PHOENIX — May 6, 2013 — Iron Boy Promotions is excited to present Iron Boy 7, and continue its commitment to high quality boxing shows that showcase the best of Arizona’s boxing talent.

On May 17th, at Celebrity Theatre, attendees will once again witness the best that Arizona’s professional and amateur ranks have to offer. In the main event bout, Chris Lopez (6-1, 2KO), whose war with Rocco Espinoza on Iron Boy 6 was described by some media as “the best fight I’d ever seen live,” will take on Mexico’s Pablo Batres (4-5-1, 0KO) in a six-round contest. Lopez, who is steadily earning a reputation as a warrior inside the ring, will undoubtedly have the crowd on its feet once again.

In the co-main event, valley favorite Juan Garcia (17-3, 6KO) takes on New Mexico’s Jeremiah Torres (8-21, 1KO). Exciting Sacramento prospect Guy Robb will be fighting in a featured bout.

Also on the card, Francisco “Panchito” C. de Vaca will be making his much-anticipated professional debut. De Vaca has won several local and national tournaments, and boasts a large fan base in the valley. Dedicated to fighting breast cancer, de Vaca will be wearing his signature “Real Men Wear Pink” attire for fight night. He will also be donating his first professional first to a charity dedicated to fighting breast cancer, and Iron Boy Promotions will match his contribution. Valley prospects Carlos Castro, Alexis Santiago and Fernando Samaniego round out the professional bouts.

In amateur action, David Benavidez, younger brother of highly touted Top Rank prospect Jose Benavidez, Jr., as well as female fighters Sulem Urbina and Ariel Arismendez return to the ring to showcase the future of Arizona Boxing.

Said Robert Vargas, President of Iron Boy Promotions of the event, “Our core audience is growing, as boxing fans share with their friends and families how exciting and high quality our shows are. These Arizona fighters, who work day-in and day-out toward their goals, are each growing a following and we’re excited to be part of that.”

Tickets for the event may be purchased at www.iron-boy.com or at the Celebrity Theatre box office. Doors open at 5 p.m. on May 17th, and fights start at 6 p.m.

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Iron Boy Promotions is a Phoenix-based boxing promotions company. Established in 2011, Iron Boy Promotions is committed to providing quality, high-powered boxing shows with talented fighters.

Las Vegas May 5, 2013 Micah Miller’s knee heard ‘round the world solidified him as an immediate lightweight contender and put the perfect punctuation mark on an incredible night of fights at Rocktagon XXVI “Veni, Vidi, Vici.”

On Saturday night, Miller made his Rocktagon debut at The Agora in Cleveland, Ohio against Tyler Combs.

It wasn’t any secret that Combs faced an uphill battle heading into the main event bout. Miller, a former WEC fighter, came into the fight with a wealth of experience competing against the best fighters in the world.

His edge in experience showed early on in the fight in avoiding wild standup exchanges.

Combs is a dangerous brawler who tends to drop his hands and come forward in hopes of baiting opponents into unnecessary exchanges. He did everything he could to unravel Miller’s methodical approach and get him to open up.

Miller stuck to a solid game plan of utilizing his reach to pick Combs apart from afar and seek takedowns whenever the distance closed. On the ground, he easily transitioned to mount on several occasions and went to work with short strikes and submission attempts.

Combs proved why he is touted as “MMA’s Rocky” by fighting through some dire situations both on the feet and ground.

Unfortunately, it all came crumbling down when he ate a huge knee that sent him crashing to the canvas for the TKO stoppage 45-seconds into the third round.

After the fight, Miller admitted he was taking his time and waiting for the right opportunity to go for the finish:

“I wanted to disguise my power. In the third, I threw everything I could and caught him off guard…He was really tough.”

In the co-main event, Andrew Cseh really did look like an animal in submitting undefeated Greg Jackson student Jordan Espinosa.

Cseh refused to abandon his wrestling after a few early failed takedown attempts. His persistence eventually paid off as he finally secured a takedown and immediately transitioned to Espinosa’s back during a scramble.

From back, Cseh worked really hard to lock in a rear naked choke, but Espinosa’s defense was solid. Things eventually went his way when he went palm to palm with the choke and forced the tap at 3:39 of the first round.

It has been an impressive turnaround for Cseh, who has bounced back from a three-fight losing streak with three consecutive wins. After the fight, he credited Team Ascension for his success in ousting one of the best prospects in the country:

“Credit goes to my team, Team Ascension. Best BJJ on the planet.”

Micah Bender opened up the pro action with a quick first round submission victory over Darryl Madison.

It marked his first fight back after nearly a year hiatus. He certainly didn’t show any signs of cage rust on Saturday night as he secured an early takedown and began teeing off with strikes from top position. Madison had no choice but to give up his back to avoid further damage, which setup Bender’s rear naked choke submission at 1:49 of the first round.

In his post-fight interview, Bender said his game plan was based on putting Madison in a position he felt least comfortable:

“Put a lion in the ocean, and he’s just another piece of prey.”

In other bouts, James Pfeiffer wrestled his way to a unanimous decision over Daniel Coffman; Brandon Vasquez earned a unanimous but close decision over Steve Chapple; Uriah Karkow locked Matthew Zindren in a kimura for a verbal submission at 2:33 of the second round; Tobiaus Taylor knocked out Orundi Colvin at 2:03 of the second round; Nicholas Rodriguez transitioned from an armbar to a triangle choke for the tap at 2:12 of the second round in his bout with Billy Freedson and Tim Taumoepeau took a unanimous decision over John Macgregor.

Rocktagon XXVI featured live music by American Wi-Fi and a guest appearance by Anthony “The Recipe” Lapsley, who will be featured in Rocktagon XXVII’s main event. UFC star Cole Miller was also in attendance cornering his younger brother, Micah.

The Rocktagon MMA “Journey of Champions” Pro-Am National Tour will continue on June 8 at Rocktagon XXVII “Way of the Warrior” at the Crane Bay Event Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Founded in mid-2010, Rocktagon MMA has successfully completed 26 events on two coasts and is the only promotion able to offer four types of shows to meet the needs of various markets: all amateur, all professional, Pro-Am, and Rock-n-Rage. Rock-n-Rages are premium events combining the cage of mixed martial arts with the stage featuring live musical performances by well-known artists.

To find out more about Rocktagon MMA, go to www.RocktagonWorldwide.com or text MMA to 36000. Fans may also follow Rocktagon MMA on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

There is definitely no love lost. Britain´s Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9 KOs) did
say he would hug and shake hands with his opponent Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25
KOs) after their WBO Title Fight on June 8 at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in
Berlin, Germany ? but the attending members of the press were not really
convinced after the pair´s previous war of words during Monday?s press
conference.

Before Afolabi started his attempt to calm things down, current WBO
Cruiserweight Champion Marco ?Captain? Huck and the Interims Titlist were
involved in a heated exchange of words. The first one to trade verbal blows
was the 28-year-old German. ?Afolabi is starting to get on my nerves. I beat
him in December 2009. After I fought Alexander Povetkin for the WBA
Heavyweight Crown, it was difficult for me to find the right motivation for
my rematch with Afolabi in May last year. However, I believe that I actually
won that bout, even though it was scored as a majority draw. That won?t
happen again. I will win in my own backyard. We won?t be playing cat and
mouse anymore. This will be a war ? I won?t be holding back.?

That was the cue for Afolabi to start his own rant. ?Huck shouldn?t be able
to call himself world champion anymore. In my opinion, he lost on three
previous occasions. He lost against Lebedev, he lost against me and also
against Arslan. He should only be able to call himself German Champion or
Champion of Berlin,? said the 33-year-old. The Brit stated that he is
planning to humiliate Huck in front of his own fans. ?I would be ready to
take him on this weekend.? Then Afolabi directed his next words directly
towards Huck. ?Everybody knows that I have always been a good technician,
but now my fitness level is also excellent. I will seriously hurt you come
June 8. You will need a wheelchair after the fight,? said the Los Angeles
based cruiserweight.

It is obvious that there is a lot of tension in the air, also partially due
to the duel between the two most popular and respected coaches of German
boxing. Once again Ulli Wegner (Huck´s coach) and Fritz Sdunek (works with
Afolabi) will stand in opposite corners.

Tickets for the big fight night at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin Germany
on June 8 are available at www.eventim.de and www.boxen.com.

NEW YORK: (May 6, 2013) Long Island fan favorite and perrienal contender Vinny Maddalone is in final preparations for his scheduled ten round heavyweight clash on SATURDAY, May 11 against undefeated prospect Richard Carmack of Kansas City, Missouri in the main event of “ROCKIN FIGHTS 8” at The Paramount in Huntington, New York.

Presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, advance tickets for “ROCKIN FIGHTS 8”, priced at $50, $100, $150 and $200 are now on sale through Ticketmaster, (www.Ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000) or through The Paramount Box Office, (631) 673-7300 in addition to the Star Boxing Office, (718) 823-2000 or on their website, www.StarBoxing.com.

“This is a terrific opportunity for me, while I haven’t fought at The Paramount yet, the Star Boxing events there are always sold out and it’s a great atmosphere to fight in” said Maddalone. “It’s only 25 minutes from my house and I’m expecting a great deal of support” said the Queens native.

Following an extensive workout days before the fight, Maddalone spoke about the Carmack showdown and the state of the heavyweight division.

“The heavyweight division has had a great deal of focus on it right night. There are numerous fighters making names for themselves, Tyson Fury, David Price and Tony Thompson among them. I look at Pianeta who is fighting Wladimir Klitschko and I think why can’t that be me.”

“I’ve seen some tapes of Carmack, he’s a big kid, but he also has pretty good hand speed and solid skills, he’s not going to stand right in front of me. It’s a big opportunity but I’m more than ready, I’ve trained nine weeks for this fight” continued Maddalone, who since 1999 has used the Theme From Rocky as his walk in music.

Said DeGuardia; “Vinny is always an exciting fighter to watch. With him fighting an undefeated heavyweight, and with this fight taking place at the Paramount, it should be even more exciting to watch. Be sure to join us for another great night at The Paramount in Huntington.”

“ROCKIN FIGHTS 8” is co-headlined by a sensational eight round light heavyweight bout between undefeated prospect Yathomas Riley and Buffalo based veteran Lionell Thompson.

Featured on the undercard are local prospects Alan Gotay and Anthony Karperis in separate bouts along with pro debuting Dave Meloni of Westbury, New York.

The Paramount is located at 370 New York Avenue, Huntington, New York, 11743. For directions and more information, please visit their website at www.paramountny.com

Doors on the evening of the event will open at 7PM with the first bell at 8PM.

ABOUT STAR BOXING:

Star Boxing Inc. celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2012. Star Boxing has worked to produce some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star has continued to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit their official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow them on Twitter @ Star Boxing and Facebook at Star Boxing.

ABOUT THE PARAMOUNT:

Opened September 30, 2011 this 1,555 capacity live entertainment venue located in downtown Huntington, Long Island, features concerts, boxing, comedy, community and other special events. Booked by Live Nation, the Paramount has hosted over 150 events in its first year of operation and quickly established itself as the premier music venue on Long Island. Some recent acts to take the stage include Pitbull, Taking Back Sunday, The Pixies, Elvis Costello, Warren Haynes, Willie Nelson, Brand New, Goo Goo Dolls, Primus, Marilyn Manson, Korn, The Wanted, The Script, Panic! At the Disco and many, more.

ABOUT THE FOX HOLLOW

Nestled upon 8 private acres of Long Island’s north shore is the Fox Hollow which features a state of the art event venue, fine dining restaurant and an all-suite luxury boutique hotel. Owned & operated by the Scotto Brothers, their Above & Beyond philosophy in providing each & every guest with superior services and amenities is paramount. Visit the Fox Hollow online at www.TheFoxHollow.com & www.TheInnAtFoxHollow.com

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (May 6, 2013) – The true “Queen of Boxing,” 14-time world champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm, may be hanging-up her gloves Saturday night but she’s only switching from a ring to a cage as she pursues her very promising mixed-martial-arts career.

Holm (32-2-3, 9 KOs) will defend her International Boxing Association (IBA) and World Boxing Federation (WBF) junior lightweight titles against former NABC World lightweight title-holder “Merciless” Mary McGee (20-1, 11 KOs) in the 10-round main event headlining the “Mayhem” card, presented by Fresquez Productions, at Route 66 Casino Hotel in Albuquerque.

Rather than announce her retirement from boxing right after Saturday’s fight, Holm went public several weeks ago, in order to let her boxing fans realize that this would be their last opportunity to watch her box. It certainly would have been easier and less stressful to wait, but the New Mexico sports icon has always appreciated her fans to the maximum. Plus, she’s still going to be fighting, only in a different combat sport.

“I am dealing with some pressure being in my final time in boxing,” she explained, “and knowing that I’ll be in MMA. So, I’m focusing on this last fight and feeling some pressure, but there’s always some pressure in a fight. I want to end things on a good night. I didn’t want to just cruise through my last fight in boxing. This isn’t bad pressure. I did want to let people know and there will be a lot of people there Saturday night who may not have been if I hadn’t made my announcement.”

Holm nearly retired two years ago but, at that time, she wasn’t quite ready to make the fulltime switch to MMA. Her plan was to first fight and defeat European starts, Ann Sophie Mathis and Cecelia Breakhus.

“This has been a long time coming,” Holm noted. “I talked with my coach (Mike Winkeljohn) about leaving boxing for MMA back in 2011. I told friends how much I really enjoyed MMA. In a perfect world, I would have but I still wanted to fight Ann Sophie and Cecelia. Then, I could focus 100-percent on MMA. I’ve always been excited about MMA. Plans changed, though, when I lost to Ann Sophie. I knew I had to have a rematch (Holm won by decision). I started enjoying MMA training even more but thought I’d be fighting Cecelia in April, and then would focus on MMA. That fight didn’t go through and when she chose to fight Mia (St. John), I jumped at an MMA fight in February. I really enjoyed it. The fight with Cecelia didn’t happen and here we are. I always told myself I’d stop boxing if my passion wasn’t there 100-percent. I found myself getting less motivated in the gym to box, more motivated by MMA.”

Holm met every challenge during her 11+ year boxing career, finally exhausting all of her options, in terms of fighting world-class opponents. She has an incredible 21-1-1 record in world title fights (212 of her career 275 rounds fought have been in world championships), and 14-1-1 against other world champions, defeating a virtual Who’s Who list of woman boxers from the 140 through 154-pound weight classes, including Mathis, Christy Martin, Mary Jo Sanders, St. John, Jane Couch, Duda Yankovich and Chevelle Hallback (twice).

Her promoter, Lenny Fresquez, negotiated with Braekhus’ promoter, Sauerland Boxing, for two years but the final straw for Holm was the announcement that Braekhus would instead be fighting 45-year-old St. John, which came one day after the World Boxing Council mandated a mandatory title fight between WBC champion Braekhus and No. 1 contender Holm.

Like most elite athletes, seeking a new challenge was paramount in her decision to leave boxing for MMA, in which she is undefeated in three fights with three knockouts. Now, her ultimate challenge is to develop into a world-class MMA fighter, one worthy of challenging UFC champion and MMA superstar, Ronda Rousey. “A new challenge was a big part of it,” Holly explained what thinking went into her decision. “She (Rousey) has opened doors for women in MMA. She’s the one to beat and she’s in my weight class, but I’m not ready to fight her tomorrow. I have MMA strengths but I need to build on my weaknesses. She’s world champion now and but that next girl may take her out (before Holm fights Rousey). I do think she’ll be champ for a long time….but you never know.

“I’m also going to turn 32 soon and, if I’m going to make it in MMA, I need to start now. I don’t know where I’ll be in a year, two years, or five years. I’m also married now and someday I want to start a family. Maybe not now but that was another consideration (to now go into MMA fulltime).”

Her fight with McGee had been signed prior to Holm making her decision to leave boxing. She will bring the same class and dignity into the ring against McGee that she has for her previous 37 professional fights.

“I had told my dad, ma, coach and friends what an honor it would be for me to be able to be in the ring with Mary McGee for my last fight,” Holm concluded. “She’s not only a great champion, but a good person, a tremendous person, both in and out of the ring. This fight was scheduled before my (retirement from boxing) decision and that was it. I’m glad to be sharing the ring with her. She’s accomplished a lot and stayed humble. I’m very happy.”

Also fighting on “Mayhem” is a group of New Mexico’s most promising prospects. Albuquerque lightweight Matthew Baca (2-1, 2 KO’s) takes on Armando Gonzales (2-2, 1 KO) in a six-round bout. On the undercard in four rounds matches are welterweight Rocky “El Torito” Romero (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. 11-fight veteran Michael Coca Gallegos, light middleweight Cris Leyva (1-0) vs. Manuel Eastman (1-3), lightweights making their professional debuts, Gabe Gabaldon vs. Brandon Salazar, and cruiserweights making their pro debuts, Manny Rocha vs. Floyd Olguin, Jr. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, ranging between $25.00 and $200.00, are on sale and available to purchase at the Route 66 box office, going online to www.rt66casino.com, or calling 505.884.7484.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. MT, first bout scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. MT.

Go on line to www.FresquezProductions.com or www.rt66casino.com for more information about “Mayhem.”

Saturday heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko knocked out a 240-pound Italian named Francesco Pianeta, and few in the United States without an internet connection saw it, and many fewer cared, because there is no interest in Klitschko; because he is dominant his fights are too predictable. Some hours later, in a fight many more Americans knew and cared about, Floyd Mayweather dominated challenger Robert Guerrero in predictable a match as fans have paid extra to see since Mayweather’s last.

In his first event since beating Miguel Cotto a year ago by slightly more lopsided scores than he beat Guerrero, Mayweather allowed Guerrero, and pay-per viewers, six minutes of hope the fight would be entertaining and Guerrero could be competitive, and then, his paycheck cleared, Mayweather snatched all hope away, strolling to a unanimous decision and promising, as he does every year, to fight again soon – early, this time, as September.

The worst blow the Mayweather brand could sustain would be an increase in its namesake’s activity. His admirers ask to see more of him because it is the reasonable request any admirer makes any object of his affection, a request that relies upon a humility that goes: I am not observant enough to capture all your colors and luminosity on first sight and must look and look again and more closely till I have cataloged the entirety of your charms.

But the prefight Mayweather documentaries, saturating and interchangeable, revealed this: The more time you spend round Mayweather, the duller he gets. Have you ever seen so many people nodding-off, catching naps or crashed on couches, while the subject of a documentary – a subject worthy of a documentary, rather – is awake and performing? Showtime featured four or five documentaries on Mayweather, or perhaps they were two, or 47 (it’s impossible for an average mind to keep them separate), that held a revelation and a question: First, everyone falls asleep after a couple hours in Mayweather’s presence, and second, did a 36-year-old really just write his name on the steamed window of a shower door?

A Mayweather event is more spectacle than combat, more fashion art than fine art, and absolutely worth the 70 annual dollars that has become its tariff. But who that has $140 of disposable income – as opposed to money borrowed from mom – would pay it to watch the spectacle twice? It is a question Showtime unadvisedly will answer if given its druthers, one Mayweather is probably too wise to answer. An all-time great handicapper of challengers, Mayweather is too knowledgeable about boxing to find his prizefights entertaining enough to watch twice.

Were he able regularly to end his matches with violence, like he ended Ricky Hatton or even Victor Ortiz, tip the highlight-reel maker, as it were, instead of doffing his cap at B+ opponents postfight, he could work at Manny Pacquiao’s previous rate, or at least try his (right) hand at it. Therein lies the problem: Mayweather’s best punch is the potshot right – a demonstrated susceptibility to which will land you a fight with Mayweather quickest of all – but that hand is brittle a weapon as there is in our beloved sport.

A man does not strike another easily with one punch as Mayweather began to do to Guerrero with righthands in round 3 and then stop unless his hand is fragile or he wishes to carry his opponent. While either is possible when a salesman like Mayweather makes a fight with an opponent pedestrian as Guerrero, probability favors Mayweather’s history of hand problems, though Mayweather detractors are cautioned not to become hopeful about the future: His fight with Carlos Baldomir showed “Money” is still less entertaining in a one-handed fight.

Saturday’s match followed Mayweather’s three-part design; there were the studying rounds followed by the potshotting rounds followed by the uppercutting rounds. Guerrero was a relevance during the first part; Mayweather tied him up and tasted his counters and drew the perimeter in which he might creatively roam for the next half hour. After the second round, Guerrero was a target, interchangeable with Shane Mosley or Oscar De La Hoya.

Mayweather confounded Guerrero by hitting him with righthands from everywhere, hard, accurate, stinging punches Guerrero likely fancied himself walking through in training camp without fancying how impossibly far away Mayweather would be by the time Guerrero’s neurons registered the punch, without fathoming Mayweather’s head and foot would follow directly behind his glove, on a plane so confoundingly low to Guerrero’s left-cross counter they might well have been attached.

Then Guerrero was too confused to hurt Mayweather by any one punch he landed, every punch now thrown from a tentative mien that asked over and again “Is this an opening or a trap?” – then once Guerrero realized it was an opening and tried to repeat the punch, the opening was gone. To hurt Mayweather, as Mosely did, you must put all your confidence behind a punch that exploits an actual opening; it is boxing’s rarest occurrence because you are hoping, not exploiting, in the opening rounds, and by the time you are familiar enough with Mayweather’s rhythm and patterns to see an actual opening, you no longer have confidence enough to make a dent.

Part three of the Mayweather design was to drop a then-desperate Guerrero on right uppercuts the way Andre Berto did. This final phase failed only because Mayweather lacked the commitment to throw his evidently damaged right hand with the force required to position it properly for greeting Guerrero’s downrushing chin.

Mayweather is in danger now of becoming Wladimir Klitschko. He is a fighter too dominant for his own good who may be about to learn it is disproportionately easier to filch $70/year from American consumers than $140. Mayweather’s next fight will open at odds even with those that say it will not do a million buys.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

LAS VEGAS – It wasn’t exactly easy money. More like seed money.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. planted what he hopes will blossom into five
more Showtime fights for $250 million with a decision more one-sided
than unanimous Saturday night over Robert Guerrero in a welterweight
bout at the MGM Grand.

“Five more to go,’’ Mayweather (44-0, 26 KOs) said. “Let’s do it.’’

Can he? That answer was the key to Mayweather’s first fight since
his release from jail late last summer and his first bout since
beating Miguel Cotto a year ago.

Guerrero (31-2-1, 18 KOs) was there, perhaps, because he is as
tough as he was overmatched. His lack of speed and limited athleticism
made a Mayweather victory likely. It was the same on all three cards.
Judges Julie Lederman, Jerry Roth and Duane Ford scored it 117-111,
each for Mayweather.

On the 15 Rounds card, Mayweather was a 120-109 winner with
Guerrero failing to win a round. 15 Rounds scored the first round
even. Guerrero appeared to be winning the second, but that proved to
be the beginning of the inevitable when Mayweather stole the round by
landing the first right hand in what turned into avalanche of rights.

Guerrero wound up bloodied above one eye. The ringside physician
looked at the eye after the eighth. But the doctor decided that
Guerrero could continue.

“He was hard to hit,’’ Geurrero said. “But I’ll be back. Maybe
back for a rematch.’’

Guerrero was hurt, yet upright. In hindsight, that’s why he was
picked to be Mayweather’s first opponent in the Showtime deal. Every
new vehicle needs a test drive. Mayweather got the full, 12-round
drive, shaking off some initial stiffness and establishing some
familiar fluidity later.

There were also no hitches in the reunion with his dad, Floyd
Mayweather Sr., as his trainer. Roger Mayweather, his uncle and his
lead trainer for years, wasn’t in the corner, although he was in
middleweight J’Leon Love’s corner for a controversial victory on the
undercard.

“My father provided defense,’’ Mayweather Jr. said. “The less you
get hit, the longer you last.’’

Durability is the key if Mayweather hopes to collect the $250
million that is there if he fights five more times over the next 30
months. Even in the Guerrero fight, he might have suffered a
problematic injury. He complained of pain in his right hand, which he
said he hurt midway through the bout.

“I feel bad I didn’t give the fans a knockout,’’ said Mayweather,
who was guaranteed $32 million, more than 10 times Guerrero’s $3
million, according to contracts filed with the Nevada State Athletic
Commission. “I was looking for it. I hurt my right hand.’’

It wasn’t known late Saturday whether the hand was hurt bad enough
to prevent him from fighting in September.

“I plan to fight in September, yes,’’ Mayweather said a couple
hours after defeating Guerrero.

Even if healthy, however, Mayweather’s history indicates that five
more fights over the term of the deal are unlikely. He hasn’t fought
twice within 12 months since 2007.

Canelo Alvarez, the popular Mexican red-head, has called out
Mayweather repeatedly. After beating Austin Trout in San Antonio,
Alvarez again said he wanted to fight Mayweather. For Showtime, a deal
without Canelo-Mayweather would seem to be a bad one. Showtime, Golden
Boy Promotions, Mayweather and Canelo have 30 months to get it done.

If there is a Mayweather fight in September without Alvarez, there
are other possibilities. Danny Garcia, the current junior-welterweight
champion, was mentioned in Saturday night’s aftermath. Welterweight
Devon Alexander was another possibility.

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer talked about somebody special.

A “red-headed” somebody, he said.

Schaefer didn’t have to say who.

After what happened Saturday night, talk about Mayweather-Alvarez
took on a momentum all its own.

Best of the Undercard

It was friendly fire, the toughest kind of all.

But a contract between longtime pals and sometime sparring
partners, Abner Mares and Daniel Ponce De Leon, had to be fulfilled.

It was.

In full.

Mares (26-0-1, 14 KOs) made sure of it with a brilliant display of
versatility and surprising power for two knockdowns in a ninth round
TKO of Ponce De Leon (44-5, 35 KOs) for the World Boxing Council’s
featherweight title.

“He’s my friend,’’ said Mares, whose friendship with Ponce De Leon
includes the same manager, Frank Espinoza. “I wanted him to stay down,
especially after I dropped him the second time. You just don’t want to
keep hitting a friend.’’

There was some mild controversy over whether Mares should have
been allowed to. After dropping Ponce De Leon with a right in the
ninth, Mares pursued and caught him along the ropes with succession of
blows. At 2:20 of the ninth, referee had seen enough. Jay Nady ended
it, despite Ponce De Leon’s pleas for more.

“I don’t feel the fight should have been stopped,’’ said Ponce De
Leon, who also said he wants a rematch.

Friendship’s perks might get him one, although that would still
leave him with an impossible task. In Mares’ first fight at 126
pounds, he knocked down Ponce De Leon with a left in the second and a
right in the ninth.

“I think I confused him,’’ said Mares, who dedicated the victory to
his father. His dad suffered a stroke nearly a month ago.

The Rest

· A move up in weight embellished Leo Santa Cruz’ emerging
status as perhaps the best fighter in the 118-to-126-pound range with
an overwhelming stoppage of ex-flyweight champ Alexander Munoz of
Venezuela in a junior-feather bout. Santa Cruz, of Los Angeles,
dedicated his victory to an ailing brother. “He’s fighting for his
life,’’ Santa Cruz (24-0-1, 14 KOs) said. He fought for him, knocking
down Munoz (36-5, 28 KOs) in the third, rocking him with head-snapping
punches in the fourth and finishing him off with a right-left
combination at 1:05 of the fifth. Santa Cruz landed an astonishing
219 punches before five rounds were complete, according to CompuBox.
Santa Cruz might be next for Mares, according to Golden Boy Promotions
CEO Richard Schaefer.

· Las Vegas middleweight J’Leon Love (16-0, 8 KOs) got no love
in getting a split decision, booed loudly and often, over Garbriel
Rosado (21-7, 13 KOs), who lost despite scoring a knockdown in the
sixth round with a right. “It is what it is,’’ Love, a Mayweather
Promotions prospect, said after the 10-round victory over Rosado, a
Philadelphia fighter who sat on top of the ropes in his corner and
shook his head as if to say it was lousy.

· Las Vegas super-middleweight Ronald Gavril (4-0, 1 KO) closed
the non-televised portion of the pay-per-view card with a sweeping
right hook that appeared to leave Roberto Yong (5-7-2, 4 KOs) of
Phoenix defenseless and without a chance. Referee Russell Mora
stopped, making Gavril a TKO winner at 2:12 of the third round.

· Super-middleweight Luis Arias (5-0, 3 KOs), a Cuban
super-middleweight now living in Las Vegas, relied on a solid right
to survive some rocky moments and repeated left hands from DonYil
Livingston (8-3-1, 4 KOs) of Palmdale, Calif., for a six-round victory
by majority decision.

· Las Vegas light heavyweight Badou Jack (14-0, 10 KOs) of
Mayweather Promotions landed a right-handed body punch that put
Michael Gbenga (13-8, 3 KOs) to one knee in the third. Gbenga of
Silver Springs, Md., complained that the punch was a low blow. Video
said otherwise. Jack stayed unbeaten, winning a third-round TKO.

· Las Vegas super-middleweight Lanell Bellows (4-0-1, 4 KOs)
won a fourth-round stoppage over Matthew Garretson (2-1, 1 KO) of
Charleston, WV.

QUEENS, NY (May 4, 2013)—TONIGHT!!! at the Resorts World Casino in Queens, New Legend Boxing, Old World Boxing and W.O.N Promotions presents an eight bout that will be headlined by undefeated Bantamweight Juan Dominguez takes on Manuel de los Reyes Herrera in the ten round main event.

DOORS OPEN AT 5PM—1ST BOUT IS AT 6PM

After the eight bout card is complete, fans will be able to watch the Floyd Mayweather – Robert Guerrero fight on six large screens that will be erected throughout the fight venue.

The exciting eight round co-feature will pit undefeated Jr. Middleweight Frank Galarza (9-0-1, 5 KO’s) of Brooklyn, NY battling Jason Thompson of New York.

Galarza has become one of the most popular prospects on the east coast. That was evident in his last outing where he had a loud cheering section when he stopped Guillermo Ibarra on March 9th at the Barclays Center as part of the Bernard Hopkins – Tavoris Cloud undercard.

“I am feeling pretty and ready”, said Galarza.

Despite sporting a record of 5-6-2 with four knockouts, Galarza knows that Thompson is no easy customer.

“Jason Thompson is tough. He seems to have power so I know I need to be cautious of that”

Galarza knows that his handlers and fan base will help him as he moves forward.

“I know I have support behind me. After I get past Thompson, I will keep moving forward and hopefully get on some more big cards. My promoters New Legend Boxing, Old World Boxing and Old World Boxing plus my manager A.J. Galante have a good plan and that’s to stay busy”

Galante who also manages former world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez sees a similar course for Galarza.

“This fight is a great fight for Frank. He is building a fan base”, said Galante

“Frank has been up here in Danbury, Connecticut sparring with Delvin and they share a trainer in former Heavyweight contender Fernely Feliz”

Galante expects a solid learning experience for Galarza.

“Thompson has been around and it’s good to get in with a tough veteran. Frank looks great and he is just scratching the surface. We expect a decisive win and move forward. Frank will be active and we have a good team assembled”

Besides the two co-features, six other big bouts will be on the card:

Joe Smith Jr. (11-1, 11 KO’s) of Long Island takes on Hamid Abdul-Mateen (3-3-2) of Brooklyn in an eight round Light Heavyweight bout.

In a six round Super Featherweight bout, Angel Cruz (5-1, 2 KO’s) of Brooklyn battles Ray Velez (2-3, 1 KO) of Troy, NY

Bryant Cruz (3-0, 3 KO’s) of Port Chester, NY fights Michael Doyle (1-1) of Prichar, AL in a four round Super Featherweight bout

Allan Phelan (1-2, 1 KO) of New York via Ireland will box Jimmy Small (0-3) of Cincinnati, OH in a four round Featherweight bout

In a four round Super Bantamweight bout, Ryan Ramaya (1-0, 1 KO) of Queens, NY takes on Jonathan Gonzalez (0-2) of Vega Alta, Puerto Rico

Rounding out the card will see Shawn Cameron (4-0, 3 KO’s) of Brooklyn taking on Gustavo Medina (1-3) of Eloy, AZ in a four round Middleweight bout

*Following the show, fight fans will be treated to the Mayweather vs. Guerrero fight live on SHOWTIME, scheduled to be broadcast on six big screen televisions.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Floyd Mayweather will earn a minimum of $32 million for his fight tonight against Robert Guerrero in Las Vegas.

That was the number submitted on his contract that was filed with the Nevada commission.

“I think when you see a total like that it speaks for itself,” Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer, whose company will pay Mayweather, told ESPN.com. “He has established clearly that level of $32 million as a guarantee and remember: He will make much more after everything is counted because he keeps 90 percent of the profit from the event. The $32 million is just the contract minimum. The bulk of everything else goes to him.”

“It speaks to his popularity. He generates that money,” Schaefer said. “Love him or hate him, they watch him. I’m very happy for him. He deserves it.”

“It’s just a great feeling to know that he is the highest-paid athlete in the world,” said Leonard Ellerbe, a Mayweather adviser and the CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “With Floyd being the highest-paid athlete in the sport, he can just continue to bring awareness to boxing and help make it a mainstream sport once again. That’s a lot of money. It’s truly a blessing.

“He was highest-paid athlete last year and guess where he’ll be again this year?

Errol Spence Jr. scored a first round stoppage over Brandon Hoskins in scheduled six round Super Welterweight bout.

Spence dropped Hoskins twice and the fight was waved off after the second knockdown which came from a body shot at 2:35

Spence, 150 lbs of Dallas, TX is 5-0 with four knockouts. Hoskins, 149 lbs of Hannibal.MO is 16-5-1.

Joseph Diaz scored a third round stoppage over Joseph Gotay in a scheduled four round Super Bantamweight bout.

Diaz dropped Gotay in round three from a hard left and the fight was stopped t 2:13.

Diaz, 123 lbs of South El Monte, CA is now 4-0 with 2 knockouts. Gotay, 121 1/2 lbs of Caimito, CA is now 3-2.

Juan Dominguez 122 vs Manuel Herrera 123
Joe Smith 176 vs Hamid Abdul-Mateen 174
Frank Galarza 154 vs. Jason Thompson 149
Angel Garcia 138 vs Ray Velez 138
Allan Phelan 128 vs Jimmy Small 130
Ryan Ramayya 123 vs Daniel Hernandez 124
Bryant Cruz 130 vs. Michael Doyle 128 1/2
Shawn Cameron 159 vs Gustavo Medina 160

Venue: Resorts World Casino
Promoters: New Legend Boxing, Old World Boxing and W.O.N Promotions
1st bout 7:30 pm est (Mayweather – Guerrero will be shown on 6 large screens following the fight)

LAS VEGAS – It was a weigh-in noteworthy for what didn’t happen. Ruben Guerrero behaved himself. Sort of.

Expectations for a brawl before opening bell weren’t fulfilled Friday in a pre-fight ritual that went off almost as if it had been rehearsed. Robert Guerrero was at 147 pounds, the welterweight limit, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. was one pound under at 146 for a bout on Showtime’s pay-per-view television Saturday night at the MGM Grand.

Escalating trash talk had set the stage for one of those confrontations that often send weigh-ins spinning into some unregulated violence. Ruben Guerrero, Robert’s dad and trainer, fueled much of it with insults that went viral Wednesday when he repeatedly mocked Mayweather and his jail sentence last summer for domestic abuse.

If the insults bothered Mayweather, however, there were no signs of it when he took his turn on the scale. He smiled at a noisy crowd of a few thousand fans. He blew kisses at them as he walked onto the stage. Mayweather has been CEO cool and calm, almost eerily so, throughout the buildup for his first bout since his last fight, a victory over Miguel Cotto a year ago.

There’s been a lot of amateur psychology floating around, suggesting that Mayweather (43-0, 26 KOs) is a different person. Even his dad and lead trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., has said jail changed his son. Maybe.

In the pre-fight proceedings for Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KOs), he’s been more careful with what he says and how he says it. If anything, he relinquished his trash-talk title to Guerrero’s dad, Ruben, who was watched by vigilant Golden Boy Promotion officials throughout the weigh-in. They didn’t want an ugly incident.

The stare-down after both stepped off the scale lasted about a minute. It ended when Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez pulled Guerrero away. In bit of a surprise, Robert appeared to be more animated than anybody, even his dad. He was asked about what he was thinking while looking into Mayweather’s unblinking eyes.

“Thinking about getting down, that’s what I was thinking about,’’ Guerrero said with an edge of excitement in his tone. “Got to beat him down. Got to take full advantage of it.’’

There’s been speculation that Guerrero might get overwhelmed in his first experience on boxing’s biggest and richest stage. According to contracts filed with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Mayweather is guaranteed $32 million for his first fight under a Showtime deal worth a potential $250 million if he fights six times over the next 30 months. Guerrero will get $3 million.

Maybe, that helps explain his father’s antics. Dad has been diverting some of the attention and subsequent pressure onto himself and away from his son. Maybe.

Both fighters enter the ring with their own back stories. Guerrero has his wife, Casey, and his role in her fight against leukemia. He also has his faith, an element that stands in contrast to Mayweather’s flamboyant lifestyle, summed up by his nickname, Money. Yet, controversy also is part of Guerrero’s tale of the tape. He’s facing gun possession charges in New York, for allegedly trying to bring a weapon onto a flight in checked baggage.

Mayweather’s crazy family is never from his story. His dad, often estranged, is back in his son’s corner. As of late Monday, it still had not been determined whether Roger Mayweather, his uncle, would work the corner with Floyd Sr. Roger has diabetes. Floyd Jr. said at times it affects his uncle’s vision. The only certainty Friday was that Floyd Sr., would run the corner. A reunion between father and dad has been an element to the Mayweather story for Guerrero. It’s as if Floyd Jr. is using the bout as way to repair a dysfunctional relationship.

At opening bell, however, there will be only Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Robert Guerrero.

“He’s flat-footed,’’ said Mayweather, who also has called Guerrero a hypocrite for talking about his faith. “He fights like a grappler.’’

In Mayweather, however, Guerrero sees a 36-year-old fighter who appeared to have lost his foot speed in a bruising victory over Cotto. Mayweather likes to say that there’s no blueprint on how to beat him. Nobody has. But Guerrero, a left-hander, doesn’t believe it. He has spent a career humbling his skeptics and his faith tells him he can do it again.

“Not just to humble Floyd, but to humble the boxing world,’’ Guerrero said. “You get a lot of people out there that think Floyd’s like a god, the way he acts, the way he lives, the way he spends money, the way he boasts about stuff. You get everybody thinking that he’s unstoppable, that nobody could beat him. That with Floyd, there’s no blueprint to beat him. You can’t break him down. But you know what? Being a big believer in God, there’s a blueprint for everybody.”

In previewing this Saturday’s big fight in Las Vegas, please mention World Heavyweight Champion WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO (59-3, 51 KOs), of Ukraine, in his 2013 debut, will be making title defense No. 14 in his current seven-year reign as heavyweight kingpin, against undefeated Top-10 contender and cancer survivor Francesco Pianeta (28-0-1, 15 KOs), of Italy. “Dr. Steelhammer” will also be going for his landmark 60th professional victory.

The fight will take place this Saturday and will be televised live from SAP-Arena in Mannheim, Germany to the U.S. exclusively on EPIX, beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT. It will also be streamed live on EpixHD.com at the same time, and will include a free two-week trial for fans.

Attached, please find photos from today’s weigh-in. Klitschko weighed 249 lbs and Pianeta weighed 240 lbs. Photo Credit: K2 Promotions and KMG

LAS VEGAS (May 3, 2013) – The six fighters who will compete on the pay-per-view undercard portion of “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” this Saturday, May 4 on SHOWTIME PPV from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. participated in their final press conference on Thursday in front of a packed media center at MGM Grand.

Undefeated Eight-Time and Five-Division World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather (43-0, 26 KO’s), of Grand Rapids, Mich., defends his WBC Welterweight World Championship against Six-Time and Four-Division Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KO’s), of Gilroy, Calif., in a 12-round bout that will also be for the vacant RING Magazine World Championship in the eagerly awaited main event.

On a stacked undercard preceding Mayweather vs. Guerrero on pay-per-view, Daniel “Ponce” De Leon (44-4, 35 KO’s), of Cuauhtemoc, Mex., risks his WBC World Featherweight World Championship against Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares (25-0-1, 13 KO’s) of Guadalajara, Mexico; Leo Santa Cruz (23-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Los Angeles, opposes Alexander Munoz (36-4, 28 KOs), of Caracas, Ven., in a 10-round bout for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship; and J’Leon Love (15-0, 8 KOs), of Las Vegas, faces Gabriel Rosado (21-6, 13 KOs), of Philadelphia, in a 10-round fight for the vacant NABF Middleweight Championship.

See below what the fighters and executives said Thursday:

PONCE DE LEON, WBC Featherweight Champion

“First of all I want to thank God, Frank Espinoza, my manager, Golden Boy, Mayweather Promotions, MGM, SHOWTIME, my team and everyone involved for making this fight possible.

“This is going to be a great fight. I’m very prepared. I’ve fought many times at MGM. Everyone wants to see a battle and that’s what I’m ready for. Don’t miss it.”

ABNER MARES

“I want to thank Golden Boy, Mayweather Promotions and SHOWTIME. My last five or six fights have been on SHOWTIME. People know me because of SHOWTIME. What can I tell you; this fight alone is a main event so, really, you have two main events on one card. It’s going to be a tremendous fight.

“I want to thank Ponce for this opportunity. You guys know me. I’m ready. I’ll fight anyone as long as we give fans a good fight, I’m with it.

“I’ve dedicated this fight to my dad, who suffered a stroke a month ago.

“I’ve trained hard and I’m ready. I actually added something to my training; I call it Mexican judo: ‘ju’ don’t know if I’m going to box and ‘ju’ don’t know if I’m going slug, but ‘ju’ know I’m going to win.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ

“First of all I want to give thanks to Golden Boy, Richard (Schaefer), Mayweather Promotions and especially Al Haymon, my manager. Ever since I signed with him, everything changed for me. He has helped me a lot and is always there for me.

“Thanks to him, I was able to get my mom her first house. I owe it all to him and I’m going to repay him by giving him my best. I’m going to show the world who Leo Santa Cruz is.

“I’m very excited to be on this undercard. I know Munoz is an extremely strong fighter who comes forward. I’ve trained hard and worked hard. It’s going to be a war and I’m going to try and finish him before the 10th round.”

ALEXANDER MUNOZ

“I’d like to thank all of you for being here. They’ve put together a very good fight. We know Santa Cruz is tough. I’m prepared for this and I want to make all the fans in Venezuela proud.

“I’m excited about this fight and this opportunity.”

J’LEON LOVE

“I want to thank everyone involved for this opportunity…Al Haymon, my fight team and Mayweather Promotions. This will be a good fight. We have much love for Team Rosado. There is no bad blood.

“Both of us have a lot to prove. He came up a little short in his last fight, but he’s a tough guy. A lot of people are also saying this is a big step up for me, but I’m a fighter and this is what I do.

“It’s going to be a very good fight. We’re going to both put it on the line, but I will be victorious.”

GABRIEL ROSADO

“I want to thank God, Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions for making this fight happen. I’m excited for this opportunity. I fell a little short in my shot at a world title, but I got a taste of the big stage.

“I don’t think he has the experience I have and I’m hungry and determined. I had a great camp and I’m prepared to leave it all in the ring.

“I expect to have a lot of Philadelphia fans on hand here. I can’t wait to open the show and give the fans a great fight.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“On behalf of Mayweather Promotions, we would like to thank you all for coming out. We have a great main event and a great undercard. Ponce De Leon-Mares is a main event in itself. We have what fans want to see…a strong lineup of fights.

“In the first fight on pay-per-view we have two guys who will put it all on the line. J’Leon Love told me he wanted this fight, that he wanted to fight Rosado and then asked if I could go out and make it. I said ‘sure.’ Personally, I think this is a tremendous fight to open the show.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“What’s better on Cinco de Mayo weekend than ‘MAY DAY?’ This is the week for boxing. Mayweather is back with a vengeance, facing a very difficult, tough, young, hungry Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. The main event is a highlight but the undercard is just as important.

“Match Mares against Ponce and you’ve got a real fight, a war. Mares is a smart guy, intelligent with great boxing skills and a big heart who goes forward with a passion. He’s fighting a guy, Ponce, the champion, who is known for his punching power and is ready for the fight of his life. Neither guy wants to hear this, but I can see a trilogy.

“We have a tremendous fight with Leo Santa Cruz, who when we think of him, we instantly think about action, excitement and fighting with passion against Munoz, who a lot of people don’t know, but who’s here to win. I’m really looking forward to this one. There’ll be guaranteed action and fireworks.

“In my eyes, the first fight on pay-per-view is another interesting match, one you don’t want to miss, between Love and Rosado. Both have an opportunity to seize. It’s there for both of them.”

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

“When we, Richard, Oscar, Floyd, Al and Leonard, first started talking about this event, we immediately came to the conclusion that a world-class main event deserved a world-class undercard, and that’s what we put together. These aren’t filler fights. These aren’t no-name fighters. These are ‘name’ fighters in tough, meaningful fights. Top to bottom, this is the highest-quality undercard for any event I can remember.

“I’m extremely excited and extremely proud to be involved with these three fights. I’m especially proud because several of the fighters have been groomed and developed on SHOWTIME. J’Leon Love was featured twice on SHOWTIME EXTREME, Leo Santa Cruz actually hit the trifecta last year: he fought on SHOWTIME EXTREME, SHOWTIME and CBS and Abner Mares has fought on SHOWTIME his whole career and is a staple of the network.

“The weigh-in on Friday will be televised live on CBS Sports Network and SHOWTIME. Also, for the first time in recent history there will be a live post-fight show, thanks to CBS Sports Network, on Saturday night. We are pulling out all the stops with the newest technology. There will be 16 cameras, the most ever used in the history of network.

“As you can tell, I’m very excited. See you on Saturday.”
# # #
ABOUT “MAYDAY: MAYWEATHER VS. GUERRERO”:
“MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship and the vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Also featured will be WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon taking on Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz facing veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round fight for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship and rising star J’Leon Love squaring off against recent world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round middleweight battle for the vacant NABF Middleweight Championship.

Remaining tickets for “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” are still available for purchase with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

General admission tickets for the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” closed circuit telecasts are priced at $50, not including handling fees, and are available for purchase at each individual property’s box office outlets and will also be available for purchase by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

LAS VEGAS, May 3 – Just a day away from the Saturday, May 4 showdown between Eight-Time and Five Division World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Six-Time and Four-Division Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, FOX Deportes will wrap up fight week with back-to-back classic fights and an “ALL ACCESS” look into the biggest event of 2013.

On Friday, May 3, the Classics will showcase memorable wins by both Mayweather and Guerrero. Guerrero’s battle against all-action warrior Michael Katsidis which took place on April 9, 2011 will open the telecast and Mayweather’s thrilling knockout over then undefeated British superstar Ricky Hatton, which took place in December 8, 2007. The Classics telecast will begin at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

Finally, on fight day, Saturday, May 4, all four episodes of SHOWTIME’s critically acclaimed documentary series ALL ACCESS will be aired in succession beginning at7:00pm ET/4:00 p.m. PT, leading fight fans right into the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” live event which will be produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV.

# # #

“MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship and the vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Also featured will be WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon taking on Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz facing veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round fight for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship and rising star J’Leon Love squaring off against recent world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round middleweight battle for the vacant NABF Middleweight Championship.

Remaining tickets for “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” are still available for purchase with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

General admission tickets for the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” closed circuit telecasts are priced at $50, not including handling fees, and are available for purchase at each individual property’s box office outlets and will also be available for purchaseby phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or online atwww.ticketmaster.com.

For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com
or www.FOXDeportes.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing
or www.twitter.com/FOXDeportes visit us on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page or
www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 3, 2013) – World Series of Fighting announced today a new co-main event matchup between streaking, prolific welterweight (170 pounds) rising stars and fearsome submission aces Tyson “Man of” Steele (10-1) of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada and Steve Carl (19-3) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion’s highly-anticipated fight card at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Friday, June 14, live on NBC Sports Network, beginning at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

The announcement comes in the wake of the withdrawal of Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong (1-0) of Boca Raton, Fla. via Suriname from his scheduled light heavyweight (205 pounds) co-main event matchup with Angel “The Dream” DeAnda (11-2) of Oakdale, Calif. due to Spong’s inability to return from the Netherlands to his Boca Raton-based MMA training camp Blackzilians in time to prepare adequately for his second-career MMA-rules bout.

Additionally, a lightweight (155 pounds) contest between grappling wizards Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm (21-2) of Spokane, Wash. and Jacob Volkmann (15-4) of White Bear Lake, Minn. has been added to the event’s preliminary card.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to replace the original co-main event with a matchup between two of MMA’s fastest rising stars who are both on course to become future champions,” said World Series of Fighting President and six-time world kickboxing champion Ray Sefo. “Losing Tyrone from this card is unfortunate, but our fighters need to prepare sufficiently to compete at this level, and we are certainly not going to take any shortcuts or try to rush a matchup if one or both fighters are not ready to compete. We will move forward and look forward to seeing Tyrone back in the World Series of Fighting cage very soon.”

A former oil industry laborer, the 26-year-old Steele, who is riding a four-fight win streak, found greater opportunity in the sport of MMA after discovering the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and hasn’t turned back since. On Nov. 3, he notched his greatest victory to date in his first start outside of Canada, a first round (4:52) TKO (knee and punches) of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Gregor Gracie at the inaugural World Series of Fighting event in Las Vegas.

Thus far, 7 of Steele’s 10 professional career victories have come by way of submission and 2 of the other 3 have come by way of TKO.

The 28-year-old Carl is a U.S. Army veteran who, likewise, found his calling in life in the world’s fastest growing sport after taking up Army Combatives. Of his 19 professional career victories to date, 14 have come by way of submission.

Against Steele, Carl will put a five-fight winning streak on the line. He earned his latest victory at the World Series of Fighting event on Nov. 3, submitting Ramico Blackmon with a rear-naked choke in the first round (2:11) of their matchup.

The 34-year-old Beerbohm, a former meth addict who discovered MMA while watching television from a prison sofa, later became an inspiration, taking up MMA training the same day he was released from incarceration. After just two amateur fights in which he stopped both of his opponents, Beerbohm made his professional debut in 2007 and ran to 15 consecutive victories over the course of the next three years.

Beerbohm, whose nickname originated as a result of the colorful fight shorts that his mother sews for him, holds notable wins over the likes of former Muay Thai champion and KO artist Duane “Bang” Ludwig, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro and former PRIDE star Marcus Aurelio.

Volkmann is a 32-year-old, three-time NCAA Division I All-American and former Big 10 Conference wrestling champion for University of Minnesota. Since turning pro in 2007, he has earned 7 of his 15 career victories by way of submission.

Volkmann boasts wins over fellow stars Danny Castillo, Bobby Voelker, Ronys Torres and Antonio McKee.

Tickets for the World Series of Fighting event, priced from $29 (plus applicable service fees), are on sale at the Hard Rock Hotel Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000.

In the welterweight main event and long-awaited rematch, Jon Fitch (24-5) of Fort Wayne, Ind., will square off with fellow superstar Josh “The People’s Warrior” Burkman (25-9) of Salt Lake City, Utah.

The second meeting between the 35-year-old Fitch, a member of San Jose, Calif.-based Team AKA, and the 32-year-old Burkman, a winner of four consecutive fights, comes slightly more than seven years after Fitch submitted Burkman with a rear-naked choke in the second round (4:57) of their initial encounter that, coincidentally, also took place at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Also slated for battle on the four-bout TV card is heavyweight rising star and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rolles Gracie (8-1) of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, who will face off with Dave Huckaba (21-4) of Sacramento, Calif.

Undefeated prospect Justin Gaethje (8-0) of Denver, Colo. will collide with Brian Cobb (20-7) of Bakersfield, Calif., in a lightweight contest.

In preliminary card action, battle-tested submission specialist John Gunderson (34-14) of Houston, Tex. will be pitted against Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon (16-4) of Bridgewater, Mass. in another lightweight tilt. All 16 of Lauzon’s professional career victories have come by way of (T)KO or submission.

Fellow undefeated prospects Krasimir Mladenov (8-0) of Borica, Bulgaria and Kendrick Miree (5-0) of Atlanta, Ga., will square off at middleweight (185 pounds).

Additional preliminary card bouts will be announced soon.

Doors at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will open at 4:30 p.m. PT and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 5 p.m.

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING
Based in Las Vegas, Nev., the fight capital of the world, World Series of Fighting is a professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering an incredible, action-packed entertainment experience for fight fans by producing the best possible matchups between elite fighters from around the globe. For more information please visit www.MMAWSOF.com. Follow World Series of Fighting on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

About The Joint
The Joint is a 4,000-person capacity venue that serves as a sophisticated, intimate and unparalleled entertainment destination. The Joint features seven Luxury Suites, a VIP Studio Level, state-of-the-art sound system, superior video system and a production package tailor-made for artist comfort. It has received numerous accolades including “Best Concert Venue” in Las Vegas Review – Journal’s “Best of Las Vegas” awards 2010 – 2012, “Best Music Venue” in 2012 Las Vegas Weekly Awards, “No. 1 Hottest Club in America” award by Billboard Magazine in 2011, “Best Live Music Venue in Las Vegas” by MetroWize.com in 2011, “Best New Major Concert Venue” at the 2010 Pollstar Awards, and “Best Live Music Venue” in AOL City’s Best 2010 awards. The Joint delivers unforgettable live music experiences with performances by both legendary and ground-breaking artists including Paul McCartney, The Killers, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, Arcade Fire, Avenged Sevenfold, Rise Against, Paramore, Muse, Drake and No Doubt. The venue created the successful concept of rock ‘n’ roll residencies with Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits, Mötley Crüe in Sin City, Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Democracy and Def Leppard VIVA Hysteria! as well as Tiësto In Concert, featuring the world’s No. 1 electronic DJ and producer Tiësto. For additional information, visit www.thejointlasvegas.comor call 702.693.5583 or 702.693.5000.

ABOUT NBC SPORTS NETWORK

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

Floyd Mayweather Jr., the world’s greatest fighter, faces one of his toughest challenges to date as he defends his WBC Welterweight World title against Robert Guerrero. There’s been a war of words in the build-up to the fight, including Mayweather accusing Guerrero of using his wife’s recent battle with cancer to sell the fight and Guerrero’s father calling Mayweather a “woman beater”.

This Saturday night the talking stops and the action begins as Mayweather and Guerrero go toe-to-toe in the MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas, in one of the biggest fights of the year! We’ll bring you all the action, including the WBC World Featherweight title clash between Daniel Ponce de Leon and Abner Mares LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on BoxNation.

And you can see the full televised running order here.

PLANNING ON RECORDING THE FIGHT?
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We strongly advise you to do this for this Saturday night’s show, and here’s how to do it if you’re on Sky or, click here now for Virgin Media instructions.

It’s your channel. Be a part of it. Are you in?

LAS VEGAS – Frank Espinoza isn’t from Switzerland, but the manager might wish he was in the Alpine nation known for neutrality Saturday night instead of a ringside seat at the MGM Grand.

Espinoza won’t be able cheer.

Or boo.

Espinoza will be hamstrung from one corner to the other, tied down by contractual obligations and personal loyalty to both Abner Mares and Daniel Ponce De Leon in a featherweight fight on Showtime’s pay-per-view card featuring Floyd Mayweather Jr. against Robert Guerrero.

“It’s a very awkward situation,” Espinoza said. “I’ll be in the ring prior to the fight, but I won’t walk with either of them or visit either in their dressing rooms. I’m as neutral as I can be.

“I’m close to both of the guys. I love them like my own sons. I just want them to both come out healthy. I’m not happy they’ll be punching each other.”

In other words, Ponce De Leon said, the fight could be harder on Espinoza, a longtime Los Angeles manager, than either of the fighters.

Neither Ponce De Leon nor Mares dared to guess who Espinoza was picking or even how their mutual manager thought the fight might end.

“He’s picking a trilogy,’’ Mares joked.

Espinoza will have the winner, Ponce De Leon said.

“He’s going to keep one champion in the company,’’ said Ponce De Leon, who holds the World Boxing Council’s version of the 126-pound title. “And it’s going to be me.’’

Mares and Ponce De Leon promised that the scorecards won’t be even. But their paychecks are. In a sure sign that Espinoza isn’t playing favorites, he negotiated $375,000 for each in a Golden Boy Promotions bout initially proposed for April 20 at Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

“They’re fighters, but they’re both businessmen, and they both wanted to fight,” Espinoza said. “Fighting on this platform, Cinco de Mayo, millions of people watching two warriors, showcasing their talent. There’s no losers.

“Boxing needs the best fighting the best. I know I could’ve gone a different direction. But I got them the most money they could get from a fight now. I did my job as a manager.”

Espinoza is not the first to manage fighters in the same bout. After all, boxing has seen it all, done it all ad nauseam. A parachutist – Fan Man – dropped into the ring like the 82nd Airborne Division during the middle of an Evander Holyfield-Riddick Bowe rematch. Mike Tyson dined on a Holyfield ear.

But this time history doesn’t figure to repeat itself. Espinoza doesn’t have to be told about the Carlos Zarate-Alfonso Zamora Jr. bantamweight fight in April, 1977 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

Manager-trainer Arturo Hernandez worked for both Zarate and Zamora Jr. But neutrality had more holes in it than Swiss cheese for Hernandez. He played favorites. He worked the corner for Zarate, who won a fourth-round knockout. But Zarate’s victory and Hernandez’ role in it enraged Zamora’s father, who was in his son’s corner.

It’s hard to see exactly what happened in some old video on You Tube. Let’s just say that Alfonso Zamora Sr. went Ruben Guerrero, Robert’s father and trainer who became a breakout star Wednesday with insults gone viral of Mayweather during a formal news conference.

Zamora Sr. walked across the ring and kicked below – way below – the belt line, according to a couple of ringside observers, Hall of Fame promoter Don Chargin and longtime publicist Bill Caplan, who still wince when recalling a moment more than 36 years ago. Let’s just say it was beyond a low blow. It was obscene.

And, Espinoza said, Zamora Sr. kicked “more than once.’’

Neutrality, no matter how difficult, figures to be a lot less painful.

LAS VEGAS, May 2 – A bevy of undefeated Mayweather Promotions rising stars will get the crowd ready for “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” when they compete in undercard bouts that will lead into the four-fight SHOWTIME PPV telecast taking place this Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Warming up fans watching at home will be “MAY DAY Live: Countdown to Mayweather vs. Guerrero” which will include up to two live preliminary fights, special ALL ACCESS features and exclusive interviews and will air live on SHOWTIME at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

In the “MAY DAY Live: Countdown to Mayweather vs. Guerrero” main event, undefeated Las Vegas light heavyweight Badou Jack (13-0, 9 KO’s) will put his unblemished record on the line against knockout artist Michael Gbenga (13-7, 13 KO’s) of Silver Springs, Maryland by way of Accra, Ghana in an eight-round bout. Plus, time permitting, a six round matchup between rising super middleweight star Luis Arias (4-0, 3 KO’s) of Las Vegas will go toe-to-toe Palmdale, California’s DonYil Livingston (8-2-1, 4 KO’s) will also be featured.

A member of the 2008 Gambian Olympic team, Badou “The Ripper” Jack now fights out of Las Vegas, where he has made a strong impression in the fight capital of the world as an exciting prospect with championship potential. Unbeaten in his two fights thus far in 2013, the 29-year-old Jack is eager to shine in his adopted hometown this Saturday.

Thirty-three-year-old Michael “The Amazing” Gbenga rallied from a rocky start to his career to win nine of his last 11 bouts and, like all of his previous contests, each of those victories ended by way of knockout. Excited for his Las Vegas debut this weekend, Gbenga’s intention is clear when he faces Jack…he’s looking for the knockout.

One of Mayweather Promotions’ most promising up and coming prospect, Milwaukee native Luis Arias has gotten off to a fast start in his professional career, winning all four of his fights since making his pro debut in November of 2012. The 22-year-old former amateur standout has every intention of making it five in a row when he steps into the MGM Grand Garden Arena ring against Livingston.

A native of Tulsa now making his home in Palmdale, California, 28-year-old
DonYil Livingston is looking to get back on track after tough losses to Elie Augustama and Paul Mendez. Prior to those defeats, the talented Livingston was on the fast track to the top, and after a hard training camp, he’s revving up to resume his quest for a world title.

In other undercard bouts, Las Vegas’ Ronald Gavril (3-0) risks his unbeaten professional record in a super middleweight four round fight against Phoenix’ Roberto Yong (5-6-2, 4 KO’s), and opening the event in a four-round super middleweight bout will be Las Vegas’ Lanell Bellows (3-0) facing Charleston, West Virginia’s Matthew Garretson (2-0, 1 KO).

“MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship and the vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Also featured will be WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon taking on Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz facing veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round fight for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship and rising star J’Leon Love squaring off against recent world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round middleweight battle for the vacant NABF Middleweight Championship. Up to two preliminary fights will be featured as part of “MAY DAY Live: Countdown to Mayweather vs. Guerrero” which will air live on SHOWTIME at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

Remaining tickets for “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” are still available for purchase with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

General admission tickets for the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” closed circuit telecasts at ARIA, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Monte Carlo and New York-New York, are priced at $50, not including handling fees, and are available for purchase at each individual property’s box office outlets and by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

LAS VEGAS, May 2 – Jose Aguiniga was forced to withdraw from his fight tomorrow night against Francisco Vargas at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas after he was rushed to the hospital this afternoon after collapsing in the gym apparently suffering from severe dehydration. The previously scheduled eight-round welterweight clash between Antonio Orozco and Jose Reynoso has been increased to a ten-round fight and moved up to the main event slot of tomorrow’s card which will be televised by FOX Sports Networks and FOX Deportes.

In previously announced bouts, Flint, Michigan’s Anthony Dirrell (24-0, 21 KO’s) battles Houston’s Don Mouton (11-6-1, 9 KO’s) in an eight-round light heavyweight co-feature and 2012 United States Olympians Joseph Diaz Jr. and Errol Spence Jr. return to the ring in a quest to remain perfect as professionals. Dallas’ Spence Jr. (4-0, 3 KO’s) faces Brandon Hoskins (16-4-1, 8 KO’s) Columbia, Missouri in a six-round junior middleweight bout while Joseph Diaz Jr. (3-0, 1 KO) of South El Monte, Calif. will take on Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico’s Eric Gotay (3-1, 1 KO) in a six-round junior featherweight battle.

In addition, the Cinco de Mayo weekend card will also feature 2012 United States Olympian Dominic Breazeale, Puerto Rico’s undefeated Carlos Velasquez and Los Angeles prospect Joet Gonzalez.

The night of boxing action, which will take place on the eve of the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” mega-event, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions and sponsored by Corona. Doors for the fights which take place in The Chelsea open at 6:00 p.m. PT and the first bell rings at 6:30 p.m. PT. The FOX Sports Networks and FOX Deportes bi-lingual simulcast will air live at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. FUEL TV will rebroadcast the fight on July 21 at 12:00 p.m. ET/9:00 a.m. PT.

Ringside tickets are priced at $100 with reserved seating tickets priced at $60 and general admission tickets available for $30 and are available for purchase at www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com or through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 and www.ticketmaster.com. All event guests will have access to a new, socially dynamic nightlife experience curated by a live DJ, dancers and an interactive gaming pit.

Already 4-0 with four knockouts since turning professional last November following his participation in the 2012 Olympics, Anaheim’s Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale is back in action again on Friday, hoping to keep his knockout streak going when he takes on Hannibal, Missouri’s Lance Gauch (3-6-2, 3 KO’s) in a six-round bout to open the evening’s broadcast.

28-year-old Carlos Velasquez (14-0, 11 KO’s) made a triumphant return to the ring after a two-year layoff last November, scoring a near shutout decision win over Roberto Bonilla. Tomorrow, the Catano, Puerto Rico native is back to meet Miami’s Giorgi Mtchedlishvili (8-4-1, 1 KO) in a six-round junior lightweight battle.

Opening the show, junior featherweights Joet Gonzalez (3-0, 1 KO) of Los Angeles and Alex Chavez (1-0) of San Fernando, Calif. meet in a four round matchup.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.mayweatherpromotions.com, become a follower on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/MayweatherPromo,www.twitter.com/anthonydirrell, www.twitter.com/PuroOrozco, www.twitter.com/ErrolSpenceJr, www.twitter.com/JosephDiazJr and www.twitter.com/Breazealeboxing and visit the Golden Boy Facebook Page and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.com.

For more information on FOX Deportes visit www.FOXDeportes.com, become a follower on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FOXDeportes and visit www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes on Facebook.

For more information on The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas visit www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com, become a follower on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cosmopolitan_lv and visit www.facebook.com/thecosmopolitan.

Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship is once again taking over Fourth of July weekend in Las Vegas. The organization formally announced today that UFC® middleweight champion and undisputed pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva will return to the Octagon® on Saturday, July 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena to face undefeated No. 1 contender Chris Weidman. That’s not all: this week in July also marks the return of the UFC Fan Expo®, as well as Fight Week, a series of fan events, concerts, and appearances featuring your favorite UFC fighters and personalities.

“The best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Anderson Silva, defends the middleweight title for a record 11th time on July 6 when he takes on unbeaten Chris Weidman,” UFC President Dana White said. “Weidman is 9-0 in his pro career and has incredible wrestling and power. He said he will shock the world at UFC 162 and end Anderson’s reign atop the middleweight division. With UFC 162, the UFC Fan Expo and Fight Week, this is going to be an amazing week for fight fans. You have to be in Las Vegas this Fourth of July weekend!”

In addition to the Silva-Weidman showdown, Frankie Edgar (15-4-1, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.), a former lightweight champion and currently the third-ranked featherweight in the world, battles Brazil’s Charles Oliveira (16-3, 1 NC, fighting out of Guaruja, Sao Paulo, Brazil), while former Strikeforce middleweights make their UFC debuts as Tim Kennedy (15-4, fighting out of Austin, Texas) takes on Rio de Janeiro’s Roger Gracie (6-1).

In addition, fourth-ranked “The Korean Zombie,” Chan Sung Jung (13-3, fighting out of Po-Hang, South Korea) returns from a yearlong layoff due to injury to meet second-ranked Ricardo Lamas (13-2, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) in a fight that could determine the next challenger for the featherweight title, while fifth-ranked featherweight Cub Swanson (19-5, fighting out of Palm Springs, Calif.) faces Germany’s sixth-ranked Dennis Siver (21-8).

Other bouts for UFC 162 include:
Seventh-ranked middleweight star Mark Munoz (12-3, fighting out of Lake Forrest, Calif.) vs. heavy-handed 10th-ranked contender Tim Boetsch (12-3, fighting out of Sunbury, Pa.).
185-pound fan favorite Chris Leben (22-9, fighting out of Oahu, Hawaii) vs. Andrew Craig (8-1, fighting out of Houston, Texas).
Northern Ireland’s Norman Parke (17-2) vs. Japan’s Kazuki Tokudome (12-3-1) in a lightweight showdown.
Brazil’s Edson Barboza (11-1) challenges Montreal’s John Makdessi (11-2).
Heavyweights Shane Del Rosario (8-1, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) vs. Dave Herman (21-5, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.).
Welterweights Seth Baczynski (17-7, fighting out of Apache Junction, Ariz.) vs. Houston’s Brian Melancon (6-2).
Portland’s Mike Pierce (16-5) vs. David Mitchell (12-2, fighting out of Santa Rosa, Calif.) in a welterweight contest.

Tickets for UFC®162: SILVA vs. WEIDMAN, presented by BUD LIGHT®, go on sale Friday, May 10 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $1200, $850, $600, $400, $250 and $125. Tickets will be available at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices do not include applicable service charges.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, May 8 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, May 9 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC®162: SILVA vs. WEIDMAN will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition.

About The UFC Fan Expo®
The UFC Fan Expo® returns to Las Vegas on Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Fans will have the chance to meet their favorite stars during autograph sessions, meet-and-greets, interactive Q&A sessions, grappling tournaments, training and development seminars, and much more. Over 50 UFC stars are scheduled to appear and more than 150 exhibitors will also be on hand, giving fans the opportunity to purchase and experience some of the best sports and lifestyle products on the market today. Tickets and VIP packages are on sale now at www.ufcfanexpo.com. To request media credentials visit https://cervello.ufc.com/signup/UFCFanExpo2013.

About UFC Fight Week
The UFC and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) are partnering to make Fourth of July week not just a Las Vegas tradition, but the ultimate week-long celebration of the UFC for fans around the world. Some of the biggest properties in Las Vegas will be hosting UFC themed events, including the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Mandalay Bay, Lagasse’s Stadium at the Palazzo, Fremont Street Experience, Golden Nugget, South Point, and more. The signature sporting occasion will feature the largest ever gathering of fighters, unprecedented access to UFC stars, exclusive pool parties hosted by Octagon Girls™, a concert, UFC Fan Expo®, charitable events in the community, Tuff-N-Uff amateur MMA tournament, official UFC parties, and, of course, the week will culminate with one of the biggest sporting events of the year, UFC® 162: SILVA vs. WEIDMAN. For more information, visit http://www.visitlasvegas.com/ufc and http://www.ufc.com/fightweek.

For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto and Beijing, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which airs on FX.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries, to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with nearly 2.6 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

In the opening bout of the evening, Fernando Fuentes scored a four round majority decision over Cristian Lorenzo.

The bantamweight bout featured two undefeated fighters that saw Fuentes win by scores of 40-36, 39-37 and 38-38.

Fuentes, 117 ½ lbs of Hemet, CA is now 2-0-1. Lorenzo, 117 ½ lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 2-1

INGAPORE (May 2, 2013) – Glory Sports International (GSI), the parent company of the world’s premier kickboxing league, announced today that it will bring its developmental Road To GLORY USA tournament series established to identify America’s next great Kickboxing superstars, to the historic Rave Eagles Club Grand Ballroom, 2401 W. Wisconsin Ave in Milwaukee, WI with a one-night, 8-man, single-elimination lightweight (154 pounds/70 kilograms) tournament on Saturday, May 11, 2013.

Advanced priced tickets for Road to GLORY USA are $35.00 GA ($40.00 door), $60.00 VIP Ringside or VIP Stage ($70.00 door) and $100.00 VIP Front Row ($110.00 door), and can be purchased in advance at Cagetix.com, NAFC.tv, The Rave/Eagles Club box office, by phone at 414-967-7767 or at the door.

The tournament is being held as part of four-time Muay Thai and kickboxing world champion and famed fight trainer Duke Roufus’ and his business partner Scott Joffe’s North American Fighting Championship (NAFC) “Knockout Kings” Muay Thai and Kickboxing show.

The winner of the Road to GLORY USA Milwaukee tournament, featuring a host of prolific prospects, will be awarded a $20,000 grand prize and a multi-year contract with GLORY, where they will have the opportunity to compete against some of the world’s elite kickboxing champions and superstars.

“We are looking forward to continuing what has been an extremely productive and exciting search for new, undiscovered martial arts athletic talent in a country that has traditionally excelled in professional sports, but has yet to truly demonstrate its potential in the kickboxing ring,” said Glory Sports International CEO Andrew Whitaker. “With the athletes we’ve identified in our Road To GLORY USA tournament series thus far, the stage is being set for a major, future growth spurt in American Kickboxing talent.”

Slated for action in the Road To GLORY USA lightweight tournament are KO artist Cyrus “Black Dynamite “Washington (53-21, 48 KOs) of Saginaw, MI; Shidokan Karate, boxing and Muay Thai expert Muhsin Corbbrey (33-10-2) of Tulsa, OK; Muay Thai champion Michael Mananquil (26-4-1, 8 KOs) of San Bruno, CA; battle-tested striking sensation Jose Palacios (42-10, 13 KOs) of Fremont, CA; rising star Jameel “The Real Deal” Massouh (28-9, 8 KOs) of Milwaukee; kickboxing star and police officer Dustin Johnson (17-5, 10 KOs) of Baton Rouge, LA; national and North American Muay Thai champion Ben “Stone-Man” Yelle (23-15-1, 10 KOs) of Marquette, MI; and six-time kickboxing and Muay Thai champion Troy Sheridan (19-2, 9 KOs) of Stouffville, Ontario, Canada.

A draw to determine the Road To GLORY USA lightweight tournament’s quarterfinal stage matchups will take place on a date and location to be announced soon.

In the event that any of the quarterfinal stage fight winners sustain an injury that precludes him from returning to the ring for the tournament’s semifinal stage, the winner of a tournament “alternate” bout between Gustavo Rodriguez (17-4) of Rockford, IL, and Jon Henderson (9-1) of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada will replace the injured fighter in the tournament.

Doors at The Rave Eagles Club Grand Ballroom will open for the event at 4:00 p.m. CST and the first preliminary bout begins at 4:15 p.m.

For more information, visit www.gloryworldseries.com.

About GLORY:

GLORY World Series (www.gloryworldseries.com) is the world’s premier Kickboxing league, producing live events across the globe featuring one-night, 16-man ‘Grand Slam’ tournaments and 8-man ‘Slam’ tournaments, which are open to only the best fighters in each of six different weight classes. The fight series also includes events with traditional, single bouts.

With television deals spanning every continent, online live video streaming of all shows and the world’s largest online martial arts library, GLORY is one of the world’s most widely distributed sporting organizations.

Owned and operated by Glory Sports International (GSI), the organization has offices in the UK, Netherlands, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and the US. Its personnel include an unprecedented mix of accomplished entrepreneurs and senior level executives from the diverse worlds of finance, sports marketing, television and martial arts fighting.

In 2013, GLORY launched the Road To GLORY tournament fight series to identify and develop new Kickboxing talent in the United States, Japan and elsewhere around the globe into future champions and superstars of the sport.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 2nd, 2013) — With Vladine Biosse and Shelito Vincent already grabbing headlines as the co-main event on Classic Entertainment & Sports’ Friday, May 17th, 2013 professional boxing event at Twin River Casino, the stacked undercard is threatening to steal the spotlight.

Two more regional showdowns are on tap for “The New Era,” starting with Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Thomas Falowo (9-1, 7 KOs) stepping up to face undefeated power-puncher Tylon Burris (5-0, 3 KOs) of Hartford, Conn., in a six-round bout. Super middleweight Rich Gingras (12-3, 8 KOs) of Attleboro, Mass., a former contestant on The Contender reality television series, will battle the red-hot Joey Gardner (11-5-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket, R.I., in a six-round bout.

The always-busy Falowo, who’s known for throwing a high volume of punches from start to finish, will have his hands full with Burris, who has raised eyebrows in New England following an impressive knockout win over previously-unbeaten light heavyweight prospect Kevin Cobbs in November. Falowo has won his last three bouts, all by knockout, since suffering his first loss in May of 2012.

The Gingras-Gardner showdown came to fruition after Providence’s Alex Amparo was forced to withdraw from his scheduled rematch with Gardner due to a rib injury. Gardner, who has won his last three fights, will instead face Gingras, a former cruiserweight now looking to make his mark in the super middleweight division.

Tickets for “The New Era” are $41.00, $76.00, and $126.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.shop.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.

In the first half of the co-main event,Biosse (14-2-1, 7 KOs) will face Philadelphia veteran Latif Mundy (10-5, 4 KOs) in an 8-round super middleweight bout, while Vincent (8-0) will fight the dangerous Christina Ruiz (6-5-2, 4 KOs) of San Antonio, Tex., in an 8-round bout for the vacant Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) International super bantamweight title.

Biosse, a two-time winner on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, is looking to avenge a Jan. 19 loss to Marcus Upshaw against the 5-foot-8 Mundy, who has faced tough competition in recent years against Ossie Duran, Matt Korobov and Patrick Majewski; the three have a combined record of 68-11-2 with 35 knockouts.

Ruiz, a two-time title challenger, will be Vincent’s toughest test as she fights for a title for the first time in her career. Ruiz recently lost a unanimous decision to International Female Boxing Association (IFBA) super bantamweight champion Kaliesha West in California and also challenged Alicia Ashley for the then-vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) title in July of 2011. Her last two wins (February of 2011 and April of 2010) have come by knockout. Vincent is coming off a March 1 win over Mikayla Nebel and is already 2-0 in 2013.

Also on the undercard, Boston’s Maceo Crowder (2-0, 1 KO), the half-brother of former U.S. Olympian and Providence native Demetrius Andrade, will return from a three-year absence to face Harwich, Mass., veteran Paul Gonsalves (4-3, 3 KOs) in a four-round super middleweight bout; and welterweight Jon Smith (1-0) of Cranston, R.I., will battle newcomer Oscar Diaz of Hartford, Conn., in a four-round bout. Hyannis, Mass., heavyweight Jesse Barboza (5-1-1, 3 KOs) will take on West New York, N.J., challenger Phillip Triantafillo (2-2, 1 KO) in a four-round bout. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

For more information on “The New Era” and all of CES’ upcoming shows, visit www.cesboxing.com.

(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “The New Era.” Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance.)

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Featherweight champion Mikey Garcia will defend his crown against former world champion Juan Manuel Lopez on June 15th in Dallas, Texas

“Any way you look at it, it’s a great matchup — experience [Lopez] versus youth [Garcia], righty [Garcia] versus lefty [Lopez] and Mexican [Garcia] versus Puerto Rican [Lopez],” said Top Rank’s Carl Moretti. “Can’t thank HBO execs enough for their help in making this true crossroads bout.”

“‘Juanma’ has plenty left to give Mikey all he can handle, especially after getting two tuneups since the [second] loss to Salido,” Moretti said. “He’s very, very confident and [making] the weight is no issue at all.”

“That metroplex is a great fight scene and somewhat untapped,” Moretti said, adding that Top Rank chairman Bob Arum spoke with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban about the card on Wednesday and “he’s pumped.”

“You can’t be afraid to try something new,” Moretti said. “Remember — amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic.”

LAS VEGAS (May 2, 2013) – The stars and scribes always come out when Floyd “Money” Mayweather fights, and there will be an abundance of both when the Eight-Time and Five-Division World Champion returns to the ring to face Six-Time and Four-Division Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero in the highly anticipated main event of “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” this Saturday, May 4 live on SHOWTIME PPV from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.

So who is going to triumph? The experts overwhelmingly like Mayweather to be victorious, but none expect it to be simple or easy. Mayweather is the favorite as always, but most expect a competitive, hard-fought scrap, and no one foresees a blow-out.

Here’s how they see the Mayweather-Guerrero fight:

ATHLETES

Terry Bradshaw, NFL Hall of Fame QB who’ll be performing at The Mirage in June (Mayweather): “Mayweather is a proud fighter who wants to remain undefeated. He knows how to win big fights…and he won’t lose a fight in Vegas!”

Marlon Byrd, New York Mets Outfielder (Mayweather): “Floyd’s going to knock him out in the eighth round.”

Ed Davis, Memphis Grizzlies Forward (Mayweather): “Because his record is 1,000-0 and he will NOT lose. Floyd by knockout in the sixth round.” Twitter: @eddavis32

DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors Guard/Forward (Mayweather): “Floyd might have to work a little bit, but at the end of the day Floyd is going to be Floyd and finish him off. He wins by eighth-round knockout.” Twitter: @DeMar_DeRozan

Braylon Edwards, NFL Wide Receiver (Mayweather): “Never bet against Floyd.” Twitter: @officialbraylon

Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees Outfielder (Mayweather): “I have to say Floyd’s going to keep that zero in the loss column.”

DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receiver (Mayweather): “My big bro Floyd is going to win.”

Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers Outfielder (Mayweather): “Floyd by decision. He’s too fast for Guerrero.”

Kevin Krigger, Jockey of Goldencents in the KentuckyDerby (Mayweather): “I’ve seen some of Guerrero’s fights and he didn’t impress me that much. He didn’t look like a guy who could beat Mayweather. It depends on what Mayweather wants to do with him. He might want to use him to prepare for his next fight. Mayweather will win by knockout in the sixth.”

Andrew McCutchen, Pittburgh Pirates Outfielder (Mayweather): “It will be a good fight and it will go the 12-round distance, but in the end, Mayweather will be victorious by a unanimous decision!”

Shabazz Muhammad, Former UCLA Basketball Guard/Forward (Mayweather): “Floyd knocks him out in the fifth.”

Jermaine O’Neal, Phoenix Suns Center (Mayweather): “Floyd will be a little rusty to start the fight off because of the long layoff, but will pick-up a lot of steam around the third round. Then he will begin to beat Guerrero up and ultimately knock him out by the sixth.” Twitter: @jermaineoneal

Doug O’Neill, Trainer of Goldencents Santa Anita Derby winner and one of the top contenders in the May 4 KentuckyDerby (Mayweather): “Floyd is an experienced, cagey veteran. He will find Guerrero’s weaknesses and win by fifth-round knockout.”

Metta World Peace, Los Angeles Lakers Forward (Mayweather): “Mayweather will rally late in the fight to win a decision, eight rounds to four.”

Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens Running Back (Mayweather): “By the eighth round, Mayweather will have worn him out and will capitalize with a knockout.”

Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback (Mayweather): “I think it’ll be a good fight, but Money always makes the right adjustments so I don’t see him losing. Floyd wins a unanimous 12-round decision.” Twitter: @mikevick

Dion Waiters, Cleveland Cavaliers Guard (Mayweather): “Hardwork and dedication are the keys. I spent some time with Floyd in Las Vegas last year and he is the hardest-working athlete I’ve ever seen. I can’t see him losing now or ever. He wins by fifth-round technical knockout.” Twitter: @dionwaiters3

Maalik Wayns, Los Angeles Clippers Guard (Mayweather): “Floyd Money Mayweather is the greatest of all time. Enough said. Fourth-round technical knockout.” Twitter: @maalikwayns2

Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76ers Forward (Mayweather): “Mayweather is too fast for Guerrero and will win a 12-round decision.” Twitter: @yungsmoove21

ENTERTAINERS

Jahlil Beats, Super Music Producer (Mayweather): “Mayweather gets the W. He’s the greatest of all time.”

Justin Bieber, Pop musician, Actor and Songwriter (Mayweather): “I’ve got Floyd all day.” Twitter: @justinbieber

Sean Cooper, FANTASY at Luxor Comedian (Guerrero): “Mayweather needs to hype up the fight he needs to lose. Money for the Rematch. Guerrero wins!’’

DeRay Davis, Comedian/Actor (Mayweather): “It’ll be a fourth-round knockout for the champ. He’s going to make an example of him.”

The Game, Rapper (Mayweather): “Floyd in 4.”

Brad Garrett, Comedian and Host at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand (Mayweather): “Mayweather in 9. ‘Money vs. The Ghost’…sounds like my divorce.”

Marquez Houston, Singer/Actor (Mayweather): “Floyd definitely wins. I’m going with a ninth-round knockout.”

Jinsu, Rapper (Mayweather): “Floyd by sixth-round TKO. Win No. 44 (will be) light work.”

Jackie Long, Actor (Mayweather): “Floyd will win by knockout in the fourth or fifth round.” Twitter: @jackielong

Mario Lopez, TV Personality (Guerrero): “It being Cinco De Mayo weekend and me being Mexican, I have to go with the upset and pick Guerrero by split decision in an entertaining and spirited fight.” #VivaMexico”

Lorena Peril, FANTASY at Luxor Star Powerhouse Vocalist (Mayweather): “Floyd will win a decision. He is a great champion and always brings his best into the ring.”

Da Problem, Rapper (Mayweather): “We all know Floyd going to go to work on his ass!”

Busta Rhymes, Rapper (Mayweather): “Floyd is gonna bust his ass”

Chris Shiflett, Lead Guitarist of Foo Fighters (Guerrero): “I think Mayweather is WAY overrated. Look at his record. Every elite fighter he’s ever been in there with was shot except Victor Ortiz (who was giving him problems until the whole thing melted down). De La Hoya was handling Mayweather with the jab. Mosley almost knocked him out. Cotto was winning that fight but gassed out because he’s shot. Everybody else Mayweather has faced was a bum. Guerrero is young, fresh and motivated. I don’t think he’s going to let Mayweather get in his head or be overwhelmed by the moment. The Ghost by decision.”

MEDIA

Matthew Aguilar, El Paso Times (Mayweather): “Guerrero’s youth may present Floyd with some middle-rounds problems, but ultimately he doesn’t have Floyd’s skills. Mayweather by unanimous decision.’’

David Avila, Riverside Press-Enterprise (Guerrero): “Robert Guerrero’s got the athleticism, ability and attitude to dethrone Mayweather on a decision.”

Ron Borges, Boston Herald (Mayweather): “Mayweather wins a decision. He will be in tough for a while, but he has too much speed, knowledge and defensive skills for Guerrero.”

JT The Brick, Talk-Show Host, Fox Sports Radio (Mayweather): “Speed and experience wins it for Mayweather via eleventh-round technical knockout.”

Damian Calhoun, Orange CountyRegister (Mayweather): “I see this being a close fight. Guerrero’s toughness and determination will cause Mayweather some problems at times, but I expect Mayweather to use his smarts and defensive skills, and then adjust to be able to secure a victory by unanimous decision.”

Steve Carp, Las Vegas Review-Journal (Mayweather): “Mayweather by decision. With only five fights left in his career, I expect Floyd to be ready to fight and not tarnish his legacy. While southpaws have given him some trouble in the past and Guerrero hits harder than people give him credit for, I don’t think he can do enough damage over 12 rounds to beat Floyd.”

Mike Coppinger, USA Today (Mayweather): “It may end up being the toughest fight of Floyd’s career, facing a southpaw who likes to rough up his opponents, but it’s hard to pick against the greatest fighter of this generation. Guerrero will find a lot of success in the early rounds, but as Mayweather always does, he’ll make the necessary adjustments. Mayweather will counter Guerrero and turn his aggression against him. Floyd will begin to land more and more as the fight winds down, leading to a close, unanimous decision.”

Percy Crawford, FightHype.com (Mayweather): “I think it will look a lot like the Ortiz fight minus Guerrero doing something as crazy like not protecting himself at all times. Floyd will use Guerrero’s aggression against him and pick him apart over 12 rounds with Guerrero having one or two moments in the fight.”

Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press (Guerrero): “All fighters get old, and Floyd Mayweather is no exception. Jail and not fighting for a year at a time takes its toll. This is the fight he suddenly ages, and gets his first loss. Guerrero by decision.”

Flattop, Fightnews.com (Mayweather): “Floyd’s speed, power and class will be too much for Guerrero, who’s tough and has skills, but Mayweather has been the total package his entire career. Guerrero will be competitive for a few rounds until Mayweather decides to turn up the heat. Guerrero will be knocked down a few times and he will get back up each time. I could see his corner throwing in the towel once it becomes a ‘May Day’ exhibition; otherwise Mayweather will score a lop-sided decision or late-round knockout.”

Lyle Fitzsimmons, The Fight Network (Mayweather): “Admittedly, Guerrero is young, tough and powerful, but unless Mayweather gets old overnight, Guerrero is also still vulnerable to precisely the sort of precise punishment ‘Money’ has dished out to the myriad of foes who have entered with the same ‘I’ll rough him up’ promises. A la Arturo Gatti, the ‘Ghost’ gets beaten up in a lot of his wins and, like Gatti, he’s in over his head with Mayweather, who wins by tenth round tecknical knockout.”

Norm Frauenheim, 15rounds.com/The Ring (Mayweather): “Guerrero will make things interesting for a while with pressure and toughness. The toughness might surprise Mayweather, but the pressure won’t. He’ll counter it with patience and then precision. Mayweather’s right will land, occasionally early and with damaging frequency later. It might not score a knockdown, but in the end, however, Mayweather’s accuracy will bruise, cut, exhaust and force a tenth-round technical knockout stoppage.”

Karl Freitag, FightNews.com (Mayweather): “Mayweather by unanimous decision. Guerrero hasn’t stopped anyone north of lightweight and Mayweather is more than happy to go the rounds, so in a fight that seems certain to be going the distance, it’s hard to pick against Floyd, who is a big favorite for a reason.”

Leighton Ginn, The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, Calif.), (Mayweather): – Mayweather will win by ninth round technical knockout. He was a heavy favorite, but now even more so with Guerrero facing legal problems in New York.”

Kevin Iole, Yahoo (Mayweather): “I think it’s going to be a closer fight than a lot of people believe and I would have given Guerrero a better shot were it not for the arrest in New York that took a few days out of his training and has to have had some kind of impact upon his focus. Mayweather’s legs aren’t the same, but nobody sees punches coming more clearly than he does. He’ll have to fight hard to keep Guerrero from mauling him, but Floyd is slick at using his elbows to create space, as he did in the Ricky Hatton fight. In a fiercely contested fight, I expect Mayweather to win by decision.”

Steve Kim, MaxBoxing.com (Mayweather): “Mayweather will win by decision. Bottom line, I think unless Floyd has gone backwards physically, he’s simply too sharp and accurate for the hard-charging Guerrero.”

Bill Knight, El Paso Times (Mayweather): “Floyd may have a little rust, but he is still too quick, too good and will wear Guerrero down and win by ninth-round technical knockout.”

Ryan Maquiñana, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (Guerrero): “Up until this year, I’d have to go with the untouchable Mayweather if I was forced to pick, but given Guerrero’s southpaw tools, busy hands, ring IQ and fearlessness, it feels like the perfect storm for an upset. If he can take advantage of the 36-year-old Mayweather’s inactivity and aging legs, the ultimate question is whether Floyd will still fight with the fire of a king who doesn’t care there’s a $30 million check waiting for him, win or lose. Guerrero takes a 12-round decision.”

Gabriel Montoya, MaxBoxing.com (Mayweather): “Mayweather is not looking to get beat in the first of a massive six-fight, $300 million deal. Supremely skilled, but with all 36 years showing in his increasingly less mobile legs, Mayweather faces in Guerrero, a determined, skilled and experienced boxer. At 147, Guerrero is not a power puncher nor particularly fast, but he’s a strong southpaw who understands that style can be troublesome for the shoulder roll defense Floyd employs at times. The first few rounds will be clinch-filled as the fighters search for their rhythms. Floyd’s age combined with a year-long layoff might make for some exciting moments for Guerrero fans, but ultimately, Guerrero will find the speed and accuracy of Floyd unmanageable as “Money” finds his range and pot shots his way to a unanimous decision. One down, five to go.”

Gordon Marino, Wall Street Journal (Mayweather): “I think Robert is too vulnerable to the right hand and Mayweather’s is whipsaw fast. Also, unlike Andre Berto, when Guerrero pins Mayweather to the ropes, Mayweather is not going to square up. Eighth round technical knockout for Mayweather.”

David Mayo, MLive.com/The Grand Rapids Press (Mayweather): “In losing a step and fighting in front of opponents, Mayweather has made himself more dangerous and put himself in more danger. No one solved the early version and no one has solved the latter version either. Guerrero’s a solid pro’s pro, but he isn’t the best to have tried and Mayweather has to get old before our eyes to lose. That will happen if Mayweather fights long enough, but I’m guessing this isn’t the night and he breaks down Guerrero with typical technique and precision until he gets a chance to finish later in the fight. Mayweather wins in nine.”

Robert Morales, Los Angeles News Group (Mayweather): “Even though I believe Mayweather has slowed down just a bit, I don’t think it will be enough for Guerrero to land enough clean punches to win the fight. Mayweather wins a decision.”

Kieran Mulvaney, ESPN.com (Mayweather): “Guerrero will make Mayweather fight. He will swarm him, hit him on the arms, shoulders, hips, wherever he can. He’ll slow him down and keep Mayweather in front of him and that’ll be his downfall. Floyd may not have the legs he once had, but his hand speed is still tremendous and his accurate punches carry weight. Guerrero will be in close, head down, and constantly vulnerable to flashing Mayweather uppercuts inside. They’ll gradually wear him down and one will finally drop him, leading to a Mayweather barrage and a tenth round technical knockout, but Floyd will be hurting for days afterward.”

Rick Reeno, BoxingScene.com (Guerrero): “This is the first time I’m picking against Mayweather, but I believe the stage is set for Guerrero to pull off the ‘Upset of the Year’ (and possibly the decade). Unlike some of Mayweather’s past opponents, Guerrero has chased this fight for several years. He is fresher, hungrier, throws a lot more punches, has a good chin, is very physical and does have the ability to adjust. He’s certainly Mayweather’s most difficult opponent in several years. As long as Guerrero controls the pace and prevents Mayweather from making it a technical boxing match, the fight is his to win by close 12-round decision.”

Martin Rogers, Yahoo Sports (Mayweather): “Mayweather is too strong, too skilled and too clever and he will win by decision.”

Mike Rosenthal, The Ring Magazine (Mayweather): “I think Guerrero is a very good all-around fighter and tough as nails, but Mayweather is a great fighter even if he has slipped a tad. Mayweather by unanimous decision.”

Jon Saraceno, USA Today (Mayweather): “Floyd shakes off the rust and wins a decision.”

Lem Satterfield, The Ring Magazine Online (Mayweather): “There will be some treacherous moments for Mayweather simply due to his relative inactivity compared to Guerrero’s. Mayweather will have been out for nearly a year since his last fight against Miguel Cotto on May 5 last year, but I believe that he will have enough determination and savvy to elude significant damage on the way to a victory on points over 12 rounds.”

Tim Smith, New York Daily News (Mayweather): “Guerrero is no slouch as he proved against Andre Berto, but Mayweather is no Berto. Mayweather is one of the best boxers and most skilled defensive boxers of this generation. He won’t be standing in one spot for Guerrero to tee off on him. Everyone thinks they have a plan against Mayweather, but he is so adaptive in the ring that plans unravel and boxers are left grasping at straws just to stay in the ring with him. I don’t think Guerrero is the tactical match for Mayweather, but I think he has a good enough chin to withstand what Mayweather can throw at him. Mayweather by decision.”

Bob Velin, USA Today (Mayweather): “Guerrero is one of the toughest fighters in the business, and has a will to win that is second to none in the sport. But he has never faced anyone like Mayweather. Mayweather is the best there is at defending himself, as in, avoiding punches. Guerrero will likely try to make Mayweather fight his fight, which is a ‘toe-to-toe, I-can-wear-you-down-before-you-can-wear-me-down’ style. Guerrero may get to Mayweather’s left shoulder, but it’s unlikely he will do much damage to Mayweather’s head or body. Mayweather’s patience will frustrate Guerrero and take him out of his game. Meanwhile, Mayweather will counter Guerrero at every opportunity and end up winning on points.’’

Mark Whicker, Orange County Register (Mayweather): “Mayweather by ninth round technical knockout. He has adjusted to age and become a far better offensive fighter.”

Michael Woods, ESPN NewYork.com (Mayweather): “Floyd gets the W, same as last time, and the time before, and the time before that. Guerrero is willing and skilled, but limited. Floyd gets the unanimous decision, but his face will tell you after that he’s been in a fight.”

ABOUT “MAYDAY: MAYWEATHER VS. GUERRERO”:
“MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship and the vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Also featured will be WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon taking on Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz facing veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round fight for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship and rising star J’Leon Love squaring off against recent world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round middleweight battle for the vacant NABF Middleweight Championship.

Remaining tickets for “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” are still available for purchase with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

General admission tickets for the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” closed circuit telecasts are priced at $50, not including handling fees, and are available for purchase at each individual property’s box office outlets and will also be available for purchase by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Mauricio Herrera 140 – Ji-Hoon Kim 140
Miguel Acosta 135 – Miguel Gonzalez 135
Taras Shelestyuk 151 – Brandon Adams 151
Hector Serrano 144 – Michael Peralta 143
Richard Contreras 123 – Jose Iniguez 126 ½
Fernando Fuentes 117 ½ – Cristian Lorenzo 117 ½
Joshua Conley 156 – Eric Prado 153
Promoter: Banner Promotions & Thompson Boxing
Venue: Omega Products Outdoor Events Center
1st Bell: 5:45 Pacific Time. ESPN 7pm Pacific Time / 10 pm Eastern

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (May 2, 2013) – Irish featherweight contender Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland headlines “The Heat Is On” professional boxing card, presented by Final Round Promotions, in association with Team Snooki Boxing, Saturday night, May 18, at Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Hyland (27-1, 12 KOs), rated No. 11 by the World Boxing Association (WBA), faces an opponent to be determined in the eight-round main event. The 29-year-old Hyland, who lives in Marlboro, New York, is coming off his first pro loss. Last December in Las Vegas, he lost a 12-round decision to undefeated Javier Fortuna for the vacant Interim WBA featherweight title.

“We’re excited to bring pro boxing back to Poughkeepsie with Patrick Hyland headlining once again,” promoter Mike Pascale (Final Round Promotions) said. “Patrick learned valuable experience fighting for the world title. Although he lost, Patrick went 12 hard rounds with Fortuna, who is 22-0 with 16 KOs. We’re still confident that Patrick will be world champion and the May 18th fight is his next step in that direction. We also have some of the best talent in the Hudson Valley fighting on this show.”

Unbeaten Michael “Lefty” Brooks (9-0-1, 2 KOs), fighting out of Long Island, takes on Yonkers favorite Chass McDowell (6-3, 1 KO) in the eight-round co-feature for the vacant New York State lightweight title.

Newburgh (NY) light welterweight Treysean Wiggins (3-0, 3 KOs) meets David Roman “The Riot” Curiel (3-1-1, 1 KO) in a six-round bout.

Also fighting on the undercard in separate four round bouts are Newburgh heavyweight Detroy “The Destroyer” Jones (5-1-1, 2 KOs) vs. TBA, Newburgh bantamweight Michael Del Valle in his pro debut vs. Derrick Bivins (1-1-1), Queens cruiserweight Armin “The Bosnian Prince” Mrkanovic (5-3, 3 KOs) vs. Eric George (0-2), of Niagara Falls, Albany heavyweight Kimbo Bethel Boykin (6-1, 5 KOs) vs. TBA, New York City super featherweight Jodie Ann Wells in her pro debut vs. TBA, and Puerto Rican featherweight Kendal Santos (0-1) vs. Micah Brown (1-6-1).

Tickets, reasonably priced at $35.00, $50.00 and $100 (Gold Ringside), are available to purchase at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center and through all Ticketmaster outlets.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. Go to www.finalroundpromotions.com for additional information.

Baltimore, MD (May 2, 2013) – Baltimore Boxing & Fitness’ middleweight sensation Jerome Featherstone is headed to Salt Lake City, UT for the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions.

The tournament begins May 13 at the SaltPalaceConvention Center and tickets are available by going to smithstix.com/events/item/root/national-golden-gloves-tournament-may-13.

A local high school wrestling legend at Maryland’s BoysLatinHigh School, Featherstone took up boxing a few years back following an excelling as a collegiate wrestle for the University of Oklahoma. Defined by trainer Jake Smith as one of the top natural talents he’s seen, Featherstone earned his way to the nationals by winning the 165 pound Golden Gloves title, besting top fighters from Maryland, WashingtonDC, Virginia and the Marines.

“It’s incredible how far he’s come in such a short period of time,” stated Smith, a former prizefighter who is a member of the DC and Maryland Boxing Hall of Fames. “Jerome first entered the gym not even a year and a half ago and now he’s headed to the National Golden Gloves to compete against the top fighters in the country. I believe he’ll continue to win en route to bigger and better things at the next level.”