UDOFIA AND HARRIS ADDED TO EUBANK JR VS ELBIR UNDERCARD

Rising Middleweight star Linus Udofia (16-0, 8 KOs) and highly-rated Heavyweight debutant Matty Harris have been added to the undercard for Chris Eubank Jr’s showdown with Sven Elbir on October 2 at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London, live and exclusive on Sky Sports.

Udofia returns to Sky Sports following a spectacular ninth-round TKO win over John Harding Jr to retain the English Title on October 10 at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes. The 28-year-old will now put his unbeaten record on the line against London-based Albanian Xhuljo Vrenozi (17-3, 4 KOs) over ten rounds.

Having vacated the English Title and signed promotional terms with Wasserman Boxing, ‘Lightning’ is ready to prove his potential on another big card as he looks to move up the rankings into title contention.

“I’ve been out of the ring for a while, but I’ve been working non-stop behind the scenes,” says Udofia. “It’s an honour to be on such an incredible card, it’s time for me to put on a show for the Wembley crowd and put Luton on the map.”

Harris will make his professional debut in a four-round contest at The SSE Arena, Wembley. The 6ft 8in Heavyweight is one of the UK’s most exciting boxing prospects. Having passed the GB assessment, the 21-year-old opted to join the paid ranks instead and spent lockdown sparring the best of the British Heavyweight scene including Daniel Dubois, Hughie Fury and Nathan Gorman.

To ensure he has had the perfect preparation for his debut the Leamington Spa man has been living in a caravan on his coach Edwin Cleary’s drive.

“I’m extremely excited to be making my debut for Wasserman Boxing on Sky Sports on October 2,” said Harris. “The lure of the professional ranks has always been something I was drawn to rather than a lengthy amateur career. Now I get the chance to make my family proud and show my supporters what I’m all about. Believe me when I tell you I’m going all the way to the top.”

Promoter Nisse Sauerland said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Linus and Matty, two of Britain’s brightest boxing prospects, to showcase their skills on the big stage. Linus is a slick fighter with power in both hands and is on the verge of major title challenges. Matty is just starting his journey but he has all the potential in the world and we believe he can go a very long way.”

The road to major world title contention leads Chris Eubank Jr and German standout Sven Elbir to London’s SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday, October 2. This co-promoted event is the first in a multi-fight deal between Wasserman Boxing and Boxxer to feature Chris Eubank Jr and other fighters from the Wasserman Boxing stable on Sky Sports.

Tickets are available via AXS.com and Ticketmaster.co.uk.

RIVER WILSON-BENT: “I WANT TO PUT THE BRILLIANT CITY OF COVENTRY ON THE BOXING MAP!”

London, UK (2 September 2021) Given its population, it’s perhaps something of mystery, that Coventry – England’s eleventh largest city – has struggled to deliver it’s share of boxing champions, all-action Exhall middleweight ace River Wilson-Bent promises to promptly put paid to that.

‘I want to put this brilliant city on the boxing map,’ says the 27 year old Midland Area Champion who is undefeated in nine, with five brutal stoppages.

‘We’ve twice won the City of Culture, we’ve a brilliant football club…! Coventry City (FC) are getting right behind me. I always go to the matches when my training schedule permits.’

Thus far, it has been a tale of the nearly men for the West Midlands’ second city. Welterweight Bobby Arthur sat briefly sat on the British throne in 1972 but his victory was courtesy of a disqualification over future world champion John H. Stracey who savagely avenged him in an immediate rematch. Amateur sensation Errol Christie, an eight-time national junior champion, promised so much in the 80s only for a suspect chin to be exposed in the more brutal paid fold. In the late 90s, colourful Richie ‘The Tiger’ Evatt was leading up until the 11th round of an IBO featherweight tilt at New York’s Junior Jones before running out of petrol.

The noughties proved a purple patch for Cov boxing. Super-feather Dean ‘Pitbull’ Pithie and light-heavy Neil Simpson briefly conquered the Commonwealth only to capitulate in British title challenges. Another amateur ace Steve Bendall contested British, Commonwealth and European middleweight fights but never quite crossed the line and featherweight Roy Rutherford won a British crown in 2003 only to succumb in his maiden defence. Two years after, middleweight Andy Halder muscled his way to a British title shot but was wiped out in a round by Plymouth southpaw Scott Dann.

‘It’s my ambition to bring big boxing titles to Cov, deliver something none of the others managed. A Lonsdale Belt outright would be a mad achievement.’ states huge ticket seller River.

The Nuneaton-born 6ft 2in roofer concedes that, growing up, he was protected from the city’s rougher edges.

‘Cov’s a lively old town but Dad pushed us into sports. I was always active in after school clubs,’ claims the youngest of three.

‘Though there’s no boxing in the family, my brother was a superstar junior rugby player, on all the elite squads and I was always in his shadow. People told me I wasn’t aggressive enough… !

‘At my school, loads of kids around my age boxed but my mum wasn’t going to allow anyone to punch her little baby in the face so I started off without her knowing in Year 10. From the off, I was absolutely glued to the training. My progress was all about dedication and hard work. I really didn’t have much natural ability. For a start I wasn’t very fit. I became a human punchbag.

‘At school, I was a cheeky lad, liked to push the boundaries, test the water. I got pushed around a bit but six months after starting training, I got into a fight, beat the other kid up and, seriously, everything changed that day. Everyone started being nice to me.’

Though he never advanced beyond the regional titles in a 57 bout amateur innings, the River really started to flow once he began his pro career against Hyde’s Mike Castell in November 2018.

‘I actually wanted a few rounds but it was ‘Here I am! I stormed to the ring as fast as I could, wanted to prove I was serious. Three hundred of my fans bought tickets to see me for just 90 seconds,’ he recalls.

Coached by Brendon Norman, managed by Jon Pegg and promoted by Mick Hennessy, the pride of Cov has certainly sparkled since being unleashed at 10 round Area title level last December.

‘I’ve always been able to use my nerves to rise to the occasion against better opposition,’ says the Midland man who trounced Burntwood’s 6-0 Troy Coleman with a raking right to claim the crown (TKO3), then retained by routing another unbeaten man, Derby’s George Farrell in seven rounds six months later.

‘I’d heard good things about Troy; he was strong gave people lots of problems but I’d always rather box better kids who open up.

‘Against George Farrell, I sold 220 tickets. I was told he was a baaaad guy, a big strong lad, a banger but I work way too hard to worry about others. He was a fit durable kid who shook off some seriously heavy shots. But it was lovely to hear the crowd back.’

With his huge army of Sky Blues boys bringing the noise to every appearance, big things are predicted for the Exhall Express.

‘I’m mandatory for the English and hopefully will fight Tyler Denny in November or December,’ says Wilson-Bent who recently completed a marathon in just three hours, 20 minutes.

‘I’ve developed a winning style that adapts to whatever’s in front of me. I can box long, short or mid-range, I can dance and move or get stuck in. I usually keep them on the end of my long levers but when I smell blood, I go for the jugular.’

He will certainly be the best supported man on the bill when he stars on promoter Hennessy’s Channel 5 screened spectacular at The Skydome in his home city on Friday 10th September when he takes on Bosnian Hardman Sladjan Janjanin in what is expected to be a fiery showdown.

‘Get down to the Skydome!’ concludes River.

‘I’m fighting a 10 rounder against a tough Bosnian Sladjan Janjanin who’s got 29 wins, and 23 stoppages. It’s a good opponent, hopefully for an International title.

‘I’m just a young local lad trying to make something of himself. My support is ridiculous and their noise is crazy. They’ll bring the atmosphere, I’ll deliver the entertainment. Guaranteed!’

Tickets are available to purchase now from only £40* from the Coventry Skydome Arena website https://iceaccount.co.uk/championship-boxing

ITV Central feature | Michelin starred chef Glynn Purnell gives a masterclass in cooking with Sam Eggington, Shakan Pitters, Kaisee Benjamin and River Wilson-Bent
Sam Eggington’s WBC Silver Middleweight title defence against unbeaten French star Bilel Jkitou headlines an action packed card Hennessy All-Stars featuring some of the stars from the promoter’s stable including big-hitting Brixton star Isaac Chamberlain; Irish KO king Stevie McKenna faces France’s Moussa Gary over six rounds ; Birmingham’s Former British Light-Heavyweight Champion Shakan Pitters tackles Holland’s Farouk Daku over eight rounds; Coventry’s dynamite-punching middleweight sensation River Wilson-Bent takes on Bosnian hardman Sladjan Janjanin in a 10-round international contest, Birmingham welterweight ace Kaisee Benjamin battles Finland’s Jarkko Putkonen over ten rounds; Birmingham’s flash and brash Love Island and super-middleweight star Idris Virgo takes on the Czech Republic’s Michal Ryba over six rounds; red-hot Irish super-welterweight talent Brett McGinty faces Lithuania’s Lukas Ulys over four rounds; Brighton heavyweight destroyer Tommy Welch squares up against Spain’s Alvaro Terrero over four rounds and completing the card is the silky skilled Sevenoaks prospect Michael Hennessy Jr.

AUDIO: King’s Promotions Podcast to Review Recent Fights and September 10th Preview

VIDEO: King’s Promotions Podcast to Review Recent Fights and September 10th Preview

GRANADOS – I’M ON A MISSION TO PROVE I’M STILL ONE OF THE BEST FIGHTERS IN THE WORLD

Adrian Granados is determined to prove that he is still a major threat on the world scene by becoming the first man to defeat rising Welterweight star Conor Benn when they collide on the undercard of Mauricio Lara vs. Josh Warrington 2 at Emerald Headingley Stadium in Leeds this Saturday September 4, shown live worldwide on DAZN.

‘El Tigre’, a 33-fight veteran who is no stranger to boxing’s biggest platforms, will finally lock horns with ‘The Destroyer’ in front of 20,000 fans at the home of Leeds Rhinos this weekend after their Fight Camp meeting was quashed by a positive COVID-19 test, and the 32-year-old Mexican American believes he is on another level to the opponents Benn has faced up to this point in his career.

Granados (21-8-3, 15 KOs) is the vastly more experienced fighter having gone the distance with former two-time Welterweight World Champion Shawn Porter and former multi-division World Champion Adrien Broner in losing efforts. Despite having 8 losses on his record, some of which he feels are controversial, the Chicago fighter believes that he still has a World Title shot in him.

“I’ve been chomping at the bit for this fight,” said Granados. “It was frustrating at the time because we were ready to go. I was already in the zone and just ready to fight Conor, but it happened, this is the day and age we live in now where this can happen. I’m still crossing my fingers because we’re not there yet, when the bell goes, I’ll feel a little calmer. It worked out, I got a couple of days off and then flew home. We didn’t even stay for the fights. We flew right home and got back to work.

“It’s fight week, so I think he reignited the flame again, but he’s been pretty quiet the past few weeks. Leading up to the last fight he was very vocal and brash. I think somebody hit him with some peace of mind and he’s tried to go the humble route this time. We all know how Conor Benn is and we know the type of character he is, and it’s starting to come back.

“I’m excited. I accept all challenges. If he thinks that he’s better than me on his worst day, I want his best. Don’t give me your worst, I want the best of Conor Benn so I can beat him straight out. I think I’m better than him. It’s not so much humbling him, it’s more teaching him a lesson. My career has been so up and down, and I’ve been in and out of so many different controversial things. I’m on a mission to prove my point that I’m still one of the best fighters in the world.

“A lot of people are underestimating me. The odds are crazy right now. The way it looks they’re already making plans for him in December against Adrian Broner – somebody who I believe I beat as well. If I beat Conor then I’ll be like, ‘let me get that Broner fight’. Let me get my rematch. If he’s looking past me then let me look past him. If you guys have got future plans for him then I’m going to start making my own plans.

“I don’t have the prettiest record in boxing and usually people are quick to attack me with that. The real diehards hit me with the fact that I’ve been robbed so many times. All three of my draws were clear wins and my losses – I count maybe half of them or three of them. I can’t accept all of those losses that I have. It’s just unfortunate. That’s why I feel boxing is actually killing itself. It turns people off the sport. I’m hoping for a fair shake and that justice is served, and that the best man wins.

“We’re both hot heads – I think him a lot more than I. I’ve got it in me. I’ve got that Mexican style. I’m that type if you hit me, I want to hit you back. It’s going to make for exciting fireworks. I’m excited for this fight, he’s excited for this fight and everyone is excited for this fight. We’re both planning on putting on a show. I just turned 32, I’m a young veteran. I’m a savvy vet and I’ve got a lot of tools in my toolbox. I think I’ve got a lot more to offer in a fight than Conor Benn.”

Benn vs. Granados is part of a huge night of action in Leeds, Mauricio Lara (23-2, 16 KOs) and Josh Warrington (30-1, 7 KOs) face each other again in a huge rematch for the Featherweight division, Undisputed Lightweight ruler Katie Taylor (18-0, 6 KOs) defends her WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine crowns against her latest Mandatory Challenger Jennifer Han (18-3-1, 1 KOs), Mexico’s Jovanni Straffon (24-3-1, 17 KOs) makes the first defence of his IBO Lightweight World Title against the in-form Maxi Hughes (23-5-2, 5 KOs), Australia’s Ebanie Bridges (6-1, 3 KOs) looks to build on her impressive KO win over Bec Connolly at Fight Camp earlier this month when she meets Mailys Gangloff (5-2, 2 KOs), Super-Bantamweight prospect Hopey Price (5-0, 1 KO) steps up against Zahid Hussain (16-1, 2 KOs) in an all-Leeds clash, undefeated Super-Bantamweight talent Jack Bateson (13-0, 3 KOs) clashes with Felix Garcia (7-2-1, 3 KOs) over six rounds, 1-0 Super-Welterweight Brandon Stansfield takes on MJ Hall (2-61-2) and Light-Heavyweight Mali Wright makes his pro debut against Antony Woolery (2-6).

Limited remaining tickets are available from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk).

Split-T Management’s Stephan Shaw and Omar Rosario Remain Undefeated with Wins in Plant City, Florida

NEW YORK (September 1, 2021) – Heavyweight Stephan Shaw and junior welterweight Omar Rosario kept their undefeated records intact with victories at Whitesands Event Center in Plant City, Florida.

Shaw and Rosario are managed by Split-T Management.

Shaw of Saint Louis, Missouri, upped his record to 15-0 with 11 knockouts as he dispatched Nick Davis at 1:42 of the opening round of their scheduled eight-round bout.

Shaw dropped Davis with a huge barrage of power punches that put Davis out on his back.

WATCH SHAW’S KO

Shaw is promoted by DiBella Entertainment

Rosario pitched a shutout in his four round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Marc Misiura.

Rosario was able to showcase his boxing skills that made him an amateur star in his native Puerto Rico. The 23 year-old Rosario won every round and came home with the victory by scores on all three judges’ scorecards to raise his record to 5-0. Misiura is now 2-1.

Rosario is promoted by Top Rank.

Sunday night in Cleveland, junior middleweight Charles Conwell stopped previously undefeated Juan Carlos Rubio at 2:39 of round three of their scheduled 10-round bout.

Conwell of Cleveland is now 16-0 with 12 knockouts.

Conwell is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Holden Productions.

PAIR OF THRILLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOUTS TOP UFC® 267 IN ABU DHABI

Las Vegas & Abu Dhabi – UFC^® returns to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi with another blockbuster event, headlined by two highly anticipated world championship bouts. UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz goes for his second successful title defense when he takes on No. 1 ranked contender Glover Teixeira. In the co-main event, UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling look to settle the score with former titleholder and No. 1 ranked contender Petr Yan.

UFC^® 267: BLACHOWICZ vs. TEIXEIRA will take place Saturday, Oct. 30 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

UFC^® 267: BLACHOWICZ vs. TEIXEIRA will headline Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, which will feature city-wide activations, including fan events, fitness showcases and much more, in partnership with Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).

UFC^® 267: BLACHOWICZ vs. TEIXEIRA tickets will go on general sale Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 1:00 p.m. GST and are available through Ticketmaster.ae and etihadarena.ae starting from AED 495. Tickets are limited to six (6) per person.

Blachowicz (28-8, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) looks to build off his recent momentum that not only saw him capture UFC gold, but also hand middleweight champion Israel Adesanya the first loss of his career. A 14-year MMA veteran, he holds spectacular KO wins over Luke Rockhold, Dominick Reyes and Corey Anderson. Blachowicz now has his sight set on taking out another dangerous finisher to continue building his legacy atop the 205-pound ladder.

Teixeira (32-7, fighting out of Danbury, Conn.) hopes to make good on his second UFC title shot by stopping Blachowicz in emphatic fashion. A decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with heavy hands, he has delivered memorable victories against Thiago Santos, Anthony Smith, Rashad Evans and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson. Teixeira is now gunning for his sixth consecutive win by dethroning Blachowicz to achieve dream of becoming UFC champion.

Sterling (20-3, fighting out of Uniondale, N.Y.) plans to cement his UFC bantamweight championship reign by delivering a dominant performance in the rematch against Yan, who he defeated via disqualification in March. A skilled grappler, he has earned notable wins over Cory Sandhagen, Pedro Munhoz and Jimmie Rivera. Sterling now vies to put his rivalry with Yan to bed by netting another show-stealing submission victory.

Yan (15-2, fighting out of Yekaterinburg, Russia) is gunning to avenge his disqualification loss to Sterling by reclaiming the UFC bantamweight championship. A Master of Sport in MMA and boxing, he has secured thrilling KO victories against Jose Aldo, Urijah Faber, Douglas Silva de Andrade and Teruto Ishihara. Yan now intends to get the last laugh against Sterling by finishing the New Yorker and once again taking his spot at the top of the 135-pound division.

Additional bouts on the card include:

No. 5 ranked lightweight contender Islam Makhachev (20-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) looks to take out his first former UFC champion when he meets No. 7 Rafael Dos Anjos (30-13, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
No. 7 ranked Magomed Ankalaev (15-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) takes on No. 8 Volkan Oezdemir (17-5, fighting out of Fribourg, Switzerland) in a clash of light heavyweight contenders
Top heavyweights collide when No. 5 ranked contender Alexander Volkov (33-9, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) squares off with surging No. 8 Marcin Tybura (22-6, fighting out of Uniejow, Poland)
No. 12 ranked welterweight contender Li Jingliang (18-6, fighting out of Beijing, China) aims to spoil the return of undefeated Khamzat Chimaev (9-0, Stockholm, Sweden by way of Chechnya, Russia)
No. 11 ranked strawweight contender Amanda Ribas (10-2, fighting out of Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil) faces No. 12 Virna Jandiroba (17-2, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil) in a clash of talented grapplers
Ricardo Ramos (15-3, fighting out of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil) looks for another vintage win against rising prospect Zubaira Tukhugov (19-5-1, fighting out of Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia) at featherweight
Exciting lightweights battle as Magomed Mustafaev (14-4, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) takes on Damir Ismagulov (23- 1, fighting out of Orenburg, Russia by the way of Almaty, Kazakhstan)
Makwan Amirkhani (16-6, fighting out of Turku, Finland by way of Kurdistan) locks horns with Tristan Connelly (14-7, fighting out of Vancouver, BC, Canada) in an intriguing featherweight bout
Hu Yaozong (3-2, fighting out of Beijing, China) makes his first Octagon appearance in nearly three years when he faces Alen Amedovski (8-2, fighting out of Rome, Italy) at middleweight
Tagir Ulanbekov (13-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) hopes to continue his momentum when he takes on Allan Nascimento (18-5, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) at flyweight
Shamil Gamzatov (14-0, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) hopes to remain undefeated when he battles Michal Oleksiejczuk (15-4 1NC, fighting out of Leczna, Poland) at light heavyweight

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

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 155 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi:

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions. By working in partnership with the organisations that define the Emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the Emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture and tourism industries.

DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the Emirate’s people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought.

Etihad Arena

Etihad Arena is the UAE’s landmark of entertainment, the region’s largest multi-purpose indoor arena set on the stunning waterfront of Yas Bay, offering world-class event space and hospitality. Designed with sustainability at its core, the venue offers a dynamic event space that can be easily transformed to host a variety of events including large-scale international concerts, sports games, corporate events, private functions and local community celebrations. Owned by Miral Asset Management and operated by Flash Entertainment, Etihad Arena is proudly positioned on Yas Island, the Middle East’s premier leisure and entertainment destination, and will enhance Abu Dhabi’s position as a global entertainment hub. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is the proud naming rights partner for Etihad Arena. Over the years to come, Etihad will fly many of the world-class entertainment acts and guests to the venue.

HAN – THIS IS THE BIGGEST PLATFORM POSSIBLE FOR ME

Jennifer Han believes she can pull off the mother of all victories when she challenges Katie Taylor for the Undisputed World Lightweight Championship at Emerald Headingley Stadium in Leeds this Saturday September 4, live worldwide on DAZN.

Han (18-3-1 1 KO) is back in World Title action after giving birth to her second son earlier in the year, and the former IBF Featherweight ruler is more than confident she’s back in fighting shape for the biggest night of her career.

‘El Paso’s Sweetheart’, a six-time national amateur champion, landed the vacant IBF strap in September 2015, and went on to make four successful title defenses of the belt before taking time out to start her family. Han’s last fight came in February of 2020, a unanimous decision win against Jeri Sitzes on home turf at the El Paso County Coliseum.

The 38-year-old is moving up to 135lbs for the fight of her life and fights outside of America for the second time in her career, having been edged out by majority decision in South Korea by Ji Hye Woo in March 2013, and knows that she has to be at her very best to take the titles from the number one female fighter.

“I’ve been a road warrior, I know how it is, the odds are stacked against me, she’s the hometown girl – I get it,” said Han. “When I went to Korea, I felt I dominated the fight and the decision was taken away from me, so this time I have to not only dominate but be in command of every single round or go for the KO.

“This is huge, it’s the biggest fight of my life and you can’t get bigger than Katie Taylor. I’m going to be fighting for all her belts, this is the greatest opportunity that God has blessed me with, I’ve worked my whole life for this, and I am ready.

“After I fought last year, I was meant to defend my title again versus the interim champion, but she lost, and the new champion wasn’t ready to fight yet. The IBF granted me the opportunity to fight Jeri, and then they made me the number one contender at Lightweight so I could fight Katie – but then COVID got in the way and crushed those dreams.

“Americans weren’t allowed to go over to the UK, so the fight was shelved, there was nothing out there for me, so I had baby number two. I kept my number one spot which I did, I didn’t think that the opportunity would come around so soon, but it has, you must be prepared for this, and I am, it’s great and I have trained so hard for this and it’s going to be so worth it.

“I was IBF champion for five years, but I was only fighting once a year because I couldn’t get the big fights. I can’t pause my life, I don’t have that luxury, so I had my baby, I’m very lucky and happy. I am in great shape, and I want to fight the best of the best, and that’s what I am doing on Saturday.

“She has amazing strengths, an Olympic gold medalist, Undisputed World Champion, she’s beaten a lot of talented fighters, but they are not the same as me, and I think what I bring to the table she hasn’t seen before so I hope that I surprise her with my technique.

“I hope she underestimates me and takes into consideration all the things that are stacked up against me. I hope she hasn’t trained hard; she’s taken me for granted, that’d be sweeter for me.

“I was hoping to just be on TV and become a two-weight World Champion, but this is the biggest platform possible for me. I’m not going to take anything away from her, but she’s beatable. Believe me, my camp and I are studying her inside and out. We have plenty of strategies.”

Taylor vs. Han is part of a huge night of boxing in Leeds, Mauricio Lara (23-2, 16 KOs) and Josh Warrington (30-1, 7 KOs) face each other again in a huge rematch for the Featherweight division, rising Welterweight star Conor Benn (18-0, 12 KOs) faces Adrian Granados (21-8-3, 15 KOs) after their Fight Camp Week 1 headliner fell through, Mexico’s Jovanni Straffon (24-3-1, 17 KOs) makes the first defence of his IBO Lightweight World Title against the in-form Maxi Hughes (23-5-2, 5 KOs), Australia’s Ebanie Bridges (6-1, 3 KOs) looks to build on her impressive KO win over Bec Connolly at Fight Camp earlier this month when she meets Mailys Gangloff (5-2, 2 KOs), Super-Bantamweight prospect Hopey Price (5-0, 1 KO) steps up against Zahid Hussain (16-1, 2 KOs) in an all-Leeds clash, undefeated Super-Bantamweight talent Jack Bateson (13-0, 3 KOs) clashes with Felix Garcia (7-2-1, 3 KOs) over six rounds, 1-0 Super-Welterweight Brandon Stansfield takes on MJ Hall (2-61-2) and Light-Heavyweight Mali Wright makes his pro debut against Anthony Woolery (2-6).

Limited remaining tickets are available from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk).

WASSERMAN BOXING AND BOXXER AGREE MULTI-FIGHT DEAL TO FEATURE CHRIS EUBANK JR AND WASSERMAN BOXING STABLE ON SKY SPORTS

Wasserman Boxing has agreed a multi-fight deal with Boxxer to feature British boxing star Chris Eubank Jr and other fighters from the Wasserman Boxing stable on Sky Sports.

The first co-promoted event of this exciting new agreement will take place on October 2 with Chris Eubank Jr headlining at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London against German standout Sven Elbir, live and exclusive on Sky Sports.

“We’re delighted to have agreed a multi-fight deal with Boxxer to bring Chris Eubank Jr and the Wasserman Boxing stable to Sky Sports, which has been the home of UK boxing for the last decade. We look forward to working together to deliver some unforgettable nights for fight fans. We have big plans for Chris Eubank Jr. He’s ready for career defining fights but first he must overcome a tough test against Sven Elbir on October 2,” said Kalle Sauerland, Head of Global Boxing at Wasserman.

“It feels good to be back on Sky Sports and headlining another big show at The SSE Arena, Wembley,” said Chris Eubank Jr. “I’d like to thank my promoters the Sauerland brothers at Wasserman Boxing for the opportunity. My opponent Sven Elbir is a good fighter but if he thinks he can stand in my way – he’s wrong, and he will learn that the hard way. 2022 is going to be massive year for me. The middleweight division is on notice. The takeover begins on October 2.”

Wasserman COO of Global Football and Boxing, Fahri Ecvet said: “We’re thrilled to have reached an agreement that will enable Chris Eubank Jr and other top talent from the Wasserman Boxing stable to feature on Sky Sports. Chris is one of the most exciting names in world boxing right now. With many big fights on the horizon, we look forward to seeing him star on the Sky Sports platform very soon.”

“Chris Eubank Jr. is one of British boxing’s best talents and this is the first fight of his new multi-fight deal with Wasserman Boxing and Sky Sports. Elbir is very skilled, he’s got knockout power and he wants that big-name win. Major opportunities are on the line here – the winner will see their career taken to a new level,” said BOXXER’s Ben Shalom.

The deal features regular fight nights plus Pay Per View events and opportunities to showcase up and coming talent from Wasserman Boxing’s UK stable on Sky Sports.

Wasserman Boxing is the UK’s fastest growing stable, promoting some of the country’s most exciting talent including former WBA interim World Middleweight Champion and two-time IBO World Super Middleweight Champion Chris Eubank Jr, English Middleweight Champion Linus Udofia, WBO European Flyweight Champion Harvey Horn, undefeated British Iranian Featherweight Razor Ali, highly regarded 6ft 8in Heavyweight Matty Harris, undefeated Cornish Middleweight Brad Pauls, explosive Heavyweight debutant and Anthony Joshua sparring partner Hosea Stewart, and former GB boxer, Ricky Hatton trained Featherweight Chloe Watson.

About Wasserman:

Wasserman is a partner to the world’s most iconic brands, properties and talent in their endeavours across sports, entertainment and culture. Our purpose is to transform the businesses and careers of clients. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Los Angeles, Wasserman operates globally in more than 20 cities, including London, New York, Toronto, Raleigh, Carlsbad, The Hague, Portland and Shanghai. In 2021, Wasserman acquired Team Sauerland, one of the world’s leading boxing promoters, to form Wasserman Boxing, a new global force in the world of boxing. Wasserman Boxing’s promotional stable includes British boxing star Chris Eubank Jr, IBF World Cruiserweight Champion Mairis Briedis and top heavyweight contender Filip Hrgovi?. Learn more at TeamWass.com.

Can Jake Paul be Boxing’s Next Big Promoter?

By Matthew Benoliel-

Think about it. An untitled event. Five fights on the card. A sold-out arena. An estimated 1,000,000 Pay Per View buys. The headliner: a motivated but untested YouTube star facing an ex-UFC Champion. An opening act featuring the half-brother of the Heavyweight Champion against the sparring partner of the headliner. And three, more meritable fights featuring up-and-comers and two female world champions. Throw in one MMA turned boxing commentator, alongside seasoned network professionals. It seems that last night’s Showtime card had something for everyone.

The opening bout featured Tommy Fury, who is arguably more well-known for his role on the reality series “Love Island,” than for being the half-brother of Heavyweight Champ Tyson Fury. From a promoter’s standpoint, it is usually a pretty good thing to have a famous last name. Fury took on ex-Bellator fighter Anthony Taylor, a man ten years his senior, with whom Fury enjoyed a five inch height advantage, and a ten-inch reach advantage. Fury’s professional boxing record stood at 6-0 with 4 KOs, while Taylor was 0-1. Taylor did enjoy some success in Bellator after losing his first few fights, but it seemed here like all the advantage would go to Fury, a -1400 favorite. However, Taylor was able to stand his ground, tie-up Fury when he had to, and made it a much closer fight than anyone expected. But what is interesting to note is that Taylor met Jake Paul through social media. By calling out Jake Paul. The two had since become friends, with Jake Paul funding the training camp, as well as the purse for Anthony Taylor.

Jake Paul has also publicly stated his affinity towards Puerto Rican fighters and multi-division title holder Amanda Serrano in particular. The matchup between Serrano and 122-pound champ Yamileh Mercado was exciting and helped shed a positive light on women’s boxing, as well as being one of the biggest stages either lady has fought on so far. With so many other up and coming fighters claiming Puerto Rico as home, there may be opportunity for bigger purses on Paul’s future cards for the likes of Xander Zayas or Edgar Berlanga.

Former IBF Super Lightweight Champion Ivan Baranchyk (20-2) vs. Montana Love (15-0-1) is a respectable match on any card. Love is an up and comer who showed fierce tenacity and skill against a former world champion. The fight ended at the behest of Baranchyk’s corner following a particularly brutal seventh round. Baranchyk and trainer Pedro Diaz are well-known in the Miami boxing scene and it’s more than likely that the team and Jake Paul have crossed paths in the not-so distant path.

Pedro Diaz was also featured in Tyrone Woodley’s corner. Throughout the main event, it became apparent that Woodley could have beaten Paul if he were more active. His tools were sharper all around. But with a guaranteed $500,000 paycheck, and possibly another $500,000 from the PPV buys, along with a possible rematch with the condition that he slap an “I Love Jake Paul” tattoo on his person, perhaps Woodley was thinking about his future. In the end, one judge did favor Woodley, who lost by split decision, giving Woodley enough clout to request the rematch.

At the end of the night, we saw two good fights, the American debut of a talented heavyweight, and a well-paced show without all the extra music and performances of some other recent platforms. While many in the boxing world are debating Paul’s merits as a fighter, and asking, “when is he going to fight a legit boxer in his weight class?” the real question should be, “Is Jake Paul going to be the sport’s next big promoter?”

BENN – I’VE GOT HIS NUMBER ON MY WORST DAY

Conor Benn has put his Fight Camp disappointment behind him and is now fully focused on stealing the show when he defends his WBA Continental Welterweight Title against Adrian Granados at Emerald Headingley Stadium in Leeds this Saturday September 4, shown live worldwide on DAZN.

‘The Destroyer’ was set to headline the first Matchroom Fight Camp event last month before a positive COVID-19 test forced the Essex native to pull out of his clash with Mexican-American Granados on the Thursday of fight week.

Benn, a face of the British boxing future, upped his stock in a major way after a first-round destruction of Samuel Vargas in April to improve to 18-0 with 12 knockouts, and the surging 24-year-old knows that another standout victory will push him a step closer to a World Title shot in the 147lbs division.

“I was devastated,” admitted Benn. “I went home half not believing it. We did around eight tests. I was absolutely devastated. I worked extremely hard and had a blinding camp. It honestly pained me so much – I even shed a few tears. I’m going to go through adversity again. It’s just how you react to it. What’s for me won’t pass me, so come September 4 in front of 20,000 I’ll put on a show.

“I was quite worried about long Covid. A few people messaged me saying not to train too hard too soon. When I broke my jaw, and I had my first sparring session back, people were saying, ‘you’re going to be a bit hesitant’, and I thought, ‘no I’m not’. If it goes it goes. If my jaw goes it goes. I’m not going to have that at the back of my head.

“That was my mindset with training. When I was doing my sprints on the steps down at Leigh-on-Sea, how am I hitting my PB after Covid? How am I hitting my PB for a 5 miler? I’m not going to say it’s all been heaven because a lot of people have been affected by COVID, but I’m blessed to have made a full recovery in time for this huge show.

“I don’t have a message for Granados. I don’t. There is nothing to say. I let my fists do the talking. Everything that has been said from both parties has been said now. At the end of the day the promo is done. All that’s left to do now is fight, and come September 4 he is in for one hell of a fight. I know he’s going to bring it – but that gets me going. Let’s have it!

“He’s a tough durable guy, the only person to stop him is Danny Garcia. He won the fight against Adrian Broner. He gave hell to Shawn Porter. He fought Robert Easter Jr. He’s been in with the top boys, but he’s in with another top boy. I just want to fight now. I just want to get in there now.

“Vargas he’s going, ‘well yeah, you’re not Khan, you’re not Vergil Ortiz, you’re not Errol Spence, you’re not Danny Garcia’, nah I’m Conor Benn mate. That’s my approach – if they don’t want to put respect on my name then I’ll make them put respect on my name. At the end of the day I’m up for a hard fight, but I’ve got his number on my worst day.”

Limited remaining tickets are available from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk).

TAYLOR – I’M GOING TO HOLD ON TO EVERY ONE OF THOSE BELTS FOR AS LONG AS I CAN

Katie Taylor says she is relishing the opportunity to make the latest defence of her Undisputed Lightweight crown in front of 20,000 passionate Leeds fans at Emerald Headingley Stadium on the blockbuster Lara vs. Warrington 2 card this Saturday September 4, shown live worldwide on DAZN.

The Irish star (18-0, 6 KOs) was forced to dig deep as she retained her World Titles via a unanimous decision victory after another memorable meeting with Natasha Jonas last time out at Manchester Arena in May – nine years on from their London 2012 Olympic Games bout.

This time Taylor puts her belts on the line against six-time national amateur champion and former IBF Featherweight World Champion Jennifer Han (18-3-1, 1 KO) – her latest Mandatory Challenger who heads into this weekend’s clash on the back of an eight-fight winning streak.

“My father was born and raised in Leeds, so we all grew up as Leeds United fans,” said Taylor. “There are still a few Leeds United fans out there! I’m really excited to fight in Leeds and in front of so many fans. It’s kind of like a second home to me so I just can’t wait. It’s going to be so exciting boxing in front of 20,000 people. The atmosphere is going to be insane. Leeds fans are very passionate and loud.

“I think the last 12 months have been fantastic for me personally. I’m still sitting here as the Undisputed Champion, 18-0 with some fantastic performances and some amazing fights under my belt. The fights I’ve been in have elevated women’s boxing to another level. This is the pinnacle of professional boxing – holding all of the belts, that’s what everyone in professional boxing wants to do. Everyone’s dream is to become the Undisputed Champion.

“I’m going to try my best to hold on to every one of those belts for as long as I can. This is what I’m in the sport for. I want to make history, I want to be a World Champion and I want to hold all of the belts – I’m all in. “The women are definitely more inclined to take a few more risks and actually go in and take the bigger fights. I love that about the female fighters. We actually want the big fights. We’re willing and able to actually step in the ring and fight all of these other champions.

“I’m expecting the toughest fight from Jennifer. She has a lot of amateur experience and she’s a very technical fighter. She’s a six-time World Champion. She was my No.1 Mandatory as well so I had to take the fight. These girls have stepped up – they’ve boxed beyond themselves, they have raised their game against me. I’m expecting a very very tough fight and I’m going to be prepared like I have been for every single fight I’ve had over the last few years.

“She is a fighter that believes in herself. This fight is going to bring the best out of the both of us. I love the fact that she’s stepping into the ring confident like I am as well. I don’t really take much notice of what other fighters say, I just focus on my own performance and my own preparation. We’re going to be stepping into the ring 100% prepared. The only words that matter are, ‘and still’. Training is going well – I feel good and sharp. I can’t wait to step in again on September 4 and get another great victory.”

Limited remaining tickets are available from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk).

Super Middleweight Contender Kyrone Davis Battles Martez McGregor Headlining FS1 PBC Fight Night & on FOX Deportes Sunday, September 5 from The Armory in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS (August 31, 2021) – Super middleweight contender Kyrone Davis will square off against Martez McGregor in an 8/10-round showdown that tops FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Sunday, September 5 from the Armory in Minneapolis.

The FS1 telecast begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and will feature unbeaten prospect Justin Cardona (5-0, 3 KOs) in a six-round super lightweight affair, plus undefeated prospect Travon Marshall (2-0, 1 KO) in a four-round super welterweight bout, and super bantamweight prospect Michael Angeletti (3-0, 2 KOs) looking to remain unbeaten in a four-round duel against undefeated Mexican Alexis Salido (2-0, 1 KO).

The FS1 telecast will precede FOX PBC Fight Night which begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by unbeaten rising star Jesús “Mono” Ramos Jr. taking on super welterweight contender Brian Mendoza in a 10-round showdown. In the FOX undercard, rising lightweight contender Starling “El Poli” Castillo battles former title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos in the 10-round co-main event, plus middleweight prospect Armando “El Toro” Reséndiz kicks off the broadcast against all-action Marcos “Madman” Hernández.

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

A native of Monmouth, N.J., Davis (15-2-1, 6 KO) impressed against the toughest test of his career last time out, as he fought two-time super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell to a split-draw in February. It was the 26-year-old’s debut at super middleweight, after beginning his career at middleweight. Davis had won five of his six previous outings heading into the Dirrell clash on FOX. He will be opposed by the 31-year-old Maywood, Illinois-native McGregor (8-4, 6 KOs), who looks to snap a three-fight losing streak.

In non-televised action, veteran heavyweight Iago Kiladze (26-5-1, 18 KOs) faces Matthew McKinney (8-3-2, 5 KOs) for eight-rounds of action.

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Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions @WarriorsBoxingProm, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

Throwdown in A-Town: Jamel Herring-Shakur Stevenson Junior Lightweight Title Clash Set for October 23 at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena and LIVE on ESPN

ATLANTA (August 31, 2021) — Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring and Shakur Stevenson have exchanged verbal volleys in person and on social media. They’ll settle the score in the Throwdown in A-Town.

Herring will defend his WBO junior lightweight world title against former featherweight world champion Stevenson on Saturday, Oct. 23 at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in an event promoted by Top Rank.

Nico Ali Walsh (1-0, 1 KO), grandson of “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali, looks to make it 2 for 2 against an opponent to be named in a four-round middleweight special attraction.

Herring-Stevenson, Ali Walsh’s bout, and a co-feature will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

The undercard — streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ — will see the professional comeback of U.S. Olympic silver medalist Duke Ragan (4-0, 1 KO) in a six-round featherweight bout, Ragan’s Olympic teammate Troy Isley (2-0, 1 KO) in a six-rounder at middleweight, Georgia native Haven Brady Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs) in a four-round featherweight tilt, and the A-Town debut of junior middleweight prospect Evan “Yung Holy” Holyfield (7-0, 5 KOs), an Atlanta native and the son of heavyweight legend Evander Holyfield.

Tickets go on sale Friday, Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.

“We are thrilled to be back in Atlanta with a spectacular card headlined by a junior lightweight championship grudge match between a veteran champion and one of the sport’s supreme young talents,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “And with names like Ali Walsh, Ragan and Isley on the undercard, Atlanta’s great fight fans will see many of the sport’s most promising up-and-comers.”

Herring (23-2, 11 KOs), a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who captained the 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team, has made three defenses of the world title he won via decision over Masayuki Ito in May 2019. After a challenging 2020 campaign that included a bout with COVID-19 and a disqualification victory over Jonathan Oquendo, Herring punched his passport in April and knocked out former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton in Dubai. He now steps up against pound-for-pound talent and 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs), a former WBO featherweight world champion who vacated the title last year to move up to junior lightweight. Stevenson is 3-0 at junior lightweight, most recently picking up the interim WBO junior lightweight world title in June with a shutout decision over Namibia’s Jeremiah Nakathila. Stevenson has lost only a handful of rounds since turning pro in April 2017, a dominant run that’s included victories over the likes of Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz and Joet Gonzalez.

“2021 has been good to me so far. I started the year with a big fight and a major win over Frampton,” Herring said. “I look forward to finishing out the year the same way I started it, not only with another huge victory, but as a world champion. I have nothing else to say. I’m focused on October 23 and the fourth title defense of my WBO belt.”

Stevenson said, “Jamel had to fight me, or he would’ve been stripped of his world title. I boxed him into a corner, and I am going to take his world title in devastating fashion on October 23. I can’t wait to fight in front of the amazing fans in Atlanta. Trust me, you are going to see a show, and I will become a two-weight world champion.”

Ali Walsh’s Aug. 14 professional debut drew international media attention, and he knocked out Jordan Weeks in the opening round while wearing a pair of his grandfather’s old trunks. He’ll make his ring return in a city that hosted two of Muhammad Ali’s most memorable moments. State Farm Arena sits less than two miles from the Atlanta Olympic Cauldron Tower, where Ali lit the Olympic flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics. In October 1970, Ali fought Jerry Quarry at City Auditorium, his first fight in more than three years after being banned from the ring for refusing induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Ali Walsh’s second pro fight will come three days shy of the 51st anniversary of the Quarry fight, which Ali won by third-round knockout.

Ali Walsh said, “Atlanta welcomed my grandfather with open arms, and I am honored to fight there on a major world championship card. When Top Rank said I’d be fighting in Atlanta, I thought of my grandfather lighting the Olympic torch and his bout against Jerry Quarry. This will be a special evening for my entire family. The legend lives on.”

UNDEFEATED NO. 6 RANKED LIGHTWEIGHT USMAN NURMAGOMEDOV FACES PATRIK PIETILA DURING MAIN CARD OF BELLATOR 269: FEDOR VS. JOHNSON

LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA’s first-ever event in Russia just got even bigger, as BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson on Saturday, October 23 has officially added five more scintillating matchups.

As if the return of Russian legend Fedor Emelianenko wasn’t enough, two more of his countrymen join him on this stacked SHOWTIME-televised main card. Russian superstar and No. 6 ranked lightweight Usman Nurmagomedov (13-0) takes on Patrik Pietila (11-8), while former BELLATOR Heavyweight Champion Vitaly Minakov (22-1) makes his highly-anticipated return to action against No. 8 ranked heavyweight Said Sowma (7-2) in the co-main event of the evening.

Tickets for the massive event are on sale now and can be purchased at Kassir.ru. Additional matchups and SHOWTIME telecast details will be revealed soon.

The preliminary card of BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson has three confirmed bouts, with the homecoming of Russian submission ace Grachik Bozinyan (11-4) taking on former Cage Warriors Welterweight Champion Ross Houston (8-1), SBG-product and Irish star Brian Moore (14-7) squaring off with the BELLATOR-debuting Nikita Mikhailov (7-1) at 135-pounds, and sambo specialist Alexey Shurkevich (12-4) challenging the hard-hitting Christian Eckerlin (13-5) in a welterweight bout. Preliminary actionwill stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV.

Initially known for being the cousin of Russian superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov, undefeated No. 6 ranked lightweight Usman Nurmagomedov (13-0) has quickly made a name for himself and ascended into the 155-pound title conversation. Coming off a dominant victory in July and knockouts in five of his last six contests, the dangerous Russian looks primed and ready to continue his climb for a title shot with a win over Pietila, while putting on a show for the country he calls home.

Stepping into the BELLATOR cage for the first time in over two years, the former BELLATOR Heavyweight Champion Vitaly Minakov (22-1) looks to remind the promotion’s heavyweight division how dangerous he is. With 20 of his 22 professional victories coming by way of stoppage, the four-time sambo world champion takes on No. 8 ranked heavyweight Said Sowma (7-2) in a fight that will instantly throw his name into the title picture if Minakov emerges victorious.

Replacing the injured Tyrell Fortune, the American Top Team-product Said Sowma (7-2) didn’t hesitate at the opportunity to welcome Vitaly Minakov back to the BELLATOR cage. Fresh off a highlight reel first-round knockout over UFC veteran Ronny Markes and debuting at No. 8 on the BELLATOR heavyweight rankings, the 28-year-old has finished five of his seven professional victories and plans on making a huge statement over the former champion in enemy territory.

Updated BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson Card:

Heavyweight Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (39-6, 1 NC) vs. #2-Tim Johnson (15-7)

Heavyweight Bout: Vitaly Minakov (22-1) vs. #8-Said Sowma (7-2)

160-pound contract weight bout: #6-Usman Nurmagomedov (13-0) vs. Patrik Pietila (11-8)

Welterweight Bout: Andrey Koreshkov (24-4) vs Rustam Khabilov (24-4)

Preliminary Card:

Bantamweight Bout: Brian Moore (14-7) vs. Nikita Mikhailov (7-1)

Welterweight Bout: Grachik Bozinyan (11-4) vs. Ross Houston (8-1, 1 NC)

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Irina Alekseeva (3-1) vs. Stephanie lelo Page (5-2)

Welterweight Bout: Alexey Shurkevich (12-4) vs. Christian Eckerlin (13-5)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

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About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About SHOWTIME

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS, and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Amazon, Apple®, Google, LG Smart TVs, Oculus Go, Roku®, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Viewers can also watch on computers at Showtime.com. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

SHAKAN PITTERS: “NOW MY MINDSET IS TO WIN IN DRAMATIC FASHION!”

London, UK (31 August 2021) Concession of his cherished British title late last year has convinced Birmingham light-heavy ace Shakan Pitters to transform from a tidy technician into a terminator ahead of his return to the Coventry Skydome Arena, live and free on Channel 5.

Though felled in round four, the 6ft 6in skyscraper believes he had clawed his way ahead after eight rounds of his maiden defence against Craig ‘Spider’ Richards, only to be dropped and stopped (whilst back upright), late in round nine. The complacency of cruising is something he now intends to curtail.

‘Previously, I’ve been too content to box to victory. Maybe I got too comfy. It’s changed my mentality. Now I won’t fight to decisions even though I’ve got the technical ability to dominate distance fights,’ claims the 32 year old ex logistics worker who claimed his crown four months earlier with a comprehensive 12 round decision over Chad Sugden.

True to his word, the high-rise Brummie bounced back with a brutal fifth round butchering of Bradford’s useful Jermaine Springer at Coventry’s Skydome last May.

Pitters’ presence certainly enriches promoter Mick Hennessy’s stellar show – headlined by Sam Eggington’s WBC Silver Middleweight title against unbeaten French rival Bilel Jkitou – when he takes Amsterdam’s experienced Farouk Daku over eights rounds.

‘Now my mindset is to win in dramatic fashion. I know what power I possess when I hold my feet. Jermaine was a strong kid but I felt I had to make a statement,’ says Pitters who can boast three clean knockouts in his five stoppage wins.

Formerly an Ultimate Boxxer, English and British champion, the Richards’ reverse represents the only stain on Shak’s 16 fight pro slate

‘I was boxing well, winning the fight but, up at this weight, all the best boys can hit and ‘Spider’ got a punch off,’ recalls the ex-West Bromwich Albion trainee.

‘It’s not as though it was a one-sided beating. The ref did his job but there were only about 15 seconds left in the round, in a title fight, and I was up. I can’t control the critics.

‘I trained to win as always but the better man won on the night. You just have to learn and move on. I learnt a lot, there’s improvements to be made. It’s part of my journey. You have to be graceful in defeat as well as victory and try to move forward. If we did it again, I’m sure I’d get the win, 100%. I’m a better boxer and I’ll never be beaten on heart. But I can’t become pre-occupied with chasing one fight.’

Alas, with Covid rampant, the finest night of Pitter’ four year fighting career, his coronation against Midland rival Sugden, transpired at an empty production studio in Redditch.

‘It was a bit of an anti-climax,’ concedes the string bean sharpshooter.

‘I’d have loved to have shared the night with my family and friends, snapping photos of me live rather than snapping their TV screens at home but I know they were all with me in spirit. Now they can return, I intend to give them their monies worth and win in dramatic fashion.’

So what of the future? The ex-champ, who is managed by Jon Pegg and coached by father-son duet Paul and Louis Counihan at the city’s thriving Eastside gym, was already 28 when committing to the profession in March 2017 and time is no longer a friend.

‘I may be 32 but I’m low mileage. I believe my fitness and power are as good as they’ve ever been,’ insists Pitters whose father Colin and uncle Rob were both respected pros.

‘With the likes of Joshua Buatsi, Callum Johnson, ‘Spider’, Lyndon Arthur, Anthony Yarde, the division is thriving and the fans need to get behind it. If I had a choice, a rematch with Spider would be top but I’d fight any of them. I’m scared of nobody and I’m confident of beating all of them. I bring a lot of advantages and I know what I’m capable of. You’ll notice there’s nobody calling me out.

‘I leave it to my team to navigate. One step at a time. If it made sense to fight for the British again, of course, I’d do it. I’d also love to fight for the European.

‘I’ve now been through the worst bit and never want to feel like that again. Look, there are other ways to make good money but my motivation has always been my little five year old daughter. She’s my pride, always utmost in my heart. Boxing has always been more of a passion in my family and I want to be the one who took it the furthest.’ finished the Brummie.

Tickets are available to purchase now from only £40* from the Coventry Skydome Arena website https://iceaccount.co.uk/championship-boxing

MEDIA ACCREDITATION

To apply for media accreditation to attend the Coventry Skydome Area show on Friday 10th September please CLICK HERE
For further information go to www.hennessysports.com or social media: Facebook @HennessySports, Twitter @HennessySports and Instagram @hennessysports

HOLLYWOOD FIGHT NIGHTS RETURNS! Thursday, September 16 at the Quiet Cannon – Montebello Country Club

Los Angeles, CA (August 30, 2021) Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions and Roy Jones Jr. Boxing in association with World Cup Boxing Series have announced an outstanding ten-bout card of world class boxing for the return of the acclaimed Hollywood Fight Nights series on Thursday, September 16 at the Quiet Cannon – Montebello Country Club and streamed live exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS^®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports (10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT).

“We are excited to have so many quality fights on the Hollywood Fight Nights show September 16,” said Loeffler. “We’ve had a tremendous reaction from the fans and media to this event. Quiet Cannon will provide a scenic location and great atmosphere for this show. There is a great mix of world class fighters and local fighters which will provide a full night of entertaining fights. We look forward to working with UFC Fight Pass, who will broadcast the show and want to acknowledge Roy Jones Jr Boxing and World Cup of Boxing.”

Remaining tickets are Now On-Sale for The VIP Boxing Experience. Priced at $125 (VIP Ringside/SOLD-OUT), $100 (Preferred Seating), $80 (SOLD-OUT) and $60 (General Admission Seating) tickets may be purchased online at www.360Promotions.us and through the interactive seating chart by clicking HERE. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. PT. For more information on the venue please visit www.QuietCannon.com.

Headlining Hollywood Fight Nights, heavy-handed super welterweight Serhii ‘El Flaco’ Bohachuk, (19-1, 19 KOs) battles veteran southpaw Raphael ‘Trouble’ Igbokwe, (16-2, 7 KOs), of Houston, TX. Following a first-round knockout of Brandon Baue on July 17, 2021, the 26-year-old Ukrainian Bohachuk, trained by the renowned Manny Robles looks to stay in the win column against the upset-minded Texan. The 28-year-old Igbokwe is riding a three-bout winning streak, most recently knocking out Juan Carlos Rodriguez in the third round on January 30, 2021 in Heredia, Costa Rica. Bohachuk is currently ranked #13 by the World Boxing Council.

Co-featured, Ali Akhmedov, (16-1, 12 KO’s), training out of Los Angeles, CA with Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin and promoted by GGG Promotions clashes with David Zegarra, (34-5, 21 KOs),of Lima, Peru, currently training in Mexico City, in an eight-round light heavyweight bout. A native of Almaty, Kazakhstan and guided by acclaimed trainer Johnathon Banks, the 26-year-old Akhmedov looks to get back into the win column following a hotly contested battle with Carlos Gongora on December 18, 2020. The battle-tested Zegarra also looks to return to the win column after a tough loss to former world champion David Lemieux.

In the light-heavyweight division over eight rounds, Rafayel Simonyan, (9-1, 8 KOs), of Vanadzor, Armenia faces Adrian ‘Montu-Ra’ Taylor, (11-1, 4 KOs), of Dallas, TX. The 27-year-old Simonyan, trained by the world-famous Abel Sanchez, returns to action after a disputed loss via eight-round majority decision to Abraham Tebes on March 5, 2021 in Kissimmee, FL. Taylor heads into the clash with Simonyan riding a four-bout winning streak, lastly winning a unanimous decision over German Perez on December 21, 2019.

Fighting in the super featherweight division in a battle of top undefeated local prospects, Adrian ‘Bam Bam’ Corona, (7-0, 1 KOs) of Rialto, CA battles Daniel ‘The Dawg’ Robles, (7-0-1, 5 KOs), scheduled for six rounds. A staple at Hollywood Fight Nights and trained by the legendary Ben Lira, Corona hits the ring for the first time since October 27, 2019, where he was victorious with a unanimous decision over Emmanuel Castro. Fighting for the fifth time in 2021, the busy Robles returns after a first-round knockout of Jahir Everson on August 6, 2021.

In a special attraction female amateur bout, WBC Amateur Junior Featherweight Champion Chantel Navarro of Glendale, CA will face 18-year-old Daniela Rojas in a featherweight bout. The 17-year-old Navarro, a six-time amateur national champion, recently signed an exclusive multi-year sponsorship deal with NIKE.

Trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, light heavyweight Marco Deckmann, (5-1, 4 KOs), of North Hollywood, CA will fight in a scheduled six rounder against Alejandro ‘Mexique’ Fugon,

(3-0-1, 3 KOs), of Palmdale, CA. Deckmann comes off a first-round knockout of Juan Antonio Lopez Fonseca on June 5, 2021, while Fugon looks to bounce back into the win column following a split draw with Gerardo Aldama Cuevas on July 31, 2021.

In a battle of locally based undefeated female lightweights, Elvina ‘Warrior’ White, (5-0, 2 KOs), of Los Angeles, CA battles Chelsey Anderson, (3-0, 1KOs), of Yorba Linda, CA in a four rounder. A native of Austria, White heads into battle after a fourth-round knockout of Katarina Vistica on December 12, 2020 in Germany. Anderson returns to action following a unanimous decision over Anyela Lopez on December 6, 2019 in Phoenix, AZ

In the super featherweight division, Eric Mondragon, (3-0-1, 2 KOs), of Maywood, CA will battle an opponent to be named in a four-rounder. The 22-year-old Mondragon looks to return to the win column following a majority draw on June 11, 2020 against Mike Danny Sanchez in Las Vegas, NV.

Scheduled for four rounds in the lightweight division, 19-year-old Ruben ‘Gallito’ Islas, (1-0, 1KO), of Los Angeles, CA will face pro debuting Raymond Grajeda of La Mirada, CA.

Rounding out the card, Irish amateur standout Callum Walsh will make his professional debut in a four-round super welterweight bout against Donnis Reed, of Lemon Grove, CA, a veteran of thirteen professional bouts. Trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, the 20-year-old European Junior Gold Medalist and six-time Irish National Champion has recently been sparring with Gabriel Rosado at the Wild Card Boxing Gym.

More information on this exciting event will be announced shortly.

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SAM EGGINGTON: “IT’LL HAPPEN FOR ME AT WORLD LEVEL.”

London, UK (30 August 2021) After marginally missing the boat at 147lbs, warlord Sam Eggington claims world honours await in the super-welter or middleweight divisions once he gets past undefeated French ace Bilel Jkitou on Friday 10th September at the Coventry Skydome Arena, live and free on Channel 5.

The 5ft 11in ‘Savage’ seemed a shoe-in to score a world title shot back in 2017 when, just 23, he sat proudly on the British, Commonwealth and European thrones, having just lifted the prestigious Boxing Writer’s Young Boxer of the Year award.

The humble but hardy father of three recently crowbarred his way into the WBC middleweight listings and still just 27 and with esteemed new promoter Mick Hennessy piloting his ship, the nine-year pro is as confident as he’s ever been that global glory awaits.

‘I still believe it’ll happen for me at world level or I’d not still be doing it and that’s the truth,’ says Eggington who, having previously scalped Paulie Malignaggi, conquered a second world champion when bagging the WBC Silver strap against Carlos Molina in Coventry last May.

‘Mick goes to hell and back for his fighters. He’ll take me where I need to go. I just have to play my part by winning the fights.

‘I’m so much happier now. My coaches will vouch that I’ve never enjoyed training as much ever and that obviously helps. Before boxing was just a job. After I’d done my two sessions, you couldn’t pay me to do another. Today, I gladly do my own additional training, even when I’m out of camp.’

The Smethwick-born fan favourite acknowledges that his ‘anyone, anywhere’ mindset has proven costly in the past. Most recently, he conceded an IBF rating after narrowly and controversially succumbing to Ted Cheeseman over 12 rounds last August, a decision that still rankles.

‘It’s a double-edged sword. The fans love that I’ll face anyone but now I have to get clever,’ concedes Sam has been trained and managed by Jon Pegg for his entire career.

‘I’ve never had a pathway before. My best chance of success would still probably be down at 154 because the biggest middleweights are seriously big lads. I know the type of confidence my size gave me at welter. But an opening came with the WBC at middle. It could be a risk fighting up at 160 but I’d not have a WBC belt if I didn’t take the gamble.

‘With hindsight, I should’ve vacated the European title in 2017 because making welter got too hard. But people place far too much value into wins and losses. One loss won’t ever spoil my career. You just get back on the horse and push on.

‘I don’t want to go through the eliminator process but if I was given a shot at Ted for the British (super-welter) I’d take it at a heartbeat.’

Though Eggington’s cabinet is overloaded with the bounty he acquired as a ‘rock’em, sock’em 147lber, the Stourbridge slugger insists he is a different, improved beast up at the higher poundage.

‘Experience brings you on and, technically, there’s a bit more about me now,’ says Eggington.

‘At welter, I always knew I was bigger and stronger than the other lads. Up at a higher weight, I have to box differently, worry more about what’s coming back.’

On Friday 10th September, headlining the show at the Coventry Skydome Arena, live and free on Channel 5, the world contender walks the tightrope against 15-0 French dangerman Bilel Jkitou, knowing that a stellar showing will vault him further up the WBC rankings.

‘I honestly know very little about him. He’s unbeaten, works the body shots, has got funny hair! That’s it,’ quips Sam.

‘I seldom watch even my own fights back but I’ve good coaches who take care of that part. He’s certainly not fought anyone at the level I’ve operated at.

‘The Skydome was a decent venue with just half a crowd in May. At full capacity, it’ll be some atmosphere. I need to win well, look comfortable to improve my ranking. Win, lose or draw, I never disappoint.’

Tickets are available to purchase now from only £40* from the Coventry Skydome Arena website https://iceaccount.co.uk/championship-boxing

Falcao Dominates Dos Santos; Sets Sights on Super Middleweight Elite

Sao Paulo, Brazil (August 30, 2021) – Yamaguchi Falcao successfully moved up to the 168 pound division by dominating countryman Gilberto Perreira Dos Santos August 21 in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

The ten round contest between Falcao and Dos Santos was nationally televised in Brazil. The impressive performance earned Falcao the WBC Latino, WBC Feconsur and ABF Continental America Super Middleweight Titles.

With the victory, Falcao improved to 18-1-1 (8 KO’s) and is focused on facing any top 15 super middleweight in the immediate future.

“I am happy to have entertained my fans throughout Brazil during my last few fights. The goal remains the same for my team and I – we want to face the world’s best fighters. I feel great at 168 pounds and it doesn’t matter who they put me in with or where the fight takes place because I’ll be ready!”

Falcao’s promoter Jodi Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing Promotions is fully confident his fighter is up for the challenge and can hold his own with the best in the division.

“Yama’s vision is the exact same it was when he was campaigning at 160 pounds. He doesn’t care who he’s facing or where the fight is because he’ll be ready.”

Caliguire also believes the move up to 168 pounds only made Falcao stronger.

“Yama was a big middleweight and he won his medal in the Olympics at 178 pounds. He has more energy at super middleweight and continues to eat, sleep and dream boxing. I’ve got no doubt he can become a world champion!”

Falcao’s next bout takes place October 23 in Sao Paulo and will be nationally televised in Brazil.

Fans can follow Falcao on Instagram @YamaguchiFalcao. For more information on Fire Fist Boxing Promotions, visit Firefistboxing.net

Is Dmitry Bivol being used as puppet?

LAS VEGAS (August 30, 2021) – Many believe World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol (18-0, 11 KOs) is being used as a puppet by Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, preventing undefeated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs) from challenging Bivol in a battle of undefeated, world-class fighters.

“I know my team is pushing for this fight but we’ve yet to hear from Dmitry or his team,” Ramirez said. “I’m not sure if he’s being silenced but he should remember that he is the fighter and the voice to make things happen. Before my last fight, he yapped and called for this fight, but is now radio silent. I’m not sure if he needs permission from the higher-ups but, hopefully, he’s not just being used as cannon fodder.”

When the pandemic started, Bivol and Ramirez, the former World Boxing Organization (WBO) Super Middleweight World Champion, openly spoke about fighting each other in a major confrontation.

“Gilberto Ramirez is one of the top players in the light heavyweight division,” Bivol said. “We have talked about this fight for a long time. The time has come to bring this to a reality. We have trained together and some sparring as well. He is a professional and a gentleman. A very good fighter.

“He is an ex-world champion, he has proven to become one of the best, fights like this excite the fans. This is what boxing is all about, fighters where either boxer has a 50-percent chance of being victorious. We are both at the level that we can make a dynamic fight.”

“I think this is a great fight for boxing,” Ramirez explained, “the light heavyweight division, and ultimately for the fans. There’s great history in both Mexican and Russian boxing and hopefully this is something that brings excitement back to the light heavyweight division. Beyond that, I personally believe Bivol is the toughest champion and fight at the moment, and I hope that this caliber fight is the only one I’m in talks for going forward. Plus, we’ve talked about it for two years now, and it’s time to make it happen.

“Bivol is a great fighter and I know this will be the biggest challenge. I’ve seen his game improve every time we’ve met in the ring. He does everything well. He’s quick on his feet and throws great combinations with power. At the same time, he brings a high IQ into the ring, which always makes it a challenge. He’s not world champion by a fluke or design. This guy is probably one of the most disciplined fighters I’ve seen in a while.”

Before and after Ramirez’ recent knockout victory over Sullivan Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs), Bivol wished Ramirez good luck in hopes that they could fight later this year, and it appeared to be a lock. Suddenly, though, Bivol shifted gears and challenged WBA and WBC Super Middleweight Champion “Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (56-1-2, 38 KOs), at either 168 or 175 pounds. Ramirez understood, realizing “Canelo” is boxing’s rainmaker.

When Bivol realized he wasn’t getting the fight with “Canelo,” instead of then returning his attention to fighting “Zurdo,” he went completely dark.

Why? The stars are aligned and Bivol and Ramirez are both available as neither has an upcoming fight lined up, in addition to both fighters having fought on DAZN, whose purse strings are controlled by Hearn.

Out of nowhere, Hearn announced last week that he wants to match Bivol in October at O2 Arena in London, against super middleweight John Ryder (29-5, 16 KOs), a relatively obscure southpaw from London, at least outside of the United Kingdom, who is supposed to be fighting David Morrell for the WBA regular title. Two fights ago, Ryder lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Callum Smith, and Ryder’s most recent fight was a 10-round unanimous decision win against somebody named (12-5-1) Mike Guy.

Ryder has never fought as a light heavyweight and if Bivol was an independent thinker, not Hearn’s puppet, he wouldn’t even consider fighting Ryder, never mind allow Hearn to grandstand. What would a win over Ryder prove? His last challenger, Craig Richards, was undeserving of a world title fight, yet Bivol went the distance with him.

No mention of Ramirez!

Hearn even went one step further, claiming he wants to put Bivol in against 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Joshua Buatsi (15-0, 13 KOs) next March.

No mention of Ramirez, or course!

The 30-year-old Ramirez is currently rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and No. 5 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF), as well as No. 9 in The Ring independent rankings.

True superstars in boxing need epic fights and rivalries to secure their place in boxing history. In that respect, Bivol and Ramirez need to fight each other, because both fighters have defeated only one world champion each, Jean Pascal for Bivol, Arthur Abraham for “Zurdo.”

Boxing fans are always clamoring for blockbuster match-ups. Bivol and Ramirez are a combined 60-0 (39 KOs), world champions, and have fought on DAZN. There’s no good reason for Bivol vs. “Zurdo” not to happen, unless Hearn pulls Bivol’s puppet strings in a different direction.

“I would be surprised if Bivol looks for another opponent,” Ramirez concluded. “This is the fight fans are looking for! At the end of the day, I know he’s a good fighter and hopefully he stands by what he says.”

Isn’t it time for Bivol to speak for himself and demand that Hearn make a historic match against “Zurdo?”

INFORMATION:

Website: www.ZurdoPromotions.com

Instagram: @zurdoramirez, @zurdopromotions

Twitter: @ZurdoPromotions, @GilbertoZurdoRamirez

LIVE VIDEO: Paul vs. Woodley: Post-Fight Press Conference | SHOWTIME PPV

Paul Decisions Woodley

Jake Paul remained undefeated with an eight-round sPLIT decision over former UFC Welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in front of over 16,000 fans at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland.

Paul landed 71 of 207 punches; Woodley was 52 of 163.

Paul, 190 lbs of Cleveland won by scores of 78-74 and 77-75, while won a card 77-75.

Paul is now 4-0. Woodley, 189 1/2 lbs of Saint Louis, MO is 0-1.

For Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley photos (more to come), scorecard and punch stats using this link HERE

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14gBkan0EapOfeQOmZgJzmPz5jqX-Zcss?usp=sharing

Photo Credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

JAKE PAUL

“I don’t know what to say. He was a tough opponent and he’s been fighting for so many years and I’m still new to this. My legs felt weird, I wasn’t sure what was wrong with me. All respect to Tyron though. He’s a Hall of Famer and put up a good fight. I have nothing but respect for him. There’s no hard feelings. This feels amazing to do this for my city and it’s a dream come true

“He hit me with one shot the whole fight, and it was a good shot. It was one real good shot. I don’t know what that one judge saw. But l still got the victory. For me to come here and go eight rounds in my fourth fight, who does that? I’m doing things that have never been done.

“We’ll see who’s next. I’ve been fighting for 18 months now. I haven’t got my hair cut in two years. I haven’t stopped for a second. I’m just going to figure out what’s next.”

TYRON WOODLEY

“I feel like I won the fight. Jake is a great opponent. I didn’t expect him to eat my punches like that. But the fact that one judge only gave me two rounds is insane. Forget that Tommy Fury fight. Let’s run that back.

“Nobody is going to sell the PPV like we did. The ropes held him up when I hit him. I could have had that knockdown. I walked him down and landed back time and time again. I landed power punches, he missed shots all night.”

Serrano Decisions Mercado; Retains Featherweight titles

Amanda Serrano retained her WBC/WBO Featherweight titles with a 10-round unanimous decision over 122-lb world champion Yamileth Mercado.

In round nine, Mercado had a mouse for med under her left eye. Later in the round

Serrano landed 160 of 577 punches; Mercadro was 95 of 302.

Serrano, 124 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93 and is now 41-1-1. Mercado, 124 lbs of Chihuahua, MEX is 18-3.

AMANDA SERRANO

“I had a tough Mexican in front of me tonight. She’s a champion in her own weight class, but I hope I made everyone proud and happy and that SHOWTIME will have me back again. I’m hoping that I made some of these people here fans of women’s boxing and that I made the sport proud.

“I don’t want to say that I’m No. 1 pound-for-pound, because there are great female fighters like Claressa Shields. As long as I’m at the top with fighters like her, then I’m good.

“I want that fight with Katie Taylor in the future. First I want to fight the other featherweight champions and become undisputed in my weight class. Then we’ll have two undisputed champions against each other when Katie and I fight.”

DuBois Blows Out Cusumano inside of 1

Daniel Dubois made a statement in his American debut as he stopped Juiseppe Cusumano inside of the 1st round of their scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout.

DuBois dropped Cusumano three times. The first was set up by a left hook that was followed by a right hand to the side of the head that sent Cusumano to the canvas. The 2nd knockdown cam from a combination on the inside. DuBois finished off the fight as DuBois laded a right to the jaw that was followed by a right to the head that folded Cusumano to the canvas at 2:10

DuBois, 238 lbs of London is 17-1 with 16 knockouts. Cusumano, 235 1/2 lbs of Danville, VA is 17-4.

DANIEL DUBOIS:

“You don’t get paid for overtime. I had a great performance and had the best training camp ever.

“I want to fight for a world title. I want to fight the best. It’s going to come soon. Whoever’s next. I want to fight for a world title.

“It was a great week. Amazing atmosphere. Good crowd and energy. I loved it.

Love Stops Baranchyk After 7

Montana Love scored the biggest win of his career and remained undefeated by stopping former world champion Ivan Baranchyk after round seven of their scheduled 10-round junior welterweight bout.

At the end of round seven, Love landed a perfect counter left that sent Baranchyk down to the canvas. Branahcyk, who never seemed to get on track had the plug pulled on the fight after the 7th frame.

Love, 141 lbs of Cleveland, OH is now 16-0-1 with eight knockouts. Baranchyk, 140 1/4 lbs of Miami, FL is 20-3.

MONTANA LOVE

“I want to say thank you to everyone who came out tonight. Hopefully I gained some fans. It’s an amazing feeling. It’s very emotional to have this moment in my hometown.

“This is a dream come true. I’m in training everyday thinking about and visualizing this moment. I want to thank Ivan for giving me this opportunity and helping us give the fans a great show.

“We’d been working on that uppercut the whole time during training. The game plan was to move and box him and make him miss. We knew that eventually he was going to open up.

“Strap me up. We’ve been working hard and now it’s my time. I want Josh Taylor and Gervonta Davis. Line them up and we can make it happen, as soon as possible.”

Fury Decisions Taylor

Tommy Fury remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Anthony Taylor in a crruiserweight bout.

Fury landed 73 of 179 punches; Taylor was 29 of 113.

Fury, 179 lbs of Manchester, ENG won by scores of 40-36 and is now 7-0. Taylor, 175 lbs of Alemeda, CA is 0-2.

TOMMY FURY

“I thought I had a good performance. You can’t forget that I only had 10 amatuer fights and my dad wasn’t here with me tonight. I had a great time fighting in front of all these lovely people.

“Jake Paul should have an easy night against me right? He has no excuse to not take the fight. Let’s get it on Jake Paul. I’ve done my part, now you do your part Jake, and we’ll get it on.

“I’m a novice in this game and I know that I have to work on everything. I’m nowhere near a finished product. I’m learning every single day and I’m just thankful to be here healthy and talking to you.

“I was nervous, but at the end of the day, we get in the ring and we fight. Day by day, second by second, I’m getting better and I’m learning. We’re going to get there slowly, but we’re going to get there surely.”

ANTHONY TAYLOR

“I felt like I stole rounds three and four. It could have gone either way. I controlled the middle of the ring and I backed him up. I of course feel like there was some bias because everyone wants to see Fury fight Jake Paul.

“I was more active and threw more body shots. I’m happy with my performance, now it’s up to the powers that be if they want me back. I appreciated this opportunity that I got.

“Everyone said he was going to knock me out in the first round, but obviously I gave him trouble. I’m not happy that the scores were unanimous.”

FOLLOW PAUL – WOODLEY LIVE!!

Follow all the action as Jake Paul takes on Tyron Woodley. The action begins at 8 PM ET with a four-fight undercard featuring a title defense by Amanda Serrano. Also featured Daniel DuBois, Ivan Baranchyk and Tommy Fury

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED. THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.

8 Rounds–Cruiserweights–Jake Paul (3-0, 3 KOs) vs Tyrone Woodley (PD)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
Paul	10	10	10	9	9	10	10	9					77
Woodley	9	9	9	10	10	9	10	10					76

Round 1: Paul lands a right to the body..Double jab…right to the body..Combination…2 rights to body from Woodley..

Round 2 Right from Paul..Right to body…let to head..

Round 3 Good right from Paul..Right to body…Left to head…Lead right uppercut

Round 4 Paul Lands a right to the body..Right hand rocks Paul…Jab from Woodley

Round 5 Right uppercut from Woodley…

Round 6 Left hook from Paul…Jab..Left hook…

Round 7 Left from Woodley…counter right from Paul

Round 8 Jab from Woodley..Right…

77-75 for PAUL…77-75 FOR WOODLEY….78-74 FOR PAUL

10 ROUNDS–WBC/WBO FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE–AMANDA SERRANO (40-1-1, 30 KOS) VS YAMILETH MERCADO (18-2, 5 KOS)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
SERRANO	9	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10			99
MERCADO	10	9	9	10	9	9	9	9	9	9			92

Round 1 Right from Mercado…Right hand..Body shot from Serrano

Round 2 Jab from Serrano…2 rights…

Round 3 Left hook from Mercado…Body work from Serrano…Left from Mercado..Right hook from Serrano…Boy shot

Round 4 Right from Serrano..Left From Mercado…Body shot from Serrano…Trading lefts..Mercado lands a left

Round 5 2 rights from Mercado…Counter from Serrano..Hard jab..2 body shots

Round 6 Lead left hook from to body from Mercado…Big uppercut from Serrano..Left to the body..

Round 7 Serrano continues to pressure

Round 8 Sweeping left from Mercado…Body shot from Serrano..left from Mercado…More body work rom Serrano..Right from Mercado..Combination from Serrano..

Round 9 Straight left from Serrano…Body shot..Mouse under the left eye of Mercado…Serrano landing …Mercado cut under the left eye

Round 10 Looping left from Mercado…Body shot from Serrano…left to the head..Big counter left…Short right hook…Left from Mercado..Big left from Serrano

97-93; 98-92 and 99-91 for AMANDA SERRANO

10 Rounds–Heavyweights–Daniel DuBois (16-1, 15 KO’s) vs Juiseppe Cusumano (19-3, 17 KOs)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
DuBois*	KO
Cusumano

Round 1: Cusumano lands a right…RIGHT HAND AND DOWN GOES CUSUMANO..Right uppercut from DuBois…BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES CUSUMANO.. 2 MORE CHOPPING RIGHTS AND DOWN GOES CUSUMANO…FIGHT STOPPED

10 Rounds–Junior Welterweights–Ivan Baranchyk (20-2, 13 KOs) vs Montana Love (15-0-1, 7 KOs)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
Baranchyk	9	9	10	9	9	9	8						63
Love*	10	10	9	10	10	10	10						69

Round 1 Straight left from Love…Body combination. Double jab and straight left
Round 2 Body shot from Love..Check hook..Counter left…Nice left
Round 3 Right from Baranchyk..Rght and left…Left..Right hurts Love…Hard right…Hard right…Good right hook from Love
Round 4 Nice left hook from Baranchyk…Right…Straight left from Love…Left to the jaw…Hard left..Counter to the body…Right from Baramchyk…
Round 5 Right hook from Love…3 punch combination…1-2 from Love…left…Right hook..Left…..Big right from Batranchyk
Round 6 Double Jab from Love…Short left,..1-2…Lead left..1-2…Right from Baranchyk..Left hook to the body
Round 7 Combination from Love..Right hook..COUNTER LEFT AND DOWN GOES BARANCHYK….FIGHT STOPPED IN CORNER AFTER ROUND

4 Rounds–Cruiserweights–Tommy Fury (6-0, 4 KOs) vs Anthony Taylor (0-1)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
Fury *	10	10	10	10									40
Taylor	9	9	9	9									36

Round 1 Right from Fury…Show shine from Taylor…Right uppercut from Fury..Right..Right from Taylor…Uppercut from Fury…Another right
Round 2 Jab from Fury…series of body shots…Couple of rights…
Round 3 Uppercut from Fury…Body shot..
Round 4 Left from Fury…Uppercut…

40 -36 on all cards for FURY

Tyler “Short Fuse” Tomlin Scores KO against Ira Terry Remains Undefeated

CHEATHAM COUNTY, TN (August 29, 2021) – Last night in front of a sold out crowd at the Oak Grove Racing and Gaming Hotel, popular lightweight prospect, Tyler “Short Fuse” Tomlin (12-0, 8 KOs), of Cheatham County, TN, remained unbeaten with an inspiring knockout victory over veteran Ira “Mr. Showtime” Terry (27-17, 16 KOs). The card was promoted by Tri-Star Boxing.

In the early rounds, Tomlin had to make an adjustment to Terry’s speed and lateral movement, by mounting a body attack that slowed down the native Memphis, Tennessee. In the fifth round, Tomlin landed a right hook to the head, followed by a left to the temple, sending Terry to the canvas. The referee stopped the bout after Terry couldn’t continue.

“Ira Terry showed a lot of heart in this fight and I had to figure him out before I stopped him,” said Tyler Tomlin, who is promoted by DiBella Entertainment. “His movement and speed were giving me problems in the first couple of rounds, but I made the adjustment, and got him out of there. My dad told me to start going to the body and that advise was the key to victory. He started to break down once I started pounding his body.”

“It’s unbelievable what Ty has been able to accomplish when it comes to selling tickets, as the venue of over a thousand people was completely sold out,” said Darryl Tomlin, who co-manages is son with Peter Fernandez, while taking on the role of coach and trainer. “Ira was coming off a nice win against an opponent with a good record, so we knew we were going to have to be on our game to come out on top. Ty showed he has what it takes to dig deep to win a fight.”

Tomlin, who is a massive ticket seller in his home state of Tennessee, was thrilled to be fighting at home in front of family and friends.

“Although the fight was in Kentucky, the venue is less then an hour from my hometown of Cheathem County,” Tomlin continued. “I wanted to put on a great show for my fans and I was able to do that with a knockout. The energy of the crowed as exhilarating and it motivated me during this fight. I’ll be talking with my promoter, Lou DiBella, about what’s next, and hopefully I’ll be back in the ring soon. I want to thank everyone who came out and supported me.”

“THE COME UP” RESULTS FROM DERRY, N.H.

DERRY, N.H. (August 29, 2021) – New England Heavyweight Champion “Fly” Mike Marshall dominated Jose “Olympico” Corral from start to finish, headlining last night’s “The Come Up” professional card, presented by Granite Chin Promotions, at New England Sports Center, in Derry, New Hampshire.

An amateur card at night completed the day-night doubleheader, highlighted by three championship matches of the inaugural Granite Chin Invitational.

“This was a crucial set-up fight for Mike, who it appears will be fighting on the Fury-Wilder III card against,” Granite Chin president Chris Traietti said. “We hope to sign a contract next week. This was a big fight for Quintan Sumpter as well. We’ll find out next week, but all signs are pointing in the right direction. Despite this being a smaller Granite Chin show, implications were bigger, and Quinton may be fighting on Fury-Wilder III, too.

“The start to the Granite Chin Invitational wasn’t ideal, but we ended up with some good amateur boxers from New England. It takes time to build just like Granite Chin. I’m going to keep at it until I make this the marquee amateur tournament in New England.”

In a non-title fight, Marshall concentrated on a body attack early and often to wear down his tough Mexican opponent Corral (20-27, 12 KOs). The constantly learning Marshall, fighting out of Danbury, Connecticut, worked 10 invaluable rounds in terms of his relatively young boxing career, winning a shutout decision (100 X 3, Corral penalized 1 point for hitting behind the head)

In the co-featured event, welterweight Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (6-0, 5 KOs) dazzled once again, methodically breaking down Dewayne Wisdom (7-59-2, 3 KOs), until the ending came by knockout via a single punch in round two.

In a battle of Springfield (MA) light heavyweights, Laurent Humes (2-0, 2 KOs) used stiff jabs and crisp counters to drop Jesus Cintron twice in the opening round, the final time with a body shot, for an impressive technical knockout win.

Light heavyweight Steve Sumpter (1-0, 1 KO), whose older brother Quinton fought one fight prior to his, flashed his skills from his southpaw stance, flooring Tahlik Taylor (3-19-1, 1 KO) twice in the opening round, the latter time ending the fight with a straight left to Taylor’s nose.

2020 New England Novice Golden Gloves champion Quinton Sumpter (1-0, 1 KO) turned in an auspicious pro debut, landing a strong right cross that knocked out heavyweight Gabriel Aguilar (0-1) in the first round.

In his professional debut, lanky middleweight Jamer Jones (1-0, 1KO) effectively used his decisive height and reach advantage, decking Carlos Galindo (1-18) three times in round one, and he closed the show in the second with a sweet left hook.

Undefeated heavyweight Dennis Nolan (3-0, 3 KOs) registered a one-punch knockout of Andre Nolan (0-2) late in the opening round.

Junior middleweight Carlos Castillo (3-0, 3 KOs) remained undefeated, landing one powerful right hand that left Jader Alves (0-12) leg-less and in trouble, when the referee waved-off the fight in the fourth round.

Cruiserweight Raphael Torres (1-0, 1 KO) won his pro debut against a game Scott “Scotty Bombs” Lampert (2-3, 2 KOs), stopping him with one-second remaining in the third round.

Promising middleweight prospect Josniel “TG” Castro (5-0, 3 KOs), fighting out of Baton Raton (F), floored Aquilano Brandao (0-7) four times en route to a first round technical knockout victory. Castro, who grew up in Lawrence (MA), dedicated the fight to his childhood friend, U.S. Marine Sgt. Johanny Rosario, who died in the recent Afghanistan bombing.

Light heavyweight Jeff Esposito (1-0) won a 4-round split decision against Hiram Aponte (0-1) in a battle of pro debut fighters.

Local fan favorite “El Gallo” Kevin Rodriguez (2-1, 1 KO) simply overwhelmed lightweight Brandon Ruffin (0-6), battering him to the canvas with a flurry of punches, and closing the show moments later with an overhand right midway through round one.

Two-time World cruiserweight title challenger Junior “Hurricane” Wright (18-4-1, 15 KOs) opened the afternoon segment of the doubleheader with a first-round technical knockout of Alfredo “Choncho” Trevino. Wright connected on a perfectly placed left hook to Trevino’s chin.

Three Granite Chin Invitational Champions Crowned

The Granite Chin Invitational, sanctioned by USA Boxing, winners were lightweight Jaydell Pazmino, welterweight Apostolus Lolas, and middleweight Wade Faria. Six non-tournament matches were also held.

JAKE PAUL VS. TYRON WOODLEY FINAL WEIGHTS

CLEVELAND, Ohio (August 28, 2021) – Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley both made weight and faced off for the final time at the Keybank State Theatre ahead of their blockbuster SHOWTIME PPV event tomorrow night, Sunday, August 29 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Paul’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.

Final weights and commission officials for the stacked five-fight SHOWTIME PPV card are below. Charles Conwell vs. Juan Carlos Rubio takes place prior to the pay-per-view.

Cruiserweight Bout (190-pound contract weight) – 8 Rounds

Jake Paul – 190 lbs.

Tyron Woodley – 189 ½ lbs.

Referee: George Nichols; Judges: Dana DePaolo (Penn.), Jaime Garayua (Ohio), Phil Rogers (Ohio)

WBC/WBO Featherweight World Championship – 10 Rounds

Amanda Serrano – 124 lbs.

Yamileth Mercado – 124 lbs.

Referee: Lonnie Scott; Judges: Stacy Blevins (Ohio), Dana DePaolo (Penn.), Jaime Garayua (Ohio)

Heavyweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Daniel Dubois – 238 lbs.

Juiseppe Angelo Cusumano – 235 ½ lbs.

Referee: George Nichols; Judges: Stacy Blevins (Ohio), Jaime Garayua (Ohio), Phil Rogers (Ohio)

Super Lightweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Ivan Baranchyk – 140 ¾ lbs.

Montana Love – 141 lbs.

Referee: Lonnie Scott; Judges: Stacy Blevins (Ohio), Dana DePaolo (Penn.), Jaime Garayua (Ohio)

Cruiserweight Bout (180-pound contract weight) – 4 Rounds

Tommy Fury – 179 lbs.

Anthony Taylor – 175 lbs.

Referee: George Nichols; Judges: Stacy Blevins (Ohio), Dana DePaolo (Penn.), Phil Rogers (Ohio)

Super Welterweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Charles Conwell – 153 lbs.

Juan Carlos Rubio – 153 ½ lbs.

Referee: Lonnie Scott; Judges: Dana DePaolo (Penn.), Jaime Garayua (Ohio), Phil Rogers (Ohio)

Tickets starting at $25 are still available via RocketMortgageFieldHouse.com.

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About Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley:

Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley is the headline attraction atop a stacked evening of professional boxing action presented by SHOWTIME PPV^® and Most Valuable Promotions in association with Holden Productions, live from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sunday, August 29 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The SHOWTIME PPV is available for purchase now at SHOWTIME.com and via the SHOWTIME app, and is available to order through all major cable, satellite and telco providers in the U.S. and Canada. Renowned content creator and undefeated professional boxer Jake “The Problem Child” Paul will take on the toughest challenge of his budding career in the former UFC champion Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley. Featured on the undercard is unified featherweight world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano defending her titles against super bantamweight champion Yamileth Mercado and the U.S. debuts of popular U.K. attractions Daniel Dubois and Tommy Fury in separate bouts.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @TWooodley and @ShowtimeBoxing, on Instagram via @JakePaul, @Twooodley and @ShowtimeBoxing, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LIVE BOXING: Tyler Tomlin v Ira Terry

LIVE VIDEO: Paul vs. Woodley: Weigh-In | SHOWTIME PPV

Juarez Decisions Contreras

Cesar Juarez won a 10-round unanimous over Dennis Contreras in a featherweight bout at the Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida

Juarez, 126 lbs won by scores of 96-94 twice, and 97-93 to raise his mark to 27-10. Contreras, 126 lbs is now 24-11-1.

Bryan Polaco remained undefeated by stopping Justin Gunter in a six-round junior middleweight bout.

In round five, Polaco dropped Gunter with a straight left, and the fight was stopped upon Gunter getting to his feet.

Polaco, 152 lbs is now 5-0 with four knockouts. Gunter, 151 lbs is 2-2.

LIVE BOXING: Promociones Paquime–Karina “La Bella” Fernandez v Leticia Uribe