GLENDALE, ARIZ. – October 27, 2022 – International superstar Jake “The Problem Child” Paul finally got MMA legend Anderson “The Spider” Silva to agree to wager the result of their must-see eight-round cruiserweight match on Saturday, October 29 in a Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) event live on SHOWTIME PPV^® at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from Desert Diamond Arena (formerly Gila River) just outside of Phoenix.

During the final press conference on Thursday, Paul said that if Silva wins, he would face Silva in a kick-boxing match – a competition that would put Paul at a severe disadvantage. Paul said if he wins, he and Silva would create together a united fighter’s association to help UFC and all MMA fighters get better pay and healthcare.

“You become the interim president and we unite,” Paul said.

“Deal!” Silva responded, as the two rose from their seats on the dais and shook hands in the middle of the stage as fans applauded.

The blockbuster event between the two generational talents – Paul is the YouTube personality-turned boxer who rode into Wednesday’s media workout on horseback while Silva is the famed MMA legend with UFC records and accolades on his resume – has resonated with fans. Paul-Silva is already the highest grossing boxing event for ticket revenue in the history of Desert Diamond Arena and the second highest-grossing ticket event across all combat sports with two days until fight night.

The five-fight pay-per-view event is widely available for purchase and live streaming in the U.S. at SHOWTIME.com/ppv and via the SHOWTIME^® app. The event is also available on major cable, satellite, and telco television providers throughout the U.S. for a suggested retail price of $59.95 (SRP). Tickets are still on sale and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. The press conference on Thursday was streamed on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel, Jake Paul YouTube channel, Jake Paul TikTok channel and the SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page.

Paul and Silva were joined by the eight other fighters at the press conference appearing on the SHOWTIME PPV. Here is what they had to say before they meet in the ring on Saturday:

JAKE PAUL

“For sure I have more pressure on my shoulders. Just being the ‘A’ side, and the amount of sh– I talk I think the entire MMA community is waiting for me to lose. They want me to lose. I just have so many more big ideas and plans in this sport and I just plan on being here forever. This is the start of that, and the pressure is on.

“I’m the young guy and he’s really, really good and has more experience. He has the weight, the height, the reach so all the odds are stacked against me. He’s very fast, very technical, very rangy, good defense, good movement. I’ll have to be perfect on Saturday night. I know I’m capable of doing that but I’m ready for war. Skill aside, it might come down to who wants it more and I believe that’s me.

“When you get into the ring you have to be ruthless, savage, be willing to do whatever it takes during the darkest moments in the ring. You have to be a killer or you will be killed, so that’s where the problem child comes in. I’m a problem for anyone that’s in the ring with me. I can put you out at any time. I’m a different person. I don’t care about consequences when I’m in the alter ego and I come alive when I enter the ring. It’s not Jake. It’s someone else that I tap into.

“Logan was like, ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ Now you think I’m going to win.”

ANDERSON SILVA

“When you fight in combat sports you have to be a little crazy. I’m a little crazy, too. This is not for everyone. Everyone here are special guys and for sure everyone here is a little crazy.

“This is a competition and I’m training hard to make a great show for everyone. This fight is very special to me. I try to do my best because I love fighting and I love my job and now I’m free to do everything I like to do.

“I don’t believe this affects my legacy, in my journey in combat sports. I try to do my best to give something to the new generation. Jake and I are bringing two big generations together and people think this will affect my legacy or affect Jake’s legacy, but I don’t believe that because it’s about passion and love.

“Everyone always asks, ‘Are you sure you want to face Jake Paul? He’s beating a lot of guys in the UFC.’ I say, ‘Yeah, I think I’m ready for that. He’s younger than me but I’m a superhero.’”

ASHTON SYLVE

“I feel like in the next two or three years I’ll be ready to fight for a title or be a contender. I’m in my eighth fight and I’m in the co-main event to a Jake Paul fight.”

BRAULIO RODRIGUEZ

“My mom is a fan of Jake Paul. I’m going to give the fans a show. I know what I’m capable of doing and I’m going to give the fans a show. I’m up to the challenge.”

ALEXANDRO SANTIAGO

“I am thrilled to represent Mexico. I’m so excited. I’m glad to have a grudge match to decide who’s truly better. I can promise you I’m going to represent Mexico with all I have, and this fight is going to be great.”

ANTONIO NIEVES

“When we fought six years ago, he was a last-minute opponent to the card we were fighting on. The fight was a draw and now to be in this event with Jake Paul from my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, it means a lot for me. He’s not a last-minute opponent so we expect a better fight and we’re looking for the victory.”

URIAH HALL

“Fighters fight and it changes when you have to go out there and you have to adjust. We’re both fighters at the end of the day. He’s a powerful dude. I know he’s confident. You can’t really focus on those outside negative affirmations. You have to stay present and I’m just looking forward to having some fun. He’s a challenge, it’s a step-up, it’s outside my comfort zone and I love a challenge.”

LE’VEON BELL

“I didn’t expect this to happen. But over the course of my NFL career, me picking up boxing as cardio, I just fell in love with it. And once I started sparring and competing with other fighters, then I knew this was what I wanted to do.”

CHRIS AVILA

“This is just another fight week and it’s not any different than Bellator or UFC.”

DR. MIKE VARSHAVSKI

“When I told my patients and my doctor colleagues [that I was fighting], they were considering admitting me to the psych ward. But they saw my passion for the sport and the reason I fell in love with boxing – as I said in other interviews, 2010 was a rough year where I lost both of my grandparents and my mother. It was a dark time and boxing allowed me an escape from that dark time.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA

“I’ve been a lifelong boxing fan. I’ve been in the sport working for almost 25 years. I’ve seen a lot of things, a lot of unusual things, but I never would have predicted an event like this.

“People ask all the time, ‘Why Jake? Why put 35 years of credibility in the sport on the line in this event?’ Well, for those of you who have spent any time with Jake, you can see he’s demonstrated a commitment to the sport, a respect for the sport, that can’t be denied. He promised us he would be taking on a tougher challenge with each successive fight and that’s exactly what he’s doing.”

# # #

ABOUT PAUL VS. SILVA

International superstar and serial risk-taker Jake “The Problem Child” Paul will face the biggest challenge of his career when he takes on UFC legend and accomplished boxer Anderson “The Spider” Silva in an eight-round bout at a catchweight of 187 pounds on Saturday, October 29 in a Most Valuable Promotions event live on SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Desert Diamond Arena, just outside of Phoenix, Ariz. In undercard action, teenage sensation Ashton Sylve will put his knockout streak on the line against Braulio Rodriguez in an eight-round lightweight bout contested at 133 pounds. Top 118-pound contenders and former world title challengers Alexandro “El Peque” Santiago and Antonio “Carita” Nieves will meet again in a 10-round rematch of their exciting 2016 showdown. Elite UFC striker Uriah Hall and former NFL star running back Le’Veon Bell will make their pro debuts in a four-round cruiserweight bout contracted at 195 pounds. In addition, Chris Avila, a disciple of UFC superstar Nate Diaz, will square off against “Doctor Mike” Varshavski, a board-certified family physician and social media influencer, in a four-round cruiserweight bout contracted at 185 pounds.

SAN DIEGO, CA (Oct. 27, 2022) – Days aways from their anticipated 12-round crossroads fight, former IBF Super Featherweight World Champion Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, Jr. (32-2-1, 15 KOs) and undefeated, rising lightweight division star William “El Camarón” Zepeda (26-0, 23 KOs) hosted a press conference in San Diego to promote their clash. Fans can expect these two warriors to put on a show at the Pechanga Arena San Diego this Saturday, Oct. 29 on DAZN beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT.

The Diaz, Jr. vs. Zepeda undercard fighters also participated in the press conference. Co-main event Alexis “Lex” Rocha (20-1, 13 KOs) discussed his NABO Welterweight title defense against Tijuana, Mexico, Jesus “Ricky” Perez (24-3, 18 KOs) in a 10-round fight. Monterrey, Mexico’s Arely Mucino (31-3-2, 11 KOs) shared her thoughts ahead of challenging Chimba, Argentina’s World Champion Leonela Yudica (17-0-3) for the IBF Female Flyweight World Title in a 10-round match. Dallas, Texas’s Hector Valdez, Jr. (15-0, 8 KOs) will open the DAZN broadcast in a 10-round super bantamweight fight against Las Vegas, Nevada’s Max Ornelas (15-0-1, 5 KOs).The main event for Golden Boy Fight Night: Diaz, Jr. vs. Zepeda Prelims on the Golden Boy Boxing YouTube Jorge “El Niño” Chávez (3-0, 3 KOs) will participate in a six-round super featherweight fight against Houston, Texas’s Adrian Leyva (3-3-2, 1 KO).

Here’s what some of the fighters had to say:
JOSEPH “JOJO” DIAZ, FORMER IBF SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION:
“Zepeda is a young, hungry, and tough fighter, but I’m hoping that it will bring the best out of me on Saturday. He looks great on paper, but I’ve been there, done that, and my experience speaks for itself.

“I have been working really hard on myself in general. I’m excited to be doing what I love to be doing, which is putting on a great show for the fans.

“There is an A-side and B-side. I’m the A-side.”
WILLIAM “EL CAMARÓN” ZEPEDA, UNDEFEATED SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“There is no A-side or B-side. This is a fight for the fans.

“I’m very grateful for my promoter, Golden Boy and to my team for bringing out that talent and for teaching me new things. These are the types of opponents that bring out the best fights and show that we belong.”

ALEXIS “LEX” ROCHA, NABO WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION:
“I’m here just living out my dream. Who would have thought that the 11-year old chubby kid would be here on the patch to chasing a world title.

“From this point forward, I’m only going to give more effort to take over my division. My focus right now is Jesus Perez.”
JESUS “RICKY” PEREZ, WELTERWEIGHT FIGHTER:
“You are going to see a more complete, more focused fighter when I get in the ring with Rocha. You will see more defining qualities from me. The winner Saturday night will be the fans.

“God willing, we are going to shock the fans on Saturday.”

ARELY MUCINO, FEMALE FLYWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“This fight brings a lot of emotions. The meaning behind the fight is much deeper. We have been working for many years to come back on top, and to once again become a world champion. This is my father’s dream and my dream. I have been through a lot in my life, and look, we are here to fulfill that dream. It’s very special for me to complete this dream for my father.”

ERIC GOMEZ, PRESIDENT OF GOLDEN BOY
“JoJo Diaz is one of the most exciting fighters we have. He’ll take on any challenge. He’s a great person, great former champion, and works very hard. He is not taking Zepeda lightly. You can give JoJo the edge just because he’s more experienced.

“With Zepeda, you’ve got a hungry and young kid that is trying to make it. He is fighting the guy with the bigger name. It’s going to be fireworks.”

Diaz, Jr. vs. Zepeda is a 12-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The fight will take place on Saturday, October 29 and will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN worldwide. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.

Tickets for Diaz, Jr. vs. Zepeda are on sale and are priced at $125, $80, $60, $40 and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at AXS.com, PechangaArenaSD.com and GoldenBoyPromotions.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #DiazJrZepeda

NEW YORK (Oct. 27, 2022) — Former three-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko and undefeated upstart Jamaine Ortiz renewed acquaintances Thursday in New York City. The one-time sparring partners will clash in the 12-round lightweight main event Saturday evening at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. This fight could propel the winner to a shot at undisputed champion Devin “The Dream” Haney.

Lomachenko (16-2, 11 KOs) returns after serving a stint in a territorial defense battalion in his native Ukraine, a decision that delayed his quest for undisputed glory. Ortiz (16-0-1, 8 KOs) authored a career-best victory over former world champion Jamel Herring in May.

The 10-round featherweight co-features sees Cuban two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez (10-1, 6 KOs) attempt to move closer to a title shot against late substitute Jose Matias Romero (26-2, 9 KOs).

Undercard action includes middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (6-0, 5 KOs) and a quartet of U.S. Olympians from the Tokyo Games: silver medalists Duke Ragan (7-0, 1 KO) and Richard Torrez Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs), Tiger Johnson (5-0, 4 KOs), and Troy Isley (7-0, 4 KOs).

At the press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.Vasiliy Lomachenko

“I feel great. I feel good. I can’t wait to come back Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. I think it’s a special place for me. I’ve had a lot of fights there. So, it’s a lucky place for me.”

“For me, it was an easy decision [to not take the George Kambosos Jr. fight] because there was a war in my country. There was a war in my hometown. I needed to stay with my family and with our people and defend our country. You don’t think about boxing. You don’t think about your future. You just think about saving your life and saving your family. That’s it.”

“I just wanted to bring a bit of sports attention to our country. And Saturday, which is Sunday morning in Ukraine, I want the people to change their mind towards good emotions.”

“Sparring [against Ortiz] is different from competition because our conditioning is not at 100 percent, so Saturday night will be a very interesting fight. I’m focused on my job. I’m focused on my boxing. You can’t stop thinking about your country. It’s always on your mind. But now I’m focused, and I need to be focused because I’m an athlete. After the fight, I’ll go back to Ukraine and support my country.”

Jamaine Ortiz

“This fight means everything to me. This is something I’ve manifested into my life, eventually fighting Lomachenko. And the time has come here at the ‘Mecca of Boxing,’ Madison Square Garden. God has delivered everything I’ve asked for.”

“I learned a lot of things about myself in the Jamel Herring fight, as I do in every fight. I try to make improvements. I go back to the basics and fundamentals and try to master those skills. Saturday night you’re going to see the best Jamaine Ortiz.”

“I think the opponent in front of you brings out the type of fighter you are. I think Lomachenko is going to bring out the best Jamaine Ortiz. The fighter that everybody around me knows. You’re going to see the real ‘Technician’ on Saturday night.”

Robeisy Ramirez

“Well, it’s not a secret that Madison Square Garden is a mythical arena for boxing. But what actually brings out the best of me is the ring, not the arena.”

“I said that ‘the train is coming and it won’t be derailed’ because I want to fight for a world title. That’s what we hope for. After this fight, we’re expecting to fight for a world title.”

Jose Matias Romero

“This was an opportunity that was given to me. I plan on taking advantage of it. It’s a pleasure to be on this stage. And I look forward to this fight. I like to do my talking in the ring, but I’ve come very well prepared, thanks to my team. We had a great camp. But I think they are underestimating me.”

“Thank God, I have a great training team. I stay training. I never stop training. I have also had experience fighting in the United States before, so this is nothing new. The opportunity was there, and thank God it happened. And on top of that, it’s happening at Madison Square Garden, so I’m very happy.”

Richard Torrez Jr.

“Being a pro has been amazing. I come from a town where there are more cows than people. So, to be at a place like Madison Square Garden is incredible. It’s incredible to be able to have my team here as well. All these guys are Olympians. There’s nothing like it.”

Nico Ali Walsh

“From the very start, I knew who I was. I think people are starting to give me my own name. So, it’s not about me finding my own name. It’s about people accepting the fact that I knew who I was from the start. I got into boxing, and I know why I got into boxing. It’s just important to pay homage to my grandfather, but I’m doing my own thing with this.”

Tiger Johnson

“Life as a pro has been good. I’m just really excited to be on a card with my Olympic teammates. I had a real good camp with Nico. We’re going to put on a really good performance. I don’t really look for the knockout. I just can’t control my power sometimes, so it is what it is.”

Duke Ragan

“It’s an honor to be able to fight on a card with my fellow Olympians. The only time we ever fought together was on the USA team. It is a great feeling to do it professionally and go up the ranks together.”

Troy Isley

“I’ve always wanted to be with Top Rank. They’ve produced a lot of legends. I’m blessed to say that I can be one of the legends in the making. My goal is to focus on boxing. I’m not really too worried about the trolls and all that. If you’ve got trolls and haters, you’re obviously doing something right.”

Saturday, October 29

 ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)

Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Jamaine Ortiz, 12 rounds, NABF Lightweight Title

Robeisy Ramirez vs. Jose Matias Romero, 10 rounds, featherweight

ESPN+ (6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT)

Richard Torrez Jr. vs. Ahmed Hefny, 6 rounds, heavyweight

Haven Brady Jr. vs. Eric Mondragon, 8 rounds, junior lightweight

Matchroom Boxing have completed the double signing of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Silver Medallist Pat McCormack and decorated former Team GB Podium Squad member Mark Dickinson. 

McCormack (2-0, 2 KOs) enjoyed a glittering amateur career, culminating in Olympic silver in the Welterweight division. Before that, the 27-year-old from Sunderland won a gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and a gold medal at the 2019 European Games in Minsk. The former Team GB ace has two knockout wins from two fights since turning professional with Ben Davison earlier this year. 

Durham’s Dickinson (3-0, 1 KO) made waves in the amateurs, representing Team GB on a number of occasions and earning gold at the European and Commonwealth Youth Games. The 23-year-old has made a perfect start to life in the paid ranks since turning over in October 2021, picking up three wins from three fights in the Middleweight division under the tutelage of Davison.

“I believe with the backing of Matchroom Boxing and DAZN I’m in the perfect place to be able to fulfil my potential,” said McCormack. “I’m looking forward to this exciting journey and truly believe I have what it takes to become a World Champion. There is nobody better to work alongside in boxing and I know that Matchroom and Eddie will promote me to the very top.”

“I am excited to get things moving with the backing of Matchroom Boxing and DAZN,” said Dickinson. “I believe there are some huge nights ahead for me and I’m excited and motivated to showcase myself and what I am capable of. With Ben, Matchroom and DAZN behind me I know I can go on to achieve big things in this sport.”

“I’m really excited for both of these journeys to push on,” said BenDavison. “Eddie, Matchroom Boxing and DAZN were keen on Pat and Mark and I believe this is the perfect place for them to be. They will be given the opportunities necessary to develop and fulfil their potentials. There’s no doubt about it, these lads are special talents and fans across the world are going to love watching them in person and live on DAZN.”

“I’m delighted to add two of Britain’s brightest stars in the North East Pat McCormack and Mark Dickinson to the Matchroom stable,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “Pat’s achievements in the amateurs speak for themselves. Silver medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, a gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and a gold medal at the 2019 European Games in Minsk and many more. He’s one of the very best amateurs we’ve seen on these shores in recent times and I’m incredibly excited to guide his professional career moving forwards.

“Mark is one of the most exciting prospects in British boxing and another product of the famous Birtley Boxing Club. He had an outstanding amateur career, representing Team GB numerous times, whilst earning  gold medals at the Youth Commonwealth Games and the European Youth Championships. He’s made a perfect start to life in the pro ranks and there’s some big nights ahead for him. We’ve enjoyed some brilliant nights up in the North East over the years and both Pat and Mark are keen to bring big shows and World Titles back home.”

Follow McCormack’s journey on Instagram: patmccormack14 and Twitter: @PatMcCormack14

Follow Dickinson’s journey on Instagram: mark_dickinson and Twitter: @mark_dickinson1

SAN DIEGO, CA (Oct. 26, 2022) – Ahead of their crossroads clash, former IBF Super Featherweight World Champion Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, Jr. (32-2-1, 15 KOs) and undefeated, rising lightweight division star William “El Camarón” Zepeda (26-0, 23 KOs) hosted a media workout at the BXNG CLUB in San Diego for their upcoming 12-round crossroads fight. The match is set to take place at the Pechanga Arena San Diego this Saturday, Oct. 29 on DAZN.

Also a part of the media workout, co-main event Alexis “Lex” Rocha (20-1, 13 KOs) will defend his NABO Welterweight title against hungry challenger from Tijuana, Mexico, Jesus “Ricky” Perez (24-3, 18 KOs) in a 10-round fight. Monterrey, Mexico’s Arely Mucino (31-3-2, 11 KOs) will challenge Chimba, Argentina’s World Champion Leonela Yudica (17-0-3) for the IBF Female Flyweight World Title in a 10-round match. Dallas, Texas’s Hector Valdez, Jr. (15-0, 8 KOs) will open the DAZN broadcast in a 10-round super bantamweight fight against Las Vegas, Nevada’s Max Ornelas (15-0-1, 5 KOs).The main event for Golden Boy Fight Night: Diaz, Jr. vs. Zepeda Prelims on the Golden Boy Boxing YouTube will be Jorge “El Niño” Chávez (3-0, 3 KOs) who will participate in a six-round super featherweight fight against Houston, Texas’s Adrian Leyva (3-3-2, 1 KO).

Here’s what the fighters had to say:
JOSEPH “JOJO” DIAZ, FORMER IBF SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION:
“I know this fight is a really tough fight. It’s sink or swim. I’m a warrior – I have that in me and I’ll fight anyone. I want to fight the best. I want to always challenge myself.

“I’m always progressing – even my losses, I don’t look at them as losses. I look at them as lessons learned. Zepeda is one tough gunner, and I know he’s hungry for a title shot which will make this an incredible fight for me personally because he’s going to come forward and be aggressive.”

WILLIAM “EL CAMARÓN” ZEPEDA, UNDEFEATED SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“I had a really great training camp. I know I have a complicated fight ahead of me but I am very motivated with an excellent preparation like always.

“I’m used to training at a high altitude [10,000 feet above sea level in Jiquipilco, Mexico]. We really enjoy training there because we are very focused on training.

“I was very excited when I got the call for this fight. I’ve always wanted these types of opportunities. I’ve trained really hard for this, and this fight won’t be the exception. We are very concentrated and focused because we know this is a big opportunity.”

ALEXIS “LEX” ROCHA, NABO WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION:
“I’m a quiet guy, but when I go in the ring I let my hands do the talking. I just love what I do. A lot of people have turned me down. A lot of big names, but that’s just the way it is. I have “Ricky” Perez in front of me and I have a job to do.

“My whole mentality is just different since my loss to Rashidi Ellis. It’s a kill or be killed mentality inside the ring now. I know my opponent will come in very determined, and very motivated to win.”

JESUS “RICKY” PEREZ, WELTERWEIGHT FIGHTER:
“This is a fight that we were destined to fight in. We have prepared very hard for this fight. Everyone will see the results from our preparation come fight night. I hope that fans get to see a big performance from the both of us. I feel very proud to represent the people of Tijuana and San Diego since I train here. I am going to feel right at home. This isn’t the first time I am the underdog, and I’ve given my fair share of surprises as the b-side.”

ARELY MUCINO, FEMALE FLYWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“I am happy because fight week is finally here and grateful to God for allowing me to live out this crazy dream. The emotions are building up, and I just want it to be Saturday already.

“Fans can expect for me to put on a show. Everyone knows that female boxers get to work starting from the first round, and this fight won’t be the exception. This is Mexico vs. Argentina, and I will proudly represent my country’s flag. This fight is dedicated with much love to my father, as I will continue the legacy that he left behind for us to continue.”

LEONELA YUDICA, CURRENT IBF FEMALE FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION:
“I have successfully defended my title 10 times in Argentina. I am very excited for this fight because I have long awaited for the opportunity to fight internationally. Not many people know who I am, but after this fight they will.

“She is a Mexican fighter, so she will come into the ring like a tough warrior. I am going to have in front of me a female boxer with tremendous experience and a former world champion. This is going to be a tough fight, equally in the physical and technical side. But I am calm because I have prepared for this fight.”

Diaz, Jr. vs. Zepeda is a 12-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The fight will take place on Saturday, October 29 and will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN worldwide. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.

Tickets for Diaz, Jr. vs. Zepeda are on sale and are priced at $125, $80, $60, $40 and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at AXS.com, PechangaArenaSD.com and GoldenBoyPromotions.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #DiazJrZepeda

MINNEAPOLIS – October 26, 2022 – Unbeaten WBA Super Middleweight Champion and Minneapolis fan-favorite David Morrell Jr. and undefeated mandatory challenger Aidos Yerbossynuly previewed their 12-round duel during a virtual press conference Wednesday before they headline action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, November 5 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Armory in Minneapolis.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features the 24-year-old Cuban native Morrell in his fourth-straight fight in front of his adopted hometown fans at The Armory, as he looks to deliver another KO highlight against the hard-hitting and undefeated Yerbossynuly. Kazakhstan’s Yerbossynuly most recently knocked out Lennox Allen in September 2021, after Allen took Morrell the distance in their August 2020 showdown.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Warriors Boxing, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Armory at http://ArmoryMN.com/ and through Ticketmaster.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:

DAVID MORRELL JR.

“He probably is the toughest opponent that I’ve faced. He’s faced some really good European fighters and I’m well aware of how tough he is. But I’m back in my house to give my fans a great show.

“I don’t think that he’s my most dangerous opponent, but I’m not underestimating him. Every fighter is dangerous and reaches this point for a reason. He’s been fighting well and getting knockouts, but I’m facing this challenge like I would any other.

“Right now I’m only focused on this fight. I’m not focused on David Benavidez or any other fighter. I’m just focused on getting a win on November 5.

“I don’t care about where we fight. The home arena advantage is not a thing I’m concerned about. It’s about the two fighters in there. Nothing changes because of the venue.

“I know that Kazakhstan has a great history of fighters, but I come from Cuba, who have a great history of fighters as well and I plan to honor that heritage.

“Power will be a factor but I don’t think it’s the deciding factor. It’s going to be about being versatile and using the power to your advantage.

“Aidos is going to see how loud The Armory can be on November 5. I’m going to be ready for whatever comes my way in this fight.

“Training in Texas has been nothing but exceptional. I’m very blessed to be able to train with my team here. It’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me and it’s allowed me to progress as a fighter the way that I’ve wanted to.

“My goal is to fight David Benavidez. He says that nobody wants to fight with him, but here I am. I’m ready for the fight.”

AIDOS YERBOSSYNULY

“The plan is to stop David Morrell Jr. We’re going to make this plan happen.

“Morrell is a good fighter from the Cuban boxing school. He’s got great skills and I respect him as a fighter and an athlete. It’s nothing but respect until we get into the ring.

“I train the same for every opponent. I’m working hard just like I have for each fighter before Morrell. There’s nothing special that I have to do to prepare for David Morrell Jr.

“We are descendants of Nomadic warriors. We’re not scared of any challenges. We want the belt and it doesn’t matter if we’re in his hometown. It’s the way of the warrior.

“We’re not counting on our power. We’re counting on our mind. The mindset is the most important thing in this fight.

“We need to clear out the 168-pound division before we worry about anything. I’m focused on David Morrell Jr. We’re going to show our heart in this fight. I don’t quit.

“Everybody wants to fight Canelo Alvarez for the payday. After David Morrell Jr., I’d also like to fight David Benavidez next. I want to prove myself and then make the fight with Canelo.

“Being unbeaten doesn’t mean anything. It’s about who you’ve fought. I don’t feel like the people who Morrell has fought have been anything special.

“Fans can expect less words and more action. We don’t like to talk a lot, but everyone is going to see what we’re about.”

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ABOUT MORRELL JR. VS. YERBOSSYNULY

Morrell Jr. vs. Yerbossynuly will see unbeaten WBA Super Middleweight Champion and Minneapolis fan-favorite David Morrell Jr. return to action against undefeated mandatory challenger Aidos Yerbossynuly in a 12-round duel that headlines live on SHOWTIME Saturday, November 5 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Armory in Minneapolis.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features former unified champion Jeison Rosario taking on veteran contender Brian Mendoza in a 10-round middleweight attraction in the co-main event, plus unbeaten middleweight Fiodor Czerkaszyn battles the hard-hitting Nathaniel Gallimore in the 10-round telecast opener.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #MorrellYerbossynuly, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

SACRAMENTO, CA (October 26, 2022) – WBA #14 bantamweight contender,

 Eros Correa (12-1, 8 KOs), of San Jose, Ca, faces Luis Fernando Saavedra

 (9-7, 3 KOs) of San Luis Potosí, Mexico, in a ten-round bout that will serve as the main event on Thompson Boxing’s “New Blood” card.

“New Blood” will take place at the Omega Products International in Sacramento, CA on November 5th, 2022. Doors open at 6:30 pm PT with the first fight starting at 8:00 pm PT. Tickets are priced $50, $75, $100, and $125 are available for purchase by calling 714-935-0900 or online at www.thompsonboxing.com. Fight fans will be able to watch all Thompson Boxing fights, weigh-ins, and behind-the-scenes content, via their new mobile app downloadable on Apple and Google.

“I feel like I am really close to getting in position to fight for a world title, and I’m looking to get a big win at home against Saavedra,” stated Correa, who defeated top contender Saul Sanchez in his last fight. “This is not an easy fight as Saavedra has fought tough against some big names. A victory will get me closer to my goal of fighting for a world title in 2023. I want to also express my appreciation to Thompson Boxing for showcasing me in the main event.”

“I am more than just an opponent,” said an upset minded Saavedra. “I have made a career out of giving people hard fights, and this will be no different. I want Correa to remember one thing – ‘don’t overlook me!’ I’m coming to win and win impressively.”

In the 8-round co-main event, Oakland’s own Damoni Cato-Cain (7-0, 6 KOs), who has a strong fanbase in Sacramento, California, battles Rashid Stevens (6-1, 5 KOs), of Gardena, California, in a super welterweight contest. 

UNDERCARD BOUTS:

Cruiserweight Suray Muhmutovic (5-0-1, 45KOs), of San Francisco, CA, will fight Cody Kerr (2-1, 1 KO), of Spearfish, SD. (6-rounds)

Lightweight Cain Sandoval (6-0, 6 KOs) of Sacramento, CA, faces an opponent TBA. (6-rounds)

Welterweight Allen Medina, of Fresno, CA will make his pro debut against an opponent TBA. (4-rounds)

Opening the card will be middleweight Rowdy Montgomery (7-4-1,5 KOs) of Victorville, CA, facing Rick Graham (9-27-4, 4 KOs), of Houston, TX. (6-rounds)

Rich Marotta will operate as the blow-by-blow commentator with expert commentary by Doug Fischer. Jessica Rosales will serve as the onsite ringside reporter.

This event is sponsored by HUSTLER Casino, LA’s only luxury casino; Thompson Building Materials, Transforming spaces into beautiful places; Omega Products International, The leading stucco manufacturer in the United States; Belgard, Paves the way; and Makita, Rule the outdoors.

“New Blood” will stream live for free on the Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), as well as their Facebook and YouTube pages.

For more information, and regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. You can also follow the conversation on social media, please use #ThompsonBoxing.

MINNEAPOLIS – October 26, 2022 – Former unified world champion Jeison Rosario will now take on veteran contender Brian Mendoza in a 10-round middleweight bout that serves as the co-main event live on SHOWTIME on Saturday, November 5 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Armory in Minneapolis. Rosario was originally scheduled to face Yoelvis Gomez, who is out of the bout due to a wrist injury.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by unbeaten WBA Super Middleweight Champion and Minneapolis fan-favorite David Morrell Jr. returning to action against undefeated mandatory challenger Aidos Yerbossynuly in a 12-round duel. The telecast opens with unbeaten middleweight Fiodor Czerkaszyn facing the hard-hitting Nathaniel Gallimore.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Warriors Boxing, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Armory at http://ArmoryMN.com/ and through Ticketmaster.

Rosario (23-3-1, 17 KOs) will look to move himself into title contention at middleweight after scoring knockouts in three straight fights dating back to November 2021. The 27-year-old’s current streak comes after a pair of defeats versus undisputed 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo and top contender Erickson Lubin. Born in the Dominican Republic and fighting out of Miami, Rosario captured the WBA and IBF 154-pound belts by stopping Julian Williams in one of 2020’s biggest upsets, before losing the titles against Charlo.

Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mendoza (20-2, 14 KOs) now fights out of Las Vegas as he looks to impress in his debut at 160 pounds. The 28-year-old’s last two fights have come at The Armory, as he defeated Benjamin Whitaker by fifth-round stoppage in March. His previous outing saw him take highly-touted knockout artist Jesus Ramos the 10-round distance in losing a decision in September 2021. Mendoza also owns a 10-round unanimous decision triumph over Thomas LaManna in August 2020 and began his career with eighteen consecutive victories.

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #MorrellYerbossynuly, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

NEW YORK (October 26, 2022) -TONIGHT, undefeated welterweight Brian Ceballo takes on Nicklaus Flaz as part of the WBO Convention tonight in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Also on the card, will be the professional debut of welterweight Willito Ortiz 

Ceballo and Ortiz are managed by Split-T Management. 

Ceballo of New York is 13-0 with seven knockouts. The 28 year-old Ceballo is a four-year professional and is a former WBO Intercontinental champion. Ceballo has been matched tough and has wins over Luis Alberto Lopez Longoria (1-0), Bakhtiyar Eyubov (14-0-1), Ramal Amanov (16-0), Larry Gomez (10-1) and his last outing when stopped Gerald Sherrell in six-rounds on May 14th in Newark, New Jersey.

Flaz of Vega Alta, Puerto Rico is 9-2 with seven knockouts. The 26 year-old Flaz has a win over previously undefeated Sagadat Rakmankul (3-0). He is coming off a defeat to Janelson Bocachica on October 7, 2020.

Ceballo weighed 150.8 lbs. Flaz was 149 lbs.

Ceballo is promoted by 360 Promotions.

Ortiz will make his pro debut against fellow debutant Brian Rodriguez in a bout scheduled for four-rounds.

Ortiz dominated the opposition since stepping onto the amateur circuit – compiling a total record of 48-4 and winning four National Championships in a row (2019-2022). As a member of Team Puerto Rico, Ortiz amassed multiple international accolades including a Gold Medal at the 2019 Cinturon de Oro Tournament in Ecuador, a Bronze Medal at the 2021 Pan-Am Games in Colombia, and a Silver Medal at the 2022 Copa Independencia Tournament in the Dominican Republic.

Ortiz weighed 142 lbs. Rodriguez was 140 lbs.

The fights will be streamed live on Pro Box TV at 8 PM ET.

NEW YORK (Oct. 26, 2022) — Four of boxing’s most electrifying young talents hope to strike the Heisman pose Saturday, Dec. 10, at Madison Square Garden.

Former lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez makes his second appearance at junior welterweight in the 10-round main event against former two-weight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza.

In the 10-round heavyweight co-feature, Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson aims for his 13th straight knockout against the battle-tested Jerry “Slugger” Forrest.

Puerto Rican junior middleweight star Xander Zayas steps up in class against 28-fight veteran Alexis Salazar in a scheduled eight-rounder special feature. And, in the televised opener, Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis looks to jumpstart his world title ambitions in an eight-round lightweight duel versus Juan Carlos Burgos.

Lopez-Pedraza, Anderson-Forrest, Zayas-Salazar, and Davis-Burgos will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT immediately following the Heisman Trophy Ceremony.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $51 go on sale Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 12 p.m. ET.

“Four of boxing’s mega talents, headlined by the great Teofimo Lopez, will be in action December 10 at the iconic Madison Square Garden. This will be a special evening,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Lopez is targeting a junior welterweight title shot in 2023, and Jose Pedraza is a Puerto Rican warrior hungry for another world title opportunity. With Jared Anderson, Xander Zayas, and Keyshawn Davis, this card features three additional fighters who will one day be headlining superstars.”

Lopez (17-1, 13 KOs) toppled pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko in October 2020 to become the lightweight champion. Thirteen months later, he lost his titles via split decision to George Kambosos Jr. He returned August 13 as a junior welterweight and stopped Pedro Campa in the seventh round. Lopez is no stranger to “Heisman Night,” as he’s authored two of the most indelible Top Rank on ESPN moments on that platform. In 2018, he knocked out Mason Menard in 44 seconds, donned the jersey of Heisman winner Kyler Murray, and topped things off with the Heisman pose and a backflip. One year later, he stopped Richard Commey in the second round to win the IBF lightweight world title and immediately put on the jersey of that year’s victor, LSU’s Joe Burrow. He didn’t forget the pose or the signature backflip that time, either.

Lopez said, “It’s Heisman Night at Madison Square Garden. I’m born for this stage. Once I beat Jose Pedraza in front of my hometown fans, I am coming for all the junior welterweight belts in 2023. The Takeback is in full effect, and I am on a mission to become a champion again.”

Pedraza (29-4-1, 14 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, won world titles at junior lightweight and lightweight before moving up to the 140-pound ranks in 2019. Despite a competitive decision loss to Jose Ramirez and a draw against Commey in his last two fights, Pedraza still ranks among the most accomplished junior welterweight contenders. Ranked No. 10 by the WBO and WBC, Pedraza can earn another title opportunity with a win over Lopez and move closer to his goal of becoming the first male Puerto Rican boxer since Miguel Cotto to capture world titles in three weight divisions.

“I am here to face the elite fighters of the division, and to me, that is what Teofimo represents,” Pedraza said. “I have come to show that I am still one of the best fighters at 140 pounds. I’m still a threat to everyone in the division, and on December 10, I’m going to prove it. For me, the goal doesn’t change. I want to be crowned world champion in a third division, and I know I’m going to achieve it.”

Anderson (12-0, 12 KOs), the fighting pride of Toledo, Ohio, has seen his stock skyrocket since turning pro in October 2019 following a decorated U.S. amateur career. He has prototypical heavyweight size at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, and he’s stopped nine of his 12 foes in two rounds or less, including four straight second-round stoppages. In August, he returned from an eight-plus month layoff to knock out Serbian veteran Miljan Rovcanin.

“I’m happy to finally be getting a step-up fight,” Anderson said. “Hopefully, this solidifies my place as a contender and confirms that I’m not a prospect anymore.”

Forrest (26-5-2, 20 KOs) is the ultimate heavyweight litmus test, a 6’1, 230-pound southpaw who has mixed it up with some of the division’s most notable names, including Carlos Takam, Michael Hunter, and Zhang Zhilei. His only stoppage loss came nearly 10 years ago, and he held Hunter and Zhilei to 10-round draws in 2021. Forrest returned in May and dropped a 10-round decision to two-time world title challenge Kubrat Pulev.

“I’m in camp now. I’m excited and motivated to make a big statement. Jared is the up-and-coming fighter, and all the pressure is on him,” Forrest said. “After my last performance, I feel everyone has forgotten how good I am. I’ve been in the ring against top fighters, and I know that I can compete at the top level. The question is, what can he do against an experienced veteran like me? I am coming to send the ‘Big Baby’ home crying after his first loss. This will be a great fight for the fans in attendance at Madison Square Garden and those watching nationally on ESPN.”

Zayas (14-0, 10 KOs), the youngest signee in Top Rank history, turned pro as a 17-year-old in October 2019 on the same card as Anderson. Since that debut, he’s developed into Puerto Rico’s newest sensation and has knocked out three of his past four foes. He received the co-feature spotlight on the Lopez-Campa card, knocking out Elias Espadas in five riveting rounds. In March, Zayas shined at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden with an eight-round drubbing over Louisiana-born spoiler Quincy LaVallais. Salazar (24-4, 9 KOs), from Guadalajara, Mexico, has won 16 of his last 17 bouts, the only defeat coming via third-round knockout to rising middleweight contender Carlos Adames. He has not fought since January 28, an eight-round decision over Valentin Martinez Guzman in Tijuana, Mexico.

Zayas said, “I am very happy to be part of another amazing card at the legendary Madison Square Garden, and as always, I’m grateful to Top Rank for giving me these opportunities to showcase my skills on such a big stage. Salazar is a strong Mexican veteran, and with this performance, I’m looking to close the year strong and set the tone for a big 2023.

Davis (6-0, 5 KOs) hopes to open the ESPN telecast with his blend of in-fighting and precision that has already made him a lightweight contender to watch. The 23-year-old phenom from Norfolk, Virginia, fought three fought pro fights in 2021 before becoming one of the standouts of Team USA’s boxing team at the Tokyo Olympics. He stopped 2016 Olympic silver medalist Sofiane Oumiha before dropping a tight decision to Cuban sensation Andy Cruz in the gold medal match. Since signing with Top Rank last November, he’s scored a pair of knockouts, most recently a fifth-round drubbing of Omar Tienda on the Shakur Stevenson-Robson Conceição bill in Newark, New Jersey. Burgos (35-6-3, 21 KOs), from Tijuana, is a three-time world title challenger who has fought the likes of retired four-weight world champion Mikey Garcia and undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney. He has never been knocked out and has experienced a career renaissance of late. In March, he held highly regarded prospect Angel Fierro to a draw.

Davis said, “I will send another message to the lightweight division to end the year. Burgos is a veteran who demands respect, and I can’t overlook the man in front of me on December 10. It’s an honor to fight on ESPN after the Heisman Trophy Ceremony, and I plan on representing Norfolk while putting on a show for all the fans tuning in.”

Undercard action — streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ — is highlighted by featherweight prospect Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington and welterweight standout Jahi Tucker. Carrington (5-0, 3 KOs), the latest prodigy from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, steps up in his first scheduled eight-rounder against Texas native Juan Tapia (12-4, 4 KOs). Carrington, a 2020 Olympic Trials gold medalist, shut out Jose Argel on the Stevenson-Conceição undercard. Tapia, who has battled the likes of Stevenson and Olympic bronze medalist Vladimir Nikitin, has never been knocked out.

Tucker (9-0, 5 KOs) looks go 10-0 in an eight-rounder against Ivan Pandzic (14-2-1, 8 KOs). Tucker, from Deer Park, New York, is 4-0 in 2022, including a near-shutout decision over Jose Luis Sanchez in his last outing.

On Saturday, October 29, promoter Paco Damian of Paco Presents, in honorary association with Don Chargin Productions, will proudly present “Showdown at Cache Creek,” a five-fight night of world-class boxing at Cache Creek Casino Resort in Brooks, California.

In the night’s main event, local favorite Alan Sanchez (21-5-1, 10 KOs) of Fairfield, California, via Guadalajara, Mexico, will face undefeated Saul “Avatar” Bustos (15-0-1, 8 KOs) of Los Angeles in a 10-round battle for the WBA Fedecentro Welterweight Championship.

A 13-year professional, Sanchez is a former WBC Continental America’s Welterweight Champion. He was last seen in May of 2021, scoring a split eight-round decision over 18-2 Jose Miguel Borrego. The Freddy Roach-trained Bustos is an eight-year pro who, in Sanchez, will be taking on the toughest test of his career. In his last ring appearance, Bustos took an eight-round unanimous decision over Mexican veteran Martin Angel Martinez Perez in February 2022.

In the co-main event, action hero Blake “The Beast” McKernan (13-1, 6 KOs) of Sacramento will take on League City, Texas, slugger Roberto Silva in an eight-round cruiserweight battle with “fight of the night” written all over it. McKernan, an ex-army machine gunner and Iraq veteran, will be looking to bounce back from his only career loss, a multi-weight world champion Badou Jack decision in November 2020.

On the undercard, Fairfield, California’s Ivan Vergara (8-1, 2 KOs) will return from a three-year absence to face undefeated southpaw Juan Pedro Miranda (6-0, 2 KOs) in a six-round featherweight contest, while undefeated lightweight Kevin Montano (3-0, 2 KOs) of Concord, California will take on Corona, California’s also undefeated Kevin Perez (1-0-1).

Opening the action will be former amateur standout Federico Pacheco Jr. making his heavyweight pro debut in four rounds against Josue Vargas (3-3-1, 2 KOs) of Panorama City, California.

Tickets range from $49 up to $125. The first bell is at 7 PM PST.

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Cache Creek Casino Resort, owned and operated by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, is California’s premier casino resort. Located 40 miles northwest of Sacramento and 80 miles from the San Francisco Bay Area in Brooks, CA, it features more than 600 four-diamond luxury hotel rooms, thousands of exclusive slot machines, hundreds of table games, ten incredible dining experiences, world-class nightlife, a full-service spa, and an 18-hole championship golf course.

For more information, please visit cachecreek.com.

You can join the conversation using the hashtags #SanchezBustos #WBA #PacoPresentsBoxing #CacheCreekBoxing #Boxing. Please follow us on Twitter at @PacoPresentsBox and @CacheCreekCR. Please follow us on Instagram @PacoPresents, @CacheCreekCasino, @blakethebeastmckernan1, and @VergaraBoxing. As well as like us on Facebook at facebook.com/PacoPresentsBoxing and facebook.com/cachecreek.

Hard-hitting heavyweight prospect Jeamie TKV will fight in front of his north London faithful for BOXXER: Breakthrough on a ‘Super Sunday’ at Alexandra Palace on November 27th.

In what is an action-packed weekend of sport, BOXXER brings a festival feeling to the nation’s capital and a new boxing experience – and unbeaten London fighter TKV will be hoping to send his legion of followers home happy, just a stone’s throw away from his hometown in Tottenham.

Ferocious featherweights Rhys Edwards and Jimmy Lee will be in action respectively, whilst undefeated middleweight George Mitchell joins next month’s cracking card in the capital, live and exclusively in the UK and Republic of Ireland on Sky Sports.

Fight fans can look forward to an unmissable feast of activities at ‘Ally Pally’ in an afternoon jam-packed with 50:50 fights and some of the country’s future superstars.

Adam ‘The Assassin’ Azim, a generational talent and the most exciting prospect in British boxing today, faces a tough test which will draw even more attention to his ever-growing profile as he tops the bill against the wily and experienced campaigner Rylan Charlton in the main event.

Mikael Lawal and Deion Jumah collide for the British cruiserweight championship, as super middleweights Lerrone Richards and Zak Chelli go head-to-head. Sam Gilley and Sean Robinson battle for the English super-welterweight title as rising stars Shannon Ryan and Hassan Azim complete the bill.

MEDIA CAN APPLY FOR ACCREDITATION TODAY – CLICK HERE FOR NOVEMBER 27th CREDENTIALS

Meanwhile, you can also apply for accreditation for our forthcoming show at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday, November 12th.

Natasha Jonas fights for the unified world super-welterweight championship against Canada’s Marie-Eve Dicaire, as Dalton Smith defends his British super-lightweight title against Kaisee Benjamin, and Bradley Rea challenges Tyler Denny for the English middleweight belt.

And after BOXXER’s blockbuster show concludes, the legendary Ricky Hatton returns – led by Europa Combat – for an exhibition fight with Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera on the same night. Don’t miss out on what promises to be a memorable evening.

Heating debate over British gold began as talk of ending careers erupted during today’s launch conference ahead of the epic North East battle for the British Super Welterweight Championship confirmed between Darlington’s Troy Williamson (19-0-1, 14KOs) and Sunderland’s Josh Kelly (12-1-1, 7 KOs) at the Utilita Arena, Newcastle on Friday December 2, live on Channel 5.

Please see below for quotes and image access from today’s event:

Troy Williamson:
This is the fight I wanted. I like Josh, we’ve travelled together when we did the junior stuff, but it’s a business at the end of the day, and we’ll be getting down to business on December 2.

I think Josh has had a good ride, and I don’t think he’s anywhere near done regardless of some people saying he might be; he’s still only a young lad. He had a lot of hype about him at the start of his career, but I don’t think he’s propelled as much as people thought he was going to. Now he’s fighting for the British title, and it’s time for me to end his career. I do believe that I will do that.

Josh Kelly:
100% confident, I think this fight has come at a perfect time for me. I’ve boxed on big events, and I’ve been under the bright lights before, so I know what this feels like. I’m more experienced in that department and I know it’s my time now to go and take this British title with both hands.

The North East is quite a small place so you get good sparring where you can. Troy was good sparring, and we came through Team GB where we saw a lot of each other. I know the level of skill and desire I possess which makes this the perfect fight and perfect timing for me to take this. I’m raring to go.

That British title is something that means a lot to anyone in this country. My eyes are also on the big, world titles as well so to get there you have to beat the likes of Troy Williamson.

Ending my career? No that can’t happen. I’m only 28-years-old and I’m still young in this sport and Troy is older, so me winning this British title could be the flip side of what he sees and I could be the one who ends his career. Where is he going after I take that title? There’s not many options for him, and it’s going to be an enjoyable night for me, let me tell you.

Kalle Sauerland:
Two guys, two gladiators, who absolutely love it. I struggle to think of areas of the world, let alone in the UK, where sports means more to them than the North East. It’s going to be a packed house, and the great thing is that it’s for the British title. Something that is so pure in this sport, and naturally leads to bigger things.

You talk about final eliminators, or big fights that break you out onto the world scene, the winner on December 2 WILL have that breakthrough; that’s a given. The reward for these two getting through a very hard training camp will be the platform of Channel 5, a nationwide audience, screened to countries around the world. It’s a huge fight that I believe will not only determine the careers of these fighters, but will entertain the entire nation. I’m just extremely excited to be back in the North East on December 2.

I remember looking at the situation as a fan from the outside, and I’ve never seen a fighter who was built up like a rocket and launched to 100 like he was. He took one loss early in his career just like many world champions I’ve promoted before, Wladimir Klitschko lost multiple times before going on to defend his heavyweight belts for a decade. I thought Josh losing once early in his career was exaggerated, it was a bit like the end of the sun and the moon all at once. Josh Kelly then is a completely different fighter to Josh Kelly now. The great thing about this British title fight is that it’s a true step forward for one of these, but ultimately we know what Josh can do. He’s in the hands of Adam Booth, who I rate as one of the best trainers over the past decades, and I have complete faith in them.

Sam Jones:
As soon as the fight started to get mentioned I think Troy rang everybody he could to get this fight on. Everybody loves these big domestic fights. I’ve known Troy a long time and he has never turned any opponent down, and he wasn’t going to start with Josh Kelly.

There’s a lot of big fights not happening in boxing at the minute for one reason or another,  but both guys need a lot of credit for making this fight happen because they could have very easily gone down separate routes. They both took the fight, I fully expect Troy to win, and it’s going to be a fantastic atmosphere. I’ve been involved in a few fights up in the North East and they really back their own whether it’s football or any other sport, I just want them to back the event and make sure they come out because it’s going to be a special night for the North East.

Troy is always in entertaining fights. He hasn’t tasted a defeat yet, but win, lose, or draw; he’s in entertaining fights. I believe all the pressure is on Josh in this fight. No one should be judged on one defeat, and Josh Kelly is a good boxer who still may go on to big things. However, if you look at what people thought he would achieve when he first started then you’d say he hasn’t hit them heights. If you look at the bookies favourite for this, I’d say it’s probably Kelly. When it gets hard in there though, Troy gets better.

Adam Booth:
This has come at the right time for the fans especially, they’re two fighters who are both in their prime. They’re two guys who want to test themselves and see how good they can be and put themselves against the best; so this is definitely a match made in heaven.

There was no hesitation from our side. I had a call from the boxing board of control to say they’re putting out some nominations and do we want the fight? I phoned Josh who straight away said yes; it took less than five minutes to get this confirmed with the board.

?Rising cruiserweight sensation Viddal Riley will face unbeaten cruiserweight prospect Ross McGuigan in his next fight on Saturday, November 12th.

Riley (6-0, 3 KOs) made light work of Jone Volau back in June with a first round stoppage at Wembley Arena.

And the 25-year-old returns to the AO Arena in Manchester, where he defeated Willbeforce Shihepo on points, looking to continue his impressive ascent up the rankings.

BOXXER CEO & Founder, Ben Shalom said: “Viddal is a very good boxer, who is still very young and he should be taken very seriously.

“Coming out of Tottenham and training in East London, Viddal understands the importance of honing his craft. Training, sparring, watching, listening and learning the traditional way.

“Undefeated at 6-0, Viddal sets himself goals with each opponent and understands that hard work will push him on for domestic titles in 2023, with an ultimate focus of a world title down the line.”

Since turning professional back in 2018, Riley a 2014 Team GB Youth Olympian has enjoyed a flawless start and built up a huge following across social media

And he is intent on laying down another marker to the cruiserweight division.

Viddal Riley said: “My mission continues on November 12th in Manchester. Ross McGuigan is undefeated and will do his best to keep it that way, but I know my level and will display it in full come fight night.”

In McGuigan (3-0), Riley faces a tough opponent who is keen to make an impression live and exclusively on Sky Sports.

“I’m buzzing to be fighting Viddal Riley,” added London fighter McGuigan.

“I’m really looking forward to showcasing my skills on a massive platform with Sky Sports and BOXXER, where I plan to announce myself to the rest of the cruiserweight division.”

Elsewhere on the November 12 card, Dylan Cheema will be looking to extend his unbeaten record when he fights Jordan Ellison.

Cheema (7-0, 2 KOs) became the BOXXER Series: Lightweight champion back in April when he defeated Rylan Charlton – and the Coventry fighter is expected to have his legion of followers cheering him on in Manchester.

Oldham middleweight Jack Kilgannon will be keen to put on a show for the local fans as he joins the undercard.

And Mancunian welterweight prospect Clark Smith – a Gallagher’s Gym stablemate of Natasha Jonas, who fights Marie-Eve Dicaire for the unified world titles in the main event – will be in action too as he bids to continue his unbeaten start to life in the professional ranks.

Tickets are on general sale now. Go to boxxer.com

BOXXER proudly presents this event in association with bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE, Village Hotels and FCI Markets.

CONTACT BOXXER PR

Matty Lawless, Head of PR

+447393764765 | matty@boxxer.com

JJ O’Regan, Media Officer

+447888 891861 | jj@boxxer.com

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON VENUE-SHARE WITH RICKY HATTON vs MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA & DAN HARDY vs DIEGO SANCHEZ EXHIBITION MATCHES, PROMOTED EXCLUSIVELY BY EUROPA COMBAT ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12th

BOXXER ticket holders

Ticket holders for the Sky Sports BOXXER event will be able to access the AO Arena from 16:45pm.

These tickets will also grant free access to the Hatton v Barrera exhibition match, promoted by Europa Combat, which is expected to begin around 10:30pm after the BOXXER main event and show has concluded.

Europa Combat ticket holders:

Tickets for the Hatton v Barrera & Hardy v Sanchez show will also enable free access to the Sky Sports BOXXER event taking place in the AO Arena from 16:45pm to around 10pm on 12th November. The Hatton v Barrera show will take place after the BOXXER event finishes.

FAQs

1. If I’ve got a ticket to the Hatton v Barrera & Hardy v Sanchez show, can I also attend the Sky Sport BOXXER event?

Absolutely, your ticket gives you free access to the BOXXER event and you can arrive at any time from 4:45pm onwards.

2. If I leave the AO Arena, will I be able to come back in?

Apologies but you will not be allowed to leave the venue and come back in. This is standard venue policy.

3. Can I transfer my ticket to a friend or family, so I can watch the BOXXER event and then they can watch the Hatton v Barrera & Hardy v Sanchez show?

We are sorry but all tickets are non-transferrable.

4. Why are there two separate events?

They are two separate events, which have been organised by two separate promoters, with Europa Combat taking over the venue when the BOXXER event has concluded. But purchasing a single ticket for either event will give access to both events.

5. Do I sit in the same seat for both events?

Yes, your seat will be the same for both events.

October 25, 2022, San Juan P.R  – –   ProBox TV is at the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Convention this week in San Juan for a special Wednesday edition of boxing. In the “WBO Night of Champions,” Bryan “Chary” Chevalier will battle Cesar “Corazon” Juarez for the vacant WBO Intercontinental Junior Lightweight Title.  The Chevalier-Juarez fight will be the main event and headliner at the renowned Coliseo Roberto Clemente, located in the heart of San Juan, Puerto Rico and streamed live on ProBox TV and the ProBox TV app beginning at 8 pm ET  

Chevalier (17-1-1, 13 KOs) from Bayamón, Puerto Rico, is on a nine-fight win streak since his first and only defeat in his professional career. He has two titles in his resume, on July 9, 2021, won the NABO featherweight title and on Aug 17, 2019 won WBO Latino title. 

Juarez (27-12, 20 KOs) from Cuidad Mexico, Mexico on the other hand, has fought in ten title fights since making his professional debut in 2010.  He won the Mexico super flyweight title in his eleventh fight in 2012.  He was also the WBO International Super Bantamweight Champion, WBO International Super Bantamweight Champion and WBA Fedecentro Featherweight Champion.  In his lone world title fight, in 2018, he traveled to Ghana to challenge WBO Interim World Super Bantamweight Champion Isaac Dogboe only to fall short (TKO5)

The co-main event bout will feature another Puerto Rico versus Mexico battle as the NABO junior welterweight title will be at stake when Puerto Rico’s Nestor Bravo (20-0, 14 KOs) puts his undefeated record on the line against Mexico’s Adrian Yung (28-7-3, 22 KOs).

A ProBox TV Subscription is $1.99 per month.

Following is the ProBox fights and official weights . . . 

WBO Inter-Continental Super Feather (vacant). 10 ROUNDS

Bryan CHEVALIER, Bayamón, P.R. (17-1-1, 13KOs), 129.6 lbs.

Cesar JUAREZ Ciudad Mexico, MEX (27-12, 20KOs), 130 lbs. 

NABO Junior Welterweight (vacant) – 10 ROUNDS

Nestor BRAVO Arecibo, P.R. (20-0, 14KOs), – 139.6 lbs.

Adrián YUNG Los Mochis, MX (28-7-3, 22KOs),  139 lbs.

Welterweights – 8 ROUNDS

Brian CEBALLO, Brooklyn, NYC, (13-0, 7KOs), 150 lbs.                                                      

Nicklaus FLAZ, Vega Alta, P.R., (9-2, 7KOs), 149 lbs.

Lightweights – 4 ROUNDS

Addiel PEREZ, Fajardo, P.R., (3-0, 2KOs),  134 lbs.                                                             vs.

Waldemar CARRIL, Moca, P.R., (1-0, 1KO), 134 lbs.

ProBox TV was originally founded by Roy Jones Jr., Juan Manuel Marquez, Paulie Malignaggi, Antonio Tarver and CEO Garry Jonas.  Miguel Cotto recently joined the group.  In 2023 there will be one fight card per month streamed on ProBox TV in each of the USA, Puerto Rico (Cotto Promotions) and Mexico (Marquez Promotions).

Get the App HERE

Follow ProBox TV at https://twitter.com/ProBox_TV and https://www.youtube.com/c/ProBoxTV

For more ProBox TV info click here https://proboxtv.com/what-is-probox-tv/en

Las Vegas – UFC^® closes out its final Pay-Per-View of 2022 with a rematch of one of the best fights of all-time as UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka defends his newly won crown against former title-holder and No. 1 ranked contender Glover Teixeira. Also on the card, more top-ranked light heavyweight action sees former champion and No. 2 contender Jan Blachowicz attempt to stop the momentum of No. 3 Magomed Ankalaev.

UFC^® 282: PROCHAZKA vs. TEIXEIRA 2 takes place Saturday, Dec. 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV.  The prelims will be seen on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with the night’s action starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with Early Prelims on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC^® 282: PROCHAZKA vs. TEIXEIRA 2 tickets will go on sale Friday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PT and are available for purchase at axs.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Oct. 27 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

The Czech Republic’s first UFC champion, Prochazka (29-3-1, fighting out of Brno, Czech Republic) intends to make his reign on top of the light heavyweight division a long and historic one. An exciting finisher who has more UFC post-fight bonuses than he does fights, Prochazka quickly rose through the rankings with statement wins over Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes. He now looks to leave no doubt in his rematch with Teixeira by delivering another vintage performance.

Teixeira (33-8, fighting out of Danbury, Conn. by way of Minas Gerais, Brazil) aims to recapture his lost title and add a new chapter to his storied UFC career. An MMA legend who has been competing for over 20 years, he has earned notable wins over former champions Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans. Teixeira now plans to leave it all in the Octagon and end the year with his hand raised.

Former champion Blachowicz (29-9, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) plans to defend his spot in the rankings and stake his claim as the next contender for the belt. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with knockout power, he has shown off his well-rounded skills in victories over Dominick Reyes, Corey Anderson and Luke Rockhold. He now seeks to snap Ankalaev’s win streak by becoming the first person to knock him out.

Ankalaev (18-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) has cemented himself as one of the most feared athletes in the light heavyweight division. A Master of Sport in Combat Sambo, Ankalaev is currently on the second-longest win streak in the division’s history, which stands at nine victories and includes defeats of Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos and Volkan Oezdemir. He now looks to make it 10 in a row and secure his first shot at UFC gold.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Breakout star Paddy Pimblett (19-3, fighting out of Liverpool, England) intends to keep his momentum going against gritty veteran Jared Gordon (19-5, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.)
• Former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler (29-16, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) and Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-6, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) meet in a Fight of the Night contender
• Former light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson (18-8, fighting out of Stockholm, Sweden) battles Ovince Saint Preux (26-16, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.)
• Fan favorite and No. 9 ranked middleweight Darren Till (18-4, fighting out of Liverpool, England) takes on No. 13 ranked Dricus du Plessis (17-2, fighting out of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa)
• Edmen Shahbazyan (11-3, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) locks horns with Dalcha Lungiambula (11-5, fighting out of Cape Town, South Africa) in a middleweight contest
• Heavyweight action sees No. 9 ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik (12-4, fighting out of Paramaribo, Suriname) lock horns with No. 11 ranked Chris Daukaus (Philadelphia, Penn.)
• Billy Quarantillo (16-4, fighting out of Tampa, Fla.) plans to spoil the featherweight debut of Alexander Hernandez (13-5, fighting out of San Antonio, Texas)
• TJ Brown (16-9, fighting out of Little Rock, Ark.) and Dana White’s Contender Series signee Erik Silva (9-1, fighting out of Alajuela, Costa Rica) collide in a featherweight tilt
• No. 14 ranked middleweight Chris Curtis (29-9, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets the always exciting Joaquin Buckley (15-5, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.)
• Ronnie Lawrence (8-2, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla.) returns to action against undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series signee Cameron Saaiman (6-0, fighting out of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Vinicius Salvador (14-4, fighting out of Minas Gerais, Brazil) intends to steal the show in his UFC debut against Daniel Silva (11-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at flyweight

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. Please click here to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About T-Mobile Arena

T-Mobile Arena, the 20,000-seat venue located on the Las Vegas Strip between Park MGM and New York-New York, opened April 6, 2016. The arena hosts more than 100 events annually including major headline entertainment, awards shows, UFC, boxing, basketball and other sporting events, family shows and special events. T-Mobile Arena also is the home of the Vegas Golden Knights, a National Hockey League expansion team and the city’s first professional sports team, as well as UFC’s exclusive Las Vegas arena destination. The venue, named the No. 1 venue on Billboard Magazine’s 2018 Arena Power List as well as the “Best New Major Concert Venue” by Pollstar Magazine in 2016, features 50 luxury suites, more than two dozen private loge boxes, complete broadcast facilities, and other specially designed exclusive hospitality offerings and fan amenities destined to create a guest experience second to none. Toshiba Plaza, an adjacent two-acre outdoor entertainment space, features performance stages, a variety of video screens and other interactive content and display areas. Industry-leading architect Populous designed T-Mobile Arena to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s standards for LEED® Gold Certification. T-Mobile Arena is a privately funded joint venture between AEG and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information, visit T-MobileArena.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

QUINCY, Mass. (October 25, 2022) – A breakout fight is planned November 19^th for 24-year-old Carlos Castillo (5-0, 3 KOs) on the “Springfield Championship Boxing” card, presented by Granite Chin Promotions, at Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

However, Castillo’s opponent Travis “Gambi” Gambardella (7-2-2, 3 KOs) has other plans, despite him practically fighting the Dominican Republic native Castillo, fighting out of nearby Holyoke (MA), in his backyard.   

“Springfield Championship Boxing” will be streamed live on www.bxngtv.com.

Castillo vs. Gambardella is part of a tripleheader showcasing top prospects in Western Massachusetts.

In one corner is Castillo, a gifted boxer stepping up in competition to fight Gambardella, who has won 5 of his last 7 fights, and his two draws could have easily been victories.

“I can’t say there’s any added pressure on me fighting so close to home in front of my family, friends and fans,” Castillo said. “I’m looking for something bigger next year after beating my opponent. I know he likes coming in; his style is that of a pressure fighter. I like fighting guys like him because I won’t have to chase him. He’ll be right there to get hit. Styles make fights and this is going to be a good one.”

Gambardella has had a much different boxing journey. He is a union Iron Worker (Local &0 – Boston) who has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Boston with a major in physics. Now 33, he started boxing at the Somerville Boxing Club but, in 2017, he moved to California to gain experience, turning pro and sparring with former world champion Victor Ortiz in Oxnard.

“I started boxing because I love to fight and I still do,” Gambardella explained. “Few have had opportunities like me. I’ll fight my fight and when I beat Carlos – he’s 5-0 – I’ll keep moving forward.”

“I am excited for this fight,” Granite Chin Promotions President Chris Traietti commented. “There’s no way this one will lack action from start to finish. Carlos is stepping up to take on his best opportunity by far to date. So far Carlos has shown a ton or promise, and this fight will really give everyone a look to see where his skill set is at. The winner of this will have a lot of doors open up for him.”

The other two fights to be showcased on this Western Mass. tripleheader are scheduled 8-rounders feature undefeated welterweight prospect Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (9-0, 5 KOs), of Holyoke vs. Kris Jacobs (5-2-1, 2 KOs), of Fall River (MA) for the vacant Massachusetts State Welterweight Championship, and Pittsfield’s undefeated Steve Sumpter (6-0, 6 KOs) vs. Edet “Papito” Mkpanam (8-0, 7 KOs), of New Bedford (MA), for the vacant Massachusetts State Light Heavyweight Championship.

Also fighting on the undercard in 4-rounders is Springfield super featherweight Isiah Cruz (4-0, 2 KOs) vs. Mexican challenger Pablo Batres (10-22-1, 3 KOs), and Springfield lightweight Carlos Gonzalez (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. pro-debuting Mathew McGee, of Fairfield, Maine.

Card is subject to change.

Tickets range between $203.00 and $48.00 and are available to purchase online at https://www.massmutualcenter.com/events/detail/springfield-championship-boxing

Doors open at 6 p.m. ET, first bout at 7 p.m. ET.

POMONA, CA (October 24, 2022) – Rising star, Ernesto “Tito” Mercado (8-0, 8 KOs) captured the vacant super lightweight NABA Silver title this past Saturday when he stopped former world title challenger, Jayson Velez (30-10-1, 21 KOs). Velez, who went the distance with Ryan Garcia and JoJo Diaz, didn’t come out after the sixth round. The event, promoted by Red Promotions, took please at the LumColor Center in Ontario, California.

Mercado looked sensational from the opening bell, throwing multiple power shots from all angles, sending Velez into survival mode from the start. Tito landed a powerful left hook to the body, setting the tone for a dominating performance. It was evident that Velez was hurt on multiple occasions throughout the fight, as Tito tried to knock him out. After getting punished for six rounds, Velez had enough and didn’t come out for round seven, crowning Mercado the new NABA Silver champion at super lightweight.

“Fighting a veteran like Velez in only my eighth pro fight is a big deal to me,” said Tito Mercado, who has won all his fights by knockout, all of which took place in the United States. “I learned a lot in this fight being that I went past the third round for the first time in my career. I know there is more to work on and I’ll be looking at the tape to see where I can improve. One thing I know for sure is I’m not a boring fighter. Fans who turn in to watch me fight will get their money’s worth.”

With the victory, Tito Mercado at age 20, becomes one of the youngest regional belt holders in the sport. With over 300 amateur fights before turning professional, Mercado is certainly on the fast track to a world title. He’s hoping to break into the top 15 WBA rankings.

“Winning the NABA Silver title, I’m hoping gets me ranked with the WBA,” said Tito. “I’m ready to fight any of the top contenders in the WBA. I know my time is coming and I’m going to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way.”

GLENDALE, ARIZ. – October 24, 2022 – The blockbuster event headlined by international superstar Jake “The Problem Child” Paul and UFC legend Anderson “The Spider” Silva has established itself as the highest grossing boxing event for ticket revenue in the history of Desert Diamond Arena (formerly Gila River Arena) and the second highest-grossing ticket event across all combat sports with six days to go until fight night. The eight-round cruiserweight match takes place on Saturday, October 29 in a Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) event live on SHOWTIME PPV^® at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from the arena, just outside of Phoenix, Ariz.

PAUL VS. SILVA LANDS BOX OFFICE HAYMAKER

As fight week gets underway, the event’s total ticket revenue currently ranks ahead of all prior boxing events in the arena and sits between a pair of UFC events, trailing only UFC 263 for the highest grossing combat sports event in arena history. UFC 263 was headlined by the rematch between middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori, and featured MMA superstar Nate Diaz. Paul vs. Silva has already surpassed the only other UFC event there – UFC on Fox 29, which was headlined by a lightweight bout featuring future champion Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje and featured the initial match between Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori.

Tickets are still on sale and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. The official promo for the event was inspired by the 1983 cult classic Scarface and is available to watch and share HERE. 

SHOT HEARD ROUND THE WORLD

The five-fight pay-per-view event is widely available for purchase and live streaming in the U.S. at SHOWTIME.com/ppv and via the SHOWTIME^® app. The event is also available on major cable, satellite, and telco television providers throughout the U.S. for a suggested retail price of $59.95 (SRP). In Canada, viewers can access the event via traditional distributors as well as digitally on FITE.tv, which will also carry the event in most international territories around the globe including the United Kingdom, Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and India. FOX Sports Australia will televise the main event Down Under, ESPN Latin America will carry the event throughout Latin America and Globosat will carry the event in Brazil.

THE MOST TRUSTED VOICES IN COMBAT SPORTS

Veteran sportscaster Brian Custer will host Saturday night’s SHOWTIME PPV telecast with MMA legend Georges St-Pierre serving as co-host. St.-Pierre was a two-division UFC champion and three-time UFC welterweight champion. They join the most versatile voice in combat sports Mauro Ranallo, along with International Boxing Hall of Famer Al Bernstein and leading mixed martial arts journalist Ariel Helwani in calling the action from ringside.Helwani will also handle pre-and-post-fight interviews and serve as the ringside reporter.

Three more Hall of Famers round out the SHOWTIME telecast team – unofficial scorer and boxing historian Steve Farhood will score the fights, world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. will emcee the proceedings, and Barry Tompkins will call the international feed with former junior middleweight world champion and SHOBOX^® commentator Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez providing analysis.

THE STREAM TEAM

Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell, whose podcast MORNING KOMBAT was recently named Best Sports Podcast of the Year at the People’s Choice Podcast Awards, will host the SHOWTIME PPV COUNTDOWN show streaming live on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page. The dynamic duo will call the action of three undercard fights and look ahead to the SHOWTIME PPV action to come.

In the preliminary streaming bouts, Jeremiah “Dream Land” Milton (6-0, 5 KOs) faces Quintin Sumter (5-0, 3 KOs) in a six-round contest between undefeated heavyweights. Plus, former featherweight champion Ogleidis Suarez (30-4-1, 14 KOs) faces undefeated KO artist Shadasia Green (10-0, 9 KOs) in an eight-round women’s super middleweight bout and Glendale’s Danny Barrios Flores (10-0, 2 KOs), one of Arizona’s most promising prospects, will look to show out in front of his hometown fans against Edgar Ortiz Jr. (8-3-2, 4 KOs) in a six-round super bantamweight bout.

Thomas and Campbell will be on hand in Arizona all week long to host the live streams of fight week events, including Wednesday’s open media workout (1:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT), Thursday’s final press conference (11 a.m. ET/2 p.m. PT) and Friday’s public weigh-in (2 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). All events stream live on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel, Jake Paul YouTube channel, Jake Paul TikTok channel and the SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page.

BACKSTAGE PASS WITH ALL ACCESS: PAUL VS. SILVA

SHOWTIME SPORTS^® has released the full episode of its Emmy^® Award-winning series ALL ACCESS: PAUL VS. SILVA, bringing fans behind the scenes and into Paul and Silva’s private lives and training camps as they each prepare for one of the year’s must-see sporting events. The episode is now available free via the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel. To watch, go to:  https://youtu.be/vbrVF827RbQ.

A GOOD BET IN YOUR BACK POCKET

The event on Saturday is sponsored by Betr, the official partner of PAUL vs SILVA. Betr is the world’s first direct-to-consumer micro-betting app, allowing customers to make wagers on different aspects of a game that don’t involve the final score. It was launched by Paul and betting industry veteran Joey Levy in September.

# # #

ABOUT PAUL VS. SILVA

International superstar and serial risk-taker Jake “The Problem Child” Paul will face the biggest challenge of his career when he takes on UFC legend and accomplished boxer Anderson “The Spider” Silva in an eight-round bout at a catchweight of 187 pounds on Saturday, October 29 in a Most Valuable Promotions event live on SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz. In undercard action, teenage sensation Ashton Sylve will put his knockout streak on the line against Braulio Rodriguez in an eight-round lightweight bout contested at 133 pounds. Top 118-pound contenders and former world title challengers Alexandro “El Peque” Santiago and Antonio “Carita” Nieves will meet again in a 10-round rematch of their exciting 2016 showdown. Elite UFC striker Uriah Hall and former NFL star running back Le’Veon Bell will make their pro debuts in a four-round cruiserweight bout contracted at 195 pounds. In addition, Chris Avila, a disciple of UFC superstar Nate Diaz, will square off against “Doctor Mike” Varshavski, a board-certified family physician and social media influencer, in a four-round cruiserweight bout contracted at 185 pounds. For more information: www.Showtime.com/PPV.

 Saturday, October 29 will be a busy night at 2300 Arena in South Philly. Heavyweight Sonny Conto (10-0, 8 K0s) will take on James Bryant (6-1, 4 K0s) in the six-round headline bout on Saturday. The Philadelphia Phillies will be in Houston facing the Astros in game 2 of the World Series. Jake Paul and Anderson Silva clash on Showtime PPV, all on the same night.

Along with the live fights in the main arena, the Phillies game will be broadcast on one of the large TV screens, and at 9 pm ET, the 2300 Arena Bar area will be showing the Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva event. What better way to spend Saturday night as a sports fan in Philadelphia.

Tickets at $55, $75, $100 and $150 are on sale:

https://2300arena.showare.com/orderticketsvenue.asp?p=436

Also fighting Saturday night at 2300 Arena:

Bryce Mills (9-1, 4 KOs) of Liverpool, NY will look for his fourth consecutive victory when he takes on Larry Fryers (11-5-1, 4 KOs) of Yonkers, NY via Clones, Ireland, in a six-round junior welterweight bout.

Tariq Green (2-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia, PA will take on Everlon Still (2-2, 1 KO) of Voorhees, NJ in a four-round super middleweight contest.

Carlos Marrero (3-8-3) of Bridgeport, CT will be fighting Tyree Arnold (1-4) of Philadelphia, PA in a four-round junior welterweight fight.

Shane Slocumb of Philadelphia, PA will be making his pro debut in a heavyweight fight against Johnathan Wiles (0-1) of Philadelphia, PA.

James White of Warwick, PA battles Keynan Williams (0-2) of Winchester, VA.

Devin Gantt (1-0, 1 KO) of Sicklerville, NJ will see action in a four-round featherweight bout following his impressive third-round stoppage over Taijiro Arakawa on September 1st.

ABOUT JOE HAND PROMOTIONS

Founded in 1971, Joe Hand Promotions is the nation’s oldest and largest television distributor of pay-per-view and closed circuit sports and entertainment events, such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), championship boxing, and concerts. JHP’s event consultants provide their marketing knowledge and promotional expertise to help commercial establishments grow their business through the use of live sports and entertainment programming. Additionally, JHP hosts 4-6 live boxing events per year in the Philadelphia area. These events have held sold-out crowds at various venues and arenas.

NEW YORK (October 24, 2022) -Split-T Management fighters David Navarro and Joseph Hicks Jr. scored second round stoppage victories on Friday night at Ballys Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. Their fights were part of the non-televised undercard of a SHOBOX: The New Generation card

Navarro of Los Angeles stopped Luis Domingo Hernandez in round two of their six-round super featherweight bout.

The 22 year-old Navarro hurt Hernandez in the second frame after a hard flurry of punches. Navarro was able to finish the fight at 1:02 to raise his record to 5-1 with three knockouts. Hernandez falls to 14-7-1.

Hicks took out Luis Solis also in round two of their six-round middleweight bout.

Hicks of Grand Rapids, Michigan landed a hard combination that sent Solis to the deck, and the fight was stopped at 2:52 of round three. Hicks kept his perfect mark intact as he is now 3-0 with three knockouts.

Hicks says his brief encounter with Solis was a learning experience. “I learned to try to get warmer in the dressing room before I come out. I didn’t feel warm in the first round, but besides that I’m ready for whatever comes next.”

Hicks was a stellar amateur where he was elected Captain of Team USA Boxing, National Golden Gloves Champion 2019. Three-time Eastern Elite Qualifier Champion (2017, 2018, 2019) & a five-time Michigan Golden Gloves Champion (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019).

Solis is 25-15-4.

Hicks is promoted by Salita Promotions.

PHILADELPHIA PA (October 21, 2022)–Weights for Saturday night’s Pro-Am that is promoted RDR Promotions at The Grand Yesha Ballroom in Philadelphia

Isiah Johnson 140.5 – William Para-Smith 143.5

Rashan Adams 133.8 – Kelvin Smith (Will weigh in tomorrow)

Eliezer Olmeda 149.2 – Rahiem Cooke 151.5

Nimal Farmer 147.7 – Leonidas Fowlkes 145.6

Marvelous Corbin 142 – Joshua Zimmerman 137.6

Promoter: RDR Promotions

Venue: Grand Ballroom (2308 Snyder Ave.)

Stream:  BXNGTV.com

1st Bell:  5 PM for Amateurs ; 7:30 PM for Professionals

Atlantic City, New Jersey (October 21, 2022)–After a successful promotional debut aboard the Battleship New Jersey, R&B Promotions will make it’s Atlantic City debut as favorite son Anthony “Juice” Young takes on Jose Zaragoza in an eight-round welterweight on Saturday, October 29th at The Showboat Hotel.

Young of Atlantic City has a record of 23-2 with eight knockouts. The 34-year-old has been a staple on the boardwalk as he fought 14 times in his hometown. Young has Jose Javier Calderon (4-1), a third-round stoppage over former world champion Sadam Ali (27-2) and his last bout when he won a decision over Luis Midyeal Sanchez (9-1) on December 4, 2021 at The Showboat in Atlantic City.

Zaragoza of Seadala, Missouri is 9-5-1 with three knockouts. The 34 year-old Zaragoza is a three-year professional and has win over Steven Pulluiam (2-0), Fidel Cervantas (9-0-1), Dan Abram (6-1) and his last bout when he stopped Ricardo Valdovinos (8-2) in the opening round on August 27th in San Diego.

In Six-Round Bouts:

Sydney Maccow (7-8, 3 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York takes on Brandon Idrogo (6-3, 6 KOs) of Ellersville, NY in a junior welterweight fight.

In Four-Round Bouts:

Leonidas Sopranidis (1-1, 1 KO) of Kilkis, Greece takes on Michael Crain (4-5-1, 1 KO) of Smyrna, Delaware in a junior welterweight fight.

Kenyon Sessions of New Jersey will make his pro debut against Brett Yuschock (0-1) of Mount Carmel, PA in a flyweight contest.

Deyshawn Williams of Queens, NY will make his pro debut against Kevin Schmidt (0-1) of Cumberland, Indiana in a junior welterweight contest.

Aaron Newmones (1-2) of Atlantic City battles Anthony Dill (1-0, 1 KO) of Hatboro, PA in a welterweight fight.

Elijah Lynah (2-1) of Brooklyn, NY will take on Tunde Fatiregun (1-2) of Elizabeth, New Jersey in a cruiserweight tussle

Terrick Maven (0-1) of Vineland, NJ will fight pro debuting Daniel Bean of Old Bridge, New Jersey in a heavyweight bout.

Tickets for this outstanding evening of boxing are 175 VIP Ringside

120 Premium

75 Reserved

55 General Admission

and can be purchased at 

https://randbpromo.ticketleap.com/acfn/

The fight card will be streamed live on BXNGTV.com

First Bell – 4.45pm CDT
 
8 x 3 mins Middleweight contest
 
Abilkhan Amankul 160lbs vs.    Yeasson Pacheco 161.8lbs
Taraz (Zhambyl), Kazakhstan      Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
 
Followed by
 
8 x 3 mins Super-Middleweight contest
 
Bek Nurmaganbet 170.6lbs       vs.        Luciano Chaparro 169.4lbs
Turkestan, Kazakhstan                             Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico
 
Followed by
 
6 x 3 mins Super-Featherweight contest
 
Jonathan Lopez 132lbs  vs.        Ulises Suarez Ortega 128.8lbs
Orlando, Florida                             Mexico City, Mexico
 
FLOAT BOUT
 
6 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
 
Francisco Pina 133lbs    vs.        Felix Cruz 133.6lbs
Mexico City, Mexico                       Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico 
 
LIVE ON DAZN FROM 7PM CDT
 
8 x 3 mins Super-Featherweight contest
 
Alberto Mora 130.8lbs  vs.        Diego Andrade 131.6lbs
Mexico City, Mexico                     Victoria de Durango, Durango, Mexico
 
Followed by
 
10 x 3 mins WBC Silver Youth Super-Lightweight title
 
Reshat Mati 139.2lbs    vs.        Leonel Rodriguez 142.4lbs*
Staten Island, New York              Aguascalientes, Mexico 
 
Followed by
 
10 x 3 mins WBO NABO Lightweight title
 
Angel Fierro 134lbs       vs.        Jeremy Cuevas 137.6lbs*
Tijuana, Mexico                            Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 
Followed by
 
10 x 3 mins Featherweight contest 
 
Mauricio Lara 127.4lbs vs.        Jose Sanmartin 126.6lbs
Mexico City, Mexico                     Barranquilla, Colombia
 
*titles in these contests only on the line for Mati and Fierro after Rodriguez and Cuevas failed to make weight. 

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – October 21, 2022 – Unbeaten WBA Super Middleweight Champion and Minneapolis fan-favorite David Morrell Jr. will return to action against undefeated mandatory challenger Aidos Yerbossynuly in a 12-round duel that headlines live on SHOWTIME Saturday, November 5 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Armory in Minneapolis.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features rising Cuban sensation Yoelvis Gomez facing former unified champion Jeison Rosario in a 10-round middleweight attraction in the co-main event, plus unbeaten middleweight Fiodor Czerkaszyn battles the hard-hitting Nathaniel Gallimore in the 10-round telecast opener.

“The fans in Minneapolis have brought an outstanding energy and atmosphere time and time again for their favorite adopted son David Morrell Jr. and again and again he has delivered with a spectacular knockout,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “He will be looking to add to his growing resume of highlights on November 5 live on SHOWTIME against perhaps the toughest challenge of his career, when he takes on the confident and unbeaten Aidos Yerbossynuly. With two exciting undercard matchups, it’s shaping up to be another can’t-miss night at The Armory in Minneapolis.”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Warriors Boxing, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Armory at http://ArmoryMN.com/ and through Ticketmaster.

Now based in Minneapolis, Morrell (7-0, 6 KOs) has shown off the prodigious talents that made him a standout in Cuba’s iconic amateur scene since arriving stateside in 2019. The 24-year-old captured an interim title by dominating the then-unbeaten Lennox Allen in August 2020 in just his third pro fight. Morell, who trains in Texas with renowned coach Ronnie Shields, has thrilled the crowd at The Armory in his adopted hometown with sensational knockouts in each of his last three fights. His most recent outing saw him deliver an electric SHOWTIME debut in stopping Kalvin Henderson in June. 

“On November 5, I’m going to take another step toward solidifying myself as the best super middleweight in the world,” said Morrell Jr. “Yerbossynuly is a dangerous opponent who’s never tasted defeat. A win against him on SHOWTIME, in front of a rowdy hometown crowd at The Armory, is going to catapult me into a fight with the biggest names in the sport. I’m going to be the next big fighter to shine on the national stage. Minnesota, be ready, because your hometown son is about to put on another spectacular show.”

The 30-year-old Yerbossynuly (16-0, 11 KOs) earned a shot at Morrell after delivering a statement knockout of Lennox Allen in the 10^th-round of their September 2021 showdown. A native of Zharkent, Kazakhstan who now fights out of Las Vegas, Yerbossynuly first turned pro in 2015 with knockouts in seven of his first eight outings, including two stateside triumphs. He returns to fight in the U.S. for the third time on November 5, having won his last two fights by knockout, including a stoppage of the previously unbeaten Issah Samir in December 2020.

“I’ve had a great training camp with my amazing team that inspires me to push myself every day,” said Yerbossynuly. “We are descendants of Genghis Khan, and you will see the power of the Nomads on November 5. All of our hard work and sacrifice will pay off when I defeat David Morrell Jr. and bring the world title back to Kazakhstan.”

The 25-year-old Gómez (6-0, 5 KOs) made a big statement in his U.S. debut on Christmas Day 2021, blasting out the typically durable Clay Collard in the first round of their showdown. Born in Havana, Cuba and now fighting out of Las Vegas, the southpaw showed power in both hands and relentless finishing skills, immediately making him a rising contender in the talent-laden super welterweight division. He most recently stepped up his competition again, cruising to a shutout unanimous decision against hard-hitting veteran Jorge Cota in May on SHOWTIME.

“I’m excited to be fighting back  on SHOWTIME,” said Gomez. “Jeison Rosario is a former world champion who has been in the ring with some great champions, and I’m expecting a very tough fight. My goal is to throw a lot of hard punches with accuracy and bring some excitement for those watching. Like always, I’ll be gunning for the knockout, but if I have to go the distance, I’m well prepared to go rounds. Yoelvis ‘La Joya’ time is coming!” 

Rosario (23-3-1, 17 KOs) will look to move himself into title contention at middleweight after scoring knockouts in three straight fights dating back to November 2021. The 27-year-old’s current streak comes after a pair of defeats versus undisputed 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo and top contender Erickson Lubin. Born in the Dominican Republic and fighting out of Miami, Rosario captured the WBA and IBF 154-pound belts by stopping Julian Williams in one of 2020’s biggest upsets, before losing the titles against Charlo.

“I’m super motivated for this fight,” said Rosario. “I’ve trained hard and I’m ready for war. Gomez is a good fighter with a lot of talent, but I’ve beaten talented fighters before. I’m not worried about what he brings to the ring because I’ve already been in there and shown I can go toe-to-toe with all the lions.”

The 26-year-old Czerkaszyn (20-0, 13 KOs) made a successful stateside debut in August, stopping Gilbert Venegas Jr. in the fourth-round of a matchup that streamed live on the SHOWTIME SPORTS^® YouTube channel. Originally from Ukraine and a citizen of Warsaw, Poland, Czerkaszyn turned pro in 2015 and owns three 10-round unanimous decisions on his record, hardly losing a round throughout the contests.

“I’ve been training since my last fight and I’ve stayed in shape so that I was ready to take advantage of an opportunity like this,” said Czerkaszyn. “I’m facing a good opponent, who’s very fast. I’ve seen him train before in Chicago and watched his fights, so I know what to expect. I’m hungry and I’m ready to show off my boxing skills on November 5.”

Gallimore (22-5-1, 17 KOs) has made a name for himself challenging the best fighters at 154 pounds and using his power and skill to present stiff competition. The 34-year-old owns a stoppage victory over former unified champion Jeison Rosario, and has also faced former unified champion Julian Williams, former champion Patrick Teixeira, and top contenders Sebastian Fundora and Erickson Lubin. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Gallimore has fought out of Chicago as a pro and most recently bested the previously unbeaten Leon Lawson III at The Armory in June 2021.

“I’m very excited to be back in the ring and on this big stage on SHOWTIME,” said Gallimore. “I was raised in a family where we made it happen whether we had it or not, and that’s my mentality day in and day out. I’m looking forward to this fight and showing that my tenacity will always prevail.”

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #MorrellYerbossynuly, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a featherweight contenders’ bout that will see No. 5 ranked Calvin Kattar and No. 6 Arnold Allen collide in what promises to be an explosive main event. In the co-main event, hard-hitting Tim Means and Max Griffin square off in a pivotal bout at 170 pounds.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: KATTAR vs. ALLEN will take place Saturday, October 29 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.

Fan-favorite Kattar (23-6, fighting out of Methuen, Mass.) sets out to defend his spot in the featherweight rankings. The Boston native’s slick boxing and grit has earned him strong wins over Giga Chikadze, Dan Ige, and Jeremy Stephens. Kattar now sets out to halt Allen’s momentum and put himself back on the road to title contention.

Allen (18-1, fighting out of Trimley St. Martin, Suffolk, England) looks to crack the featherweight Top 5 for the first time in his career. Undefeated inside the Octagon, the Englishman holds wins over Dan Hooker, Sodiq Yusuff, and Nik Lentz. Allen now aims to capitalize on his first UFC main event spot by delivering a statement win against another notable name at 145 pounds.

Octagon veteran Means (32-13-1, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) returns to deliver another action-packed bout. Always game to scrap with the toughest at 170 pounds, Means holds wins over Mike Perry, Thiago Alves, and Dhiego Lima, and is determined to stop Griffin in impressive fashion and add another big win to his resume.

Griffin (18-9, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) looks to restart his win streak and crack the welterweight rankings. The West Coast native’s durable fighting style has led him to wins against Carlos Condit, Mike Perry, and Song Kenan. Griffin intends to bring a firefight to the veteran Means and deliver a show-stealing finish.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Dana White’s Contender Series signees Waldo Cortes-Acosta (7-0, fighting out of Phoenix, Arizona by way of Fundacion, Barahona, Dominican Republic) and Jared Vanderaa (12-9, fighting out of Hemet, Calif.) meet in a hard-hitting heavyweight bout
• Josh Fremd (9-3, fighting out of Pittsburgh, Penn.) squares off  Tresean Gore (4-2, fighting out of Lawrenceville, Ga.) at middleweight
• No. 13 light heavyweight Dustin Jacoby (18-5-1, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) and Khalil Rountree Jr. (10-5 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) collide in a thrilling matchup of elite strikers
• Middleweights face off as Phil Hawes (12-3, fighting out of Little Ferry, N.J.) meets Roman Dolidze (10-1, fighting out of Batumi, Georgia)
• Heavyweight legend Andrei Arlovski (34-20, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Flo.) battles Marcos Rogerio de Lima (19-8, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• Joseph Holmes (8-2, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) faces Junyong Park (13-5, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea)
• Dana White’s Contender Series signeeChase Hooper (11-2-1, fighting out of Enumclaw, Wash.) meets Steve Garcia (12-5, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) at featherweight
• An exciting flyweight bout pits Kleydson Rodrigues (7-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) against Cody Durden (13-4-1, fighting out of Covington, Ga.)
• Christian Rodriguez (7-1, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin) and Garrett Armfield (8-3, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Flo.) clash at bantamweight

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage. Please click here to apply for the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 207 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.8 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). 

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

GLENDALE, ARIZ. – October 21, 2022 – A longtime trainer, a new trainer and family dynamics played a big role in helping Anderson “The Spider” Silva wrapup training camp on a positive note in advance of the UFC legend’s mega fight against international superstar and undefeated boxer Jake “The Problem Child” Paul October 29 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz., in an event co-produced by Most Valuable Promotions and SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).

To understand Silva the polished boxer, one must first understand the close-knit, experienced team that’s surrounded him throughout this training camp near his home in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., an exclusive suburb 25 miles from downtown Los Angeles, as they prepare for Paul. The YouTube personality is 5-0 and coming off a spectacular KO against another former UFC champion Tyron Woodley. 

Silva’s team is led by longtime head coach Luiz Carlos Dorea, who has been with Silva through 19 years of training camps. Before his split-decision win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in the summer of 2021, Silva enlisted the services of veteran boxing coach Nico Robledo. Robledo was sidelined after a serious bout with Covid-19 that left him in a coma for three months and in the hospital for more than five months last December to the end of April.

Silva has been joined in camp by Eliezer Silva, who is also fighting October 29, Brazilian boxer Hebert Conceição, Robledo’s son Nico III, and even Silva’s son Kalyl.

Here is what Silva, Dorea and Robledo had to say about facing Paul as training camp wrapped up:

ANDERSON SILVA

On the differences in training in mixed martial arts as opposed to training in boxing:

“It’s different because you have seven different disciplines in MMA but for boxing, I’m just training for boxing. And I need to train more with my footwork, the position of my hands. But I’ve been training for boxing for many, many years so it’s something I’m comfortable doing. Every single fight you have different things you train for. Every fight is different. For this fight, I’m training to fight a boxer.”

On his motivation:

“I don’t need the money anymore. People think the money is important, but it’s not. Of course, I’m going to make money from this fight because It’s my job. Don’t do something just for the money. Work because you have a passion. That’s what I’ve done and why I’ve been successful all my life.”

On being the betting favorite:

“There’s a lot of people who are saying Jake is no good, he’s not as good a striker. But to me the fight is a fight and I’m training hard to win this fight. I’m not looking at this as an easy fight for me. Every single fight is dangerous once you step through the ropes.”

If a loss will affect his legacy:

“I’m not going to lose. Nothing will affect my legacy. I’ve worked hard for many years to do something like this for my fans. This is one more fight – one more challenge for myself, but this won’t affect my legacy and career.”

On What the difference will be in this fight:

“The most important thing going into this fight is my experience. My experience is something that Jake doesn’t have. I love this challenge, that’s the secret to me and I go into this fight to prove my respect to the boxing community.”

LUIZ CARLOS DOREA

On Silva’s motivation:

“Anderson’s motivation is above normal for this fight. Being able to train at home in Los Angeles with those who are close to him is even better and motivates him even more. Each week he got better and better. I’m very happy because Anderson is very motivated for this camp. It’s a great honor to work with Anderson. I’ve been with him for over 19 years, and I still see him as super motivated and ready to take on any challenge. He’s very motivated.”

On Silva training for boxing:

“The training is much calmer because boxing is his realm and his comfort level. I’m a boxing coach and Anderson learns very fast, so I feel very confident in his boxing skills. Anderson is the biggest striker of all time in MMA so it’s a much easier job for me to get him ready. Anderson is an athlete where I have to tell him to stop in training because he always wants more and more and more, and that motivation is inspiring and motivates the whole team.”

On not looking past Jake Paul:

“We always respect the adversary, no matter who it is. That’s why Anderson is training extra hard because Anderson is very disciplined. The training is always the same to confront any great athlete. We can’t underestimate anyone.

“It’s going to be the biggest show of all time. Jake Paul is going to finally have the biggest athlete he ever fought in front of him. He’s going to be fighting a legend, so it’s going to be a great show.”

NICO ROBLEDO

On recovering from Covid:

“I’m so fortunate to my family for not deciding to pull the plug. The reason they waited an extra week was because my children lost their mother on the same day also to Covid. I got out of the hospital on April 23, and a week later I was back and training my son for US Nationals.”

On Silva training for boxing:

“MMA is a transition to boxing, for sure. He’s a great athlete and has the heart of a lion – he’s truly a warrior. It hasn’t been easy, but at the same time it hasn’t been hard. He’s 47, but he trains like he’s 27. He gives 100 percent all the time. He’s always positive and has a smile on his face. He’s willing to learn and that makes training camps so much easier.

“It was actually funny because when we first started, he was trying to do some kicks. Overall, he’s caught up really well, and he knows he can’t take someone down but has to rely on his punches and his boxing skills.”

The Paul vs. Silva event is co-produced by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and SHOWTIME PPV and is available now for purchase in the United States at SHOWTIME.com/ppv and via the SHOWTIME^® app for a suggested retail price of $59.95 (SRP). Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. The official promo for the event was inspired by the 1983 cult classic Scarface and is available to watch and share HERE. 

# # #

ABOUT PAUL VS. SILVA

International superstar and serial risk-taker Jake “The Problem Child” Paul will face the biggest challenge of his career when he takes on UFC legend and accomplished boxer Anderson “The Spider” Silva in an eight-round bout at a catchweight of 187 pounds on Saturday, October 29 in a Most Valuable Promotions event live on SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz. In undercard action, teenage sensation Ashton Sylve will put his knockout streak on the line against Braulio Rodriguez in an eight-round lightweight bout contested at 133 pounds. Top 118-pound contenders and former world title challengers Alexandro “El Peque” Santiago and Antonio “Carita” Nieves will meet again in a 10-round rematch of their exciting 2016 showdown. Elite UFC striker Uriah Hall and former NFL star running back Le’Veon Bell will make their pro debuts in a four-round cruiserweight bout contracted at 195 pounds. In addition, Chris Avila, a disciple of UFC superstar Nate Diaz, will square off against “Doctor Mike” Varshavski, a board-certified family physician and social media influencer, in a four-round cruiserweight bout contracted at 185 pounds. For more information: www.Showtime.com/PPV.

OMAHA, Neb. (October 21, 2022) – Pound-for-pound superstar Terence “Bud” Crawford makes his long-awaited return to the ring on December 10th as he faces current European Champion and WBC No. 4-ranked David Avanesyan at CHI Health Center in Crawford’s hometown of Omaha, Neb.

The fight will be streamed live by BLK Prime (https://watchnow.blkprime.com/)

for the price of $39.99. This will be BLK Prime’s first streaming of a professional boxing event, but the Silicon Valley-based tech company has streamed several non-professional bouts. BLK Prime is a subscription video on demand company that utilizes elite technology to bring the best picture-perfect stream available.

“BLK Prime has been in existence for five years and we are excited to announce our first World Championship bout,” said a spokesman from BLK Prime. “To make our debut with boxing’s pound-for-pound number one fighter in the world, Terence Crawford, is a home run and we can’t wait for December 10th in Omaha, Neb.”

The three-division world champion and current WBO Welterweight World Champion Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs), 35, is widely considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound star in the sport, topping the rankings on major publications including ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports. Known for his exceptionally fast hand speed, ring IQ, counter-punching abilities, defense and ability to switch naturally from orthodox to southpaw, Crawford won his first world title at lightweight in 2008.

Crawford became the undisputed 140-pound world champion after he knocked out Julius Indongo in August 2017, making him the first undisputed champion at 140 pounds since Kostya Tszyu in 2004 and the first male boxer to simultaneously hold all four major belts since Jermain Taylor in 2005. More recently, Crawford has taken over the welterweight division, disposing of world champions Jeff Horn, Amir Khan, Kell Brook and Shawn Porter in his destruction of the division. His last time out, Crawford became the first fighter to stop Porter, putting him down twice in the 10th round.

The 34-year-old Russian native Avanesyan (29-3-1, 17 KOs) is promoted by Frank Warren’s Queensberry’s Promotions. The biggest win of Avanesyan’s career took place in 2016, when he scored a unanimous decision against former world champion Shane Mosley to retain his title, while also making his United States debut. Avanesyan is currently riding a six-fight knockout streak and is considered a very dangerous opponent.

To learn more about BLK Prime, go to: https://watchnow.blkprime.com/ and to order the pay-per-view, check back soon to: https://ppv.blkprime.com/pay-per-view

The official weigh-in for Saturday nights IBO World Light Heavyweight Championship battle between Leon Bunn and Padraig McCrory took place at the Dorint Parkhotel Frankfurt/Bad Vilbel today. Bunn vs. McCrory will take place tomorrow night at the Fabriksporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany. Here is an overview of all the weights of the fighters on the card:
 

IBO World Light Heavyweight Championship – 12 Rounds

Leon Bunn (Germany): 79,0 Kg | 174,17 lbs

Padraig McCrory (Ireland): 78,9 Kg | 173,94 lbs

Super Featherweight – 6 Rounds

Kurt Walker (Ireland): 58,4 Kg | 128,75 lbs

Yin Caicedo (Columbia): 57,1 Kg | 125,88 lbs

Bantamweight – 6 Rounds (x 2 mins)

Bilgenur Aras (Germany): 54,2 Kg | 119,49 lbs

Oksana Romanova (Ukraine): 53,5 Kg | 117,95 lbs

Middleweight – 6 Rounds

Kieran Molloy (Ireland): 70,0 Kg | 154,32 lbs

Sandro Jajanidze (Georgia): 72,0 Kg | 158,73 lbs

Heavyweight – 6 Rounds

Daniel Dietz (Germany): 121,0 Kg | 266,76 lbs

Gyorgy Kutasi (Hungary): TBA

Super Middleweight – 4 Rounds

Allen Bauer (Germany): 74,3 Kg | 163,80 lbs

Renato Balogh (Hungary): TBA

Super Middleweight – 4 Rounds

Ryszard Lewicki (Poland): 75,0 Kg | 165,38 lbs

Merab Turkadze (Georgia): 74,0 Kg | 163,14 lbs
 

Leftover tickets for the IBO World light heavyweight championship between Leon Bunn and Padraig McCrory on October 22 at the Fabriksporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany, are on sale via Eventim and can also be acquired at the box office on the night of the fight.