACHENKO
“This is an opportunity to show everyone what I’m capable of doing and for millions of viewers to see that I can do it.

“The best fighters get the best opportunities in the ring, there are a lot of great fighters getting those opportunities including myself.

“It’s always a good feeling when people are saying good things about you.

“I’m very excited to be involved in a bout such as this one, May 2 will be a big show shown around the world. I’m very happy to be in the opening bout for this huge fight.”

GAMALIER RODRIGUEZ
“I’m looking forward to this big fight on Saturday. It’s a blessing to participate in this type of press conference and come Saturday, I will win! I’m sure of it. I will be champion.

“All of the attention toward Vasyl Lomachenko gives me motivation. I’ve been a fighter and a boxer since I was young and it’s added motivation to come out on top this weekend.

“I know that Lomachenko is a good and technical fighter but it doesn’t compare to my hunger and drive to be world champion.

“I wanted to take the opportunity during my speech at the press conference to let everyone know that I can here to fight. It’s going to be a hard fought battle and I’m very confident that I’ll win and become the champion this Saturday.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions
“I am so excited to be here today to discuss the great undercard which will be the lead-in to our long awaited, history making event taking place this Saturday night.

“The lead-in fight for Mayweather vs. Pacquiao will be a very exciting fight featuring Leo Santa Cruz and Jose Cayetano.

“Leo Santa Cruz is one of the classiest gentleman in the sport. He’s a very fan-friendly fighter and a Mexican warrior. He represents Mexico very well.”

BOB ARUM, Hall of Fame Promoter, Top Rank
“I know that every fighter deems it a tremendous honor to be part of this great event. We hope and believe that we will be presenting to the public through Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank, the best of boxing and the best fighters.

“Vasyl Lomachenko is considered to be the greatest amateur fighter of all time. Now, he looks for the same type of success he had as an amateur in the professional ranks. But this will be a very competitive fight, because Gamalier Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican who comes to fight and believes that he can upset Vasyl.

“A lot of the young men up here believe they are the next big thing in boxing, and many will be. But I know that Vasyl Lomachenko will be a big superstar in the sport of boxing.”
* * *

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is a 12-round welterweight world championship unification bout promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., and is sponsored by Tecate con caracter, Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions –Terminator Genisys, in theaters July 1st, Paramount Pictures & Skydance Productions present MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION, in theaters & IMAX July 31st, The Weinstein Company and the new movie Southpaw, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, in theaters everywhere July 24 and Mexico, Live it to Believe it.

For more information visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.toprank.com, www.SHO.com/Sports,www.hbo.com/boxing and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @MannyPacquiao @mayweatherpromo, @TRBoxing, @SHOSports, @HBOboxing and @Swanson_Comm, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/TopRankMannyPacquiao www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOsports andwww.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

LOS ANGELES (April 30) – Kicking off the Memorial Day holiday weekend, Philadelphia’s Eric “The Outlaw” Hunter will return to the ring on Friday, May 22 to headline Golden Boy Live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. Hunter is scheduled to fight in a 10-round super welterweight bout against an opponent to be announced shortly. In the televised co-main event, Southern California native and unbeaten featherweight Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez will face a yet to be named opponent in a 10-round bout. Tickets for the May 22 event will go on sale today, Thursday, April 30.

In addition, former IBA and WBC World Champion Mia “The Knockout” St. John will host special meet and greet at the Fantasy Springs Special Events Center prior to the bouts from 6:00 pm to 7:00 p.m.

“Golden Boy Promotions returns to its home at Fantasy Springs May 22 for another stellar night showcasing some of the best talent in boxing today,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Hunter is a seasoned fighter in the ring with 23 fights under his belt while Lopez is going to thirst for the win after a draw in his last fight, which was also at Fantasy Springs in March. This match up will be one the fans won’t want to miss.”

Finally on track to fulfilling the potential so many saw in him, 28-year-old Eric “The Outlaw” Hunter (20-3, 10 KOs) was an alternate on the 2004 United States Olympic team who fought through the ups and downs of the fight game and is now looking to get in the title picture in 2015. Winner of five of his last six bouts, including three straight, the Philadelphia native defeated highly-regarded Rene Alvarado in January and he wants to keep the momentum going on May 22.

La Puente, California’s Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez (17-0-1, 12 KOs) may have suffered a draw against Juan Carlos Martinez in his last appearance at Fantasy Springs in March, but the talented 27-year-old promises to take matters into his own hands this May. To do so, he plans on showing off the knockout power that has led him to 10 knockout wins in three rounds or less once more in front of his Southern California fans.

The May 22 memorial weekend kickoff event features Eric Hunter in a 10-round featherweight bout and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico, Live It To Believe It! Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bell rings at 5:30 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event go on sale today, Thursday, April 30 and are priced at $25, $35 and $45 at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1, www.FOXDeportes.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @FOXSports, @FOXSports1, @FOXDeportes and, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing.

LOS ANGELES (April 30) – Golden Boy Promotions will bring another night of electrifying fights back to the beautiful Belasco Theater on Thursday, May 7 in the highly anticipated third installment of its monthly hit series LA FIGHT CLUB, live on FOX Sports 1 and airing on May 8 on FOX Deportes. In the main event of the night, Manuel “Tino” Avlia (16-0, 7 KOs) will take on Mexican-American fighter Erik Ruiz (13-2, 6 KOs) in a 10-round super bantamweight bout. Ruiz will replace previously announced main event fighter Rolly Lunas, who had to withdraw from the fight due to a severe injury.

Set to make his LA FIGHT CLUB debut, promising undefeated fighter Diego De La Hoya (9-0, 6 KOs) of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico will take on fellow Mexican Ramiro “Zurdo” Robles (12-2-1, 6 KOs) of Guanajuato, in what is sure to be a high intensity eight-round featherweight co-main event. Colombian native and current Angeleno Oscar “El Jagura” Negrete (8-0, 3 KOs) will look to defend his current undefeated status against seasoned fighter Luis “Titi” Maldonado Jr. (38-13-1, 29 KOs) from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico in a televised six-round super bantamweight match up.

Hailing from the Westside Boxing Club in Los Angeles, fan favorite and rising star Nick Arce (2-0, 1 KO) and Texan Marco Alcaraz (0-5) will fight for airtime in a four-round featherweight swing bout. Returning to LA FIGHT CLUB after a victory in the premiere edition, Los Angeles’ own Jesus Delgado (4-0-1, 1 KOs) will face Benjamin Vinson (1-2, 1 KO) of Nogales, Arizona in a non-televised four-round lightweight battle.

The undefeated Emilio Sanchez (7-0, 6 KOs) of Los Angeles will take on a yet-to-be announced opponent in a six-round super bantamweight bout, and making his professional debut, 18-year old amateur standout Miguel Alcantara of East Los Angeles will facea yet-to-be announced opponentin a four-round bantamweight fight. Newcomer Zachary Cooper (2-0-2, 2 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada will take on Diego Padilla of Los Angeles, also making his professional debut, in a four-round super welterweight bout.

The undefeated Manuel “Tino” Avila has taken the local boxing scene by storm since his professional debut at Fight Night Club at Club Nokia in Los Angeles in 2010. Avila’s last bout in Los Angeles was decision win against David Reyes on the undercard for Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawson at Staples Center in October 2011. 2014 was a busy year for Avila, as he took on and defeated Enrique Quevedo, David De La Mora, and Sergio Frias.

Erik Ruiz made an impressive professional debut on June 3, 2011 knocking out veteran Shaun Solomon in Woodland Hills. Hailing from Oxnard, the 24-year-old has racked up wins over Jonathan Alcantara, Brandon Gushiken, and Victor Raul Capaceta in 2014. Ruiz will make his second appearance of 2015 fighting against the undefeated Manuel Avila.

Fighting out of the Westside Boxing Club in Los Angeles, 18-year-old featherweight Nick Arce is a former amateur standout who entered the professional boxing world in style in November of 2014 with a fourth round knockout of Adalbert Valenzuela. Since then the Los Angeles favorite has fought Lyonell Kelly on Feb. 27 winning by second round knockout.

Marco Alcaraz, of Greenville, Texas, made his professional boxing debut taking on Francisco Cruz in Fort Worth Texas on September 20, 2014. Facing such tough opponents as Edgar Alarcon and Frankie Agnew in 2014 and Luis Guevara and Fernando Garcia in 2015, the 39-year old will take on undefeated Nick Arce on May 7 at LA FIGHT CLUB.

Diego De La Hoya has kept fans thrilled with his impressive skills in the ring since making his professional debut in 2013. Fighting with power, the Mexicali, Mexico native has stayed busy in 2015 with an impressive victory over title contender Manuel Roman at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in February. The 20-year-old fighter is looking to excite fans once again and keep his undefeated status when he makes his LA FIGHT CLUB debut at The Belasco Theater.

Hailing for Guanajuato, Mexico, the hard-hitting Ramiro Robles made his professional debut at the young age of 17, triumphing over Carlos Hernandez Mejia in Queretaro, Mexico. Robles worked to establish an impressive record of 12 wins since his debut. On July 9, 2014, Robles made his U.S. debut against undefeated Joseph Diaz Jr., ultimately losing after a grueling ten rounds. Robles will make his LA FIGHT CLUB debut in his first fight of 2015 against Diego De La Hoya.

Undefeated super bantamweight star Oscar Negrete of Los Angeles will get in the ring eager to continue his winning streak and maintain his undefeated status on May 7. 2014 was a good year for Negrete as he secured wins over Carlos Medina, Gabriel Braxton and Salvador Perez. Negrete has stayed active thus far in 2015 winning via decision against Fernando Fuentes at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in this past February.

LA FIGHT CLUB will mark the first fight of 2015 for seasoned boxer Luis Maldonado Jr. Maldonado Jr. made his professional debut against Daniel Navarete on April 17, 1998 in his hometown of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. The veteran has been fighting consistently since his debut. He most recently took on Joseph Diaz Jr. on April 26 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and Roy Tapia on November 13 at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. in 2014.

Jesus Delgado made a stand-out appearance at premiere event of LA FIGHT CLUB on March 6, dominating Rocco Espinozain all four-rounds, releasing relentless powerful punches to win the bout by unanimous decision. Since his professional debut in January 2014, Delgado has stayed local, building up his name and reputation on the Southern California boxing circuit and will continue this quest on May 7.

Benjamin Vinson of Tugard, Oregon, takes on Jesus Delgado in his fourth professional fight at LA FIGHT CLUB. Previously, the 28-year old has faced Andres Reyes in 2015 and Jeff Hatton and Jeremy McCleary in 2014 at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

Making his professional debut in 2013, Los Angeles undefeated featherweight Emilio Sanchez can do it all in the ring. Sanchez won his first three bouts via first-round knockouts and has continued to impress with 2014 victories over Jonathan Ramos and Juan Alvarado. The young but experienced fighter triumphed over Luis Cosme at the March 6 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB at The Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

18-year old, Miguel Alcantara of East Los Angeles will be making his professional debut at The Belasco Theater. With an amateur record of 68-12, the Desert Showdown and Silver Gloves winner is ready to give fan a great show on May 7.

Undefeated 29-year old, Zachary Cooper, hailing from Seattle, Washington and fighting out of Las Vegas is set to make his LA Fight Club debut. The up-and-coming boxer defeated his first two opponents, Rafael Umarov and John Solis, at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma in 2013. His appearance on May 7 will mark his first bout of 2015 when he faces Diego Padilla of Los Angeles who will be making his professional debut.

Tickets for the May 7 LA FIGHT CLUB are on sale now and start at $20. Tickets can be purchased online by going to www.goldenboypromotions.com or by visiting the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page. For ticket information, email us at 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.

LA FIGHT CLUB: Avila vs. Ruiz is a 10-round super bantamweight bout presented by Golden Boy 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 broadcast will air live, Thursday, May 7 at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT and the FOX Deportes broadcast airs on Friday, May 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT.

The LA FIGHT CLUB is a monthly boxingseries that takes place on the first Thursday of each month with the next installment set to air on June 4. 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.

Media interested in attending the May 7 installment of LA FIGHT CLUB must be pre-approved for credentials. Credential applications are available by clicking HERE. Completed credential applications should be sent to credentials@goldenboypromotions.com by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29. Media will not be credentialed on-site, no exceptions.

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 (April 30, 2015) – Floyd Mayweather Sr. and Freddie Roach, trainers for Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, respectively, met with the media this morning to discuss Saturday’s welterweight championship showdown between Mayweather and Pacquiao live on pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

In a boxing matchup that has stirred the interest and emotions of sports fans around the world, the undefeated and universally recognized No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs), an 11-time world champion in five weight classes, will take on Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), the fighting pride of the Philippines and only boxer to capture world titles in eight weight classes, in a 12-round welterweight world championship unification fight.

The “MAYWEATHER VS. PACQUIAO” three-fight pay-per-view telecast is co-produced and co-distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

Catch “Weigh In Live: Mayweather vs. Pacquiao”, tomorrow at 6 pm ET/3 p.m. PT on both SHOWTIME and HBO.

Flash quotes from Floyd Sr. and Roach on Thursday at the MGM Grand:

FLOYD MAYWEATHER SR.
“To be honest with you, it’s not going to be much of a fight.

“This fight has already been won. We can beat Manny any day, any time, any year, any moment.

“Manny’s best performance was when he got knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez.

“I think it’s best for Floyd to choose what he wants to do at the end of the year. I think he should retire, because if he sticks around, somebody is going to get you sooner or later.”

FREDDIE ROACH
“We’ve have trained so hard for this fight. This fight has two of the best fighters fighting each other.

“I’ve been training Manny for this fight for five years. We know all about him, we have covered all the bases. I think we have the winning formula to win this fight.

“If we were to lose to an undefeated fighter like this, there’s no shame in that.

“Floyd’s a good fighter, but he has picked his opponents. I don’t think he picked Manny. I think he was forced to take this fight.

“Manny was down to 143 pounds yesterday, so I told him to eat a good meal and then we will do a light workout later today. Tomorrow he will have breakfast in the morning and then get on the scale.”

* * *

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is a 12-round welterweight world championship unification bout promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., and is sponsored by Tecate con caracter, Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions –Terminator Genisys, in theaters July 1st, Paramount Pictures & Skydance Productions present MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION, in theaters & IMAX July 31st, The Weinstein Company and the new movie Southpaw, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, in theaters everywhere July 24 and Mexico, Live it to Believe it.

For more information visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.toprank.com, www.SHO.com/Sports,www.hbo.com/boxing and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @MannyPacquiao @mayweatherpromo, @TRBoxing, @SHOSports, @HBOboxing and @Swanson_Comm, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/TopRankMannyPacquiao www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOsports andwww.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Biloxi, MS (April 30, 2015) – On Saturday evening when most of the boxing world is glued to the TV watching the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao superfight, those in the Mississippi Gulf will have the chance to not only witness the historic bout but also enjoy top notch talent before their own eyes.

Live at the Hard Rock Hotel in Biloxi, Ritehook Promotions will proudly present “Sweet Science 3”. The event is open to children of all ages but all minors must be accompanied by an adult over 30. With a number of promoters coming and going in the Gulf Coast, Ritehook Promotions CEO William Hunter is committed to boxing’s comeback in the Magnolia State.

Headlining this family friend event will be a showdown between highly touted Radivoje “Hod Rod” Kalajdzic and local spoiler William Johnson. Kalajdzic’s been perfect thus far as a pro, compiling a record of 17-0 but will be tested by a 50-plus fight veteran who has faced many top opponents.

In the semi-main event, Ritehook Promotions prospect Manny “Shake Em’ Up” Woods will try to take another step towards contention when he squares off against granite chinned Aaron Anderson. The fearless Woods has a solid 12-3-1 professional ledger and is eager to fight the best.

Tony Johnson Jr. meets grizzled veteran Marvin Hunt over four rounds in a heavyweight special attraction bout. The Nashville, TN based Johnson is 1-0 as a boxer but is best known as a top MMA fighter in the Bellator organization.

Fans will also get to enjoy separate bouts featuring Mike Bissett, Joey Bryant, Cameron Springer and Tom Howard.

“Boxing’s popularity is on the rise overall and with Mayweather-Pacquiao taking place the same night as our card, the interest on Saturday, May 2 will be at an all-time high,” said Hunter. “Ritehook Promotions is based out of this area and we have a great relationship not only with the community and venue, but the fighters we’re promoting. Those who come out to the Hard Rock Saturday evening will get to see talented fighters in Radivoje Kalajdzic, Manny Woods and Mike Bissett plus the man that I consider the biggest sleeper prospect in boxing Tony Johnson Jr.”

“Tony is a top rated MMA fighter and is 1-0 as a boxer. I truly believe he’s the Bo Jackson of Boxing. The goal is to get him a title fight by the time he’s 10-0 and make him the first dual sport champion. If you haven’t already done so, get your tickets now because we’re almost sold out!”

Tickets start at just $35 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com, at the Hard Rock Box Office or by calling 228-217-5555. All ticketholders are invited to stay at the Hard Rock following the live fights and watch Mayweather-Pacquiao on a 35-foot screen.

New York, NY / Hartford, CT (4/30/15) – On Friday, May 15th, 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Universal Promotions, will present that week’s exciting addition of ESPN Friday Night Fights.Headlining the card will be undefeated Puerto Rican lightweight Reynaldo Ojeda (16-0, 9KO’s) taking on longtime contender Monty Meza Clay (36-4, 22KO’s) in the 10-round main event.

In the co-feature bout of the evening, Connecticut’s own fast-rising and world-rated contender Luis Rosa (19-0, 9KO’s) will put his undefeated record and world rating on the line an eight-round super bantamweight matchup. An opponent for Rosa will be announced very shortly.

“I’m excited to once again bring another fantastic night of boxing to Connecticut. Lou DiBella and I have put on some great events and I’m looking forward to co-promoting with him again,” said 50.

“In what promises to be a tremendous action-packed main event, Meza Clay will certainly provide a stern test for the up-and-coming undefeated Puerto Rican star Reynaldo Ojeda,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “We will also have a stacked undercard to highlight the evening, and I look forward to promoting this event along with Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson’s SMS Promotions, in association with Universal Promotions.”

“This is our final Friday Night Fights that required matchmaking-given that our last fight is the Boxcino Final on May 22-so we wanted to send it off by doing what we’ve done countless times before,” said Brian Kweder, ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions. “ESPN has a long history of identifying future stars with this series and Rey Ojeda certainly fits that bill. Conversely, Friday Night Fights has also had its share of delivering future stars their first losses and Monty Meza Clay is just the guy to do it in what promises to be an action fight.”

The college graduate Ojeda, co-promoted by Universal Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, was a two-time national champion as an amateur before turning pro in 2009. Ojeda took some time away from the sport at the end of 2009 to pursue his degree, before returning in 2011. The bout on May 15th will be the talented 26-year-old’s first time under the bright lights of national TV, and he is looking to impress against the very dangerous and much more experienced Meza Clay.

“I’m very excited for the opportunity to fight on ESPN,” said Ojeda. “I appreciate the work of my promoters Javier Bustillo, Lou DiBella, my manager Margaro Cruz and my adviser Al Haymon. I know I’ll have a tough test, but I’m ready to show the world that my name is on the list of the top fighters in my division. On Friday, May 15, on ESPN, the boxing world will witness that the grade is given by the teacher.”

The bout against Ojeda is a must-win for Meza Clay. Unlike his opponent, the 34-year-old Philadelphian has been featured a number of times throughout his near 13-year career in the national spotlight. Clay is coming off a decision loss to the world-rated Rod Salka in his most recent outing, but had won eight consecutive bouts before that. Meza Clay knows that if he is going to make another run at competing for a world title, he has to get by Ojeda.

“It’s game time,” said Meza Clay. “I’ve been working hard in training camp and I’m already on weight. This is the best I’ve been prepared for a fight in a long time. I’m coming to make a statement. I know Ojeda’s an undefeated fighter, but I’m focused and fully confident in my game plan. A win here will help get me closer to a title shot.”

Live coverage will begin at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One via an affiliated video provider. In addition, ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates will carry the fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $100, $65 and $35 (plus applicable taxes). Tickets can be purchased by by calling 1 (860) 728-2624 or 1 (203) 627-7472 or by visiting www.ctconventions.com Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.

PHOENIX, AZ (April 30, 2015) — Phoenix’s favorite son is coming home — to defend his world title. Undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) interim super lightweight world champion JOSE BENAVIDEZ, JR. will be making his first title defense, against Mexican buzz saw JORGE “Maromerito” PAEZ, JR., Saturday, May 15 at US Airways Center. The world championship battle will be televised live on “The MetroPCS Friday Night Knockout on truTV” at 10:00 p.m. ET. The live telecast will open with undefeated Top-10 contender ANTONIO “Relentless” OROZCO in a 10-round super lightweight rumble with power-punching EMMANUEL “The Tranzforma” TAYLOR.

The four warriors boast a combined record of 98-8-2 (65 KOs) — a winning ratio of 91% with two-thirds of those victories coming by way of knockout.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Golden Boy Promotions, tickets to the Benavidez vs. Paez / Orozco vs. Taylor world championship event, priced at $100, $75, $60, $40 and $20, may be purchased online at www.Ticketmaster.com or www.USAirwaysCenter.com. To charge by phone call 1-800-745-3000.

“The Valley of the Sun will play host to one of its favorite sons as Jose Benavidez returns as World Champion to his hometown to face the son of a legend, and world-ranked contender, Jorge Paez, Jr., where his father made a great name for himself on so many occasions,” said Carl Moretti, vice president of Top Rank. “All fans at US Airways Center or watching on truTV will be in for an exciting evening of boxing.”

Benavidez (22-0, 15 KOs), from Phoenix, will be making his 2015 debut as a world champion. He won the title in his last fight, which took place on December 13 in Las Vegas, winning a unanimous decision over defending champion Mauricio Herrera. A sensational amateur prospect, winning a Gold Medal at the 2009 National Golden Gloves Championships at the age of 16, the youngest fighter to ever win the National Golden Gloves Championships. He turned professional one year later, at age 17, where he became the youngest professional boxer to be licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He was granted an exception (the minimum age requirement was 18) because of his exceptional talent. After spending most of 2013 sidelined with a broken hand he came back to win all four of his 2014 fights decisively, including a first-round TKO of Henry Auraad on July 26 and his world title victory over Herrera in December.

Paez (38-5-2, 23 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, is the son and namesake of “The Clown Prince of Boxing” Jorge “Maromero” Paez, one of the most popular Mexican world champions. He is 11-1-1 in his last 13 fights, which includes impressive victories against Charlie Navarro and two against Omar Chávez, son of International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Julio César Chávez. He returns to the ring fresh from a February 21 fourth round knockout victory of once-beaten Ronald Montes and world-rated No. 10 by the WBA.

Orozco (21-0, 15 KOs), a native of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico who fights out of San Diego, has won seven of his last nine bouts by knockout. Impressive victories over former world champion Stevie Forbes and seasoned veterans Martin Honorio, Ivan Hernandez and Miguel Huerta have propelled Orozco to No. 9 in the International Boxing Federation’s (IBF) junior welterweight world ratings.

Taylor (18-3, 12 KOs), of Edgewood Arsenal, MD, returns to the ring with two of his last three victories coming by way of knockout, including No. 4-wold-rated contender Victor Cayo, once-defeated Raymond Serrano and highly-touted Karim Mayfield. Carrying dangerous power in both fists, Taylor has also recently gone the distance against former world champions Adrien Broner and Chris Algieri in nationally-televised bouts.

About US Airways Center
US Airways Center, home to the Phoenix Suns (NBA), Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) and Arizona Rattlers (AFL), hosts nearly 200 events annually. The 19,000 seat venue treats more than two million guests each year to sporting events, concerts, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice shows, other family shows, and conventions. More information about US Airways Center can be found by logging on to www.usairwayscenter.com

Klara Svensson (15-0, 5 KOs) feels she is in optimum condition ahead of her WBC Female World Light Welterweight title challenge against Erica Anabella Farias (21-1, 10 KOs) on Saturday night at the Frederiksberg-Hallerne in Copenhagen.

The Swedish boxing star, who has compared herself to an Italian supercar, believes the additional work she has done in the gym will make all the difference once she enters the ring.

‘’At this stage in my training, I’m feeling better than ever,’’ announces Svensson. “Last year, I was in great shape for my fights, but in between I often felt like a broken car. Now, I feel like a Ferrari, and I can’t wait to cross the finish line as a world champion.”

The 27 year-old has credited a focus on alternative training methods for the upturn in her physical condition. ‘’I’ve been doing a lot of different work – stretching, pilates and even Tai Chi,’’ said Svensson. ‘’My balance and fitness has improved, and my energy levels have gone through the roof!’’

Coach Joey Gamache has witnessed these improvements first hand in the Malmo-boxer’s training sessions. “Klara has always entered the gym with an incredible hunger and ambition, but I’ve never seen her bring so much power and energy,’’ said the renowned America coach. ‘’It’s really inspiring to watch her!’’

Now only days away from her first world title challenge, ‘The Swedish Princess’ is leaving nothing to chance. “I don’t take anything for granted,’’ said Svenssson. ‘’I’m going over every little detail. I’ve never been so focused.’’

Team Sauerland in association with Betsafe presents the ‘Nordic Fight Night – Going For Gold’ on May 2 at the Frederiksberg-Hallerne in Copenhagen. The event will be broadcast live in Sweden on TV10 and Viaplay.se. Tickets are available via billetlugen.dk. Visit betsafe.com for the latest betting odds.

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Wednesday, April 29, 2015) – Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions will be returning to the Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Friday, May 15th, with the card featuring Brooklyn native Delen “Sniper” Parsley (11-1, 3 KOs) against Bronx native Troy Artis. The bout ends a nearly year layoff for the talented middleweight, who brings an imposing 6-2 frame into the ring.

“I’m super excited. There is nothing like fighting in Brooklyn in front of my hometown fans,” Parsley said of the match-up. “It is nice to finally be coming home where I am comfortable and people don’t have to travel too far to come support me. I have always wanted to fight in the Barclays because it’s the Mecca of Brooklyn, but I’ll just have to make the Masonic Temple my Barclays come May 15.”

In his last outing, Parsley handed Marcus Beckford his first career loss in May of 2014. A professional of nearly six years, Parsley has impressive wins over battle-tested Ibahiem King and then-unbeaten Boyd Melson on his resume.

“On May 15, people can expect me to be more dominant,” Parsley continued. “A lot of my fights, I have started slow and a little cautious because I was too caught up on ‘I can’t afford to take an L. What if I lose?’ But now, I have already experienced that. I have experienced what a loss feels like, and I have also experienced what coming back feels like. Now I can just go in there and be the best me I can be. I can be more physical, more skillful and get straight to the point. I am in great shape right now, and I am ready to go. From round one to the last bell if it goes the distance, I’m just going to go out there and do what I do best. And that’s puts hands on people.”

Also set for action on May 15th will be fan favorite super featherweight Gary “Kid” Stark Jr. (23-3, 8 KOs), who is ending a nearly five-year layoff on the card against Jose Valderama of Puerto Rico. Stark, who started his career with 18 consecutive wins, suffered chronic shoulder problems that eventually sidelined him in 2010, and the long road back to the boxing ring will now finally end on May 15th. Prior to turning professional, Stark created a huge buzz for himself after becoming a three-time New York City Golden Gloves Champion and reaching the Olympic Trials.

Queens native Devaun Lee (3-1, 1 KO) also returns on May 15th, facing Haitian middleweight Deferson LeGrand (3-2, 2 KOs). A super welterweight scrap between Villi Bello (1-1) and Jonathan Jeter is another contest currently on the fight sheet as well.

A couple of intriguing women’s bouts are on the docket to go down on this card. Brooklyn featherweight Ronica Jeffrey (13-1, 1 KO) will take on Crystal Hoy (5-7-4, 2 KOs), while a rematch from Uprising Promotions’ last card in February is on tap when Susan Reno meets Paola Ortiz for a second time. When the two fought previously, the fight was declared a majority draw.

Other fighters slated to compete on the May 15th card include two hard-hitting unbeatens in super bantamweight Marcos Forestal (2-0, 2 KOs), who made his pro debut on the last Uprising Promotions show in February, and Neslan Machado (9-0, 7 KOs). Additionally, popular Irish featherweight Allan Phelan (6-2-1, 4 KOs) is slated for action on the card.

September 2014 marks the last time that Uprising Promotions held a show at the Masonic Temple, which is located at 317 Clermont Ave #4 in Brooklyn. The intimate setting ensures that there is not a bad seat in the house, and tickets are priced at $60 for general admission and $100 for ringside seating. There is also a table option with dinner, beer/wine and seating with a celebrity fighter. For pricing on those tables, call (516) 451-6773.

This show, titled Last Man Standing, will continue the initiative of Uprising Promotions to KO Autism, with proceeds from the night getting donated to The School For Language and Communication Development (SLCD) in Glen Cove, New York. This card is being sponsored by Ronson Frank Fitness, Bill4Time, Belaire Rosé Champagne, Alma Restaurant, Resolution Sports and Charlie’s Auto Collision in Long Island City.

For more information on Uprising Promotions and to keep up with all of our latest news, make sure to check out www.UprisingPromotions.com and 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.

Yesterday (April 28), two-time World Heavyweight Champion George Foreman was on CBS Sports Radio’s “The Doug Gottlieb Show” with host Doug Gottlieb, where he talked about the Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight on Saturday, May 2nd in Las Vegas. Below are some highlights from the interview:

On the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Fight:
Talking honestly about what he thinks about “The Fight of the Century”, Foreman said: “This is major… boxing deserves something like this… I’m just happy the fight is happening, and it’s happening right now. Because everyone will get a chance to see what they wanted to see. If it had happened five years ago, there would have been some too young to enjoy [and] some old enough to say, ‘Hey, there was better days.’ But now everyone’s hungry for the matchup of the century. [These are] evenly matched fighters. It’s a fan’s fight, and it should be. It’s big.”

Foreman continued later on in the interview: “That’s true… [Mayweather’s] got everything to lose. But boxing was invented for the underdog – for the smaller guy who doesn’t have a chance – to come up with a way to beat the bigger, stronger guy. That’s why I give it to Pacquiao. The sport was invented… for the lesser.”

On Advice He would Give Pacquiao:
Gottlieb asked what advice Foreman would give to Pacquiao for this match: “Hey, just win this round,” Foreman said. “Every time you come back to the corner, you sit down on the stool, wave the towel over him and don’t say anything. The bell rings, go get him again. Do the same thing you did the first round all the way through the sixth or seventh round, and you’ll win.”

Full audio from the interview can be found here.

Tacoma, Washington (April 29, 2015) For the fourth time in as many chances, a Battle at the Boat show will see hometown favorite Mike “Imagine Me” Gavronski (17?1?1, 11KOs) in their main event slot. Coming off of an incredible night celebrating their 100th show, Battle at the Boat 101 will take place Saturday, May 30th at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

Mike “Imagine Me” Gavronski has been on a roll as of late. The talented Tacoma native has won 3 fights in a row and has earned himself a reputation as one of the top fighters on the West Coast today. Across the ring from Gavronski will be the always?dangerous Tyrell “Hollywood” Hendrix (11?6?2, 4KOs). This fight will be a rematch from their thrilling 2011 bout that resulted in a draw on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. Hendrix is as tough as they come, willing to fight anyone, anytime. He consistently fights top?level challengers, with his last 5 opponents having gone a combined 62?1. Gavronski will look to keep his winning streak alive fighting once again in his own backyard.

Also featured on the card will be two incredible 5?round contests, featuring some of the most exciting up and coming fighters in years. Virgil “Black Mamba” Green (10?3, 3KOs) of Vancouver, Washington will be looking to extend his win streak against heavy?handed Toppenish, Washington native Marcelino Pineda (5?1, 5KO’s). Pineda has proven himself a true knockout artist, with his latest win coming in brutal fashion during Battle at the Boat 100 in March of this year. Look for these two talented welterweights to give the crowd a potential “Fight of the Night” candidate.

Also going five rounds will be the extremely talented Ray “Lightning Jr.” Lampkin (7?0, 1KO) making his long awaited return to the I?5 showroom against undefeated Yakima native Andres Reyes (3?0). Both fighters will put their perfect records on the line in what’s sure to be a showstopping bout from the opening bell.

Battle at the Boat 101 will take place on Saturday, May 30th at 7:00PM at the Emerald Queen Casino and is brought to you by Brian Halquist Productions. Tickets are on sale now through the Emerald Queen Casino box office as well as all Ticketmaster locations. Fans are encouraged to get their tickets early, as this even is expected to sell out. For more information, please visit www.halquistproductions.com as well as the Battle at the Boat Facebook Page.

New York, NY (4/29/15) – Tune into the television comedy-drama LOUIE, starring popular comedian Louie C.K., tomorrow night to catch a special guest appearance by WBC International female super bantamweight champion Heather “The Heat” Hardy. The episode will premiere Thursday, April 30, at 10:30pm ET, on the FX network.

“I received a call from the show’s casting agent, as they were looking for a female boxer,” said Hardy. “I auditioned and I got the part. It was a lot of fun.

“I have a scene with Louie himself. I can’t say what happens, so you’ll have to watch to find out, but it was shot in the West Village of Manhattan.

“It was my first speaking role. Everyone was very nice and Louie was so funny. He helped me loosen up, telling me we could ad-lib our lines and I just had a blast. I’d love to do it again. Perhaps they can bring back my character on a future episode.”

Hardy, 12-0 (2 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, won the WBC International belt in October of last year, defeating Crystal Hoy via 10-round decision, as part of DiBella Entertainment’s “Broadway Boxing” series. On Monday, Hardy participated in a World Boxing Council (WBC) event at the Friars Club in New York City to unveil the WBC Emerald championship belt that will be awarded to the winner of the mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao this weekend. Along with former WBC champion Alicia Ashley, Hardy presented the belt to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.

In her last bout, held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Hardy competed on the undercard of the Premier Boxing Champions on NBC event headlined by Danny Garcia vs. Lamont Peterson on April 11. Facing Renata Domsodi, of Hungary, Hardy was in command from the onset, displaying fast hands and crisp combinations before the bout ended abruptly from an accidental clash of heads.

Hardy will return to action on Friday, May 29, at the Barclays Center and is anxious to get back in the ring.

“I’m happy to be fighting back at Barclays Center on May 29,” said Hardy. “I rolled right back into the gym after my last fight without much of a break and training camp has been going great. I know that my opponent Noemi Bosques will provide a tough challenge, but I am determined to secure the victory and prove all of the naysayers wrong.”

Tickets for the live event on May 29 at Barclays Center, promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Star Boxing, are priced at $250, $150, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets are available 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. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

TORONTO | NEW YORK (Apr. 29, 2015) – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, is the destination for Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight week coverage for the megafight on Saturday night live on pay-per-view.

It kicks off today, Wednesday, April 29 at 4 p.m. ET with a live broadcast of the final Pre-Fight Press Conference from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, including roundtable analysis from Fight Network studios.

Then, Fight Network’s original Fight News Now: Mayweather vs. Pacquiao preview show will debut on Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET, featuring analysis, previews, features, grand arrivals, workouts and more. Check listings for additional airings throughout the week.

Airing exclusively in Canada, Fight Network presents the latest installment of Golden Boy Live! on Thursday, April 30 at 10 p.m. ET from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif., headlined by former lightweight world title challenger Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (28-1-1, 16 KOs) battling Los Angeles area standout Carlos Molina (17-2-1, 7 KOs). In other featured bouts, Puerto Rican rising star Jeffrey Fontanez (14-1, 11 KOs) will take on former WBC Youth super featherweight champion Jose “El Loco” Hernandez (15-9-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight brawl, Brazilian standout Yamaguchi Falcao (5-0, 2 KOs) clashes with tough Texan Gerardo Ibarra (14-2, 8 KOs), while fan favorite and Irish power puncher Jason Quigley (5-0, 5 KOs) meets Pennsylvania native Joshua Snyder (9-11-1, 3 KOs).

Fight Network Canada is also the destination for classic Mayweather and Pacquiao fight marathons airing throughout the week, featuring some of their most memorable victories, including Mayweather’s triumphs over Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton and Shane Mosley, plus Pacquiao’s wins over Marquez, Hatton and Marco Antonio Barrera. The fight marathons will air on Saturday morning beginning at 6 a.m. ET. Check listings for additional airings throughout the week.

The live coverage continues on Friday, May 1 at 6 p.m. ET with a live broadcast of the official Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Weigh-ins, as the two superstars tip the scales and go face-to-face one last time before squaring off on Saturday night. The show will include live analysis and roundtable discussion from Fight Network studios.

On Saturday night, May 2, Fight Network will present a Live Pre-Show at 7 p.m. ET, featuring exclusive interviews with some of Saturday’s marquee participants, highlights from all the fight week festivities and last-minute previews and predictions for the most anticipated fight in boxing history.

Fight Network will televise the Countdown Live at 8 p.m. ET, leading right into the blockbuster pay-per-view that kicks off at 9 p.m. ET.

Immediately following the pay-per-view extravaganza, Fight Network is your destination for the Live Post-Show, including fight highlights, reactions and the live post-fight press conference from Las Vegas.

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.

BROOKLYN (April 29, 2015) – Boxing superstar Amir “King” Khan (30-3, 19 KOs) returns to the ring on May 29 to take on former world champion Chris Algieri (20-1, 8 KOs) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, as the headliner of an exciting Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) card on Spike TV.

Opening up the televised action, which is set to begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT, will be the return of Brooklyn’s own two-time world champion Paulie Malignaggi (33-6, 7KO’s) as he faces Boston’s Danny O’Connor (25-2, 9KO’s) in a 10-round welterweight attraction.

With the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao welterweight championship showdown just days away, Khan, Algieri, Malignaggi and O’Connor gave their take on how the most anticipated fight of this era will go down.

Amir Khan: “This is a fight that the world has been wanting to see for so long and it’s great that it is now upon us. Floyd and Manny are two legendary fighters and it is only right that we get to see them share the ring together. I have no doubt that this is going to be a tremendous matchup and will be extremely exciting for as long as it lasts. Manny has hand speed and fast feet that will cause Floyd some problems early on, but as it progresses I expect Floyd to make the adjustments he tends to make to counter that before pulling away on the scorecards. Both fighters still have so much to give and on Saturday night I’m sure they’re going to produce something very special for the fans.”

Chris Algieri: “Styles make fights and I believe this is a style that suits Floyd. Floyd is the smartest fighter in the game. He will be able to pick up on certain flaws and exploit them. Manny is going to make him work in there and I believe that the first few rounds are going to be very interesting. Manny is a different and smarter fighter than he was before the Marquez knockout. If Manny comes in shape the way that he did against me, and if Floyd has missed a step at all, then I see Pacquiao giving him all kinds of trouble. Ultimately though, I see Mayweather winning a decision.”

Paulie Malignaggi: “I am taking Mayweather by wide decision or a late-round stoppage. He has too much variation to his arsenal. Pacquiao is fun to watch, but his one-dimensional approach won’t be enough on Saturday night.”

Danny O’Connor: “I am going with Mayweather. He is too smart to fall into anyone’s game plan, other than his own. I predict a decision based off of his superior boxing ability.”

Tickets for the live event on May 29 at Barclays Center, promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Star Boxing, are priced at $250, $150, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets are available 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. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

The televised action begins on Spike at 9 pm ET/6 p.m. PT. Doors at Barclays Center open at 6 p.m. ET.

# # #

For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions, www.barclayscenter.com and www.dbe1.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AmirKingKhan, @ChrisAlgieri, @LouDiBella, @SpikeTV and @BarclaysCenter and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/AmirKhanThePage, www.Facebook.com/ChrisAlgieri and www.Facebook.com/Spike. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #BrooklynBoxing.

Two days before the much-anticipated welterweight unification title fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, a special Thursday edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will air live April 30, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and via WatchESPN. The show, from the Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, will be headlined by former world titleholder Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith (26-7, 12 KOs) taking on Cecil McCalla (20-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round junior middleweight bout. The card is presented by Mayweather Promotions.

Commentators:
Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will describe the action on ESPN2, while studio host Todd Grisham will be on site providing the latest news on Mayweather-Pacquiao. Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights ringside for Noche de Combates on ESPN Deportes, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will co-anchor the studio on site. Hall-of-Fame boxing referee and analyst Joe Cortez will join Trejos and González during the telecast. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna will provide live interviews and reports for both shows.

Main Event:

Las Vegas’ Smith, a former junior middleweight titleholder, is looking to rebound from a 12-round unanimous decision loss to defending junior middleweight titlist Erislandy Lara.

“I’m training in Las Vegas for this fight, right at home at the Mayweather Gym,” Smith said. “I’ve been sparring with some pretty good guys…I don’t know much about McCalla. After being in the game as long as I have, you just treat everybody the same – you don’t take anybody lightly. You just make sure you’re prepared.”

Baltimore’s McCalla is looking to get back to his winning ways following a split-decision loss to Chris Van Heerden.

“Ishe is a rough fighter, but nothing I haven’t seen before. I’m ready for this fight,” McCalla said. “I’m definitely looking forward to it. It’s a good fight for me. I’m really determined to get this win. I want to shine this fight.”

Co-Feature:
Thursday’s 10-round co-feature will pit veteran junior welterweight Ashley “Treasure” Theophane (37-6-1, 11 KOs) against Mahonri “Rusito” Montes (29-4-1, 20 KOs). In his last fight, Theophane, who hails from Las Vegas, won a 10-round unanimous decision over Hector Zuniga, while Mexico’s Montes won an eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Diego Cruz.

Upcoming Schedule:

Date

Time (ET)

Main Event

Location

Networks

Thurs, Apr 30

9 p.m.

Ishe Smith (26-7, 12 KOs) vs. Cecil McCalla (20-1, 7 KOs) —10 rounds, Jr. Middleweight

Palms Casino Hotel,

Las Vegas

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

Fri, May 8

9 p.m.

Amir Mansour (21-1, 16 KOs) vs. Joey Dawejko (14-3, 7 KOs)—10 rounds, Heavyweight

2300 Arena

Philadelphia, Pa.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, May 15

9 p.m.

Reynaldo Ojeda (16-0, 9 KOs) vs. Monty Meza Clay (36-4, 22 KOs)

Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, Conn.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, May 22

10 p.m.

Boxcino 2015 Finals

Andrey Fedosov (27-3, 22 KOs) vs. Donovan Dennis (12-1, 10 KOs)—10 rounds, Heavyweight

Brandon Adams (17-1, 12 KOs) vs. John Thompson (16-1, 5 KOs)—10 Rds. Jr. Middleweight

Omega Products Center, Corona, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

*Schedule subject to change

ESPN Boxing Social Media and Digital Content:

· Follow ESPN Friday Night Fights’ Nigel Collins on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like ESPN Friday Night Fights on Facebook.

· Score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.

· Follow ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo.

· For the latest ESPN.com boxing news and analysis follow @ESPNBoxing.

· For ESPN boxing digital content, visit the newly re-designed boxing section on ESPN.com (http://espn.go.com/boxing/).

ESPN “All in” from Las Vegas for Mayweather-Pacquiao
ESPN continues extensive week-long coverage from Las Vegas of Saturday’s 12-round welterweight unification title fight between undefeated five-division world champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) and eight-division world champion Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs).

Highlights:

· SportsCenter, First Take, SportsNation, ESPN Radio’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Sirius XM’s Stephen A. Smith Show, ESPN Radio LA710 Max & Marcellus in Las Vegas;
· Coverage from Las Vegas on ESPN Deportes’ news and information platforms, Semana de Campeones;
· “All-Access” specials;
· Special Thursday edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights, Noche de Combates;
· Pre- and post-fight analysis, stories on ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes.com, ESPN The Magazine.

Danish super middleweights Patrick Nielsen (24-1, 12 KOs) and Rudy Markussen (38-3, 25 KOs) almost came to blows at a press conference today in Copenhagen to promote Nielsen’s upcoming fight with Ruben Eduardo Acosta (30-11-5, 10 KOs) on Saturday night at the Frederiksberg-Hallerne.

Nielsen and Markussen have been verbally sparring ahead of a possible summer showdown, but things threatened to escalate when ‘The Hard Hitter’ turned up uninvited at today’s press meeting.

‘’Rudy is a chicken,’’ said Nielsen. ‘’He tries to act like a tough guy but in reality he doesn’t want to fight me because he knows he can’t win. I’m ready and willing to fight him on June 20. If he is man enough he should speak to my promoter and we can get it on!’’

Despite the unwelcome interruption, Nielsen remained focused on the task at hand, a ten-round super middleweight contest with former world title challenger Ruben Eduardo Acosta.

Speaking to the press in attendance the Danish star said: ‘’Ruben is a good fighter who has fought some tough guys but I’ve said I will knock him out and I stand by those words.’’

Nielsen’s fight has come as a late addition to the Nordic Fight Night show, with the Albertslund-boxer agreeing to step in to a headline slot vacated by his younger brother Micki, who was ruled out with pneumonia.

‘’I’m not worried about taking this fight at short notice,’’ said Nielsen. ‘’I live and breathe boxing. I’m always fit and I’m more than ready.’’

The 24 year-old will face a tough task on Saturday night. His opponent Acosta is a serious contender who has challenged for multiple titles including a WBO World title fight with former two-time world champion Robert Stieglitz.

Ahead of their super middleweight showdown, the Argentinian claims to have identified chinks in Nielsen’s armour that will allow him to triumph.

‘’Patrick is young and strong, but I have seen weaknesses that I will expose on Saturday night,’’ said Acosta, adding: ‘’I haven’t come here to pick up my cheque and go home, I’ve come here to win.’’

Whatever the outcome, promoter Nisse Sauerland is predicting an entertaining affair. ‘’This is a great match-up,’’ said Sauerland. ‘’Ruben is former world title challenger who has shared the ring with a number of talented fighters, while Patrick has found his best weight and is now more dangerous then ever. The fans in Frederiksberg are in for a real treat!’’

Team Sauerland in association with Betsafe presents the ‘Nordic Fight Night – Going For Gold’ on May 2 at the Frederiksberg-Hallerne in Copenhagen. The event will be broadcast live on Viasat channels across Scandinavia. Tickets are available via billetlugen.dk. Visit betsafe.com for the latest betting odds.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 28, 2015) – Due to a knee injury sustained by title challenger Georgi Karakhanyan, Bellator MMA Featherweight World Champion Patricio Pitbull (23-2) will now face German submission ace Daniel “The Weasel” Weichel (35-8) in the co-main event of “Bellator: Unfinished Business,” which takes place Friday, June 19 at St. Louis’ Scottrade Center.

Featuring one of the most anticipated fights in the history of the sport with Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock, “Bellator: Unfinished Business” also features Bobby Lashley (12-2) vs. James Thompson (20-14) and Michael Chandler (12-3) vs. Derek Campos (15-4), with a fifth and final featured bout to be announced shortly.

The 27-year-old “Pitbull,” of Natal, Brazil, is a 13-time veteran of the promotion who captured the Bellator MMA Featherweight World Title with a September win over then-champion Pat Curran. “Pitbull” then defended his belt in January with a thrilling submission win over former champion Daniel Straus. In 24 career appearances, “Pitbull” has only lost two fights, and both were the result of razor-thin, split-decisions.

“Pitbull” now meets Germany’s Weichel, who at just 30 years of age already boasts more than 35 professional wins. In his last fight, Weichel earned a hard-fought victory over former champion Pat Curran bringing his record to 12-1 in his past 13 outings. Weichel is a Bellator MMA tournament winner, racking up victories over Desmond Green, Matt Bessette and Scott Cleve in the process. Of those 35 wins, an incredible 21 of them have come by way of submission.

The 5-fight televised card airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT, with preliminary fights streaming on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT.

Tickets for “Bellator: Unfinished Business,” which start at just $30, are currently on sale at Ticketmaster.com.

“Bellator MMA: Unfinished Business” – Friday, May June 19, Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Mo.

Main Card
Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (4-2) vs. Ken Shamrock (28-15-2)
Bellator Featherweight Title Fight: Champ Patricio Pitbull (23-2) vs. Daniel Weichel (35-8)
Bellator Featured Heavyweight Fight: Bobby Lashley (12-2) vs. James Thompson (20-14)
Bellator Featured Lightweight Fight: Michael Chandler (12-3) vs. Derek Campos (15-4)

Preliminary Card

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Justin Guthrie (17-8) vs. Steven Mann (10-1)
Bellator Strawweight Prelim Fight: Miles McDonald (0-1) vs. Dan O’Connor (5-4)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Malcolm Smith (4-4) vs. Luke Nelson (2-1)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Kain Royer (1-1) vs. Enrique Watson (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 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 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 Scottrade Center:
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary this season, Scottrade Center is a contemporary, 12-story glass and concrete structure located in the heart of downtown St. Louis. The home of the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, Scottrade Center also features a full range of arena programming, including concerts, ice shows, family shows and other sporting events. Scottrade Center is consistently ranked by Pollstar Magazine as one of the top grossing arenas in the country.

Today in Stockholm, Klara Svensson (15-0, 5 KOs) came face-to-face with Erica Anabella Farias (21-1, 10 KOs) for the first time ahead of her WBC World title challenge on Saturday night at the Frederiksberg-Hallerne in Copenhagen.

With only days to go before the biggest fight in her career, the Malmo-boxer revealed she is ready to take her place at the top of the light welterweight division

‘’I’ve been waiting my whole career for this moment,’’ said Svensson. ‘’This is a dream scenario for me. I have the opportunity to take the title from the champion and establish myself as the best in the division.

‘’I’m expecting a tough, tactical fight, but I will be ready. I really feel like it’s my time and I’m not going to disappoint. I have a lot of respect for Erica and everything she has achieved but on Saturday night I will show no mercy.’’

To be the best Svensson must beat the best as Farias is widely considered the number one at the weight. Having claimed the light welterweight crown in her last bout, the 30 year-old will not be willing to give up her belt without a fight.
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‘’Klara is good boxer but she is not taking my title away from me,’’ said Farias. ‘’I’m the champion and the belt will be coming back to Argentina with me. On Saturday night, I will be bringing fire to the ring and let’s see if Klara can handle the heat!’’

Despite Farias’ confidence, Svensson’s coach Joey Gamache believes the time is right for his fighter to dethrone the Argentinian champion.

‘’I really feel that the timing is perfect for Klara,’’ said Gamache. ‘’She has been improving with every fight and now she is ready for the big one. They say styles make fights, and Klara’s style is all-wrong for Farias. I believe we will see a new world champion crowned on Saturday.’’

Said promoter Nisse Sauerland: ’This is going to be a fantastic fight and a great advert for female boxing. We have the two top fighters in the division, the champion and the number one contender, going toe-to-toe for the world title. This is what boxing is all about!’’

Team Sauerland in association with Betsafe presents the ‘Nordic Fight Night – Going For Gold’ on May 2 at the Frederiksberg-Hallerne in Copenhagen. The event will be broadcast live in Sweden on TV10 and Viaplay.se. Tickets are available via billetlugen.dk. Visit betsafe.com for the latest betting odds.

Baltimore, MD (April 28, 2015) – As the rioters tear through the streets of Baltimore, MD, boxing promoter and gym owner Jake “The Snake” Smith remains extremely concerned for his friends, family and community. Like many other locals, Smith not only calls the Baltimore area his home but a place where he makes a living.

Having spent his entire life in and around Baltimore, Smith’s two children attend nearby schools and his Baltimore Boxing Gym is located on S. Broadway. For the safety of those that attend, Smith closed his gym yesterday and is keeping the doors shut today as well. Due the violent protests of Freddie Gray’s death, Smith isn’t positive when he will be able to continue training his boxers, many of whom use the Baltimore Boxing Gym as a resource to escape the preexisting dangers of the streets.

“In my forty-plus years in Baltimore, this is the worst thing I’ve ever seen,” said Smith, whose promotional efforts have helped many local organizations through raffles and donations. “We are all aware that there are issues with police brutality throughout the country and while I am extremely disappointed with the lack of prosecution following specific incidents, rioting only makes everything worse. I truly understand that emotions are at all-time highs in Baltimore and people want their voices to be heard but this is not the way to do it. Having worked with people from all walks of life, I wholeheartedly respect everybody’s point of view but I am pleading with the community as a whole to schedule peaceful and civilized meetings with city officials. This is the only way for everybody to get their thoughts and opinions out while hearing what the other side has to say. Riots are only going to tear apart and create further distance between police and citizens in this great city. I pray that everything calms down quickly and a resolution is met.”

Las Vegas (April 27, 2015) – Box Fan Expo organizers announced the second annual Box Fan Expo will return to the Las Vegas Convention Center Saturday, Sept. 12.

The novel event, which allowed fans to meet and greet boxing legends, past and current champions and other celebrities of the sport, debuted last September. It 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 Roger Mayweather of Mayweather Promotions.

“There are few opportunities like this that allow the boxing fan to come face-to-face with their favorite boxers and boxing celebrities, which is what makes the Box Fan Expo a truly unique and must-see experience,” event organizer Alonzo Benezra said. “Last year’s Box Fan Expo, was a big success and we were excited to bring boxing back into the spotlight by gathering the boxing industry all under one roof for one special day and for all the fans to enjoy. This is a great opportunity to show the world just how sweet the “sweet science” can be.

“We know this is going to be again an even more popular event this year with all the major boxing stars, so we advise people to get their tickets early, so they are assured of meeting and greeting their favorite fighters.”

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

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

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

ORANGE, Calif. (April 26, 2015) – Lightweight contender Jose Roman (20-1-1, 14 KOs) of Garden Grove, Calif. moved fast on Martin Cardona (19-5, 14 KOs) of Mexico, knocking him out in the third round of Thompson Boxing Promotions “Locked n’ Loaded” main event.

“I wanted to finish this fight quickly,” Roman said. “I stalked him from the start, and connected with a handful of punches in the third that put him out for good.”

With the win, Roman now has six consecutive victories, half of which have ended in stoppages.

“Roman is getting better every fight and you can see him gaining confidence,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing. “He has bigger fights in his future.”

In the co-main event, super bantamweight Danny Roman (13-2-1, 5 KOs) of Los Angeles cruised to an eight-round unanimous decision win over Giovanni Caro (23-15-4, 19 KOs) of Mexico City. Roman thoroughly battered and bloodied the more experience Caro. Scores read 80-72 all around.

“I trained hard for this fight and the plan was to come out aggressive and show the crowd what I could do,” Roman said. “Caro is a tough boxer, but I knew from the start that I was going to win.”

Undefeated heavyweight prospect LaRon Mitchell (7-0, 7 KOs) of San Francisco continues to chop down anyone that gets in the way of his flawless mark. This time, it was Sylvester Barron (8-5, 3 KOs) of Seattle that absorbed what six other opponents have come to know all too well.

In the first, Mitchell unleashed a double right hook that slammed Barron to the floor. In the following round, Mitchell shifted and landed a counter left hook that spelled the end for Barron at the 2:21 mark.

“I give the fight fans what they want to see,” said Mitchell, who signed with Thompson Boxing Promotions last year. “There’s nothing quite like hearing the roar of the crowd after knocking out an opponent.”

“We are very pleased with how quickly LaRon is developing,” Thompson said. “We see him making a name for himself in the heavyweight division very soon.”

Skilled middleweight prospect Rudy Puga (5-0, 5 KOs) of Salinas, Calif. extended his knockout win streak with a picture-perfect destruction of Katrell Straus (2-5, 1 KO) of Denver, Colo.

Puga, coming off a fourteen-month layoff, looked comfortable, moved effortlessly, and showed no evidence of rust. He landed a crushing body shot in the fourth and final round, sealing his fifth straight win by knockout.

“It felt great to be back in a competitive environment,” said Puga, who is promoted by Roc Nation. “I’m looking forward to returning to the gym and getting better.”

Eridanni Leon and Elih Lizama, a pair of welterweights, put on a thrilling fight that ended in a majority decision win for Leon (2-1) of Los Mochis, Mex. Lizama (0-1), who was making his professional debut, looked strong in the second, landing a straight right that caused blood to gush from Leon’s nose.

Leon, for his part, moved well with a high guard and landed heavy shots in the third and fourth rounds. Scores read 38-38 and 40-36, twice.

Opening the “Locked n’ Loaded” event were a pair of middleweights making their professional debuts. Miguel Trejo (1-0, 1 KO) of Anaheim, Calif. took home a TKO win over Jonathan Aceves (0-1) of Whittier, Calif. Aceves’ corner stopped the fight at the 2:58 mark of the third round. Trejo proved too strong and skilled for the overmatched Aceves.

Thompson Boxing Promotions returns Friday, May 29 to celebrate its Fifteenth Year Anniversary with a star-studded event from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Headlining the show is the fast-rising, undefeated junior welterweight stud Giovani Santillan. Also, all-action super bantamweights Efrain Esquivias, Juan Reyes, Danny Roman, and Jonathan Arellano, plus the veteran Chris Martin returns. A formal announcement will be released soon.

“Locked n’ Loaded” was presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Lucas Oil, in association with LATV Networks.

For additional information please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ThompsonBoxing.