PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Aug. 15th, 2014) – Former World Boxing Organization (WBO) light welterweight world champion Ruslan Provodnikov, known as “The Siberian Rocky,” is looking to step back into the ring this fall following a close loss to Chris Algieri in June, and Philadelphia’s “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy could be next on the hard-hitting Russian’s list.

Coming off his third consecutive win in July, Lundy (25-3-1, 12 KOs) is now ranked No. 3 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) among lightweights and would have no problem stepping up to 140 pounds to face Provodnikov, a fight he felt he should’ve had been in June when Provodnikov (23-3, 16 KOs) instead faced Algieri at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

“They had a list of guys to fight, including Algieri, Richar Abril and me and when they got my name, there was no excuse. They just didn’t want to fight me,” Lundy said. “They said Algieri wasn’t exciting enough, but with me, they just didn’t want to fight me.

“Then he fought Algieri anyway and got beat! This is the kind of fight I’ve been looking for. If I’ve got to take on the big, bad wolf to prove I’m elite, then that’s what I’ll do. I’ll come knocking at your door, push my way in, sit in your living room and see what the hot tea tastes like! All I can do at the end of the day is keep training and keep on knocking at their doors. These big, bad wolves, they say so much, but I’m the only one doing. I’m the one stepping to the plate and fighting.”

Lundy’s ability to win on the road in hostile environments, even on short notice, and beat the sport’s elite fighters has been well documented. The combined record of Lundy’s last 11 opponents prior to his bout in May is a staggering 232-18-3, including a win over Abril, the current World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion.

“I’m ready,” Lundy reiterated. “If [Provodnikov] wants to fight tomorrow, I’m ready to go. I’m already ready. I never have to get ready for a fight. That’s something you learn in the hood.”

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

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 15, 2014) – An international lineup of boxing standouts from the United States, Venezuela, Ireland, England and Argentina will make up a stacked undercard ahead of Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader of championship bouts at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

In the main event, “ShowTime” Shawn Porter will defend his IBF 147-pound crown against British banger Kell Brook. Plus, WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika will risk his 168-pound belt in a rematch against unbeaten Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell, and undefeated Omar “Panterita” Figueroa Jr. will defend his WBC Lightweight World Championship against mandatory challenger Daniel “Tremendo” Estrada. The tripleheader airs live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).

Before the trio of world title fights gets underway, undefeated heavyweight knockout sensation and WBC Continental Americas Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder will be opposed by Jason Gavern in a 10-round scrap on SHOWTIME EXTREME® (7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). In the opening bout, former two-division world champ Jorge “Niño De Oro” Linares faces Ira Terry in an eight-round lightweight match.

Time permitting, unbeaten Lydell Rhodes will take on Bayamon, Puerto Rico’s John Nader in an eight round welterweight matchup and Irish prospect Jason Quigley will take on Tijuana’s Fernando Najara in a four round middleweight bout on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

Also in action tomorrow will be 2012 U.S. Olympian Dominic Breazeale, local favorite Alan Sanchez, 2012 Olympic Gold medalist for Great Britain Luke Campbell, fellow British star Callum Smith and Argentina’s Fabian Maidana.

The next in line to face WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne, Alabama’s Deontay Wilder (31-0, 31 KOs) is not sitting idle while he awaits his shot at championship gold. He looks to follow-up his 96-second demolition of Malik Scott in March with another spectacular win. The most impressive knockout artist in boxing today, the 28-year-old has yet to be extended past the fourth round.

Hoping to derail the “Wilder Express” will be seasoned veteran Jason Gavern (25-16-4, 11 KOs) of Orlando, Fla. Winner of four of his last five bouts, most recently a victory over James Toney last November, the 37-year-old knows that with an upset of Wilder, he will make headlines around the boxing world and set himself up for an even bigger fight.

In the eight-round SHOWTIME EXTREME opener, former two-division world champion Jorge Linares (36-3, 23 KOs) continues his move toward a world title shot when he faces Ira Terry. Winner of five straight, including a March win over Nihito Arakawa in a WBC Lightweight Title elimination bout, the 28-year-old Venezuelan is expected to get a shot at the Figueroa-Estrada winner if triumphant on Saturday.

Memphis, Tenn. veteran Ira Terry (26-11, 16 KOs) has no plans on being a stepping stone for Linares, and coming off of wins in three of his last four fights, Terry has the focus and form to stun Linares and put a dent in his championship hopes.

A multi-sport athlete growing up who has also competed in both boxing and mixed martial arts professionally, Oklahoma City welterweight Lydell Rhodes (21-0, 10 KOs) will risk his unbeaten record in an eight-round matchup with Puerto Rican power puncher John Nater (13-6, 10 KOs),of Bayamon, P.R.

Former Irish amateur and newly signed Golden Boy Promotions star Jason Quigley (1-0, 1 KO) needed just 82 seconds to win his pro debut over Howard Reece in July, and the 23-year-old is making a quick turnaround to get back in the ring to face Fernando Najera (1-3) of Tijuana, Mexico in a six-round middleweight bout.

In heavyweight action, 2012 U.S. Olympian Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale (11-0, 10 KOs) will be fighting for the fourth time in 2014, and after big wins over Nagy Aguilera and Devin Vargas, he hopes to keep his hot streak going in an eight-round clash against tough Utah native Billy Zumbrun (27-13-1, 16 KOs), who has won four of his last five.

Stablemates of headliner Kell Brook, lightweight Luke Campbell (6-0, 4 KOs) and super middleweight Callum Smith (12-0, 9 KOs) will also proudly represent England. Hull southpaw Campbell is a 2012 Olympic Gold medalist who has impressed in each of his six outings as a pro. Campbell will be squaring off against the vastly more experienced Steve Trumble (13-30, 8 KOs), of Baton Rouge, Lain a four-round bout. Liverpool’s Smith is part of a fighting family who is soaring up the 168-pound ladder. Smith looks to continue his undefeated streak in a six-rounder against Abraham Hernandez (5-0, 3 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico.

In an eight-round welterweight bout, Alan Sanchez (13-3-1, 7 KOs), of Fairfield, Calif., will take on Tijuana native Jose Luis “Zurdo” Ramirez Jr. (7-0-1, 4 KOs), and in the four-round opener, also at 147 pounds, Fabian “TNT” Maidana (1-0), the brother of Marcos “El Chino” Maidana, meets Michigan’s Phillip Soriano (0-3).

Porter vs. Brook is a 12-round fight for Porter’s IBF Welterweight World Championship promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and AT&T. In the co-main event, the WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Sakio Bika defends his belt in a rematch against Anthony Dirrell, and in the televised opener, Omar Figueroa defends his WBC Lightweight World Championship against Daniel Estrada. The event will take place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., and will air live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (SHOWTIME 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and service charges are on sale now and are available online at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-8425. Doors open at 1 p.m. PT. The first fight begins at 1:00 p.m.

London (15 Aug) Mick Hennessy is delighted to announce that Britain’s hottest middleweight prospect the West Country Warrior Nick Blackwell has signed an exclusive long-term promotional deal with Hennessy Sports.

With no amateur career and having to learn on the job since he turned pro, Nick has graduated from being the youngest ever-English champion to a genuine world-class contender.

Nick Blackwell said on signing his promotional deal with Mick Hennessy “Words can’t describe how happy I am, it’s taken a lot of ups and downs, dedication and hard work but it’s finally starting to pay off.

I’m looking forward to my first fight with Hennessy Sports on Channel 5 in October.”

“I can’t thank Mick (Hennessy), Will (Storey) and Mark (Kent) enough for helping to make this happen, I won’t disappoint.”

Blackwell has fought at world level from the very early stages of his pro career against the likes of Martin Murray and in the last year Blackwell who has only just turned 23 has not only given Max Bursak a torrid time in the Ukraine after putting him down heavy and losing the decision which most people thought he won clearly. He has also sparred with many of the world’s best Middle and Super Middleweights.

His performances have made him one of the most avoided fighters out there and many leading British contenders have consistently ducked him.

Hewn from solid granite with huge strides in power and ring-craft, Nick is set to take the boxing world by storm.

His path to a world title will start in October live on Channel 5 and Mick Hennessy who has guided numerous British talents including Carl Froch to the world title is delighted to have secured the signature of one of boxing’s best kept secrets and to be able to showcase Nick’s fights on free to air terrestrial television”

Promoter Mick Hennessy said. “Nick has certainly done things the hard way in his young career, he is an old fashioned throwback fighter who will take on all comers and we are looking forward to giving him the great support he needs to help him realise his dream of becoming a major world champion.

“His mandatory status for the British title has been an inconvenient truth and he has already been swerved by certain fighters.

“We are now here to make sure that he gets his opportunities to fight for these titles.”

More information on Nick’s first fight promoted by Hennessy Sports will be announced next week.

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

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

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT WWW.HENNESSYSPORTS.COM

Brooklyn, NY (August 15, 2014) — Power hitter Steve Martinez is on a mission to climb the junior middleweight ladder and his promoter Dmitriy Salita of Star of David Promotions has announced the opponent who is the next rung on the boxers’ upward climb.

Martinez (15-0, 12 KO’s) is a resident of the Bronx, will take on Chris Pearson August 30, on “ShoBox.”

Martinez is a 24-year-old right-hander, who possesses ample power in both hands, and a closer mentality.’

The fight is slated for the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, and will screen on Showtime, on their series which spotlights only the best and brightest up and comers in the game.

“Steve Martinez is a product of the Brooklyn Braw series and as a result of consecutive victories, in February and then again in May, on Star of David cards, he’s moving up the ranks,” Salita said.

Pearson, a 23-year-old left-hander from Ohio, sports an 11-0 (9 KOs) mark.

Salita is impressed at the condition Martinez is in and expects him to hand Pearson the first blemish on his ledger. The promoter says Martinez stayed in stellar shape after a July 25 bout against John Thompson was scrapped because Thompson was in a car accident. “Steve is jumping on this opportunity to prove he is the best junior middleweight prospect in boxing,” the promoter said, in closing.

Don’t despair if you’re not heading to Vegas to see Martinez in action; you can get your fill of top-notch professional boxing on Sept. 18, when the next “Brooklyn Brawl” card unfolds in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.

Please visit SalitaPromotions.com to learn more about that card, which will be held at the Master Theater

(MANCHESTER, 15 Aug) – Last night at the Hilton Deansgate Hotel in Manchester, boxer Amir Khan hosted a glittering fundraising dinner for the launch of the Amir Khan Foundation, raising a staggering £218,000, for the new charity (Charity Number 1158078).

A number of well-known faces, as well as 500 guests from across the country joined Amir at the sell-out event, including much-loved stand-up comedian, actor and co-host, Omid Djalili, ex-Bolton Wanderers star, Kevin Davies, TV presenter, Charlie Webster and basketball star, John Amaechi.

Set up by Amir to enable him to be even more hands-on with his charity work, the Amir Khan Foundation will provide crucial support to disadvantaged young people in the UK and worldwide. It will help communities and charities in need of support, from a local football club needing a new kit, to communities abroad hit by a natural disaster or a crisis.

The Amir Khan Foundation will work with international delivery partner, The Penny Appeal, and use the funds raised to support numerous projects including the building of a new orphanage, school and well in the deprived Gunjur region of Gambia.

Highly emotional speeches from Amir and the Amir Khan Foundation team brought to life the aims and aspirations of the new charity. Amir also shared details of his recent trip to Gambia where he visited communities in desperate need of support and the site where his orphanage will be.

The evening was packed with entertainment from Omid and his comedy sketches, as well as high energy performances from a Britain’s Got Talent dance group from Manchester, the Shockarellas. Guests also dug deep for rare auction items, which included a signed pair of Mo Farah’s running spikes, Muhammad Ali signed shorts, and a signed Lewis Hamilton racing suit.

Amir explained: “We’ve been working on plans for the Amir Khan Foundation for a long time, so I’m extremely proud to have raised so much on our first ever event.

“The total amount exceeded all of our expectations and I’d like to thank everyone who came along – it was a fantastic night.

“My recent trip to Gambia with the Amir Khan Foundation team really helped bring my dreams for the charity to life and I hope the money raised will help to make a real difference to communities over there.”

Aamer Naeem, CEO of Penny Appeal added: “We’re delighted to be working alongside Amir and the Amir Khan Foundation to help facilitate their great plans for the charity. The evening was a huge success and it’s great to work with someone who is so passionate – and this is just the start of great things to come for the partnership.”

To keep updated with all Amir Khan Foundation news, follow @AKFoundation – and to donate please visit www.pennyappeal.org/AmirKhanFoundation

-ENDS-
Notes
The Penny Appeal aims to transform lives through the collection of small change to help tackle poverty.

A penny may be small and insignificant to many people living in the developed world, but to those in extreme poverty a penny, combined with a handful of other pennies, genuinely equates to life-changing money.

All Penny Appeal projects and campaigns are carefully constructed and designed with affordability and high impact at their heart. Constantly striving to reach out and benefit the maximum number of poor and needy people it can, in ways that cost donors no more than a pocketful of pennies a day.

For more information please visit the Penny Appeal website www.pennyappeal.org/

CARSON, Calif. (Aug. 14, 2014) – Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions hosted the final press conference earlier today for this Saturday’s potentially explosive world championship tripleheader live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

In what should be a thrilling, non-stop action three-fight telecast, IBF Welterweight World Champion “ShowTime” Shawn Porter (24-0-1, 15 KOs), of Cleveland, Ohio, will defend against fellow unbeaten Kell Brook 32-0, 22 KOs), of Sheffield, England, WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika (32-5-3, 21 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, will risk his 168-pound belt in a grudge rematch against unbeaten Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell (26-0-1, 22 KOs), of Flint, Mich., and undefeated Omar “Panterita” Figueroa Jr. (23-0-1, 17 KOs), of Weslaco, Texas, will put up his WBC Lightweight World Championship against mandatory challenger Daniel “Tremendo” Estrada (32-2-1, 24 KOs), of Mexico City.

The three SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING world title fights will be preceded by two important bouts on SHOWTIME EXTREME® (7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast): undefeated heavyweight knockout sensation and WBC Continental Americas Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (31-0, 31 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., will take on Jason Gavern (25-16-4, 11 KOs), of Orlando, Fla., in a 10-round match and former two-division world champion Jorge “Niño De Oro” Linares (36-3, 23 KOs) will be opposed by Ira Terry (26-11, 16 KOs), of Memphis, Tenn., in an eight-round lightweight match.

Both Wilder and Linares are mandatory challengers and a victory away from fighting for a world title in the near future; Wilder against WBC Heavyweight Champion Bermane Stiverne and Linares against the Figueroa-Estrada winner.

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are on sale
now and are available online at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub
Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by
calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-
8425. Doors open at 1 p.m. PT. The first fight begins at 1:05 p.m.

Speaking before a large contingent of media from the Southern California area and UK, Porter needed a little crowd participation to make his one and only point when it was his turn to talk at the dais.

“Let’s let him [Brook] know what time it is,” Porter yelled as he stepped up to the mic. Some in the audience responded,”It’s “Showtime!”

After repeating this, Porter then stared down at a still-seated Brook and said. “I think you know what time it is. Saturday night I’m going to make sure you know what time it is.” Porter said thank you and then sat down.

Here’s more from what Porter, the fighters and executives said during Thursday’s press conference at StubHub Center:

SHAWN PORTER, IBF Welterweight World Champion

“There was good energy today and the crowd really got me going. I have a lot to offer to this sport. I’m one of the quickest and strongest guys in my weight class. And I’m probably the most confident too. But I can’t help that. It’s my personality, it’s who I am.

“Saturday night, you’re going to see it all. You’re going to see some boxing, you’ll see some aggression, you’ll see intelligence, some power and quickness. The whole nine yards.

“I’ve done enough homework to know that I can beat him. This has been a long time coming, and I look forward to defending my title on Saturday night. Everybody in the UK better stay up late for this one. I’m hoping to get some new fans over there after this is over.”

KELL BROOK, Undefeated Welterweight Contender

“This has been a long time coming, but I’ve finally arrived on the top stage now. It’s every fighter’s dream to win a world title, and it’s all I’ve been thinking about through all the training and waiting.

“I know Shawn Porter is a very tough customer and a very worthy champion. But this is my time. I’m so ready mentally, and physically, I’ve got my family here. I’m just in the best place of my life. I’m very confident, totally prepared and Saturday could not come quick enough for me.”

SAKIO BIKA, WBC Super Middleweight Champion

“He ran around the first fight and I should have won. It’s nothing new for me to fight in the States and I just have to go there and knock him out so there’s no need for a judges’ decision.

“I don’t need to sit here and talk much. He’s doing enough of that for the both of us. We’ll see who’s doing the talking after I get through with him on Saturday night.”

ANTHONY DIRRELL, Undefeated Super Middleweight Contender

“I’m definitely ready to fight. If I wasn’t I sure couldn’t make it happen in two days. I’m basically going to stick to my game plan from the first fight, but with a few tweaks. I want to leave nothing to chance.

“It’s been nine months since our first fight. You can’t call Bika a real champion. I beat him the first time; this time it’s going to be worse. There’s going to be a new champion on Saturday. It’s going to be a helluva fight, but I’m going to burn him.

“I already won my toughest fight when I beat cancer. A big part of my motivation on Saturday is knowing that Danny Jacobs [a fellow cancer survivor who captured the WBA middleweight title last Saturday on SHOWTIME] will be calling the fights from ringside for SHOWTIME.”

OMAR FIGUEROA JR., WBC Lightweight World Champion

“This is the hardest I’ve ever trained for a fight and now I’m back on one of boxing’s biggest stages. I know Estrada likes to come forward so that should make for an exciting fight for the fans.

“This is another very big fight for me. This fight is for my family and all my friends back in Texas.

“I expect a rough fight, but I know I will win.”

DANIEL ESTRADA, Leading Lightweight Contender
“I’m dedicating this fight to my family and the memory of my younger sister, Janyn, and her five-year-old daughter, Emery, who died after they were in a car crash less than three weeks ago.
“It’s been a very difficult, emotional time for all of us. My sister, who was 27, has always been my biggest supporter in boxing. She always told me that if I continued to work hard I would make it to the top and become a world champion.
“I’m using what she always said to me as motivation for this fight. As bad as we all feel, there was never really a time when I thought I would abandon this opportunity. I know she would want me to take the fight.
“I’ve been waiting a year to fight for the title and on Saturday I’m going to take advantage of my shot. I recognize Figueroa as a great champion for what he brings to the sport, but I’m a Mexican warrior. I’ll show you all that on Saturday.”
DEONTAY WILDER, Undefeated WBC Continental Americas Champion

“I’m right at the door. All I’ve got to do is ring the bell or knock to get inside. Everybody has their opinion on who I should fight, and I know this is a risk fight. Jason [Gavern] comes to fight every time. And you’ve got to respect that. I’ve definitely not looking past Jason, but I’m looking through him.

“I love boxing, and I love what I do. I love being surrounded by other fighters and champions. I love the atmosphere and the fans, just everything that’s involved with boxing. I was very eager and very hungry to get back in the ring.”

JASON GAVERN, Veteran Heavyweight

“This is kind of cool for a former policeman like me to be on a card like this and I thank everyone involved for making it happen.

“Wilder is 31-0 with 31 knockouts for a reason. But I love to fight and look forward to putting on a good show like I always do.”

JORGE LINARES, Former WBC Featherweight & WBA Super Featherweight World Champion

“This is a must-win fight for me which is why I’ve prepared for a very hard fight. I know I have to win to get my title shot. But I’m not here just to win but to look good.

“I have three losses on my record, but in my heart I feel I’ve lost only once [against Antonio DeMarco]. I certainly can’t afford to lose on Saturday. I’m anxious and ready to go.”

JASON QUIGLEY, Unbeaten Super Middleweight Prospect
“My weight is always pretty good because I’ve never gone up and down between fights; I always try to maintain top conditioning.
“I really enjoy being a pro and being part of all the fight-week activities before a fight -the workout, press conference and weigh-in. It’s great to be surrounded by so many great fighters and so much media.
“Saturday is my second pro fight and I’m totally focused and ready to perform.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President and Founder of Golden Boy Promotions

“Every single one of these TV fights could be a main event. This is just a stacked card.

“StubHub Center is known for putting on some amazing fights. I like to call it the ‘Thuderdome’. You know, the old movie with Mel Gibson and Tina Turner where they just go to fight. Every single fight we’ve staged at StubHub has been incredible.

“The main event is definitely one of those fights where you don’t want to blink. I know both these fighters have the hunger and desire to put on just an amazing fight.

“Shawn Porter comes from Cleveland, Ohio, a place that grooms champions, like LeBron James. He’s a real throwback fighter who works hard and will fight anybody. Kell Brook is a true champion who is hungry and determined.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME SPORTS

“SHOWTIME is happy to be back here with Golden Boy at StubHub Center for what I predict will be one of the most exciting cards of the year.

“StubHub is a special place for boxing, one of the top two or three in the world, an outdoor venue that is a perfect setting for fights that draw great fans.

“The three world title fights Saturday couldn’t be more even -they’re all 50-50. All these fighters are coming to win. It should be an all-action show and we are very excited about it.

# # #

Porter vs. Brook is a 12-round fight for Porter’s IBF Welterweight World Championship promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event, the WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Sakio Bika defends his belt in a rematch against Anthony Dirrell, and in the televised opener, Omar Figueroa defends his WBC Lightweight World Championship against Daniel Estrada. The event will take place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., and will air on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (SHOWTIME 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

12-ROUND MAIN EVENT
Rustam Nugaev 134 vs. Denis Shafikov 135

Jose Pedraza 132 vs. Juan Carlos Martinez 132
Francisco Santana 146.5 vs. Luis Alfredo Lugo 145
Rufino Serrano 125 vs. Khabir Suleymanov 125
Edwin Sandoval 125 vs. Lyonell Kelly 125
Makani Sarellano 263 vs. Andrew Tinae 258
Carlos Samuel Lopez 161 vs. Azamat Umarzada 159.5

The ESPN “Friday Night Fights” telecast begins Friday August 15, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. PST from the Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif.

Tickets priced $35, $50, $65, $85, and $95 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Chumash Casino Box office or online at HERE. Doors open at 5:00 P.M, first fight starts at 5:30 P.M.

CINCINNATI, Ohio (Aug. 14, 2014) – Former three-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner and super lightweight contender Emanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor held a kickoff press conference at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati on Thursday to formally announce their upcoming showdown on Saturday, Sept. 6, LIVE on SHOWTIME®.

Broner (28-1, 22 KOs) will return to his hometown of Cincinnati for the first time in two years and will face Taylor (18-2, 12 KOs) in a 12-round super lightweight bout in the main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader from U.S. Bank Arena.

In the co-feature, former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Lucas “The Machine” Matthysse (35-3, 33 KOs) will square off with Mexico’s highly touted Roberto “Massa” Ortiz (31-0-1, 24 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight bout. Opening the telecast will be the return of former welterweight world champion Andre Berto (28-3, 22 KOs) against an opponent to be announced.

Joining Broner and Taylor at Thursday’s press conference were undefeated bantamweight prospect Rau’Shee Waren,(who will fight on the undercard), Broner’s trainer Mike Stafford, Vice President of Golden Boy Promotions Eric Gomez and CEO of R& R Promotions Andrew Williams.

Broner vs. Taylor is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and R&R Promotions in association with Star Boxing and is sponsored by Corona and AT&T. 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.

Here’s what the participants had to say during Thursday’s press conference:

ADRIEN BRONER, Former Three-Division World Champion:

“I’m more than excited to be back in Cincinnati. It’s like when you spoil a kid —when you buy a kid a new pair of sneakers, the next time they come out they are going to expect another pair. Every time I’ve fought at home I gave my fans a knockout. I spoiled my fan base in Cincinnati. So every time I fight here that’s what they want.

“I have to give them a knockout, I got to. And it’s got to be pretty, too. I think I’m going to hit him with the 30 piece and the biscuit.

“My fans keep supporting me and I’m going to fight for them. We’ve waited a long time to get to this spot and now we have to stay on top.

“My mind isn’t anywhere but on Emanuel Taylor. That’s my main objective. After I get my job done then I’ll think about another fight. But right now I’m focused on what I have to do.”

“I’m going to put on a show like I always do and I’m ready right now.

“I know Taylor pretty well and I respect him, but at the end of the day he’s my enemy. I have to go out there and get my victory.”

EMANUEL TAYLOR, Super Lightweight Contender:

“He can’t get under my skin. I always keep my calm. I knew he was going to talk, but at the end of the day we have to throw our hands.

“I’m definitely an underdog, but I can’t tell you my game plan. We just have to go in there and do what we have to do to get a win.

“I have to beat him really bad to get the win, I know that. I know we’re going up against the odds fighting him in his hometown. I’m going to go in there and fight my fight. That’s what we train hard for.

“I saw his fight against [Marcos] Maidana and I saw a lot of weaknesses there. But that’s not the only way he can be beaten. I definitely can take advantages of his weaknesses but I have some other plans for fighting this guy.

“I’m definitely looking to make a statement. This is the biggest fight of my career. This is what I’ve been working for my whole life since I was a little kid. It’s my time to make a statement.

“I’m coming to fight to give the fans what they want. At the end of the day may the best man win. I’m coming here to fight and do my thing.”

RAU’SHEE WAREN, Undefeated Bantamweight Prospect:

“This is my first time fighting in my hometown as a pro and everyone knows how badly I’ve wanted this.

“It’s no secret that I’ve been trying to get a fight in Cincinnati ever since I first turned pro this is all I wanted.

“I’m so happy to have the chance on September 6 to put on a show for my hometown fans.”

MIKE STAFFORD, Broner and Warrens Trainer:

“It brings tears to my eyes to be here. Without Golden Boy [Promotions] we couldn’t keep these kids fighting in the ring. You see the matches they make and everyone needs to acknowledge what Golden Boy is doing.

“Emanuel’s coaches said they weren’t going to fight Adrien [Broner], for a whole week, but eventually it was up to the fighter and he made the decision to fight Adrien in Cincinnati. He’s coming off of a good win and you have to take your hat off to him.

“Don’t just come out for Adrien. Come out for the undercard. We have guys in camp and all they’re thinking about is Cincinnati.”

ERIC GOMEZ, Senior Vice President of Golden Boy Promotions:

“Everyone knows that Adrien Broner is a superstar because of all the things he does in the ring.

“What makes Adrien so great is that he will fight anyone. He has never turned down an opponent. Few fighters have done what he has in his career.

“He already has a Hall of Fame career. Only one other fighter has jumped form 135 to 147 in the history of boxing and that Henry Armstrong, that’s the kind of talent we have here in Adrien Broner.

“Adrien and his team said they wanted to fight in Cincinnati, and it was done. You have to give Adrien a big hand for that. Adrien is doing something special for his hometown.

“Emanuel Taylor is a tough fighter. He always comes to fight and he is going to be ready on September 6.”

ANDREW WILLIAMS, CEO of R&R Promotions:

“We are extremely excited about this event and to be co-promoting it with Golden Boy Promotions. Cincinnati was the birthplace of gloved boxing so it is appropriate that we are brining this big-time event to Cincinnati.

“We have the number one up-and-coming boxer in the sport in Adrien Broner. He has brought boxing alive and is truly one of the most tremendous talents in the sport.

“Another first, we have the number one amateur, Rau’shee Warren making his hometown debut in Cincinnati.”

JAMES BROCK, Chief Inspector Ohio State Athletic Commission

“We are proud and honored to have Golden Boy Promotions, R&R Promotions and SHOWTIME right here on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio where we have arguably the fight of the year.

“We are saying that if you are anybody, you will be here. Anybody who is anybody will be here.

“We have the incomparable Adrien Broner and the most-worthy Emanuel Taylor. May the best man win.”

DALE MALLORY, Ohio State Representative, District 32

“On behalf the Governor of the state of Ohio and the Ohio Athletic Commission we would like to welcome you to the great state of Ohio and the proud birthplace of many historic events.

“One historic event was the birth and rise of our own home-grown boxing champion, Adrien Broner. Now on September 6 we will bring worldwide exposure of the historic homecoming and the exciting experience of the sweet science of boxing –Cincinnati style.”

# # #

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 is sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The event 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). In the co-main event, Lucas Matthysse faces Roberto Ortiz in a super lightweight bout. In the televised opener, former welterweight world champion Andre Berto will face an opponent to be named.

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.

MAIN EVENT – M-1 CHALLENGE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – 3 X 5
DAMIAN GRABOWSKI (19-1-0), Champion, Poland 247 LBS. (112.0 KG.)
MARCIN TYBURA (10-0-0), Challenger, Poland 245 LBS. (111.1 KG.)

(L-R) Damian Grabowski, M-1 Global promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Marcin Tybura

CO-FEATURE – M-1 CHALLENGE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – 5 X 5
STEPHAN PUETZ (10-1-0), Champion, Germany 204 ¼ LBS. (92.7 KG.)
LUIS FERNANDO MIRANDA (12-1-0), Challenger, Brazil 201 ½ LBS.(91.4 KG.)

(L-R) Stephan Puetz, M-1 Global promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Luis Fernando Miranda

SUPER FIGHT – FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
IVAN BUCHINGER (26-4-0), Poland 144 ¾ LBS. (65.7 KG.)
MIKHAIL MALYUTIN (26-12-0), Russia 145 LBS. (65.8 KG.)

(L-R) Ivan Buchinger, M-1 Global promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Mikhail Malyutin

SUPER FIGHT – WELTERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
DANIEL TABERA (17-5-3), Spain 170 LBS. (77.1 KG.)
ILYA DODERKIN (5-0-0), Russia 169 ¾ LBS. (77.0 KG.)

(L-R) Daniel Tabera, M-1 Global promoter Vadin Finkelchtein and Ilya Doderkin

SUPER FIGHT – FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
KAMIL MARON (5-1-0), Poland 144 ½ LBS. (65.5 KG.)
NIKITA CHISTYAKOV (1-1-0), Russia 144 ½ LBS. (65.5 KG.)

(L-R) Kamil Maron, M-1 Global promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Nikita Chistyakov

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 2 X 5
SABA BOLAGHI (1-0-0), Germany 154 ½ LBS. (70.1 KG.)
ZULFIKAR USMANOV (6-3-0), Russia 154 ¼ LBS. (70.0 KG.)

PRELIMINARY CARD

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 2 X 5
MARAT BALAYEV (pro debut), Russia, 154 ¾ LBS. (70.2 KG.)
ISSAC ALVARADO (1-0-0), Spain 155 LBS. (70.3 KG.)

WELTERWEIGHTS – 2X 5
STANLSLAV ROGOV (pro debut), Russia 165 LBS. (74.9 KG.)
ADAM TSUROV (pro debut), Inqushetia 169 ½ LBS. (76.9 KG.)

MIDDLEWEIGHTS – 2 X 5
DAUREN ERMEKOV (pro debut), Kazakhstan 185 ¾ LBS. (84.3 KG.)
HABIB ISAEV (pro debut), Russia 184 ½ LBS. (83.7 KG.)

ROS STROILNVEST CUP SEMIFINALS – LIGHTWEIGHTS – 2 X 3
ARTEM GLYBCHAK (pro debut), Russia 154 ½ LBS. (70.0 KG.)
DANIYAR ISMAILOV (pro debut), Russia 152 ½ LBS. (69.2 KG.)

ROS STROILNVEST CUP SEMIFINALS – LIGHTWEIGHTS – 2 X 3
ANTON TELEPNEV (6-4-0), St. Petersburg, Russia 154 ½ LBS. (70.0 KG.)
JYRGAL EMILBEK (pro debut), Russia 154 LBS. (69.9 KG.)
_______________________________________________________________________

WHAT: M-1 Challenge 50: Battle on Neva

WHEN: Friday, August 15, 2014

WHERE: Mitninskaya enb 6, St. Petersburg, Russia

PROMOTER: M-1 Global

LIVE STREAM: WWW.M1GLOBAL.TV
Main Card Fights $1.00 USD, Preliminary fights free
Hi Definition, Bitrate Auto Selection, Broadcast Provider: OCTOSHAPE CDN, Software Solution (OTT PLATFORM): FUUGO TV (by Finnish company, Axel)

REGISTER NOW!
Main card starting time around the world:
Moscow 20:00, Rome 18:00, London 17:00, New York 12:00 and Tokyo 1:00

Information

www.M-1Global.com

www.mixfight.ru

www.WMMAA.org

www.M1Global.tv

Instagram:

@M1Global

@VadimFinkelchteinM1

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-Global/145250878842244
ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in the realm of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St Petersburg, Amsterdam and Los Angeles and affiliates in Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged more than 150 events worldwide, including the M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge and M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the Showtime network in the United States. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2014 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global’s Champions amongst the greatest in the sport. M-1 Global’s greatest asset is renowned heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

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

LAS VEGAS (August 14, 2014) – In keeping with Mexican Independence Day tradition, Mayweather Promotions has assembled a stellar undercard featuring some of this era’s most exciting boxers to co-feature on “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” on Saturday,September 13 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena live on SHOWTIME PPV.

Featured on the four-fight pay-per-view telecast, fan favorite Leo “Terremoto”
Santa Cruz will put his WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship on the line in a 12-round championship bout against Mexican contender Manuel “Suavecito” Roman, plus Tijuana-Baja’s pride Miguel “Títere” Vazquez defends his IBF Lightweight World Championship against Mayweather Promotions’ rising star Mickey “The Spirit” Bey. In the opening bout on pay per view, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo returns to the ring against James De La Rosa in a 10-round bout.

Rounding out a sensational night of televised fights, SHOWTIME will present a live 10-round Jr. welterweight bout between John Molina Jr. and Humberto “La Zorrita”
Soto on “COUNTDOWN LIVE” (SHO, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) immediately preceding the SHOWTIME PPV telecast.

“This is my second time fighting on a Floyd Mayweather pay-per-view undercard and I know that there is no bigger stage than this,” said Santa Cruz. “Manuel Roman is a tough customer. I know he’s going to come prepared and try to take my title. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain, but I plan on leaving the ring with my hand raised.”

“Leo Santa Cruz is one of the top guys not only in the super bantamweight division, but in all of boxing,” said Roman. “I’ve never been intimidated in the ring before and I don’t plan on starting on September 13. Santa Cruz better be ready because I know I will be.”

“I’m looking forward to fighting at MGM Grand again and on this amazing Floyd Mayweather card,” said Vazquez. “It’s time to get to business and get in the best shape ever so I’m ready to put on a show. I respect Mickey Bey, but I plan on winning convincingly to show that I’m one of the best in the lightweight division.

“I want to thank God for helping me persevere through the tough times and helping me overcome obstacles in my life,” said Bey. “I also want to thank my team for believing in me and helping me get to this opportunity. I plan on seizing the moment and becoming a world champion on September 13.”

“I’ve been anxious to get back in the ring ever since the end of the Canelo fight,” said Angulo. “I’m ready to get back on the winning track and this is a great opportunity for me to do that in front of the world on Mexican Independence Day weekend. This fight could not be more critical for my future in this sport and I want to put on a great show for the fans.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for me to make my name on a huge stage against a fellow Mexican-warrior in Alfredo Angulo,” said De La Rosa. “On September 13 I’m going to teach an old dog some new tricks.”

“Floyd always wants to ensure the paying fans get their monies worth by delivering a strong night of boxing action through compelling televised undercard bouts,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO Mayweather Promotions. “This fight night will be no different from the rest as Leo Santa Cruz and Miguel Vazquez will defend their world titles valiantly, electrifying Mickey Bey will seek to win that title from Vazquez and fan favorite Alfredo Angulo will look to revitalize his career in what will amount to a sensational night of boxing.”

“From top to bottom, the September 13th fight card is going to get fans out of their seats whether they are among the thousands in attendance at MGM Grand or hundreds of thousands watching from home,” said Oscar De La Hoya, president and founder of Golden Boy Promotions. “Golden Boy is proud to promote the most crowd-pleasing fighters in the sport and with Marcos Maidana, Leo Santa Cruz and Alfredo Angulo, all in action under the same roof, it’s sure to be a night that no one will forget.”

One of the most successful and exciting fighters in the sport, Leo Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KOs) is on the cusp of superstardom. Widely recognized as one of the highest volume punchers in the game, the 25-year-old, two-division world champion who fights out of Los Angeles by way of Huetamo, Michoacan de Ocampo, Mexico will be making his third defense of the WBC 122-pound title he won last August. His exciting work rate and significant power have made Santa Cruz a mainstay on SHOWTIME as he prepares for his second consecutive PPV bout after defeating Cristian Mijares in March on the “TOE TO TOE: Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo” PPV card.

Tijuana-Baja, Mexico native fighting out of Paramount, Calif., Manuel Roman (17-2, 6 KOs) is ready for the spotlight. The hard-hitting 26-year-old is coming off of a two-fight winning streak. An underdog ready to upset bantamweight favorite on the biggest stage of his career could pull off the upset of the year.

A respected veteran and the current IBF Lightweight World Champion, Miguel Vazquez (34-3, 13 KOs) looks to make himself a household name on September 13 when he puts his title on the line against Mickey Bey. The 27-year-old from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico is riding an impressive 13-fight win streak dating all the way back to a 2008 loss against Canelo Alvarez. Vazquez won his lightweight world title in 2010 against Ji-Hoon Kim and has gone on to defeat undefeated fighters Leonardo Zappavigna, Mercito Gesta and, most recently, Denis Shafikov this past Feb. 22.

His opponent, Mickey Bey (20-1-1, 10 KOs) is one of the top rising stars in the Mayweather Promotions’ stable. The 31-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio was an amateur standout who defeated Brandon Rios at the 2004 Olympic Trials but was forced to miss the Olympics because of a bout with pneumonia. Since then, Bey has put together an exceptional professional career, with only one loss at the hands of John Molina Jr. last July, and has risen to contender status in the lightweight division. The winner of his last two fights, including a dominating decision victory against Alan Herrera in his last fight, Bey is ready to fight on the biggest stage of his career.

Despite losing his last two fights, Alfredo Angulo (22-4, 18 KOs) remains a popular and extremely dangerous fighter, who is no doubt looking to take out his recent frustrations on his next opponent. The 31-year-old from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico always produces exciting fights, as evidenced by knockouts of Gabriel Rosado, Joel Julio and Joachim Alcine, as well as his classic 2011 showdown with James Kirkland. Angulo’s last two defeats came at the hands of the top fighters in the 154-pound division in Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara. Both fighters controversially stopped Angulo in the 10th round, but on Sept. 13 it is Angulo who plans on inflicting pain and walking out victorious.

Angulo’s opponent, James De La Rosa (22-2, 13 KOs) is looking to make his name in the sport with an explosive win on September 13. The 26-year-old Mexican fighting out of San Benito, Texas is fresh off of an August 2 technical knockout victory over Fabian Reyes. This win adds to a list of solid triumphs that includes Tyrone Brunson, Lenin Arroyo and Tim Coleman. Now he looks for his biggest victory and to be able to say he has arrived as one of the sport’s elite.

The two fighters kicking off the night on Mayweather vs. Maidana 2: COUNTDOWN LIVE are sure to make sparks fly in the ring as both look to rise in their divisional rankings. John Molina Jr. (27-4, 22 KOs) from Covina, Calif., is looking to bounce back from his loss to Lucas Matthysse in a fight that immediately jumped to the top of the Fight of the Year list. The 31-year-old owns an impressive knockout victory over Mickey Bey that proved you can never count the powerful puncher out of a fight.

Humberto Soto (64-8-2, 35 KOs) is riding a six-fight winning streak since a 2012 loss to Matthysse. A former titlist in three divisions, the 34-year-old from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico looks to stay hot and earn himself another shot at a world title with a big televised victory on Sept. 13.

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s 147-pound 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 and “The Equalizer” in theaters September 26. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc.

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.

For more information visit www.mayhemfight.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com, and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @chinomaidana, @mayweatherpromo, @goldenboyboxing, @ShoSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #Mayhem and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/chinomaidanaoficial, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

NEW YORK, (August 14, 2014) – Former amateur boxing sensation, Wellington Romero (4-0, 2 KOs), who’s undefeated as a professional, is a promotional free agent. Fighting out of Newburgh, New York, by way of Dominican Republic, Romero competes at the Light Welterweight division (140 lbs).

In addition to winning several tournaments before turning professional, Romero competed in the 2012 Olympics, going further then Jose Ramírez, Félix Verdejo and Rau’shee Warren to name a few.

Standing 5’9 and fighting out of the southpaw stance, Romero possesses the skills to compete at the highest level. After sparring top level opposition, Wellington has earned the respect of his peers and looks to make his mark in the boxing world.

“I’m very hungry to show the world what I’m made of,” said Romero. “I’ve been in the ring with some of the best fighters in the world and I held my own to say the least. I know with the right promoter, I’ll be able to work my way up the rankings with the goal of fighting for a world title in the future. I have big dreams to become something special in this sport, all I need is an opportunity.”

TORONTO (August 14, 2014) – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a live broadcast of Cage Warriors 70 from The Helix in Dublin, Ireland this Saturday, August 16, at 4 p.m. ET.

Fight Network’s live broadcast will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV in the U.S., nationwide in Canada and internationally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

In the main event, rising French star Damien Lapilus (9-3-1, 1NC) will take on former Cage Warriors lightweight title challenger Joseph Duffy (10-1).

In other featured bouts, Irish favorite Philip Mulpeter (7-4) returns to welterweight for what’s set to be an explosive clash with heavy-hitting Englishman Jake Bostwick (15-8, 1NC), who searches for his ninth consecutive victory.

An All-Irish lightweight tussle will see Paul Redmond (9-4) lock horns with Greece’s Alexis “The Furious Kid” Savvidis (8-1) and following his two-fight stint with Bellator, Andrew Fisher (12-6-1) will make his Cage Warriors debut against Artem Lobov (9-10, 1NC). Plus, England’s Lloyd Clarkson (8-7) faces undefeated Irishman Karl Moore (4-0), while Romania’s Paul Marin (7-4) takes on Northern Irish prospect Andy Young (6-5).

The full fight card for Cage Warriors 70 is below:

Main Card (Live on Fight Network, 4 p.m. ET):
-Joseph Duffy vs. Damien Lapilus
-Jake Bostwick vs. Philip Mulpeter
-Paul Redmond vs. Alexis Savvidis
-Andrew Fisher vs. Artem Lobov
-Lloyd Clarkson vs. Karl Moore
-Paul Marin vs. Andy Young

Preliminary Card (Facebook, 2:45 p.m. ET):
-Konrad Iwanowski vs. Peter Queally
-Tommy McCafferty vs. Dean Reilly
-Louis Chapman vs. Ryan Roddy

Preliminary Card (Untelevised, 2 p.m. ET):
-Catherine Costigan vs. Noelia Molina
-Dean Garnett vs. Martin Sheridan

Duffy returns to mixed martial arts in his native Ireland for the first time since October 2011, having had a successful stint as a professional boxer in the meantime, during which he accumulated a 7-0 record.

The 26-year-old, who was a contestant on the twelfth season of The Ultimate Fighter, holds submission wins over current UFC stars Norman Parke and Conor McGregor.

“I can’t wait to put some new skills on show for one of the best promotions in the world, especially in front of a home crowd,” said Duffy. “It’s going to be a cracker.”
Lapilus will provide an extremely difficult challenge for Duffy, as the 25-year-old Frenchman aims to stretch his unbeaten run to six bouts.

With just one loss in his last ten outings – which came at the hands of unbeaten Finnish star Teemu Packalen – Lapilus has carved out a reputation as one of Europe’s top prospects, having competed on highly-regarded events in France, Belgium, Finland and Sweden.

The clash with Duffy will be the fourth fight of 2014 for Lapilus, who has already picked up wins over Zyad Abada and Jean Francois Darmazil, as well as a draw with Daguir Imavov, so far this year.
Lapilus said: “This will be a big challenge for me but I’m excited for it. Fighting on this event for Cage Warriors is a great opportunity which I’m really looking forward to.”

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

HILDALGO, TX (August 13) – Monday night boxing will arrive in the great state of Texas on September 29 when FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes’ sensational series Golden Boy Live! presents an explosive heavyweight showdown between former Light Heavyweight World Champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver and top contender Johnathon Banks at the State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas.

“I’m happy to be back in the ring and fighting in Texas for the first time,” said Tarver, who returns to action for the first time since November, 2013. “A win over Johnathon Banks is just what I need to get my shot at the heavyweight title. To come back to boxing on the same day that my son, Antonio Jr. makes his pro-debut; that’s even more rewarding.”

“Tarver is a crafty veteran who deserves respect for what he’s done in the sport,” said Banks. “But his time has passed and I’ll remind him of that on September 29.”

“This is a great matchup between two veteran heavyweights who can show a lot of the younger kids how it’s done,” said Oscar De La Hoya, president and founder of Golden Boy Promotions. “I’m really looking forward to this one and as far as picking a winner, it’s a toss-up.”

One of the premier light heavyweights of his era, Antonio Tarver (30-6, 21 KOs) beat the likes of Roy Jones Jr., Glen Johnson, Montell Griffin and Eric Harding en route to a world title and a place on the pound-for-pound list. Now reinventing himself as a heavyweight contender, Tampa, Florida’s “Magic Man” is unbeaten in his last four bouts, most recently stopping Mike Sheppard in four rounds on November 26, 2013. On September 29, he looks to move closer to a world title shot.

A talented heavyweight veteran, Detroit’s Johnathon Banks (29-2-1, 19 KOs) performs double duty in the division as a respected contender and the trainer of world champion Wladimir Klitschko. When he puts the gloves on September 29, the 32-year-old Banks plans on showing the form that has led him to knockout victories over the likes of Seth Mitchell and Travis Walker.

Individual tickets priced at $24, $30 and $50 as well as group table packages priced at $1,094, $886 and $664, plus applicable fees and service charges will go on sale on Friday, August 15 at 10:00 a.m. CT. Tickets can be purchased by calling Leija*Battah Promotions at (210) 979-3302, the State Farm Arena at (956) 684-5115, Ticketmaster at (866) 448-7849 or online at www.ticketmaster.com

Tarver vs. Banks, a 10-round heavyweight bout is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions in association with K2 Promotions and is sponsored by Corona Extra and O’Reilly AutoParts. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET/9:00 p.m. CT/7:00 p.m. PT.

LAS VEGAS (August 14, 2014) – World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne (24-1, 21 KOs) was honored this past weekend by the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame (NBHOF) at its annual awards dinner in Las Vegas.

Stiverne was presented a Special Achievement Award by the NSBHOF for becoming the first Haitian-born World Heavyweight Champion.

“It felt great to represent Haiti,” Stiverne said, “but what really felt amazing was to receive it amongst legends like Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Roberto Duran and Floyd Mayweather.”

Stiverne, who knocked out Chris Arreola (35-4) this past May to claim the coveted title belt vacated by retired Vitali Klitschko, is tentatively scheduled to defend his title for the first time later this year against mandatory challenger Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (31-0, 31 KOs).

During the NBHOF dinner, Stiverne spent most of the time with his head trainer, Don House, along with his long-time friend and former world champion, Kevin Kelley. However, Bermane was introduced to a few people he’s always wanted to meet.

“I had the honor to meet Evander Holyfield, the talented actress and host of the night, Rosie Perez, and Roberto Duran,” Stiverne noted. “It’s really funny how I used to watch these icons when I was a young kid.”

“I’m very happy Bermane is getting the recognition he deserves,” Stiverne’s manager Camille Estephan (Eye of the Tiger Management) added. “We’ve all worked hard to get him to this point but this isn’t our destination point. He’s gong a lot further. He has the WBC belt, the same one held by Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and so many other great heavyweights. Someday, we want Bermane talked about in the same way. We can’t wait for his next fight so he can make a major statement.”

For further information visit www.eottm.com, follow on Twitter @eotmvd and @BStiverne, or Instagram @BermaneStiverne.

Middleweight Martin Murray’s charge to the world championship will continue on another Golden Gloves bill that takes place in Monaco on October 25.

The tournament will be staged at the glittering Salles des’Etoiles, which hosted the Golden Gloves Super Eight event and has also featured superstars from the world of music.

Having established himself in the principality with a dominant performance in June, Murray (28-1-1, 12 KOs) returns for his second outing there against rugged Domenico Spada (38-5, 19 KOs) of Italy, rated #8 by the WBC. It marks the first defence of Murray’s WBC Silver belt.

The tournament also includes three other championship fights.

Dual champion Hekkie Budler (26-1, 9 KOs) of South Africa, holder of the WBA and IBO strawweight titles, defends against former champion Xiong Zhao Zhong (24-5-1, 14 KOs).

American Randy Caballero (21-0, 13 KOs), the IBF #1, will venture out of California to fight IBF #3 and former world champion Stuart Hall (18-3-2, 7 KOs) of the UK for the IBF bantamweight belt. This bout will be presented in association with Dennis Hobson Promotions.

And big-hitting light-heavyweight Ryno Liebenberg (16-0, 11 KOs) of South Africa, ranked #6 by the WBC, will put both his WBC Silver belt and his unbeaten record on the line against Canada-based Colombian Eleider Alvarez (15-0, 8 KOs), who is also undefeated and rated #11. This fight will be presented in association with Groupe Yvon Michel.

Promotions company Golden Gloves believes that Murray, ranked #1 by the WBC, is no more than a fight or two away from a crack at a major title.

Efforts to entice interim WBC champion Marco Antonio Rubio and IBF champion Sam Soliman came to naught, despite outstanding purse offers.

“They won’t be able to run forever,” said Berman. “Until then, we have to keep Martin busy. He did a fine job in his last outing, outworking European hard man Max Bursak, and I expect even better against Spada, who has mixed in excellent company and has far more experience. He knows that beating Martin is a shortcut to the top.”

Budler blew the lid off the Casino de Monte-Carlo in his last outing, knocking out 60-fight veteran Pigmy Kokietgym, and will hope to do the same against Zhong, who until recently held the WBC title.

“The websites and boxing magazines that count have me as the number one in the division and that’s what matters,” said Budler. “I can’t help it if the other champions don’t want to fight me. For now, I have a job to do against Zhong. I loved fighting in Monte Carlo last time. I’ll train just as hard and expect to be rewarded on the night.”

Caballero has cut a swathe through the bantamweight division, most recently travelling to Koheo Oba’s Japanese backyard to cut him down in eight rounds in a title eliminator.

It means former champion Hall will have to be at his very best if he intends to regain honours.

“It’s a fight that would ordinarily top the bill,” said Berman. “Caballero might start favourite, but I’ve seen enough of Hall to expect that he will give Caballero a massive challenge. At 34, this could be his final big opportunity.”

Meanwhile, Liebenberg and Alvarez will bring together two contrasting styles – the fighter against the boxer. Both are unbeaten and chasing down a single goal: becoming world champion.

Alvarez has become hot property in Canada, where he is based, while Liebenberg is hot off the best victory of his career, having beaten Denis Grachev at the weekend.

Berman says that the winner will be in line for a crack against WBC champion Adonis Stevenson.

Known as one of the most exclusive vacation destinations in the world and situated on the Mediterranean Sea in South West Europe, Monaco attracts millions of visitors each year. The Casino de Monte-Carlo, owned and operated by the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, is the premiere casino destination in Europe. The Casino de Monte-Carlo continues to attract some of the wealthiest and most well-known celebrities and aristocrats throughout the world.

CARSON, Calif. (Aug. 13, 2014) – Unbeaten IBF Welterweight World Champion Shawn “Showtime” Porter, undefeated contender Kell Brook and seven other boxers who will compete on this Saturday’s stacked Golden Boy Promotions’ fight card at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., participated in an open media workout Wednesday at Fabela Chavez Boxing Center in Carson, Calif..

The exciting, offensive-minded Porter (24-0-1, 15 KOs), of Cleveland, Ohio, will defend his 147-pound crown against British banger Brook (32-0, 22 KOs), of Sheffield, England in what figures to be an explosive main event of a world championship tripleheader live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).

In other world title fights Saturday on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika (32-5-3, 21 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, will risk his 168-pound belt in a rematch against unbeaten Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell (26-0-1, 22 KOs), of Flint, Mich., and undefeated Omar “Panterita” Figueroa Jr. (23-0-1, 17 KOs), of Weslaco, Texas, will defend his WBC Lightweight World Championship against mandatory challenger Daniel “Tremendo” Estrada (32-2-1, 24 KOs), of Mexico City.

Undefeated heavyweight knockout sensation and WBC Continental Americas Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (31-3, 31 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., will be opposed by Jason Gavern (25-16-4, 11 KOs), of Orlando, Fla., in a 10-round scrap on SHOWTIME EXTREME® (7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). In the opening bout, former two-division world champ Jorge “Niño De Oro” Linares (36-3, 23 KOs) faces Ira Terry (26-11, 16 KOs), of Memphis, Tenn., in an eight-round lightweight match.

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are on sale
now and are available online at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT).
VIP Suites are available by
calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-
8425. Doors open at 1 p.m. PT. The first fight begins at 1:00 p.m.

Here’s what the fighters said during Wednesday’s workout:

SHAWN PORTER, IBF Welterweight World Champion

“Training camp was great; we had some of the camp in Las Vegas and some in the Bay Area. We are ready to rock and roll. I just continue to work hard and sharpen the skills that I already possess.

“I am going into the fight looking for that knockout. I told myself that going four rounds or less would be a beautiful night for me. But at the same time I am prepared for a 12-round fight and being a boxer I know that you must be prepared for anything.

“I welcome the target on my back; I enjoy people talking about me. The good thing about having the target on my back is that I am a very hard target to hit. I am very excited about this fight and looking forward to defending my title. Saturday couldn’t come fast enough and after the fight I will be walking out with that title again.

“I am very humble, but everyone knows that when I get into that ring it’s my time to shine. I will be showing off for the fans, my team, and for my future opponents.

“StubHub Center is a great outdoor venue. I’ve been to the venue about six times, but have never fought there. Every time I go there I wish I was the one fighting in the ring, but my opportunity has finally come and I can’t wait to get out there and feel the energy of the crowd.

“Being that this is only the second time Kell Brook has fought in America, I hope he feels that added pressure of the big fight. The energy of the StubHub Center crowd will make him feel it, that’s for sure. But, at the end of the day I have to get in that ring and handle my business and not worry about all the factors that I can’t control. I can’t worry about what he feels and thinks. I know that I am full of confidence and positive energy and that I’ve been counting down for this fight.

“I love the fact that we are both undefeated, it makes for a great story. I know that he is a great fighter and I can’t look past him — that would be a huge mistake.”

KELL BROOK, Undefeated Welterweight Contender

“Training camp has gone very well. I am ready.

“When you get to this elite level and become a world champion, top fighters want to fight the best and I believe that I am at that level.

“It doesn’t matter that this is only my second time fighting in America. It’s just another ring and I will be ready to go. Boxing is all I do.

“Porter comes forward with swinging punches. Anyone at this level, you must take it off to them, they are in the ring for a reason. I know that it will be a tough fight, but every top performer can adjust and you will see me adjust. I know that it will be a dogfight but I always find a way to win.

“I am a slick fighter who will be very exciting. You are going to see crisp shots and I think that this fight will be a fight of the year candidate. I refuse to lose, but there will definitely be some fireworks during this fight.

“I have been waiting a very long time for my opportunity to fight in a world title fight, so the added pressure and anticipation will work in my favor. I have never been more prepared for a fight before and knowing that this is the biggest fight of my career only adds to my confidence.

“This is definitely my opportunity to show American fans what all the fuss is about with this British guy. My message to them is that I will go into that ring and give it my all and come out with that world title. Get your popcorn ready.”

SAKIO BIKA, WBC Super Middleweight Champion

“Training has been going great; we did everything that we were supposed to do. The weather was very good, the sparing was good, no complaints.

“Nothing has really changed going into this training camp from the last camp, except that I pushed myself very hard. I didn’t put on and take off any weight, I just work very hard in the gym.

“The first fight with Dirrell, I started off a little too slow. For this fight I will try to show that I am the boss in the right from the beginning, and make him scared. I want to attack him relentlessly and prove to him that he doesn’t belong in the ring with me.

“I definitely feel that I won the first fight and everyone saw that. The body shot that he got on me was a low blow, it was a lucky punch. I kept on hitting him so hard and he couldn’t handle the pressure I was putting on him. I know that I won that fight.

“If I am the victor in this fight, I won’t call any names on who I want to fight next. Every time that I call on a fighter, everyone gets too scared and doesn’t want to fight. I need to sit down with my management and see if I need to move up a weight class and fight a big challenger maybe in the light heavyweight division because I feel that I am capable.

“My biggest strength against Dirrell is that I am much stronger than him and I can handle all the pressure that is thrown my way. I am very strong and will pressure him constantly.”

ANTHONY DIRRELL, Undefeated Super Middleweight Contender

“I’m here to officially take what’s rightfully mine. Bika knows I won our last fight. It’s good we got to go straight to a rematch with no fights in between.

“I expect to see nothing new or different from Bika – Bika is Bika. In the ring, he is who he is. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

“I thought I fought a good fight the first time, but I can do even better. I can box better and I can stick to the game plan better. He can’t touch me when I box. In fact, he can’t touch me no matter how I fight him.

“That’s good that Daniel Jacobs (recently crowned WBA middleweight champion) is calling the fights for SHOWTIME. He’s a cancer survivor like me. Between us, we want to continue to inspire others all over the world.”

OMAR “PANTERITA” FIGUEROA JR., WBC Lightweight World Champion

“It’s an honor to represent the people in my hometown. I fight for my brothers and the little kids in my city who feel like they have no hope to leave the city. I started fighting when I was six-years-old; success doesn’t come over night. It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears. I want to show the people where I am from that it is possible to be successful and make a good life for yourself. I know that boxing has kept me out of trouble and in some ways saved my life.

“The reason why I moved back home and started training with my dad was mainly because I wanted to be close to my daughter. I missed her terribly when I wasn’t home.

“I wasn’t able to take advantage of the things that were presented to me by training with Joel Diaz because of my (sore) hands, so I decided to just stay home. If I wasn’t able to get the world-class sparring and training, then what was I doing being away from my family? Leaving Joel Diaz had nothing to do with him, I love him. It was solely a personal decision.

“My dad (trainer Omar Figueroa Sr.) grinds my gears, it can be a bit rocky. But with the knowledge I brought over from training with Joel Diaz it can make me grow as a boxer and my dad will grow as a trainer.

“Training is six days a week for three hours and then a jog. I can’t put on too much muscle because then I won’t be able to make weight. Training and dieting is very hard, but I am proud of myself because I actually kept up with it.

“People take care of me from where I am from. The love and support I feel in Texas makes me feel great.

“My hands will always be an issue. We will find out how long they last me on Saturday. I hope they last me long enough to get rid of my opponent. If not, then I will have to suck it up.

“I haven’t looked at any footage of Estrada but my father tells me that he is a straight forward kind of guy. He will get punched a lot and I have to be prepared for that. I am trained in a certain way that will give me the opportunity to exploit his weaknesses. I will focus a lot on the body like I always do.

“Fans can expect a great fight. They will get entertained and get their money’s worth and I will put on an excellent show for them.”

DANIEL ESTRADA, Leading Lightweight Contender
“It doesn’t bother me that I’m sort of the forgotten fighter on this card, but I came here to win my U.S. debut and in my mind I know I will win Saturday and then maybe more fans and media in America will recognize me more.
“I’ve watched a couple of Panterita’s fights and he’s a good, tough champion. That’s why I prepared so hard in Mexico for this. So I definitely respect him as a champion, but he’s not going to win.
“I’ve waited a year-and-a-half for this opportunity, and that gives me extra motivation. This is my chance and I know it. I train all the time and I’ve learned from one of the best fighters, Juan Manuel Marquez, who is my advisor and who will be in my corner Saturday.
“I don’t like to talk, but I am very confident. My camp went well. My conditioning is perfect. I’m hungry for that world title and can’t wait to face Panterita on Saturday night.”
DEONTAY WILDER, Undefeated WBC Continental Americas Champion

“I come prepared to show up and show out for any fight. It doesn’t matter what venue we are in; we can be in the smallest venue in the world and I will come prepared to put on a great show for my fans. I will still perform to the best of my ability.

“I don’t think fighting outside will have any impact on this fight. Coming from Alabama, the weather gets real hot and humid so this is nothing to me. During camp the heat was rising from inside of my boots so it kept me dancing.

“I always want to fight the biggest and best fight. But it has to be the right time and the right money. If people understand that boxing is a business before anything else, then they will understand all the other aspects of boxing. Most people don’t know anything about the business side and make judgments.

“Once I have that belt a lot of questions will be answered. I have had to humble myself and convince myself that my time is coming for that championship. I am ready and excited to prove to everybody, my fans and haters that I will eventually be the champion.

“In facing my opponent, all I would like to say is that we are in the heavyweight division so one punch could end the fight. I am not looking past him, I am only looking through him. My prize is to fight for the world title and in order to be able to do that I must get through my opponent on Saturday.

“My management didn’t want me to take this fight, I was the one who wanted to take it. This fight is giving me the opportunity to fight for a world title for my next fight. I know that I must stay active and I know that my opponent is a tough guy who will come and try to win. You can’t go off of his record, you just never know how he will come out on this night. I don’t want him to feel comfortable. I want to get in and get out.

“I know that I have a big bull’s eye on my back and that if I beat my opponent then I will be in the running for the world title come November.”

JORGE LINARES, Former WBC Featherweight & WBA Super Featherweight World Champion

“I’m the No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger to fight the winner of Figueroa and Estrada. It would be an honor to fight either of them but I am taking nothing for granted and am not taking my opponent lightly.

“I made the mistake once before. They all said I was going to have an easy fight against Sergio Thompson and I lost. That was a crazy fight in Mexico. I got head-butted in the second round, took a knee, and the doctor came in and stopped the fight and I got a loss even though I felt I could continue and the fight didn’t go four rounds. So I learned the hard way that on any given night even the worst fighter can beat you.

“I’ve prepared very hard for this and I’m looking forward to taking care of business on Saturday.”

JASON QUIGLEY, Unbeaten Super Middleweight Prospect
“I’m really looking forward to my second fight since my first went so fast (82-second knockout). I just fought in mid-July so it’s great to be brought back so soon.
“Getting the pro debut out of the way is somewhat of a relief, but I know I have a lot of work to do. Getting the experience is so important, which is why I train all over Los Angeles. I go to different gyms all the time, looking to spar, work and learn.
“I just know my opponent is also 1-0, not much else. I am grateful for the opportunity to fight on Saturday and looking forward to putting on a good show.”
# # #

Porter vs. Brook is a 12-round fight for Porter’s IBF Welterweight World Championship promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event, the WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Sakio Bika defends his belt in a rematch against Anthony Dirrell, and in the televised opener, Omar Figueroa defends his WBC Lightweight World Championship against Daniel Estrada. The event will take place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., and will air on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (SHOWTIME 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

NEW YORK (Aug. 13, 2014) – One week after Daniel Jacobs became the first cancer survivor to capture a boxing world title when he knocked out Jarrod Fletcher at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. on SHOWTIME®, the new WBA Middleweight World Champion will return to the network this Saturday, Aug. 16, as a guest analyst for the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT) from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

Jacobs will join host Brian Kenny, blow-by-blow announcer Mauro Ranallo, Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and reporter Jim Gray to call a three-fight telecast headlined by a potentially explosive, high-stakes welterweight showdown between undefeated IBF Welterweight World Champion Shawn Porter (24-0-1, 15 KOs), of Akron, Ohio and fellow unbeaten British star Kell Brook (32-0, 22 KOs), of Sheffield, England.

“How cool is that? Fighting one week on one coast on SHOWTIME and then announcing the fights the very next week on SHOWTIME from the other coast,’’ said Brooklyn’s Jacobs, who will fill in for two-time former world champion Paulie Malignaggi, who will sit out this week with a family obligation. “I love this. I think announcing fits me. To be able to do something like this, to be in this position, is very important to me. Other fighters have done it as well, of course, but for me to be able to follow in their footsteps is an honor. It shows that we can not only announce fights, but we can be good at it.’’

In the two other world championship fights on SHOWTIME, WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika (32-5-3, 21 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, will risk his 168-pound belt against unbeaten Anthony “The Dog’’ Dirrell (26-0-1, 22 KOs), of Flint, Mich., in a rematch of their wildly exciting and controversial 12-round split draw last Dec. 7, and undefeated Omar “Panterita” Figueroa Jr. (23-0-1, 17 KOs), of Weslaco, Texas, will defend his WBC Lightweight World Championship against mandatory challenger Daniel “Tremendo” Estrada (32-2-1, 24 KOs), of Mexico City, Mex.

Jacobs will do his best to be impartial, but you know he’ll be rooting for the 29-year-old Dirrell, a fellow cancer survivor determined to attain a world title in his second attempt.

“I’ve known Anthony since the amateurs,’’ Jacobs, 27, said. “We’ve been friends since we were 16 or 17 years old. He had the battle first [with cancer], mine was after.’’

Anthony was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in Dec. 2006 and didn’t return to the ring until Oct. 2008. Jacobs was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer that caused partial paralysis in his legs in May 2011. Miraculously, he was back fighting in Oct. 2012.

“When I had my very first charity fundraiser party Anthony attended,’’ Jacobs said. “Afterward, we both discussed it and decided that we should do this together, to inspire each other, to inspire others, especially after coming back the way we did to be in the positions that we are.

“This, for me, what Anthony and I have, is absolutely like a brotherhood, a fraternity between two guys who happen to be in the same tough sport as boxing. What we have set out to accomplish is bigger than boxing, bigger than me or him. This is for the world; to be an inspiration for people to give them hope. That’s what it’s about, just helping to lead the way to give people hope.’’

Not surprisingly Dirrell was one of the first of many to congratulate Jacobs shortly after his titanic triumph last Saturday. “We didn’t talk verbally but he contacted me, I think on Instagram or Facebook,’’ Jacobs said. “He said that I was an inspiration to him and that he was going to continue to keep the movement going once he gets the opportunity on Saturday.’’

During the post-fight conversation, Daniel also wished the best for Dirrell against Bika. “I definitely reached out and told him I would support him,’’ Jacobs (27-1, 20 KOs) said. “I wanted to let him know I was by his side and that I was planning on attending the fights on Aug. 16.

“I just didn’t know at the time when we were talking that I’d be calling them, too.’’

# # #

Porter vs. Brook is a 12-round fight for Porter’s IBF Welterweight World Championship promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event, the WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Sakio Bika defends his belt in a rematch against Anthony Dirrell, and in the televised opener, Omar Figueroa defends his WBC Lightweight World Championship against Daniel Estrada. The event will take place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., and will air on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (SHOWTIME 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are on sale
now and are available online at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub
Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by
calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-
8425.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (August 13, 2014) – This Friday’s M-1 Challenge 50: Battle on Nev in Russia features a pair of dangerous and skilled Polish heavyweights, M-1 Challenge champion Damian “Polish Pitbull” Grabowski (19-1-0, 6 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) and undefeated No. 1 contender Marcin “Tybur” Tybura (10-0-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) in the newly elevated main event.

M-1 Challenge 50 will be streamed live in high definition on www.M1Global.TV, outdoors from the St. Petersburg city center open area. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights for free and the main card for a limited offer of only $1.00 USD by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Andriod and Apple smart phones and tablets. (see more details below)

In the co-feature, M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Stephan Puetz (10-1-0, 4 KO/TKO, 3 SUB), of Germany, makes his first title defense against Brazilian challenger Luis Fernando “Hulk” Miranda (12-1-0, 4 KO/TKO, 7 SUB).

The 6′ 1″, 240-pound Grabowski (pictured above with M-1 Global CEO/Founder Vadim Finkelchtein) has won six consecutive fights, highlighted by his M-1 Challenge title-winning performance November 14, 2013 against Kenny Garner, who Grabowski put to sleep in the third round with a choke hold.

Tybura (pictured above in black) exploded onto the M-1 Challenge scene in 2013, punching his way to a first-round win by submission against Chaban Ka in the semifinals of the 2013 M-1 Grand Prix, followed by an impressive win in the tournament final versus dangerous Konstantin Gluhov, who was choked into a first-round submission. His Grand Prix championship earned the 6′ 3″, 240-pound Tybura a title shot against Grabowski, originally scheduled March 14 but postponed until August 14 due to a neck injury suffered by Grabowski. Rather than stay inactive waiting to fight Grabowski, Tybura fought the best available heavyweight, Marco Perak, and stopped the Croatian in the third round by technical knockout (punches).

“Damian is a great fighter,” Tybura said. “We know each other and I’ve supported his career. Now, my task is to stop him. I’m honored to fight him. The delay didn’t affect my preparation very much. The most difficult moment was when I found out that he was out of our fight. Luckily, I got another fight and I didn’t have to waste those preparations. I think I’m in better shape than for my last fight.

“I wouldn’t say it’s strange to be fighting a fellow Pole on an M-1 Global show, but it certainly is a big deal. I would have never thought that I would take part in this kind of fight, but I don’t mind that somebody thought this fight had to be made. It is difficult to predict what will happen and whatever plan arranged by my coach will stay a secret until the fight.”

Scheduled battle in Super Fights are Slovenian featherweight Ivan “Buki” Buchinger (26-4-0, 6 KO/TKO, 16 SUB) vs. Russian veteran Mikhail Malyutin (26-12-0, 5 KO/TKO, 8 SUB), Spanish welterweight Daniel “The Gladiator” Tabera (17-5-3, 4 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) vs. unbeaten Russian prospect Ilya Doderkin (5-0-0, 5 SUB), and Polish featherweight Kamil Maron (5-1-0, 0 KO/SUB, 2 SUB) vs. Russia’s Nikita Chistyakov (1-1-0, 1 SUB). Also fighting on the man card is German lightweight Saba Bolaghi (1-0-0, 1 SUB) vs. Russia’s Zulfikar Usmanov 6-3-0, 1 KO/TKO, 4 SUB).

Fighting on the preliminary card is Donetsk lightweight Vadim Russul (6-2-0, 1 KO/TKO/5 SUB) vs. Spain’s Issac Alvaro Barrios Perez (1-0-0 (1 KO/TKO, 0 SUB), pro-debuting welterweights Stanislav Rogov, of Russia, vs. Adam Tsurov, of the Republic of Inqushetia, and Kazakhstan middleweight Dauren Ermekov vs. Khabib Isaev, of Russian, in their professional debuts.

Four Russian lightweights will compete in the semifinals of the Ros Stroilnvest Cup – Marat Balaev (pro debut) vs. Artem Glybchak (pro debut) and Anton Telepnev (6-4-0, 1 KO/TKO. 2 SUB) vs. Artur Gadzhiev – with the two winners facing off later in the card in the championship final.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The M-1 Challenge series has traditionally introduced a new wave of potential MMA stars, showcasing elite athletes from Russia and across Europe. M-1 Global is the No. 1 European MMA organization, as well as one of the oldest in the world, dating back to 1998. Superstar Fedor Emelianenko, considered by many to be the greatest fighter in MMA history, has been the face of M-1 Global around the combat sports world for the past decade.

Information

www.M-1Global.com

www.mixfight.ru

www.WMMAA.org

www.M1Global.tv

Instagram:

@M1Global

@VadimFinkelchteinM1

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-Global/145250878842244
ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in the realm of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St Petersburg, Amsterdam and Los Angeles and affiliates in Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged more than 150 events worldwide, including the M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge and M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the Showtime network in the United States. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2014 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global’s Champions amongst the greatest in the sport. M-1 Global’s greatest asset is renowned heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

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

QUEENS, NY (August 13, 2014) – Connecticut’s Super Bantamweight prospect, Danny Aquino (15-2, 10 KOs), makes his return to the ring on Saturday September 20th, 2014 against an opponent to be announced. The six-round bout will take place at the Resorts World Casino New York City in Jamaica, New York. The show will be promoted by New Legend Boxing.

After a year layoff, Aquino is excited to be back in the ring. Aquino was recently signed to a three year promotional deal by New Legend Boxing and DiBella Entertainment.

“I feel happy to be part of New Legend Boxing and Dibella Entertainment. I know that with them I will achieve great things in the sport of boxing. This is the opportunity that I have been looking forward to. Now I will be able to show everyone who Danny Aquino is,” said Aquino.

“Danny Aquino had an outstanding amateur background compiling a record of 95-12. He is a strong and relentless fighter,” said New Legend Boxing promoter Felipe Gomez. “Aquino is one of those fighters that will have the crowd on their feet from start to finish.”

In the main event, undefeated Jr. Middleweight Frank Galarza (14-0-2, 9 KO’s) of Brooklyn, NY will take on an opponent to be named in a 10-round bout.

in 6 Round Bouts:

Angel Garcia (7-2, 2 KO’s) of Brooklyn, NY will take on Trevis Hall (5-1-1, 1 KO) of Guyana in a Super Featherweight bout.

Allan Phelan (6-2, 4 KO’s) of New York will fight Francisco Arellano (4-3, 1 KO) of Houston, TX in a Featherweight bout.

Chris Galeano (4-0) of Bronx, NY will take on an opponent to be named in a Middleweight bout.

In Four round Bouts:

Danny Valle (5-0, 3 KO’s) of Bronx, NY will fight against an opponent to be named in a Jr. Lightweight bout.

Devaun Lee(2-0, 1 KO) of Queens, NY will see action against an opponent to be named in a Super Middleweight bout.

Jordan Rodriguez of Brooklyn, NY will make his pro debut against Angel Siguenza (0-1-1) of Queens, NY in a Bantamweight bout.

A complete list of all fighters scheduled to appear on the September 20th card will be announced in the next press release. Doors Open 6:00PM / First Bout 7:00PM

Tickets on sale now…

GENERAL ADMISSION $50 / RINGSIDE $125* / VIP RINGSIDE $150*
May be purchased online at: www.newlegendboxing.com or by calling (718) 487-4474

* RINGSIDE & V.I.P. RINGSIDE will be sold on a first come, first served basis…

** All Bouts Subject to Change

CORPORATE ADVERTISING SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES ALSO AVAILABLE

110-00 Rockaway Blvd. Jamaica, NY 11420

Directions and Transportation: Http://rwnewyork.com/visit-resorts-world

CORPORATE ADVERTISING SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES ALSO AVAILABLE

(San Diego) -A jam-packed fight card is scheduled for Thursday, September 4th, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Mission Valley by Bobby D. Presents. Aptly named “San Diego Fights: Dangerous Diva” the night is co-headlined by the two-time world champion Jolene Blackshear (8-5, 3KO) of San Diego as she attempts to get back in the win column against the tough Susan Reno (1-2-1) of New York as well as by the current NABF light flyweight champion Kenia Enriquez (11-0, 6KO) of Tijuana when she faces her most experienced foe in Mayela “La Cobrita” Perez (11-15-4, 7KO) of Saltillo, Mexico.

Another fight that is causing a stir on both sides of the border is the six-round welterweight tilt between the undefeated Miguel “Zurdo” Sanchez (8-0, 6KO) of San Diego by way of Culiacan, Mexico, and Tijuana’s Ivan “Oso” Zavala (6-6-2, 2KO).

MIguel “Zurdo” Sanchez of San Diego by way of Culiacan With His Hand Raised Photo by BoxeoTijuana.com

For More Info on the Card, please CLICK HERE

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

Chicago, IL (August 13, 2014) — This Friday night at the Royal Oak Theater in Detroit, undefeated Cruiserweight contender Junior Wright (10-0-1, 9 KO’s) will be back in action in an 8-round bout against Marlon Hayes (23-14, 11 KO’s).

This will be Wright’s first appearance since his thrilling Fight of the Year candidate with fellow undefeated Steve Bujaj on May 15 at the Millennium Theater in Brooklyn, NY.

The incredible Wright – Bujaj fight will be replayed this Saturday night on Comcast Sportsnet Chicago at 11 PM

Wright of Evanston, Illinois (just outside of Chicago) will be looking for an impressive performance against Hayes, who has faced the very top competition which includes world champions and top contenders.

“Training has gone well and I am ready for Friday night,”said Wright.

“Even though Hayes has a lot of fights, I really do not know much on him. I do a lot of stuff instinctively and I prepare for anything he can bring.”

Boxing fans in New York are still talking about his epic war with Bujaj and despite the physicality of the bout, Wright did not take too much time away from the gym.

“I got back in the gym about a week and a half after the fight. I knew I had this fight coming up so I gave myself a good month and half camp for this.”

Wright did some reflecting back on his classic with Bujaj and he thinks the two could meet again down the line.

“I felt I could have used my jab more and probably used more head movement. It was a good fight. Even though most of the fans believed I won, a draw was just. I wouldn’t mind a rematch.”

Wright is a recent signee of Dmitry Salita’s Star of David Promotions and he believes that the former world title challenger is the right promoter to get him the big opportunities.

“Dmitry has good intentions for me and as long as I do well, I know he will get me the big fights. I know that the Cruiserweight division is based in Europe, so I want to make the Europeans like Mayweather has had success with the Hispanic fighters. This Friday, Detroit should be for a Hurricane.””, finished Wright.

Said Wright’s trainer Rick Wilson, “There were some things in the Bujaj fight that should have been called like 8 or 9 low blows and an instance where we feel Junior was on his way of stopping Bujaj and the ref stopped it to give an 8-count but there is no 8-count in New York.”

“We are focused on Hayes. He has fought world class guys and has gone the distance with them. He is crafty who knows how to survive.”

Like Wright, Wilson likes the direction that Salita and Star of David Promotions is going with him.

“I have a good feeling about Dmitry’s vision and passion. We want to become the American Cruiserweight World champion. In 2 or 3 fights down to road go to Europe and look for a big fight there. There is a lot of opportunity as not only the champions are based there but the two guys in England in Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew are also on our radar.”

Friday’s show at Royal Oak Theater is promoted by Kaltsas Productions.

The August 15 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will feature an IBF eliminator between Lightweight contender Rustam “The Mongoose” Nugaev (27-6-1, 17 KOs) and former Lightweight title challenger Denis “Ghengis Khan” Shafikov (33-1-1, 17 KOs). The winner of the 12-round fight will be ranked No. 1 by the IBF and become the mandatory challenger for IBF Lightweight titleholder Miguel Vazquez. Friday’s show from the Chumash Resort & Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will air the fights on Saturday, August 16, at 8 p.m. The card is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions.

New Picture (7)Commentators:
Todd Grisham will be ringside with analyst Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN2, while studio host Doug Kezirian will provide all the latest boxing news and highlights. Pablo Viruega and analyst Leopoldo González will call the fights for Noche de Combates on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio.

In-Studio Guest: Former Three-Division Titlist Abner Mares:
Former three-division titleholder and 2004 Mexican Olympian Abner Mares will join Trejos as a special guest on Noche de Combates.

Main Event:
Los Angeles’ Nugaev has won his last five fights, including a fourth-round TKO over Marvin Quintero on Friday Night Fights in March. Shafikov, who hails from Russia, is looking to rebound from a 12-round unanimous decision loss to defending titlist Vasquez.

“Shafikov recently fought for the IBF world title but came up short against Miguel Vasquez,” Nugaev said. “That is his only loss, so I know he can fight. He does a lot of things well in the ring, and I’m going to have to be smart when we fight. I feel I have the power to slow him down and get him out of there before the final bell rings. This will be an all-out war and the fans will be pleased with my performance.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s 10-round co-feature will pit undefeated Jr. Lightweight José “The Sniper” Pedraza (17-0, 11 KOs) of Puerto Rico, against Mexico’s Juan Carlos “El Pez” Martinez (19-14-1, 6 KOs). In his last outing, Pedraza scored a first-round TKO over Arturo Uruzquieta. Martinez is looking to score another win following a 10-round split decision win over Alejandro Perez.

Upcoming Schedule:

Date

Time (ET)

Main Event

Location

Networks

Fri, Aug 15

9 p.m.

Rustam Nugaev (27-6-1, 17 KOs) vs. Denis Shafikov (33-1-1, 18 KOs) — 12 rounds, Lightweights

Chumash Resort & Casino,
Santa Ynez, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, Aug 22

9 p.m.

FNF Season Finale: Austin Trout (26-2, 14 KOs) vs. Daniel Dawson (40-3-1, 26 KOs) — 10 rounds, Jr. Middleweights

Pechanga Resort & Casino
Temecula, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

*Schedule subject to change

Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates Social Media:

· Follow ESPN Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook.

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

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

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

Las Vegas, NV (August 13, 2014) – The Raging Babe Soirée presented by RAGING BABE will take place September 12, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV at the Paris Casino on the eve of the boxing event “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2”. The exclusive event will be hosted by the Sugar Factory, inside “The Chocolate Room” at the beautiful Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, at 7 PM PT.

What began as the “Raging Babe Brunch” in Las Vegas, NV has morphed into a traditional event that continues to grow and build off the previous ones. “Boxing has always been classified as a niche sport. However, within that niche exists a small, but strong, network of hardworking women. The goal of this event is to allow these women to meet, network, share experiences, build a support system for each other, while inspiring a future generation of women in the industry,” stated Michelle Rosado, founder of Raging Babe. “More importantly, what has become a special tradition for all past events we have been associated with and directed, we will recognize remarkable female pioneers of this great sport.”

The event’s primary honoree is Livvy Cunningham, manager and wife of boxer Steve Cunningham, and her daughter Kennedy who was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), a congenital heart defect where the left side of her heart was under-developed and unable to function. Today, Kennedy has been listed for a new heart. To read Kennedy’s Heart Hopeful story, visit www.heartbyfaith.com.

“A new heart is giving Kennedy a fighting chance to live and every child deserves that.” Rosado continued, “While Kennedy awaits her new heart, we are supporting the Cunningham’s on this journey by raising money at the soirée to help their family cover expenses that come along with this heartfelt cause.” Rosado also stated that in addition to help raising money for Kennedy through the soirée, Raging Babe will donate a percentage of all financial contributions from event sponsors to the Kennedy Cunningham’s Heart Transplant Fundraiser.

Raging Babe is a full service marketing and branding company who has a growing clientele of professional boxers. Raging Babe specializes in assisting their clients with their presence outside the ring, as well as heading their marketing and digital portfolio, and generating more interaction through their social networks. Established in 2011, Raging Babe has developed, directed, and executed various boxing events, fighter marketing campaigns, and events honoring women of boxing.

Be sure to visit ragingbabe.com for updated information on the September 12th Raging Babe Soirée and follow Rosado on Twitter @M_RagingBabe.

To become a sponsor of the Raging Babe Soiree, or would like to simply contribute to Kennedy Cunningham, contact Michelle Rosado at:

michelle@ragingbabe.com

Jordan Shimmell, 16-0 with 13 KOs, is scheduled to fight an 8 round cruiserweight bout on the undercard of a Fox Sports 1 show Thursday, September 11, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV. The show is being promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The show will attract a lot of attention as it is just 2 days before the big Mayweather vs Maidana rematch on PPV at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The main event scheduled for the 11th is a heavyweight bout between #2 Luis Ortiz and #5 Lateef Kayode for the WBA Interim title.

This will be Jordan Shimmell’s fifth bout of 2014 and his 17th since turning pro on June 30, 2012. The bout is also less than 6 full weeks since Jordan’s last fight on August 1, 2014. That fight was on the undercard of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights show at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, WA. Jordan’s opponent was former world title challenger Epifanio Mendoza who was 37-17-1 with 33 KOs heading into the fight with Jordan. Mendoza felt the sting of Jordan’s jab early in the bout and soon was being hit with hard right hands and strong body punches. Mendoza was unable to land anything meaningful against Jordan Shimmell and quickly started resorting to dirty tactics. Mendoza was cautioned numerous times for several different fouls including low blows, rabbit punches, and hitting on the break. Mendoza had a point deducted in the third round for hitting on the break after ignoring several prior warnings from the referee. In the fourth round a visibly tiring Mendoza continued to ignore the referee and had a second point deduction. Later in the round, it became apparent that Mendoza wanted to get disqualified rather than get knocked out. Jordan Shimmell was landing hard punches anytime Mendoza didn’t clinch and in the clinches Mendoza continued to deliberately foul the technically superior Shimmell. At 2:31 of the fourth round, Mendoza hit Jordan Shimmell as the referee was separating the two boxers and the referee disqualified Mendoza.

Jordan Shimmell is the USBO Cruiserweight Champion and is world ranked by the IBO and the WBC. He is ranked in the regional rankings by the NABA, NABF, NABO and USBA organizations. Jordan is one of the top cruiserweight prospects in the world.

Here are the main quotes from today’s final press conference ahead of the fight between IBF Cruiserweight World Champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez (28-1, 14 KOs) and Firat Arslan (34-7-2, 21 KOs) this Saturday at the Erfurt Exhibition Hall in Thuringia, Germany.

Yoan Pablo Hernandez: I have trained careful with my focus being completely on the task ahead this Saturday night. I did not have this kind of focus for my last fights, as I had to battle many problems outside of the ring. I almost give up but my wife and my coach motivated me not to let myself go. Now, I am stronger than ever. August 16 will be my proving point.

Firat Arslan: I want to become the oldest cruiserweight champion of all time. I know that this is my last chance to glory and I did everything in preparation to make my dream come true. Coach Fritz Sdunek is going to be my key factor against Hernandez. When I fought Huck for the second time, I made many mistakes, which are not going to happen again. You will see my best performance – ever – on Saturday.

8 ROUNDS -SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS
Elio Rojas vs. Robert Osiobe
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Las Vegas, NV
23-2, 14 KO’s 14-9-4, 6 KO’s
136.6 lbs. 137.8 lbs.

6 ROUNDS – JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS
Bryant Cruz vs. Jose Morales
Port Chester, NY Denver, CO
11-0, 6 KO’s 7-5, 2 KO’s
130 lbs. 130 lbs.

6 ROUNDS – SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS
Louis Cruz vs. Cameron Krael
Bronx, NY Las Vegas, NV
8-0, 4 KO’s 5-5-2
140 lbs. 140 lbs.

4 ROUNDS – SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Junior Younan vs. Marlon Farr
Brooklyn, NY Zephyrhills, FL
5-0, 4 KO’s 4-6
168.2 lbs. 167.2 lbs.

8 ROUNDS – JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHTS
Rafael Vazquez vs. Derrick Wilson
Brooklyn, NY Ft. Myers, FL
11-1, 9 KO’s 10-6-2, 3 KO’s
122.4 lbs. 122.6 lbs.

8 ROUNDS – SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Lamar Russ vs. Derrick Findley
Fayetteville, NC Gary, IN
14-1, 7 KO’s 20-13-1, 13 KO’s
162 lbs. 161.6 lbs.

6 ROUNDS -CRUISERWEIGHTS
Travis Peterkin vs. Lamont Williams
Brooklyn, NY Sacramento, CA
11-0, 5 KO’s 5-4-1, 2 KO’s
178.6 lbs. 180 lbs.

4 ROUNDS – JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS
Jonathan Alonso vs. Jose Gomez
Gijon, Spain Kent, WA
Pro Debut 3-7
139.4 lbs. 136.6 lbs.

Tickets for the event are priced at $125, $100 and $75 and $55 for general admission. Tables are also available for purchase for this event, with VIP Tables going for $1,000 per table (5 seats at $200 per seat), Ringside Tables for $500 (5 seats at $100), and $375 tables (5 seats at $75). Tickets are available for purchase tomorrow at the door. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Las Vegas – UFC® officials announced today that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones suffered a leg injury while training for his bout against No. 2 contender Daniel Cormier, forcing the postponement of the title fight. Jones will now battle bitter rival Cormier in their highly anticipated title showdown on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

With Jones injured, UFC 178 will now be headlined by the UFC flyweight title bout between champion Demetrious Johnson and surging contender Chris Cariaso. The Johnson-Cariaso bout moves from its originally scheduled date of Saturday, Aug. 30 in Sacramento to Saturday, Sept. 27 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

UFC 178 also features Conor McGregor taking on Dustin Poirier in a can’t-miss featherweight bout. Other key bouts include Cat Zingano vs. Amanda Nunes in a pivotal women’s bantamweight title contender bout, Tim Kennedy vs. Yoel Romero in a middleweight clash, and former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz returning from an extended absence to battle Japanese star Takeya Mizugaki. More information on UFC 178, including additional bouts, will be announced in the days to come.

Due to the UFC 178 main event change, refunds for the Sept. 27 card will be given upon request at point of sale only. Deadline for refunds will be August 22.

Tickets for UFC® 178: JOHNSON vs. CARIASO, presented by MetroPCS, are on sale now and priced at $800, $600, $400, $250, $125 and $75 (prices do not include applicable service charges). Tickets are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and will be available at the MGM Grand Garden Arena box office. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC® 178: JOHNSON vs. CARIASO will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High -Definition.

All bouts live, subject to change, and subject to approval by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

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.

Hackensack, NJ (August 12, 2014) – 18-year-old Bobby Gunn Jr. won the WBU Youth Welterweight belt with an impressive six round unanimous decision over veteran Sean Lockhart last Saturday evening at the North Hall at Eastern Market in Washington, DC.

Fighting in his first six rounder and against an opponent with a significant advantage in experience, Gunn Jr. was in control from bell to bell. The Hackensack, NJ native, who previously scored all first round knockouts, landed crisp shots to both the body and head of Lockhart. Gunn Jr. decked his foe in the fourth but Lockhart, who’s battled more than 10 unbeaten opponents, finished the bout on his feet.

Scores were 60-53 on all three cards.

“I’m really excited I went the 6 rounds got experience under my belt,” said the humble prospect. “(This) proved I’m not just a one round fighter and I felt like I showed my boxing ability. Winning the title was the best feeling in the world. I’ve worked really hard this year and it’s really a dream come true and God willing the first of many to come. I feel excellent I could fight again right now!”

Gunn Jr’s next bout will be announced shortly. Fans can interact with him by going to Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007554614047&fref=ts

ORANGE, Calif. (Aug. 12, 2014) – Thompson Boxing Promotions promotes its first show in San Diego with an action-packed “Path to Glory SD Style” line up highlighted by two of the city’s most popular boxers: undefeated junior welterweight prospect Giovani Santillan (13-0, 7 KOs) and the veteran super bantamweight Christopher Martin (27-3-3, 9 KOs). The seven-bout card takes place on
Saturday, Aug. 16, from the Harley Davidson San Diego, the largest Harley Davidson dealership in the U.S.

Tickets priced at $100, $60, & $40 are on sale now and can be purchased online at ThompsonBoxing.com or by phone at 714-935-0900.

Santillan, starring in his first main event and fifth straight 8-round fight, will battle Osenohan Vazquez (7-1-1, 2 KOs) of Jersey City, NJ for the vacant Junior Welterweight NABF Jr. Title.

Martin, who was scheduled to face Efrain Esquivias in July before Esquivias pulled out due to a fight week illness, is fighting the well experienced and hard-punching Giovanni Caro (24-14-4, 19 KOs) of Mexico City in the 8-round co-main event.

Thompson Boxing Promotions checked in on Martin’s training camp to get his thoughts on fighting in his hometown, his opponent, and the San Diego boxing scene. Additionally, we put together a quick video recap from one of his recent training sessions available here.

On how this training camp was a bit more challenging than the rest…

“I was scheduled to fight in July, but the fight fell through at the last minute,” Martin said. “I was told by my promoter to stay active because they had August dates to fill. I ended up taking four days off to decompress and give my body a little bit of a break. I eased back into my training routine because the last thing I wanted to do was over train and come out flat. I think we managed the workload quite well and I know I’ll be in great condition for this fight.”

On your opponent, Giovanni Caro…

“I think our styles complement one another. Caro likes to press forward and attack, while I prefer to counterpunch and take advantage of defensive weaknesses. It’s definitely going to be a back and forth battle. He’s coming off some tough losses, but he also fought Fernando Montiel tough for twelve rounds. If a couple of rounds go his way, he wins that fight.”

On the importance of not dropping two fights in a row…

“I put my last fight behind me. That fight put into perspective what is required of me in order to move forward. I can’t dwell on the past, I can only think about the present and look forward to the future. All I have on my mind is getting a win.”

On fighting in your hometown for the first time in four years…

“I don’t get this opportunity very often so it’s really exciting. I can’t really worry about the crowd. I just have to do my best out there. I have a lot of local fans that are coming out to support me, which is great.”

On the burgeoning San Diego boxing scene…

“We’re a tight knit community. Most of us train at the same gyms and we all get along pretty well. Myself, Giovani Santillan who is the main event, Adrian Vargas and Ulises Sierra who are on the undercard, we all bump into each from time to time. There’s a fair amount of trash talking that goes around, but it’s all in good spirits. San Diego isn’t like the Los Angeles area where there is a lot of displacement between gyms. There’s only a handful of places to train so you’re bound to develop friendships with some of these guys.”

For additional information on the “Path to Glory SD Style” event, please click here.

Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and the first bell rings at 6:45 p.m. The Harley Davidson San Diego is located at 4645 Morena Blvd., San Diego, CA 92117 and can be reached at (858) 616-6999.

“Path to Glory SD Style” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Lucas Oil, in association with Everlast, Omega Products International, and LATV Networks.

For additional information please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @ThompsonBoxing and Instagram. To follow the conversation on social media, please use hash tags #ThompsonBoxing, #PathtoGlory.

RED HOT Belarussian prospect Kirill Relikh has signed a long-term promotional contract with Hatton Promotions and is now targeting a showdown with experienced Aussie Chad Bennett.

Relikh, 16 -0 (14 KOs), has been trained by four-time world champion Ricky Hatton since February this year and will return to the ring in his home city of Minsk on September 10.

Should he come through that fight, he’s been promised a mandatory shot at the aforementioned Bennett’s WBC EPBC light-welterweight championship.

Bennett, who has recently called out WBA champion Jessie Vargas, won the title on Friday night with a fifth round stoppage of the unheralded Indonesia Stevi Ongen Ferdinandus, and Relikh is willing to travel to Australia to be his first challenger.

Hatton Promotions is keen to make the fight happen and will be looking to complete negotiations with Bennett’s representatives within the WBC’s time limit of 90 days.

“I’ve already beaten one Australian in Ty Gilchrist quite easily and I can’t see Bennett being much tougher,” Relikh said through a translator.

“He’s got a good record with more than 40 fights, but he’s not really fought anyone and I’ve heard boxing fans in his own country don’t take him seriously.

“I expect to go to Australia, beat him and have the fans singing my name.”

Ricky Hatton has handled the careers of a myriad of top class fighters since launching his promotional company in 2009 and he believes Relikh can be as good as any.

“Kirill has that raw potential that really gets trainers excited,” Hatton said. “When he first came over he was a little bit upright, like they are from that part of the world, but I remember taking him on the pads and thinking ‘wow, what have they been feeding this guy?’

“You’ve only got to look at his record, 14 knockouts in 16 wins, to see that he can punch. We’ve added a few subtleties his game now and the sky’s the limit.”