PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Sept. 4th, 2014) — CES MMA just paved the way for another UFC-bound fighter from the northeast.

Tateki Matsuda, the Japanese-born bantamweight who now lives and trains in Boston, will make his Ultimate Fighting Championships debut in place of the injured Dustin Kimura Friday, Sept. 5th at UFC Fight Night 50 live on Fox Sports 1 at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

The 28-year-old Matsuda (10-5, 4 KOs) will face 9-0 Chris Beal. Matsuda recently defeated Robbie Leroux by submission on CES MMA’s network television debut on AXS TV in August. Long considered one of the top bantamweights in the region, Matsuda had lost his previous two bouts and had fallen off the radar in the northeast until he beat Matt Doherty at CES MMA XXIII in April, joining John “Doomsday” Howard and Rob Font on the list of fighters who punched their ticket to the UFC through the promotional guidance of CES.

“I would sincerely like to thank CES MMA, New England’s premier MMA organization,” Matsuda said. “Since I started working with CES, they’ve kept me busy and took care of me very well.

“I’m not a ‘cost-effective’ fighter because I have no family and friends locally, so I don’t sell tickets as much as other fighters. However, CES brought me fights and promoted me the same as other local fighters. CES produces so many tough fighters. It’s a gateway to the next level. I’m glad to be one of them.”

Matsuda competed on Season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter reality television series in 2011, but was eliminated in the preliminary round. He also fought for CES MMA in 2010, defeating Jason Bennett by unanimous decision. His opponent Sept. 5th, the undefeated Beal, is also a TUF alum (Season 18) who won his UFC debut in April.

“I couldn’t be happier for Tateki,” said Matsuda’s manager, Tyson Chartier, of Sityodtong in Boston. “He’s easily one of the hardest-working fighters that I manage. He’s a great teammate, fighter, and, more importantly, an amazing person.

“When I began managing Tateki I asked him what his goal was and he said, ‘To fight in the UFC.’ We sat down with [head trainer Mark DellaGrotte] and put together a plan of how to get him there. A big part of that plan was to leverage the marketing machine that is CES. We felt that was the best platform to help Tateki accomplish his goal. Fast forward a few months and he’s coming off two impressive wins with them, his last being live on AXS TV a few weeks back. He’s on a roll right now and in a good place mentally, so when the call came to step in on nine days’ notice to make his UFC debut, we didn’t hesitate to say yes.”

Visit www.cesmma.com for more information, follow CES MMA on Twitter at @CESMMA and Instagram at CESMMA, or “like” CES MMA on Facebook.

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LONDON (Sep 4) – Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather gears up for his rematch with the big-hitting Marcos Maidana next Saturday night, live on BoxNation.

The world’s best pound-for-pound fighter will share the ring again with the ferocious Argentine, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, as he looks to prove that he is still boxing’s top dog.

Over the years, Mayweather has captured the imagination of the sporting public, not merely from his dazzling performances inside the ring, but also from his lavish and extravagant lifestyle away from the squared circle.

The unbeaten Michigan born fighter, with a record of 46-0, has reported to have grossed over $350m during his 18-year fight career.

Ahead of his highly anticipated ring return on September 13th, BoxNation delves into the money man’s taste for the finer things in life and gives an insight into how Mayweather spends some of his hard earned cash:

Cars

Mayweather turned professional in 1996 taking on the little known Roberto Apodaca. However, as a treat for entering the paid ranks the then 19-year-old bought himself a 1996 Mercedes-Benz S600, a car which he still owns to this day.

It will come as no real shock that the prizefighter now owns a fleet of exotic cars, so many in fact he has his own collection for whichever city he is in. He has a Las Vegas collection, for his main residence, a Miami collection, when sunning himself in his favourite holiday destination, a Los Angeles collection and various others throughout the United States.

The superstar’s favourite cars include his three Bugatti’s – which come in at over £1.5m each – a Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari 599 GTB and a Rolls Royce Drophead Phantom.

When he doesn’t fancy driving any of those he has a bunch of other vehicles that he whizzes around in, including a Lexani Motorcar, blinged up vans, SUVs and even his own bus!

Watches

Whenever he sees a watch he likes the welterweight ace says he just buys it. We’re not talking your run-of-the mill Casio watches here, we’re talking watches that cost more than your average house – and the car that goes with it.

The 11-time world champion has a Piaget Galaxy worth $1 million, a Jacob & Co. Rainbow Tourbillon worth $2 million and an Audemar Piguet Royal Oak worth $1.3 million, just to name a few.

Mayweather likes to refer to his cars as his ‘toys’ and his costly collection of watches as his ‘wrist toys’. Everything he has he says represents ‘the best of the best’ – at those sorts of prices he’s right about that one.

Properties

Mayweather has a host of properties that he owns and rents including those in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. In fact, the reigning world champion recently sold his spectacular Miami condo worth an estimated $2.6m.

His main residence, however, is in the desert of Las Vegas where he kicks back in his four-story 22,000 square-foot property known simply as the ‘Big Boy Mansion’ that includes a pool that overlooks the Nevada landscape, a full-size movie theatre – with his own private balcony, and rooms adorned with the finest Italian marble and granite.

Everything about his $9m house screams luxury, with no expenses spared even when it comes to minute things such as the shower heads in the bathrooms which he insists have to be ‘top of the line’.

When at work Mayweather is confined to a 22ft ring so there’s no doubt he appreciates the extra space when he gets back home to his seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms!

Plane

Mayweather is reported to own a Gulfstream G-V private jet worth $45m.

The 96ft long aircraft can seat up to 18 people and is used by the American boxer when he is engaging in his promotional tours ahead of his bouts.

His entourage, which includes bodyguards over 7ft, fly on a separate plane because Mayweather is fearful of having too much weight in the cabin.

Jewellery

The 37-year-old once had $7m worth of jewellery stolen from one of his Las Vegas houses.

Mayweather is undoubtedly the ‘King of Bling’ and has an unrivalled collection of jewels which include gold chains, diamond encrusted rings and platinum bracelets.

During the press tour ahead of his first bout with Maidana, the slick megastar spent close to $250,000 in 20 minutes buying his 13-year-old daughter a pair of earrings and a necklace – that was before the real business began when he started haggling with staff over $3.5m worth of jewellery to take home following his promotional escapades.

Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana 2 is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 525) on Saturday Sept 13th. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

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

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

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

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Kelly Swanson
Thanks, everybody, for calling in. It’s such a pleasure to be joined today by Floyd Mayweather, the 11-time, five-division world champion, to talk about his upcoming fight “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2”. Also joining us is Leonard Ellerbe, Chief Executive Officer of Mayweather Promotions.

Before I introduce Leonard I just wanted to make one program note. The fight week schedule will be distributed later this week, so everybody please take a look for that in your e-mail. That will give you a breakdown of everything happening during fight week starting Tuesday with the Grand Arrivals. I am going to now turn it over to Leonard Ellerbe to make the introductions.

Leonard Ellerbe
Thank you, Kelly. We’d like to thank everyone for joining us on the call this afternoon. We’re nine days out we’re really looking forward to September 13th, it’s going to be a barn burner, Mayweather versus Maidana. Floyd will be defending his WBC and WBA Welterweight titles, along with his WBC Super Welterweight World Championship in an unprecedented move.

Our undercard will feature, in the co-main event, Leo Santa Cruz versus Manual Roman in a 12-round WBC Super Bantamweight Championship fight; the PPV will also feature Mickey Bey, who will be fighting Miguel Vazquez for Vazquez’s IBF Lightweight World Championship; and opening the PPV we have Alfredo Angulo versus James De La Rosa in a 10-round middleweight bout. Also in a special on the countdown show we have John Molina Jr., who will be facing Humberto Soto, which will be a truly exciting fight for the fans.

This event will be promoted by Mayweather Promotions, along with Golden Boy Promotions. Our sponsors are Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, The Equalizer, and the Mexican Tourism Board.

Also, just to inform everyone, we have a new start time, which is very important, to start the pay-per-view broadcast. The start time will be 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET.

So, without further ado, I’d like to turn it over to none other than 11-time world champion in five different weight classes, Floyd “Money” Mayweather.

Floyd Mayweather
Thank you, Leonard. Well, first I want to say hello to everyone. I want to say thank you for the support. I want to thank everybody that’s been on social networks. I want to thank everybody for the articles and the stories; I want to thank everybody that’s covered this fight. I appreciate it. And we’re not too far away from September 13th, and I’m in top shape, I’m pretty sure Maidana’s in tiptop shape, and we’re ready to give you guys the excitement.

Q
Do you think that 50 Cent crossed the line by suggesting that you have trouble reading in that Instagram video that he posted?

F. Mayweather
My thing is this, I try to focus on Maidana. I don’t really focus on that. I think people can believe whatever they want to believe. Intelligence and education are two different things. I’m happy with my career and I wish 50 Cent nothing but the best; when I’m in training camp I try to focus on my training. You have to realize that the circus is for clowns and my job is just to focus on my job, which is boxing. I know what I can and I can’t do, so I can care less.

Q
Were you surprised that 50 Cent went in that direction and talked about a topic that would be that sensitive?

F. Mayweather
I don’t even worry about that. Like I said before, that’s not my focus. I know what I can and I can’t do. You guys don’t know when you’re dealing with pay-per-view you have to read at least 60 to 70 teleprompters, and I don’t think they could choose a better person for the job than myself. I go out there and I do it with no problem.

I just feel like basically I’m not judged by a person, I’m judged by God. Reading does not define my place in boxing history. Will God not let me in heaven because I didn’t read like a news anchor? Me, myself, I would be perfect at reading if it was how I made my living and fed my family. Once again, intelligence and education are two different things.

Making fun of a person because they can’t read is not funny. It’s tragic. Second, if I really couldn’t read it would make my accomplishments even that much more amazing. I don’t know if 50 Cent is a boxing promoter, I don’t know if he’s making music; I really don’t know. My focus is on Floyd Mayweather, and I wish 50 Cent nothing but the best.

Q
Floyd, do you want to just comment on the footage that the radio station played of you reading the drops?

F. Mayweather
Well, I don’t get paid to read radio drops. I’m capable of having a bad day; I’m not perfect. But you know, as well as I know, they edited the tape how they wanted to do it. I’m a perfectionist; if I go read a teleprompter, I read it six or seven or eight times, because I’m a perfectionist. I could have been up twenty-four hours; I could have just landed in New York City. People find different ways to try to break people down and tear people down.

I’m going strong and I’m happy. We talk about that situation, but there’s plenty of videos out there just showing me reading teleprompters and reading other things. When I was at the ESPY’s I had to read a teleprompter. I’m pretty sure you guys thought I did an okay job. Like I said before, I’m not a news anchor, never claimed to be. What I do for a living, I’m a boxer, but I didn’t get to where I got to not being able to write, read and do arithmetic, and I’m going to say this once again, intelligence and education are two totally different things.

Q
How do you go about dealing with camp distractions and is there something that you want to get rid of as you keep going forward, because it seems like in every camp something that has nothing to do with boxing comes up?

F. Mayweather
Well, like I said before, that’s small to me. I’m truly blessed to be where I’m at. I try not to focus on that type of stuff. My job is to focus on my children, make sure my children and my family are in the best position, and stay focused upon my craft, which is boxing. Nothing can steer me the wrong way; I don’t focus on everything, it’s why I don’t focus on clown stuff. Like I said before, that’s for the circus. My job is to stay focused on boxing. I got to where I got to by being smart, making smart moves, and doing what’s best for Floyd Mayweather.

Q
What was it about Maidana that was a little bit different than some of the other boxers that you really picked up really quickly what they were doing and were able to dominate the entire fight, like what you did with Canelo? What was it about Maidana that took you a little bit of time to kind of figure out what he was doing?

F. Mayweather
I didn’t say it was tough or it was hard to make adjustments. I said I took my time. If you look at the interviews, I said he came out kind of wild, and I took my time and kept my composure. I can make adjustments and I can adapt to any style, whether it’s in the first round, the second round. Just because I beat Canelo 11 rounds that doesn’t mean he’s not a better fighter than Maidana. Canelo’s by far stronger, and tried to pull a couple dirty tactics but, like I said before, that comes with the territory.

Q
Obviously, you and Leonard weren’t happy with Tony Weeks and now you have Kenny Bayless. First of all, can you comment on him as a referee?

F. Mayweather
I think Tony Weeks is an extraordinary referee. I think Kenny Bayless is an extraordinary referee. Tony Weeks is only human. He’s capable of having a bad night. So it doesn’t matter who the ref was going to be, we just want to go out there and entertain and give people something, give people an exciting fight. I’m pretty sure Kenny Bayless is going to be watching both sides extremely close.

Q
Do you see that the fact that you’ve had Kenny Bayless against De La Hoya, Mosley and Alvarez and he’s only had Maidana once, and he is a very balanced referee. Do you see that as any kind of advantage, your familiarity with him and him with you?

F. Mayweather
The job of the referee is to be fair and not lean towards my side or not lean towards Maidana’s side, but with the team meetings before the fight hopefully, like I’m pretty sure the last time Leonard and my team didn’t know that Robert Garcia was going to tell his guy to go out there and be extremely dirty.

My health is more important than money or anything else. I have to be healthy to go out there and perform the way that I do, and I truly believe in having a career after the sport of boxing is over. I said this before in some of my past interviews, this is not the Internet, this is boxing. If you guys notice, I got tackled, the guy tried to knee me, I got a head butt, and there were rabbit punches, and there were low blows, and the list goes on and on.

Q
With 45 seconds left in the fight it appeared on video that you complained of him biting your glove. Did that happen?

F. Mayweather
I’m not really sure, but it’s possible. It’s possible. He did a little bit of everything. That night I had to do two jobs; I had to be the boxer and referee, so I had to do two jobs. But Tony Weeks, he’s a future Hall of Fame referee and he does an extraordinary job in the sport of boxing, and so does Kenny Bayless.

Q
Do you see any double standard in the way Robert Garcia reacted after Brandon Ríos’ fight with Diego Chavez complaining of how dirty Chavez was, and yet he appears to be prepared to do similarly as they did in the first fight.

F. Mayweather
Well, I’m glad that someone got the chance to see that side of Robert Garcia. He’s supposed to be “one of the best trainers” in the sport of boxing, but I think it’s totally disrespectful to the sport of boxing for a trainer to be telling the guy to be dirty. I don’t think it’s cool at all. Robert Garcia is worried about the gloves, not Maidana, so why is Robert Garcia worried about the gloves if he’s not fighting or he’s not trying to do anything slick that he shouldn’t be doing. He’s doing all the talking. I haven’t heard it, but when I do my interviews, different writers let me know that Robert Garcia is saying and complaining about me doing certain things.

The only thing that I want to do is give the people an exciting, good fight and give the people an exciting night of boxing. But it’s not cool for him as a trainer, one of the best trainers in the sport of boxing, to be telling the guy be dirty, but then get upset when Brandon Ríos fight and he wants to complain to the referee. That’s not cool at all.

Q
I’m just wondering, from a boxer’s perspective, how do you stay poised in the ring when fighters are committing fouls against you?

F. Mayweather
What I think is this, I try to tell my sons to always conduct themselves like young men, so under any circumstances always conduct yourself like a young man. Even though you guys see ALL ACCESS you must understand that it’s about entertainment also. I have to sell tickets. That’s a part of my job, and I signed up for this.

But when it’s something like that I just tell myself keep your composure, just relax, and the referee’s going to do his job. I guess on that night the referee had a bad night. This didn’t just start, this has been going on since the beginning of my career. If you guys go back and look and at how fighters have been fighting dirty in front of me with different dirty tactics. Even in the Canelo fight you go look and see.

L. Ellerbe
That one is personally for me is that Floyd has always taken the high road in all these situations, and that’s one of the things I really admire about him because he could take a different approach since he is the leader of the sport. He’s not about crying and complaining, but a lot of these situations that come about he just takes the high road to it. He preaches all these kind of things to members of his team, people in camp; it’s all about just being positive and turning a negative situation into a positive. You go back to the Zab Judah situation. He was the one that’s standing there and didn’t retaliate or do anything, and that just goes to show you what type of professional he is.

Q
How much do you want to go out there and make this a shutout? How much do you want to dominate Marcos Maidana compared to the first fight? How much do you want to end in doubt?

F. Mayweather
Well, I think nine rounds to three rounds is a shutout. Whoever is on the phone right now I’m pretty sure you can go to YouTube and watch the fight, and actually I’m going to get with SHOWTIME today so I can put the fight on FloydMayweather.com so you guys can go watch the fight. Just look at the fight. The fight is not close. But he came out, he won the first round, I won the second round, he won the third and the fourth, and from the fifth on he lost every round.
So, like I said before, I’m going to go out there and I guess get a knockout, win twelve rounds, and look impressive, but also be exciting.

Q
When you were just breaking down the first fight between you and Maidana, did you have the fight in your favor eight rounds to four or nine rounds to three?

F. Mayweather
If I could just recall, I won the second round. He won the first one, but I won the second round, and he won probably the third and fourth, because I know one of those I got headbutted and couldn’t see; I was just mainly in survival mode until I got back to my corner to Rafael, the great cutman, Rafael Garcia. So I gave him three rounds.

Q
In your only other rematch, with Castillo, I think that was a fight that you won certainly much easier than whatever went down in the first fight. Would you agree with that?

F. Mayweather
But you know what I’ll say is, you know what you have to do. I’m one that always speaks his mind, and I speak from the heart so a lot of times people don’t like that. A lot of people they say certain things and I just speak on what I feel is the truth.

So if you guys really just go back and look at the Castillo first fight, and you can just put your TV on mute, the first six rounds he’s not even landing a shot. So if I win six rounds and we got six rounds left, and people don’t think out of six rounds that I’m capable of just winning just two rounds that still would be eight to four. So like I said before, I’m good with math and I’m still sharp.

But this training camp has been tremendous. I mean I’m talking about I’m in good shape. I just boxed yesterday, well the day before yesterday, fifteen rounds, and out of fifteen rounds only took one break. So I feel good.

Q
Is there anything you can take from the situation of having an immediate rematch with Castillo into this immediate rematch, only the second time in your career you’ve had a rematch, going into the Maidana fight?

F. Mayweather
I just have to go out there and just be me and be first. I can’t really say how the fight is going to play out, but I’m pretty sure he’s going to be once again extremely dirty and wild, and my job is to keep everything under control the best way that I can.

Q
What do you remember then about after the first Castillo fight of preparing yourself for a rematch with the same guy you had just fought a few months earlier?

F. Mayweather
I don’t know, with Castillo I already knew what he had done the first fight. But, with me the commentators persuade people to think a certain way. Put it on mute, put your TV on mute and watch the fight, you’ll look at the fight in a total different way. I can look at a fight and hear the commentators start saying certain things, and I’d be like sometimes the commentators will say certain things, I’ll be like what is he talking about, what is he watching.

Q
So are you saying, Floyd, in your mind you didn’t really need to make an adjustment because you felt like you won the first fight so easy you’re going to just do the same thing a second time. Was that your mentality?

F. Mayweather
Absolutely. You couldn’t say it any better.

Q
Okay. I have to ask you another question. Can you explain what is the role, if any, of Alex Ariza in your training camp?

F. Mayweather
Alex Ariza, I think he’s out in Las Vegas, I don’t know, taking care of some personal stuff. So our gym is open to everyone. In the past I’ve spoke about Alex Ariza, but I never knew him. He’d come by the gym, he’d watch me train, and he showed me some stretches before I ran and that’s it. However he handles business with his other fighters is how he handles business.

Q
So is Alex Ariza not working for you in any official capacity? Just a friendly hello at the gym?

F. Mayweather
I’m not enemies with Alex Ariza. We may just talk about boxing, we just talk about normal things. What Alex Ariza has said is “I’ve never seen a fighter in my life train as hard as you and work as hard as you. Now I see why you where you’re at. He said I just wanted to come see for myself. He basically said that I thought that ALL ACCESS was just camera tricks. I didn’t really know you worked that hard.” When he came and said I’ve never seen a fighter work as hard as you. Now I see why you are where you at in the sport of boxing.

He showed me stretches. Actually, yesterday after my run he showed me some other stretches that I can do that could help me.

Q
So he’s not part of The Money Team? Is that true, or is he going to be part of the team on fight week, either way?

F. Mayweather
I can’t say who’s going to be around me fight week. I really don’t know. I can’t really say. Leonard used to be around me a lot fight week, but I mean he’s doing different things now so he’s not around me fight week. So we don’t know who’s going to be around, but fight week I’m not around nobody. I’m at home resting. That’s where I should be.

Alex came to the gym more than just on one occasion, but just because a guy comes to the boxing gym and watches me train or a guy goes to eat with us that doesn’t mean he’s my strength and conditioning coach. He happened to be a strength and conditioning coach and showed me some stretches so far.

The only thing I can say is that he’s a strength and conditioning coach that showed me some stretches. Has he ever received a check from me? Absolutely not.

Q
There’s a love/hate relationship between Hispanics and Latinos because you have beat a lot of Latino boxers, yet they admire you because of your history. But in some way you have pushed some buttons wearing sombreros in the ring. What is that all about?

F. Mayweather
My thing is, I’m the face of boxing. I don’t have nothing against anyone in the sport of boxing. I love the Mexican, the Latino, the Spanish fans, I love them, and I appreciate them supporting the sport of boxing as a whole, and so I appreciate them all.

L. Ellerbe
Let me touch on that. Actually that’s just a myth that’s out there. Hispanic fans obviously are a huge part of the boxing fan base, but Floyd has a tremendous global base, not just only with the Americans. Everyone appreciates a great fighter, and that’s what Floyd has been able to display.

I’ll use an example, we were on the Canelo press tour. I was actually quite surprised that the Hispanic/Latino support since once we got to Mexico City the fans actually loved Floyd, moreso than their own fighters, because they actually know the sport. A lot of times what’s happened in the past is that coming up, fans feel a certain kind of way and people are always going to have opinions. But as a whole people appreciate what Floyd brings to the sport, not only just the American fans, but all the Hispanic, Mexican, everyone.

Q
Since you also said you’re an entertainer do you have anything planned for the Maidana? He’s Argentinian.

F. Mayweather
I’m pretty sure we got some interesting for the walkout and for the people. We always want to give the people excitement all around the board, so I’m pretty sure we got some excitement.

Q
With all the dirty moves that Maidana pulled in the first fight what have you prepared to do differently this time?

F. Mayweather
I can’t prepare for that. Well, I can actually. My job is to prepare for everything all around the board, but I’m going to let the referee do his job and be fair to both parties.

Q
So what made you put the 154-pound belt on the line as well?

L. Ellerbe
Because in an unprecedented move that’s what we’re doing. Floyd is defending his WBC title at 154. It’s only been done one other time in the sport with Sugar Ray Leonard when he fought Donny Lalonde. Floyd brings something different to boxing; that’s why we’re doing it.

Q
Is is safe to say that you’ve been practicing going more for knockouts or are you just going to go do what you do?

F. Mayweather
I’m just going to let the fight play out like it plays out and go out there and do what I do best. If a knockout presents itself of course I’m going to take full advantage of a knockout.

Q
Will you let us in to who’s going to walk you out or anything this time, because it’s rumored from another Bieber sighting to even Miley Cyrus walking you out this time.

F. Mayweather
Well, we don’t know what we’re going to do, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be something extremely exciting.

Q
So when do you make the decision, is that fight week or you just go out and you just pull something out of the hat?

F. Mayweather
I don’t like to let the cat out of the bag yet. In fact, if I tell you everything you guys wouldn’t have to watch the fight. So I won’t tell you everything. I want you guys to buy pay-per-view and watch the fight.

Q
If you don’t get a knockout in this fight do you think there’s anything that you have to do differently if it goes to decision to get a unanimous decision since the first fight was technically a majority decision?

F. Mayweather
Well, I don’t really know what I can do. Just like my fight with Canelo, I feel like I dominated that fight, but it was a split decision. I feel like when I fought Oscar De La Hoya I felt like I dominated Oscar De La Hoya, but that was a split decision. So the only thing I can do is walk in and fight.

Q
Was the decision to do an immediate rematch was it based more on whatever controversy there was from the first fight, both the dirty tactics and the majority decision, or was it something else?

F. Mayweather
Well, the fans demanded it, the fans said it was real exciting. My team had a meeting. They came up with this guy, and, like I said before, I’m a man of my word. Just like I said after the fight, if you feel like you want to do it again let’s do it again; if you feel like you really want it, so we’re making it happen again.

Q
Do you have any concerns about the judges getting it right, again, if it goes the distance?

F. Mayweather
Well I think we’re in the mecca of boxing, and we have the best commission in the world. So we probably need some new, young judges, whereas I think some of the judges now are a lot older and I think we need some new, young judges.

L. Ellerbe
There’s a new Executive Director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Bob Bennett, and he’s done a tremendous job with bringing a lot of things to the forefront. We’re very confident that Nevada’s the best commission that’s out there, and we feel as though we’ll get a fair shake if the fight happens to go the distance.

K. Swanson
Okay. That was our last question. If you want to make one last comment, Floyd and Leonard, and then we’ll wrap it up.

F. Mayweather
Yes, I just want to tell everybody that called-in. I want to say thank you. I appreciate you guys. I appreciate all of the write-ups, everybody that’s on social media, everybody that’s writing for magazines, writing for the newspapers, I just want to say thank you for the work over the years. I really appreciate you, and I’ll see you guys next week.

L. Ellerbe
I’d like to remind everyone to tune into ALL ACCESS coming Saturday. Episode 2 will be televised at 9p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT. Tune in.

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s WBA Welterweight Belt and WBC Welterweight and Super Welterweight World Titles takes place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts, “The Equalizer” in theaters Sept. 26 and The Mexican Tourism Board – Mexico: Live it to Believe It!. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc. In the co-main event, Leo Santa Cruz defends his WBC Super Bantamweight Title against Manuel Roman in a 12-round bout and Miguel Vazquez faces Mickey Bey in a 12-round bout for the IBF Lightweight World Championship. In the PPV opener, Alfredo Angulo squares against James De La Rosa in a 10-round middleweight bout (162 lbs.). The event will be available in Spanish through secondary audio programming (SAP).

Mayweather vs. Maidana 2 will be shown on the big screen in over 500 movie theaters across the countryvia Fathom Events. For more information visit www.FathomEvents.com

The stacked September of exclusively live fights on UFCFIGHTPASS.com begins this Saturday, with the inaugural Invicta FC event live and on-demand from Kansas City.

The Invicta FC 8 event is headlined by Invicta atomweight champion Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson defending her title against Japanese challenger Yasuko Tamada, while the fight for the vacant strawweight belt between Stephanie Eggink and Katja Kankaanpää co-mains the 10-fight card.

To celebrate the first non-UFC event being streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS, the UFC has made two UFC FIGHT PASS original programs available on YouTube for embedding purposes.

First, Invicta 105lbs champ Waterson sits down with Megan Olivi and answers some “Rapid Fire” questions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b05ZpLb3S0

then “The Karate Hottie” gives a first-person narrative on why she’s even a MMA fighter at all in “Why I Fight”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dNdZ6mWp1U

And the inaugural live Invicta event this weekend is just the start of the biggest month yet for the UFC’s digital streaming service. On September 13, the UFC FIGHT PASS cameras are in Brasilia, Brazil, for the big rematch between former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski and former No.1 contender Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.

Then, one week later, on September 20, UFC FIGHT PASS will feature a third exclusively live event in as many weeks when the UFC Octagon lands in Japan, for a loaded card featuring Mark Hunt vs Roy Nelson, Myles Jury vs the legendary Takanori Gomi, former women’s champ Miesha Tate vs unbeaten newcomer Rin Nakai and Yoshihiro Akiyama vs Amir Sadollah.

Finally, UFC FIGHT PASS will be the only place to see the opening prelims of UFC 178 on September 27, where Manny Gamburyan collides with Cody Gibson and Jon Tuck takes on Kevin Lee.

UFC FIGHT PASS is available now at UFCFIGHTPASS.com on personal computers, iPad, iPhone, Chromecast, Android, Samsung, LG Smart TV and Roku. Subscriptions are $9.99 month to month, $8.99 per month for six months or $7.99 per month for a one-year subscription.

CINCINNATI, Ohio (Sept. 4, 2014) – The Adrien Broner show continued on Thursday during the final press conference for Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati.

“The Problem” debuted “Bronish,” his own style of trash talking translated by fellow Cincinnati native and undefeated prospect Robert Easter, Jr. Then he reverted back to English and called out Lucas Matthysse. Just a few minutes later, he put his arms around the throat of his opponent on Saturday, Emanuel Taylor, while facing off for media in attendance.

In other words, typical Adrien Broner.

Broner (28-1, 22 KOs) and Taylor (18-2, 12 KOs) will meet in Saturday’s 12-round super lightweight main event, live on SHOWTIME® immediately following the premiere of “ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” Episode 2 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

In the co-feature, former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse (35-3, 33 KOs) will square off with Mexico’s highly touted and unbeaten Roberto “Massa” Ortiz (31-0-1, 24 KOs) in a 12-round bout for Ortiz’s WBC Silver Super Lightweight Title. Opening the telecast will be the return of former welterweight world champion Andre Berto (28-3, 22 KOs) against Steve Upsher (24-3-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight bout.

ADRIEN BRONER:
“I really don’t know how to say it. I could say it in English, I could say it in Bronish – I’m just going to kick your (expletive).

“You know you’re not going to win. He’s not coming to win; he’s just coming to not get stopped. I’m going to stop this guy. He’s shaking right now. He already knows what’s up.

“This isn’t a joke. There should be three winners on Saturday: two ABs (Adrien Broner and Andre Berto) and then my next opponent, Lucas Matthysse. That’s what’s happening.

“He knows what he’s in for. Everybody knows what they’re in for when they fight a guy like me. But, at the end of the day, I’m going to be victorious.

“He didn’t get under my skin, but he invaded my space. I’m a man and you have to respect me.

“I’ve been motivated to knock him out since this fight was announced. I’m at home, this is my homecoming. This is what I do at home.”

EMANUEL TAYLOR:
“This fight can change my life. That’s how important it is.

“For the record, Broner – you’re not knocking me out. I’m not going to let a 135-pound fighter who’s been fighting midgets his whole career knock me out. It’s not happening.

“You say you’re going to knock me out? Don’t get tired trying to knock me out because that’s your (expletive).

“I’m not going to let anyone disrespect me. He’s all talk. I don’t really do much talking, but I have to stand up for myself and go back at him. I’m going to do what I have to do.

“He was saying, ‘I’m going to beat your (expletive), I’m going to beat your (expletive).’ Let me see it. Do it.

“This happens in boxing. Fighters get heated, words get exchanged.

“I’m definitely motivated to knock him out. He’s a slouch. I’m going to get in there and give him an (expletive) whooping.

“I’m going to do this in his hometown of Cincinnati. You’ll see.”

LUCAS MATTHYSSE:
“Mexico has some of the best fighters in the world, but this Saturday they made a mistake fighting me.

“You’re going to see the best you’ve seen from me this Saturday. I’m going to take full advantage of it.

“It’s going to be a war. Whenever you have a Mexican fight against an Argentinean fighter you always have a war.

On if he feels pressured to top his last fight:
“Not at all. I’ve prepared well for this fight, I’m in shape and I’m ready to go. I’m here to win.

On Adrien Broner calling him out:
“I hope it’s true and it’s not just talk like he always talks.”

ROBERTO ORTIZ:
“Whenever Mexico and Argentina get in the ring it’s always a war. If he’s looking to beat me this won’t be his day. He’ll have to fight me in Mexico and try to beat me there.

“I know what I have ahead of me and I know it’s going to be a tough fight. It’s my first time fighting in the U.S. and I’m going to take full advantage of it.

“I’m just happy for this opportunity. I’m very happy, very motivated to win and become a known fighter in the U.S. after my first fight here.

“There’s really no difference fighting here vs. Mexico. I’m well-prepared. This is probably the biggest fight of my career but I’m ready and I’m going to give it my all.

On Broner picking Matthysse to win:
“Everyone says that because they aren’t familiar with my style, they aren’t familiar with me. People are going to get familiar with me and they’ll get to know me after this fight.

“I’ll fight with anyone. When I beat him, I’m looking to fight the best in the world and eventually become a world champion.”

ANDRE BERTO:
“It feels good to be back. I’ve been through a lot this year, but I’m focused like I haven’t been in years. I’m in shape and I’m looking forward to a tremendous fight.

“This is going to be the beginning of something great.

“I know Steve is coming to make a name for himself, but you need to understand something – in this past year I’ve been through some (expletive) and someone is going to have to pay for it.

“I’m coming up hungry right now. I’ve been out for some time dealing with an injury and I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring. I’m hungry like I haven’t been in a long time.

“It’s a little different not fighting in the main event but I’m just happy to be here. Just a few months ago I didn’t even know if I was going to recover from the shoulder surgery. It’s just a blessing to be back in the ring and fighting on SHOWTIME.”

STEVE UPSHER:
“This is a big fight for both of us – whoever wins determines a lot for both of us after this. I’m relatively a nobody as far as everyone here is concerned. Berto has made his name, but on Sept. 6 I’m going to make mine. I’m going to shock everyone.”

RAU’SHEE WARREN:
“This is my Cincinnati debut and I’m ready to put on a show. I have to knock my guy out just like Adrien. You’re going to see a lot of speed, power and a lot of fun. It’s Band Camp time.”

DALE MALLORY, Ohio House District 32 Representative
“This event puts us back on the map. When you come to Cincinnati you expect a fight.

“This was the birthplace of gloved boxing, the first place to ever hold a gloved boxing event. And we’re going to put on yet another great boxing event this Saturday.”

# # #

ABOUT “BRONER VS. TAYLOR”
Broner vs. Taylor, a 12-round super lightweight bout, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 6 and is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and R&R Promotions in association with Star Boxing. In the co-main event, Lucas Matthysse faces Roberto Ortiz in a 12-round super lightweight bout promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Boxing and Pepe Gomez’s Cancun Boxing. In the televised opener, former welterweight world champion Andre Berto will face Philadelphia’s Steve Upsher in a 10-round welterweight match-up. The event is sponsored by Corona and AT&T and will take place at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio live on SHOWTIME immediately following “ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” Episode 2 premiere at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT. The event will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts in SHOWTIME EXTREME will air at 7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast.

Tickets, priced at $128, $78, $53 and $28, are on sale now and are available by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.comm. Tickets will also be available at the U.S. Bank Arena Box Office.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @AdrienBroner , @RobertoMassa24, @USBankArena and @SHOSports follow the conversation using #BronerTaylor, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (September 4, 2013) – Tickets for the light heavyweight unification bout featuring oldest world champion Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins powerpuncher Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev taking place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ go on sale tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 5 at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.

Tickets are priced at $300, $200, $150, $100 and $50, plus applicable fees and service chargers are available for purchase at the Boardwalk Hall box office by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Hopkins vs. Kovalev, a 12-round unification bout for the IBF, WBA and WBO Light Heavyweight World titles taking place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on Saturday, November 8 is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City, Corona Extra, AT&T and Hortitsia Vodka. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®.

# # #

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mainevents.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or http://www.boardwalkhall.com/.

Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/main_events, www.twitter.com/hboboxing,www.twitter.com/THEREALBHOP,
www.twitter.com/krusherkovalev, www.twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and www.twitter.com/Swanson_Comm. Follow the conversation using #alienvskrusher.

Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/maineventsboxing, www.facebook.com/hboboxing and https://www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall.

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 4) – Middleweight star Peter Quillin announced today that he is vacating his WBO middleweight title, effective immediately, in order to pursue bigger opportunities at 160 pounds.

“I’d like to thank WBO president Paco Valcarcel and his organization for their support throughout the years,” said Quillin. “Winning the WBO world championship was a highlight in my career and something I’ll never forget, this is a difficult decision, but in order to make the fights the fans and I want against my fellow middleweights at the top of the division, I needed to relinquish the title. This is an exciting new chapter in my life, and I’m looking forward to cementing my spot as the best middleweight in the world.”

Brooklyn, New York’s Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs) won the WBO middleweight title on October 20, 2012 with a 12-round decision victory over Hassan N’Dam. The 31-year-old went on to successfully defend his title three times with victories over Fernando Guerrero, Gabriel Rosado, and Lukas Konecny, establishing himself as an elite middleweight champion. Now, Quillin will seek even bigger challenges in the near future.

San Diego, CA -September 4, 2014 -On February 9, 2013, Carl Frampton (18-0, 13 KO’s) scored a 9th round stoppage over Kiko Martinez (31-4, 23 KO’s) in a bout for the European and IBF Intercontinental Super Bantamweight titles.

But It was Martinez who went on to capture the IBF World championship when he stopped Jonathan Romero just six months later.

Frampton and Martinez will meet again on Saturday but this time the stakes have been raised as not only will Martinez’s world title will be on the line but some lucrative pay days for future fights will also be on the line.

The bout can be seen live and exclusively in the United States in AWE- A Wealth of Entertainment beginning at 3:30 PM ET / 12:30 PM PT.

Frampton of Belfast, Northern Ireland will be looking to win his first world title in front in what is sure to be an electric atmosphere in front of his hometown fans in an outdoor stadium that will be erected at the Titanic Quarter in Belfast.

An overflow crowd of over 16,000 is expected to witness the terrific rematch.

“It was a pretty smooth 14-week camp,”‘ said Frampton.

“I had great sparring and making weight was much easier. I can not wait for Saturday. It will be an unbelievable atmosphere and you can’t beat Belfast.”

Frampton is going into the fight with a lot of confidence but he knows he may see a different Martinez.

“This is a completely different fight. This is for a world title and he is coming into my back yard. I know I can hurt him but I am not complacent. I am prepared mentally and physically to put on my best performance.”

Frampton does feel that he may have some psychological advantages as he heads into the rematch.

“Once he stands in front of me, he will be looking at a guy who knocked him out. Plus he is an emotional fighter and that could make him dangerous.”

Even though this could be a fight that puts Frampton on another level with a win, he is not letting the moment get to him.

“I am treating this as just another day at the office and I know I have to fight three minutes of every round.”

Even though the goal is to become a world champion, Frampton knows an emphatic win will help set up big fights with the likes of Leo Santa Cruz, Guillermo Rigondeaux and a massive all UK showdown with WBA champion Scott Quigg.

“It is very important to make a statement. I believe that I am one of the 122 pound fighters in the world. It is important to look good and explosive. After I win this there are a lot of options. Some of the big names in the division campaign in the states and I would love to fight there.”

Frampton finished by saying, “Our styles gel very well. This will be a very explosive performance and for all the fans watching in the states on AWE, all I have to say is don’t blink.”

Please check www.awetv.com for boxing updates

About AWE LIVE BOXING

AWE Live Boxing features live world title championship and elimination bouts showcasing today’s most exciting fighters. Since the inception of AWE’s live boxing events in 2011, AWE has earned multiple Boxing Writers Association of America nominations for “Fight of the Year” and has featured over thirty world class boxing events. In 2013, AWE showcased all live bouts featuring heavyweight David Price. AWE aired live the stunning upsets of Tony Thompson over David Price, along with Adonis Stevenson and Tony Bellew cards, who fought each other for the Light Heavyweight championship; 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winner James DeGale. AWE brought boxing fans two of the most controversial bouts which saw Ricky Burns keep his Lightweight title against Ray Beltran and the debatable stoppage that saw Carl Froch retain his title against George Groves. AWE fans have witnessed the explosive power of undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury multiple times on the network, including Fury’s victory over Kevin Johnson.

About AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment

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

MIAMI (September 4, 2014) – The long, arduous journey continues later this month for 5-time world light heavyweight champion and 2004 U.S. Olympian Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (30-6, 21 KOs). The ultra-confident 45-year-old southpaw is on a mission to capture the world heavyweight title, undeniably securing his legacy as one of the greatest boxers of all-time.

Tarver returns to the ring September 29 against veteran Johnathon Banks (29-2-1, 19 KOs) in the 10-round main event, on a Golden Boy Promotions card, airing live on Fox Sports 1 from State Farm Arena in Hildalgo, Texas.

“Al (Haymon, his adviser) has given me this chance,” Tarver explained. “If I retired tomorrow, I would feel unfulfilled despite so much I’ve done as a fighter. The only reason I get up every morning to train hard is to win the world heavyweight championship. I’m on a dream path again. Outside of falling a little short in Atlanta (he won a bronze medal, losing to eventual champion Vassiliy Jirov), I’ve never had a dream in or out of the ring that I didn’t accomplish. I won the world light heavyweight title, made it to Hollywood (starring as Mason Dixon in Rocky VI), and did commentary for a major network.

“I will be world heavyweight champion and I’ll break George Foreman’s record as the oldest. I don’t want to beat just any guy with the world title belt, I want Wladimir Klitschko, and to set-up that fight I will challenge and defeat David Haye, if he has the guts to fight me. Even at 45, I have so much fight in me, and there isn’t a heavyweight I can’t beat in a 12-round fight, unless they knock me out, something nobody’s been able to do in my entire career.”

First, though, Tarver needs to win in impressive fashion against Banks, who, ironically, also trains Klitschko. “Banks is a good fighter,” Tarver continued, “but I’m going into this fight in top shape, weighing 220 pounds, and totally focused. I’ll be sharp, quick, elusive and throwing combination punches should be the keys to victory. I will prevail and continue my journey.”

Tarver, fighting out of Tampa, believes he’s as much a threat today as he was during his “Murder’s Row”-like 4-year, 9-fight stretch between 2002-2006, in which he had a 6-3 record, defeating Roy Jones, Jr. in two of three, splitting a pair with Glen Johnson, defeating Montell Griffin, Eric Harding and Reggie Johnson, and losing to Bernard Hopkins.

“I never won a close fight and in my mind I’ve lost only twice, one to a 14-years younger version of myself, Chad Dawson, and Bernard Hopkins. Kelly Pavlik’s the only other fighter than me who knows what it’s like to be decisively favored and beaten by Hopkins, who is going to beat (Sergey) Kovalev, too. I never got a rematch with Bernard.

“I’ve never gotten the credit I deserve. I’m going to quiet my critics who never mention me as a Hall of Famer. I’m the best defensive fighter in boxing history. I’ve never been cut or hurt and that’s why I’m still here. Defense is a lost art. This is going to be sweet! I love boxing and I’ve forgotten more about it than kids today will ever know. I have a lot of experience. People have been sleeping on my abilities for a long time. I’m on a mission!”

Tarver will be headlining the card his 26-year-old middleweight son, Antonio Tarver, Jr., will making his professional debut. The Tarvers train at Brazilian Rocky Fight Club in Miami, under the guidance of head trainer Orlando Cuellar, who, ironically, trained Johnson for his two fights with Tarver.

Tarver & Cuellar
“I believe in Antonio because of his dedication, discipline and willingness to do what it takes to do as well as he possibly can,” Cuellar commented. “I’ve been sold on him since he walked in the gym and said he was ‘in it to win it.’ I’m not looking at his age. Hell, he’s been pushing me in training camp. I studied him carefully when he fought Glen and now I’m training him. It’s not so much about winning with Antonio, it’s really how much he hates to lose. People can’t write this guy off. There is a reason he’s a 5-time world champion. When the lights come on, he’s going to turn it up, and Banks is going to need his A game to deal with Antonio.”

The clock is ticking for Tarver. Every fight for him is now a must win.

“My record speaks for itself,” he concluded. “Writing me off is a big mistake. I’m going to do something big before I retire. People are going to see on September 29th the magic that’s been missing for a long time. My last few fights I didn’t scratch the surface of my abilities. I’m back…The Magic Man is back!”

INFORMATION:

www.OfficialAntonioTarver.com

@MagicMan5XChamp

LONDON (Sept 4) – World title challenger Carl Frampton has vowed ‘the best is yet to come’ ahead of his date with destiny this weekend.

The Irish sensation takes on Kiko Martinez for his IBF super-bantamweight world title on Saturday night, in a 16,000 capacity arena in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter.

The bout, live and exclusive on BoxNation, will see the unbeaten 27-year-old make his first bid for a world title as he faces the tough Spaniard Martinez, an opponent he previously overcame via a ninth round stoppage early last year.

That victory, at the Odyssey Arena in front of his adoring Belfast public, has seen the Ulsterman go from strength-to-strength, blasting his way past Jeremy Parodi and Hugo Cazares en route to the impending world title shot he has dreamed of his whole life.

“It’s going to be a dream come true to win the world title. I started this long journey at seven years old and had my ups and downs, so to become a world champion in my 20th year of doing this sport, in a stadium built for myself – it’s what dreams are made of,” said Frampton.

Victory, he believes, will take him to another level.

“I don’t think you’ve seen the best of me. I’m 27, in the prime of my life but there’s still plenty more to come. I can see and feel the improvements everyday in training and after sparring. The best is definitely yet to come,” he said.

Known as ‘La Sensación’, Martinez surprised boxing critics the way he bounced back from his loss to Frampton by stopping the undefeated Colombian Jhonatan Romero, stripping him of his IBF belt.

Frampton, though, isn’t expecting anything different this time around from the 28-year-old and believes he will be facing a fighter who has the same approach.

“I think this is his 35th or 36th fight and every single one of his fights he has boxed the same way. He comes-forward, he’s aggressive and has an exciting style that the crowds like,” said Frampton.

“I think our styles clash well and make for a good fight but I don’t see him doing anything different and expect him to come head first, trying to knock me out.

“But it’s up to me to remain smart and switched on for the twelve rounds and as long as I stay focused there’s only going to be one winner,” he said.

A win for ‘The Jackal’ would open up a host of potential megafights down the line with the likes of Leo Santa Cruz, Guillermo Rigondeaux and even Britain’s Scott Quigg options for the future.

Frampton is aware, however, that he must first get past Martinez but has fired a warning shot to all his foes at 122-pounds.

“I’m preparing for a hard, gruelling fight, that may take 12 rounds but no matter what happens I’m going to win. I also know I have the power to knock any super-bantamweight in the world out,” he said.

“So it could be a 12-round points decision or it could be over in the first round. Nevertheless, I’m preparing for a very hard and brutal fight then we can talk about future fights,” Frampton said.

Frampton vs Martinez is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 525) this Saturday at 7pm. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe. The fight will be televised LIVE in the United States on AWE at 3:30 PM ET / 12:30 PT

-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.

Los Angeles, CA (September 4, 2014) Ticket sales are moving at an extraordinary pace during the first week for “MEXICAN STYLE”, the World Middleweight Championship between Boxing’s fastest rising star, WBA/IBO Middleweight Champion, GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN and WBC Interim Middleweight Champion MARCO ANTONIO “El Veneno” RUBIO. The event will take place on Saturday, October 18th at the StubHub Center in Carson, California and will be televised Live on HBO World Championship Boxing®.

Presented by K2 Promotions and GGG Promotions in association with Promociones Del Pueblo, advance tickets priced at $210, $105, $53 and $27, plus applicable service charges are available online at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at the StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT).

“Since putting tickets on sale last Wednesday during the Los Angeles Press Conference at Olvera Street we’ve seen sales skyrocket, this is the fastest selling boxing event that’s been held at the StubHub Center” said Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions. “I strongly encourage boxing fans to purchase tickets in advance so they don’t miss out on this great night of boxing.”

Continued Loeffler, “We always felt Gennady’s popularity on the West Coast would mirror his East Coast presence and the early ticket sales strongly validate that.” Golovkin has fought five previous times in the United States and on HBO over the last two years, most recently at Madison Square Garden.

“Southern California and the StubHub Center have a tremendous legacy of memorable boxing events and we anticipate “Mexican Style” to be at the top of that storied list.”

With his ability to headline at Madison Square Garden and the StubHub Center, Golovkin has proven to be one of the most active and marketable fighters in boxing, appearing on HBO in back-to-back world championship defenses in less than a three-month span.

The StubHub Center is located at 18400 Avalon Blvd. in Carson, CA 90746. For directions and further information, please visit their website at www.StubHubCenter.com Doors will open at 3:00 p.m. PT on the day of the event for a full program of world class boxing.

Sporting a record of 30-0-0 with 27 knockouts, “GGG” has the highest knockout percentage (90%) of any active world champion. He has become a must-see international attraction with his aggressive all-action style and breathtaking knockouts.

On July 26th at Madison Square Garden, Golovkin stopped two-time former world champion Daniel Geale in the third round with an extraordinary knockout punch that will be at the top of most “Knockout of the Year” media and fan lists.

Against Geale, Golovkin made his 11th title defense while scoring his 17th knockout in a row. Preparations for his fight are taking place in Big Bear Lake, California under the watchful eye of longtime trainer, Abel Sanchez.

Fighting out of Torreon, Mexico and training in Oxnard, California, with former world champion Robert Garcia, Rubio has compiled a record of 59-6-1 with 51 knockouts against some of the best fighters in the sport.

The hard-hitting Rubio has faced Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Kelly Pavlik, David Lemieux, Kassim Ouma, Frankie Randall and Jose Luis Zertuche.

The 34-year-old Rubio is currently 16-1 in his last seventeen bouts most recently stopping Italian veteran Dominico Spada in the tenth round on April 5th in Chihuahua, Mexico, winning the WBC Interim Middleweight Title.

For fight updates on GOLOVKIN VS. RUBIO via Social Media, follow HBO Boxing on Twitter at @HBOBoxing and Facebook at /HBOBoxing, in addition to on Twitter at Gennady Golovkin/ @GGGBoxing, Marco Antonio Rubio/ @MAVenenoRubio, Tom Loeffler – K2 Promotions/ @TomLoeffler1 and Promociones Del Pueblo/ @PromoDelPueblo. Use the hashtag #GolovkinRubio to join the conversation on Twitter.

CINCINNATI, Ohio (Sept. 3, 2014) – It’s homecoming time for Cincinnati favorite Adrien “The Problem” Broner.

Former three-division world champion Broner and super lightweight contender Emanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor held a media workout on Wednesday to kick-off fight week for this Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader on Saturday, Sept. 6 at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati.

Broner (28-1, 22 KOs) and Taylor (18-2, 12 KOs) will meet in the 12-round super lightweight main event. Broner spoke to his fans in attendance at Fountain Square Plaza and then opted to work out at a local gym rather than the sweltering outdoors in downtown Cincy.

In the co-feature, former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Lucas Matthysse (35-3, 33 KOs) will square off with Mexico’s highly touted Roberto “Massa” Ortiz (31-0-1, 24 KOs) in a 12-round bout for Ortiz’s WBC Silver Super Lightweight Title. Opening the telecast will be the return of former welterweight world champion Andre Berto (28-3, 22 KOs) against Steve Upsher (24-3-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight bout.

Tickets, priced at $128, $78, $53 and $28, are available by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets will also be available at the U.S. Bank Arena Box Office.

Here’s what the fighters had to say at Wednesday’s event.

ADRIEN BRONER, Former Three-Division World Champion:
“It means a lot to fight back here in Cincy. There’s no time like SHOWTIME. It’s just fight time right now and we’re winding down. It’s going to be an epic night and we’re going to have fun.

“He’s going to come to fight. When people fight an Adrien Broner or a Floyd Mayweather they’re going to come to fight. I’m sure he trained to his best, he’s in tip-top shape and he’s ready to go.

“I learned I need to stay in shape. Before the Maidana fight it felt like I was unstoppable, I could do anything. I could just go back in the ring and everything would be normal. But after the fight I realized I have to slow down. I can still be me and have fun, but I can’t be beating up my body. I have no more flaws. I put down everything. Now I just have fun, I stay in shape and I keep positive people around.

“I’m still AB, I’ll give him an ass beating for sure. I didn’t come to play any games. I’m here to kick his ass. I’m not playing around. If I feel like dancing, I’m going to dance. But I’m going to get the job done and it won’t be going to a decision.

“I’m not just going to fake work out for three minutes and be finished. I invite everyone out here to my workout session at the rec center so everyone can watch me give a real workout.

“You have guys that give you a weak workout sometimes for the fans. I want everyone to know that I will never give you a fake workout. If you want to see a real workout you can just come to the gym.”

EMANUEL TAYLOR, Super Lightweight Contender:
“He’s definitely understating me. He’s going to be in for a rude awakening.

“I don’t mind fighting in his hometown. All the pressure is on him, none of it is on me. I just need to do what I have to do to get the victory.

“He was blasted out when he fought Marcos Maidana, and he didn’t look that good against (Carlos) Molina. He stands right there to get hit and doesn’t move around on his feet. I’m a hard hitter, so if I catch him a couple of times it’s going to be night, night for him.

“Boxing can expect an underdog coming from out of the ground into the bright lights of boxing. It’s going to be a tremendous fight for me. You’re not going to see the last of me after this fight.”

LUCAS MATTHYSSE, Former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion
“I think I’m a better fighter than I was when I fought (Danny) Garcia.

On going down twice against John Molina:
“Those things happen in boxing. You can be a great champion, but sometimes you go against someone with a lot of power. You just get up and brush it off, and that’s what I did. I brushed it off and got the win.

“We’re expecting a very tough. He’s a Mexican like all the Mexican warriors. We’re expecting a good fight.

“After I win this I want Danny Garcia. If he’s too scared of me, I’ll have to find someone else to fight for a world title.

ROBERTO “MASSA” ORTIZ, WBC Silver Super Lightweight Champion
“I don’t think Matthysse is the same fighter after the Danny Garcia fight. And he showed that in his last fight against John Molina that he wasn’t the same. He’s still a good fighter at 140 pounds, but not the same that he used to be.

“But that doesn’t mean I’m taking him lightly. He’s still a great fighter and I’ll be prepared for whatever happens on Saturday.

“I understand he’s a bigger name than me, especially here in the U.S. But it’s my job to come out here and let the people know who I am and make history.

“I know Lucas is strong, but I’m very strong as well. I’m going to come out there and look for the knockout.”

ANDRE BERTO, Former Welterweight World Champion
“I’m feeling good. I’ve been out for a full year working on rehab and it’s been one of the toughest roads I’ve ever been on. But my shoulder is feeling good and I’m ready to go. I’m excited to be here and I’m just excited to be back.

“Working with Virgil (Hunter) has definitely helped my game a lot. The first fight we had together we only had six weeks with each other. You can’t do too much in that short period of time.

“I’ve been out training with him for about five months now and he’s been working me out of a lot of bad habits. We’re still a work in progress but he’s definitely one of the sharpest coaches I’ve ever seen in boxing.

“People in boxing only grade your last performance. But it’s something that I can’t get upset at because I haven’t performed up to standards in my last few fights. So I’m looking forward to doing this for me and for the people.

“I’m back, I’m happy to be back and we’re going to kick this thing off right.”

# # #

ABOUT “BRONER VS. TAYLOR”
Broner vs. Taylor, a 12-round super lightweight bout, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 6, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and R&R Promotions in association with Star Boxing and in the co-main event, Lucas Matthysse faces Roberto Ortiz in a 12-round super lightweight bout promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Pepe Gomez’s Cancun Boxing. In the televised opener, former welterweight world champion Andre Berto will face Philadelphia’s Steve Upsher in a 10-round welterweight match-up. The event is sponsored by Corona and AT&T and will take place at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio live on SHOWTIME (immediately following “ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” Episode 2 premiere at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT). The event will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets, priced at $128, $78, $53 and $28, are on sale now and are available by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets will also be available at the U.S. Bank Arena Box Office.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @AdrienBroner , @RobertoMassa24, @USBankArena and @SHOSports follow the conversation using #BronerTaylor, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

FRESNO, CA (September 3, 2014) – Fresno’s unbeaten welterweight prospect, “Mad” Marcos Hernandez (2-0) makes his way back to the ring this Saturday, September 6th, when he faces Will Walters (2-3-1, 1 KO) at the SOS Club in Modesto, California. Hernandez who stands 6’2, will battle Walters in a 4-round bout.

Signed by world renowned manager Al Haymon, Hernandez is a towering welterweight with a great chin and an aggressive style. He’ll look to keep his unbeaten streak alive with a dominating performance against Walters, who’s won his last two fights.

With the bout taking place in Modesto near his hometown of Fresno, Hernandez is expecting a lot of family and friends to come show support. Hernandez will be gunning for the knockout.

“I’m ready to make a statement in this fight,” said Hernandez. “I’ve been in some good camps and got some great sparring to get ready for this fight. I know Walters has won his last couple of fights so I’m looking forward to a tough fight. There will be a lot of family and friends coming out to watch this fight so I’m very excited to put on a great show. I’m always looking for the knockout and if I hurt my opponent early, I’ll be looking to take him out.”

“We really like the way Hernandez is coming along,” said Luis Decubas Jr. “He’s hungry to show everyone in the boxing community that he’s for real. He has a fighter in Walters who’s coming off a few wins, so he’s confidence is high and I think this will be a good competitive fight for Hernandez, who I’m expecting to come out on top.”

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 3, 2014) – Undefeated 11-Time, five-division world champion and perennial pound-for-pound king Floyd “Money” Mayweather (46-0, 26 KOs)participated in a media workout Tuesday, 11 days before his rematch with exciting Argentine slugger and former welterweight world champion Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (35-4, 31 KOs) in the main event of “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” on Saturday, Sept. 13 live on SHOWTIME PPV® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Dozens of television camera crews, radio newscasters, newspaper and web reporters, photographers and (video) bloggers were on hand to watch Mayweather (46-0, 26 KOs) work out Tuesday at the Mayweather Boxing Club. The media workout was streamed live via satellite feed, YouTube, Ustream,www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.comand TheBoxingBlog.SHO.com.

Mayweather worked out for close to two hours. He shadow-boxed, hit the mitts, did calisthenics, worked the speed bag, jumped rope, smacked the heavy bag, did stretching exercises, sit-ups, stand-ups, posed for photos, signed autographs and conducted copious amounts of interviews, some in groups and others one-on-one, as soul and rhythm and blues music blared in the background.

Also participating in the media workout was “Money Team” mainstay, the talented Mickey “The Spirit” Bey (20-1-1, 10 KOs) who challenges IBF Lightweight World Champion and winner of 13-in-a-row, Miguel “Títere” Vazquez (34-3, 13 KOs), in a 12-rounderon the four-fight PPV telecast. In other fights, popular, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KOs) defends against Mexico’s Manuel “Suavecito” Roman (17-2-3, 6 KOs) and Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-4, 18 KOs) takes on James De La Rosa (22-2, 13 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout.

Preceding the PPV telecast, SHOWTIME will present a live 10-round junior welterweight bout between John Molina Jr. (27-4, 22 KOs) and Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto (64-8-2, 35 KOs) on “COUNTDOWN LIVE” (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT).

Here’s what Mayweather, Bey, Mayweather’s trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr. and Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe said during Tuesday’s workout:

FLOYD MAYWEATHER, 11-Time World Champion

“This is a remarkable turnout and I appreciate the media who came out today. I’ve had a tremendous training camp and worked very hard. I’m mentally and physically prepared. I’m doing this fight for the fans. The fans have been with me for 18 years. It’s because of them I’m here today. I have to embrace the fans.

“This fight is about the sport of boxing. Fans wanted to see this fight. They like to see excitement. Why not do it again? Maidana is a hard worker who is coming to fight. My job is to be patient and smart and to entertain.

“The first few rounds were exciting last time and then I turned it around in the second half. I expect to throw more combinations this time. I can’t say if the rematch will be easier. I won the first fight, it’s up to him to change. The champ can make adjustments and I can be especially smart about it. Nobody can solve the May-Vinci code.

“Watching a fight from the outside is totally different than from what’s going on in the inside. He may have been attacking but I was countering, throwing body shots. That affected his thought process and he fought different after that.

“I always find a way. Whether I am 26 or 37, I still find the way to win. I guess when you win all 12 rounds, or 10-plus rounds so many times, fans and the media get spoiled. The bar is set so high. I fight not only my opponent, but everybody, the biased fans, the biased critics.

“But I was the one who set the bar so I can understand. But it’s not about silencing critics at this point. My thing is I have to take care of my children and family. My job is to do what I what I do best. My job is to be Floyd Mayweather.

“People are entitled to their opinions. They are entitled to believe what they want to believe. But when you reach this level that I’m at there are always those taking shots at you. I don’t worry about that. Taking shots at me only comes with the territory. If you want to believe lies or rumors, that only makes my story better.

“I’m one of those who trains every day. I look and feel strong. I’ve dedicated myself to training. The other day I went 14 non-stop rounds. As I get older I grow mentally if not also physically.

“I’m going strong and my team is going strong. SHOWTIME and CBS are the best. They gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

“I don’t really focus on who I might fight next, or how many times I’ll fight. But my job is to take it one fight at a time. We’ll see how it plays out on Sept. 13 and go from there.

“One day I want to go into the Hall of Fame, not as one of the all-time best, but the best.”

MICKEY BEY, Lightweight Contender

“The world title fight for me is huge and it just shows that being patient and doing the hard work pays off. I’ve had a lot of interruptions but you just have to stay patient, stick with it without losing focus, training hard and never think about quitting or giving up.

“It’s gonna be a big night on Sept. 13. It’s been about a year’s wait for me, but look at that as a positive because it gave me more time to perfect my craft. I had so many breaks with no fights, but I just had to stay dedicated, keep looking at it as a positive thing, and keep learning.

“Vazquez is a legit champion with several title defenses. I give full credit to him. He’s rated No. 1 at lightweight. That’s what makes it better for me. A lot of people complain that guys are fighting for vacant titles or cherry-picking. I just love the biggest challenges and coming out on top and that is what I’m gonna do on Sept. 13. We’re both stepping up and I’m the underdog.

“I prefer this. I don’t need the easy route. I’m finally where I’d be if I hadn’t had all the inactivity. So I’m gonna kill all the birds with one stone. People don’t know how hungry or determined I am. You never know who’s gonna come out on top in this game, you never know for sure what the guy has inside, and you never know what a fighter’s gonna bring that night. So you’ve got to be ready.

“There’s no added pressure on me. Every promoter has fighters that lose. I’m just glad that I finally get to step up for a title against a legitimate champion and can become a world champion. That is definitely big for me

“Camp was excellent. I learned from the [John] Molina fight. I’d won every round but the only thing I shouldn’t have done was showboated at the very end. Nobody beat Molina like I beat him, not even (Lucas) Matthysse. Matthysse had problems with him.

“So I learned the hard way that you don’t play around until after the bell rings and the fight is over.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER SR., Trainer and Father of Floyd Mayweather

“Maidana is going to get his butt whooped again, just in a more fashionable way this time around.

“Floyd beat Maidana in the first fight and there’s really nothing else to say.

“I am going to have Floyd do a lot of things differently in this fight than he did during the first fight.

“I am going to tell you something, something was on Floyd’s mind that day and the lord is my witness. He finally came around and told us all what it was about. Floyd is going to give Maidana a boxing clinic this time around.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“Nothing has changed now that we are taking the lead and promoting Floyd’s fight. And Floyd plays a big part in that as well. He is there every step of the way and makes decisions on all of the major creative and marketing areas that goes into selling one of his fights. But that has been the case for many, many fights now. Floyd is always hands on. He’s been making the decisions then and now.

“Personally there is no difference now that Mayweather Promotions is the main promoter. The whole licensing thing is simply a formality. We’ve been putting in the work for years but just haven’t been getting the credit.

“It’s hard work combined with marketing that will allow you to make the crossover to the masses. You have to go beyond the diehard boxing fans to reach a bigger audience and make a PPV fight a success.

“This fight is a must-see fight. The first fight was a tremendous fight. Maidana and a lot of his fans thought that he won the fight. The judges saw a very close fight, with Floyd getting the nod. We know coming into this fight that anything can happen. It’s important for the fans to tune in because you never know what will happen on September 13.

“Being able to witness the greatest fighter to ever do it, it can’t be explained what a wonderful opportunity it is. It’s all history in the making.

“Floyd has super human powers. He is an incredible athlete. What other athlete in sports has been undefeated in anything over the last 16-17 years? Who else has dominated their sport over that long of a period of time? Floyd Mayweather has been undefeated since 1996.

“You can’t look past September 13. Mayhem – Mayweather vs. Maidana 2. We just had a fighter get knocked out, who was the heavy favorite going into a fight. We are not looking past Marcos Maidana. We know he has tremendous punching power, when he hits guys they fall. He’s been in the ring with Floyd and he has a tremendous amount of confidence coming into this fight.

“Maidana has done a lot of trash talking because of that supreme confidence that he has. He is going to come in tremendous shape and Floyd will have his hands full. It’s going to be great, this fight will be better than the first fight.”

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s WBA Welterweight Belt and WBC Welterweight and Super Welterweight World Titles takes place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts, “The Equalizer” in theaters Sept. 26 and The Mexican Tourism Board – Mexico: Live it to Believe It!. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc. In the co-main event, Leo Santa Cruz defends his WBC Super Bantamweight Title against Manuel Roman in a 12-round bout and Miguel Vazquez faces Mickey Bey in a 12-round bout for the IBF Lightweight World Championship. In the PPV opener, Alfredo Angulo squares against James De La Rosa in a 10-round middleweight bout (162 lbs.). The event will be available in Spanish through secondary audio programming (SAP).

Mayweather vs. Maidana will be shown on the big screen in over 500 movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. For more information visit www.FathomEvents.com

New York, NY (9/3/14) – On Wednesday, October 8, DiBella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing, in association with Soliman Stanley Promotions, will stage an exciting night of boxing with IBF middleweight champion “King” Sam Soliman (44-11, 18KO’s) defending his crown against former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor (32-4-1, 20KO’s) in the main event. The card will take place at the beautiful Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, in Biloxi, Mississippi.

A national hero in his native Australia, Soliman, the longtime top-rated contender, captured the IBF middleweight crown with a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over reigning champion Felix Sturm, in Sturm’s backyard this past May. Soliman had previously taken Sturm’s belt the year before via close unanimous decision, only to see the verdict changed to a ‘No Contest’ when Soliman tested positive for a banned substance. The Australian vehemently denied the failed test results and promised to beat Sturm even easier if they fought again. He did exactly that when the two met in their eagerly anticipated rematch. Soliman is currently riding a nine-bout winning streak, dating back to 2009, with his last defeat coming at the hands of then-WBA world super middleweight champion Anthony Mundine in May 2008.

“I’m going to be stepping into the ring against a former world middleweight champion and super middleweight contender, who is chasing a comeback dream,” said Soliman. “Jermain Taylor has nothing to lose, and that makes him a very dangerous opponent. I know how dangerous that mindset is. It’s the same ‘all or nothing’ approach that I’ve taken into my last 10 fights to win the title. I’m bringing the same intensity to my preparation for this fight. It has taken me 20 hard years to get to where I am. Being a world champion is a special feeling, and one I plan on keeping. This is my first title defense, and I’m leaving no stone unturned to make sure it’s not my last.”

In 2005, Jermain Taylor was on top of the boxing world, having defeated longtime undisputed middleweight champion and future Hall-of-Famer Bernard Hopkins, not once but twice in the same year. Fast forward nine years later and the 36-year-old Taylor will be getting another crack at reclaiming a piece of the coveted middleweight world championship when he takes on the IBF titlist Soliman.

Following a two-year hiatus from the ring in the wake of back-to-back losses in 2009 while campaigning at super middleweight, Taylor returned to the division where he once reigned supreme and rejoined forces with trainer Pat Burns. Since his return, Taylor, now rated #8 by the WBC and #15 by the IBF, has looked better and better with each outing, going 4-0 thus far in his comeback, with three wins by knockout. The only opponent to go the distance with Taylor during his comeback was then-undefeated and now fellow top-rated middleweight contender Caleb Truax (24-1-2, 14KO’s). Taylor is relishing the opportunity to once again prove that he is one of the best 160lb. fighters in the world.

“Things have come full circle for me. I have another shot to become a world champion and I’m not going to let this opportunity pass by without being victorious,” said Taylor. “I’ve made a bunch of mistakes in boxing, losing to fighters I shouldn’t have lost to because of a lack of training, but I’m ready to clear all that up. With hard work and dedication, I will be 110 percent ready. I think Sam Soliman is a great fighter. He’s had a great career and he comes to fight, but I have to go in there and beat the hell out of him.”

“October 8 will bring a highly competitive middleweight championship matchup when former undisputed champion Jermain Taylor attempts to take the IBF title from a crafty reborn Sam Soliman,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.

“I am thrilled to be co-promoting this event with my dear friend Lou DiBella,” said Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing & Promotions, LLC. “The implications for the winner of this bout are very important to the current boxing landscape and to the legacies of Sam Soliman and Jermain Taylor.”

“When I was approached regarding this bout, Kurt and Team Soliman looked at it very carefully as we knew of Lou DiBella and Leon Margules by reputation,” said David Stanley, of Soliman Stanley Promotions. “We knew that they are boxing people who look after the interests of their fighters first. This aligned with our values, and Kurt Emhoff and I have enjoyed the process of working with Warriors Boxing and DiBella Entertainment to deliver an international level event with an excellent IBF world middleweight title bout for the headliner.”

“We are honored to bring championship boxing back to Biloxi with this much-anticipated middleweight title fight at Beau Rivage,” said George P. Corchis, Jr., President and Chief Operating Officer of MGM Resorts Southern Operations. “We look forward to these two world-class athletes putting on a great show at MGM Resort’s world-class facility on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.”

Tickets go on sale Friday, September 5, 9:00am CT, and are priced at $89.95, $69.95, $49.95 and $29.95, plus tax and service charges, and can be purchased at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office, or through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 4:45pm, with the first bout scheduled for 5:30pm.

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 3, 2014) – Welterweight and junior middleweight boxing history is rich with legends of men who found victories in rematches. If we base our projections in historic facts, we could say Argentine power puncher and former welterweight world champion Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (35-4, 31 KOs) has a solid chance to win the Sept. 13 SHOWTIME PPV® rematch against 37-year old, 11-time, five-division world champion and pound-for-pound king Floyd “Money” Mayweather (46-0, 26 KOs).

The late Vernon “The Viper” Forrest was shocked in June 2008 by “The Contender” winner Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora, losing a majority decision for his WBC Junior Middleweight Title. They met again in Sept. of that year and it was a different Forrest in the sequel. Boxing with class and precision, Forrest won a lopsided decision to regain his crown in what would be the final fight of his career.

Cory “Next Generation” Spinks found out about the danger of second chances the hard way in Feb. 2005. The then-undisputed welterweight world champion packed a wild arena in his hometown of St. Louis for a rematch against former junior welterweight champion Zab “Super” Judah. Judah and Spinks had traded knockdowns in their first fight, but it was Spinks who emerged the victor in a hotly contested fight. The rematch was no contest. Having seen the best Spinks had to offer, Judah overwhelmed the second-generation star with a ninth-round knockout and left a champion.

Kocihi Wajima and Oscar “Shotgun” Albarado had a fantastic rivalry for the undisputed junior middleweight crown in the mid 1970s. In their first bout in Jun. of 1974, Wajima built a lead on two judges scorecards only for Albarado, on the road in Tokyo, to roar back in the 15th and final round. Albarado dropped Wajima three times to score the knockout and set the stage for a rematch in January 1975. In the second fight, Wajima outboxed the Texan to win a unanimous decision and begin his second of three title reigns. Wajima would do it again in his next two fights, splitting stoppage wins for the WBA Title with Korea’s Jae-Doo Yuh. Fittingly, Wajima would capture his final crown with a knockout in the last round of their rematch.

The talent rich 1930s produced a classic three-fight rivalry for the welterweight crown between of Hall of Famers. In their first of two 1934 fights, the former lightweight and junior welterweight champion Barney Ross won a split decision over Jimmy McLarnin for welterweight honors in front of 60,000 fans in Long Island City, N.Y. Surely confident in victory, Ross may have overlooked that no welterweight champion had successfully defended the title since the 1920s. McLarnin won the hotly contested rematch with another split decision to continue that odd streak. They settled matters for good in 1935 when Ross left with a unanimous decision that began his four-year title reign.

Perhaps the wildest rivalry for the welterweight crown came in the age of silent film. New York’s Jack Britton and London’s Ted “Kid” Lewis were made for each other and for all time. Fighting 20 times between 1915 and 1921, in title and non-title affairs, Britton and Lewis exchanged the crown four times.

No previous victory guarantees another.

Lewis won their first title fight, besting Britton in Aug.t 1915 and he did it again the following month. Britton regained the title the following April only to see Lewis take the strap away again in Jun. 1917. Lewis held Britton off until March 1919 when he was stopped in nine rounds for the only knockout win in their epic series. Their title trading at an end, Britton won the final fight of their series with a successful defense in Feb. 1921.

Those are just a few of the memorable moments in welterweight and junior middleweight history where conventional thinking about rematch outcomes met the unpredictable anarchy that makes boxing the most exciting sport of them all.

The only thing a great first fight really guarantees is a must-see rematch. On Sept. 13, history says anything can happen.

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s WBA Welterweight Belt and WBC Welterweight and Super Welterweight World Titles takes place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts, “The Equalizer” in theaters Sept. 26 and Visit Mexico. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc. In the co-main event, Leo Santa Cruz defends his WBC Super Bantamweight Title against Manuel Roman in a 12-round bout and Miguel Vazquez faces Mickey Bey in a 12-round bout for the IBF Lightweight World Championship. In the PPV opener, Alfredo Angulo squares against James De La Rosa in a 10-round middleweight bout (162 lbs.). The event will be available in Spanish through secondary audio programming (SAP).

Plus, SHOWTIME will televise John Molina Jr. against experienced Humberto Soto in a 10-round junior welterweight bout during “Mayweather vs. Maidana 2: COUNTDOWN LIVE” (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT, immediately preceding the live PPV event).

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and are priced at $1,600, $1,200, $850, $600 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $350 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Mayweather vs. Maidana will be shown on the big screen in over 500 movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. For more information visit www.FathomEvents.com

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Canada (September 3, 2014)) – Interim World Boxing Association (WBA) cruiserweight champion Youri “El Toro” Kalenga (20-1, 13 KOs) will defend his title November 15 against undefeated, No. 4-rated “Dangerous” Denton Daley (12-0, 6 KOs) at Hersey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Kalenga-Daley will headline “World Championship Boxing,” promoted by United Boxing Promotions (UBP). It will mark the first world title fight ever held in Mississauga, as well the first in the province of Ontario in 4 1/2 years, since Mississauga-native Steve “The Canadian Kid” Molitor defeated Takalani Ndlovu in Rama by 12-round decision for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight championship. Kalenga-Daley will also be the first major world championship fight held in the Toronto market since March 29, 1966, when hometown hero George Chuvalo lost a 15-round unanimous decision at Maple Leaf Gardens to world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali.

The Kalenga-Daley winner will become the mandatory challenger for the winner of a September 27th WBA World “regular” cruiserweight championship match in Moscow between defending champion Denis Lebedev (25-2, 19 KOs) and unbeaten challenger Pawel Kododziej (33-0, 18 KOs).

“United Boxing Promotions is proud to present this fight at the Mississauga Hershey Centre,” UBP promoter Don MacDonald commented. The 6,000 fight fans that will ram the facility will witness what will be a war between two great fighters.

“Youri is a true warrior! Instead of hiding and fighting bums in the cruiserweight division, he is willing to come to Canada and put his title on the line in his first defense. This in itself defines his character as a true champion.”

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the 26-year-old Kalenga fights out of France, where 16 of his 20 professional fights have been held. His initial title defense against Daley will mark the African’s first pro fight outside of Europe.

Kalenga captured the Interim WBA crown in his last fight this past June 21 in Monte Carlo, winning a 12-round split decision (116-112, 115-113, 113-115) over Mateusz Masternak (32-1).

“I am very excited to be defending my WBA interim world title for the first time in Canada against Denton Daley,” Kalenga said. “Daley is a good technical fighter with some decent skills. He has never faced any opponent like me and once he feels my big punch power he will lose touch of all his skills.”

The 32-year-old Daley has lost only one round in his 12 professional fights to date. Under the guidance of his head trainer, two-time world title challenger Syd Vanderpool, Daley is a former college basketball player in Canada, as well as a college graduate with a degree in business, whose professional boxing career didn’t start until 2010.

After pitching a complete shutout against former world champion Richard Hall (30-11) in 2013, winning all 10 rounds on each of the three judges’ scorecards, Daley faced Faisal Ibnel Arrami (15-4) on June 1, 2013 for the vacant North American Boxing Association (NABA) cruiserweight title. Daley won the title when Arrami was unable to continue after four rounds due to a shoulder injury. In a pair of NABA title defenses, Daley has won 10 and 12-round unanimous decisions, respectively, versus Jean Marc Monrose (26-6) and Andres Taylor (21-5-2).

“I’m very excited that Kalenga accepted to take the fight in my hometown as it means a lot to me and, more importantly, my fans,” Daley remarked. “Ontario has been waiting for something like this to happen for a while now and I’m the perfect person to deliver because I don’t shy away from hard work. Getting this victory will be huge for me and the people of Ontario.”

Tickets for the Nov. 15 event, starting at only $20.00, are on sale and available to purchase at the Hershey Centre box office (Gate A entrance), online at www.ticketmaster.ca, or by calling TicketMaster at 1.85.985.5000.

Go online at www.unitedpromotions.cafor additional information, friend Daley at www.Facebook.com/UnitedBoxingPromotions. Follow UBP on twitter at @UnitedPromotions, Kalenga @YouriKalengaELT, and Daley @DentonDaley.

Brooklyn, NY (September 3, 2014) — Amanda Serrano will enter the ring at the Master Theater (Formerly the Millennium Theater) in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn on September. 18 with a brand new belt strapped around her waist, and the usual stone game-face signaling her intentions.

Serrano (21-1-1, with 16 KOs) is one of the headliners September 18, on a Star of David Promotions card put together by promoter Dmitriy Salita.

The 25-year-old southpaw recently traveled to Argentina and scored a 6th round stoppage win over Maria Elena Maderna, earning the WBO lightweight title. On Sept. 18, the Puerto Rican native will be sticking close to home, fighting in her borough.

The foe on this night will be, as is per usual on a Salita card, no easy triumph. Serrano, one half of the “Fighting Serrano Sisters”, seven years junior to big sister Cindy Serrano, is to meet Jackie Trivilino, who’ll show up with ample confidence.

“Amanda is an excellent athlete and so is Jackie,” Salita said. “Women’s boxing as a sport has come a long way in the last 10 years. Female boxers today are world class athletes, very skilled, in tremendous shape and determined to prove themselves in the sport.”

Trivilino battled fan-favorite Heather Hardy at Barclays Center in her last outing, on June 14, and the Plattsburgh, NY native lost a technical decision by the most narrow of margins. A crowd-pleasing featherweight rumble is virtually guaranteed.

September 18 will also see the debut under the Star of David promotional banner of Junior Wright, a Chicagoan who is a known quality to hardcore NY-area boxing fans.

The cruiserweight boxed Steve Bujaj to a draw on the May 15 Salita show at the Master Theater, and that was a five star showdown. Kamarah Parsley is coming from Philadelphia with upsetting intentions; he wants to show the 11-0-1 Wright that Philly trumps Chicago when the going gets tough.

Dimash Niyazov, a junior welterweight from Kazakhstan now living on Staten Island, will seek to go to 7-0-2, but he’ll have to get past Rochester, NY lefty Jamell Tyson, a survivor type who wants to play the spoiler.

Salita is also excited to see prospect Gary Beriguette (living in Brooklyn NY, 5-0) in his toughest fight to date, against Raphael Luna. Also, amateur standout Peter Dobson of the Bronx is making his long awaited pro debut against the experienced Mack Babb of Brooklyn, NY.

Log on to salitapromotions.com to score tickets to see this mix of champions and up & comers do their thing in the ring on Thursday, Sept. 18.

Mashantucket, CT: Karl “Dynamite” Dargan (16-0, 8 KOs) the current USBA Atlantic Coast Region Lightweight Champion looks to add another belt to his collection on Sept. 20, 2014 at Foxwoods Resort Casino when he faces Angino “The Nightmare” Perez (16-5, 14 KOs) for the Junior NABF Lightweight Title as the ten-round co-feature live on the broadcast NBC edition of Fight Night. The main event during the NBC broadcast will feature Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu (16-1, 11 KOs) against Garrett “The Ultimate Warrior” Wilson (13-7-1, 7 KOs) for the NABF Cruiserweight Title.

“The Nightmare”
Sweatbox Boxing & Fitness

The undefeated Dargan is a Philadelphia native who successfully defended his USBA Atlantic Coast Region Lightweight Title for the first time just days after his 29th birthday on June 21, 2014 by knocking out fellow Philadelphian Anthony “Flawless” Flores at the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre, PA. This will be Dargan’s third appearance on Fight Night and his second on broadcast NBC (Jun. 21, 2014 – knockout of Flores in the fifth round on NBCSN and Nov. 16, 2013 unanimous decision over Michael Brooks on broadcast NBC). Dargan is trained by legendary trainer Naazim Richardson. Richardson is best known for training WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, fellow Main Events’ stable mate and two-time former cruiserweight world champion Steve “USS” Cunningham and “Sugar” Shane Mosley. When asked about the fight Dargan simply said, “I’m ready. I am ready to fight anyone, anytime, any place.”

Flores & Dargan
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

Perez, 31, is from Miami, FL and made his professional debut almost ten years ago on Nov. 20, 2004 against Jose Angel Roman with a TKO loss in the third round. After that he knocked out his next two opponents in the third round (Jun. 28, 2005 – Marcial Reartes and Mar. 31, 2006 – Anthony Concepcion). Throughout his professional career he has had a stellar 88% (14 of 16) knockout-to-win ratio. In his last fight, in the Dominican Republic, on Jul. 19, 2014 he knocked out Esteban Diaz in the first round. This will be his first fight for a title.

Angino and his trainer, Javier Centeno, are grateful for this fight because for the first time in a long while they have advance notice to properly prepare for their opponent. Their last several fights were made on short notice and Perez said, “We are thankful that they called us with enough time to train. We are going to be ready for this fight. I have been called too many times with only one or two weeks in advance. We are grateful that they called us with enough time that we can get prepared well. We hope to show what we are really capable of.”

Perez
Photo Courtesy of:
Sweatbox Boxing & Fitness

Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva said, “I expect this co-feature to be great in the ring. ‘Dynamite’ Dargan is poised to become a star. In his last fight, he stepped up and showed the world what he’s capable of. Now he’ll get to do it again in front of millions of viewers on NBC. Hopefully he’s not looking past Perez, because I know Perez is not taking this opportunity lightly.”

About September 20:

The Sep. 20th special afternoon edition of NBC Fight Night will take place at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT and will feature a ten-round cruiserweight match-up between Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu and Garrett “The Ultimate Warrior” Wilson for the NABF Cruiserweight Title and a ten-round lightweight match-up between Karl “Dynamite” Dargan and Angino “The Nightmare” Perez for the Junior NABF Lightweight Title. The undercard bouts will be announced shortly. Tickets are $100, $75 and $40 and are available through Foxwoods.com and Ticketmaster.com. The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing and Showpony Promotions in association with Banner Promotions. The special NBC Fight Night broadcast will begin live at 3:00 PM ET/12:00 PM PT.

NBC Sports Live Extra:

NBC Sports Live Extra: NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night at 3 PM ET/12 PM PT on September 20. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

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 express, world-renowned spas, awarding-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.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Sept. 3rd, 2014) — No less than 25 yards from where the rocket landed, narrowly missing his vehicle, Zack Christy sprinted into the burning mortuary on his army base in Afghanistan intent on saving anyone who might’ve survived the blast with little regard for his own safety.

“I wasn’t necessarily worried about myself,” he recalls. “There could’ve been a kid in there, out cold, bleeding. In those moments, you don’t even think about it.”

As a staff sergeant for the U.S. Air Force for more than 8 ½ years, Christy’s never been one to shy away from danger, whether in the battlefield or in the boxing ring, the latter of which will become his second home when he begins a new career Friday, Sept. 12th, 2014 at Twin River Casino on the undercard of “Title For Title,” presented by CES Boxing.

Having boxed since the age of 15, a young protégé under the guidance of the late Tiny Ricci in Rhode Island, Christy always dreamt of one day stepping foot inside the ring as a pro, but after enlisting in the Air Force at 21, upholding a strong family tradition, boxing took a backseat to life in the military.

No matter the mission, no matter where the journey took him, Christy always found the time to stay active, whether by stuffing a jump rope in his travel bag en route to one of his nine deployments overseas or teaching boxing to refugees and other military personnel during a stay in Kuwait.

After winning numerous amateur titles, including the South Dakota Golden Gloves and a silver medal as a member of the All-Air Force team, the 30-year-old Christy is ready to make the leap to the pro circuit. He’ll debut next Friday against Providence super middleweight Ethan Pena (2-2, 1 KO) in a four-round bout.

Christy’s father, Dave, also a decorated Air Force vet, admits his son’s time in the ring may be limited – “We realize he has a five-year window,” he said – so there’s little concern about building his record or bringing him along slowly under the close scrutiny of his promoter, Jimmy Burchfield. Given the chance, Christy would fight six times a year.

“I’ve done a million different things in 150-degree heat for 18 hours at a time,” he said. “If I can make it out of a fight without a scratch on me, I couldn’t care less about fighting the next day.”

Balletto’s Gym in Providence, where Christy trains when he’s back in Rhode Island, is a long way from Afghanistan, but it’s all part of the landscape Christy calls home. He and his older brother, Seth, were born and raised in Cranston until his father moved the family to Florida following a divorce. After four years in Florida, the Christys returned to Rhode Island so Zack could finish high school at Toll Gate.

The kids took martial arts and boxing lessons to learn to defend themselves, but were inevitably bound for the military.

“Our dad always groomed us for real-life situations, so we always knew what to do,” he said. “I always had a desire to continue that, but never had an outlet until I found Tiny.”

Christy’s brother eventually enrolled in the Air Force and spent time in Iraq. In addition to his father’s time in the Air Force, his grandfather was a World War II Navy vet who fought in the pacific.

“It’s kind of a tradition in our family,” Christy said.

At 21, Christy’s first stop was South Dakota, where he won a USA Boxing championship in addition to his Golden Gloves title and remained active in the ring. Since he wanted to purse a career in special operations, he got a job at the MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa four years later. Once he started working for SOCOM (Special Operations Command), he began deploying regularly, putting boxing on the backburner.

“I was surprised with how hard it was to get fights,” he said. “I could train, but I couldn’t get fights. I would make it all the way to a competition and then get deployed. With so much going on in the job and in the area, I could never get a foothold in a good gym to train the way I needed to.”

In 8 ½ years of active duty, the incident in Kuwait with the rocket narrowly missing his truck was just one of several close calls overseas. During one of his first deployments, Christy took a detour to the latrines one night instead of his usual path. Moments later, a mortar struck where he would’ve been walking.

“He sent home a picture of himself pointing to the crater,” his father said.

Staying in shape was never an issue. In addition to jumping rope to keep his conditioning up to speed, Christy occasionally found a heavy bag fashioned out of a duffel bag and old laundry while deployed overseas, and as a certified military exercise leader and fitness specialist, Christy trained everyone from civilians to Navy SEALs in Kuwait.

“What I’ve done since 2006, it’s just me training for my whole life,” he said. “We all found ways to stay fit out there. The best thing about a jump rope is you can take it anywhere. Knowing what to do and how to utilize your surroundings, I always stayed in great shape.”

After returning home from his final deployment last summer, Christy decided to put active duty behind him – “This is not the same Air Force it used to be,” he said – and pursue his boxing career. He lives and trains in St. Petersburg, working part-time at a martial arts gym and training at the St. Pete Boxing Club, the home of former world champs Winky Wright and Jeff Lacy. He’s sparred with interim welterweight world champion Keith Thurman and former champ Antonio Tarver, a strong source of motivation considering Tarver was also 30 when he made his pro debut.

Dan Birmingham, who runs the St. Pete Boxing Club and has trained both Wright and Lacy, has given Christy a ringing endorsement as he prepares to turn his lifelong dream into a reality.

“Dan took Zack under his wing and told him, ‘People pay to come to this gym, but you’ll never pay a dime,'” Christy’s father said. “He even gave him a key to the gym.”

Though his father is not 100-percent sold on him fighting – “It’s not something I would’ve particularly chosen for him,” he said – he’ll support him regardless, similar to how Ricci stood by him 15 years ago or how Gary Balletto vouched for him when he first introduced him to Burchfield.

Despite the time out of the ring, more than four years, to be exact, since his last amateur bout, the transition back to boxing has been relatively seamless, thanks in large part to his experience overseas, so much so that Christy has declined the option to take a few amateur bouts before he turns pro.

“Having to have an attention to detail regardless of your state of being, whether you’re exhausted, tired, or don’t feel like doing something, you have to put those things aside,” he said. “It’s kind of something you have to be able to ignore. You have to ignore pain, ignore your physical state, and act accordingly.”

Boxing’s no different. Though some fighters refer to it as “war,” it’ll never truly be war, at least not the kind Christy has experienced first-hand, but the inherent dangers of both are well understood, and Christy is more than willing to begin this new journey in uncharted territory. It’s in his blood.

“I have a lot of experience boxing. I’ve trained with some of the best pros in the world,” he said. “This is my opportunity now. Since I left South Dakota, I’ve had no desire to fight in the amateurs anymore. You train like a pro, you fight like a pro. The only difference is the headgear.”

Tickets for “Title For Title” are on sale now at $45.00, $60.00, $76.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com or by phone at 401-724-2253/2254. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The main event is a special eight-round title bout with two belts on the line. Rich Gingras (14-4-1, 9 KOs) of Lincoln, R.I., will defend his N.E. Light Heavyweight Title against Joey McCreedy (15-7-2, 6 KOs) of Lowell, Mass., the reigning Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Northeast champion.

Worcester, Mass., junior middleweight Khiary Gray-Pitts (1-0, 1 KO) faces Sergio Cabrera (0-2) of Boston: junior middleweight Ray Oliveira Jr. of Fall River, Mass., battles fellow newcomer Angel Valdez in his pro debut and Fall River lightweight Scott Sullivan takes on Moises Rivera (0-3) of Boston in his debut. Italian-American cruiserweight Antonio Mignella (3-0, 3 KOs) of Providence, nicknamed “Little Rocky,” will battle Louisana’s Alvin Varmall Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) in a four-round bout. Shelito Vincent (12-0, 1 KO) of New London, Conn., the reigning Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) International super bantamweight champion, and Cranston’s Nick DeLomba (4-0) will also be featured in separate four-round bouts.

Visit www.cesboxing.com for more information, follow CES Boxing on Twitter at @CESBOXING and Instagram at CESBOXING, or “like” CES Boxing on Facebook.

Orlando, FL (September 2, 2014) – Francisco “The Wizard” Palacios will have a tough task at hand when he comes off a two year layoff to battle heavy-handed Epifanio Mendoza September 20 at the Mela Room in Orlando, FL.

Originally from Barranquilla, Colombia and currently based in Miami, FL, Mendoza has 39 victories, 34 of which came by way of knockout. In 2011, he scored a major upset when he knocked out highly regarded and undefeated Olympian Carlos Negron inside of three rounds. Prior to that, he scored first round knockouts over unbeatens Tukonbo Olajaide and Ruben Williams. A true ring warrior, Mendoza’s also battled world champions Chad Dawson, Jeff Lacy and Beibut Shumenov along with BJ Flores, Lateef Kayode, Rakim Chakhiev, Umberto Savigne, Amir Mansour, Sullivan Barrera, Yunier Dorticos and Jordan Shimmell.

“Epifanio Mendoza is a very dangerous opponent and some are questioning why I’m taking on such a risky guy when I’ve been out of the ring for two years,” said Palacios, an Orlando resident who is now training under the watchful eye of John Scully. “My goal is to win a cruiserweight championship next year and facing a tough challenge in my comeback fight should show everybody how serious I am about making it to the top.”

Palacios, 21-2 (13 KO’s), and Mendoza meet for the USBU cruiserweight belt in the eight round main event of World Wide Elite Entertainment’s “The Comeback”.

Promoted by World Wide Elite Entertainment, tickets to “The Comeback” are $25 for general admission, $45 to sit ringside and $500 for VIP tables of 6 with bottle service included. They’re on sale by calling 561-702-7068. All ticketholders over the age of 21 are invited to a special post-fight party hosted by DJ Erick at the Mela Room, located at 9677 S. Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando.

Fans can follow and interact with Francisco on Twitter @Wizardpalacios.

About World Wide Elite Entertainment:

Founded in 2014 by noted boxer Francisco Palacios and Alejandra Quintero, World Wide Elite Entertainment’s a full-service promotional firm with the goal is to right many of boxing’s wrongs. Their focal point will be guiding talented but misled fighters that weren’t provided fair opportunities in the past due to managerial or promotional issues. For more information, go to showentertainment.org or facebook.com/pages/World-Wide-Elite-Entertainment/530432297086225.

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 2, 2014) – Mixed martial arts (MMA) is the fastest-growing sport in the world, and with so many young men and women training every day, World Series of Fighting officials will look to tap into that pool of talent and provide a clear path to future stardom in the professional ranks of the sport when they launch the World Series of Fighting U.S. National Amateur Division in 2015.

Winners of the World Series of Fighting U.S. National Amateur Division, which will function as an amateur MMA circuit aimed at discovering and developing the best, young MMA prospects in the nation, will receive a multi-year, multi-fight contract with the world championship fight promotion and make their professional debuts live on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN).

“We are proud to launch this exciting new division of World Series of Fighting and, through this, we will maintain the goal of finding the absolute best new talent that exists in the U.S.,” World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo said.

“For the first time in history,” continued Sefo, “amateur fighters who have the desire and the drive to turn professional and make a career for themselves in MMA, will be given a distinct path that will allow them to attain their goals of becoming future superstars in the professional ranks of our incredible sport.”

The new circuit will be divided into four regions: East, South, Mountain and West. Additional information regarding the World Series of Fighting U.S. National Amateur Division will be announced soon.

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

About NBC Sports Network
NBC Sports Network, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 80 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France and the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2013, the Premier League and Formula One. In addition, NBC Sports Network features college football, college basketball, college hockey, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Action Sports Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, The Crossover, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk and The Dan Patrick Show. NBC Sports Network is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

Las Vegas, NV – The UFC® announced today the launch of a nationwide celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month featuring top Hispanic UFC stars. UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and The Ultimate Fighter® season one winner Diego Sanchez lead more than a dozen UFC fighters and personalities on a month-long celebration in honor of Hispanic heritage and to give fans the opportunity to meet their favorite Hispanic fighters. UFC partners and affiliates such as FOX Deportes, Metro PCS, Comcast, COX and Anheuser-Busch will also take part in the celebration. In addition, the UFC will team up with the MLS’ Houston Dynamo as well as the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball, for exciting fan events at upcoming sporting events. Along with the announcement of the UFC selling out UFC 180 in Mexico City on Nov. 15 and the breakthrough success of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America, Hispanic Heritage Month will be the perfect celebration of diversity in the UFC and will showcase amazing Hispanic athletes proudly representing their culture.

UFC fans in Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Miami, New York and Washington, D.C. will have the opportunity to be a part of the “Despierta tu Instinto Guerrero” festivities from Sept. 13 through Oct. 13, 2014. Festivities will feature a multi-city promotional tour that will include press days, community activities and engagements, festival activations with sponsors and affiliates, and additional social media activities for all fans to enjoy.

“Hispanic Heritage Month is a great opportunity for the UFC to reaffirm our commitment to the Hispanic community and to celebrate a new generation of Hispanic American athletes,” said UFC President Dana White. “Hispanics are some of the most passionate and loyal fans of combat sports. We are proud of our Hispanic athletes as they represent their heritage each time they step into the Octagon and we want to share their amazing talents and stories with UFC fans.”

The UFC kicked off the tour at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. on Sunday, Aug. 31 at the Chivas USA vs. L.A. Galaxy pre-game event, the Chiva Town fan zone. Fans had the opportunity to meet featherweight fighter Ricardo Lamas, who will compete in the sold out, first ever event in Mexico City, UFC 180, as well as Octagon Girl™ Arianny Celeste.

From Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Americans celebrate and recognize the contributions made and the important presence of Hispanics to the United States. Celebrations of the group’s heritage and culture begin on Sept. 15, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries — Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico declared its independence on Sept. 16 and Chile on Sept. 18.

With more than 40.3 million UFC fans around the world, 18 percent of the UFC’s total fan base is Hispanic, outpacing major U.S. sports leagues including the NBA, MLB, and the NFL in concentration of Hispanic fans. The UFC has experienced considerable growth with 15.2 million unique Hispanic viewers consuming UFC related programming.

The UFC looks forward to inspiring its fans beyond ethnicity or gender to “awaken their warrior instinct” or “Despierta Tu Instinto Guerrero” by giving them the opportunity to unite with their favorite fighters and personalities in celebrating culture, tradition and the fighter within them.

Hispanic Heritage Month events:
Sept. 13, 14 and 15 – HOUSTON
Erik Perez and Kelvin Gastelum

Sept. 14 and 15 in LAS VEGAS
Frank Mir, Kenda Perez and Diego Sanchez

Sept. 19, 20 and 21 in WASHINGTON, DC
Erik Perez

Sept. 22 and 23 in PHOENIX
John Moraga and Efrain Escudero.

Sept. 24 and 25 CHICAGO
Ricardo Lamas, Julianna Pena and Yosdenis Cedeno

Oct. 5 and 6 in NEW YORK CITY
Dennis Bermudez

Oct. 12 and 13 in MIAMI
Cain Velasquez, Hector Lombard, Yoel Romero and Jorge Masvidal

*Fighters are subject to change

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

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC®) is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Singapore and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in 129 countries and territories to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS™, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT™ (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, Octagon™ branded apparel, DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

Atlantic City, NJ (Sept. 2, 2014) – Ring generalship will come face-to-face with explosive power and force on Saturday, Nov. 8 when Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins takes on Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev in a light heavyweight unification title bout at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ live on HBO World Championship Boxing.

Tickets priced at $300, $200, $150, $100 and $50, plus applicable fees and service charges, go on sale on Friday, Sept. 5 at noon ET and will be available for purchase at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Hopkins, incredibly just two months shy of his 50th birthday, is seeking to add the WBO Light Heavyweight Championship to his collection of IBF and WBA belts. Kovalev, who burst on the scene just a year ago, has never lost a fight and has won 23 of his 25 victories by knockout.

“Everything I do at this point in my career affects my legacy,” Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs) said. “I’ve set and broken many records, but becoming the oldest undisputed light heavyweight world champion is the goal and Kovalev stands in the way of that goal. He’s another young, hungry fighter and just like the ones that came before him, he will leave the ring beltless.”

“I respect Bernard Hopkins for taking this fight,“ said the 31-year-old Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs). “When I came to America, it was my dream to fight the best and now I am, I have my chance. He says he is alien. He will punch, I will punch, then we see who is gonna go to Mars.”

In April, Hopkins defeated Beibut Shumenov to win the WBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, breaking his own record as the oldest fighter in history to win a world title, which he set in May of 2011 after defeating Jean Pascal at age 46. Kovalev comes off of the third defense of his WBO Light Heavyweight Title on HBO, defeating Blake Caparello by TKO on August 2.

“Golden Boy Promotions has been crystal clear that we will make the best fights for our fans no matter who else is promoting it, where it takes place or what network broadcasts it; this is Exhibit ‘A’ of our keeping that commitment,” said Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “At 49 years of age, Bernard continues to electrify crowds with impregnable defense; Sergey hits with thunderous force and is an early-round knockout threat every time he steps in the ring. With those two forces coming together, fans are in for a real treat.”

“Throughout boxing’s history, great champions have always been motivated by fighting the best,” said Main Events’ CEO, Kathy Duva. “Bernard Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya are both living legends who never back down from a challenge. Sergey Kovalev made it clear that all he wants to do is test his skills against the finest in the world. Main Events has always been able to deliver the biggest fights for its fighters and their fans. Since George Foreman defeated Joe Frazier in 1973, HBO has been synonymous with boxing at its highest level. It shouldn’t be any surprise that when you combine those elements, you get the most anticipated fight of the year.”

“We’re thrilled to have one of the top boxing matches in the country here in Atlantic City,” said John Palmieri, Executive Director of CRDA. “We’ve been known for hosting great fight events for many years, and we welcome the fans, as usual, to experience all the action at both Boardwalk Hall and throughout the city.”

“Sports capture our imagination when elite athletes seek superlative challenges of the highest stakes, which is precisely the caliber of fight these two intrepid champions have given their fans by choosing to face-off against one another,” Peter Nelson, Vice President of Programming, HBO Sports said. “Hopkins vs. Kovalev is a destination event, and HBO is delighted to present this light heavyweight unification championship to our subscribers.”

Hopkins vs. Kovalev is a 12-round unification bout for the IBF, WBA and WBO Light Heavyweight World titles, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City, Corona Extra, AT&T and Hortitsia Vodka.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mainevents.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or http://www.boardwalkhall.com/.

Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/main_events, www.twitter.com/hboboxing,www.twitter.com/THEREALBHOP, www.twitter.com/krusherkovalev and www.twitter.com/BoardwalkHall.

Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/maineventsboxing, www.facebook.com/hboboxing and https://www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall.

ADAM ETCHES has once again been nominated for the Young British Boxer of the Year Award.

The Sheffield puncher, 23, joins an impressive list of candidates including fellow Steel City favourite Kid Galahad for the prestigious British Boxing Writers Club accolade.

The past 12 months have been little short of sensational for Etches as he won two versions of a Youth world title and climbed to number 13 in the world in the IBF’s rankings.

His next outing will see him in title action again when he takes on Brazil’s experienced Samir Santos Barbosa for the IBF International middleweight crown at the Ponds Forge Arena in Sheffield on September 20.

Should Etches be named as Young British Boxer of the Year, he will follow in the footsteps of fistic greats such as Joe Calzaghe, Nigel Benn and his promoter Ricky Hatton.

“Adam has shown over the past year that he’s got the potential for the top with good wins over very solid opponents,” said Etches’ manager Richard Poxon.

“He’s still young and still developing but his desire and his power are already there and I think that’s why a lot of other young British middleweights aren’t willing to fight him.

“To be nominated for such an award again is a very proud moment for Adam and I think it will give him even more confidence ahead of his fight next month.”

Ricky Hatton said: “I was very proud when I was named as Young Boxer of the Year and I’m equally pleased to see Adam make the list this year.

“I think the fact that his name is being mentioned alongside such other great boxers shows how good he is and it makes a statement about the quality of fighters we have at Hatton Promotions.”

Jordan Shimmell, 16-0 with 13 KOs, will be boxing Joell Godfrey, 17-11-1, at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on September 11, 2014. Shimmell versus Godfrey is an 8 round cruiserweight bout on the Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions card televised by Fox Sports 1. The show is being held in Las Vegas 2 days before the Mayweather-Maidana 2 rematch being shown on Showtime PPV. Therefore, there will be a lot of activity, fans and media in Las Vegas and the September 11th show is the lead-in show to the big PPV event on the 13th.

Joell Godfrey was one of the cruiserweight boxers on the reality television show “The Contender”, Season 4 and he has been a pro since 2006. Godfrey turned pro soon after losing a 5-0 decision to Eric Fields in the National Golden Gloves semi-finals while Jordan Shimmell lost a controversial 3-2 split decision to Fields in the finals of that same tournament in Omaha, NE (winning a silver medal). It was Jordan’s first National Golden Gloves appearance in his first year as an open-class boxer at 17 years of age. Jordan went on to win the National Golden Gloves in 2009 and won two more silver medals at the National Golden Gloves in 2010 and 2012 and two bronze medals in 2008 and 2011 losing by split decision in the bouts he lost in the National Golden Gloves tournaments. Jordan won the U.S. National Championships in 2009 and 2011 and earned a bronze medal in the 2011 U.S. Olympic Trials. Jordan Shimmell competed in numerous international competitions including the 2009 World Championships and won a gold medal in the 2007 World Golden Gloves, a bronze in the 2011 Pan Am Games Qualifier in Panama and a bronze in the 2011 World Cup of Petroleum Countries in Russia.

Joell Godfrey is coming off a big win in February of this year when he defeated Brazilian Marcus Vinicius de Oliveira who was 23-1-1 heading into the bout. Although Godfrey has lost 11 times, he has never been stopped and has always gone the distance including in 8, 10 and 12 round bouts. He has been very durable and has fought for the WBC Continental Americas and FecarBox titles.
In Jordan Shimmell’s most recent bout he won via disqualification at 2:31 of the 4th round on Friday, August 1, 2014 at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, WA against Epifanio Mendoza who was 37-17-1 with 33 KOs. Since his loss to Jordan, Mendoza has won two in a row including scoring 3 knockdowns in an 8 round unanimous decision victory on August 29th over Cuban amateur star and two-time world amateur champion, Rey Recio who was 6-0 going into the bout.

Jordan Shimmell continues to move up in the world rankings and will soon be a top 10 world-ranked cruiserweight contender. Jordan Shimmell is the USBO Cruiserweight Champion and is ranked in all of the regional rankings.

(San Diego) -This Thursday night, California boxing hall of fame and NABF female promoter of the year Bobby D. Presents will showcase a much awaited fight card billed as “San Diego Fights: Dangerous Divas” where for the first time in southern California three female fights will be featured on the scheduled five-bout card. The live professional boxing event will take place at the new home for San Diego Boxing, the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Mission Valley. In the main event, San Diego’s own two-time world champion Jolene “Classy Assasin” Blackshear (8-5, 3KO) will have a true test in her hands when she takes on the always tough Susan Reno (1-2-1) of New York for six light flyweight rounds.

For More Info on the Card, please CLICK HERE

For tickets or info, please call (61 9) 420-8866 or visit www.SanDiegoFights.com

NEW YORK (Sept. 2, 2014) -Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins and Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev held a press conference in New York City and a media roundtable in Philadelphia Tuesday to officially announce their light heavyweight unification bout on Saturday, Nov. 8 taking place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City live on HBO World Championship Boxing®.

Check out what the fighters and promoters had to say below:

BERNARD HOPKINS, WBA & IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion

“When fighters want to fight, this is what happens. When we really want to do it and our promoters do as well, we get it done.

“I take everything I do extremely seriously. But people ask me, how can I continue to do this? I have no plan or timetable when I put my mind to something.

“I want the best. Hagler fought the best. Ray Leonard fought the best. The Alis of the world, they fought the best. I’m from the era where I fought the best and that’s important to me. I receive undisputed status in 2001 and that was special.

“I bloomed late. I didn’t bloom by the timing of the experts. I want to make it as difficult as possible for you to come up with a headline for me. I don’t want to be on the pound-for-pound list because that would make me human.

“What I’m doing now is making a new legacy and a new list and a new way to judge. ‘Where do we put this man? We can’t put him in the top 10. He’s doing things no one has done!’

“Enjoy this while you can and come see it. Don’t worry about when or how I’m going to leave or break down. You guys are all humans, I understand you, but you don’t understand me.

“The last time I heard, he [Kovalev] can box. He’s shown that he can box…People are traumatized by the punch and the knockout.

“I’ve been in the game for almost three decades. I look for more of what a guy brings to a gunfight other than bullets…The sweet science is not based on only one thing you can do particularly well.

“If he comes in the game thinking a punch is all he’ll need, he might be right, so you should watch.

“I’m walking a tightrope hundreds of feet in the air. He crushes people. Only three or four people survive his hammer.

“There’s no pressure on me but one thing that is on Bernard Hopkins – that no other fighter really has to do deal with because they’ve never been in my situation is – how I continue to keep making history

“Anybody at the right time and the right place can get knocked out. It is his job to do what others try to do. It is my job to do what I’ve been doing.

“Come November 8 on HBO you get to watch artwork. You’re watching Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong with gloves on.

“It’s such a testimony to see a 50-year-old man – less than 100 days from now – go 30 plus minutes with a young strong Russian puncher and not get a scratch on him.

“I understand humans have a timeline of when they are supposed to go. Age 35 and you’re done – I don’t care what sport you’re in. It’s a fact. I don’t know what type of evidence I need to show I’m an alien other than what is there.”

SERGEY KOVALEV, WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion

“It is not easy to overlook Hopkins. I think when he’s 60 years old he’ll be in the same condition. He’s an alien, but I have to send him to the moon and maybe from there he’ll go by himself to Mars.

“I want to say that one day in Big Bear when I trained, I met Oscar De La Hoya and asked him to sign me and he turned me down, but now here we are on different sides.

“I am not a talker, I am a fighter and I am sure Bernard will promote the fight for both of us.

“I don’t really understand what Bernard is saying. It doesn’t matter what he says. Even if I understood, I wouldn’t care. I don’t worry about him. I’ll go into the ring and do my job.

“Bernard talks and fights. I just fight.

“I can’t say what the fight will be like. This is boxing and anything can happen.

“It is my secret what I will do on fight night. I will give it my all and come out with the win.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President & Founder of Golden Boy Promotions

“This fight is the best against the best in the light heavyweight division.

“I really do feel that this is not just a fight, but an event. I am glad that it’s on HBO and I’m glad its not on pay-per-view, which it easily could have been, but you have to give credit to the fighters who are doing it for the fans.

“I believe that many people over the years have doubted Bernard Hopkins. He’s over 40-years-old, how can he win? All of those questions are no longer being asked. Everything that he does, he deserves.

“At 49-years-old, being the oldest champion in any sport, he deserves tons of respect. The fact that he’s facing the ‘Krusher,’ is just another of the many dangerous fighters that Bernard has faced.

“Being the best middleweight in the history of this sport, with 20 defenses and now to be 49 at light heavyweight, he’s still going strong. I’m now convinced he is an Alien.”

KATHY DUVA, CEO of Main Events

“This fight is going to be the most anticipated fight of 2014. It’s so much fun putting together a fight like this that everyone wants to see. Its great to see the excitement level and the anticipation, you can feel it in the air.

“This is going to be a tremendous event. It’s one of those fights that when the bell rings you really won’t know what is going to happen. It’s not about finding out who’s best, its about who is going to win the fight, because both are great.

“This is what boxing is supposed to be and we look forward to November 8.

“The first person I thought of when I saw Sergey Kovalev in the ring was Ray Leonard. I saw the look in his eye and I could tell he was different. I believe he is the most electrifying boxer in the world of boxing and he will prove it on November 8.”

KEN CONDON, Caesar’s Entertainment Consultant

“This is an Atlantic City fight, it’s in Bernard’s backyard and this is where the fight belongs.

“Sergey has also developed a great following from his last two fights in Atlantic City.

“Caesar’s stepped up to the plate and continued its tradition of great championship boxing in Atlantic City. We believe in the future of Atlantic City and we believe in boxing. We expect a sellout on November 8.”

AARON DAVIS, NJSAC Director

“November 8 is going to be a nice fight with premier fighters and premier promoters. We want to keep on the legacy that we have created in New Jersey.”

# # #

Hopkins vs. Kovalev, a 12-round unification bout for the IBF, WBA and WBO Light Heavyweight World titles, taking place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on Saturday, November 8 is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City, Corona Extra, AT&T and Hortitsia Vodka.

Tickets priced at $300, $200, $150, $100 and $50, plus applicable fees and service charges, go on sale on Friday, Sept. 5 at noon ET and will be available for purchase at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mainevents.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or http://www.boardwalkhall.com/.

Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/main_events, www.twitter.com/hboboxing,www.twitter.com/THEREALBHOP, www.twitter.com/krusherkovalev and www.twitter.com/BoardwalkHall.

Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/maineventsboxing, www.facebook.com/hboboxing and https://www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall.

On Saturday, August 30th, Triple A Promotions, in a collaborative effort with TMB Entertainment, staged a fan friendly, nine bout fight card at Nelson Wolff Stadium.

The customary home field of San Antonio Missions, Double-A affiliate of MLB’s San Diego Padres, was momentarily transformed into an Alamo City “Thunderdome” that featured some of the city’s best undefeated talent.

In the main event of the evening, Super Bantamweight Javier “The Pitbull” Rodriguez (11-0-1, 1 KO) kept his unbeaten streak intact while showing great improvement in a hard fought rematch with nemesis Guadalupe Perez (2-18, 0 KOs) from Garland, Texas.

All three judges at ringside scored the bout 60-54, all in favor of the undefeated “Pitbull” from San Antonio.

“My opponent’s record wasn’t really indicative of how tough he was in the ring,” admits the 20 year old prospect. “But all of the fights on this card were very competitive and the fans really got their money’s worth.”

Despite being in the ring with a deceptively tough veteran fighter, Javier seemingly dominated every round of the scheduled six round contest.

“Our game plan this time around was to get in with our offense and get out. We wanted to take advantage of those times when he would lunge in with the jab and leave himself out of position. We countered a lot better in this fight and were able to dictate the pace much easier as a result.”

In the co-main event of the evening, Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez (9-0, 4 KOs) also kept his perfect record intact by brutally stopping his customarily durable opponent from Monterrey, Mexico, Leonardo Torres (4-9, 1 KO).

After dropping his opponent in the first and third rounds, the end of the bout finally came by way of a perfectly timed overhand right that floored the hard nosed fighter at the 2:25 mark of the fifth stanza. As soon as Torres’ head hit the canvas, referee Mark Calo-Oy immediately and intelligently called a halt to the contest.

“He had an awkward style that was difficult to time effectively,” states the unbeaten power puncher. “My focus was to just touch him wherever I could land punches, and I eventually was successful in stopping him. But when an opponent is just trying to survive, it makes for a very difficult and awkward bout.”

“Everyone needs bouts like this in order to become a more complete fighter. I learned a lot from this performance and I will continue to improve. But I was extremely happy to give the great boxing fans of San Antonio a decisive knock-out. That’s ultimately what fight fans want to see.”

Although Lopez currently lives and trains in the Alamo City, his decisive victory over Torres was his first appearance in San Antonio since August of 2012. It’s something that he hopes to rectify over the next several months.

“I think it’s important to fight in my hometown,” claims the 23 year old Super Bantamweight. “This is where I live, and I have a lot of friends and family here. This is where I want to build my career.”

The nine bout fight card also featured the successful professional debut of highly touted amateur fighter Cresencio Ramos (1-0, 1 KO). “Kid Thunder” battered his overmatched opponent and truly dazzled the fans in attendance with his hand speed and accurate combination punching.

After overwhelming Lightweight Daniel Sanchez (0-11, 0 KOs) for two minutes consecutively, the third man in the ring, referee Mark Calo-Oy, decided to call a halt to the bout at the 2:11 mark of the opening round.

The 19 year old student at UTSA had much to say about his impressive debut on Saturday night.

“I wasn’t necessarily looking for the early knock-out, but I was happy that it came,” stated Cresencio Ramos. “I was just focused on being sharp and putting my punches together in quick combination. I really wanted to impress the fans who came out to support me.”

A large percentage of the two thousand fight fans in attendance were there to cheer for “Kid Thunder”. After staging a captivating TKO performance and hearing the “thunderous” ovation for his efforts, the future definitely looks bright for Cresencio Ramos.

“I know that this is only the beginning of my pro career, but I believe in myself,” professes “Kid Thunder”. “I believe that I can eventually become a world champion in boxing.”

Other results from Saturday night’s fight card from Nelson Wolff Stadium:

Junior Welterweight Armando “El Cartero” Cardenas Jr. (5-0, 3 KOs) scored a unanimous 4 round decision victory over a surprisingly game James Burns (1-5-1, 1 KO) of Ft. Worth, Texas.

TCU Graduate, Brandin “Boom” Chalker (1-0, 0 KOs) also made his successful professional debut with a unanimous four round decision over fight veteran Ramiro Torres (4-26-1, 2 KOs).

Junior Welterweight Rick Huerta Nunez (3-0, 2 KOs) also kept his undefeated record intact with a technical stoppage over pro debut fighter Chris Garcia (0-1) when the 24 year old fighter failed to answer the bell for the fourth and final round.

Junior Middleweight Daniel Baiz (1-0, 1 KO) of Team Morones Boxing Club scored a successful TKO in his pro debut when his opponent, John Angel Arrevalo (1-2, 0 KOs), refused to answer the bell in the third round of their scheduled four round contest.

Middleweight Rudy Lozano (1-0-1, 0 KOs) gained his first victory as a professional by beating up Rodney Ledesma (0-2-1) and scoring a wide unanimous decision.

And in the opening bout of the evening, Junior Welterweight Marco Antonio Solis (3-0, 1 KOs) remained undefeated by out pointing Eric Butler (0-3-1) in a very entertaining four round contest.

To support the hungry, young fighters competing in “Battle at the Ballpark” on Saturday night, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, two division world titlist and current WBO Super Featherweight Champion Mikey Garcia, and Light Heavyweight contender, and former WBC Super Middleweight title challenger Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez were present, enjoying the action at ringside.

“This is where it all begins,” stated Austin Trout. “It’s important to support these young talented fighters because I was exactly where they are right now not too long ago. If they continue to work hard and believe in themselves, these talented fighters can accomplish great things in the sport. I really enjoyed this fight card in San Antonio.”