Tyron Zeuge (16-0, 10 KOs) has it all to prove on April 25 when the hotly tipped German super middleweight prospect defends his IBF International strap against former world title challenger Nikola Sjekloca (28-3, 8 KOs) in front of his home fans at the Columbia Halle in Berlin.

The seasoned Sjekloca represents Zeuge’s toughest test to date and has secured the young champion his first main event billing. Despite the pressure of headlining at home, the 22 year-old Berliner’s focus remains clear. ‘’For me this is a fight like any other,’’ said Zeuge. ‘’Whether I’m fighting on the undercard or topping the bill, my objective is the same – I must win!’’

This winning mentality has been drilled into Zeuge since joining the paid ranks in 2012 and teaming up with renowned German coach Karsten Roewer. Ahead of Zeuge’s second IBF International title defence, the experience coach has offered his protégé some words of warning. ’’Tyron is a natural when it comes to boxing,’’ said Roewer. ‘’But regardless of talent, he will need to bring his A-game to beat Sjekloca and continue his journey to the top.’’

While Zeuge’s star is rising, Sjekloca is tried and tested at the highest level. The 36 year-old has lost only three of his thirty-one professional contests and has never been stopped or dropped. In May 2014, the tough Montenegrin proved his resolve by pushing WBO World Champion Arthur Abraham to a twelve-round decision. ’’At this stage of my career my fights are only going to get tougher,’’ said Zeuge. ‘’My job is to keep improving and keep winning. If I continue to do that, my shot at the world title will come sooner rather than later.’’

On April 25, Zeuge will prove whether he is ready to take the next step on his quest to become world champion when he defends his IBF International Championship against Sjekloca. Joining him in action at the Columbia Halle in Berlin are German stars Enrico Koelling (16-1, 6 KOs), Karo Murat (26-2-1, 16 KOs), Noel Gevor (16-0, 9 KOs) and Burak Sahin (6-0, 6 KOs), plus Polish cruiserweight Mateusz Masternak (34-2, 24 KOs). Tickets are available via tickethall.de.

QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC (April 1, 2015) – During Wednesday’s final press conference at Le Bonne Entente in Quebec City, both Adonis “Superman” Stevenson and Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika promised a knockout when they meet in the main event of the debut presentation of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBS Television Network this Saturday, April 4, at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT.

The hard-hitting Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs) will defend his light heavyweight world championship against former super middleweight world champion Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs) in the main event from the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.

The case was the same with the co-main event fighters as both undefeated light heavyweight and two-time Russian Olympian Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs) and former light heavyweight world champion Gabriel Campillo (25-6-1, 12 KOs) expected to win via KO this Saturday afternoon. Campillo, sporting a Tom Brady jersey, even promised he would win in dramatic fashion like this year’s Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.

Below are quotes from the fighters and trainers from Wednesday’s press conference:

ADONIS STEVENSON:
“I know Sakio is going to try to take my title, but I’m prepared for that.

“I know he was a champion. I made the move from 168 to 175 pounds and it worked well for me. I expect him to bring his best at 175 pounds. He’s a former champ so I’m preparing to face a champion.

“I’m looking for the KO because I’m from the Kronk Gym. Knockouts sell. But I can go 12 rounds, that’s not a problem. I train for 12 rounds.

“My trainer has given me a great plan. He knows Sakio Bika very well and we’ll see what happens in the ring.

“Bika is still going to have the same power moving up in weight. He should actually be stronger.

“I’m very focused because I know Bika is very dangerous. I know he’s going to come into the ring and try to give me trouble.

“I’m a knockout artist. I can do a lot in the ring, but first and foremost I’m a knockout artist.

“I’d love to unify the belts eventually, but I’ll let my manager Al Haymon take care of that.

“My mentor Emanuel Steward always told me that as soon as I enter the ring the knockout is what sells. I’ll definitely be going for the knockout this Saturday on CBS.”

“I’m ready to go toe-to-toe. Adonis Stevenson vs. Sakio Bika on CBS, baby.”

SAKIO BIKA:
“To beat a great fighter you have to be your best. I’m looking to take the WBC title back home.

“I’ve fought everyone – I’ve never ducked an opponent – and I don’t know if he can handle the pressure.

“I feel more comfortable at 175 pounds. I want to test the big boy [Stevenson] and I feel like I can do that. On Saturday we’ll see.

“He’s knocked people out, but I’ve never been knocked out. On Saturday I’ll be the one to knock him out.

“I’m very hungry to get a world title back. I trained very hard at light heavyweight to get a title back.

“I didn’t come here to Canada just to walk and look around. I came here to take this belt back home and I’m very confident I’m going to do that.

“Training camp went very well, we put in good work and now we’re here in Canada ready to shock the world.”

JAVAN “SUGAR” HILL:
“Training camp was very good as always. Nothing different, just hard work perfecting his boxing and the basic fundamentals. We’re looking for him to make a mistake and catch him.

“The way you prepare for an unorthodox fighter like Bika is to make sure your basics are sound. You have to have a good jab, you have to have good movement and you have to have ‘super power’ And I have “Superman.

“Emanuel also told me the knockout sells. It’s something that we both know and it’s something that is imbedded in us. We’re looking for the knockout on April 4. Sometimes I see things that Adonis is looking to do before he does it. So I’ll just be sitting there waiting for Adonis to catch Sakio Bika making a mistake and getting a knockout.

“I’m super proud to represent Kronk Gym. That’s why I wear my hat here. Kronk to me is like my family name and that’s what I live by. I was born into Kronk when I was a little kid going to a tournament with my uncle Emanuel and all I remember is the Kronk fighters winning. And that’s what I do now: win.

“Adonis is an artist, he’s a KO artist. My prediction for Saturday is a knockout on CBS.

“There’s been a lot of talk and now it’s time for action. Toe-to-toe on April 4. Don’t miss it.”

KEVIN CUNNINGHAM:
“We had a great training camp. Everyone was relaxed. We had great sparring.

“He was making 168 pretty easy, but stepping up he’s able to eat whatever he wants. The weight is good. We think he’s going to be good and strong at 175. It’s a good move for him.

“He’s never had any problems with power, so I think the extra weight and energy should be good for him at light heavyweight.

“All this talk about Stevenson fighting (Sergey) Kovalev has motivated him pretty good. I think it gave him a pretty good picture of how the business of boxing works. He realizes that when the bell rings he needs to do something about it and he’s motivated by that.

“I can’t say if Stevenson is overlooking him because I’m not around him enough. But I know the fans and media want to make the Kovalev fight. It was good for Bika to hear that because it motivated him. He knows he has an opportunity to do something about it. On Saturday afternoon he can change all that.

“If Stevenson does what he says he’s going to do – meet him in the center of the ring and go toe-to-toe – this is going to be a tremendous fight.

“If he comes to the center of the ring and fights and goes toe-to-toe then this fight won’t go the distance. If Stevenson comes to trade I think he gets knocked out. If he runs around the ring and boxes then it could be a different outcome.”

ARTUR BETERBIEV:
“I don’t think this is a big challenge for me. I’m ready to face the world champions and raise the bar higher. This is just another opponent for me.

“This is another step that will move me closer to facing the champions at 175 pounds. I want to put on a solid fight and show that I’m one of the best fighters in this division.

“A knockout is never a goal for me. I’m trying to show my work and my dedication in the ring, but usually that’s what happens. Usually I finish with a knockout but that is not my main goal. My main goal is to box and show my skills.

“My motivation is to face the champions. That’s why I work so hard every day in the gym. I will get there soon.

“Why not face Kovalev? I’m ready. When I turned professional my goal was to meet the champions. He’s a champion now and I’d like to face the champions.”

GABRIEL CAMPILLO:
“We started training Jan. 1 and camp has been very good. We’ve been working very hard and I think I’m in great condition for this fight.

“Beterbiev may not have a lot of professional experience, but he’s had a very long amateur career. So we know that he’s ready and is a good opponent for us. We’ll see how he handles things once we get past the 5th, 6th and 7th rounds.

“To get ready for a hard-hitter like Beterbiev required lots of conditioning training. We worked the neck and the chin a lot. We think we’ve got a great chance in the second half of this fight though considering Beterbiev hasn’t really been tested like that.

“As for a prediction, I’m going to knock Beterbiev out in the seventh round.”

# # #

PBC on CBS, headlined by the light heavyweight world championship fight between Stevenson and Bika, is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and presented by Videotron and in association with Mise-O-Jeu. Tickets are on sale now at the Pepsi Coliseum box office in Quebec, by calling (418) 691-7211 or (800) 900-7469, online at www.billetech.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 and Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250 on the floor.

NEW YORK (Apr. 1, 2015) – The World Boxing Council (WBC) and Ring 8 will honor the late Joe Dwyer and Tony Mazzarella at the fourth annual New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) induction dinner, sponsored by Ring 8, Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.m. ET), April 26 at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman will make a special presentation to Dwyer’s family. Ring 8 will make presentations to the Dwyer and Mazzarella families. Dwyer and Mazzarella, both longtime Ring 8 members, passed away earlier this year. Dwyer was president of the North American Boxing Federation (NABF). Mazzarella, who served many years as Ring 8’s treasurer, was a major influence in the founding of the NYSBHOF.

NYSBHOF Class of 2015

Boxers

WBC junior welterweight champion & Vietnam Veteran Saoul Mamby Bronx/Brooklyn
WBA junior middleweight title challenger Joey Giambra Buffalo
1961 National Golden Gloves champion Johnny Persol Brooklyn
Two-time world welterweight title challenger Harold Weston New York City
WBO middleweight champion Lonnie Bradley Harlem
(Deceased)
World light heavyweight champion Paul Berlenbach Astoria
“Uncrowned” world welterweight champion Billy Graham Manhattan’s Eastside
2-Time World flyweight champion Frankie Genaro New York City
World middleweight & welterweight champion Tommy Ryan Redwood/Syracuse
World light heavyweight champion Jimmy Slattery Buffalo

Non-Participants

NYSBHOF & Ring 8 president Bob Duffy Manhattan/Massapequa Park
Journalist Mike Katz Bronx
Trainer Tommy Gallagher Howard Beach
Promoter/cutman Bob Miller Albany
Gleason’s Gym owner Bruce Silverglade Brooklyn
(Deceased)
Trainer Charley Goldman Brooklyn
MSG matchmaker Harry Markson Kingston
Promoter Cedric Kushner Manhattan
MSG matchmaker Jimmy Johnson New York City
Journalist Damon Runyon Manhattan
Manager/matchmaker Al Weill New York City

Renown ring announcer David Diamante will once again serve as the event’s Master of Ceremonies.

The 2015 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members: Jack Hirsch, Steve Farhood, Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Don Majeski, Henry Hascup, Ron McNair and Neil Terens.

Each inductee will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his induction into the NYSBHOF. All NYSBHOF plaques are on display at the New York State Athletic Commission.

All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years, in order to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers.

CLASS of 2012: Carmen Basilio, Mike McCallum, Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta, Riddick Bowe, Carlos Ortiz, Vito Antuofermo, Emile Griffith, “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Gene Tunney, Benny Leonard, Tony Canzoneri, Harold Lederman, Steve Acunto, Jimmy Glenn, Gil Clancy, Ray Arcel, Nat Fleischer, Bill Gallo and Arthur Mercante, Sr.

CLASS of 2013: Jack Dempsey, Johnny Dundee, Sandy Saddler, Maxie Rosenbloom, Joey Archer, Iran Barkley, Mark Breland, Bobby Cassidy, Doug Jones, Junior Jones, James “Buddy” McGirt, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Bob Arum, Shelly Finkel, Tony Graziano, Larry Merchant, Teddy Brenner, Mike Jacobs, Tex Rickard and Don Dunphy.

CLASS OF 2014: Floyd Patterson, Tracy Harris Patterson, Billy Backus, Kevin Kelley, Juan LaPorte, Gerry Cooney, Mustafa Hamsho, Howard Davis, Jr., Lou Ambers, Jack Britton, Terry McGovern, Teddy Atlas, Lou DiBella, Steve Farhood, Gene Moore, Angelo Prospero, Whitey Bimstein, Cus D’Amato, William Muldoon and Tom O’Rourke.

Tickets are priced at $125.00 per adult and $50.00 for children (under 16), and includes a complete brunch and cocktail hour upon entry, starting at 12:30 PM/ET, as well as dinner (prime rib, fish or poultry) and open bar throughout the day.

Tickets are available to purchase by calling NYSBHOF/Ring 8 president Bob Duffy at 516.313.2304. Ads for the NYSBHOF program are available, ranging from $50.00 to $250.00, by contacting and Duffy.

Go on line at www.Ring8ny.com for additional information about the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.
ABOUT RING 8: Formed in 1954 by an ex-prizefighter, Jack Grebelsky, Ring 8 became the eighth subsidiary of what was then known as the National Veteran Boxers Association – hence, RING 8 – and today the organization’s motto still remains: Boxers Helping Boxers.

RING 8 is fully committed to supporting less fortunate people in the boxing community who may require assistance in terms of paying rent, medical expenses, or whatever justifiable need.

Go on line to www.Ring8ny.com for more information about RING 8, the largest group of its kind in the United States with more than 350 members. Annual membership dues is only $30.00 and each member is entitled to a buffet dinner at RING 8 monthly meetings, excluding July and August. All active boxers, amateur and professional, are entitled to a complimentary RING 8 yearly membership. Guests of Ring 8 members are welcome at a cost of only $7.00 per person.

Boxcino 2014 lightweight tournament winner and former junior welterweight world title challenger Petr “El Zar” Petrov (35-4-2, 16 KOs) will meet former junior lightweight titlist Gamaliel “El Platano” Diaz (39-11-3, 18 KOs) in the 10-round lightweight main event on the April 3 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra. Friday’s show from the Omega Products Center in Corona, Calif., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will televise Friday’s fights on Saturday, April 4, at 9 p.m. The card is presented by Banner Promotions.

Commentators:
Joe Tessitore will be ringside with analyst Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN2, while studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN) will provide the latest boxing news and information. Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will present live interviews and reports for both shows.

Main Event:
Petrov, of Spain, was originally scheduled to fight Hank Lundy in January on ESPN2, but the fight was cancelled due to Lundy’s inability to make weight. Prior to that, Petrov scored an eighth-round TKO win over Fernando Carcamo to win the Boxcino 2014 lightweight tournament. Mexico’s Diaz is looking to get back to his winning ways following a third-round technical draw against Anthony Crolla.

“Gamaliel Diaz is a veteran fighter…He’s going to be there – tough guy, he’s been around the block,” Petrov’s manager-trainer Danny Zamora said. “You can never overlook a fighter, but Petr has trained so hard that it should be good for us.”

Co-Feature:
Thursday’s eight-round welterweight co-feature will pit undefeated up-and-coming welterweight Taras “Real Deal” Shelestyuk (11-0, 8 KOs) against Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez Jr. (12-1, 5 KOs). In his last fight, Shelestyuk—who currently resides in Los Angles—scored a third-round knockout win over Francisco Reza. New Jersey’s Rodriguez is coming off a fourth-round technical decision win over Greg Jackson.

Upcoming Schedule:

Date

Time (ET)

Main Event

Location

Networks

Fri, Apr 3

9 p.m.

Petr Petrov (35-4-2, 17 KOs) vs. Gamaliel Diaz 38-11-3, 17 KOs) — 10 rounds, Lightweight

Omega Products Center, Corona, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, Apr 10

9 p.m.

Boxcino 2015 Semifinals: 8 rounds each

Heavyweights:

Andrey Fedosov (26-3, 21 KOs) vs. Lenroy Thomas (19-3, 9 KOs)

Razvan Cojanu (13-1, 7 KOs) vs. Donovan Dennis (11-1, 9 KOs)

Jr. Middleweights:

Brandon Adams (16-1, 11 KOs) vs. Vito Gasparyan (15-3-5, 8 KOs)

Stanyslav Skorokhod (9-0, 7 KOs) vs. John Thompson (15-1, 5 KOs)

Sands Hotel & Casino, Bethlehem, PA

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, April 17

10 p.m.

Tony Harrison (20-0, 17 KOs) vs. Pablo Munguía (20-6, 11 KOs)

Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Conn

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/).

TORONTO | NEW YORK (April 1, 2015) — Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents the latest edition of Enfusion Live this Saturday, April 4 at 3 p.m. ET, as the 26th installment of the kickboxing series features a -60 kg world championship showdown pitting Surinamese Reda Narain against Dutchman Tommy Dieckmann.

Fight Network’s live broadcast will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and in Turkey on D-Smart.

In addition to the Narain vs. Dieckmann championship headliner, the event will feature a one-night, single-elimination -70 kg tournament, showcasing Morocco’s Nordin Ben Moh and Hafid El Boustati in action against Holland’s Dennis Kabbedijk and Cape Verde’s Edson Fortes, respectively. Also on the card, Indonesia’s Shana Lammers meets Holland’s Manal Arrad, plus France’s Brice Guidon throws down with Morocco’s Hicham Achalhi in heavyweight action.

Fight Network’s live broadcast kicks off at 3 p.m. ET.

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.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents the sophomore edition of Golden Boy Promotions’ LA FIGHT CLUB series, as Thursday’s edition of Golden Boy Live! emanates from The Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, Calif. with live action kicking off at 10 p.m. ET.

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

East Los Angeles native and boxing legacy Julian “El Camarón” Ramirez (13-0, 8 KOs) will face the seasoned fighter Raul “Bule” Hidalgo (23-12, 17 KOs) of Casas Grandes, Mexico in the 10-round featherweight main event.

In the co-main event, 2012 Brazilian Olympic Bronze medalist Yamaguchi Falcao (4-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a six-round middleweight bout against Abraham Hernandez (6-1, 4 KOs). Also, rising featherweight and Los Angeles fan favorite Nick Arce (2-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a four-round match hoping to make airtime against Bell’s Carlos Gonzalez (1-6).

“LA FIGHT CLUB was developed as the platform for up-and-coming fighters on the West Coast to display their talents, and Julian Ramirez is exactly the kind of exciting prospect that fans will see month in and month out at The Belasco Theater,” said Golden Boy Promotions founder and president Oscar De La Hoya.

“I am excited to be part of the new Los Angeles series LA FIGHT CLUB and to headline the April 2 event,” said Julian Ramirez. “I promise all the LA fans that they are going to have an exciting night. I want to put on a great show for my fans. I’ll be more than ready to give them an exciting fight.”

The undefeated East Los Angeles native, Julian “El Camarón” Ramirez, has boxing in his blood. His late uncle was the former WBA and WBC Super featherweight world champion Genaro “El Chicanito” Hernandez. Ramirez has been on the fast track since turning professional in 2012. A dynamic fighter who has the skills to succeed, Ramirez is coming off of a fourth win of 2014 when he faced Pedro Melo. Ramirez is looking to keep his undefeated status when he faces Hidalgo at The Belasco Theater.

A seasoned fighter, Raul “Bule” Hidalgo of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico began his career as a professional boxer in 2010. Since then the fighter has consistently fought in both Mexico and the U.S. 2014 was a busy year for Hidalgo as he took on 6 fights all with some of the top prospects in the sport including, Jose Lopez, Gonzalo Garcia, Joseph Diaz Jr. He is coming off of a third round knockout victory over Jorge Luis Babuca on December. Hidalgo is looking to continue his winning streak when he faces Ramirez on April 2.

LA FIGHT CLUB: Ramirez vs. Hidalgo is a 10-round featherweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. Fight Network’s live broadcast airs at 10 p.m. ET.

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

Glendale, CALIF. (April 1, 2015) – Upon learning that NESTLÉ® BUTTERFINGER® CUPS are a key part of the training regimen of Fighter of the Decade Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, Butterfinger has bet one million on its newest fan, Pacquiao, to win the “Fight of the Century” which will take place on May 2, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division world champion, is preparing for his biggest career challenge by adding a secret weapon to his training table.

“When I am training, I never cut corners, and that is what makes Butterfinger Cups the best peanut butter cup – they don’t cut corners either,” noted Pacquiao. “Butterfinger and I always go the extra mile to distinguish ourselves. For us, being different is the difference.”

“We are proud to be in Manny’s corner and show our support of him in this fight of the century,” said Fabiola del Rio, Butterfinger brand manager. “Manny represents a different kind of competitor, just as Butterfinger is a different kind of peanut butter cup, and different is good. Go Manny!”

Top Rank’s Lucia McKelvey secured this new and fun deal with Butterfinger and PACQUIAO. “Butterfinger and Pacquiao go together like peanut butter and chocolate. I cannot reveal the details but I assure you it was a square deal.” said McKelvey

The different kind of peanut butter cup that made its highly anticipated debut last year, Butterfinger Cups are Pacquiao’s secret weapon and go-to-treat as he prepares for the fight of the century. Square-shaped like a boxing ring, Butterfinger Cups bring an unexpected crunch to the smooth combination of peanut butter and chocolate.

# # #

ABOUT MANNY PACQUIAO
Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is world champion professional boxer. He is the first and only eight-division world champion with 10 world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. Beyond boxing, Pacquiao has participated in basketball, business, acting, music recording, and politics. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, at the age of 32, representing the province of Sarangani. He was re-elected in 2013 to the 16th Congress of the Philippines.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents the sophomore edition of Golden Boy Promotions’ LA FIGHT CLUB series, as Thursday’s edition of Golden Boy Live! emanates from The Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, Calif. with live action kicking off at 10 p.m. ET.

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

East Los Angeles native and boxing legacy Julian “El Camarón” Ramirez (13-0, 8 KOs) will face the seasoned fighter Raul “Bule” Hidalgo (23-12, 17 KOs) of Casas Grandes, Mexico in the 10-round featherweight main event.

In the co-main event, 2012 Brazilian Olympic Bronze medalist Yamaguchi Falcao (4-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a six-round middleweight bout against Abraham Hernandez (6-1, 4 KOs). Also, rising featherweight and Los Angeles fan favorite Nick Arce (2-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a four-round match hoping to make airtime against Bell’s Carlos Gonzalez (1-6).

“LA FIGHT CLUB was developed as the platform for up-and-coming fighters on the West Coast to display their talents, and Julian Ramirez is exactly the kind of exciting prospect that fans will see month in and month out at The Belasco Theater,” said Golden Boy Promotions founder and president Oscar De La Hoya.

“I am excited to be part of the new Los Angeles series LA FIGHT CLUB and to headline the April 2 event,” said Julian Ramirez. “I promise all the LA fans that they are going to have an exciting night. I want to put on a great show for my fans. I’ll be more than ready to give them an exciting fight.”

The undefeated East Los Angeles native, Julian “El Camarón” Ramirez, has boxing in his blood. His late uncle was the former WBA and WBC Super featherweight world champion Genaro “El Chicanito” Hernandez. Ramirez has been on the fast track since turning professional in 2012. A dynamic fighter who has the skills to succeed, Ramirez is coming off of a fourth win of 2014 when he faced Pedro Melo. Ramirez is looking to keep his undefeated status when he faces Hidalgo at The Belasco Theater.

A seasoned fighter, Raul “Bule” Hidalgo of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico began his career as a professional boxer in 2010. Since then the fighter has consistently fought in both Mexico and the U.S. 2014 was a busy year for Hidalgo as he took on 6 fights all with some of the top prospects in the sport including, Jose Lopez, Gonzalo Garcia, Joseph Diaz Jr. He is coming off of a third round knockout victory over Jorge Luis Babuca on December. Hidalgo is looking to continue his winning streak when he faces Ramirez on April 2.

LA FIGHT CLUB: Ramirez vs. Hidalgo is a 10-round featherweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. Fight Network’s live broadcast airs at 10 p.m. ET.

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

LAS VEGAS, NV. (March 31, 2015) – The Chelsea inside the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas welcomes an exciting evening of boxing featuring former two-division world champion TAKAHIRO AO who returns to the ring in his 2015 debut where he will battle two-time world title challenger RAY BELTRAN in a 12-round rumble for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight world championship on Friday, May 1.

The fight will be televised live on tru-TV beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will open with a battle between the undefeated with North America Boxing Federation (NABF) welterweight champion MIKAEL ZEWSKI defending his title against world-rated contender KONSTANTIN PONOMAREV. The first bout will begin at 5:00 p.m. with the tru-TV bouts beginning at 7:00 p.m. local time.

These four gladiators boast a combined record of 109-10-2 (62 KOs) — a winning ratio of 90% with over half of those victories coming by way knockout.

Promoted by Top Rank®, tickets, priced at $50, $75, 85 and $100 (plus applicable taxes and fees), are on sale and available for purchase at The Cosmopolitan Concierge Desk, all Ticketmaster outlets, and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Ao (27-3-1, 12 KOs), from Chiba, Japan, captured his first world title in 2009, dethroning Oscar Larios to become the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight champion. He lost the title that same year in his first defense, which took place four months later, via a unanimous decision to Elio Rojas. He immediately moved up to the next weight class and 16 months later claimed the WBC super featherweight title winning a unanimous decision over Vitali Tajbert. Ao’s two-year world championship reign included three successful title defenses before losing a 12-round decision to Gamaliel Diaz in 2012. Ao has been campaigning as a lightweight ever since, going 4-0 (2 KOs), including a 10-round unanimous decision victory over former two-time world champion Juan Carlos Salgado last October en route to being world-rated No. 2 by the WBO, No. 3 by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and No. 4 by the WBC.

Beltran (29-7-1, 17 KOs), a native of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, who now lives in North Hollywood, Calif., is one of the lightweight division’s toughest and most experienced fighters. A former NABF and United States Boxing Association (USBA) lightweight champion, Beltran had his two-year five-bout unbeaten streak broken in his last fight, losing a unanimous decision to WBO lightweight champion and 2014 Fighter of the Year Terence Crawford last November. Crawford has since vacated that title to challenge for the WBO junior welterweight crown. Beyond his professional fights, Beltran has had the benefit of being a main sparring partner for Fighter of the Decade Manny Pacquiao for several years before becoming a top-rated contender in his own right. He is currently world-rated No. 6 by the WBO.

Zewski (26-0, 20 KOs), a native of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, now living in Las Vegas, has won five of his last six bouts by knockout. The former amateur standout captured the vacant NABF welterweight title with a fourth-round knockout of Prince Doku, Jr. last June. In his last fight, in December, he successfully defended the title, at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, via a 10-round majority decision over savvy veteran Jeremy Bryan. Zewski is currently world-rated No. 7 by the WBO and No. 10 by the WBC.

Ponomarev (27-0, 13 KOs), from Miass, Russia, is trained by renowned trainer Abel Sanchez. At the age of 22, Ponomarev is already a five-year pro with an impressive resume which includes WBC Baltic and WBC Youth welterweight title victories. A crowd-pleasing fighter with power in both fists and an aggressive fighting style, Ponomarev is poised to break though this year. He is currently world-rated No. 15 by the WBC.

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

ABOUT THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS:
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is a luxury resort offering a decidedly different perspective. Located at the heart of The Strip, the resort’s uniquely vertical multi-tower design offers spectacular views of the vibrant city. The new 2,995-room resort features oversized residential-style living spaces with expansive, one-of-a-kind private terraces. The Cosmopolitan’s luxurious resort amenities include a 100,000 square foot casino; Sahra Spa & Hammam and Violet Hour Hair Nails Beauty; three unique pool experiences; Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub, a multi-level integrated indoor/outdoor nightclub; 150,000 square feet of state-of-the-art convention and meeting space; 40,000-square foot performance and event space The Chelsea; and modern supper club Rose. Rabbit. Lie. An eclectic line-up of new-to-market retailers include: AllSaints Spitalfields, CRSVR Sneaker Boutique, DNA2050, EATDRINK, Jason of Beverly Hills, Kidrobot, Molly Brown’s Swimwear, Rent the Runway, Retrospecs & Co, Skins 62 Cosmetics, Stitched and Utique. Signature restaurants include: Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill by restaurateurs Bruce and Eric Bromberg; Estiatorio Milos, by international restaurateur Costas Spiliadis; Holsteins from Block 16 Hospitality; Jaleo and China Poblano restaurants by acclaimed Chef José Andrés; Scarpetta and D.O.C.G. by award-winning Chef Scott Conant; and popular steakhouse STK from The ONE Group; bustling culinary food hall The Wicked Spoon; and The Henry, an all-day dining concept.

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UEBEC CITY, QUEBEC (March 31, 2015) – This Saturday afternoon, April 4, hard-hitting light heavyweight world champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs) plans to dish out plenty of punishment when he defends against former super middleweight world champion Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs) in the main event of the debut presentation of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBS Television Network (3 p.m. ET/Noon PT) from the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.

Today, however, in what has become a tradition before his fights at Pepsi Coliseum, Stevenson served food at La Maison de Lauberivière, a local shelter and soup kitchen for homeless men and women. Besides serving food, Stevenson and his team also gave away tickets, autographed posters and posed for photos with people in the shelter and some of his local fans.

In Saturday’s second main on CBS, promising undefeated light heavyweight Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs) gets tested when he faces former light heavyweight world champion Gabriel Campillo (25-6-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

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PBC on CBS, headlined by the light heavyweight world championship fight between Stevenson and Bika, is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and presented by Videotron and in association with Mise-O-Jeu. Tickets are on sale now at the Pepsi Coliseum box office in Quebec, by calling (418) 691-7211 or (800) 900-7469, online at www.billetech.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 and Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250 on the floor

Philadelphia (March 31, 2015)–It is less than two weeks away from the semifinals of the Boxcino 2015 heavyweight and jr. middleweight tournaments that will take place on Friday night, April 10th and will be held at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA.

The show will be televised live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights with the Boxcino semifinal fights beginning at 9 PM ET.

All semifinal bouts are scheduled for eight rounds.

In the heavyweight division, Andrey Fedosov (26-3, 21 KO’s) will take on Lenroy Thomas (19-3, 8 KO’s). Fedosov is coming off a first round pounding of Nate Heaven while Thomas won a 7-round drawbreaker over former U.S. Olympian Jason Estrada.

In the second semifinal, Razvan Cojanu (13-1, 7 KO’s) will take on Donovan Dennis (11-1, 9 KO’s).

Cojanu is coming off a 7-round drawbreaker win over Ed Fountain while Dennis stopped Steve Vukosa in 4-rounds.

In the jr. middleweight division, Stanyslav Skorokhod (9-0, 7 KO’s) battles John Thompson (15-1, 5 KO’s).

Skorokhod was very impressive in taking out Michael Moore in four rounds. Thompson took a six round unanimous decision over Ricardo Pinnel.

Brandon Adams (16-1, 11KO’s) battles Vito Gasparyan (15-3-5, 8 KO’s).

Adams stopped Alex Perez in five rounds while Gasparyan won a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Simeon Hardy.

A full undercard will be announced shortly.

This event starts at 7pm. Ticket prices are $100, $75, $50. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000 and at the box office at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center.

Los Angeles, CA (March 31, 2015)– Undefeated welterweight Taras “Real Deal” Shelestyuk (11-0, 8 KO’s) is getting ready for his April 3rd national television debut when he takes on Juan Rodriguez Jr. in the co-feature of an ESPN Friday Night Fights card in Corona, California.

The card is promoted by Thompson Boxing and Banner Promotions.

In the main event, Petr Petrov will defend his NABA & NABO lightweight title when he takes on former world champion Gamaliel Diaz.

Shelestyuk, who was a 2012 Bronze Medal winner in the London Olympic games, has been training at the Wild Card Gym with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and Marvin Somodio and is looking forward to this great opportunity to display his talents in front of a nationwide audience.

“Juan Rodriguez is a good fighter, But I will show what I am made of on April 3rd,” said Shelestyuk.

“I can fight and adjust to any opponent during the fight and will do anything to win. I have been waiting a very long time to fight on national television and now it’s here” continued the versatile Shelestyuk.

Also on the card, undefeated welterweight prospect Sukhrab Shidaev(12-0, 7 KOs) of Hollywood, Calif. will fight an opponent to be named later (6-rounds).

Former Colombian Olympian and undefeated lightweight Cesar Villarraga (6-0, 4 KOs) will look to stay unbeaten against Victor Serrano (3-8-1, 1 KO) in a 6-round lightweight bout.

Making his professional debut is junior lightweight Michael Norato facing fellow novice Sopuan Rin (1-1-1) of Pomona, Calif. in a fight scheduled for 4-rounds.

Humberto Rubalcava will also step inside the squared circle for the first time as a professional. Rubalcava, a super bantamweight from Riverside, Calif., will face Christian Lorenzo (2-2, 1 KO).

Opening the event are junior welterweights Emanuel Robles (12-0-1, 3 KOs) of San Diego and Wilberth Lopez (5-4, 1 KO) of Tucson, Ariz. (6-rounds).

Tickets are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and can be purchased by calling (714) 935-0900, or online at www.ThompsonBoxing.com.

The 1st bout is at 5:15 PT, Doors at 4:30 PT and 1st TV bout at 6 PM PT./ 9 pm ET

NEW YORK (March 31, 2015) – The broadcast team for the April 4 debut of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBS features a blend of highly respected sportscasters and shrewd boxing minds. Hosted by CBS Sports Network’s Brent Stover, the fights will be called by versatile and respected play-by-play veteran Kevin Harlan with ringside analysts Paul Malignaggi and broadcast newcomer Virgil Hunter.

The PBC on CBS announce team will usher in the first of up to eight live events this year beginning this Saturday, April 4, at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT. Light heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs), of Montreal, will defend his title against former super middleweight world champion Sakio Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs), of Sydney, Australia. Opening the two-fight afternoon broadcast will be undefeated Russian-born Canadian light heavyweight Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs), of Montreal, facing former world champion Gabriel Campillo (25-6-1, 12 KOs), of Madrid, Spain, from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.

A veteran broadcaster, Harlan has called NFL games for 30 consecutive years. He joined CBS Sports’ NFL broadcast team as a play-by-play announcer in 1998. Harlan called CBS Sports’ HDTV coverage of the 2001 AFC Championship and Super Bowl XXXV. He has called CBS Sports’ coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship since 1999, including this year’s CBS/Turner coverage of the West Regional from Los Angeles. A well-versed radio broadcaster, this past season Harlan once again called play-by-play for NFL games with Boomer Esiason on Westwood One Radio Sports. Harlan and Esiason were the lead announce team on Westwood One for “Monday Night Football,” the playoffs, a Conference Championship game and the Super Bowl. This season marked Harlan’s fifth consecutive Super Bowl. Harlan called the NCAA Final Four and Championship games for CBS Radio Network and Westwood One for five consecutive years (2003-07), as well as the regionals (2009, 2010, 2011). Harlan’s boxing experience includes the 1995 Mike Tyson vs. Buster Mathis Jr. bout on FOX and various championship boxing events he has called for radio. Harlan is in his 28th season broadcasting the NBA and has called play-by-play action for Turner Sports’ coverage of the NBA Playoffs since 1996 and regular-season games for TNT and TBS since 1997.

The 34-year-old Malignaggi is a two-time, two-division world champion. He is known for his passionate and honest assessment of live fights and fighters as an analyst for SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. An invaluable asset at ringside, Malignaggi applies a lifetime of personal boxing expertise to dynamic, ever-changing situations in the ring and articulates with aplomb. He’s been a regular ringside analyst since 2012.

The knowledgeable and sage Hunter is one of the most prominent and respected trainers in boxing. He has coached unbeaten super middleweight kingpin Andre Ward, British superstar and former undisputed 140-pound world champion Amir Khan and former welterweight world champion Andre Berto and was named the 2011 Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Hunter is making his first foray into announcing on April 4 and offers a fresh and unique perspective to the PBC on CBS.

Stover has served as studio host for CBS Sports Network since 2011. He joined the network in 2010 and has held a number of roles, including as play-by-play announcer for football, basketball and for Olympic sports. Prior to joining CBS Sports Network, Stover served as host, anchor, reporter and play-by-play voice for the Big Ten Network and Fox Sports Net Midwest/Southwest.

The second installment of PBC on CBS is Saturday, May 9, and will pit undefeated Omar Figueroa, who vacated his Lightweight World Championship to move up in weight to 140 pounds, against former champion Ricky Burns.

Additional dates for Premier Boxing Champions on CBS are to be announced include live broadcasts in June, July and September, with up to three remaining events on the 2015 calendar. The live boxing broadcasts on CBS, other than the aforementioned premiere, will be broadcast live at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

The Premier Boxing Champions series was created for television by Haymon Boxing. It is the first consistent series presentation of live boxing on CBS in 15 years. The network aired a one-off live event featuring current WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Leo Santa Cruz in 2012. Prior to that, the last live boxing on the network was in 1997 when then-middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins knocked out Glen Johnson.

Live boxing was a staple on the network in the 1980s, consistently featuring future Hall of Famers Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns, Roberto Duran, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and others. Boxing’s history on CBS dates back to 1948 when the Pabst Blue Ribbon Bouts premiered featuring legendary blow-by-blow commentator Russ Hodges.

NOW LIVE ON UFC FIGHT PASS… the new episode of the acclaimed retrospective series Fightography featuring UFC Hall of Famer Dan “The Beast” Severn.

In an exclusive interview, the man who won the UFC 5 tournament, two UFC Superfight titles and the Ultimate Ultimate ‘95 tournament gives his perspective on his legendary match with Royce Gracie at UFC 4.

Despite entering the December 1994 tournament on five days’ notice as a replacement, Severn stormed all the way to the final and was the first man to seriously challenge three time UFC champion Gracie.

Severn has spent the last 21-years maintaining he could have won the fight, if he had only stuck Gracie rather than attempt to submit the BJJ master. In Fightography, Severn maintains he couldn’t bring himself to use bare fists on an exhausted Gracie and that he’s “had to live with that” decision ever since.

Also in the interview, Severn details a crazy indecent where, as a teenager, he travelled to the Soviet Block for what was supposed to be an under 18s wrestling meet. Instead, he found himself faced with a grizzled veteran in a virtual no-holds-barred brawl with a croocked referee.

TEASER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIVoFAeL3gs&feature=youtu.be

FULL INTERVIEW: http://www.ufc.tv/category/fightography-dan-severn

FULL COLLECTION OF SEVERN FIGHTS: http://www.ufc.tv/video/fightography-dan-severn

NOTE: UFC FIGHT PASS is now available on XBOX ONE.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 31, 2015) – The four-bout main card for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” is now complete with the additions of former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), light heavyweights Virgil “Rezdog” Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. “Razor” Razak Al-Hassan (12-4) and welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs. “Curtious” Curtis Millender (7-1).

Featuring undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live on Spike TV, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 3:30 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 30 minutes later. A full preliminary card will be announced shortly.

“I’m pumped that we were able to reschedule the Dantas-Richman fight so quickly,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “Last Friday, Bellator saw two amazing bantamweight contests that produced a new champion and a ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate. Both Dantas and Richman are extremely exciting fighters who are undeniable standouts in a bantamweight division with a lot of depth.”

A key member of Brazil’s famed Nova Uniao team, Dantas has been competing professionally since 2007, fighting in both Japan and his native Brazil before making his way to Bellator MMA. The well-rounded fighter found immediate success, downing Wilson Reis, Ed West and Alexis Vila to claim a tournament victory that earned Dantas a shot at the Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Title. Dantas made good on the opportunity, choking out Zach Makovsky to claim the belt.

The 25-year-old Dantas successfully defended the belt twice with a knockout of current champ Marcos Galvao and a submission win over Anthony Leone before losing a hard-fought October decision to former champ Joe Warren in a “Fight of the Year” candidate.

Meanwhile, United States Marine Corps veteran Richman began his professional career in 2008, earning an impressive 11-1 record fighting exclusively in his home state of Minnesota. That run earned him a call from Bellator MMA, where he promptly earned knockout wins over Chris Horodecki and Jeremy Spoon in a combined time of just 106 seconds. Mixed results would follow, as he scored wins over Mitch Jackson, Alexandre Bezerra and Akop Stepanyan but fell short against the featherweight division’s very best fighters in Goiti Yamauchi, Desmond Green, Magomedrasul Khasbulaev and Shahbulat Shamhalaev.

The losses prompted Richman to make a move down to 135 pounds, and the choice has paid immediate dividends. The 29-year-old Richman has looked unbeatable at bantamweight, registering devastating first-round knockout wins over Nam Phan and Ed West.

The heavy-handed Zwicker fights in his hometown while making his fifth Bellator MMA appearance. The 32-year-old Team Quest fighter appeared most recently in January, earning a hard-fought split-decision victory over Houston Alexander. A striker by nature, nine of Zwicker’s 13 career wins have come by way of knockout.

Al-Hassan makes his Bellator MMA debut. Also 32 years old, the Roufusport fighter has been competing professionally since 2007 and has earned 11 of his 12 career wins by stoppage. However, in contrast to his opponent, Al-Hassan owns eight of those victories by submission. Al-Hassan returns from a two-year layoff from competition.

Gonzalez is hoping to earn his way to a shot at the Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title with another impressive victory. A native of Menifee, Calif., the 31-year-old has looked absolutely unstoppable in a three-fight Bellator MMA run, scoring consecutive victories over MMA notables Marius Zaromskis, Karo Parisyan and Karl Amoussou.

Millender hails from San Bernadino, Calif. The 27-year-old opened his professional career in 2013 with seven consecutive wins, earning him a spot on the Bellator MMA roster. However, in his promotional debut, he was forced to submit to a rear-naked choke against top contender Brennan “The Irish Bad Boy” Ward. Millender now looks to rebound from that loss and earn his first Bellator MMA victory.

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” – Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)
Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)
Bellator Featured Light Heavyweight Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)
Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

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 TV, 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 TV:
Spike TV 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 TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’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.

Philadelphia, PA—Middleweight prospect DeCarlo Perez, of Atlantic City, NJ, gets another tough test when he takes on rugged Jessie Nicklow, of Baltimore, MD, in the scheduled eight-round semifinal on Friday evening, May 8, at the 2300 Arena.

Topping the seven-bout card is the 10-round heavyweight showdown between Amir “Hard Core” Mansour, of Wilmington, DE, and Joey “The Tank” Dawejko, of Philadelphia. ESPN 2 will televise the show, beginning at 9pm (EST). First prelim goes off at 7 pm.
Perez (left), 24, has had few soft touches since turning pro in the summer of 2010. His 13-3-1 record includes five knockouts. He has won seven of his last eight fights, and the combined record of those eight opponents was an imposing 102-20-9 with 60 knockouts. His only setback in that streak was via eight-round split decision to world-rated Wilky Campfort, of Fort Lauderdale, FL.
In his last fight Oct. 18 at the 2300 Arena, Perez stopped Tyrone Brunson, of Philadelphia, in five rounds. Perez is ranked No. 6 by the United States Boxing Association (USBA).
“I am very excited to be fighting Jessie Nicklow,” Perez said. “He is a tough opponent with 25 wins and he has been in with world champion Jermain Taylor. Team Perez is ready for the challenge and the opportunity to show the fans what we can do.
“The fact that Jessie is tough and experienced has me working hard but not worried. We have been fighting tough our entire career. Fortunately, the world will get to see what the local boxing community already knows. We are ready.”
Nicklow (right), 28, is 24-5-3, 8 K0s, with two of his losses coming to ex-world champion Taylor, of Little Rock, AR, and to Olympic Gold Medalist Ryota Murata, of Japan, in his last fight Dec. 13 in Tokyo.
The only foe common to both Nicklow and Perez is Julius Kennedy, of Baltimore, who boxed a 10-round draw with Nicklow in 2010, three years before he was stooped in five rounds by Perez.
“I don’t really have a lot to say about this coming fight with Perez,” Nicklow said. “I will have had seven weeks of training to fight a 13-3 guy. I work a full-time job for Scaffold Resource. I have two dogs, a cat and a little brother to take care of.
“I train like every fight is going to be my last because I know what I’m willing to risk to win. My only game plan is the same as every fight and that’s to punch him in the face.”

About May 8

The Mansour-Dawejko and Perez-Nickow fights headline a seven-bout card at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. Doors open at 6 pm; first fight is 7pm. The card will be televised live by ESPN 2 at 9 pm. Tickets are $55 and $80 and can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and Wanamaker’s Tickets (215-568-2400). Tickets also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com and www.wanatix.com. The May 8 card is promoted by Peltz Boxing, Joe Hand Promotions and BAM Boxing.

NEW YORK (March 31, 2015) – Roc Nation Sports is pleased to announce that the second edition throne boxing is set for Friday, April 17, 2015 at The Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut and will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT. Headlining the event will be undefeated Russian cruiserweight sensation Murat “Iron” Gassiev defending his IBF Intercontinental Cruiserweight Championship against veteran Felix “Bad News” Cora Jr. of Galveston, Texas in a 12-round main event.

Tickets priced at $90, $60 and $30, plus any Ticketmaster charges, are on sale now and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com, foxwoods.com or by calling (800) 200-2882. One dollar from each ticket sold will be donated to the Muhammad Ali Center.

Supporting the main event, several of boxing’s hottest young fighters will be featured on the April 17 throne boxing undercard including Dusty Hernandez-Harrison, Junior Younan and Wellington Romero.

In addition to the great action inside the ring, the April 17 edition of throne boxing, sponsored by Jaybird, TapouT Muscle and Tequila CAZADORES®, will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that offer an unprecedented fan experience, including a live musical performance and a name DJ to keep the energy at a high level throughout the event.

“All of us at Roc Nation Sports are extremely excited to continue our throne boxing series on FOX Sports 1 on April 17 at Foxwoods,” said Roc Nation Sports’ COO of Boxing David Itskowitch. “We plan to continue where we left off with our premiere throne boxing event in January by bringing great fights, a unique musical performance and an unparalleled fan experience which we know will capture the attention of both avid boxing fans and a new fans alike.”

“Through our relationship with Roc Nation Sports, we are pleased to again bring some of the sport’s top fighters to FOX Sports 1 in April and look forward to another great event,” said Patrick Crakes, Senior Vice President Programming, Research & Content Strategy, FOX Sports.

“We are thrilled to partner with Roc Nation Sports to bring boxing and music fans under one roof for this spectacular event,” said Monique Sebastian, VP of Entertainment and Entertainment Marketing for Foxwoods Resort Casino. “This unique experience will forever change the boxing landscape and Foxwoods sets the perfect stage for this exciting event.”

Undefeated cruiserweight Murat “Iron” Gassiev (20-0, 13 KO’s) of Vladikavkaz, Russia has the boxing world buzzing. The twenty-one year old IBF Intercontinental Cruiserweight Champion is known for his fast hands and superior balance and has been called “the second coming of Gennady Golovkin” by his trainer, Abel Sanchez, who also trains Golovkin. Gassiev made his professional debut before a hometown crowd in September of 2011, defeating Roman Mirzoev via a four-round unanimous decision victory. For the next three years Gassiev dominated the competitive Russian professional circuit, racking up impressive wins over the likes of Levan Jomardashvili in June 2013 and Ivica Bacurin in December of the same year. His victory over Bacurin, a hard-fought, ten-round unanimous decision win, earned Gassiev the WBC Youth Cruiserweight World Championship. Only two months, later Gassiev outlasted a vastly more experienced Ismail Abdoul in scoring a twelve-round unanimous decision victory to win the vacant IBF East/West Europe Cruiserweight Championship. On October 31, 2014, Gassiev scored his most impressive victory to date, stopping Engin Karakaplan via first-round technical knockout to win the vacant IBF Intercontinental Cruiserweight Championship. With the goal of becoming a world champion, Gassiev moved to the United States in late 2014 and began training in Big Bear, Calif. under the guidance of Sanchez. He made his American debut on January 23 of this year at Quiet Cannon in Montebello, Calif. where he dominated Terrance Smith en route to fourth round technical knockout victory. Sanchez has predicted that Gassiev will “clean out the cruiserweight division in a couple of years” and then make the leap to heavyweight. Before he makes that leap, he has to get past a formidable opponent in Felix Cora.

Felix “Bad News” Cora Jr. (25-6-2, 14 KO’s) of Galveston, Texas is on a quest to have his name spoken in the same breath as his hometown hero, the legendary Jack Johnson, the first African American Heavyweight Champion of the World. Cora began fighting at the age of eleven, following in the footsteps of his father who was a Golden Gloves champion. Cora began his career with a six-year undefeated streak, compiling a record of 20-0-2 along the way. On June 25, 2004 he defeated Michael Simms for the vacant USBA cruiserweight title with a twelve-round majority decision in Rosemont, Illinois. He added the NABF cruiserweight title to his trophy case with an eighth-round technical knockout of Arthur Williams at the Coeur d’Alene Casino in Worley, Idaho on October 27, 2005. Following a successful NABF title defense against Darnell Wilson, Cora suffered defeats in his next two fights, with both losses coming at the hands of undefeated fighters in Vadim Tokarev of Russia and Matt Godfrey. Following those setbacks, in late 2008/early 2009 Cora was a participant in the fourth season of the hit reality show The Contender. Most recently, Cora has put together a three-fight winning streak including an eleventh round knockout win over Laudelino Jose Barros in Barros’ hometown of Sao Paulo, Brazil in October of 2013 and, in his most recent fight in March of 2014, a second round knockout of Andrae Cathron before a hometown crowd in Galveston. He now has his sights set on victory number four of his winning streak with Gassiev standing in the way.

Hailing from Washington, DC with an undefeated professional record, 20 year-old Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (25-0, 13 KO’s) has been referred to as “Washington’s best boxing prospect since Sugar Ray Leonard” by the Washingtonian Magazine. He made his professional debut as the youngest licensed professional fighter in the United State on June 11, 2011, less than a month following his 17th birthday. Most recently, Hernandez-Harrison headlined Roc Nation Sports’ inaugural throne boxing event at The Theater at Madison Square in a fight televised by FOX Sorts 1 on January 9, 2015, capturing the vacant WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Championship with a dominant ten-round unanimous decision victory over Tommy “The Razor” Rainone.

Brooklyn, New York’s undefeated super middleweight Junior “The Young God” Younan (6-0, 5 KO’s) is considered one of New York City’s best boxing prospects. Younan began fighting competitively at age eight and only two years later was called a “boxing prodigy” by the New York Times. He compiled an amateur record of 90-5, racking up an impressive series of titles along the way. Less than a month after his 18th birthday, Younan made his professional debut on November 9, 2013 at the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, stopping Kenneth Schmitz in the first round. In his most recent fight on August 13, 2014, he scored a first round knockout win over Marlon Farr at BB King’s Blues Club in New York City.

Fighting out of Newburgh, New York, by way of the Dominican Republic, Wellington “W.A.R.” Romero (5-0-1, 3 KO’s) was a highly decorated amateur who was a proud member of the 2012 Dominican Olympic Boxing Team at the 2012 Games in London. Prior to that, he captured a bronze medal at the 2010 Central American Games and made back to back appearances at the 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championship and the 2011 Pan American Games. On October 26, 2013, Romero made his pro debut, defeating Victor Galindo via a four-round unanimous decision at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In his most recent fight, Romero maintained his unbeaten run by scoring a first round knockout win against Lee Kreisher on January 9 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

On fight night, doors open at 6:30 PM with the first bout to take place at 7:00 PM.

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

About Roc Nation Sports

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

About FOX Sports 1
FOX Sports 1 is the fastest growing sports cable network in television, reaching over 85 million subscribers. Premiering in August 2013, the national sports network puts fans first with 24/7 coverage of the most compelling sporting events in the world – MLB, NASCAR, UFC, college football and basketball, world-class soccer and more. FOX Sports 1 is proud to be the home for The Ultimate Fighter in addition to covering LIVE main card fights; college football including Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA games; and Big East, Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA college basketball including the Big East men’s basketball tournament. FOX Sports 1 features consistent coverage from the world’s most prestigious soccer competitions like the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and CONCACAF Champions League, as well as coverage of FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015 and 2019 and FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2018 and 2022. For more information, visit www.foxsports1.com.

About Foxwoods Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino is one of the premier entertainment destinations in the Northeast. As the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods offers a vast array of gaming in six casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels, restaurants from gourmet to quick service, world-renowned spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, and exclusive retailers. Perfect for both recreation and business, Foxwoods provides modern and versatile convention and meeting space to infuse new life into any meeting or event. Foxwoods Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. For a comprehensive look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.
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HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 31, 2015) – Bombs will be flying once again when Gary Shaw Productions and Savarese Promotions’ undefeated Light-Heavyweight slugger, Medzhid “B-52” Bektemirov (15-0, 12 KOs), makes his way back to the ring against Michael Gbenga (20-18, 20 KOs). Bektemirov vs. Gbenga, an 8-round bout, will take place Saturday, April 18, at College Park Center located on the campus of the University of Texas Arlington on the undercard of Crawford-Dulorme.

Ranked #10 by the WBA, Bektemirov will seek another victory against Gbenga, as he looks to climb up the Light-Heavyweight rankings while keeping his undefeated record intact. His mission, like always, is to get his opponent out of there early.

“I’m looking to seek and destroy everyone in my path,” said Medzhid Bektemirov. “My trainer Ronnie Shields has me working on a variety of different combinations that I feel is making me a better fighter. I’m in the gym everyday working extremely hard on everything. Now that I’m ranked in the WBA, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. My co-promoters Gary Shaw and Lou Savarese have assured me a big fight if I continue to win. I know Gbenga has a lot of power, but I feel my punches will be more explosive and I’ll be gunning for the knockout from the opening bell. I’m ready to drop bombs!”

“Lou and I are doing our best to keep B-52 busy,” said Gary Shaw. “This will be his second fight in a little over a month and we want him on the fast track to a world title. Our goal is to move him up wisely against opponents that will prepare him for the next level. He keeps knocking everyone out so we have to keep him fighting as much as possible.”

“I’m very happy that Gary Shaw was able to get B-52 on this card,” said Lou Savarese. “Bektemirov is thrilled to be fighting so soon after a spectacular performance in his last fight which took place last month. I like what Ronnie Shields is doing with him. He’s improving with each fight and that’s what Gary and I are looking for. We want B-52 ready for the next level.”

NEW YORK, March 31, 2015 – HBO Sports, widely recognized for its engaging storytelling presentations and winner of ten George F. Peabody Awards for broadcast excellence, has begun production on the one-hour special MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: AT LAST, detailing the nearly six-year journey to the most-anticipated fight of the modern era, the May 2 Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao blockbuster welterweight unification title bout.

Debuting SATURDAY, APRIL 18 (11:45 p.m.-12:45 a.m. ET/PT), immediately following the previously announced “HBO Boxing After Dark®” doubleheader beginning at 9:45 p.m., the film, narrated by Liev Schreiber, chronicles the biggest challenge of Manny Pacquiao’s stellar pro career. A special prime time replay will air on Thursday, April 23 (9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT). MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: AT LAST combines new and archival material to look at what is expected to be the most lucrative bout in the sport’s history.

Other HBO playdates: April 19 (11:45 a.m.), 20 (2:30 p.m., 2:15 a.m.), 22 (1:30 p.m., 11:50 p.m.), 23 (11:00 a.m., 2:35 a.m.), 25 (9:15 a.m.) and 29 (11:00 a.m., 4:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: April 19 (2:45 p.m.), 21 (3:15 p.m.), 22 (4:15 p.m.), 24 (8:30 a.m., 10:00 p.m.) and 28 (8:00 p.m.)

Global icon Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), a national hero in his homeland of the Philippines, is preparing to fight the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) in a 147-pound unification championship showdown that will take place at a capacity-filled MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 2. The live pay-per-view telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT) and will be co-produced and co-distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and Showtime PPV®.

“This is the mega-fight fans have been anticipating for many years, and we are thrilled to chronicle Manny Pacquiao’s path to this defining moment in his career,” says Rick Bernstein, executive producer, HBO Sports. “This special will provide viewers with a narrative of how this fight came to be and spotlight Team Pacquiao’s preparations heading into the biggest challenge Manny has confronted in the ring. It will be a terrific primer for any viewer eager to go behind the scenes in the lead-up to May 2.”

Pacquiao, 36, is conducting his training camp at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Cal. under the watchful eye of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach. Willing to accept any challenge, Pacquiao has faced a wide range of superstar opponents throughout his career, including Oscar de la Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez (four times), Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Erik Morales (three times), Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Timothy Bradley, Jr. (twice). The May 2 mega-fight marks the 21st time Pacquiao is headlining a pay-per-view event.

As part of HBO’s comprehensive initiative surrounding the Mayweather-Pacquiao event, a separate all-new HBO Sports special will debut Saturday, April 25 (12:15-12:45 a.m. ET/PT), with details to be announced as they are confirmed. HBO will also present a Manny Pacquiao mini-marathon of classic fights that starts airing the weekend of April 17.

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing; follow on Twitter at @HBOBoxing; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing; and visit on Instagram @HBOboxing. Follow the conversation using #MayPac.

The executive producer of MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: AT LAST is Rick Bernstein; director, Bentley Weiner; co-director, Abtin Motia; narrator, Liev Schreiber; writer, Aaron Cohen.

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 31, 2015 – One of America’s iconic big-event broadcast voices, Bob Costas, will serve as a special contributor for NBC’s Saturday, April 11 primetime telecast of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC, it was announced today.

Costas, host Al Michaels, and blow-by-blow announcer Marv Albert will work together on a broadcast for the first time ever on the PBC on NBC show Saturday, April 11 live at 8:30 p.m. ET from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Costas will present a feature on the long and storied history of boxing in New York.

Returning to their native New York for the telecast (Albert and Michaels are from Brooklyn, Costas from Commack, Long Island), the trio is synonymous with the biggest events in sports – combining to work 25 Super Bowls, 25 NBA Finals, 23 Olympics, 19 World Series, and numerous championship boxing events on television and radio.

“We are thrilled to have three of sports’ all-time broadcasting heavyweights – in prominence, not weight – working together on TV for the first time,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer, NBC Sports and NBCSN. “Appropriately, these three are teammates on a primetime NBC boxing telecast.”

“While I have done many broadcasts with Al and with Marv, this is a one-time opportunity to work on the same broadcast with two of the all-time greats, plus it’s a chance for me and Al to renew our ongoing debate with Marv as to which was the greater cinematic achievement – BASEketball or The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh,” said Costas, who at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games became U.S. television’s first 10-time Olympic primetime host (Jim McKay hosted eight times for ABC).

“I never could have imagined this,” said Michaels, who in 2015 on Sunday Night Football begins his record 30th consecutive season as the play-by-play voice of the NFL’s premier primetime broadcast package. “And to have it all happen close to where we all grew up makes it that much more special. Very, very cool.”

“It is an honor to be a part of this group,” said Albert, who has been the most recognizable national voice of the NBA since 1990 in addition to his 37 years as the radio and TV voice of the New York Knicks. “I’ve always had great admiration for the work that Al and Bob have done through the years, and I’m proud to call them friends.”

Michaels, Albert, and Costas will be joined on the telecast by analyst and six-time world champion “Sugar” Ray Leonard, corner analyst B.J. Flores, and reporter Kenny Rice.

The Saturday, April 11 PBC on NBC primetime show features four boxers with a combined 127-4-1 record and 80 KOs – undefeated superstar Danny “Swift” Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) vs. Lamont Peterson (33-2-1, 17 KOs), and middleweight champion “Irish” Andy Lee (34-2, 24 KOs) vs. Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs).

Following is an additional look at the legendary sports broadcasting trio working its first event together.

TALE OF THE TAPE

As play-by-play announcer or host, on television or radio, Costas, Michaels and Albert have each worked the Super Bowl, Olympics, NBA Finals and World Series on multiple occasions. Following is a breakdown

Announcer
Events worked
Bob Costas
11 Olympics, 11 NBA Finals, 7 Super Bowls, 7 World Series
Al Michaels
10 Super Bowls, 8 Olympics, 8 World Series, 2 NBA Finals
Marv Albert
12 NBA Finals, 8 Super Bowls, 4 Olympics, 4 World Series

MEMORABLE CALL

AL MICHAELS — “Do you believe in Miracles? Yes!” – 1980 Winter Olympics, U.S. Hockey team defeats Soviet Union in semifinal

MARV ALBERT – “Yes, and it counts!” – Numerous NBA telecasts

BOB COSTAS – “The New York Yankees…World Champions….Team of the Decade…most successful franchise of the century.” – Final out as Yankees sweep Braves in 1999 World Series

GREAT TRIOS

While we will resist the temptation to compare the Costas-Michaels-Albert broadcasting trio to the equally esteemed Three Tenors (José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti), following is a sampling of great sports trios that at least one of the three has covered:

LeBron James-Dwayne Wade-Chris Bosh – Led by the All-Star trio, the Miami Heat advanced to four consecutive NBA Finals, winning two (2012 and 2013).

Greg Maddux-John Smoltz-Tom Glavine – From 1993-2002, the pitching trio led the Atlanta Braves to the playoffs every season, won three National League pennants and captured the 1995 World Series title.

Troy Aikman-Emmitt Smith-Michael Irvin — Nicknamed “The Triplets,” the Hall of Fame quarterback-running back-wide receiver combination led the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories in four seasons (1992-95).

Magic Johnson-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar-James Worthy – The Hall of Fame Los Angeles Lakers trio advanced to six of seven NBA Finals from 1983-89, winning three titles with each earning NBA Finals MVP honors once.

Wayne Gretzky-Mark Messier-Jari Kurri – The Hall of Fame Edmonton Oilers front line trio won four Stanley Cups in five years between 1984-88.

“Sugar” Ray Leonard-Thomas “Hitman” Hearns-“Marvelous” Marvin Hagler – Hall of Fame welterweight/middleweight trio captured 15 boxing titles in late 1970s and 1980s.

Larry Bird-Kevin McHale-Robert Parish – The Hall of Fame front court led the Boston Celtics to three NBA titles and two additional trips to the NBA Finals in the 1980s.

Pete Rose-Joe Morgan-Johnny Bench – Stalwarts of the “The Big Red Machine,” led Cincinnati Reds to three consecutive National League pennants, winning the World Series in 1975 and 1976.

Willis Reed-Walt Frazier-Dave DeBusschere – Trio led the New York Knicks to the franchise’s only two NBA titles in a four-year span (1970 and 1973).

The debut PBC on NBC telecast on Saturday, March 7 averaged 3.4 million viewers, ranking as the most-watched professional boxing broadcast in 17 years (“Oscar De La Hoya’s Fight Night” on FOX, 5.9 million, Mon., March 23, 1998). The PBC on NBC debut also led NBC to a Saturday primetime victory among Adults 18-49, with a 1.08 rating in the demographic.

NBC and NBCSN will present 20 live “PBC on NBC” boxing events in 2015. Within the 20 live shows, NBC Sports Group will present more than 50 hours of PBC coverage, including NBCSN pre- and post-fight programming for NBC telecasts. The Premier Boxing Champions series is created for television by Haymon Boxing. The PBC on NBC will feature many of today’s brightest stars, in their most compelling matches.

All PBC on NBC shows will be streamed live on NBC Sports Live Extra via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. NBC Sports Live Extra is available for desktops at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play and Windows Store.

LONDON (March 31) – One of boxing’s most exciting pound-for-pound fighters Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin will defend his middleweight titles live and exclusive on BoxNation when he takes on Willie Monroe Jr on May 16th.

The Kazakh superstar has struck fear throughout the middleweight division by dismantling all 32 of his opponents – 29 of those by way of brutal stoppage – with the explosive puncher out for more of the same when he takes on his skilled American challenger.

The 12-round bout taking place at The Forum in Inglewood, California will see Golovkin’s WBA Super belt and IBO title up for grabs as he makes his first return to the ring following his win over Britain’s brave Martin Murray in February.

The addition of the May 16th clash adds yet another string in the bow to a mighty BoxNation schedule over the coming weeks.

Boxing fans can enjoy a host of back-to-back world class fights for just £12 a month starting on April 11th when Andy Lee makes the first defence of his WBO middleweight crown against Peter Quillin, with light-welterweight aces Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson on the card.

That’s followed a week later on April 18th with a truly monster night of live action for BoxNation subscribers when lightweight Derry Matthews takes his first stab at a world title against slick WBA champion Richard Abril at Liverpool’s Echo Arena.

BoxNation will then go Stateside with two fantastic fight cards starting with a bout that promises to be an all-out war with Argentine banger Lucas Matthysse taking on the formidable Ruslan Provodnikov at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in New York.

Hot on the heels of that, on the same night, will see rising pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford back in action in Arlington, Texas as he looks to become a two-weight world champion against Puerto Rican sensation Thomas Dulorme.

That’s not all, with BoxNation bringing British fans even more mouth-watering live fights with heavyweight legend Wladimir Klitschko back on US soil when he defends his world titles against the undefeated and highly-rated Bryant Jennings on April 25th in New York.

It gets even better for BoxNation subscribers when Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez and knockout artist James Kirkland share the ring in front of 40,000 fans at the Minute Maid Park in Houston Texas on May 12th in a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender.

That is followed in quick succession by fan-favourite Golovkin who will be out to provide more fireworks as he continues lighting up the 160-pound division.

“I’m very excited to fight again in Los Angeles where I now live” said Golovkin. “Monroe is a skilled southpaw and I look forward to the test he will provide. I promise my fans another ‘Big Drama Show.”

Top-rated challenger Monroe Jr is adamant 32-year-old Golovkin will not have it all his own way as he looks to spring a surprise.

“It’s going to be one of those fights; speed vs. power, slickness vs. aggressiveness and the bull vs. the matador. I am ready. I’ve been in training already for three weeks before we even got this fight. We will be more than ready on May 16,” said Monroe Jr.

Jim McMunn, Managing Director of BoxNation, said: “Gennady Golovkin is among the most exciting and thrilling fighters around so we are delighted to be able to bring BoxNation subscribers his next fight against a tricky opponent in Willie Monroe Jr live and exclusive. This fight joins a fantastic lineup on BoxNation over the coming weeks, with a number of world class fights that at only £12 a month represents truly remarkable value for money.”

To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 546 and TalkTalk 525) for only £12 a month visit boxnation.com.

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

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

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

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.525), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

LINCOLN, R.I. (March 31st, 2015) — Chris Chatman admits he watched the video of Angel Camacho Jr.’s most recent fight in November against Paul Gonsalves to help him prepare for Friday’s showdown against Camacho at Twin River Casino. Camacho Jr. is glad his opponent is paying attention.

“That actually plays into my advantage,” said Camacho Jr., unbeaten in 13 professional fights. “Everyone knows that wasn’t the real me. I didn’t do what I was supposed to do that night.”

Camacho Jr. (13-0, 4 KOs) won, but also had to shake off plenty of rust in the process, three year’s worth of rust to be exact, leaving the Providence, R.I., native fatigued and out of sync during large stretches of the fight.

Chatman (12-4-1, 5 KOs), the hard-hitting Jersey City vet who’s made Rhode Island his second home in recent years, plans on finishing what Gonsalves started in the six-round co-feature of “The Revival,” presented by CES Boxing Friday, April 3rd, 2015.

“In that last, he gassed early,” Chatman said of Camacho Jr. “He slowed after the third round. A high-volume puncher like myself, that’ll work well for me.

“How long can he can keep me off him? That’s the question. The only person who could ever keep up with my output was Thomas [Falowo in 2013] and I’m shocked he could keep up. I don’t think Angel can do it.”

Working under the guidance of his new trainer – and brother-in-law – Brian Pennacchia, Camacho Jr. begs to differ.

“I have nothing to say about that,” Camacho Jr. said. “I’ll let my conditioning and hands speak for themselves.”

Both fighters insist conditioning won’t be an issue. Chatman has proven this to be the case over the course of his career, an impressive resume that includes wins over three previously unbeaten fighters, many of them in enemy territory.

While Providence is Camacho’s hometown, Chatman has created his own buzz in the Ocean State with a 3-1 career record at Twin River, including the aforementioned upset win over hometown favorite Falowo and a victory against Grady Brewer.

“I honestly consider Twin River my home turf,” Chatman said. “I love coming to Rhode Island. I’m going to get my some clams while I’m out there!”

First thing’s first, Chatman must handle business against the unblemished Camacho Jr., who has maintained a perfect record despite two separate three-year layoffs, proof that the ability to fight, adapt and compete at a high level never goes away.

Camacho Jr. fought under the guidance of Roland Estrada upon his return in November, but decided to switch gears with Pennacchia this time around, primarily out of convenience – “Roland’s on the other side of town and this just made sense to me,” Camacho Jr. said.

Switching trainers this often would unnerve most fighters, but Camacho Jr.’s style never really changes despite who’s working the corner or barking instructions. Why mess with “perfection”? Camacho Jr. has yet to lose, and he’s rarely been in danger, even in fights where he’s had to shake off rust or overcome a slow start.

“There won’t be any changes to my style,” Camacho Jr. said. “I’m a boxer and my style is to box and move. I’m going to pick [Chatman] apart until he starts getting frustrated, and when he gets frustrated I’m going to capitalize on his openings.”

“He’s patient and he’s a very good boxer,” Chatman said of Camacho Jr., “but I’ve noticed in his last few fights since 2012 he’s a hell of a lot less active and a lot less dependent on his jab. At 168 pounds, he’s trying to fight like a junior middleweight. He’s not evolving into the fighter he needs to be. It’ll be hard for him to adapt Friday.”

Chatman has fought most of his career between 154 and 160 pounds, but has decided to jump up in weight at 168 to take advantage of his considerable muscle mass and endurance. Without having to make a severe weight cut in preparation for Friday’s fight, he insists he’s stronger than ever.

“I’ve been dropping my sparring partners,” he said. “Only two of them have gone the distance. I’ve been stopping everybody. It feels great not having to starve myself. I feel really good. I feel really strong.”

Tickets for “The Revival” are priced at $40.00, $100.00 and $125.00 and available for purchase online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

“The Revival” features the 10-round main event between Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) female super bantamweight world champion Shelly Vincent (13-0, 1 KO) of Providence and three-time world-title challenger Christina Ruiz (7-7-3, 4 KOs) of San Antonio, Tex. Both Vincent’s UBF title and the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) world title will be on the line.

Undefeated welterweight Nick DeLomba (6-0) of Cranston, R.I., battles Hartford, Conn., vet Joe Wilson Jr. (3-1) in a six-round special attraction while unbeaten Worcester, Mass., junior welterweight Freddy Sanchez (3-0, 2 KOs) faces Briam Granado (1-0, 1 KO) of New Bedford, Mass., in a four-round bout.

Also on the undercard, unbeaten middleweight prospect Khiary Gray-Pitts (5-0, 3 KOs) of Worcester battles New Haven vet Greg McCoy (3-4-1, 1 KO).

Providence junior middleweight Luis Felix (0-4) faces New Bedford, Mass., up-and-comer Ray Oliveira Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs) in a four-rounder and cruiserweight Jean Pierre Augustin (4-0, 2 KOs) of Lawrence, Mass., makes his CES and Twin River debut in a four-round bout against veteran Solomon Maye (1-4, 1 KO) of New Haven. Augustin is fighting under the guidance of his new trainer, five-time world champ Vinny Paz, whom he met last year during filming of the Chad Verdi-produced Paz biopic Bleed For This.

For more information on “The Revival” visit www.cesboxing.com, follow @CESBOXING on Twitter and Instagram and “like” the official CES Boxing Facebook fan page.

This is my twelfth year as a professional boxer. I’ve shared the ring with some accomplished boxers in that time; world champions Danny Garcia and DeMarcus Corley, world title challengers Delvin Rodriguez and Pablo Cesar Cano, European champion Jason Cook and British champion Lenny Daws. Anyone would say, some of the best of my era.
Fighting and winning in five different countries. St Lucia, USA, Germany, Luxembourg and England. It’s easily said, but believe me, seriously hard to accomplish. Many might say that these achievements are worthy of recognition, and some might even applaud.

It is a sad fact that very few British fighters come to America and hold their own, they tend to drown! The Americans don’t yet respect British fighters, but I’m one of a select few that has won their very hard earned respect.
Most fighters prefer the comforts of staying at home. I’ve found out that by going out to alien territory, with none of my fans in the arena, has brought the best out of me. Behind enemy lines!
When I started boxing in 1988 my dream was always to fight in America.
To fight the very best and to be at my best. As an 8 year old kid my dream was unthinkable. How was I going to do this? I’m from a poor and neglected part of London, CRIME filled, with low ambitions and opportunities very few and far between.
I’m living my childhood dream now. The number one fighter in the world is my boss.
Very few people set a goal and actually achieve it. THROUGH THE YEARS the dream has gotten bigger and bolder. At first the naysayers laughed at me but now many cheer me, and to my surprise and pleasure, some even take the time to inform me “just how great I am doing and how far I’ve come”.
I have to say that I’ve done nothing in my life that has surprised me, as I’ve always pushed myself despite the lack of financial backing, I’ve found a way.
A kid from Paddington, England witnessing greatness on a day to day basis. The brilliant private workouts I get to witness AND I get to see Floyd Mayweather at work. I get to pound the streets of Las Vegas with him. He gives me advice and tells me he’s got my back.
The years of sacrifice, determination and hard work have got me here. Don’t ever tell me I can’t do something. I’ve already made the impossible possible, and HERE WE GO AGAIN.
It still amazes me just how many people appear to ‘dislike’ Floyd Mayweather, it’s usually because they do not know him, and they will never know him because they dislike him.

31 MARCH 2015 – Singapore: Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has announced its return to Singapore with another blockbuster event. ONE: WARRIOR’S QUEST is set to take place on 22 May at the state-of-the-art Singapore Indoor Stadium. ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya Aoki will put his title on the line against the number one contender, Koji Ando, in the main event. A lightweight bout between Kuat Khamitov and Lowen Tynanes has also been added to the card.

Tickets for ONE: WARRIOR’S QUEST are on sale now at http://www.sportshub.com.sg/. Ticket categories begin with the full cageside experience at S$1,488. Tickets priced at $158, $58 and $38 are also available. Early bird promotions are available until 17 April. Prices include ticketing fee.

CEO of ONE Championship™, Victor Cui, stated, “ONE Championship returns to Singapore on 22 May with a blockbuster main event. Shinya Aoki is the greatest submission grappler the sport has ever seen. He has been on a tear with seven straight victories, but he now faces his toughest test yet. Koji Ando has proven to be one of the best lightweights in the world. Ando has both the striking and grappling skills to defeat Aoki. This is a clash that you do not want to miss! Get ready for a night of exciting world-class mixed martial arts action as ONE Championship goes live around the world from the Singapore Indoor Stadium.”

Shinya Aoki is the ONE Lightweight World Champion and one of the best grapplers in mixed martial arts. Aoki has one of the most diverse grappling arsenals in the sport, and has finished 25 of his 37 victories via submissions. Aoki won the ONE Lightweight World Championship by submitting Kotetsu Boku, and continued his reign by forcing Kamal Shalorus to tap out. He now faces one of his toughest tests to date as he takes on Koji Ando.

Koji Ando is a Japanese Judo practitioner currently riding a five-fight winning streak. Ando became the number one contender by finishing both Rafael Nunes and Zorobabel in impressive fashion. With an array of diverse striking skills coupled with solid submission grappling credentials, Ando poses the toughest test to Aoki’s ONE Lightweight World Championship reign.

Kuat Khamitov is a Kazakhstani lightweight who has won his last six bouts. He is one of the most experienced mixed martial artists to emerge from Central Asia and has won 18 of 21 bouts. Khamitov will look to emulate the success of countryman Igor Svirid, who is the reigning ONE Middleweight World Champion.

Lowen Tynanes is an undefeated mixed martial artist hailing from Hawaii. Just 24 years of age, Tynanes has impressed in his victories over Vuyisile Colossa and Felipe Enomoto. Tynanes comes from a fighting family, and has even once competed on the same night as his father Miles. Tynanes is a ferocious competitor who is always willing to engage in back-and-forth brawls with an opponent in pursuit of the finish.

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

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

truTV and Top Rank will partner to exclusively televise a live Friday night primetime boxing series beginning Friday, May 1, at 10 p.m. ET. The new boxing series, in association with Turner Sports and HBO Sports, will launch on the eve of the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao pay-per-view fight with a card featuring two title bouts inside The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Maximizing visibility, the inaugural series on truTV will feature three consecutive weeks of boxing coverage in May – all airing on the evening prior to a Saturday night HBO fight event – along with a slate of five additional fights to be scheduled over the remainder of the year. The schedule will regularly feature some of the most exciting, established young talent in boxing. Turner Sports and HBO Sports, with its long and rich history with the sport of boxing, will contribute resources as well as marketing and digital platforms in support of the new series.

The main event onFriday, May 1, will showcase Takahiro Ao (27-3-1, 16 KOs) from Chiba, Japan, vs. Ray Beltran (29-7-1, 17 KOs) from Los Mochis, Mexico, in a 12-round bout for the vacant WBO Lightweight World Championship. The undercard will include two undefeated fighters in action – Mikael Zewski (26-0, 23 KOs) from Quebec, Canada, vs. Konstantin Ponomarev (27-0, 13 KOs) from Miass, Russia – in a 10-round bout for the NABF Welterweight Championship.

“We’re excited to partner with Top Rank and our colleagues at HBO Sports to bring this high-caliber boxing series to truTV,” said Lenny Daniels, president of Turner Sports. “We share a common vision to present these events in a new and inventive way and look forward to offering this compelling content to our viewers.”

“We see this as a great opportunity to bring more coveted live sports programming to the network and believe Friday night primetime fights will resonate with truTV’s young audience,” said Chris Linn, truTV president and head of programming.

“Partnering with Turner Sports and truTV for a new and unique boxing series will further invigorate and grow the sport,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “Turner Sports’ innovative approach to production and programming has attracted and engaged tens of millions of fans of the NBA, MLB, NCAA and PGA and we believe the same will be true for boxing. Additionally, the collaboration between the HBO and truTV programming will help develop and expose current and future champions and world-rated contenders to a broad audience with consistency. All credit goes to Turner’s David Levy, Turner Sports’ Lenny Daniels and truTV’s Chris Linn who understand the impact of live sports and were instrumental in developing this concept into a program for their platforms.”

“Everybody at HBO is thrilled to see a new platform for live coverage of professional boxing being launched by a bold and creative network such as truTV,” said Ken Hershman, president of HBO Sports. “We congratulate Top Rank and Turner Sports on this new initiative. We look forward to lending our support to this important new franchise that will clearly benefit the sport, the fighters and the fans from day one of the series’ debut.”

About Turner Sports
Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is an industry leader in the delivery of premium sports content across all multimedia screens. Turner Sports’ television coverage includes the NBA, Major League Baseball, NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and professional golf. The company also manages some of the most popular sports destinations across broadband and mobile platforms including Bleacher Report and its top-rated Team Stream app, NCAA.com and the critically-acclaimed NCAA March Madness Live suite of products, PGA.com and the Sports Emmy Award-winning PGA Championship LIVE, as well as an accompanying collection of mobile sites and connected device apps. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, a robust collection of offerings including NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA Mobile, the NBA Game Time App, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

About truTV
truTV takes viewers on a fun ride that surprises and entertains. The network delivers a dynamic mix of action, comedy and competition, featuring engaging characters and compelling new worlds that pull you in and leave you wanting more. Currently seen in 92 million U.S. households, truTV features such popular original series as Impractical Jokers, The Carbonaro Effect, Friends of the People, Hack My Life, How to Be a Grown-Up, Barmageddon and Breaking Greenville as well as the upcoming Billy on the Street, Those Who Can’t, Six Degrees of Everything, Santas in the Barn and The Hustlers. In addition, truTV is a partner in airing the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; kids and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

About Top Rank
Innovation has been the mantra at Top Rank since it was established in 1966 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company for nearly half a century, Top Rank has shaped, developed and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto and Erik Morales. Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors and television networks, Top Rank launched in 1980, Top Rank Boxing on ESPN which ran for a historic 16 years. Recognizing the boom in US based Hispanics, Top Rank then launched another very popular televised boxing series in 1996 titled Solo Boxeo on Univision.

Some of the most legendary and spectacular events in boxing history were promoted by Top Rank, which include: 26 Muhammad Ali Events; Leonard vs. Hearns: Arguello vs Pryor; Duran vs. Leonard; Hagler vs. Hearns: Leonard vs. Hagler; Foreman vs. Holyfield; Morales vs. Barrera and De La Hoya vs. Trinidad to name a few. In addition to the previously mentioned super fights Top Rank possess one of the largest sports libraries which includes nearly 10,000 fights and dates back nearly 50 years.

Top Rank has been an architect of the global growth of the sport by staging high profile events in landmark settings around the world, including every major arena in Las Vegas, The Venetian Macao, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, The “Fabulous” Forum and Cowboys Stadium to name a few. Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans while also producing live telecasts which generate high ratings for our television partners. Committed to supporting the vitality and growth of boxing, Top Rank will co-promote one of the biggest sporting events in history — Mayweather vs. Pacquiao on May 2 in Las Vegas.

About HBO Sports
HBO Sports has brought the best in sports to television for four decades – from world championship boxing events, to intriguing documentaries and specials, to the most honored and compelling reality programming franchise, and the most provocative sports magazine program on TV.

HBO has covered the sport of boxing unlike anyone else over the last 40 years. Three series comprise the HBO Boxing franchise, including the flagship World Championship Boxing® series, the HBO Pay-Per-View® service, which is the pay-per-view arm of Home Box Office and a premier supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry, and the late-night HBO Boxing After Dark® series, which was introduced in 1996.

Visit the Turner Sports online pressroom for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR.

New York, NY/Uncasville, CT (3/30/15) – The previously announced ESPN Friday Night Fights card has shaken up a bit. The card, being promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Fight Promotions Inc. and New Legend Boxing, at the beautiful Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT, was originally slated to be headlined by Sergey Derevyanchenko (4-0, 3KO’s) taking on Elvin Ayala (27-6-1, 12KO’s). With Ayala facing a legal situation, promoter Lou DiBella has elected to replace the feature bout, moving Derevyanchenko over to his April 10th ShoBox card, and sliding in red-hot undefeated junior middleweight Tony Harrison (20-0, 17KO’s) into the main event slot. Harrison is set to square off against Mexico’s Pablo Munguia (20-6, 11KO’s) in the 10-round feature bout of the evening.

The eagerly anticipated co-feature remains intact, with WBA #10-rated super featherweight Ryan Kielczweski (22-0, 6KO’s) putting his undefeated record on the line against Connecticut’s own Danny Aquino (16-2, 10KO’s) in an eight-round featherweight matchup and battle for New England bragging rights.

Opening up the triple-header is junior lightweight contender Tevin Farmer (18-4-1, 4KO’s) taking on Gabriel Tolmajyan (14-4-2, 3KO’s) in an eight-round 130lb. matchup.

Live coverage will begin at 10 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+.

“I want to thank Al Haymon and Lou DiBella for giving me this fight and I also want to thank ESPN for giving me another opportunity to display my talent to the world. Come April 17th, you are going to see another great performance by Tony Harrison. I am coming to put on a heck of a show and display my full arsenal. I know my opponent is tough and he has been in there with some pretty good guys, but I am coming in there in top shape. This is going to be an exciting fight for as long as it lasts, so get there early, get your popcorn ready, and don’t blink,” stated Harrison.

The 24-year-old Harrison, a former protégé of the late great Emanuel Steward, is as good as any up-and-coming prospect in the game right now, and is expected to begin moving into title contention this year. The bout on April 17th will be his second straight headlining bout on the ESPN network in just over a month. On March 6th, Harrison destroyed longtime fringe contender Antwone Smith, dropping Smith twice in the first round before getting the official stoppage in the second. Munguia is expected to be a stern test for Harrison, arguably his toughest to date. Munguia is 3-2 in his last five bouts, but those five opponents have had a combined record of 92-5-2. In his most recent bout in February of this year, Munguia dropped a razor-thin split decision to highly regarded former Cuban silver medalist Yudel Johnson. Munguia knows that a win on April 17th, on national TV, will propel him into the type of fights that he is looking for.

“I want to thank DiBella Entertainment and ESPN for this great opportunity to get my career back on track and moving in the direction I want it,” said Munguia. “I have 20 wins and on April 17, I will secure my 21st victory, the most important of my career. I believe April 17th will be the beginning of a great run for me and my career.”

It is hard to think of another fighter in recent memory that has had as drastic a career turnaround as Tevin Farmer has had.Three years ago, Farmer’s record stood at 7-4-1 and he was considered nothing more than a tough Philly fighter who was a good opponent to match against up-and-coming prospects. Fast-forward three years and 11 impressive wins later and Farmer has not only emerged as one of the prospects he was once put in against, but as a legitimate contender. In his most recent outing in January, his first fight since signing with DBE, Farmer easily defeated once-beaten Victor Chernous (15-1-1), winning a dominant eight-round unanimous decision. Farmer, in whom promoter Lou DiBella sees style comparisons to Pernell Whitaker, comes from a boxing family and has family ties to Hall-of-Famer Joe Gans, who was called the greatest lightweight boxer of all time by boxing historian and Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer.

Farmer is looking to build his own legacy and knows he has the talent and ability to compete against the best the 130lb. division has to offer, but he must first get by the hungry and determined Tolmajyan.

“April 17th is a very big fight for me, the biggest of my career. Every fight out from here on is the biggest fight of my life,” said Farmer. “Every time I step into the ring, I’m looking to make a statement. I have worked so hard to get to this point; I can’t let anyone take this away from me. I want to thank my manager Mark Cipparone and my trainers Raul Rivas and Rashiem Jefferson for believing in me and Lou DiBella and ESPN for giving me this opportunity. Come April 17th, I am going to be at my absolute best. April 17th is going to be the beginning of something special.”

Like Farmer, Tolmajyan’s record is deceiving. Tolmajyan has never been stopped in his career, and three of his four career losses have come against undefeated opponents, including fellow Farmer conqueror, and #1 contender, Jose Pedraza. Tolmajyan holds victories over three previously undefeated foes, including an eight-round decision win over world-rated contender and former featherweight world-title challenger Daulis Prescott.

Additional bouts on the card will be announced shortly.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $100, $70 and $30 (subject to additional fees). Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.mohegansun.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. Tickets may also be purchased by visiting the Mohegan Sun Box Office. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

LINCOLN, R.I. (March 30th, 2015) — Joe Wilson Jr. has a hard time putting his finger on what makes his upcoming opponent, Nick DeLomba, such a dangerous adversary.

“Truthfully, he’s awkward,” Wilson Jr. said.

“Awkward’s never easy,” DeLomba countered.

The six-round junior middleweight showdown between the unbeaten DeLomba (6-0) of Cranston, R.I., and the slick, elusive vet Wilson Jr. (3-1) of Hartford, Conn., is one of the most highly anticipated bouts on CES Boxing’s Friday, April 3rd, 2015 fight card, “The Revival,” at Twin River Casino.

Both are seasoned, well-trained fighters, efficient in their execution and capable of putting the “sweet” in the sweet science with their ability to turn a slugfest into a work of art. It’s a true pick ’em fight with the crafty DeLomba aiming to keep his perfect record intact while Wilson Jr. hopes to butt his way into the conversation among the best 154-pounders in New England.

“His coach already made a comment about [Wilson Jr.] going in there and fighting his type of fight,” DeLomba said. “We’re going to stick to our game plan and fight the way we know how to fight. It’s going to be a hell of a night.”

Tickets for “The Revival” are priced at $40.00, $100.00 and $125.00 and available for purchase online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

“The Revival” features the 10-round main event between Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) female super bantamweight world champion Shelly Vincent (13-0, 1 KO) of Providence and three-time world-title challenger Christina Ruiz (7-7-3, 4 KOs) of San Antonio, Tex. Both Vincent’s UBF title and the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) world title will be on the line.

The idea of “sticking to the game plan” seems to be the theme of this six-round special attraction between DeLomba and Wilson Jr., but Wilson Jr.’s game plan might be different than what Rhode Island fans remember. Since his last appearance at Twin River, which came in his professional debut in 2013, Wilson Jr. has begun working with a new trainer, Hector Rosario. His longtime trainer, Paul Cichon, is still part of the team, working cuts on fight night and helping with film study and preparation, but Rosario has taken the reigns, fixing a few glitches in Wilson Jr.’s execution.

“He teaches me a lot,” Wilson Jr. said of Rosario. “If you watch my fight videos, you’ll see in this fight where I’ve progressed. My footing. Distance. Balance. A lot of sticking and moving. Staying on my toes. Boxing. When I first got to the pros, I just had a mindset that I could just adjust fight to fight, but that can backfire on you.

“If I stick to my game plan and box and jab, I can be unstoppable in this weight class.”

This will be Wilson Jr.’s second fight with Rosario, but his first official fight with Rosario guiding him from the beginning of camp until fight night since the two only worked together sporadically when Wilson Jr. beat Jimmy Smith in Boston in July. Cichon’s influence is still evident, too, especially outside of the ropes.

“Paul gives me a lot of pointers, showing me what I’m doing wrong,” Wilson Jr. said, “and he’s watched a lot of Nick’s videos to see what Nick’s strengths are and how he would pick up on my weaknesses and where Nick would counteract.”

It all adds up to what Wilson Jr. promises will be a “new-look” fighter come April 3rd.

“You’ll see me more calm, cool and collected,” Wilson Jr. said. “You won’t see me rushing or falling all over the place.”

DeLomba can relate to the importance of proper coaching and guidance in the gym. He worked with several trainers at the start of his career until finding a new home with Victor Fagnant, who has helped DeLomba with his accuracy and, more importantly, his conditioning, which has been the difference for DeLomba in his last two wins.

“For a while, it was tough for me to get my feet grounded,” DeLomba said. “Now I’m with Vic and we’re with each other every day. No days off. We’re like a big family.”

Fagnant has also worked on DeLomba’s strength, which DeLomba says is underrated despite the fact he hasn’t scored a knockout yet in six pro fights.

“It’s not even necessarily the power, but more so the technique and the form,” he said. “I’m sitting down on my punches now and my toes aren’t all over the place.”

The biggest challenge for DeLomba on Friday might be Wilson Jr.’s size and reach. Wilson Jr. has a marginal height advantage, but a much longer reach, and he likes to keep his opponents at the end of his jab, hence the nickname “Jabbin’ Joe.” Like Wilson Jr., DeLomba is confident in his game plan, but understands there’s always room to adapt. Sometimes it’s a necessity.

“He’s a lankier opponent than I’m used to, but I can adapt to anyone at any given time in the ring,” DeLomba said. “He might not fight Round 2 the way he fights Round 1. We’re ready to make changes.

“We’ll have to fight a little different, but this is a good step up for us. We know they’ll have a good game plan coming into this fight.”

Added Wilson Jr.: “What I do best is jab and box, and that’s how this fight will be. A lot of fists will be thrown, but we’ll see who the better boxer is.”

Unbeaten Providence super middleweight Angel Camacho Jr. (13-0, 4 KOs) faces the dangerous Chris Chatman (12-4-1, 5 KOs) of Jersey City, N.J., in the six-round co-feature.

The undercard of “The Revival” also features several noteworthy regional showdowns, including a four-round junior welterweight bout between unbeaten Worcester, Mass., native Freddy Sanchez (3-0, 2 KOs) and Briam Granado (1-0, 1 KO) of New Bedford, Mass., while unbeaten middleweight prospect Khiary Gray-Pitts (5-0, 3 KOs) of Worcester battles New Haven vet Greg McCoy (3-4-1, 1 KO).

Providence junior middleweight Luis Felix (0-4) faces New Bedford, Mass., up-and-comer Ray Oliveira Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs) in a four-rounder and cruiserweight Jean Pierre Augustin (4-0, 2 KOs) of Lawrence, Mass., makes his CES and Twin River debut in a four-round bout against veteran Solomon Maye (1-4, 1 KO) of New Haven. Augustin is fighting under the guidance of his new trainer, five-time world champ Vinny Paz, whom he met last year during filming of the Chad Verdi-produced Paz biopic Bleed For This.

For more information on “The Revival” visit www.cesboxing.com, follow @CESBOXING on Twitter and Instagram and “like” the official CES Boxing Facebook fan page.

Star Boxing President and CEO Joe DeGuardia proudly announces the 18th installment of the wildly popular “Rockin Fights” series, Saturday, April 18th from The Paramount in Huntington, NY.

Headlining this exciting card will be Joe “The Irish Bomber” Smith Jr. (17-1 14KO’s, Mastic, NY) battling Cory “Black Ice” Cummings (18-8-1 13KO’s, Baltimore, MD) in a Light Heavyweight 10 round contest.

This will be the first main event for Smith at The Paramount. Hailing from nearby Mastic, Smith will have a large throng of supporters on hand as he steps up in class against the very experienced Cummings.

Smith is coming off an impressive first round TKO over Maxell Taylor at the Paramount which took place on December 20th, 2014. It was an impressive Star Boxing debut for Smith who hopes to follow in the long line of great Irish-American fighters.

Cummings has been in with many of the top Super Middleweights and Light Heavyweights throughout his career and scored an upset victory on October 20th, 2014 over former world title challenger Yusef Mack. Cummings has also fought former World Champions William Joppy, Keith Holmes, and Montell Griffith. This will be the toughest fight to date for Joe Smith and promises to be an all action affair.

Promoter Joe DeGuardia had this to say about this upcoming fight, “Joe Smith takes a big step up in class taking on Cory Cummings. Cummings is no easy mark for anyone and Smith knows he will be in for a fight. Smith has asked me to make these kind of matches for him because he and his manager, Jerry Capobianco, believe in his ability. I can guarantee another action packed night April 18th at The Paramount as has become our tradition at Star Boxing”.

The undercard will be announced soon and there are some tickets still available for sale but they are selling very fast which will ensure another sellout for Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing at The Paramount.

For ticket information you can call Star Boxing, (718) 823-2000 or The Paramount box office, (631) 673-7300, or Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1 (800) 745-3000. Tickets are selling very fast so get your orders now.

Sunday, March 29, 2015….Baton Rouge, LA

Star Boxing’s newest Light Heavyweight prospect, Yuniesky Gonzalez, 16-0 12KO’s, remained undefeated as he demolished veteran Brad Austin with a 3rd round stoppage at The Belle of Baton Rouge Casino, Baton Rouge, LA on Saturday night.

It was the first fight for Gonzalez under the Star Boxing banner and he didn’t disappoint the local fans by displaying the speed and power which makes him one of the top Light Heavyweight prospects in the world. Gonzalez dropped Austin 3 times, once in each round, before the referee finally called an end to the bout in the 3rd round.

Promoter Joe DeGuardia had this to say about Gonzalez’ performance, “We are pleased to have signed Yuniesky to a long term promotional agreement. We have high hopes for him and congratulate him on his victory Saturday. We know that the major networks are interested in him and it is a hot division. He continues to impress and he is ready to take on the best that the Light Heavyweight division has to offer.

Yuniesky has all the tools to become a world champion and we seek the best possible fight for him in the very near future”.

Yuniesky Gonzalez is an elite former Cuban amateur living and competing here in the United States. He is trained by highly respected trainer Orlando Cuellar and managed by Michael Luzbeth.

Tacoma, Washington (March 29th 2015) From the moment the opening bell sounded, fans packed into the sold out I-5 showroom in Tacoma knew they were in for a night to remember. With six incredible matchups on the card, Battle at the Boat 100 lived up to the hype. Mixing some razor thin decisions with brutal knockouts, Battle at the Boat lived up to it’s reputation as the premier boxing showcase on the west coast.

Headlining this historic night of fights was Mike “Imagine Me” Gavronski (17-1 11KO’s) taking on Maurice Louishomme (8-2-1 4KO’s) in a 10-round bout. Both men came to fight, as they immediately marched to the center of the ring and began exchanging blows. Back and forth they went, with each fighter scoring a knockdown in the 2nd. As the fight wore on, Gavronski began to find his groove, landing stiff jabs followed by huge right hands to the head. After wobbling his opponent to end the 5th, Gavronski ended things in the very next round, sending Louishomme to the canvas for the final time. The fight marks Gavronski’s third win in row, all coming at Battle at the Boat events.

In the semi-main event of the evening, undefeated Buckley native Jeremy McCleary (6-1) was unable to keep his unblemished professional record alive as he took on heavy-handed Oregonian, Marcello Gallardo (5-1-2 2KO’s.) McCleary was quick on his feet and fluid with his hands, but was unable to fully recover after taking multiple hard shots from his opponent. Eventually, the hard charging style of the more experienced Gallardo proved too much for McCleary, as the referee was forced to step in and stop the fight only 11 seconds into the 4th round.

Also featured on this incredible card was the pride of Toppenish, Washington, Marcelino Pineda (5-1 5KO’s.) Coming off his first loss as a pro, Pineda was eager to bounce back and regain his winning formula against the much more experienced Paul Mpendo (8-13-4 4KO’s.). It took Pineda a couple rounds to get into a rhythm, with the crafty veteran working him over with crisp jabs to the head and body. But by the time the bell sounded for the 3rd round, Pineda came alive. With a beautiful flurry followed by a thunderous left, Mpendo found himself through the ropes, only halfway still in the ring. The referee began his 10-count, but Mpendo’s corner could see that their fighter wasn’t getting up, and proceeded to throw in the towel before the ref could reach 10.

Three undercard bouts rounded out the incredible action inside the Emerald Queen Casino on Saturday night. Those results are as follows:

Andres Reyes (3-0) def. Ricardo Maldonado (4-3) via Unanimous Decision (All three judges scored the bout 39-37)

Daryl Gardner (2-5-1 2KO’s) vs. Jason Davis (12-10-2 3KO’s) ends in a Majority Draw (39-37 Davis, 38-38, 38-38)

Sean Gee (1-0) def. Omar Avelar (3-12 2KO’s) by Unanimous Decision (40-36, 40-36, 39-37)

Next up from Brian Halquist Productions, Super Fight League 40, live from the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma on Saturday, April 25th at 7:00PM. Tickets are on sale now at the Emerald Queen Casino Box Office as well as all Ticketmaster locations. For more information, visit www.halquistproductions.com and both the Cagesport MMA and Battle at the Boat Facebook pages.