LOS ANGELES (December 23, 2020) – Exciting unbeaten prospect Chávez Barrientes previewed his upcoming matchup against Paul Carroll before their super bantamweight showdown this Saturday, December 26 on FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.

The FS1 PBC Fight Night telecast begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and precedes the FOX PBC Fight Night broadcast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT which is headlined by unbeaten interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. challenging Mike Gavronski in a 12-round duel.

The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.

Here is what Barrientes (4-0, 3 KOs) had to say about his upcoming matchup and more:

On his recent training in Las Vegas, with his father and trainer Richard Barrientes:

“There is no place like Las Vegas when it comes to training. I’m constantly sparring top level fighters, because all the best talent in the sport comes to Vegas to train. My dad puts me in with a lot of good world class guys. All my sparring is with some of the best fighters in boxing. Training camp has been fantastic to say the least.”

On his matchup with Paul Carroll:

“We didn’t have much time to do research on Carroll because he was a last minute opponent. After looking at his record it shows that he has a lot of power because he’s knocked out everyone he’s beaten. I’m sure he’s going to want to slug it out so I’m preparing to go to war. I’ll be ready to fire back and counter anything he brings into this fight.”

On making his second televised appearance on FS1:

“Because I’m only 18-years old, I feel like I’m in the best possible position as opposed to other fighters my age. I’m with the best boxing organization, PBC, and fighting on the great FOX Sports networks. I’m going to take more risks in this fight and show the world why I deserve to be fighting on national television. I’m going to be more aggressive in this fight and give the fans something to talk about.”

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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 and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LOS ANGELES (December 23, 2020) – Super middleweight contenders Marcos “Madman” Hernandez and Alantez Fox will meet in a 10-round showdown headlining FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, December 26 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.

The telecast begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and features undefeated super bantamweight prospect Chavez Barrientes dueling Paul Carroll in a four or six-round special feature, plus unbeaten Radzhab Butaev faces fellow unbeaten Terry Chatwood in a welterweight fight to kick off the telecast.

FS1 PBC Fight Night precedes the FOX PBC Fight Night broadcast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by unbeaten interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. challenging Mike Gavronski in a 12-round duel.

The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.

Fighting out of Fresno, California, Hernandez (14-3-1, 3 KOs) has faced excellent competition in his career, battling a litany of tough fellow rising contenders. The 27-year-old Hernandez has twice faced former unified super welterweight champion Jeison Rosario, fighting to a draw in their first meeting before losing the rematch. He most recently lost a decision to Kevin Newman in November 2019, a rematch of a fight Hernandez won in 2017. He has taken down then unbeaten fighters in Newman and Thomas Hill in 2016.

The 28-year-old Fox (26-2-1, 12 KOs) was unbeaten in his first 23 fights, moving his way up the middleweight division until dropping a 2017 battle by decision to unbeaten champion Demetrius Andrade. Fighting out of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Fox rebounded with three-straight victories before losing in the U.K. to Liam Williams in December 2019. Most recently, Fox debuted at the full super middleweight limit against Habib Ahmed in a fight that was ruled a no-contest in August.

Barrientes (4-0, 3 KOs) and his twin brother and fellow prospect Ángel were born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and moved to Las Vegas when they were two-years-old. Barrientes and his brother were first introduced to the sport by their father Richard at an early age, with their interest and skill eventually prompting him to open his own gym. Barrientes’ U.S. debut came on the same show as his brother in October as he won a decision over Ivan Varela.

The South Carolina-native Carroll (4-1, 4 KOs) enters this fight with three-straight stoppage victories, having most recently won by TKO over Jayvonne O’Neal in February following two knockouts in 2019. Carroll turned pro in June 2017 with a knockout of Shaquille Harris.

A prolific amateur in his native Khasavyurt, Russia, Butaev (12-0, 9 KOs) now fights out of Brooklyn. The 27-year-old turned pro in 2016 and quickly began moving up the rankings, beating veterans Lanardo Tyner and Silverio Ortiz in 2019. Butaev’s last outing saw him drop a close decision for a vacant WBA welterweight title to Alexander Besputin, which was eventually ruled a no contest after Besputin tested positive for performance enhancers.

Chatwood (9-0-1, 5 KOs) added two victories to his ledger in 2019, stopping James Blake Franklin in April before defeating Juan Ocura in August. The Little Rock, Arkansas native returns to action looking to keep his unbeaten record intact since turning pro in 2016. Chatwood has won seven consecutive fights since a split-draw in 2016.

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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 and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

Undefeated WBA Super and Ring Magazine Light-Flyweight World Champion Hiroto Kyoguchi has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. 

The Japanese star (14-0, 9 KOs), who is managed by Eddy Reynoso, won the IBF 105lbs World Title by outpointing Jose Argumendo in July 2017, before making two defences of the Title against Carlos Buitrago and Vince Paras.

27-year-old Kyoguchi was crowned a two-weight World Champion when he stopped Hekkie Budler in ten rounds in December 2018 to earn the WBA and Ring Magazine Light-Flyweight belts, and has since made two successful defences against Tanawat Nakoon and Tetsuya Hisada. 

“I am confident that I will give it my all and show honour in this sport as a proud Japanese World Champion,” said Kyoguchi. “I’m ready!”

“I’m delighted to welcome two division World Champion and Ring Magazine king Hiroto Kyoguchi to the Matchroom Boxing team,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “As we continue our global expansion we welcome our first Japanese World Champion to Matchroom and look forward to our first show there in 2021. I look forward to a long and successful relationship with him and his manager Eddy Reynoso.”

“It is an honour to work with the best promoter in the world in Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing,” said Eddy Reynoso of No Boxing No Life management. “Thanks also to Hiroto Kyoguchi for having the confidence to let me represent him. We look forward to a big future together.”

December 23, 2020–TONIGHT!!! on fubo Sports Network, fights that feature former two-division world champion Ricky Hatton plus recent International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Andre Ward will be streamed on Classic Fight Night.

The bouts on tonight’s the show will be Hatton’s sensational performance against Jose Luis Castillo in a much anticipated bout that took place on June 23, 2007. Also on the show will be the June 10, 2000 fight between Hatton and Gilbert Quiros.

Ward, who just last week was named to the 2021 International Boxing Hall of Fame class, will have his April 29, 2006 bout against Andy Kolle showcased on the show. The fight was the 9th fight of Ward’s career.

The show begins at 8 PM ET.

About fubo Sports Network
Available on 75 million devices, fubo Sports Network is the live, free-to-consumer TV network featuring sports stories on and off the field. Launched by live TV streaming platform fuboTV (NYSE: FUBO) in September 2019, fubo Sports Network airs live sports, award-winning original programming and partner content from CampusLore, FanDuel, Stadium, The Players Tribune, USA TODAY and VSiN, among others. Stream for free on LG Channels, News on Tubi, Plex, Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel, Vizio Channels and XUMO or as part of fuboTV’s base subscription package of 100+ sports, news and entertainment channels.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please like the Banner Promotions Facebook Page, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing

This Thursday, December 24, at 1:30 pm ET (10:30 am PT), Salita Promotions will livestream a 19-fight afternoon matinee of international boxing on their popular YOUTUBE CHANNEL, free of charge from the Soviet Wings Sport Palace in Moscow, Russia.

The marathon boxing event, presented by Shamo Boxing in association with Salita Promotions, will feature a rugged 10-round battle for the WBA Asia Middleweight Championship between Saint Petersburg southpaw Evgeny Terentyev (16-3-0, 8 KOs) and Ukrainian veteran Viktor Plotnikov (33-9, 15 KOs) in the main-event.

In just his fourth fight, super middleweight prospect Pavel Siliyagin (4-0-0, 2 KOs) from Novosibirsk, Russia, will face 54-fight veteran Siarhei Khamitski (32-19-2, 14 KOs) from Minsk, Belarus, in the co-main event, scheduled for 10 rounds.

WBO #7 and IBF #8 bantamweight Nikolai Potapov (21-2-1, 11 KOs), of Podolsk, Russia, now residing Brooklyn, will return to the ring to take on Ukrainian contender Oleksandr Hryshchuk (16-2-1, 6 KOs) of Bilytske, Ukraine.

Just three fights into his pro career, Ruza, Russia’s undefeated Valery Oganisyan (3-0, 2 KOs) will take on capable Gelendzhik, Russia, veteran Dmitry Mikhaylenko (23-7, 10 KOs) for the Russian Super Lightweight Championship.

And in a special attraction, a definite prospect to watch, 2016 Olympic Gold Medallist Hasanboy Dusmatov (1-0, 1 KO) from Andijan, Uzbekistan, will face Russia’s Mirzamuhammad Mutalibov (1-2) from Novokuznetsk.

“I am honored to bring one of the last fight cards of the year to our worldwide YOUTUBE CHANNEL audience,” said promoter Dmitriy Salita. The show is going to showcase world-class fighters from every level of the developmental landscape – from Olympic Gold Medalist Hasanboy to one of the best bantamweights in the world, Nikolai Potapov.”

Calling the action in English for the above five featured fights will be Canada’s Corey Erdman, a commentary veteran for ESPN, NBC, CBS, SpikeTV, BoxNation, DAZN and SNY, as well as UFC Fight Pass’ recurring series Broadway Boxing. Erdman is also a lead columnist for Boxing Scene, and a regular combat sports contributor to VICE.

“I’m excited to be a part of delivering the holiday gift of live boxing to everyone this year,” said Erdman. “It’s great to see Nikolai Potapov back in action, and perhaps becoming a factor in the bantamweight division. Fans who follow amateur boxing are obviously excited to see Hasanboy Dusmatov’s second pro fight as well. With his pedigree, I’m sure it won’t be long before we’re talking about him in the world title picture.”

The livestream is part of Salita Promotions’ ever-expanding YOUTUBE CHANNEL, that already offers thousands of hours of past fights from many of the biggest names in boxing, free of charge, and attracts more than 5 million monthly views with 138,000 subscribers and hundreds of thousands of daily viewers.

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About Salita Promotions
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YouTube Channel for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.

New York, NY (12/22/20) – DiBella Entertainment (DBE) has signed undefeated Mexican American junior lightweight prospect Misael Lopez (11-0, 5 KOs) to an exclusive promotional agreement.

“I first saw Misael fight on one of my ShoBox undercards and was very impressed with how he handled the pressure as the underdog to come out victorious,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “I am friendly with his managers, Jerry Casarez and world champion Jamel Herring, who came to me with this opportunity, and I am happy to work with them and Lyle Green. Lopez is a great young talent with a bright future…and he’s willing to accept real fights to prove it.”

“I’m very blessed for this opportunity,” said Lopez. “I’m excited to work with a great promoter like Lou DiBella and am ready for what’s coming ahead.”

“Jamel Herring and I are thrilled to have our fighter sign with Lou DiBella,” said Jerry Casarez, of First To Fight Management. “Lou is a Hall-of-Fame promoter, who has worked with the biggest names in the sport, so I know the future is very promising for Misael Lopez.”

“We are very excited to have Misael as part of our team,” said Lyle Green, of Sheer Sports. “Misael is outstanding inside the ring and out. He is destined for greatness and we are looking forward to assisting him in his career.”

Lopez burst onto the national boxing stage when he upset unbeaten favorite James Wilkins on SHOWTIME’s “ShoBox” series via unanimous decision, on September 21, 2018, in Shawnee, OK. The versatile boxer-puncher controlled the action of the fast-paced eight-round affair, combating Wilkins’ pressure with a higher volume of punches and deft footwork.

He has since added two more victories to his record. Lopez’s most recent bout, on October 4, 2019, which he won via six-round unanimous decision against Nestor Robledo, was later overturned to a ‘No Contest’ after his post-fight drug test came back positive for marijuana.

“Misael suffered a career setback when his last win was changed to a ‘No Contest’ after he tested positive for weed. I think he’s learned his lesson, but I’m not going to blackball somebody because he smoked a joint,” said DiBella.

Born in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, Lopez moved with his family to the United States at the age of two, growing up in Denver, CO. Seeing his son bullied, Misael’s father, Ebenezer, who had an amateur boxing career and worked as a sparring partner for local, prominent fighters, decided to teach his son how to box so he could defend himself. Developing an affinity for the sweet science, a 10-year-old Lopez had his first amateur bout in 2006. Over the next 10 years, the athletic Lopez excelled at boxing and soccer, participating in high level competitions for both sports. As a boxer, Lopez compiled an amateur record of 50-5, winning gold medals at the 2008 Ringside World Championships, 2010 Colorado State Silver Gloves Tournament, Colorado State Golden Gloves Tournament twice in 2009 and 2015, and the 2015 Gene Lewis Invitational Tournament. Still trained by his father out of House of Pain Boxing Gym, in Aurora, CO, Lopez turned professional on May 21, 2016, and is now co-managed by First To Fight Management and Sheer Sports.

LOS ANGELES (December 22, 2020) – Interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. shared insights into his training camp and previewed his upcoming showdown against Mike Gavronski that headlines FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, December 26 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.

“Training for this fight has gone really well,” said Morrell. “I’ve been training in Minneapolis with my head trainer Sankara Frazier and my second trainer Adonis Frazier. For my last fight, I had no sparring because of all the restrictions with the pandemic. This time around has been different and I have gotten sparring. I’ve had Maidel Sando helping me with sparring and things have been going great in camp.”

The 22-year-old Morrell won his interim title in just his third professional fighter after arriving stateside from Cuba and turning pro in 2019. Morrell won the belt by defeating then unbeaten Lennox Allen via unanimous decision in PBC’s first fight on FOX after the pandemic this August. Despite that experience fighting during the pandemic, Morrell is not relying on it heading into Saturday, while taking lessons from his time in the ring instead.

“I don’t feel like my experience in ‘the bubble’ is an advantage, because I believe that I can adapt to any situation,” said Morrell. “I just want everything to go right once I step into the ring. That’s what I’m focused on.

“Against Allen I learned to control the timing and rhythm of the fight. I also learned to be calmer and more patient in the ring. Now I feel like I can go 12 rounds with anybody and still feel fresh. I think I know when to slow it down, as well as when to pick up the action and turn the heat up. I’m more confident knowing that I can go a full fight.”

Morrell’s rapid rise since turning pro will now see him take center stage as the primetime main event on FOX. Despite the speedy ascent, Morrell doesn’t feel any added pressure from the headlining position.

“I show out whenever it’s a big stage, so there’s no pressure,” said Morrell. “I’m just excited and can’t wait for the fans to see me back in action. I’m like anybody else that wants to be a champion and number one, I’m at my best in front of a big audience.

“Like any other athlete with big ambitions, I just want to prove that I’m the best. I want people to be happy to see me win and I have a strong desire to be the best in the world.”

In Gavronski, Morrell will face another opponent who laps him in pro experience, as the 34-year-old Gavronski has faced a slew of veteran contenders, including former title challenger Jesse Hart. Despite Gavronski having 10 times the number of pro fights as his opponent, Morrell still believes he is the one with more to prove.

“From what I’ve seen of him, Gavronski has fought some good fighters with good qualities,” said Morrell. “I think he’ll come in confident knowing that I’m only 22-years-old and have only three professional fights. But I’ll prove to him, and everyone else doubting me, that I’m here for a reason. He’s going to come to win, but so will I. Whoever’s best will emerge victorious.”

The super middleweight division is stacked with stars such as Canelo Alvarez, Caleb Plant and David Benavidez, giving Morrell no shortage of potential big fights in his future. For Morrell, he plans to continue to improve and be prepared when the opportunity comes to face the division’s best.

“The super middleweight division is one of the best in boxing,” said Morrell. “The titleholders right now deserve their recognition. They’ve become champions for a reason. But I’m going to be ready for them when I’m given the opportunity. It’s my job to be ready when that time comes.”

With a chance to close out the year in style on Saturday, Morrell is relishing in that opportunity and the promise of what 2021 could bring both inside and outside of the ring.

“My first goal is to close out 2020 by making weight on Friday,” said Morrell. “My second goal is to get the win on Saturday in spectacular fashion. In 2021, I’ll be thankful to God to continue waking up every day. I want more fights in 2021 though, so one or two months into the new year, I want to get back in the ring. And then all of the projects that my team and my promoter have lined up, I want us to achieve our dreams. Hopefully I’ll be able to bring the rest of my family that’s back in Cuba to the U.S. and have them here with me for it.”

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ABOUT MORRELL VS. GAVRONSKI
Morrell vs. Gavronski will see Interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. face Mike Gavronski in the 12-round main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, December 26 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.

The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will feature the return of renowned knockout artist James Kirkland dueling hard-hitting Juan Macías Montiel in the 10-round middleweight co-main event while unbeaten young rising star Jesús Ramos battles Naim Nelson in a 10-round super lightweight bout that will kick off the broadcast.

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 and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LOS ANGELES (December 22, 2020) – Unbeaten rising star Jesús Ramos moved his training camp to Colorado Springs and believes the altitude and quality sparring he received will aid him as he prepares to take on Naim Nelson in FOX PBC Fight Night action and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, December 26 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.

“The altitude in Colorado has definitely helped my conditioning,” said the 19-year-old Ramos. “My dad is my head coach, but we’ve also worked with strength and conditioning coach Jamie Belt. At first, it was rough training at this altitude, but I feel more comfortable and much better now.

“Sparring with former champions Maurice Hooker and Robert Brant is great experience for me. Combined with this being my second fight in ‘the bubble’, I’m ready to put on an explosive performance December 26.”

Ramos has continued to look for ways to improve his arsenal as he heads into the matchup against Nelson. Nelson’s most notable opponent is WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario Barrios, and Ramos’ goal is to outdo the performance that Barrios had against Nelson, while also showing off new aspects of his skillset.

“I have a shorter opponent for this fight, so I know I’ll be throwing my jab consistently,” said Ramos. “We’ve also been working on my angles and being more creative with my punches. I’ve only seen a couple of tapes on Nelson, but I know he likes to come forward. I feel strong and ready for whatever he brings.

“Nelson was stopped against Barrios, but I believe it was because of a shoulder injury. I’m looking to give him a loss but with an actual knockout this time. I’m going to perform with my style and make him fight my fight. I’ll take my time, use my jab, and when the time comes, I’ll take advantage and get him out of there.”

In addition to his father and head trainer Jesús Sr., Ramos’ uncle and veteran welterweight contender Abel Ramos has been by his side and providing motivation for Jesús Jr.’s burgeoning career. With seeing what Abel has accomplished, Jesús Jr. knows what it will take to reach his boxing dreams for 2021 and beyond.

“The most important thing I’ve learned from Abel is that anything is possible if I work hard and don’t give up on my dreams,” said Ramos. “I feel like by 21-years-old, I’ll be more than ready to compete for a title. I think I need a couple more tough fights under my belt before I go in there against a champion, but once I get that, I’ll be prepared for a title shot.

“Hopefully 2021 brings a lot more fights so that I can stay active and get those fights to prepare me for a title fight. We want tough fights and I just want to stay dedicated. Even when I’m outside of the ring I’ll be studying and doing whatever I can to get ready for my shot when it comes.”

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ABOUT MORRELL VS. GAVRONSKI
Morrell vs. Gavronski will see Interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. face Mike Gavronski in the 12-round main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, December 26 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.

The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will feature the return of renowned knockout artist James Kirkland dueling hard-hitting Juan Macías Montiel in the 10-round middleweight co-main event while unbeaten young rising star Jesús Ramos battles Naim Nelson in a 10-round super lightweight bout that will kick off the broadcast.

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 and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LAS VEGAS (December 22, 2020) — Light heavyweight contender Joe “The Beast” Smith Jr., the consummate everyman, spent more than a decade as a union laborer on Long Island. He now owns and operates a tree service business, chopping and trimming trees when he’s not training.

At 31 years old, this far-from-average Joe will battle Russian veteran Maxim Vlasov for the vacant WBO light heavyweight world title Saturday, Feb. 13. In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, former world champion Richard “RC” Commey will fight Dominican slickster Jackson Marinez.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Patriot Promotions, Smith-Vlasov and Commey-Marinez will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

“This is Rocky IV come to life,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Joe Smith Jr. is boxing’s blue-collar hero, a relentless fighter who chops down trees outside the ring and chops down opponents when the lights are bright. Maxim Vlasov is a tough Russian who is going to meet Joe punch for punch in the center of the ring. This will be an early contender for 2021 Fight of the Year.”

DeGuardia said, “I am very confident that Joe Smith Jr. will be the new WBO world champion, but I also know that Maxim Vlasov is a strong and seasoned fighter who also wants to become champion. It will make for a great night of boxing on ESPN. Kudos to the WBO for recognizing Joe’s talents and mandating this fight, and to Bob Arum and Top Rank for their continued excellence during this pandemic.”

Smith (26-3, 21 KOs) is best known for sending living legend Bernard Hopkins through the ropes and into retirement in 2016, but a world title has thus far proven elusive. He received a shot at the WBA light heavyweight world title in March 2019 and nearly knocked out Dmitry Bivol in the 10^th round, but Bivol hung on to win a unanimous decision. Smith rampaged in 2020, dominating Jesse Hart over 10 rounds and knocking out former world champion Eleider Alvarez in an August title eliminator. Those victories propelled Smith to the WBO No. 1 ranking and a second crack at world title glory.

Smith said, “I have worked very hard to get a second opportunity at a world title. I feel I have improved, and on February 13, I am going to make my dream come true and become world champion.”

Vlasov (45-3, 26 KOs), a 15-year-pro, has been a world-level operator at super middleweight, light heavyweight and cruiserweight. He moved down to light heavyweight in early 2019 and soon joined the ranks of the top contenders. In a six-month span, Vlasov stopped Omar Garcia in four rounds, topped longtime contender Isaac Chilemba by unanimous decision to avenge a 2011 defeat, and shut out the previously undefeated Emmanuel Martey over 10 rounds.

“This is a great chance, and perhaps my last opportunity, to finally become a world champion,” Vlasov said. “Smith is a strong and relentless fighter, so I expect a very serious challenge.”

Commey (29-3, 26 KOs), from Accra, Ghana, has been a lightweight since turning pro in his home nation in February 2011. He fell just short in his first attempt at a world title, dropping a split decision to Robert Easter Jr. in September 2016 for the vacant IBF title. Commey won the IBF title in February 2019 with a second-round stoppage over Isa Chaniev, then defended it in June with an eighth-round knockout over former world champion Ray Beltran. His title reign ended that December, when Teofimo Lopez emerged with a star-making second-round TKO. Commey has not fought since the Lopez fight and is re-energized for another world title run.

Commey said, “It’s been a long and frustrating wait to get back into the ring, and February 13 can’t come soon enough. I’ve kept myself in shape, but once I heard the date, I stepped up my training. All I’ve been thinking about is winning back my title. I am not looking past Jackson Marinez, as I know he is a tough, slick fighter, so he has my full attention. The road to redemption begins now.”

Marinez (19-1, 7 KOs), from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, entered 2020 largely unknown to fight fans. That all changed in August, when he outboxed the unbeaten Rolando Romero over 12 rounds. The official judges disagreed with most boxing observers, and Marinez lost a unanimous decision. Trained by Robert Garcia in Riverside, Calif., Marinez gets a shot at redemption and would enter the world title picture with a victory over Commey.

Use the hashtag #SmithVlasov to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing; twitter.com/ESPNRingside.

Florian Marku and Rylan Charlton will meet in an explosive Welterweight battle on the undercard of David Avanesyan vs. Josh Kelly on Saturday January 30 at a venue to be confirmed, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories.

Marku (7-0-1, 5 KOs) vented his frustration after he was forced to settle for a controversial draw on his Matchroom debut earlier this month, despite flooring Jamie Stewart in the second round and forcing the pace throughout their eight-round contest.  

The London-based Albanian southpaw hasn’t been shy in calling out the top names in the 147lbs domestic scene and plans to get his explosive rise back on track by taking out Matchroom’s most recent signing in style next month. 

Charlton (6-0-1, 3 KOs) inked promotional terms with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom last week on the back of his hugely impressive stoppage win over Joe Laws on the Lewis Ritson vs. Miguel Vazquez card at the East of England Arena in Peterborough in October.

‘Pint Size Powerhouse’ made easy work of the previously undefeated Benwell prospect as he sent him crashing to the canvas three times on route to a brutal third round KO win, and the Norwich native says fans can expect more of the same when he takes on the ‘Albanian King’.

“I can’t wait to show who I am and I promise to give the fans an exciting fight,” said Marku. “Rylan Charlton is a small body builder. I will break his head. I don’t like to talk bad about people, but Rylan Charlton has said many bad things about me. I want to see what he will say face to face with me. I will not leave the decision to the judges!”

“Florian Marku is just another stepping stone for me,” said Charlton. “He’s in my game now and I don’t rate him as a boxer. I’ll wipe the floor with him when we meet on January 30. Look what I did to Laws on 13 days’ notice, this time I have a full camp. I won’t be letting this go to the judges. These are the fights that I need to show everyone the level that I’m at. 2021 is going to be a huge year for me.”

LOS ANGELES, CA (Dec. 22, 2020): Golden Boy, the leading media and entertainment brand, announced yesterday the launch of an interactive sweepstakes that will give fans the opportunity to play against Ryan Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) and Sean Garcia (5-0, 2 KOs) on Twitch, the live video game streaming service.

The Golden Game Sweepstakes is already underway and will close January 1 at 10:00 am PT. The contest invites fans from the United States and Mexico to enter at no cost by visiting https://www.goldengamessweeps.com. Winners will be chosen on New Year’s Day and announced live on DAZN during the Garcia vs. Campbell broadcast.

The first-place winner will get a chance to play a live video game with the Garcia brothers on a date to be determined. The interaction will be recorded and shared across Golden Boy and DAZN social media platforms.

In addition, five second-place winners will win a year-long subscription to DAZN, while five third-place winners will win a month-long subscription.

“With his massive online following, Ryan has the ability to bring in legions of new fans to the sport of boxing, and this is yet another way he connects with a largely untapped audience,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “Given that Ryan is undefeated in the ring — and we fully expect he will remain so on January 2— this is also an opportunity for a lucky fan to do something no professional has done to date, which is to beat Ryan Garcia.”

In November, Golden Boy announced the ring return of Ryan Garcia, the quick-rising lightweight contender who will face Olympic Gold medalist Luke Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) for the interim WBC Lightweight Championship on Jan. 2 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Garcia’s younger brother, Sean, will also fight on the card. Both fights will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

#

Garcia vs. Campbell is a 12-round fight for the interim WBC Lightweight World Championship presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle,” “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts,” and O’Reilly Auto Parts. Better Parts, Better Prices…everyday! The fight will take place on Jan. 2, 2021 at American Airlines Center in Dallas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN in more than 200 countries and territories, including the U.S., Mexico and the UK.

Tickets for Garcia vs. Campbell are on sale and are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.americanairlinescenter.com
or www.ticketmaster.com.

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

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/GarciaCampbell into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.

New York, NY (12/21/20) – DiBella Entertainment (DBE) has signed undefeated Uzbek junior middleweight prospect Ravshan “Beretta” Makhamadjonov (11-0, 7 KOs) to an exclusive promotional agreement.

“I’m thrilled to bring on Uzbek puncher Ravshan ‘Beretta’ Makhamadjonov to DBE’s roster,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Ravshan was a very talented and accomplished amateur. As a junior middleweight, he is in a stacked and competitive weight class, and I look forward to providing him the right opportunities to reach his full potential.”

“I am excited to show the world my talent, hard work and dedication to my craft,” said Makhamadjonov. “I would like to thank my advisors, Michael Binyanminov and John Beninati, for believing in me. I would also like to thank Lou DiBella, who is a great promoter that will guide my career as I work my way up the ranks and toward a world title shot.”

The 21-year-old Makhamadjonov, from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, is coming off of an eight-round unanimous decision victory on September 9, against 8-1 prospect Volodymyr Hordiienko, at Moscow’s USC Soviet Wings Sports Palace, to capture the WBC World Youth super welterweight title and enter the WBC’s world ratings. He is trained by Zufar Sulaimanov and Maruf Gulyamov out of OQ-TEPA Club, a major sports complex in his hometown where fighters can both train and compete professionally.

Though Makhamadjonov was born a few generations later, it was Muhammad Ali who inspired him to take up boxing. After watching tapes of Ali’s fights at the age of 10, Makhamadjonov asked his father to bring him to their local gym and, over the next eight years, he compiled an impressive amateur record of 275-25. He won the Tashkent City Amateur Boxing Championships seven years in a row from 2011-2017, as well as the 2012 Uzbekistan Amateur Boxing National Championships and 2016 Zhuravlev International Boxing Tournament. Makhamadjonov turned professional on April 9, 2017, one day after his 18th birthday, and is now advised by Michael Binyanminov and John Beninati.

DiBella Entertainment
www.DBE1.com
Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment
Twitter: @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEnt
Instagram: DiBellaEnt

By Bart Barry-

SAN ANTONIO – Into this friendly city whose citizens have been generally vigilant about Covid, vigilant as local officials have required, many multiples more vigilant than state officials have, strode Canelo for his fourth Texas prizefight, second in Alamo City.  If it wasn’t his easiest Texas fight it wasn’t his most difficult either.  Which is a surprise and a half – since Callum Smith, the man Canelo beat up Saturday, was by far the most accomplished prizefighter Canelo has fought in Lone Star State.

What you opined of Saul Alvarez’s Saturday performance depends mostly on what you opined of Smith on Friday, what you opined of an undefeated Ring champion who’d won his title by knockout in the finals of a single-elimination tournament.  I learned this lesson about opinion’s effect, contrasting my feelings about Spence-Garcia a few weeks back and Alvarez-Smith Saturday.

I did not think particularly highly of welterweight Garcia, after opining quite highly of him at 140 pounds, and Spence’s workmanlike decision did next to nothing for me, aesthetically.  I opined quite highly of Callum Smith, and it rendered me thrice as susceptible to commentator hyperbole about Canelo.

It’s probably in the word subtlety.  When man’s most primal impulses manifest themselves subtly, perhaps someone with a microphone’s shining you.  While lots of subtle things happen in any confrontation, there is nothing subtle about a man’s consciousness being removed from him on television; in the absence of that spectacle recourses to subtlety deserve be discounted.

Canelo has come a long way since his last Alamodome match, hasn’t he?  Then, Canelo made his sixth defense of his first WBC title, a 154-pound trophy he won beating Matthew Hatton (the EBU European welterweight titlist at the time).  Canelo won a fair, unanimous decision over Austin Trout.  I was ringside for that.  Till that point I rated Canelo below “Son of the Legend” Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. among anointed Mexican prizefighters.  If Canelo wasn’t fully a promoter-manufactured entity he was having an awfully easy run – that would end in humiliation with Floyd Mayweather, five months after the Trout fight.

Watching Canelo from ringside afforded something watching Chavez Jr. did not, though.  On television Canelo didn’t have much an identity more than redhaired horseman from Jalisco.  With Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez still active, at various levels of decline, Canelo mightn’t have been among his country’s best five prizefighters, while being promoted as if he’d eclipsed all of them.  I went to Alamodome in 2013 half expecting Trout to undress him.

I was disabused of that in round 1.  The first time Canelo let fly a hook, actually, I noticed he had access to an entire other level from Chavez Jr.’s.  I’ve written about it before, but Canelo has a different sort of intensity than television shows.

Back then, too, Canelo was given to one defensive-clinic round every fight, a round when he tried to be Will o’ the Cinnamon, showing aspirational levels of head and shoulder movement.  It was corny – like a voluptuous Instagram model in prop glasses with a caption that reads “Beauty AND BRAINS!”  Saturday showed Canelo’s cornball defensive rounds weren’t wrong but early.  Across from Erislandy Lara, Mayweather and Trout, men with better reflexes, Canelo was too slow to make his feints look even hopeful.

The higher Canelo moves in weight, though, the more a defensive genius he appears.  Against Callum Smith he showed a defensive awareness that set Twitter ablaze with comparisons.  It might be inferred the worst loser Saturday was not Smith, in fact, but “Saint George” Groves and by further inference late-career Carl “The Cobra” Froch.  How bloody sluggish must Groves’ve been to make such a bull and bully of a man limited as Callum Smith?

Smith was wholly unprepared for Canelo’s intensity, for his presence, for his speed even, Saturday.  A giant of a man, Smith went from graceful athlete to gangly reluctant in fewer than three minutes.  Late as round 6, I continued hoping like a loon a limited Brit might surprise a fully actualized Mexican prizefighter with a left hook – makes me chuckle at myself, typing that – then Canelo just about broke Smith’s left arm in half with a righthand or two.  By round 9 Smith’s corner was threatening its charge with the white feather.  The championship rounds were about one more hopeless UK fighter’s grit.

There wasn’t an obvious opportunity to ice Smith so Canelo didn’t try very hard, which earned him some derision from what GGG deadenders Canelo sneered at in his incompetently translated postfight chinwag.  Healthy as he feels and looks at 168 pounds Canelo hasn’t an inkling to weigh one ounce less to retire Gennadiy Golovkin, who didn’t rehydrate to the super middleweight limit Friday.

Without HBO around anymore to sensationalize Soviet Bloc fighters to feed Canelo, and without any obvious rivalries between 168 pounds and whatever Andy Ruiz weighs right now, and with his agency as a selfpromoter freer than ever, Canelo has some planning to do.  If he’s serious about unifying titles at 168 pounds – he needn’t be; he has The Ring title already – he should forego whoever holds the IBF belt and unify WBC titles in a match with David Benavidez, who at age 24 is at least as good as Canelo was when he lost to Mayweather at 23.  Maybe that fight would go the way of Crawford-Benavidez.  Maybe it wouldn’t.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

GALVESTON, Texas (December 19, 2020) — The Champ is back!

Former world super middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (41-0, 27 KOs), fighting for the first time since April 4, 2019, returned to the ring last night with a vengeance, stopping tough defending North American Boxing Federation (NABF) light heavyweight champion Alfonso “El Tigre” Lopez (32-4, 25 KOs) in the 10th round of the “Battle of Rio Grande” main event.

“Battle of Rio Grande,” presented by the two main event fighter’s promotional companies, Zurdo Promotions and El Tigre Promotions, aired live on pay per view from the Galveston Island Convention Center in Galveston, Texas.

The 29-year-old Ramirez displayed his world-class boxing skills and tremendous athleticism from the start, dropping Lopez in the fourth, but the defending champion was resilient right up until the very end. The ringside physician examined Lopez’ swollen right eye after the ninth round and when Ramirez floored Lopez with a right hook in the 10th, the referee waved off the fight. Lopez had his 10-right win streak snapped and Ramirez put reigning world light heavyweight champions Artur Beterviev (WBC & IBF) and Dmitry Bivol (WBA) on notice. Ramirez is ranked No. 1 by the WBO, as well as being WBA #45, WBO and IBF #7.

“I’m glad I was able to get a fight in this year.” Martinez said. “Alfonso was tough as a bull and kept coming like the true warrior he is but overall, I’m happy with my performance. I felt some ring rust in the beginning, but I’m glad I was able to get back to my old form quickly. This was challenge as a fighter and a promoter, but I plan on doing more shows in the future and appreciate all my partners that helped out in the process (ie fite tv, el tigre promotions, and be def sports). Glad I have this one out the way and on to next one.”

World-rated heavyweight and 2012 U.S. Olympian, Michael “The Bounty” Hunter (19-1-1, 13 KOs), continued his mission to be world heavyweight champion, outclassing West Virginia’s Shawn Laughery (10-4, 6 KOs) in the 10-round co-featured event, closing the show in the fourth round with his second knockdown. Hunter is rated among the top 10 heavyweights in the world by the four major sanctioning bodies: IBF #4, WBO #8, WBC #9 and WBA #10.

California featherweight Jose Maria “Chema” Delgado (6-0-4, 2 KOs) can’t catch a break, at least not in the United States, where he fought to a draw for the fourth time last night against Armando Frausto (8-2, 5 KOs). Delgado’s six pro wins have all come in fights held in Mexico. Delgado and Frausto were fighting for the vacant American Boxing Organization (ABO) featherweight title that remains open.

Undefeated lightweight Juan Velazquez (6-0, 4 KOs) overwhelmed fellow Houstonian, Alexis Chavarria (4-3-3, 1 KO), putting him away in round two after pummeling him from the opening bell.

The first fighter signed by Ramirez’ Zurdo Promotions, Los Angeles bantamweight John “Scrappy” Ramirez (no relations), turned in an auspicious pro debut, stopping his Puerto Rican opponent, Jose “El Chavito” Solis (0-3) midway through the opening round.

Texas middleweight Charles “Pretty Bad Boy” Baylor (1-0, 1 KO) dominated fellow Texan Joel “The Assassin” Munoz (0-2) up until the latter’s corner ended the fight, Houston junior middleweight Raynard “Alief Ali” Talib, Jr. (3-0, 1 KO) overcame a first-round knockdown and a cut over his right eye to edge Adam “AD” Ealoms (4-19-3, 2 KOs) by way of a four-round unanimous decision (38-37 X 3), and the junior middleweight fight between pro-debuting Apostle Arias (0-0-1) and Lucas “God First” McDonald (0-5-1) ended in a technical draw, because McDonald was unable to continue fighting in the fourth round due to a serious cut resulting from an accidental headbutt.

Also fighting on the undercard, Houston’s Breyon Gorham improved to 7-0 (6 KOs) with a third-round technical knockout of Anthony Curtiss (2-7, 2 KOs), who managed to beat the count but was deemed to unsteady by the referee to continue fighting, and Delmonte “Sugar Bear” Randle (1-0, 1 KOs) won his pro debut when Jarvis Lee (0-3) retired after round one.

The middleweight fight between Ivan Vazquez (5-0, 4 KOs) and Charon Spain (2-14-2, 1 KO) was canceled after Vazquez tested positive for COVID-19.

Complete results below:

OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAIN EVENT – NABF LIGHT HEAVYEIGHT CHAMPIONSIP
Gilberto Ramirez (41-0, 27 KOs), Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México
WTKO10 (0:59)
Alfonso Lopez (32-4, 25 KOs), Houston, TX
(Ramirez won NABF light heavyweight title)

CO-FEATURE – HEAVYWEIGHTS
Michael Hunter (19-1-1, 13 KOs), Las Vegas, NV
WKO4 (1:02)
Shawn Laughery (10-4, 6 KOs), Oak Hill, WV

HEAVYWEIGHTS
Demonte Randle (1-0, 1 KO), Texas City, TX
WTKO1 (3:00)
Jarvis Lee (0-3), Houston, Texas

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Charles Baylor (1-0, 1 KO), Trinity, TX
WTKO2 ((1:40)
Joel Munoz (0-2), Dublin, TX

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Raynard Talib, Jr. (3-0, 1 KO), Houston, TX
WDEC4 (38-37, 38-37, 38-37)
Adam Ealoms (4-19-3, 2 KOs), Bryan, TX

Apostle Arias (0-0-1, 0 KOs), Porter, TX
TD4
Lucas McDonald (0-5-1), Sealy, TX

WELTERWEIGHTS
Juan Velazquez (6-0, 4 KOs), Houston, TX
WTKO2 (2:14)
Alexis Chavarria (1-1, 0 KOs), Houston, TX

Breyon Gorham (7-0, 56KOs), Houston, TX
WTKO3 (2:14)
Antony Curtiss (2-7, 2 KOs), Butte, MT

VACANT ABO FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Jose Maria Delgado (6-0-4, 2 KOs), Pittsburg, CA
D6(58-56, 57-57, 57-57)
Armando Frausto (8-1-1, 5 KOs), Alvin, TX

BANTAMWEIGHTS
John Ramirez (1-0, 1 KO), Los Angeles, CA
WTKO1 (1:51)
Jose Solis (0-3), San Juan, Puerto Rico

INFORMATION:
Website: www.ZurdoPromotions.com
Instagram: @zurdoramirez, @zurdopromotions, @eltigrepromotions, @bedefsports
Twitter: @ZurdoPromotions, @GilbertoZurdoRamirez, MichaelHunterII, @Fitetv, @IntegratedPPV

During tonight’s SHOWTIME: SPECIAL EDITION, headlined by Emmanuel Rodriguez vs. Reymart Gaballo and featuring the return of Jaron “Boots” Ennis, SHOWTIMEannounced its first SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event of 2021. The event, which features six fighters with a combined record of 97-1, will be held Saturday, Jan. 23 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., days after the previously announced ShoBox event on Wednesday, Jan. 20.

In the main event on Jan. 23, SHOWTIMEwill deliver the long-awaited battle between undefeated junior featherweight stars Angelo Leo (20-0, 9 KOs) and Stephen Fulton (18-0, 8 KOs) for the WBO World Title that Leo captured in August when the two unbeaten 26-year-olds were originally set to meet.

The co-main event pits two undefeated super bantamweights, Raeese Aleem (17-0, 11 KOs) and Vic Pasillas (16-0, 9 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round fight. The telecast opener will feature rising prospect Rolando Romero (12-0, 10 KOs) against Justin Pauldo (14-1, 7 KOs) in a 12-round lightweight bout.

Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez will clash in a unification rematch for the WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine World Super-Flyweight titles on Saturday March 13, live on DAZN in over 200+ countries and territories and presented in association with Zanfer Promotions, Teiken Promotions and Latin Sports.
 
Estrada and Chocolatito first clashed in November 2012 in Los Angeles, with Chocolatito successfully defending his WBA Light-Flyweight title via unanimous decision, and now over eight years later, they will meet again
 
Mexican star Estrada (41-3 28 KOs) has established himself as the #1 fighter at 115lbs and underlined his status with a thrilling 11^th round KO win over Carlos Cuadras in October in Mexico City, climbing off the canvas in the third round to beat his fellow countryman for the second time in his career.
 
Former pound for pound #1 Chocolatito (50-2 41 KOs) recorded his own impressive win on the same night by outpointing hungry young Mexican Israel Gonzalez in the first defense of the WBA title that he ripped from Kal Yafai with a clinical KO win in February in Texas.
 
Estrada and Chocolatito will both have ambitions of becoming undisputed Super-Flyweight champion by the end of 2021, and promoter Eddie Hearn believes that this will be a fight of the year contender that will be staged at a venue to be confirmed soon.
 
“This is going to be a special fight,” said Hearn. “It’s been a long time coming but both men are in their prime now, with Juan Francisco serving up a dramatic stoppage win in his fight of the year contender with Cuadras and Chocolatito rolling back the years with his clinical KO win over Yafai and looking razor sharp against Gonzalez.
 
“Estrada is the number one in the division but Chocolatito will be looking to repeat his win – the winner will take a massive step to becoming undisputed and I hope that we’re able to have fans in attendance when we chose the venue to host this must-see fight.
 
“Estrada vs. Chocolatito is an all-action rematch many years in the making,” said Joseph Markowski, DAZN EVP. “After closing 2020 strong on DAZN, we can’t wait for subscribers to enjoy the terrific schedule we’re building for early 2021 as well.”

Canelo Alvarez won a emphatic 12-round unanimous decision over Callum Smith to win the WBA/WBC Super Middleweight title at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Alvarez was dominant from the start as he landed some quick hard shots using a diverse offensive attack. At different times in the contest, Alvarez landed hard jabs; rights; left hook and a tremendous uppercuts.

By the middle rounds, it was evident that it would be a dominant victory for Alavrez as despite having a seven-inch height disadvantage, Smith would not and could not hold Alavarez with anything. Alavrez could just walk right in and land thudding combinations and dividing his punches to the head and body.

Alvarez hurt Smith several times with those hard, and the Englishman did well to hear the final bell, but he was bruised and cut over his right eye, and never competitive in the fight which saw Alavrez win on two cards 119-109 and a third was more generous for Smith to the tune of 117-111.

Alvarez landed 214 of 494 punches; Smith was 99 of 539.

Alvarez of Guadalajara, MEX is now 54-1-2. Smith of Liverpool, ENG is 27-1.

Castro Stops Valdes in 3

Marc Castro made a successful pro debut with a 3rd round stoppage over Luis Javier Valdes in a scheduled four-round junior lightweight fight.

In round two, Castro dropped Valdes with a right uppercut. In round three, it was a body shot that followed by a right to the head and Valdes did not beat the count at 1:59

Castro, 130.1 lbs of Fresno, CA is 1-0 with one knockout. Valdes, 128.8 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 7-6-1.

Sanchez stops Fernandez in 7

Frank Sanchez remained undefeated with a crushing 7th round stoppage over Julian Fernandez in a scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout.

In round seven, Sanchez landed a booming right that badly hurt Fernandez. A follow up right dropped Fernandez onto the apron and the fight was stopped at 1:35.

Sanchez, 229 lbs of Miami is 17-0 with 13 knockouts. Fernandez, 209.2 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 14-3.

Ford Stops Lopez in 7

Raymond Ford stopped Juan Antonio Lopez in round seven of their scheduled eight-round featherweight fight.

In round one, Ford sent Lopez to the deck with a right hook.

In round seven, Ford landed a perfect right hook to the chin that sent Lopez to a knee. Lopez took the 10-count and the fight was stopped at 1:14

Ford, 128.6 lbs of Camden, NJ is 8-0 with four knockouts. Lopez, 129.2 lbs of Dallas, TX is now 15-8.

Williams stops Jones in 1st

Austin Williams remained undefeated by stopping Isiah Jones in round one of their scheduled six-round middleweight bout.

Williams clipped Jones with hard left that hurt him. Williams jumped all over Jones and landed a hard barrage of punches that forced the stoppage at 1:29.

Williams is now 7-0 with six knockouts. Jones of Detroit is 9-4.

Follow all the action as Canelo Alvarez takes on Callum Smith for the WBA/WBC Super Middleweight championship.  The action begins at 8 PM ET /1 AM in England with an undercard featuring some top undefeated Prospects.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Right to body from Alvarez

Round 2 2 Body shots from Alvarez…Jab from Smith..Good Jab..Pawing jab…Hard jab from Canelo

Round 3 Right from Canelo..Good jab and right hand..2 jabs..Jab and right hand

Round 4 hard jabs from Smith..Hard right from Canelo..Body shot from Smith…Hard right from Canelo..Hard body shot..1-2…Good combination on the ropes..Good uppercut..

Round 5 Hard body shot from Canelo…

Round 6 Good right from Canelo..Body shot..Right…

Round 7 Combination from Smith..Hard body shot from Canelo..Long jab…uppercut..Long right

Round 8 Right from Canelo..Lead uppercut and right hand..Combination from Smith..Good right..Thudding right and uppercut from Canelo..snapping jab..Nice right and uppercut from Smith..

Round 9 Right and jab from Canelo..Uppercut..Blood from nose of Smith..Hard right from Smith..Hard body shot and right from Canelo..Big right Hurts Smith…Uppercut from Canelo..Uppercut and right..Canelo starting to bust up Smith..Hard right hurts Smith..Hard right

Round 10 Hard body shot…Hard uppercut..Smith being punished…4 hard body shots..Hard body shot..Hard right and a body shot

Round 11 Body shot from Canelo..Hard left hook..Snapping jab..Hard right hurts Smith..Another right..Jab to the head..

Round 12 Right from Canelo..Snapping jab and right hand…Combination from Smith..Right from Canelo..Combination..Hard thudding right hand

119-109 TWICE; 117-111 FOR CANELO ALVAREZ

Round 1 Right from Sanchez..Hook and right hand…Hard right..Hard right and another..right to body..Uppercut…Body shot
Round 2 Big hook from Sanchez…Ferandez hurt…Sanchez lands a right over the top..Right..
Round 3 Sanchez lands a right behind the head..Hard right from Sanchez
Round 4 Hard body shot that is followed by a jab from Sanchez
Round 5 Hard right from Sanchez
Round 6 Hard right from Sanchez
Round 7 Body shots from Sanchez…HARD RIGHT DOWN GOES FERNANDEZ..FERNANDEZ FALLS OUT OF RING…FIGHT OVER

Round 1: Jab from Ford…hard left drives Lopez fight..Right to the body..hard left hurts Lopez..RIGHT HOOK AND DOWN GOES LOPEZ
Round 2 Hard jab drives Lopez back..Lopez lands a left…combination from Ford..
Round 3 Hard left from Ford
Round 4 Hard uppercut from Ford…Double jab followed by a left ..Lopez lands a left
Round 5 Hard left from Ford..Jab..hard body shot
Round 6 Good jab from Ford..Sharp right hook..Uppercut…Slapping left from Lopez..Left to head from Ford
Round 7 RIGHT HOOK AND DOWN GOES LOPEZ…HE TAKES THE 10-COUNT–FIGHT OVER

Round 1 Jab from Jones..Left from Williams..Jab..HARD LEFT AND JONES IS HURT…WILLIAMS ALL OVER JONES AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 Right from Castro..Right to body and head…3 punch combination..Right to body from Valdes///Right from Castro
Round 2 Right snaps back Valdes head..UPPERCUT AND DOWN GOES VALDES…Hard Body shot..Hard body shot
Round 3

Reymart Gaballo pounded out a 12-round split decision over Emmanuel Rodriguez to win the WBC Interim Bantamweight title at the Mohegan Sun Resort in Uncasville, CT

In round three, Rodriguez had blood from the bridge of his nose.

Rodriguez landed 109 of 372 punches; Gaballo was 93 of 520

Gaballo, 117.6 lbs of General Santos City, PHL won by scores of 116-112, 115-113 while Rodriguez won a card 118-110. Gaballo is now 24-0. Rodriguez is 19-2.

REYMART GABALLO

“I am very happy and blessed to win this belt. I was always moving forward and controlling the pace, so I thought it was a close fight that either of us could have won.

“I’m waiting for my team to tell me what they have planned for me next. I’m going to keep training hard so I’m always ready for the opportunity when it comes.

“I’m going to go back to the Philippines and spend time with my family. I’ve been in Miami training for eight months so I’m excited to go home.”

EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ

“It was a good fight, but he only won about two or three rounds. There were two punches from me for every punch he landed. He knows he lost. Everyone knows we won.

“My team told me to go out and keep boxing him in the late rounds. We knew he needed a knockout in the twelfth round. That was his only chance to win.”

Ennis and Van Heerden Fight to No-Contest

Jaron Ennis and Chris Van Heerden fought to a no-contest when Van Heerden suffered a gruesome cut in round one of their 12-round welterweight bout.

Ennis was battering Van Heerden all over the ring and looked to be on his way to an early stoppage when the two clashed heads that opened up a horrible cut on the forehead of Van Heerden. The fight was stopped at 2:39.

Ennis, 146 lbs of Philadelphia is 26-0-1 NC; Van Heerden, 146.9 lbs of Santa Monica, CA is 28-2-1-1.

“My head is good. I don’t know quite what to say, but I feel good.

“Before the headbutt I had already cut him. I felt strong. I knew he was ready to go. I feel like I’m getting better and better. Now I’ll just get back in the gym.

“As you could see from the first round, I was handling him easily. I feel like everyone is still sleeping on me, but I’m ready for anyone. Bring on the big names.

“At the end of the day it’s boxing and you have to live with it when stuff like this happens. I’m ready to step up against even better competition than Chris van Heerden.

“I was putting it on him and I was getting ready to dig to the body and he came right at me and we headbutted.

“I could get back in the ring tomorrow. I’m ready. I’m just disappointed right now. Anybody in the top five, I’m ready for them. I’m hungry and it’s my time in 2021. I will become world champion.”

Russell defeats Payano by Technical Decision

Gary Antonio Russell remained perfect as he won a technical decision over Juan Carlos Payano when Payano could not continue due to an accidental head butt one second into round seven of their scheduled 10-roound bantamweight fight

In round six, Payano was bleeding from over his right eye. It was ruled an accidental headbutt and the fight was stopped just as the 7th bell rang.

Russell landed 86 of 243 punches; Payano was 58 of 268.

Russell, 119 lbs of Capitol Heights. MD won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 18-0. Payano, 119 lbs of Le Vega, DR is 21-5.

GARY RUSSELL JR., BROTHER OF GARY ANTONIO RUSSELL

“We are definitely our worst critics so I don’t think this was his best performance. But with the situation that’s at hand and the passing of our younger brother. We just wanted to take this energy and focus it on something productive. I didn’t know how Antonio would be able to handle it going into the fight but I did know that Payano was going to need to kill him to beat him in that ring tonight.

“We were starting to step on the gas. The main thing when a guy gets dirty like that is to be technical. His punch placement was precise. His punch selection was excellent. We touched the body real well. We hurt him and we knew we had the power to keep hurting him.

“I know for a fact that my younger brother Antonio wants to dedicate this fight to our younger brother who just passed away. There’s a lot of emotions. To be able to harness it all is bigger than boxing. Boxing is something we love to do but this is a very difficult time for our family.

Brandun Lee stopped Dakota Linger in round three of a scheduled 10-round welterweight bout.

Lee dominated the fight and landed several hard punches when the fight was stopped at 1:17 of round three.

Lee, 143 lbs of Yuba, CA is 21-0 with 19 knockouts. Linger, 142 lbs of Buckhannon, WV is 12-5-2.

Benjamin Whitaker won eight-round majority decision over previously undefeated Zsolt Daranyi in a junior middleweight bout.

Whittaker, 150 lbs of San Antonio, TX won by scores of 79-73, 77-75 and 76-75 and is now 15-4. Daranyi, 150.2 lbs of Budapest, HUN is 15-1.