OMAHA, NEB. (May 8, 2014) – Undefeated world champions TERENCE CRAWFORD, the Pride of Omaha, and Cuban sensation YURIORKIS GAMBOA, who share identical 23-0 (16 KOs) professional ring records, will battle for Crawford’s newly-won World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight title, Saturday, June 28, at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha. This will be the first world championship fight Omaha has hosted in 42 years, when Joe Frazier successfully defended his heavyweight title against Nebraska’s-own Ron Stander in 1972. It is also a professional homecoming for Crawford, who has not fought in his home state since 2011. The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark, in its first-ever visit to Omaha, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with SMS Promotions, PS4 and Tecate, tickets to Crawford vs. Gamboa will go on sale Tomorrow! Friday, May 9 at 10:00 a.m. CT. Reserved seat tickets start at just $27, with remaining tiers priced at $52 and $102. They will be available for purchase at the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. To charge-by-phone call 800-745-3000. To order online, visit Ticketmaster.com.

“This is what I always wanted to do, make my first world title defense in Omaha where I grew up,” said Crawford. “As soon as this fight was announced my phone and Facebook lit up. Everyone wants to be at this fight. This is extremely exciting, something I always dreamed about. Gamboa is fast and he hits with power. This is a serious fight. I fought and beat a lot of great fighters as an amateur. I was at 132 pounds then and Gamboa, as an amateur, was 112. But now we are about to go at it. I plan to train in Colorado Springs. During fight week, I will be away from the main fight hotel. It’ll be me and just my team to be by ourselves in the final days leading to the biggest fight of my life. It’s been a long ride to get here but at last my dream has come true. This will be a great action-packed fight.”

“I am glad to be back in the ring and continue my quest at being recognized as one the best in the sport,” said Gamboa. “I know that Crawford is a great talent and a good champion and I welcome the chance at beating one of the best in the lightweight division.
I know all about him. There is one major difference – my speed and my power. I am going right into his hometown because I know I will win. I want that title belt. Certainly by beating him, God willing – I know that bigger and better opportunities will come. It is time to remind fans all around the world that El Ciclon de Guantanamo is here for the long run.”

“When we made this fight Terence asked me to please make the tickets reasonable for all of his fans. We did exactly that at $102, $52 and $27,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “He is so happy. This is a great event, the first big championship boxing event in over 40 years in this wonderful city Terence Crawford and Yuriorkis Gamboa are considered to be the two best lightweights in the world. We are looking forward to a great action fight.”

“After 42 years, it’s going to be a historical moment in Omaha. Gamboa and Crawford have identical records so it’s surely going to be an amazing showdown,” commented 50 Cent.

“This fight brings together two prodigious, undefeated talents,” said Peter Nelson, director of programming, HBO Sports. “A few months ago, Terence Crawford earned his first world title the hard way, traversing the Atlantic Ocean to beat down the then lightweight champ in his hometown in Scotland. Now, intrepid Cuban sensation Yuri Gamboa heads to Crawford’s own backyard of Omaha, attempting to wrest his second divisional title from the newly-crowned champ. As both men can tell you, there is no such thing as a hometown advantage against a straight right hand or a left hook from a man from out of town. The creativity of these two elite fighters pit against each other in the ring will undoubtedly elevate esteem for the winner with fans everywhere.”

“CenturyLink Center Omaha is proud to host this significant event,” said Roger Dixon, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA). “Not only will we have a high-profile title fight, but the defending world champion is a hometown hero. This will truly be unprecedented for our venue and our community.”

Crawford (23-0, 16 KOs), of Omaha, is only the second Nebraska native to be recognized as a boxing world champion. Perry “Kid” Graves, from Rock Bluff, captured the welterweight crown, knocking out Johnny Alberts in Brooklyn, in 1914, according to the Omaha World-Herald. After a short but impressive amateur career, which included victories over future world champions Danny Garcia, Mikey Garcia and one-time world title challenger Diego Magdaleno, Crawford made his professional debut on March 14, 2008 – a first-round knockout victory of Brian Cummings. On March 1, 2014 – just 13 days short of the sixth anniversary of his pro debut, Crawford captured the WBO lightweight title, dethroning defending champion Ricky Burns on Burns’ home turf of Glasgow, Scotland. Scoring a powerful and unanimous decision, Burns put the boxing world on notice that with his virtuoso performance. Crawford pulled out all stops in dismantling Burns as he rocked the defending champion throughout the fight, while switching back and forth between orthodox and southpaw stances.

Gamboa (23-0, 16 KOs), of Miami, Fla., captured Olympic gold for the Cuban team in 2004, fighting in the 112-pound division. Known as “The Cyclone of Guantanamo,” Gamboa defected to freedom in 2007 the same year he made his professional debut. Two years and 14 bouts later, in 2009, he won the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Interim Featherweight Championship via a 10th-round stoppage of Jose Rojas. Soon elevated to full world champion status, Gamboa successfully defended the WBA title five times during his two-year reign, which included unifying the title with a 12-round decision victory over International Boxing Federation (IBF) World Champion Orlando Salido. Gamboa captured the WBA Interim super featherweight title in 2012, winning a dominant unanimous decision over Michael Farenas. In his last fight, on June 8, 2013, Gamboa captured the WBA Interim lightweight title, handing undefeated Darleys Perez, a former Colombian Olympian, his first professional defeat. Gamboa scored the unanimous decision victory by outboxing and outworking Perez throughout their fight.

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

NEW YORK CITY (May 8, 2014) – Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs) turned in a chameleon-like performance two weeks ago, boxing rather than bashing his way to a near dominant win by unanimous 12-round decision on SHOWTIME over No. 2 ranked Czech challenger Lukas Konecny (50-5, 23 KOs), the WBO European 160-pound title holder.

Fans had gotten used to Quillin dropping his opponents, 32 times in his first 30 professional fights, including 11 in his three previous world title fights. They expected the powerful Cuban-American to put Konecny on the mat and eventually into a deep sleep. Konecny, who had announced prior to the fight that he would retired after fighting Quillin, appeared to be more interested in surviving than trying to wrest Quillin’s WBO belt from the still hungry fighter.

Konecny stayed in a peek-a-boo stance, protecting his head and avoiding a physical confrontation with the much larger and strong Quillin, from the opening bell through 12 rounds, winning only a single round on two of the three judges’ scorecards (120-108, 119-109, 119-109). “Kid Chocolate” remained in complete control, working off his improved jab and ignoring pleas from the crowd to brawl.

“Fighters and fans can get drunk with power,” Quillin explained. “They want you to blast out your opponent. I haven’t gotten credit as a pure boxer because I’ve been so dominant taking out guys but I can box, too. I said before that fight that I was going to be a ‘finesser,’ making the fight look easy and showing that my boxing skills are at the highest level. I did just that against a guy who had 50 wins and was the European champion.

“I had to listen to my corner (head trainer Eric Brown). They had me pressuring my opponent and out-boxing him. It may not have made some fans happy but I was in the ring to win. I was focused. People are used to seeing me knockout guys, which is more exciting than cruising to victory by boxing. Some of the best boxers in the world – Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who is from my hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bernard Hopkins, and lately, my Cuban brother, Guillermo Rigondeaux – have been booed by people who’ve never boxed in their lives and don’t understand the art of boxing. I set-up my punches. I was very consistent and made this fight look very easy. I can’t make everybody happy. I gave fans something different than in my other fights.”

Despite being a victim of boxing politics, unable to get a mega-fight, Quillin has hope that, in time, he’ll get into a unification fight against one of the top 160-pounders in the world. For now, though, he fights the guy in the ring with him, relying on his team (Golden Boy Promotions, adviser Al Haymon and co-managers John Seip and Jim McDevitt) to do their best to eventually make a career defining fight for him.

Sergio Martinez and Gennady Golovkin are the marquee names in the middleweight division. The former is fighting Miquel Cotto on June 7, while the latter appeared to be heading towards a showdown with Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.

Quillin has already returned to the gym and awaits news about his next fight. “I just take ’em as they come along,” Quillin said. “At one point I thought I was fighting Danny Jacobs in my last fight. If that’s the only big fight out there for me, we’ll fight as long as the price is right. Danny’s fought for the world title once and came up short. I’m a big fan of his story and we’re two Brooklyn guys who will have to put our friendship aside if that fight is made.

“Everything is in God’s hands. There are a lot of things I can’t control in boxing. I think my big fight will happen someday, as long as the public has interest and fans get behind it. I believe it will happen because of demand. These fights have been building up and we’ll see what happens in the future.”

For more information about Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin go online to www.TheKidChocolate.com (Team Kid Chocolate T-shirts on sale here) or follow him on Twitter @KidChocolate and Instagram @KidChocolate.

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May 8, 2014 – HBO Sports® debuts an all-new installment of “2 Days” when the feature segment returns Saturday, May 24 at 12:15 a.m. (ET/PT) with a behind-the-scenes look at world junior welterweight title-holder Ruslan “Siberian Rocky” Provodnikov, one of boxing’s most fascinating characters.

“2 Days” is a revealing and intimate look at a 48-hour span in the life of a boxer in the lead-up to one of his fights and the next edition will focus on Siberian native Ruslan Provodnikov. HBO cameras followed the intriguing and complex prizefighter in the lead-up to his blockbuster showdown last October with 140-pound title-holder Mike Alvarado in Alvarado’s hometown of Denver, CO.

HBO air times include: May 24 (12:15 a.m.), 25 (12:00 p.m.), 27 (2:45 p.m.), 29 (5:00 p.m. & 12:30 a.m.) and June 2 (8:30 p.m. & 1:50 a.m.), 5 (9:15 a.m. & 5:45 p.m.), 12 (1:30 p.m.) and 14 (11:30 a.m.).

HBO2 air times include: May 25 (11:35 p.m.), 27 (9:00 p.m.), 30 (1:15 p.m.), 31 (2:45 a.m.) and June 1 (11:30 a.m.), 8 (2:30 p.m.), 10 (10:00 a.m.) and 13 (4:50 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.).

All times are ET/PT.

Provodnikov makes his much anticipated 2014 ring debut on Saturday, June 14 when he defends his 140-pound title vs. Chris Algieri live on HBO from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

“2 Days” will also be available on the HBO On Demand® service, HBO GO® and at www.hbo.com/boxing as well as various other new media platforms that distribute the series.

The wait is over: Finally, Kubrat Pulev (20-0, 11 KOs) will get his chance to fight for the Heavyweight Championship of the World! The IBF has stated that Wladimir Klitschko (62-3, 52 KOs) must defend his titles against his Berlin-based mandatory from Bulgaria in his very next bout.

“That’s what I call a late birthday gift,” says Pulev, who celebrated his 33rd birthday last Sunday. “I was ringside when Wladimir defended his belts a few weeks ago. It was a walk in the park for him against Leapai. When Klitschko meets me inside the ring, I will cause him real problems to say the least. I will show the fans worldwide that Klitschko is no invincible machine and fulfil my dream.”

Pulev, who is nicknamed the “Cobra” due to his fighting style, secured the IBF mandatory spot in August 2013 with a win over Tony Thompson. After Klitschko, the WBO/WBA Super Champion and IBF World Champion, successfully completed his WBO mandatory against Alex Leapai on April 26, Pulev, the IBF’s mandatory challenger, is next in line.

Kalle Sauerland: ‘’The negotiations with Team Klitschko have already begun. We are excited to present a heavyweight bout in cooperation with K2, which is deserving of its ‘Heavyweight World Championship’ status.’’

CANELO ALVAREZ

“It truly is an honor to be here amongst all of you. Whenever I am doing anything in boxing, San Antonio is on my list because you guys treat me like family.

“I am going to prepare myself like always to give everyone a great fight. This is the fight the fans have been asking for and I am going to prepare myself for a great victory.

“I love it here and I’d love to fight in San Antonio later this year. Thank you very much.”

ERISLANDY “THE AMERICAN DREAM” LARA

“There’s nothing more to talk about, the fight is made. On July 12 we’re going to take Canelo to Cuban school.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer

“Canelo has a gift for everybody July 12 and it’s going to be a victory against Lara.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Canelo’s Manager

“July 12 we’re going to be ready like always and give a great fight.

“Like my dad said we have always admired the Cuban style of fighting, but in Mexico we also have great fighters.

“On July 12 all we’re going to do is give this guy here a beating.”

RONNIE SHIELDS, Lara’s Trainer

“I want to thank Oscar for coming back to the sport and building the company that’s the biggest company in boxing and they put on the best fights.

“We’re here because two of the best fighters in the world decided to fight each other. This is what boxing is all about. Boxing needs this.

“It takes time for the best fighters to fight each other, but when they do, there’s a lot of fireworks.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“They are fighting for the honor of being world champion and the honor of being the best inside that ring.

“Right now you are looking at the best 154-pounders in the division, Lara and Canelo. The fact that Canelo wanted this fight shows you that he wants to be great and he wants to fight the best in order to be known as great.

“I commend Canelo for choosing this opponent. He’s dangerous and he’s a real opponent. There’s a lot of similarities between these two fighters and come July 12 we’ll see who is the best. I think this is going to be a terrific fight.

“In Cuba you have incredibly talented fighters, Erislandy Lara is no exception.”

CHRIS DEBLASIO, Vice President of Sports Communications, SHOWTIME Networks

“We are putting on the biggest events in boxing with the most marquee names in the sport, and they are fighting tough fights. That credit has to go to Oscar De La Hoya and everybody at Golden Boy Promotions.

“At just 23-years-old Canelo Alvarez is making a name for himself as fearless and ready to fight anybody.

“For Erislandy Lara, he’s had an incredible journey, from leaving his home country of Cuba to fighting professionally to making a name for himself and becoming one of the most difficult fighters at 154 pounds and one of the most feared guys in boxing overall.

“This fight is the quintessential fight for Showtime, with one of the biggest names in the division fighting one of the toughest fights of his life and that’s what we’re all about.”

# # #

Canelo vs. Lara,” a 12-round junior middleweight fight taking place Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Canelo vs.Lara will be shown on the big screen in movie theaters across the country thanks to Fathom Events. Information will be available at www.fathomevents.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @LaraBoxing, @mgmgrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #CaneloLara and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

ESPN’s coverage surrounding ESPN and ESPN Deportes’ telecasts of the Saturday, May 10, 12-round World Boxing Council (WBC) World Heavyweight Championship fight between top-rated contenders Bermane “B. Ware” Stiverne (23-1-1, 20 KOs) and Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (36-3, 31 KOs) will include the Thursday, May 8, press conference and the Friday, May 9 weigh-in, both live on ESPN3. ESPN blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore will emcee the weigh-in. In addition, ESPN’s live telecast of the fight on Saturday will include interviews featuring Arreola and Stiverne. ESPN Deportes’ Golpe a Golpe will present a special live pre-fight show on Saturday, May 10 and ESPN.com will have the latest news and information leading up to and after the fight.

The fight, which was previously announced in March, will air live from the USC Galen Center at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates. Both shows will be presented by Corona Extra and will also be available on computers, smartphones, tablets, Apple TV, Xbox and Roku via WatchESPN. The card is co-promoted by Don King Productions and Goossen Tutor Promotions.

ESPN will also carry the fight exclusively in Latin America, the Caribbean, Brazil, and Canada (via TSN/RDS). In addition, ESPN will televise the fight in Australia and New Zealand.

Highlights:
New Picture (1)
Commentators: Tessitore will be ringside with Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN, while studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN) will present the latest boxing news and highlights on site. Pablo Viruega and David Faitelson will call the fights ringside for ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates (Fight Night), while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the on-site studio with analysis from Hall of Fame referee and ESPN boxing analyst Joe Cortez. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will present live interviews and reports for both networks.

ESPN3 Live Coverage of Press Conference and Weigh-in: Coverage of the Thursday, May 8, press conference (2:30 p.m.) and the Friday, May 9, weigh-in (6 p.m.) live on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Xbox and Roku via WatchESPN.

Arreola and Stiverne Interviews on ESPN: Saturday’s show on ESPN will include Atlas’ recent conversation with Arreola as he prepares for his rematch with Stiverne. View the conversation here. The show will also include an interview with Stiverne as he prepares for the fight. View the interview here.

ESPN Deportes’ Golpe a Golpe: A special pre-fight show (Saturday, May 10, 7 p.m., ESPN Deportes) will be anchored by Jorge Eduardo Sánchez, in Mexico, and will include the latest news and analysis from ESPN’s L.A. commentary team of Trejos, Gonzalez, Osuna, Viruega, Faitelson and Cortez. Golpe a Golpe will also have coverage from Friday’s weigh-in on Saturday, May 10 at 4 p.m.

ESPN.com: Comprehensive coverage including pre- and post-fight stories from ESPN boxing writer Dan Rafael. ESPN.com will also include previews and breakdowns from Making the Rounds, ESPN.com’s original boxing show.

Fight Details:

Main Event: Stiverne, a Florida resident of Haitian descent, first met California-based, Mexican-American Arreola last April for the right to challenge then-Heavyweight titleholder Vitali Klitschko for the WBC belt. Stiverne scored a 12-round unanimous decision win earning the right to face Klitschko. After Klitschko vacated his title in December to focus on his political career in Ukraine, Stiverne and Arreola were chosen to fill the vacant title. The two will not only battle for the vacant WBC World Heavyweight title, but also to become the first boxers of Haitian or Mexican descent to hold a Heavyweight title.

Co-Feature: Friday’s eight-round co-feature will pit undefeated Junior Welterweight Amir “Young Master” Imam (13-0, 12 KOs), against Yordenis “The Black Prince” Ugás (15-2, 7 KOs).

Upcoming ESPN Boxing Schedule:

Date

Time (ET)

Main Event

Location

Networks

Sat, May 10

8 p.m.

WBC World Heavyweight Championship: Bermane Stiverne (23-1-1, 20 KOs) vs. Chris Arreola (36-3, 31 KOs)—12 rounds

USC Galen Center,
Los Angeles

ESPN, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

Fri, May 16

9 p.m.

Delvin Rodríguez (28-7-3, 16 KOs) vs. Joachim Alcine (35-7-1, 21 KOs)—10 rounds, Jr. Middleweight

Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Canada

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

Fri, May 23

9 p.m.

Boxcino 2014 Finals

Petr Petrov (34-4-2, 15 KOs) vs. Fernando Cárcamo (17-5, 13 KOs)—10 rounds, Lightweights

Brandon Adams (14-0, 9 KOs) vs. Willie Monroe Jr. (17-1, 6 KOs)—10 rounds, Middleweights

Turning Stone Casino, Verona, NY

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

*Schedule subject to change

About ESPN Boxing
ESPN is home to ESPN Friday Night Fights and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates (Spanish version), a weekly boxing series which runs between January and August and showcases some of the best bouts in the boxing industry. Friday Night Fights began on October 2, 1998 and Noche de Combates (formerly Viernes de Combates) began on January 10, 2004. ESPN began televising boxing on April 10, 1980 when weekly boxing returned to television for the first time since 1964, with the debut of Top Rank Boxing on ESPN.

ATLANTA (May 7, 2014) – Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior middleweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (20-0, 13 KOs) is preparing for his first title defense, June 14 on HBO against No. 1 mandatory challenger Brian “The Lion” Rose (25-1-1, 7 KOs), like it was just another fight.

The 26-year-old Andrade, fighting out of Providence, captured the vacant WBO 154-pound title last November on HBO, defeating previously unbeaten 2004 U.S. Olympian Vanes “Nightmare” Martirosyan (33-0-1, 21 KOs) by way of a 12-round decision.

Andrade vs. Rose is the 12-round co-feature on a card presented by the gifted Cape Verdean-American’s co-promoters, Banner Promotions and Star Boxing, along with Top Rank, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The headliner is a 12-round bout between WBO junior welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KOs) and unbeaten challenger Chris Algieri (19-0, 8 KOs).

“I’m preparing for this fight the same way I always have with daily routines that got me here by being smarter and harder,” Andrade said from his Atlanta training camp. “I know what to do and what it takes. I’m always in shape and everything else is in place. My motor is running. I’m getting in shape for greatness, staying active in between fights and keeping my weight down. I’m doing what I was born and taught to do. Everything is coming together so I can put on a show fight night.”

Andrade has a rich pedigree having been a 2008 U.S. Olympian, 2007 World Championships gold medal winner, and four-time national amateur champion. Before he can get into a mega-fight with the likes of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, possibly even Floyd Mayweather, Jr. before he retires, or a unification fight with Carlos Molina or Erislandy Lara, Andrade must first get past his mandatory challenger from the United Kingdom.

“We’d like to thank HBO for providing Demetrius with this opportunity to show the boxing world that he is ready to take over the 154 and 160-pound divisions,” Andrade’s manager Ed Farris commented. “Sooner or later one of the big-name fighters is going to have to face Demetrius and then everybody in boxing will know Demetrius Andrade is for real. We’re honored that HBO has stepped up and given us this chance.

“I still don’t think most people realize what Demetrius did to Vanes Martirosyan. He virtually shut-down a fighter that hadn’t lost in 10 years with a 33-0-1 record. Martirosyan had beaten Erislandy Lara for five straight rounds before Lara started to figure him out. Martirosyan would beat the hell out of Timothy Bradley or Austin Trout, just like he did in the amateurs, yet Demetrius received very little credit for easily beating Martirosyan. Sooner or later the cream rises to the top and believe me Demetrius will rise. I’m confident that he will become one of the greatest fighters in the history of this sport.”

Rose has defeated former world champions Vivian Harris and Joachim Alcine but the light hitting Brit hasn’t been in with a pure boxing technician like Andrade, an athletic southpaw with tremendous speed and quickness combined with his deceptive power.

“I’ve seen clips of Rose,” Andrade concluded. “He’s a straight-up boxer. I won’t know too much more until I get in the ring with him. I do know I’m not going 12 rounds with this guy.”

Follow Demetrius Andrade on Twitter @BooBooBoxing.

DEL MAR, CALIF. (May 7, 2014) – Originally scheduled to square off on April 26, rising star Antonio “Relentless” Orozco and Mexican veteran Martin Honorio will finally get their chance to take care of business in the ring when they meet in the main event of the special edition of “Ringside at Del Mar” on Thursday, May 15 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, Calif. in the Golden Boy Live! FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast.

The previously announced main event fight between Manuel “Tino” Avila and David “Morita” De La Mora will now be featured in the 10-round junior featherweight co-feature and opening the telecast will be the six-round bantamweight bout between Paramount’s Manuel “Suavecito” Roman and Merida’s Jose “Cacho” Silveira.

San Diego’s Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (19-0, 15 KOs) has been making a steady, yet spectacular rise up the junior welterweight ladder, with his power earning him plenty of respect from his peers. Currently on a seven-fight knockout streak, the 26-year-old Mexican standout is coming off of a second-round finish over Miguel Angel Huerta on January 24. Now he looks to impress his local family and friends in next Thursday’s Golden Boy Live! main event.

Perhaps the biggest test of Orozco’s career, Mexico City’s Martin “El Brochas” Honorio (32-8-1, 16 KOs) is a former USBA, NABF and NABO Champion who has fought the best in the game for years, with notable victories over former World Champion Steve Luevano, Giovanni Andrade and John Molina and most recently had a great fight against Argentina’s power-puncher Lucas Matthysse. Winner of three of his last five fights, Honorio wants to stop Orozco’s rise by any means necessary.

Also featured on the card will be some of San Diego’s top talent looking to continue building their fan bases in their young careers. Lakeside’s talented middleweight Elias “Latin” Espadas (5-1, 3 KOs) will face Jamal Harris (5-7-4, 3 KOs) of Los Angeles in a four round battle, Vista’s featherweight Roque “Rocky” Ramos (4-0-1, 1 KO) will take on Phoenix’s Misael Chacon (1-2) in a four round junior lightweight bout, Ricky Gutierrez (2-1-1, 1 KO) of San Marcos will square off in a four round lightweight fight against Devonte Donaldson (1-5) of Gardena. Rounding out the card will be San Diego featherweight Prince “Tiger” Smalls (4-0-1) taking on Tijuana’s Victor Serrano (2-3) and in separate four round bouts, Jorge “Tito” Ruiz (6-1, 2 KOs) of Chula Vista and Lancaster junior middleweight Tevin Watts (2-0-1), taking on opponents to be announced shortly.

Tickets priced at $29, $45, $60 and $75 plus applicable taxes and service charges are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com, ringsideatdelmar.com, at the Del Mar Fair Grounds Box Office, or by calling (858) 792-4252. A limited number of two-for-one reserved Ringside ticket vouchers are available at O’Reilly Auto Parts stores throughout San Diego County while supplies last.

The latest edition of the popular Golden Boy Live! series on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes hosted by “Ringside at Del Mar” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions, Paco Presents in association with Jorge Marron, A&T Gym and San Diego-based Barron Entertainment and is sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, 7UP, Joel Diaz Training Camp, IHOP, El Latino Newspaper, 2014 FAB Fair, Rincon del Mar Restaurant, Virtual Tax Solutions, Cotixan Mexican Food, Chaotic-Labz and MyAttorney911. The Del Mar Fairgrounds doors open at 5:30 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 6:00 p.m. PT. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1, follow on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and follow the conversation using #GoldenBoyLive, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing. For more information on FOX Sports 1 visit www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1 and become a follower on @FOXSports

EL PASO, TEXAS (May 7) – It will be a Memorial Day to remember on Monday, May 26 when Golden Boy Promotions, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes salute the men and women of the Armed Forces with a special edition of Golden Boy Live! at Fort Bliss’ Stout Fitness Center in El Paso, Texas. In the televised main event, Nicaragua’s Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado defends his WBC Silver Featherweight Title against perennial contender and Texas native Rocky Juarez. Plus, top junior welterweight prospect KeAndre Gibson makes his debut in the Lone Star state against an opponent to be announced and in the televised opener, Texas’ young star Ryan “Cowboy” Karl makes his professional debut in a four-round welterweight bout.

This night of appreciation for the troops will feature U.S. Army World Class Soldier Athletes competing in undercard bouts and will be free to members of the military, with no tickets being sold for the event. These Soldier athletes are members of the Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), the Army’s program that trains and promotes nationally and internationally ranked Soldiers who are vying to represent the Army and the United States at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Led by Staff Sgt. Charles Leverette, WCAP head boxing coach, the Army’s boxing team is widely viewed as the forerunner for the entire World Class Athlete Program.

The Soldiers of WCAP’s boxing team – and the program’s nine other sports teams – are part of an elite group of athletes who are offered the privilege of attempting to reach the pinnacle of sports. These Soldiers are not only elite level athletes but are also exemplary Soldiers, exhibiting the qualities and values instilled by our “Ready and Resilient” Army. Many of these Soldiers go on to serve as Recruiters, Drill Sergeants, Rangers and Special Forces supporting the Total Army Force – at home and abroad.

A native of Managua, Nicaragua, 25-year-old Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado (20-2, 14 KOs) is a six-year professional starting to make waves in the featherweight division. Winner of six of his last seven bouts, the former Nicaraguan champion added a new title to his resume with an impressive ninth-round technical knockout win over Robinson Castellanos in February. All eyes will be on him this Memorial Day when he fights in the United States for the first time.

One of Houston’s most beloved fighters, 34-year-old Rocky Juarez (29-10-1, 21 KOs) has been exciting the fans for years and he’s not about to stop now. A 2000 U.S. Olympic Silver medalist, Juarez has faced the best in the world including Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez and Chris John and after his stirring eighth-round technical knockout win over Antonio Escalante in his most recent bout, Juarez has momentum on his side heading into his bout with Alvarado.

A 2006 National Golden Gloves champion and Junior Olympics Bronze medalist, 24-year-old KeAndre Gibson (9-0-1, 4 KOs) has put together an impressive series of wins since turning pro in 2010. Possessing the ability to box or slug it out on fight night, St. Louis’ Gibson is coming off of a fourth-round stoppage over Antonio Wong on March 8 and he’s hoping to add another knockout to his record at Fort Bliss.

One of Texas’ top young boxers, Ryan “Cowboy” Karl won several championships during his amateur days, but now he’s ready to test the professional waters. On May 26, the Houston native will make his debut in his home state in a four-round welterweight bout against Wilbert Mitchell (1-10) of Dallas, TX.

Alvarado vs. Juarez is a 12-round bout for Alvarado’s WBC Silver Featherweight Title that is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and O’Reilly Auto Parts. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.FOXSports.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing and follow the conversation using #GoldenBoyLive, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing. For more information on FOX Sports 1 visit www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1 and become a follower on Twitter at @FOXSports @FOXSports1 and @FOXSportsPR.

About U.S. Army Installation Fort Bliss:
One of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command’s (IMCOM) flag ship installations, Fort Bliss is comprised ofstate-of-the-art training areas, ranges, and facilities; led by adaptive,innovative, and warrior focused professionals concentrated on individual andunit readiness, leaders development, deployment, security, and thewell-being of Team Bliss. Team Bliss trains, sustains, mobilizes, anddeploys members of the joint team to conduct global, full spectrumoperations in support of the national military strategy, while providing forthe well-being of the regional military community. The Fort Bliss Family and MWR program is a values-based organization, which focuses on preparing for war while providing high quality service and programming to a growing and increasingly diverse population of Soldiers, families and civilians.

About 1st Armored Division:
The 1st Armored Division- nicknamed “Old Ironsides”-is the only standing armored division of the U.S. Army, with its base of operations in Fort Bliss, Texas. It was the first armored division of the U.S. Army to see battle in World War II. The Division again answered the Nation’s call to duty March 4, 2003 when it received orders to deploy to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of the global war on terrorism. “Old Ironsides” began moving out April 15 in Support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The division and task force marked some major “firsts” during the 15-month long mission. For Soldiers of the 1st Armored Division, this was longest deployment of any division in Iraq. Task Force 1st Armored Division was the largest division-based task force in U.S. Army history.The task force secured some of Baghdad’s roughest neighborhoods and brought stability to the city and its surrounding countryside. The Task Force’s accomplishments included planning and executing Operations Iron Hammer, Iron Justice, Iron Grip, Longstreet, Iron Bullet, Iron Promise and Iron Sabre.

CHESTER, PA (MAY 7, 2014)–Veteran’s Dhafir Smith and Brian Donahue will square off in the new featured bout this Friday at Harrahs Philadelphia.

The original main event, Anthony Caputo Smith taking on Pedro Martinez was scratched due to a weight discrepancy.

The show is promoted by Joey Eye Boxing promotions and XFE.

Smith of West Philadelphia has a record 26-24-7 with 4 knockouts has faced almost many of the major fighters between 168 and 175 pounds.

The 31-year old has wins over Tomasz Nowak (8-2-1); Henry Mayes (5-0); Brandon Mitchem (25-4-1); Jonathan Reid (34-6); John Johnson (12-1); Former world champion Jeff Lacy (25-3); Quinton Rankin (4-1) and Tony Ferrante (12-3).

Donahue of Philadelphia has a record of 2-8-2.

The Cruiserweight bout is scheduled for six rounds.

In four round bouts:

Anthony Prescott (3-3-1, 1 KO) of Cherry Hill, NJ will fight Danny Lugo (2-7, 1 KO) of Harrisburg, PA in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

In a Featherweight bout, Roberto Irizarry (1-0-1) of New Jersey will take on Benjamin Burgos (1-6-1) of Mount Pocono, PA.

Heavyweight Patrick O’Çonnor (2-0) will rematch Aaron Bratton (1-2) of Baltimore, MD.

Undefeated Featherweight Antonio DuBose (4-0, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will fight William Harris (0-2) of Darby, PA

Bouts subject to change

Tickets are now on sale for $100 (VIP); $75 (Ringside) and $50 (General Admission) and can be purchased at the Harrahs Philadelphia Gift Shop; By calling Joey Eye (267-304-9399); David Feldman (610-291-0806); 800-480-8020 or on www.webtix.net

Following months of speculation, today, former five-time World Champion Mikkel Kessler announced his intentions to continue boxing and fight his way back to the top of the sport he loves.

“I’ve thought a lot about whether I should continue my career,’’ said Kessler. ‘’I became a father and I have a life outside of boxing that I really appreciate. I’ve got a special responsibility. So it was not a decision I took lightly.

‘’But I still feel I have something to prove. I hate to lose! And I lost my last fight against Carl Froch. Many thought that I would quit, but I owe it to myself and my fans to finish on top. My last performance showed that I still belong at the top. And I know that my fans believe in me.’

“I’ve talked with my team, the people around me, and they are ready to support me on the journey to become World Champion again.

“I still have a desire for boxing. I still love to train, and I believe that I can become a World Champion again. Now that I’ve made the decision, it’s all in. I’m ready for all the big names out there. Whether it’s Ward, Golovkin or Groves, I’m ready. A third fight against Froch, why not? I’ll be ready for that too.

“I’m not rusty, but it’s been a while since I’ve boxed, so a fight in October or November would suit me best. At that point, I’d like to have a big fight.

“Like I said; it’s all in now. There is no turning back and I believe that I can do it. You don’t become world champion five times, if you don’t believe in yourself.”

Said promoter Kalle Sauerland: ‘’Mikkel proved in his last performance against Froch that he still belongs at the very top of the boxing world. He could have chosen to turn his back on the sport as he has won five World Championship belts and financially he has earned very well.

‘’He is, however, a true fighter and is motivated through big fights. He still believes he has a point to prove and at his age and with his very conscious lifestyle he could still go on a while. His last performance certainly proves that he still has a lot to give. There are some great fights to be made.’’

Further details regarding Kessler’s comeback fight will be announced shortly.

Las Vegas (MAY 7th, 2014) – Mike Tyson & CEO Garry Jonas of “Iron Mike productions” has confirmed that they will appear and have a Booth Area at the inaugural Box Fan Expo this September at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Founded in 2013 by CEO Garry Jonas and Hall of Famer Mike Tyson, Iron Mike Productions is a full-service boxing promotional company with offices located in Deerfield Beach, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada. Iron Mike Tyson productions is committed to changing traditional boxing promotion by advocating for its fighters’ successes, inside the ring and out, throughout their professional careers and into retirement.

Mike Tyson & CEO Garry Jonas of “Iron Mike productions” will have a Large Booth area to accommodate all their fans that want to meet and greet Mike Tyson and IMP talented roaster of fighters, sign autographs, take pictures, purchase merchandise and memorabilia. Pricing details to follow.

“We at IMP think this a great concept; it’s long overdue and congratulates Box Fan Expo for taking steps to bring this event to the fans who love boxing. Anything that brings the fans closer to the fighters is great for the sport and its development. We’re excited about being involved.”

Every year, one of the biggest boxing weekends of the year is Mexican Independence Day. In 2014, that weekend has just got bigger, better and more fan accessible with the announcement of the FIRST-EVER BOX FAN EXPO.

Box Fan Expo will take place on Saturday, September 13th, 2014 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and will run from 10am to 6pm.

To Purchase tickets click: http://www.BoxFanExpo.eventbrite.com/

Box Fan Expo is the ultimate fan experience that was created to promote the entire boxing industry and to allow fans to celebrate, Meet and Greet their favorite boxers and boxing celebrities. The event will feature boxing legends, today’s superstars, Hall of Famers, future prospects and the stars of today all under one roof.

The event will also feature major promoters, ring card girls, sanctioning organizations as well as trainers, referees, commentators and announcers. Anyone that directly or indirectly represents the sport of boxing will have a chance to showcase themselves to the boxing fans and whole industry. Also in attendance will be exhibitors, sponsors, television broadcasters and media.

Box Fan Expo will also feature different activities such as autograph sessions, photo ops, weigh in, face off with your favorite fighters and buy merchandise. Throughout the next several months, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that have already committed their appearance at the Box Fan Expo.

For anyone in the industry who would like to be involved and reserve a booth, contact

Box Fan Expo at:

U.S.A Telephone Number: (702) 997-2099 or (514) 572-7222

Email info@boxfanexpo.com

For more info go to:www.boxfanexpo.com

Follow Box Fan Expo on twitter: https://www.twitter.com/BoxFanExpo

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

PLEASE NOTE : see link at bottom of page for our Press Media kit.

Box Fan Expo is committed to helping the Retired Boxers Foundation which is a nonprofit organization that helps improve the quality of life for retired fighters. This is a fantastic opportunity for sponsors, retailers and anybody involved in the boxing industry to get involved and be a part of this once in a lifetime event and help out this great cause.. Box Fan Expo is proud to announce that part of the proceeds from the event will help the Retired Boxers Foundation.

London (7 May) Fred ‘The General’ Mundraby talks about fighting the newly crowned European super bantamweight champion Kid Galahad for the vacant Commonwealth title at Ponds Forge Arena, Sheffield, May 10, live on Channel 5 from 10pm.

The Australian champion, who fights in the UK for the first time in his career also discusses his preparations, Sheffield and his chances of victory on Saturday night.

Also scheduled to fight in Sheffield is undefeated heavyweight sensation Hughie Lewis Fury and Morden’s former British champion and European title contender Lenny Daws, as well as a whole host of local talent.

Ticket Information

Unreserved tickets for May 10th are priced at £35 and ringside from £100 and are available to purchase from today by calling 0114 223 3777.

OFFICIAL WEIGH IN – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

FRIDAY 9TH MAY
12.30PM FOR 1.00PM START

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
WEIGHING IN:

Undefeated former WBC International and British super bantamweight champion and newly crowned European super bantamweight champion
KID GALAHAD & TRAINER

Australia super bantamweight champion
FRED MUNDRABY & TRAINER

&

A SELECTION OF UNDERCARD FIGHTERS

Weigh-in Venue: Napoleons Casino, 17 Livesey St, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S6 2BL

Time: 12.30pm for 1.00pm start

All participants will be available for one on one interviews and photo opportunities.

Hennessy Sports would like to take this opportunity to advise the media and public of the official Kid Galahad vs Fred Mundraby weigh in, which will take place Friday 9th May in the lead up to their clash for the vacant Commonwealth super bantamweight title at Ponds Forge Arena, Sheffield, on Saturday 10th May.

The weigh in is open to the public and a selection of the undercard will also be tipping the scales.

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

LONDON (May 7) – A monster May continues on BoxNation, hot on the heels of a jam-packed few weeks which has seen boxing’s leading channel air the year’s biggest bouts including star names such as Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

The rammed BoxNation schedule continues to deliver with a host of top fights lined up over the coming weeks which includes exhilarating world title fights and the very best domestic dust-ups.

Household names such as Juan Manuel Marquez, Adonis Stevenson, Nonito Donaire, Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora are all set to feature live and exclusive on the channel.

Following on from last weekend’s mammoth ‘The Moment’ card which saw Mayweather in his closest fight in recent memory when he overcame Marcos Maidana, and Amir Khan’s sensational return against Luis Collazo, BoxNation is back in action this weekend with a doubleheader from home and abroad.

First up, British lightweight champion Martin Gethin returns after a year out the ring when he takes on the ever-exciting Derry Matthews at The Liverpool Olympia in a clash which is sure to have fight fans on the edge of their seat.

Rising sensation Chris Eubank Junior will also take part on the night when he faces tricky Pole Robert Swierzbinski in an eight-round contest at middleweight.

Then, it’s live Stateside, with Chris Arreola and Bermane Stiverne set to usher in a new era for heavyweight boxing when they battle it out for the WBC world title.

The recently vacated belt, following the retirement of Vitali Klitschko, will be on the line at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, with both men looking to stake their claim as the rightful heir to boxing’s most coveted throne.

A week later, on May 17th, Mexican legend Marquez will be back in action when he faces Mike Alvarado in a bout which is guaranteed to produce fireworks.

Two of the sport’s most thrilling fighters will go at it as they look to bounce back in style following defeats in their last bouts with the aim of pushing themselves back into the world title fold.

Further world class action will be shown on ‘The Channel of Champions’ when knockout artist and WBC light-heavyweight world champion Stevenson puts his title on the line against the tricky Andrzej Fonfara on May 24th.

The Canadian superstar is eyeing a potential unification showdown with fighting legend and current IBF champion Bernard Hopkins should he come through the challenge of Fonfara unscathed.

Big-time boxing returns to Macao, China on May 31st when hotshot Nonito Donaire looks to become a four-weight world champion when he moves up to challenge Simpiwe Vetyeka for the WBA Super featherweight title.

The Filipino-American’s all-action style has made him a firm fan favourite but he will have his work cut out when he steps in against the reigning champion Vetyeka who is coming off a big win over the highly respected Chris John.

Following this, BoxNation will bring viewers two huge British cards when modern day ‘Cinderella Man’ Stuart Hall defends his IBF bantamweight title against Merseyside’s hottest prospect Paul Butler on June 7th.

The 25-year-old is tipped as one of British boxing’s rising stars and he will be put to the test as he goes for his first world title in only his 16th professional bout against a foe who has seen it all in his life.

Hall famously captured his world title late last year in an electrifying fight with South African Vusi Malinga, and will be hoping to rise to similar levels when he faces Butler at a packed Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle.

July 26th sees one of boxing’s most anticipated fights of the year when Chisora and Fury clash in a showdown which will determine who faces heavyweight kingpin Wladimir Klitschko.

The bout between the pair will be an eliminator for the WBO crown with the victor set to take on the formidable Klitschko later this year. Both men clashed in 2011 with Fury coming out victorious via a 12 round decision.

But a rejuvenated and motivated Chisora, who is coming off a winning streak having blasted his way past the highly touted Malik Scott, will be out to get his revenge.

To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD & Virgin 546) for only £12 a month (plus one-off registration fee) visit www.boxnation.com.

-Ends-

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

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

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

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

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

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

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

David Price (17-2, 15 KOs) will face Yaroslav Zavorotnyi (16-6, 14 KOs) on June 7th at the Sport and Congress Centre in Schwerin, Germany.

Price returns to action following the third-round stoppage of Ondrej Pala in Denmark in April. The British heavyweight believes he is back to his best thanks to the experience he has gained in his last two fights away from home.

‘’I feel like I have really benefitted from fighting away from home,’’ said Price. ’’There is a lot less pressure and that has given me the opportunity to express myself more in the ring. In my last fight against Pala, I was calm and relaxed, and I was able to enjoy the whole occasion. I have definitely got my mojo back. I can’t wait to get back into the mix with all the big names in the heavyweight division.’’

Price must first get past former European title challenger Yaroslav Zavorotnyi.

‘’Zavorotnyi is a strong, durable opponent,’’ said Price. ‘’He has a decent knockout record and has gone the distance with some good boxers including Kubrat Pulev. He is definitely not someone I can overlook. No matter who is put in front of me I’ve got to put in a good performance and make sure I get the win.’’

Said promoter Kalle Sauerland: ‘’Pricey has really impressed me in his last two fights. Not only with his performances in the ring but also his attitude outside of it. He really is a consummate professional and a great ambassador for the sport. He is now ranked in the top ten with the WBO and will continue to climb the rankings with another win in Schwerin.”

Topping the bill on June 7th is WBA World Light Heavyweight Champion Juergen Braehmer, who will defend his title against an as yet unnamed opponent.

Selcuk Aydin has only one goal in his mind: The “Turkish Warrior” wants to become world champion. On May 17th he could make a huge step towards a world title when he faces unbeaten Ukrainian Viktor Postol in Inglewood, California. The winner of this WBC super lightweight eliminator will be mandatory challenger for unified WBC and WBA champion Danny Garcia.

Aydin vs. Postol will be live on HBO as televised co-feature of the clash between Juan Manuel Marquez and Mike Alvarado. “This is Selcuk’s chance to get back into the mix and all the way to the top again”, says promoter Ahmet Oner. “He already fought at this level when he faced Robert Guerrero for the WBC championship at 147. In that fight he just couldn’t pull the trigger. But I think his natural power will be a bigger factor at 140. If he gets past Postol I am sure that he can beat Garcia, too. But he has to live up to his potential. I am sure that it will be an exciting and brutal fight.”

Aydin is currently in training camp in his hometown Trabzon with head coach Robert Rolle getting ready and in shape for the big fight. His sparring partners can tell that the “Turkish Warrior” is taking this fight very serious. Light middleweight contender Gogi Knezevic had to quit and leave camp after only one very tough eight round session because of neck problems. Now European champion Michele Di Rocco gets to feel Aydin’s dedication and will power. “Selcuk is very focused and very strong. On fight night he will be in perfect shape”, says coach Rolle. “I think his aggressiveness and pure power will be too much for Postol.”

TULSA, OK (May 7, 2014) – BattleGrounds MMA (www.battlegroundsone.com) announced today that it has signed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and seasoned contender Roan “Jucao” Carneiro (16-9) of Atlanta, Ga. to compete in O.N.E., the promotion’s highly-anticipated, one-night, eight-man tournament that will award it’s winner a $50,000 grand prize at the first-ever Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event at BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. on Friday, June 27.

The addition of Carneiro brings the total number of confirmed tournament fighters to seven. Carneiro joins in the tournament field, submission aces Dennis “Superman” Hallman (53-14-2, 1 NC) of Yelm, Wash. and Cody “AK Kid” McKenzie (15-4) of Spokane, Wash.; undefeated upstart and former NCAA National Wrestling Championship runner-up Chris Honeycutt (4-0) of Fresno, Calif.; Luigi “The Italian Tank” Fioravanti (24-11) of St. Louis, Mo.; Urijah Faber protégé David “Bulletproof” Mitchell (14-4) of Lower Lake, Calif. and Josh “The Beast” Bryant (14-4) of Broken Arrow, Okla.

“We are excited to welcome Roan Carneiro to our roster of highly-accomplished and well-versed mixed martial artists,” said BattleGrounds MMA President and Olympic wrestling gold medalist Kenny Monday. “Roan has been fighting all over the world, at the highest level of the sport, so we felt he was a perfect fit for BattleGrounds MMA’s high stakes tournament.”

The eighth tournament competitor as well as several Superfights and a preliminary bout card will be announced soon. All tournament fights, including the championship matchup, will be comprised of three, five-minute rounds.

A rough and tough battler, the 5-foot-9, 35-year-old Carneiro has dealt with the physically and mentally taxing format of the one-night tournament in the past. On March 18, 2006, he defeated Gregory Bouchelaghem and Matt Horwich – each by split decision – in the quarterfinal and semifinal round, respectively, of an eight-man playoff in Manchester, England.

The back-to-back victories pitted Carneiro against Leonardo Nascimento Lucio in the championship matchup. Carneiro broke his foot in the first round of action, forcing him to retire during the break before the second frame, resulting in a second place finish.

Carneiro took up Capoeira at the age of five before receiving a brutal introduction one day to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from his younger brother, who quickly took Carneiro’s back and applied a choke hold that Carneiro was unable to escape from. Carneiro immediately became fascinated with the submission art, eventually earning his black belt under legend Carlson Gracie.

Eight years ago, Carneiro left his native Brazil for Paris, France and, two years after that, re-located to Atlanta, where he started a family and opened a training center. He will prepare for the upcoming challenge with local, world-class talent, including Brian Stann, Ovince St. Preux and Raphael Assuncao, and plans to spend another portion of his training camp at American Top Team in South Florida.

Carneiro made his debut on the silver screen in 2011, playing fictional MMA fighter Marco Santos in the LionsGate theatrical release Warrior, starring Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte.

Tickets for the BattleGrounds MMA event, priced from $65, can be purchased online at www.bokcenter.com as well as at Arby’s Box Office at the BOK Center, all ticket outlets, or by calling 1-800-7-BOKCTR.

Doors at BOK Center open at 6 p.m. CST on June 27. The first preliminary bout will begin at 7:15 p.m.

About BattleGrounds MMA

BattleGrounds MMA (www.battlegroundsone.com) is a world championship professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion designed to place combative sports athletes on a major stage in the most challenging and exciting format possible: one-night, single-elimination tournaments that reveal the toughest competitors in their respective weight divisions. Launched by Olympic wrestling legend Kenny Monday and Bryan O’Rourke in 2012 as a regional organization in Tulsa, OK to unearth promising new talent in one of MMA’s biggest hotbeds, the promotion is quickly capturing the hearts of fans nationwide as it brings about an exciting new era in the world’s fastest growing sport.

About the BOK Center:

The BOK Center is Tulsa’s state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue that opened in fall 2008. The 19,199-seat arena is home to the WNBA Tulsa Shock and the CHL Tulsa Oilers. The BOK Center was designed to host major concerts, family shows, ice shows, and other world class entertainment. Owned by the City Of Tulsa, the BOK Center is part of Vision 2025, a project to grow economic and community infrastructure for future generations. In 2011, the BOK Center won the prestigious International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) Venue Excellence Award.

About SMG

Founded in 1977, SMG provides management services to more than 230 public assembly facilities including convention and exhibition centers, arenas, stadiums, theatres, performing arts centers, equestrian facilities, science centers and a variety of other venues. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 14.4 million square feet of exhibition space and over 1.75 million sports and entertainment seats. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides venue management, sales, marketing, event booking and programming, construction and design consulting, and pre-opening services for such landmark facilities as McCormick Place & Soldier Field in Chicago, Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, Houston’s Reliant Park and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through its concessions, catering and special events division, SAVOR, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.

April 7, 2014 – Fight fans eager for a unique inside look at the red-hot June 7th HBO Pay-Per-View® world middleweight championship battle between superstars Miguel Cotto and Sergio Martinez, the 160-pound lineal champ, should mark their calendars to catch an all-new edition of “Face Off,” starring the two prizefighters. “Face Off With Max Kellerman: Cotto/Martinez” debuts Saturday, May 24 at 12:00 a.m. (ET/PT) immediately following the BOXING AFTER DARK® presentation on HBO.

Moderated by Max Kellerman, “Face Off” is an insightful and often gripping interview session in which the two fighters square off and answer Kellerman’s questions. In this edition the two fighters address each other in an intense exchange on a host of burning topics.

A “Cotto/Martinez” extended version of “Face Off” is set to air multiple times on HBO and HBO2 (schedule below). “Face Off” will also be available on the HBO On Demand® service, HBO GO® and at www.hbo.com/boxing as well as various other new media platforms that distribute the program.

HBO air times include: May 24 (12:00 a.m.), 25 (10:00 a.m.), 27 (3:15 p.m. & 2:30 a.m.), 28 (12:30 a.m.), 29 (5:30 p.m.), 30 (10:30 a.m.), 31 (7:00 p.m.) and June 3 (12:30 p.m. & 3:30 a.m.), 5 (1:15 a.m.), 6 (6:45 p.m.) and 7 (10:45 a.m.).

HBO2 air times include: May 25 (5:30 p.m.), 26 (10:45 a.m. & 3:30 a.m.) 30 (4:00 p.m.) and 31 (11:30 p.m.).

All times are ET/PT.

“Face Off With Max Kellerman: Cotto/Martinez” is part of a wide-ranging mix of original programming surrounding a landmark showdown at the world’s most famous arena. It all culminates when Cotto vs. Martinez takes place Saturday, June 7 from New York’s famed Madison Square Garden. The fight will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

LOS ANGELES (May 6, 2014) – A four-city, four-day, whirlwind press tour for “HONOR & GLORY: Canelo vs. Lara,” a highly anticipated event headlined by a showdown between former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez and WBA Junior Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara, commenced Tuesday at El Pueblo Historical Monument in Los Angeles.

Hundreds of fans and media members turned out for the Golden Boy Promotions open-to-the-public press conference that also was streamed live in High Definition across multiple SHOWTIME platforms, including via satellite feed, YouTube, Ustream and sports.sho.com/live.

Popular Mexican superstar Canelo, of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, will bring a record of 43-1-1 with 31 knockouts into the 12-round match-up. Former Cuban national amateur standout and slick southpaw, Lara, holds a record of 19-1-2, with 12 knockouts. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV.

“It is amazing the attention this fight is receiving,” said Golden Boy President Oscar De La Hoya, who emceed the proceedings. “Why? This is a fight that can possibly be the Fight of the Year. You have Lara the champion who nobody wants to fight because he’s dangerous.

“And you have Canelo, who was willing to take this chance. That’s what Canelo is all about, the opportunity to fight one of the best at 154 pounds. That’s what fighting is all about, and that’s what the character of this young fighter here is all about — fighting the very best.

“Golden Boy Promotions has a reputation of putting together great cards from top to bottom with great fights and this is going to be no exception.”

Tickets priced at $750, $500, $250, $150, $75 and $50, not including applicable service charges and
taxes, are on sale now. Tickets are limited to eighteen (18) per person with a limit of eight (8) at the $75
and $50 price ranges. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.
Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

“I took this fight because the fans wanted it, and after I kept reading and hearing interviews with Lara about how badly he wanted this fight,” Canelo said. “He said some bad things about me on Twitter and social media. I’m a Mexican, and I know all the tricks. You can’t say the kinds of things he said. So I’m going to please the fans and myself by fighting him.

“I don’t think I took what he said personally, or that he got under my skin, but he likes to talk. He can say
anything that he wants in the ring to me on July 12.

“I have a lot of respect for Cuban fighters. I grew up watching fights of Jose “Mantequilla” Napoles. There are lots of great fighters from Cuba. Lara’s a good fighter. But we’ll see who’s best when we fight.”

Said Lara, “I’ve never tried this hard to get a fight, and actually get it like I did for this one. I went to
extreme measures, doing things I’ve never done before. I’m a pretty laid-back guy, but I did everything I
could to challenge him and make people, the fans and the media demand that he fight me.

“It’s all because I want to prove that I am the best 154-pound fighter in the world.

“I think he is having problems with weight. That’s why he wanted that extra one pound and why we’re not
fighting for my title.

“I’m not sure what kind of fight this will be. It could be a war, and I could stand toe-to-toe like I did against Alfredo Angulo, or I can box. It depends how I decide to fight him in the ring.

“This is the fight, my fight. I win this, I’ve earned the right to fight Floyd Mayweather next.”

The tour continues on tomorrow in San Antonio, Thursday in New York City and Friday in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Below are more quotes from Canelo, Lara and Tuesday’s participants:

CANELO ALVAREZ:

“I want to thank the fans for all of their support. They are the best for me. All of the media, thank you. All the support is what makes this possible.

“I wanted to give the fans this fight, because this is what they asked for. I was offended on Twitter and social media because people said a lot of things about me. But that doesn’t matter. I’m here to prove who I am, and I’m going to win July 12.

“This fight is only for my honor and glory to bring to the Mexican people.”

ERISLANDY “THE AMERICAN DREAM” LARA:

“I don’t really have much to say; everything is done. On July 12,we are going to let our fists do the talking. There’s nothing more to say. We will see you there July 12.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer

“On behalf of team Canelo, thank you all for being here. This is a fight that the fans wanted and we wanted to give it to them. On July 12, you will see what Canelo is made of.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Canelo’s Manager

“On July 12, it’s going to be a great battle. Lara is a great fighter, one of the best. But on July 12, we’ll see who is going to take who to school and where the real fighters come from.”

RONNIE SHIELDS, Lara’s Trainer

“Both of these fighters deserve to be on this stage. It’s going to be a great fight. This is why all the fans come out. They come out to see great fights.

“Both of these guys are two of the best at 154 pounds in the world. There can only be one winner and that’s going to be Lara. The reason is because he’s the best fighter, simple as that. He has been avoided by every top fighter in the world, including Floyd Mayweather. Canelo is a very good fighter. We can’t take anything away from him. But Lara is one step ahead and we are going to prove that on July 12.

“The fans should come out. Get your tickets. Get your pay-per-view. It’s going to be a great, great night. We are sure the undercard will be great as always, Golden Boy puts on the best shows – simple as that.

“People are going to be talking about this fight for a long time. Both of these guys have two common opponents – Austin Trout and Angulo. Canelo slipped by Trout, and Lara destroyed him. They both have stopped Angulo. Both guys can punch, both buys work really hard.

“Get your popcorn. It’s going to be a great night. On July 12, Erislandy Lara will walk out as the victor.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“Team Lara is an excellent team. A professional team with a great trainer, a great manager. He has good people around him. All Lara has to do is focus and train for this fight. That’s what a champion should do and that’s exactly what he does.

“Lara had a controversial loss against the great Paul Williams. He is the WBA Champion after defeating Angulo in 11 rounds. He has the pedigree; as an amateur in Cuba he had more than 250 amateur fights. He’s one of the best fighters to ever come out of Cuba.

“Canelo is one of the most compelling fighters today. At only 23-years-old he has had a professional career since 2005. He has won the WBC Junior Middleweight title in 2011 and defended it 11 times. He has victories over Austin Trout. He beat Angulo and he was in the mega-event last Sept. 13 against Floyd Mayweather.. Now, he is back, giving the fans what they want. This is most difficult challenge at 154 pounds for Canelo. To please his fans, he is facing the toughest guy in the division, Lara.”

CHRIS DEBLASIO, Vice President of Communications, SHOWTIME Sports

“SHOWTIME is on tap tonight to possibly receive eight Emmy awards for our work from last year; something we’re very proud of. That is a record for us in nominations.

“In two years, SHOWTIME Sports has risen in prominence on the back of our boxing franchise,which is now known for televising the biggest events in the sport of any television network, is Canelo Alvarez. Credit goes to Erislandy Lara for challenging for this fight against Canelo, and credit to Canelo Alvarez for taking this fight against one of the most feared men in boxing and certainly the most avoided guy in this division.

“This matchup is the type of fight that SHOWTIME has become known for. It’s the biggest names in the sport, the most compelling matchups and the toughest fights to date on the grandest scale.

“Also, the replay of Maywaether vs. Maidana will air this Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT
on SHOWTIME as part of our network’s Free Preview Weekend.”

# # #

Canelo vs. Lara,” a 12-round junior middleweight fight taking place Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand
Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Canelo vs.Lara will be shown on the big screen in movie theaters across
the country thanks to Fathom Events. Information will be available at www.fathomevents.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @LaraBoxing, @mgmgrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #CaneloLara and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

(San Diego, CA) – The ladies take center stage once again in the next Bobby D. Presents “San Diego Fights” fight card set for Friday, May 30th, at the new home for San Diego professional boxing, the Crowne Plaza Hotel, when hometown favorite Amaris “Diamond Girl” Quintana (7-2-2, 2KOs) takes on the rugged and undefeated Susana “Dinamita” Estrada (2-0) of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in the scheduled six round light flyweight main event. At the last fight card presented by veteran promoter Bobby DePhilippis, a member of California’s boxing hall of fame, a star-studded audience which included heavyweight title challenger Chris Arreola, welterweight contender Josesito Lopez and light welterweight prospects Antonio Orozco and Maurice among others, witnessed Tijuana sensation Kenia Enriquez capture her first title, the NABF 108lb. crown, via a 7th round TKO over veteran Jolene Blackshear. The same type of fireworks are expected.

“Amaris is a tough girl, she loves to fight and always gives the crowd a great fight, no matter who she fights,” DePhilippis said about San Diego’s own Quintana. “Uribe is no slouch despite only having two fights, she comes to brawl and I am sure we will have a great night of professional boxing.”

Hailing from “America’s Finest City”, Quintana is coming off an impressive six round decision over Susan Reno in her first fight in San Diego in nearly two years in early April. In her last two fights Quintana had challenged current IFBA champion Sindy Amador for the title but fell short. Now she looks to get back in contention. First she must take care of Uribe who in her two first fight of her early career defeated two prospects of her hometown, the tough town of Ciudad Juarez, located across the border from El Paso, Texas. Uribe looks to keep her streak of upsets going in her first fight north of the border.

Oklahoma City’s Downtown Airpark, located off I-40 and Western, usually alive with the sounds of rock and roll, will on June 6 be the scene of a majestic “Battle Under the Stars” as WBU World Lightweight Champion and Oklahoma City native Noah Zuhdi (17-1, 13 KOs) defends his title against Eduardo Pereira dos Reis (13-1, 8 KOs), Osasco, Sao Paulo, Brazil. This is Zuhdi’s second defense of the vaulted title – the same one earned by Micky Ward in the film “The Boxer.” In September, 2012, Zuhdi won the WBU Championship belt in a twelve round decision over German Jurado (12-2) of Changuinola, Panama. Zuhdi successfully defended his world title in August, 2013, in a second round knockout of Gyula Vajda (12-3), from Hajduhadhaza, Hungary.

WBU Commissioner Don Moose” Lewis commented on Zuhdi’s upcoming title defense. “Noah Zuhdi is continually on the lookout for new challenges and new opportunities to please his fans,” he said. “That he has decided to fight in this wonderful outdoor venue is a tribute of his fearless desire to do anything the best way possible. Rarely does any boxing organization have the privilege of a class act representing them and to have Noah to do such, with him being an exciting, entertaining, tenacious fighter, is simply fantastic,” Lewis continued. “It is my hope that OKC realizes there is a new major league franchise in town and it’s Noah Zuhdi.”

On the action packed undercard, with opponents to be announced, will be crowd favorite super middleweight Bo Gibbs (10-0, 7 KOs) (6 rounds); heavyweight Ron Aubrey (11-3, 11 KOs), (6 rounds); welterweight Joe Blurton, former MMA fighter making his debut in the ring and Terry Butterbaugh (9-9).

Bud Elder, catBOX Vice President of Boxing Operations, promises the event will go down in Oklahoma history. “This fight has been a long time in the process,” he said. “But the stars have perfectly aligned to give us this wonderful outdoor venue and a sure to be exciting fight between the reigning Champion Noah Zuhdi (17-1, 13 KOs) and the rugged Brazilian boxer Reis (13-1, 8KOs), who has 8 knockouts and only one loss. Plus, a strong undercard with plenty of boxing action. catBOX promises to deliver a rock ‘em, sock ‘em evening of world class boxing at its finest under the stars at Oklahoma City’s newest and best outdoor facility, with the backdrop of Oklahoma City’s skyline rounding out the scene.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, including special table pricing and tickets, go to catboxentertainment.com or visit www.ticketstorm.com. Or to learn more about the WBU World Champ Noah Zuhdi and his WBU World Title fight, visit noahzuhdi.com.

For photos or to schedule interviews with any of the fighters, please contact Bud Elder at bude@catboxentertainment.com.

FIGHT INFORMATION

Fight Time: 8:00 p.m.; doors open at 6:00 (outdoor event)

Where: OKC Downtown Airpark (I-40 and Western on South Side of I-40)

What: ZUHDI V. REIS, WBU World Lightweight Championship Title Fight (12 rounds of exciting boxing action), with an action packed undercard featuring catBOX Fighters undefeated Bo Gibbs, Jr., Joe Blurton, and former Blazer’s hockey star Ron Aubrey.

More Info: www.catBOXentertainment.com or call (405)445.2507

TICKETS: WWW.TICKETSTORM.COM
Platinum Table Ringside Seats: $100
(for table sponsorships–10 seats–call 405.445.2507)
Reserved Seats: $60.00
General Admission: $30.00

Chicago, IL Tuesday, May 6, 2014–Chicago boxing sensation Donovan “Don Da Bomb” George (25-4-2, 22 KOs) will get a shot at the vacant International Boxing Organization (IBO) Super Middleweight title on Saturday, May 17, when he travels to Colombia to fight Alexander Brand (22-1, 18 KOs) of Bogota, Columbia. George returned to the ring with a sixth round TKO of Troy Lowry (28-14, 17 KOs) on April 18, of this year.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Donovan, and he deserves this shot at a world title,” said Bobby Hitz. “He works so hard everyday and it is paying off for him.”

George had been scheduled to headline Hitz Boxing’s June 20th installment of “Fight Night at Horseshoe Hammond” when this bout was presented to his team.

“I’ve been in the gym training for a June fight, but when this fight presented itself a couple of days ago I took it. You don’t pass up a title shot, ever!” said George. “This is why I stay in shape, stay ready. I’m going to South America to represent Chicago, Hitz, Round 3, and Team Boom. I expect to return with a belt.”

George signed with Hitz Boxing and Round 3 Productions earlier this year.

“Donovan is a special fighter who is going to impress international boxing fans and bring the title back to Chicago,” said Frank Mugnolo, president of Round 3 Productions. “Bobby and I are proud of him.”

ABOUT HITZ BOXING
Since its debut in 1991, Hitz Boxing has been the Midwest’s leading boxing promoter. Led by Bobby Hitz, who boasted a 21-4 record with 18 KO’s as a boxer, Hitz Boxing is the longest running boxing promoter in the Chicago area dating back to the bi-monthly boxing series the “Ramada Rumble,” held at the former Rosemont Ramada Inn. The organization currently promotes the wildly popular “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN and is the subject of the actuality show “Hitz Boxing,” a web series that has amassed over 5 million Internet views. Over the years the organization has produced matches that have included some of the top names in boxing such as James Toney, Antonio Tarver, Montell Griffin, Iran Barkley, Andrew Golota and “Fast” Fres Oquendo.

For more information, please visit: www.hitzboxing.com.

ABOUT ROUND 3 PRODUCTIONS
Round 3 Productions was formed in 2011 by lifelong Chicago resident Frank Mugnolo and has quickly become one of the premier boxing promotional firms in the United States.

Making their mark quickly, Round 3 Productions guided current #1 ranked light heavyweight contender Andrzej “The Polish Prince” Fonfara to his first world title (International Boxing Organization) in November 2012.

While continuing to retain a substantial financial interest in Fonfara, Round 3 Productions has teamed with Chicago’s Hitz Boxing to sign perennial super middleweight contender Donovan “Da Bomb” George to an exclusive promotional contract with more signings of Chicago’s finest to come.

From the packed houses at the UIC Pavilion to the unprecedented pro boxing event at U.S. Cellular Field, Home of the Chicago White Sox, on August 16, 2013, Round 3 Productions has become a proven leader in the sport of boxing.

New York, NY (5/6/14) – Last night, Westchester County’s most popular and promising fighter, Bryant “Pee-Wee” Cruz (10-0, 6KO’s), took time out of his busy training schedule to take part in a special meet-and-greet at his sponsor bar/restaurant – Mickey Spillane’s, in Eastchester, NY – for a number of his adoring fans. The undefeated junior lightweight prospect sat for hours talking with fans, signing autographs and taking pictures. Cruz even received a surprise visit from his DBE stable-mate, undefeated and fast-rising female star Heather “The Heat” Hardy. Cruz, who recently signed an exclusive co-promotional deal with DiBella Entertainment and New Legend Boxing, is set to face Osnell Charles on DiBella Entertainment’s upcoming ShoBox: The New Generation card live from the beautiful Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT. The bout against Charles is scheduled for six rounds and will be one of the featured undercard bouts of the evening.

“It was great for Pee-Wee to give back to his fans and to actually be able to have a conversation with them and interact with them. He is always so appreciative of their support, so this was a great way for him to thank them personally. We expect a big crowd to make the trip up to Foxwoods on May 16, and Pee-Wee is totally focused on the task at hand and putting on a spectacular performance for everyone coming out,” said manager Kevin Crowley.

“I am always in the gym, always training, so being able to do stuff like this is a nice breath of fresh air for me. It also gives me the opportunity to give back to my fans, who have been so supportive of me thus far during my career,” said Cruz.

While Cruz was all smiles yesterday, when asked about the upcoming fight his demeanor quickly changed.

“This is a huge opportunity for me and my career. When I beat Joshua Reyes back in February, the Showtime execs were there watching and from what I have been told, they were very impressed. Being on this upcoming ShoBox undercard will give me the opportunity to once again showcase my talents to them. I know how important it is for me and my team that I don’t just win but that I do so in impressive fashion. That’s what my trainer Ryan O’Leary and I are working toward everyday in the gym. I know that my manager Kevin Crowley and promoters DiBella Entertainment and New Legend Boxing will get me the opportunities that I need to bring my career to the next level and it is my job to not let them pass me by.”

Tickets for the upcoming ShoBox: The New Generation card are priced at $125, $85 and $45, and may be purchased online at Foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com.

After a successful show in February Prospect Boxing are please to confirm there return to Ravenscraig Sports Facility on Friday June 6th , in a co-promotion with Chris Gilmour Promotions.
Looking ahead to the showcase, promoter Paul Graham is looking forward to another action packed evening “Last February’s show threw up some good fights, and the crowd seemed to enjoy it. We have got a good mix of established names, and rising stars so these shows are good for developing the talent we have at Prospect, and Chris Gilmour’s guys”
He adds “We currently have a massive 14 fights scheduled on the evening, we expect there to be a few débutant’s, a few local fights and we have our rising flyweight Iain Butcher fighting over 8 rounds, in against an International opponent that we expect to confirm later in the week. So we are expecting a good evening with a bit of drama thrown in with the fights. We have done a few stacked shows like this over the last year or so and they are well received by the fans who come through the door with a often coming to the next show .
“We will be finalising the fights over the next few days and will confirm the full line up of opponents, on the evening but with the build up to commonwealth games which is happening in Glasgow were expecting another sell out so I would urge people to move quick and not miss out on what could be a memorable night.
Prospect Boxing and Chris Gilmour Boxing present an evening of International Boxing, at Ravenscraig Sports Facility Motherwell on Friday June 6th. Headlined by British Title Challenger Iain Butcher, the card also features another 13 bouts.
Returning to action is Rhys Pagan, Shaun McShane, JP McGuinness, Scott Edgar, George Thomson and Michael McGurk. Also pencilled to appear is Jordan McCorry, Ryan Love, Gary Murray, James Thomson, Lee Gallacher, Craig Kelly and Eddie Doyle.
Tickets are priced at £30 for unreserved, £50 outer ringside and includes waitress service, £75 with food and complimentary drinks and waitress service. Tickets are available from the fighters direct, or by calling 01698 338 888

LAS VEGAS (May 6, 2014) – The two best junior middleweights in the world will meet to decide 154-pound supremacy Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez will square off against WBA Junior Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara in a 12-round bout. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV.

Lara was originally scheduled to defend his WBA title against Ishe Smith on Friday, May 2 in Las Vegas to kickoff Cinco de Mayo Weekend withdrew from the fight to face Canelo.

“This fight against Erislandy Lara is very important for my career because it is an opponent with vast experience in both the amateur and professional field, and I am sure our fighting styles will provide an explosive battle and great atmosphere that night,” said Canelo Alvarez. “Lara, the media and the fans around the world wanted this match to take place, and here I am fulfilling their request since I have no doubt that everyone will be completely satisfied.”

“I give Canelo respect for accepting this fight, and even though it took him a while to step up, we’re going to give the fans a great performance on July 12,” said Lara. “I’m coming to show the world I’m the best fighter at 154 pounds. This is the biggest fight of my career, and beating Canelo will get me closer to my ultimate goal, a showdown with Floyd Mayweather.”

“Canelo has always been a true warrior who insists on fighting the best, and this is just another example,” said Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Beating Erislandy Lara is a huge challenge for any fighter, but if anyone is up to the task, it’s Canelo.”
“Canelo vs. Erislandy Lara, a fight between the two best junior middleweights in the world, is yet another great example of the competitive, highly compelling and star-studded marquee matchups that SHOWTIME has become known for,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “We are proud to see Canelo Alvarez continue his quest to take on the best boxers in the sport today. Lara, one of most skilled boxers in any division, is highly motivated by his own quest for a career-defining victory. I commend both Canelo and Erislandy for stepping up to the challenge and delivering the fight that boxing fans want.”

“We have already had the opportunity to host a number of sensational fights in 2014,” said Richard Sturm, president of Entertainment & Sports for MGM Resorts International. “The summer heats up with another great event as we welcome the return of Canelo Alvarez to MGM Grand following his dominating performance in March.”

On a collision course for years, the highly anticipated matchup between Lara and Canelo will finally come to fruition following big wins over Austin “No Doubt” Trout and Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo, respectively.

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KOs) is one of the most compelling figures in the fight game today. A former world champion and still just 23-years-old, Canelo has captivated fans around the world with his exciting fighting style and charisma in and out of the ring. A professional since 2005, Canelo won the WBC Junior Middleweight Title in 2011 and successfully defended it five times before unifying the championship with a 2013 victory over Austin Trout. A mega-fight with Mayweather followed five months later. Although he lost a hard-fought decision to the pound-for-pound king last September, Canelo got back on track in March with a 10th round-technical knockout win over Alfredo Angulo.

Slick southpaw Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (19-1-2, 12 KOs) graduated from the renowned Cuban amateur boxing program and migrated to the United States to pursue a professional boxing career. As a young contender on the rise, Lara suffered a controversial decision loss to Paul Williams in 2011. Since then, he has done his best to take it out of the judges’ hands by knocking out Ronald Hearns and Angulo, with the latter victory earning him the WBA Junior Middleweight World Championship. In his most recent bout, Lara won a 12-round unanimous decision over Trout on Dec. 7, 2013, and now the 31-year-old, who makes his home in Houston, will attempt to give Canelo a boxing lesson on July 12.

“Canelo vs. Lara,” a 12-round junior middleweight fight taking place Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets priced at $750, $500, $250, $150, $75 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now. Tickets are limited to eighteen (18) per person with a limit of eight (8) at the $75 and $50 price ranges. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @LaraBoxing, @mgmgrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #CaneloLara and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

MONTREAL (May 6, 2013) – Nothing has ever been handed to undefeated world lightweight contender Ghislain “Mani” Maduma (16-0, 10 KOs). Unable to get a world title shot, the Congo-born, Montreal fighter is forcing the issue, fighting “Mighty” Kevin Mitchell (37-2, 27 KOs) in his backyard on May 31 in an International Boxing Federation (IBF) title eliminator, on the Matchroom Boxing-promoted Carl Froch-George Groves card at famed Wembley Stadium in London.

The 29-year-old Maduma is world rated by the World Boxing Council (WBC) at No. 3 and No. 4 by the IBF. Only IBF No. 5-ranked Mitchell, who has failed in two previous world title fights, stands between Maduma and his ultimate goal of a showdown with IBF 135-pound champion Miguel Vazquez.

“This is a very, very big fight for me,” Maduma said. “I want to be known in boxing circles and this fight in front of 80,000 fans in the stadium and so many others watching around the world will be a good publicity shot for me. I had a plan for this year. The first step is winning this fight, the second is to be world champion. That’s why I’ve trained so hard to give an exciting performance.

“I have to thank my promoter, Camiile Estephan, and coach, Mike Moffa, for what they do for me on a daily basis. In only 3 ½ years, they have me in this position and not many boxers can say the same. I also want to thank everybody on my team, Eye of the Tiger Management, my teammates and sparring partners, and the people of Quebec for their support.”

The largest crowd Maduma has fought in front of has been 8,000 at Bell Centre (Montreal) earlier in his professional career. He realizes that, as a hometown favorite, Mitchell figures to greatly benefit from fans there for Froch and Groves alike.

“I know 80,000 people will be screaming for him and booing me,” Maduma remarked. “It will be just me and him in the ring, my skills against his, but I think my skills are better. We’ll find out in the ring. He is a very good fighter with good skills and experience. I appreciate the opportunity to fight him. He’s a proven, world-class fighter and I need to beat him to show that I’m ready for a world title shot.”

“Ghislain is an amazing athlete,” Maduma’s promoter/manager, EOTTM president Estephan noted. “His level of fitness is unparalleled in comparison to any other Canadian fighter. Of all the big names who’ve come out of Montreal lately, Ghislain is definitely, pound-for-pound, the fastest and best conditioned. He is totally committed and his fitness level rivals any elite athlete in the world, no matter the sport, and in addition to his incredible physical shape, Ghislain is also a tremendously gifted boxer with an extremely high boxing IQ. We believe he is ready to take on the best lightweights in the world, causing a lot of damage on his way to the top. Ghislain Maduma is a major star in the making. He finally has an opportunity to prove he’s the best lightweight in the world by winning the May 31st title eliminator and then defeating Vazquez for the IBF world title.”

Maduma is the reigning WBC Continental Americas champion and he recently relinquished his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) crown.

Mitchell has lost world title bids to Ricky Burns (TKO4) and Michael Katsidis (TKO3) but he has defeated, among the more notables, world title challengers John Murray and Walter Estrada, as well as Amir Khan and Richard Abril-conqueror Breidis Prescott.

“Mitchell is a complete fighter,” Maduma’s trainer Mike Moffa commented. “He has speed, a good chin and can hit. This may not be the fight we wanted. It’s a big risk fighting him in England in front of 60,000 to 80,000 fans, which will be a challenge for me and Ghislain, but it’s the fight we needed to get on top. Mitchell is a very smart fighter; he waits and counters with an amazing jab.

“Ghislain’s speed has gotten him here. He puts his power behind his speed and jab as he throws combinations. We’ve been working with him to try and take away Mitchell’s jab to back him up. Ghislain is very serious, dedicated to the sport. When controlling a fight he can make it easy with his speed but, he’s also in top condition and he’ll need to be to take the fight to Mitchell.”

For further information about Maduma visit www.eottm.com, follow him on Twitter @GhislainMaduma.

OMAHA. NEB (May 6, 2014) — Undefeated world champions TERENCE CRAWFORD, Omaha’s favorite son, and Cuban sensation YURIORKIS GAMBOA, who both boast identical 23-0 (16 KOs) records, will host a news conference announcing their World Lightweight Championship fight This Thursday! May 8, at the CenturyLink Center in the Bud Light Zone (455 North 10th St., Omaha, Neb. 68102). The news conference, which will be open to the public, will begin at 12:30 p.m. CT, with doors opening at Noon CT. Joining Crawford and Gamboa will be Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum and Roger Dixon, President/CEO of the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA).

Crawford vs. Gamboa is the first world championship fight the city of Omaha has hosted in 42 years when Joe Frazier defended his World Heavyweight Championship crown against Ron Stander in 1972.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s SMS Promotions, PS4 and Tecate, the Crawford vs. Gamboa World Lightweight Championship fight will take place Saturday, June 28, at the CenturyLink Center. It will be televised live on HBO®, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

All the participants will be available for one-on-one interviews. Media may park in Parking Lot A and enter through the Security/Media Entrance.

San Diego, CA – May 6, 2014 – On Saturday, May 17, Lee Selby will take on Romulo Koasicha for the vacant WBC International Featherweight title in a 12-round bout bout that will headline a championship afternoon of boxing live on AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment.

The fight, which will also serve as a WBC Elimination bout to champion Johnny Gonzalez’s belt), will originate from the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales.

“This will be another great afternoon of live world-class boxing”, said AWE President Charles Herring. “We have two title fights with the winner positioned to fight for the world title. The Buckland verses Rees bout will be a terrific fight and boxing fans will be excited to see Nathan Cleverly’s Cruiserweight debut.”

Selby of Barry, Wales has a record of 18-1 with 7 knockouts. Selby has been on a roll, winning 14 straight fights and capturing multiple championships.

The 27-year old Selby has won the Welsh Area Featherweight title and the Celtic Featherweight title. He won the British and Commonwealth Featherweight titles with an 8th round stoppage over previously undefeated Stephen Smith (12-0). He defended The British belt four times and the Commonwealth Belt five times. During those defenses he had impressive wins over Patrick Okine (11-1-1), Martin Lindsay (20-1), Corey McConnell (11-0-1) and his last bout where he also capture the European Featherweight title with a 6th round stoppage over former world title challenger Randall Munroe (27-3-1) on February 1st. Selby also captured the WBC International Featherweight title when scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Viorel Simion (16-0) in 2012.

Selby is ranked no. 4 in the world by the WBC, no. 6 in the world by the IBF and no. 10 in the world by the WBO.

Koasicha of San Luis Potosi, Mexico has a record of 21-3 with 12 knockouts. He has earned a number of belts, including the WBC United Stated USNBC with a 7th round stoppage over Eduardo Becerril. Koasicha has defended the title three times over two reigns which includes his last bout when he scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Marcos Cardenas on February 8.

A stacked undercard has been arranged by promoter Eddie Hearns of Matchroom Sport. In a 12-round Battle for the WBC International Super Middleweight title, undefeated Callum Smith (10-0, 8 KO’s) will take on Tobias Webb (14-1-1, 2 KO’s). Gary Buckland (28-3, 9 KO’s) will battle former world champion Gavin Rees (37-4-1, 18 KO’s). Also former Light Heavyweight champion, Nathan Cleverly (26-1, 12 KO’s) will make his Cruiserweight debut against Sean Corbin (17-4, 12 KO’s)

Boxing fans can enjoy Selby vs Koasicha and upcoming world-class boxing bouts live on AWE via Verizon FiOS TV channels 169 and 669 in HD, AT&T U-Verse TV channels 470 and1470 in HD, along with over 100 cable systems across the country and worldwide. Watch for additional live boxing announcements at www.awetv.com

About AWE LIVE BOXNG

In 2012, AWE earned 2 of the 6 Boxing Writers Association of America nominations for “Fight of the Year” candidates, beating out all other networks except HBO which earned three. AWE also showcased live all 2012 David Price fights. In 2013, AWE has featured the stunning upsets of Tony Thompson over David Price, bouts with Adonis Stevenson and Tony Bellew, who just fought each other for the Light Heavyweight championship; 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winner James DeGale and possibly the two most controversial bouts which saw Ricky Burns keep his Lightweight title against Ray Beltran as well as the debatable stoppage that saw Carl Froch retain his title against George Groves.

About AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment

A Wealth of Entertainment (“AWE”) features a wide range of lifestyle and entertainment programming from exotic travel and outrageous homes to live world championship boxing. AWE is featured on over a hundred cable providers, including AT&T U-Verse, ch 470 and 1470 in HD and Verizon FiOS TV, ch 116 and 669 in HD. For more information, please visit www.awetv.com.

LAS VEGAS (May 5, 2014) – Former world title contender, Marvin Cordova Jr. (21-2-1, 11 KOs), is ready to make a comeback. Cordova Jr. is hungrier than ever, after serving a 3-year prison term for crimes he was arrested for in April of 2010.

Cordova Jr., who now resides in Las Vegas, NV, recently completed a reform program in his home state of Colorado. At age 29, a matured and focused Cordova Jr. is prepared to get his boxing career back on track. He feels he’s learned his lesson.

“I made some unwise decisions as a young man growing up,” said Marvin Cordova Jr. “I did time with lifers (men who have been served life sentence’s) in some of the worst prisons in America. Being locked up with those types of people really opened my eyes. I’m really sorry for the things I did in the past. I took my freedom for granted and I’ve learned from my mistakes. I’m eager to get back in the ring and continue my boxing career.”

As an amateur, Cordova Jr. defeated the likes of Danny Jacobs, Andre Berto, Lamont Peterson, Anthony Dirrell and Mike Alvarado to name a few. In addition Cordova Jr. knocked out Austin Trout and beat him twice in amateurs. He was the lead sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao when the Philippine star was getting ready to fight Oscar De La Hoya.

In his last fight, he suffered a close decision lost to Josesito Lopez (32-6, 19 KOs). His only other loss came against Dennis Laurente (47-5-5, 28 KOs), another close decision defeat. He has a draw technical draw against Victor Ortiz (29-5-2, 22 KOs), when the bout was stopped due to an accidental head butt.

Cordova Jr. will continue to make his comeback and make his return to the ring in the very near future, most likely in June.

“I’ve competed, sparred and fought against some of the best fighters in the world,” continued Cordova Jr. “I know I have the ability to be successful in boxing. I’m just ready to work hard and follow my dream of becoming a world champion.”

Adviser Zeferino Ramirez believes Cordova Jr. has the talent to make a triumphant return to boxing.

“With a little guidance and support, I know Marvin will make a stunning comeback.” said Ramirez. “He’s gotten a second chance at life and I really believe he’s going to make the best of it. If everything goes as planned, I’m hoping to get back in the ring next month.”

BROOKLYN, NY (May 5, 2014)—On Thursday, May 15 Dmitry Salita’s Star of David Promotions presents a huge night of boxing that will be headlined by a 10-round WBC International and WBC USNBC Cruiserweight battle between undefeated fight’s Steve Bujaj (12-0, 9 KO’s) of New York and Junior Wright (10-0, 9 KO’s) of Evanston, Illinois.

One of the featured undercard will be a 6-round Super Featherweight bout that will pit one of the best female fighter’s in the world, Brooklyn’s own Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (20-1-1, 15 KO’s) and Belinda “Brown Sugar” Laracuente (26-28-3, 9 KO’s).

Besides being one of the best, Serrano always brings excitement as she has a non-stop, come forward style. She boasts a record of 20-1 with 15 knockouts and is currently 6-fight knockout streak.

She is a 4-time champion as she has captured the NABF Featherweight title. The IBF World title with a 2nd round stoppage over Kimberly Conner (9-1-2), the UBF Intercontinental Super Featherweight title as well as the WIBA International Featherweight title.

“Training has been great. I always train hard and camp is coming to a close and I am ready,” said the 25-year old Serrano.

Serrano knows that the 57-fight veteran, Laracuente will be a tough fight for her.

“We knew she would take the fight. She is a tough Puerto Rican like me. She has been around a long time and has fought the best so I consider this a step up. I remember her fighting when I was just starting.”

This will be Serrano’s 2nd bout in Brooklyn (her 1st was the title winning knockout over Connor) and she is very excited about returning home.

“The fans bring something out of you when you fight in Brooklyn. It is something that comes over you.”

Serrano is looking to fight anybody, any place at anytime.

“I will fight anybody between 122 and 135 pounds. Whoever they put in front of me, I will fight.

“This is going to be a great fight. We are 2 top Puerto Rican fighters and we will steal the show,” finished Serrano.

Besides those two great bouts, the rest of the card looks as follows:

In 6 Round Bouts:

Jarrell Miller of Brooklyn (8-0-1, 8 KO’s) will battle Joshua Harris (9-7-1, 7 KO’s) of Youngstown, OH in a Heavyweight bout.

Jr. Middleweight Steven Martinez (14-1, 11 KO’s) of Bronx, NY will fight Antonio Chaves Fernandez (4-17-2) of Brockton, MA.

Undefeated Welterweight Mikkel Lespiere (4-0-1, 3 KO’s) of New York, NY will battle Rapahel Luna (4-8-3, 1 KO) of Albany, NY.

In 4 round Bouts:

Dimash Niyazov (5-0-2, 4 KO’s) of Staten Island, NY will fight Jose Del Valle (2-5-3) of Corozal, PR In a Lightweight fight.

Middleweight Akil Auguste (3-1, 3 KO’s) of Brooklyn will square off against Juan Zapata (3-7-1, 2 KO’s) of Bronx, NY in a Middleweight fight.

Marcos Suarez (2-0-1, 1 KO’s) of Bronx, NY will box against Ian James (2-6-1, 1 KO) of Brooklyn in a Lightweight fight.

Log on to http://www.dsalita.com to buy your tickets today.