Saturday’s HBO Boxing After Dark® doubleheader telecast begins at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Opening up the telecast from the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY is a 10-round junior lightweight attraction between Yuriorkis Gamboa and Rene Alvarado.

The main event of the evening will be a 12-round middleweight slugfest between David Lemieux and Curtis Stevens.

Official Weights from Verona:

Yuriorkis Gamboa:131 lbs.
Rene Alvarado: 130.25 lbs.

David Lemieux: 159 lbs.
Curtis Stevens: 158.25 lbs.

Join the conversation on Twitter: #LemieuxStevens

NEW YORK – March 10, 2017 – Combate Americas announced its second event of the year in a Mexican territory – a debut visit to the city of Tijuana – on Thursday, March 30, live on Azteca America (10 p.m. ET/PT) and UFC Fight Pass® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT), from Auditorio Fausto Gutierrez Moreno.

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) main event, Argentinian Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo (10-4) will square off with fellow rising star and Monterrey, Mexico native Iván “El Brasil” Flores (8-1-1).

Rojo, a semifinalist on the third season of The Ultimate Fighter Latin America, will make his promotional debut in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, and set out to prove that he has the tools necessary to lead Combate Americas’ fast-growing, 135-pound division.

“I’m not only here as a guest. I came here to become the most important fighter in my division,” said Rojo. “MMA has grown in Argentina, and it’s about time that we show that on this side of the continent. This fight will be a duel between the North against South.”

On the other side, Flores, who suffered his first career defeat at the hands of unbeaten Mark “The Bumblebee” Delarosa at the Combate Americas event in Mexico City, Mexico on January 19, now wants to return to the win column immediately.

“When you face a Mexican fighter, you have to be prepared for the most difficult fight of your life. I hope (Rojo) is aware of that, if he wants to be victorious” said Flores.

Rojo will fight for the first time in Mexico after an extensive career in South American arenas where he has become one of the most popular fighters in the region.

In the featherweight (145 pounds) co-main event, Walter Zamora (9-2) of Costa Rica will battle Alex “Gallito” Flores (8-1) of Monterrey.

Zamora’s debut in Combate Americas will once again personify the sports rivalry between Mexican and Central American fighters.

“Mexico is always the one to beat at any sport,” Zamora explained. “It won’t be any different against Flores. We are going to put on a good show. It will be a spectacular evening because the best fighters of the Americas will be present in Tijuana.”

In other action in La Jaula, Erick “Ghost Pepper” González (5-2) of Los Angeles, Calif. will return to action just six weeks after his heroic, “Fight of the Night” performance against Danny “The Realist” Ramírez at Combate11 on February 16.

Gonzalez will battle Marco Antonio “La Roca” Elpidio (7-1) of Mexico City in a lightweight (155 pounds) affair. Elpidio was victorious by way of split decision over Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas at the Combate Americas event in Mexico City.

Gonzalez’s three-fight win streak was snapped when he gave up a unanimous decision to Ramirez.

In another bantamweight scrap, Joey “El Cazador” Ruquet (4-1) of Las Vegas, Nev. will collide with Jose Salasar (4-2) of Tijuana.

Ruquet notched a spectacular victory by submission (rear-naked choke) in the second round (1:47) of action against Jose “The Ghost” Ceja at the Combate Americas event in Mexico City.

Additional Combate12 bouts will be announced soon.

UFC FIGHT PASS is a digital subscription service which gives fans access to exclusive live UFC events and fights, exclusive live MMA and combat sports events from around the world, exclusive original and behind the scenes content and unprecedented 24-7 access to the world’s largest fight library.

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ABOUT COMBATE AMERICAS
Combate Americas, LLC. is the first U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise in history, designed to build Latino fighting champions and serve Hispanic fans, one of the world’s most avid groups of prize fighting enthusiasts. The Combate Americas franchise includes reality TV programming, live events and mobile programming. The company’s CEO, Campbell McLaren, is universally recognized as the co-founder/co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). New York Magazine described McLaren as “the marketing genius behind the UFC” and Yahoo! Sports proclaimed that he “knows more about the sport than just about anyone in it today.” With an unprecedented product and a blue-chip ownership and management team, Combate Americas is poised to break new ground and bring about a new era in world championship level MMA competition.

ABOUT TV AZTECA
TV Azteca is one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world, operating two national television networks in Mexico, El trece and Azteca 7, through more than 300 owned and operated stations across the country. TV Azteca affiliates include Azteca US, a broadcast television network focused on the rapidly growing U.S. Hispanic market, and Azteca Web, an Internet company for North American Spanish speakers.

ABOUT AZTECA AMERICA’S NETWORK
Azteca America engages Spanish-language viewers by creating unique, passionate and enlightening content that is relevant to the daily lives of our audience. Wholly owned by Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language content in the world, Azteca America complements its Mexican programs with an innovative lineup of shows from third-party producers and distributors to ensure the finest programming for its audience. The company provides tailored, multi-platform advertising solutions for clients seeking to reach the most dynamic consumer group in the country.

Ludwigshafen, Germany (March 10, 2017)–WBA junior middleweight world champion Jack Culcay weighed in at 153.2 lbs while mandatory challenger and undefeated Demetrius Andrade weighed in at 153.4 lbs at Friday’s weigh in for their championship bout that takes place on Saturday in Ludwigshafen, Germany

LAS VEGAS (March 10, 2017) – Tickets for the closed circuit viewing at the MGM Grand Ballroom of the super-fight between two-division world champion Canelo
Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) and former WBC World Middleweight Champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KOs) will go on sale today March 10 at 10 a.m. PST.

Fans unable to purchase tickets to see the fight at T-Mobile Arena will have the opportunity to experience an exciting night of boxing live in Las Vegas in an electrifying setting side-by-side with other fight fans.

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast at the MGM Grand Ballroom of Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. are priced at $75, not including applicable fees. All seats are general admission and go on sale Friday, March 10 at 10 a.m. PST at the MGM Grand box office or by phone with a major credit card at 1-800-745-3000.

Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. is a 12-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD, Adriana’s Insurance and Interjet. Matthysse vs. Taylor is a 10-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions and Star Boxing. The event will take place Saturday, May 6 at T-Mobile Arena and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 10th, 2017) — Undefeated junior welterweight prospect Cristobal Marrero ends a four-month layoff and makes his 2017 debut next month in his toughest test to date at Twin River Casino.

Living and training in New London, Conn., by way of Worcester, Mass., Marrero (3-0, 2 KOs) faces New York City vet Sidney Maccow (4-4, 3 KOs) in a four-round bout Friday, April 7th, 2017 on the undercard of CES Boxing’s Nick DeLomba-Jimmy Williams World Boxing Council title bout.

The 22-year-old Marrero improved to 3-0 in December with a unanimous decision win over North Carolina’s Isaiah Robinson, attacking the body against the 6-foot-1 veteran and dominating from the opening bell to earn a 40-36 score on all three judges’ scorecards.

Maccow, 24, is no stranger to the Ocean State; the Sint Maarten native challenged Worcester’s Freddy Sanchez at Twin River in December of 2015 and also faced regional veterans Jerome Conquest and Marcos Suarez.

The Marrero-Maccow bout is one of 11 on CES Boxing’s April 7th card, its second event of the 2017 season, CES’ 25th year of promoting professional boxing. The year-long celebration continues next month with a highly-anticipated 10-round WBC United States National Boxing Council (USNBC) Welterweight Title bout between DeLomba (11-1, 2 KOs) and Williams (12-0-1, 5 KOs) in addition to an eight-round female welterweight showdown between Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes (16-4-2, 1 KO) of Marshfield, Mass., and Mexican challenger Paty Ramirez (11-3, 5 KOs).

Tickets for April 7th are priced at $47.00, $102.00, $127.00 (VIP) and $152.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

As the first promoter to host a USNBC title bout 12 years ago, CES again teams up with the WBC to provide DeLomba and Williams with the opportunity of a lifetime. Nine current or former USNBC title-holders have gone on to win world titles and 28 have fought for a major world championship.

The 27-year-old DeLomba has won his last three bouts since suffering his first and only loss in 2015, defeating Sanchez, Oscar Bonilla and southpaw Amos Cowart. Williams, 30, originally from Plainfield, N.J., has only one blemish on his record, a draw against Greg Jackson in 2013. He’s won his last eight, including dazzling knockouts against Christian Lao and Eddie Caminero and a hard-fought unanimous decision win over veteran Manny Woods at Twin River in May.

Joining Aleksandra Lopes on April 7th is her stepson, Arturo Lopes (1-0), who ends an eight-year layoff in his return bout against Taunton, Mass., welterweight Marqus Bates (1-1, 1 KO). The Lopeses fight April 7th in honor of the late Manny Lopes, a former CES standout who passed away in December and will be inducted into the CES Ring of Honor.

The April 7th co-feature is a battle of unbeatens as New Bedford, Mass., junior middleweight Ray Oliveira Jr. (7-0, 1 KO) faces his toughest test to date in a six-round bout against Portland, Maine native Casey Kramlich (6-0-1, 3 KOs) in Kramlich’s Twin River debut. Springfield, Mass., vet Zack Ramsey (7-1, 3 KOs) also returns to battle unbeaten Augusta, Ga., native Divante Jones (9-0, 6 KOs) in a six-round bout for the New England Lightweight Title in another potential Fight of the Night candidate.

Worcester, Mass., lightweight Jamaine Ortiz (3-0, 2 KOs), fresh off a hard-fought win over unbeaten Canton Miller in February, faces another undefeated challenger in a four-round bout against Glenn Mitchell (2-0, 2 KOs) of Steubenville, Ohio, and Lynn, Mass., welterweight Khiry Todd (2-0, 2 KOs) battles Philadelphia’s Vincent Floyd (1-2-1) in a four-round bout. Junior welterweight Jonathan Figueroa (2-0, 1 KO) of Hartford, Conn., returns to Twin River to face Springfield’s Miguel Ortiz (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-round showdown between two rising New England prospects and amateur standouts Ricky Delossantos of Providence, R.I., and Philip Davis of Worcester make their professional debuts against one another in a four-round super featherweight bout.

Worcester middleweight Kendrick Ball Jr. (5-0-2, 4 KOs) also returns in separate four-round bout. Ball Jr. made quick work of Patrick Leal 29 seconds into the opening round of their scheduled four-round middleweight bout in February.

Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING.

Atlantic City, NJ (March 10, 2017)–Welterweight Anthony “Juice” Young will take on Samuel Amoako this Saturday night at The Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City.

The show is promoted by Rising Promotions.

Young, 15-2 with six knockouts of Atlantic City will be looking for his 5th consecutive victory when he takes on Amoko (21-13, 14 KO’s) of Accra, Ghana.

Amoako turned professional in 2005 with a victory over contender Albert Mensah (9-2-1). Amoako, 32 years-old is the former WBO African Lightweight champion Lightweight champion.

Amoako is coming off a 4-round unanimous decision loss to Sam Teah on August 6th in Bristol, PA.

“My training is good. It’s fight week, so I am just maintaining weight. I had a good camp working on my footwork. I sparred with Danny Garcia,” said Young.

The transition to Amoako was easy, as he was already sparring orthodox fighters, even thought original opponent Rogelio Casarez was a southpaw.

“I was sparring right handers anyway, and when Amoako came in, it was no big deal with the switch of the opponent.”

In his last bout, Young was dominating James Robinson until the final round when he got caught and eventually knocked down. Young was able to get out of the round and hang on for the victory on January 20th.

“I leaned it’s boxing, and one punch can change the fight. I need to stay sharp for the whole fight and not get lackadaisical.”

In now his 18th bout, Young is taking a minor step up against a veteran who has fought 201 professional rounds.

“This is my first official 8-round bout. I plan to put on a great performance for the fans. I am grateful for Rising promotions. They gave me a opportunity to fight in front of my fans, and I am looking for them to keep it going.”

In a 6-round bouts:

Dan Pasciolla (8-2) of Brick, NJ will fight LeMarcus Tucker (4-1,2 KO’s) of Forrest City, Arkansas in a heavyweight bout.

Gabriel Pham (7-1, 3 KO’s) of Atlantic City, NJ takes on Chauncey Fields (4-1, 2 KO’s) of Lynchburg, VA un a super middleweight bout.

In 4-round bouts:

Brendan Barrett (4-0-2, 4 KO’s) of Little Egg Harbor, NJ takes on Brian Donahue (3-13) of Philadelphia in a heavyweight bout.

Adrian Wilson (0-3) of Atlantic City battles Henry Tyrone Paige (0-3) of Little Rock, Arkansas in a welterweight bout.

Kevin Asmat (1-1) of North Bergen, NJ will take on Edgar Cortes (3-4) of Vineland, NJ on a super featherweight bout.

Thomas Romain (1-1) of New York will square off with Sidell Blocker (1-6-1) of Pleasantville, NJ in a lightweight fight.

In a battle of pro debuting welterweights, Cesar Francis of New York boxes Steve Moore of Orange, New Jersey

There will be several amateur bouts that will precede the professional bouts beginning at 6 PM ET.

Tickets for this great evening of boxing are $150, $80 and $55 and can be purchased at www.RSPboxing.com

Yesterday, you decided to go to the internet and social media as you have tried to do in the past and paint your own picture of the IBF eliminator bout between yourself and Sullivan Barrera. Maybe your propaganda works in Russia and in Canada but not in the United States. The fact is this fight was doomed to fail from the beginning and you can only look to your fake promoter for reasons and excuses.

First, your promoter decided not to negotiate with Barrera’s promoter Main Events and asked to go to an immediate purse bid. You immediately told the world on your social media account that the fight would be March 4th in Brooklyn, New York. Sullivan Barrera started training for this bout but no contract ever came for this bout.

After your promoter won the purse bid, he then told the world the fight would be in late March or early April in New York. Sullivan continued to train for that bout but again no contract ever came from your promoter.

Then, a few days before your promoter was obligated to meet the IBF’s deadline to send Sullivan Barrera a bout agreement for the eliminator, he is quoted in a Canadian news article about a possible cancellation of the bout if you would not be able to get a visa to enter the United States. You then had to go to your social media to try and correct your own promoter’s quotes and continue to push him to make the bout happen rather than bring up possible excuses to cancel the bout.

Next, your promoter tried to tell the world that the bout would be April 21st in Miami. But following the same pattern, a contract from your promoter never came for that bout either. Instead, he tried to send improper agreements to Main Events with various dates and sites that were all contingent on “financial backers” and could be cancelled and postponed at any time which is against IBF rules. If your promoter didn’t want to negotiate with Main Events in the first place and won the purse bid, why is he trying to make side deals with Main Events instead of just sending a bout agreement?

It was also learned that even after your promoter failed to meet the IBF deadline to submit a proper bout agreement to Barrera with the actual date, site, and location of the bout, he was still reaching out to local promoters in the Miami area and asking them for large amounts of money for the rights to put on the fight in Miami. One of those promoters actually contacted Barrera’s manager and asked his manager to help pay Yvon Michel and finance the bout.

Hopefully you can see how all of these actions (and inactions) raised tremendous concern in the camp of Sullivan Barrera that your promoter was grasping at straws and was not going to be able to properly deliver on the bout. He was in violation of the IBF rules governing the winner of a purse bid and kept trying to find ways around it. As of yesterday, he still wasn’t providing specific information on the site of the bout and at no time has the bout ever been listed on the schedules of any of the main boxing venues in Miami or on any schedule for U.S. television.

While it was always questionable whether your promoter could actually promote a fight of this magnitude in the United States when he has yet to ever do so, we no longer wanted to wait and find out the hard way. Barrera was simply not going to play these games any longer. After training for weeks and spending his own money with little to no certainty as to whether the bout would actually take place, enough became enough. Your promoter got what he wanted and you can thank him for the cancellation of this bout.

Artur, you are a great fighter with a great future. You will either take tough bouts against the best in the light heavyweight division like Sullivan Barrera has done or go the way of your countryman Adonis Stevenson and avoid tough bouts at all costs. You will either be a part of the propaganda and games being played by your promoter or you will demand to be well informed about the truth behind your opponents and the bouts.

But you should know that every story has two sides and Barrera’s track record should leave no doubt about his intentions to fight you and the very best in the division. While you spent all of 2016 fighting whatever cow farmers from Argentina your promoter could find, Barrera was on HBO facing off against Andre Ward and then destroyed the previously unbeaten Slava Shabranskyy.

Have no doubt that Sullivan Barrera was ready to fight you and does not care about the fact that everyone else is afraid of fighting you. But Sullivan needs to be treated like a man and not a piece of meat. If you and your promoter are just looking for fresh meat, you need to keep going back to Argentina.

LONDON (10 March) – BoxNation will air some of the very best fighters around as part of a jam-packed schedule over the coming weeks which sees Gennady Golovkin v Daniel Jacobs, Canelo Alvarez v Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, a stacked April 8th show headlined by lightweight world champion Terry Flanagan facing Petr Petrov and much, much more.

From top to bottom the BoxNation calendar is filled with a host of edge-of-the-seat thrillers with the world’s finest boxers set to do battle starting tonight at 7pm as undefeated warrior Jamie Conlan faces former world title challenger Yader Cardoza for the vacant WBC International Silver super-flyweight championship at The Waterfront in Belfast.

This kick-starts even more great fights on the channel with knockout king David Lemieux going up against middleweight foe, and an equally impressive banger, Curtis Stevens this Saturday night from Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York.

This fight promises to produce all-action, with Canadian Lemieux and Brownsville boxer Stevens looking to rise back to the top of the 160-pound weight class.

Next week, on Friday March 17th, BoxNation will stay in New York as Irish Olympic sensation Michael Conlan makes his professional debut on St Patrick’s Day as he takes on Tim Ibarra from the iconic Madison Square Garden.

It will no doubt be a very special night for the Belfast super-bantamweight who will be looking to get his career off to the best of starts against 26-year-old Ibarra.

Then, the following night on Saturday March 18th, exclusively live once again from the ‘Mecca of Boxing’, Madison Square Garden, pound-for-pound star Golovkin will defend his WBC, WBA Super and IBF world titles against the gifted Jacobs.

The Kazakh fighter has captivated the boxing world, racking up a staggering 36-0 record, with 33 of those coming by way of knockout.

Despite being the sport’s most feared fighter Golovkin will have his hands full against 30-year-old Jacobs who has shown he too has dynamite in his fists with a record of 32 wins and just one loss, with 29 knockouts.

This mammoth clash will pit together two of the greatest middleweights in the world, with the victor rightfully able to call themselves the best fighter in 160-pound division.

The card on the night will also feature another pound-for-pound ace in the undefeated WBC super flyweight world champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez who meets the hard-hitting Wisaksil Wangek.

Gonzalez has a flawless 46-0 record, with 38 KOs, and is regarded by many as the best boxer on the planet.

Wangek will be looking to test him, and his 38 KOs in 41 wins shows he is no slouch and has real pop in his punches.

‘The Channel of Champions’ will be back on British soil on April 8th to air one of the best fight cards this year, headlined by lightweight world champion Flanagan as he defends his title from the Manchester Arena against Russian assassin Petrov.

The undefeated Flanagan will be looking to do the business in front of his home fans and prove why he is so highly-rated against the tricky and well-schooled Petrov.

There is nothing but top class fights on this card with former light-middleweight world champion Liam Smith facing the undefeated and rising Liam Williams in a showdown that could be a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender.

Smith, who has taken on the very best including Mexican star Canelo, will be eyeing another shot at a world title down the road but Welshman Williams has other ideas as he looks to derail those plans and throw his hat into the world title mix.

This bout will certainly be a clash not to be missed, with British Olympic hero Nicola Adams making her debut on a card that also sees South African Zolani Tete facing Arthur Villanueva in a final eliminator for the WBO world bantamweight belt.

Exciting heavyweight monster Daniel Dubois is another debutant on a great night of boxing from Manchester.

The month of May isn’t going to start so merry for one Mexican when Latin rivals Canelo and Chavez Jr clash in a megafight from Las Vegas.

Taking place from a sold-out T-Mobile Arena the long-time rivals will finally get to settle an old feud on May 6th with the flame-haired Canelo looking to prove why he is one of boxing’s elite fighters.

The 26-year-old is the biggest pay-per-view draw around but a rejuvenated Chavez Jr is looking to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious father and upset the odds in a must-watch matchup.

This is followed on May 20th when the supremely talented and Floyd Mayweather protégé Gervonta Davis struts his stuff for UK fans when he makes the first defence of his IBF super-featherweight world title against the unbeaten Liam Walsh.

Live from the Copper Box Arena in London, BoxNation will be the only place to see a clash which pits together two of the very best at 130-pounds.

The BoxNation calendar will no doubt have fight fans licking their lips, with back-to-back world class fights available for just £12 a month. Find out more at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.
Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Khan vs Canelo.
The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.
Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.
BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.
For more information visit www.boxnation.com
*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers

Scotty Cardle can win the Lord Lonsdale belt outright when he defends his British Lightweight title against English champion Robbie Barrett at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on April 15, live on Sky Sports.

Cardle puts the coveted strap on the line for the fourth time in Scotland, but with a draw in his second defence and rematch against Sean ‘Masher’ Dodd last April, the unbeaten 27 year old needs to see off Barrett to claim the crown for keeps after stoppage wins over Dodd in November 2015 and Kevin Hooper in Glasgow in October.

Barrett is full of confidence going into the bout having landed the English strap on enemy territory in Birmingham against Marcus Ffrench in October and then defeated Hooper in his first defence in March.

Cardle put mandatory challenger Hooper away in style inside six rounds with a clinical display of his own, and the Lytham St Annes man wants another stand-out performance to seal the belt and move on to target European honours.

“I’m over the moon to be getting the chance to win the belt outright,” said Cardle. “I’ve defended it many times now but with the draw I need one more to get my hands on it – and that’s always been the aim, it’s something special and what I’ve always dreamed of.

“The last time I boxed in Glasgow I thought that was the one for me to win it outright, but it’s no stress to fight for it again as I’m proud to be British champion and I love defending it, and to do it in Glasgow is special for me and my family.

“I’d sparred a few times with Kevin but that’s all I had to go on to prepare for the fight, and he got the better of me in those spars to be honest so I was a bit nervous. I knew I had to be at my best and luckily enough I was, I felt great and I’m hoping to produce the same clinical performance as that.

“I haven’t seen much of Robbie, but Kevin has told me a bit about him and I leave that to Joe to study. He’s a southpaw and a good boxer coming off two strong wins, so we’ll look back to my performances against Southpaws like Maxi Hughes and Craig Evans and make sure I’m on that kind of form.

“I don’t want to stand still, there’s a place on my mantelpiece for the Lonsdale belt and once I’ve got that for keeps I want to move on through the stages. The Lightweight scene in Britain is a World scene anyway; Terry Flanagan is a World champion and Luke Campbell is at World level, so if I do fight those guys I am moving forward.

“I really want the European title next, I’d love to fight Edis Tatli and I’d be more than happy to go to Finland to take it from him – I’ve boxed all over the world as an amateur so that wouldn’t faze me in the slightest.”

Cardle’s clash with Barrett is part of a huge night of action in Glasgow as WBA World Super-Lightweight champion Ricky Burns looks to unify against IBF king Julius Indongo.

Cardle’s gym-mate Callum Johnson defends his Commonwealth Light-Heavyweight title against Schiller Hyppolite and Charlie Edwards and Iain Butcher clash for the vacant British Super-Flyweight title.

Charlie Flynn fights for his first pro title as he faces Ryan Collins for the Celtic Lightweight title, Joe Ham takes on Scott McCormack for the Scottish Super-Bantamweight title and Team GB Olympian Josh Kelly makes his pro debut.

Tickets for April 15 are on general sale priced £40, £60 and £100 from www.thessehydro.com and £200 VIP exclusively at www.matchroomboxing.com

Sean McGoldrick has signed a promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing and will make his debut on the undercard of the World Lightweight unification clash between Anthony Crolla and Jorge Linares at the Manchester Arena on March 25, live on Sky Sports.

The Welsh 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist and 2014 bronze medal man will kick off life in the paid ranks at Bantamweight, where he picked up his medals in Delhi and Glasgow.

The 24 year old former Team GB Podium squad member kicks off life in the pro ranks in a fortnight’s time and the Tony Borg trained Newport talent can’t wait to lace them up.

“I am so excited to be turning pro,” said McGoldrick. “When any boxer starts out, they want to be champion of the world, but when you get into the amateur set up you realise there is more to it than just having a couple of fights and then turning pro.

“I set myself new goals in the amateurs, to win medals and to progress, and now I’ve turned pro, I go back to that goal of wanting to become a World champion and the best I can be.

“I’m raring to go now. Eddie likes to get his guys boxing all over the country and I’d love to do that. Eddie puts on the best shows in the UK and some of the best in the world, and I just can’t wait to be a part of it on the cards of the likes of Anthony Joshua and Kell Brook, fighters that I really look up to and it’ll be an honour to fight on their bills and hopefully I can do myself justice and perform on the big stage.”

“I’m delighted to welcome Scott to the team,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Scott had a stellar amateur career with Team GB and I am excited to see him move quickly through the pro ranks and challenge for major honours.”

McGoldrick’s debut is part of a huge night of action in Manchester topped by Crolla’s revenge mission against Linares.

There’s a crossroads battle of Blackpool as Middleweights Brian Rose and Jack Arnfield lock horns. Martin J. Ward defends his British Super-Featherweight title against Maxi Hughes in their third clash in the paid ranks, Marcus Morrison defends his WBC International Middleweight strap against Jason Welborn, while his Joe Gallagher gym-mate Hosea Burton looks to bounce back into title contention from his epic battle with Frank Buglioni, Irish sensation Katie Taylor fights for the fourth time as a pro, while there’s also action for Tomi Tatham, Ben Sheedy and Nathan Wheatley.

Tickets are on sale priced at £40, £60, £80, £100 and £150 and available from www.manchesterarena.com or by calling 0844 847 8000. VIPs tickets are exclusively available through www.matchroomboxing.com priced at £250.

Face value tickets for March 25 will also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

Olympic double medal winner Nicola Adams is hoping to emulate UFC sensation Ronda Rousey by putting women’s boxing firmly on the map.

The Leeds flyweight, who makes her professional debut on April 8th on a stacked card at the Manchester Arena, is looking to follow in the footsteps of Rousey who helped popularise women’s fighting in the UFC and became a huge crossover star as a result.

British hero Adams is already a well recognised personality and is the perfect fit to help establish women’s boxing to a mass audience in the same way Rousey has done with the UFC.

“I would love to be able to do something similar with women’s boxing to what Ronda Rousey has done with the UFC and headline my own shows and have big fights in Vegas – that’s every boxers dream,” said Adams.

“I think Ronda Rousey has done an amazing job for the UFC and taken the UFC to a whole new level in the women’s game.

“In the UFC they have women headlining and they get paid just as much as the men do. She’s a big reason for that,” she said.

34-year-old Adams has constantly broken the mould, having become the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing at the London 2012 Games.

She now features as part of thrilling fight card next month, which also sees lightweight ace Terry Flanagan defend his world title against Petr Petrov and a blockbuster showdown between former champion Liam Smith and the undefeated Liam Williams.

Adams, however, will be out to steal the limelight and hopes to continue to change perceptions as she progresses through her professional career.

“I would love to change some peoples perspective of women’s boxing and women’s sport in general, and to help raise the profile,” said Adams.

“Breaking down barriers is something that’s been happening as I’ve gone along with my career. I love to be able to break down barriers and I’m thankful to have achieved so much to be able to do that.

“It’s always good to be able to inspire the next generation to get involved in sport,” she said.

Olympic Gold Medallist and women’s boxing icon Nicola Adams OBE fights for the first time as a professional and as part of an unmissable evening of boxing headlined by Terry Flanagan defending his WBO World Lightweight Title against tough Petr Petrov; plus Liam Smith vs. Liam Williams in one of the most eagerly anticipated fights of the year, with slick South African Zolani Tete facing Arthur Villanueva in a final eliminator for the WBO World Bantamweight strap; also GB Heavyweight monster Daniel Dubois makes his highly-anticipated professional debut along with a talent packed undercard.

Tickets for April 8 priced £50, £70, £100, £150, £200, £300 and VIP £500 are available from eventim at www.eventim.co.uk and 0844 249 1000 and the Manchester Arena at www.manchester-arena.com and 0844 847 8000.

By Norm Frauenheim-

A couple of things didn’t happen during the last week, neither one much of a surprise and yet both significant for a sport that is either dying, or rebounding, or just going nowhere.

Item One: Nothing about Keith Thurman’s split decision over Danny Garcia last Saturday resembled Sugar Ray Leonard’s classic over Thomas Hearns in 1981. It was more like the Leonard-Hearns rematch in 1989. Don’t remember that draw? Neither does anybody else.

Item Two: Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan announced a fight in the United Arab Emirates and then found out a promised $38-million was, well, fake news. The real story: There was no money, no fight at all.

What to make of it?

Bottom line, there is no more lotto at the end of a boxing rainbow that appeared like an illusion in 2015 when Floyd Mayweather Jr. collected between $220-and-$230 million for a dull bout that netted Pacquiao a reported $180 million.

Promoter Bob Arum, who warned Pacquiao about another UAE tease, told the Los Angeles Times that the Filipino and advisor Michael Koncz “were talking to the wrong people.’’

Truth is, there are no right people anywhere – not in the UAE, or Dubai, or Vegas, or New York — willing to invest $38 million in a boxing card these days.

The business is starting over, which might be bad news for Pacquiao, a Filipino Senator who is generous to a fault and always looking for a way to fund his next political campaign.

He needs the money. That’s no secret. If the Senator is entering his prime as a politician, however, he’s past his peak as a fighter. No secret there, either.

Pacquiao, who was guaranteed $4 million for a victory over Jessie Vargas in his last bout, is caught in a changing market. The irony is that he helped fuel the astonishing run-up of purses that climaxed with his loss to Mayweather.

Now, however, there are younger welterweights willing to fight for a fraction of the wages he and Mayweather earned.

That brings us back to Thurman and Garcia. Each had career-high guarantees of $2 million for a CBS fight that generated big ratings in prime time. The audience averaged 3.74 million over the 12 rounds and peaked at 5.1 million.

The fight itself is hard to judge in terms of whether it won over some disaffected fans. There were no knockdowns. Over the final three rounds, Thurman played it safe, staying out of harm’s way. The split scorecards say that was a risky tactic. But, in the end, it worked for him.

The bigger debate is about whether the bout was another turn-off for casual fans. The guess in this corner: It wasn’t. There was no pay-per-view, a fee that almost ensures outrage if it isn’t a classic.

The parallel to the first Leonard-Hearns bout was an impossible reach. But it was free. It didn’t cost anybody $100 for the right to get bored and then angry, all in high definition.

In part, that was always Al Haymon’s plan when he introduced Premier Boxing Champions a couple of years ago. He foresaw that pay-per-view was killing the business. His validation rests in the numbers for CBS’ primetime telecast.

Mayweather-Pacquiao set a pay-per-view record. At its peak, the 5.1 million for Thurman-Garcia was bigger than the 4.6 million PPV number for Mayweather-Pacquiao.

Under the old PPV model, Thurman and Garcia would still be invisible to casual fans. They aren’t now. They are introducing themselves to a bigger audience and doing it for price that might sustain the business as it finally moves into the post Mayweather-Pacquiao era.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera has pulled out of his proposed elimination bout with Artur Beterbiev.

“Barrera never signed his contract to fight Beterbiev and we know now never intended to fight Beterbiev,” Michel told ESPN. “He is the latest of a long list of contenders who turned down an opportunity to fight Beterbiev for the IBF mandatory position. After we have won the purse bid, Barrera kept pretending on social media he was preparing to fight Beterbiev but refused to sign the IBF contract. Then they requested a Florida state contract. He got it and never signed it either. He could find any kind of excuses in the world, but the truth is he refused to fight for his share of the bid, the risk being too high for the compensation. If he would have believed he could beat Artur, he would have taken the fight.”

“I don’t believe any of the IBF contenders will volunteer to face Beterbiev for the mandatory position, so I will petition the IBF to name Artur the mandatory contender by default,” Michel said. “It’s really too bad [the fight is off] because I really had targeted Barrera for Beterbiev. I know he has some credibility, and a KO win by Artur would have made a good shock wave in the division. To make sure Barrera was going to take the fight, I even had promised to Main Events and the IBF I was not going to do the fight in Canada since Barrera has no passport and cannot enter the country. We were doing the fight in his own backyard.”

ANTHONY BURGIN (133.1lbs) vs AVERY SPARROW (132.6lbs)

— Semifinal —

ROQUE ZAPATA (155lbs) vs FRED JENKINS, JR. (155.2lbs)
BASYZBEK BARATOV (113.3lbs) vs TYRONE ARZENO (112.4lbs)
TOM WASHINGTON, JR. (272.8lbs) vs CASSIUS CHANEY (241.5lbs)
STEVEN LOPEZ (111.5lbs) vs ERNESTO ALMODOVAR (112.9lbs)
JOSEPH ADORNO (132.5lbs) vs MARCO OCANO (131.5lbs)
VICTOR PADILLA (135.4lbs) vs CARLOS CASTILLO (134.4lbs)
JEFFREY WRIGHT (155.8lbs) vs ISAIAH WISE (154.4lbs)
CRYSTIAN PEQUERO (122.3lbs) vs ALONZO DAVIS (123lbs)
MIKE RODRIGUEZ (169.5lbs) vs CHRIS THOMAS (166.8lbs)

ABOUT MARCH 10

The Burgin-Sparrow and Jenkins-Zapata fights top an eleven-bout card at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. First fight is 7:30 pm.

6:00PM DOORS OPEN
Location: 2300 S. SWANSON ST.
7:30PM FIRST FIGHT AND GFL.TV LIVESTREAM BEGINS

It will be streamed live by www.gfl.com and televised on delay by Comcast SportsNet.

Tickets are $40, $50 and $75 and can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and 2300 Arena (267-273-0945). Tickets also can be purchased online at www.2300arena.com. The March 10 card is promoted by Peltz Boxing, BAM Boxing, Joe Hand Promotions, and Raging Babe.

CHICAGO, IL (March 9, 2017) – After stopping former world champion, Chad Dawson (34-5, 19 KOs), with a stunning tenth-round TKO, WBC #8 light-heavyweight contender, Andrzej Fonfara (29-4, 17 KOs), is welcoming challenges from everyone in the top ten.

“I’m looking forward to my next fight and the possibilities that have opened up with my victory over Chad Dawson,” said Andrzej Fonfara. “My main goal is to avenge my loss to Joe Smith Jr., but if I can’t get him in the ring, then I’m looking to face anyone in the top ten of the light-heavyweight division.”

With the light-heavyweight division loaded with talent, Fonfara seeks a meaningful fight with one of the top contenders, more specifically, former WBC super-middleweight champion, Badou Jack (20-1, 12 KOs), who recently vacated his world title at 168 pounds.

“Badou Jack seems like the perfect opponent, but I must warn him, this is not the super-middleweight division,” Fonfara continued. “Badou Jack has never faced punchers like those fighting at 175 pounds. He must earn his shot to a world title fight, just like I did when I was coming up. This makes for a perfect opportunity for us to fight, with the winner moving up the rankings.

Baltimore, MD (March 9, 2017) – Jake “The Snake” Smith’s Baltimore Boxing Promotions is back in action Thursday, March 30 at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD with an exciting pro-am card stacked with local standouts.

Ticket are on sale by calling 410-375-9175 or going to Baltimoreboxing.com. Doors open at 6:30 and the first bell will sound at 8.

Headlining the card is NABA champion “Slick” Nick Kisner against Lamont “The Problem” Singleton. Living and fighting out of Baltimore, Kisner has a solid 18-3 professional ledger with six wins by knockout. In his most recent bout, Kisner outboxed hometown favorite Brian Holstein to capture the aforementioned NABA belt. Prior to his pro career, Kisner was one of the best amateurs in the country, winning various championships.

Hailing from Dover, Delaware, Singleton owns an impressive 8-1 record and has six knockouts. Fresh off a first round knockout in February, Singleton is confident he’ll earn his biggest victory to date against Kisner.

The non-title bout is scheduled for 8 rounds.

Middleweight prospect “Dangerous” Donald Wallace looks to raise his record to 3-0 when he squares off with Barry Trotter in four round all-Maryland showdown. Wallace of Baltimore is fresh off an exciting six round decision victory over previously unbeaten Tahir Thomas in September. Fighting out of Columbia, Trotter’s 2-2 and has a win over 3-0 Tracey Brewer.

Welterweight phenom Joey “Bazooka Joe” Veazey of Baltimore meets durable Washington DC Lamont White in a four rounder. The popular Veazey, who called out UFC star and boxing hopeful Conor McGregor, turned pro last October with a decision win. A seven fight veteran, White’s faced 5 unbeaten opponents and has never been stopped.

Steve “Show Stealer” Wheeler returns to the squared circle for the first time in 6 ½ years to face an opponent to be named in a four round cruiserweight contest. Wheeler, 6-0 (5 KO’s), is a massive ticket draw and looks to continue where he left off.

The amateur portion of the card will feature former East Coast heavyweight titlist Brian “Bam Bam” Haneschlager of the Baltimore Boxing Gym. Haenschlager, a heavy handed fighter, is expected to turn pro in the near future.

“Michaels Eighth has been a magical place for Baltimore Boxing,” said Jake Smith. “We have the best and most loyal fan base in the region. The best way to show them our appreciation is by putting on quality fighters. The main event is a ShoBox type fight between two boxers who have plans of fighting bigger bouts in the near future. We’ve packed the house so make sure to get your tickets early.”

For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com.

WORCESTER, Mass. (March 9, 2017) – Rivera Promotions Entertainment (RPE) held a press conference last night at Ballot Box in Worcester (MA) to formally announce its April 1st “New England’s Future 2″ show at the Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts.

New England’s Future 2” is presented by Rivera Promotions Entertainment (RPE), which is owned and operated by retired three-time, two division world champion Jose Antonio Rivera and his son, Anthonee (A.J.) Rivera.

Pembroke (MA) cruiserweight Vinnie “American Nightmare” Carita (15-1-1, 14 KOs will headline against Brazilian knockout artist Gilberto Matheus “El Magico” Domingos (22-6, 20 KOs), the former South American light heavyweight champion, in the eight-round main event. Carita, like promoter Rivera, is a court officer in Brockton (MA) and Worcester, respectively.

Manchester (CT) lightweight Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard (23-1, 13 KOs) returns to the ring for the first time in six years facing Augustine “Ruthless” Mauras (6-1-3, 3 KOs), of Lawrence (MA), In the eight-round co-feature,

Dorchester (MA) heavyweight Donnie “Big Nasty” Palmer (8-1-1, 7 KOs) meets Alando Pugh (1-10-1, 1 KO) in a four-round bout. Bradley was shot in the stomach last summer by his sister’s abusive boyfriend.

2016 New England Golden Gloves champion Anthony Laureano (2-0, 1 KO), fighting out of East Hartford (CT), takes on veteran Bryan “The Brick” Abraham (6-23-1, 6 KOs) in a six-round bout.

Fighting on the undercard in four round matches are Worcester cruiserweight Bryan Daniels (3-0, 1 KO) vs. Tracey Johnson (4-5-4, 1 KO), of Boston, Worcester featherweight Ranse Andino (1-0) vs. Mike Hellenfinger (0-2), of Harrisburg (PA), three-time USA Boxing Nationals champion Elvis Figueroa, of New Haven (CT) makes his pro debut vs. Brazilian super middleweight Devision Robiero (0-3), Worcester welterweight Andy Gonzales (5-1, 5 KOs) vs. pro-debuting Irving Veloz, 2014 N.E. Golden Gloves champion, Lawrence junior welterweight Adrian Sosa (2-0, 1 KO) vs. Jimmy Rosario (2-4, 1 KO), pro-debuting super middleweights Neal Sullivan, of Worcester, vs. Nathan Schulte, Springfield (MA) junior middleweight Derrick Whitley vs. Anthony Everett (104), of Lawrence, pro-debuting Springfield featherweight Luis “Pancho” Santiago vs. Alex Montes (1-2), of Lawrence, and unbeaten Manchester (CT) junior welterweight “Marvelous” Mykqyan Williams (5-0, 3 K0s vs. TBA..

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $65.00 (ringside) and $35.00 (general admission), are on sale and available to purchase at www.ThePalladium.net or the Palladium box office (general admission only), or by contacting Jose Rivera (elgallojar@gmail.com/508.864.6954), AJ Rivera (anthoneerivera@gmail.com/774.272.2269) or any of the fighters. A portion of the proceeds will go to Make A Change Inc.

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

Sponsors include Lundgren Honda, Championsofhealth.usana.com, TKO Auto Repair, John Young Tree Service and Royal Cleanup.

PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Vinnie Carita: “I saw the last (RPE) show and it was great. I’m happy to be on this show. This is a great show with a lot of New England talent. There’s going to be fireworks!”

Matt Remillard: “I was at (RPE’s) last fight and it sold out. That’s awesome. They’re making boxing better, not only in Worcester, but throughout New England. April 1, 2005, I turned pro. I never fought in Worcester before. It’s a great atmosphere. This has been a long time coming, six years I’m going to punish him for. It will not go the distance, I can promise that. He won’t recognize himself after the fight. After I knock him down, I hope he gets back up because I want to punish him. This isn’t a game. I’m in the hurt business.”

Augustine Mauras: “I truly thank Matt Remillard for fighting somebody like me. I’m not an easy cookie. He’s going to be in the toughest fight of his life. I’m going to put you (Remillard) on his ass. I’m here to fight this man! It’s going to be a helluva fight.”

Jose Antonio Rivera, CEO/promoter: “I appreciate the support we received for our last show and we’re looking ahead to booking our next show in June. I can’t really say anything about that, yet. I want to thank our sponsors. My roots are here in Worcester and that’s why so many of the fighters on this show are from here. We aren’t signing fighters, just giving them a platform to fight. We’re happy, right now, helping to provide them with a platform to go on to bigger and better things. Rivera Promotions Entertainment hopes to move fighters and allow them to showcase their skills. We’re very happy about this show. Remillard versus Mauras alone is worth the price of admission.”

Anthonee Rivera, President/matchmaker: “It’s been a lot of fun for us so far. We’re proud to bring boxing back to New England. There are a lot of great fighters on our April 1st card with top prospects, former Golden Gloves champs, top fighters like Matt Remillard and future world champions. All of these guys took the opponents they were offered, no cherry-picking, and that shows what kind of fighters they really are. We have 13 fights and don’t blink during any one of them.”

Bryan Daniels: “I’m a student of Worcester boxing and Jose Rivera was the most established fighter. He came from nothing to become world champion. Never in a million years did I think I’d be fighting on his card. I’m humbled. I was hoping to get an opponent with experience to bring the best out of me. This will be my first time fighting in Worcester to showcase my skills. I’m originally from Illinois but Worcester has a lot to offer, including Rivera Promotions Entertaining giving us a platform.”

Anthony Laureano: “I’m very thankful to be fighting on another Rivera Promotions Entertainment card. They did an awesome job last show and I’m grateful to be fighting again on their card. This will be a big test. Rivera Promotions gave me a platform to be signed by Star Boxing. Jose Rivera was a fighter and he knows what we need.”

Ranse Andino: “I have a fulltime job, go to the gym, and take care of my son. I want to thank Rivera Promotions Entertainment for allowing me to fight. I also want to thank Carlos Garcia, he’s the man! Jose’s been my idol since I first stepped into the gym.”

Neal Sullivan: “I grew up with AJ and Jose has always been good to me. I wouldn’t be fighting if I didn’t trust them. They look out for fighters. I’m a student of the game and know the history of Worcester boxing. I look forward to bringing it April 1st.”

Derrick Whitley: “My father was a professional boxer and I’ve been around boxing my whole life watching him. This is my time, the beginning of my journey.”

Luis Santiago: “I want to thank Rivera Promotions Entertainment this opportunity. I’ve been ready since the last show (his opponent failed the pre-fight medical exam) and haven’t stopped working. April 1st will be the start of my pro career. It’s going to b e a great show and I’m going to end-up with a win.”

Mykqyan Williams: “I’m very excited. Training camp has been excellent. Matt (Remillard) and myself have helped each get ready. I’m looking forward to putting on a good show.”

DETROIT (March 9, 2017) – All eight fighters participating in “Detroit City Gold”, the ShoBox: The New Generation quadrupleheader which includes headliner and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields, made weight on Thursday in advance of Friday’s telecast from MGM Grand Detroit.

Shields (1-0) will face former world title challenger Szilvia Szabados (15-8, 6 KOs) in just her second fight since winning gold at the 2016 Olympics and in the first women’s boxing event in premium television history, live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

“Detroit City Gold,” which takes place less than an hour from Shields’ hometown of Flint, Mich., is promoted by Salita Promotions. Shields vs. Szabados is a six-round middleweight bout.

In the ShoBox co-feature, top-10 ranked bantamweight contenders Antonio Nieves (17-0-2, 9 KOs), of Cleveland, and Russia’s Nikolay Potapov (16-0-1, 8 KOs) will put their undefeated records on the line in a 10-round matchup for the NABO bantamweight belt.

In an eight-round televised bout, welterweight Wesley Tucker (13-0, 8 KOs) of Toledo, Ohio, faces Detroit’s Ed Williams (12-1-1, 4 KOs) in a matchup between two former amateur standouts. In the televised opener, Detroit-based bantamweight prospect James Gordon Smith (11-0, 6 KOs) will take on Chicago’s Joshua Greer, Jr. (11-1-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-round bout.

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS:
Claressa Shields: 159 ½ Pounds
Szilvia Szabados: 158 Pounds

Antonio Nieves: 116 ½ Pounds
Nikolay Potapov: 117 ½ Pounds

Wesley Tucker: 147 Pounds
Ed Williams: 146 ¼ Pounds

James Gordon Smith: 116 ¾ Pounds
Joshua Greer, Jr.: 116 ¾ Pounds

FINAL QUOTES:

CLARESSA SHIELDS:
“I know about Laila Ali, and Christy Martin and Lucia Rijker, and I don’t box like any of them. I have my own unique style. I’ve never seen a female fighter like myself. I want to carry the sport.

“The boxers I like and study are Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis and Floyd Mayweather. Those are my favorites. And you can even throw Sugar Ray Leonard in there, too.

“I’m going to be aggressive. I’m not going to be nervous and I’m not going to freeze up. I’m going to go right out there and hit her in the face with a right hand.

“This is my hometown fight. I last fought in Michigan three years ago. I’m going to showcase my skills on SHOWTIME.

“I’m embracing all of this. I grew up and heard when I was young that women can’t fight. I’m ready to show everyone just how wrong that is on Friday night.”

SZILVIA SZABADOS:

“I know Claressa is popular because of the two gold medals, and she’s young and 21. This is her hometown so I know the fans will be cheering for her. Congratulations to her. But I just have to worry about fighting my fight and staying focused.

“I know she’s a come-forward fighter like me. Always go, go, go. I don’t know what she’ll bring. It’ll be a surprise. Everyone always has a plan and I have a plan, as well. But I’m willing to change and improvise.

“I’ve been sparring with men mostly. It’s hard to find girls who can spar with me, especially in Hungary.”

ANTONIO NIEVES:
“I’m ready to go. I’m ready to show that night [a draw against Alejandro Santiago] was a fluke. There are no distractions this time.

“I’m ready to show people that I’m a contender at this weight. I’m here to prove that I deserve to fight for a world title.”

NIKOLAY POTAPOV:
“I’ve improved a lot working with Javan [Javan SugarHill Steward]. The sky’s the limit for me and I know I can be a legitimate contender in my division.

“There are going to be a lot of eyes on this fight so it’s important that I look good and get the victory. We’re both undefeated, and we’re both ranked, so there is a lot on the line in this fight.”

WESLEY TUCKER:
“I’m going to be the next world champion from Toledo. I’m a lefty and have power in both hands and I’m a pressure fighter.

“My right hook is my best punch and that’s rare for a lefty.

“I live 45 miles from here and I come here a lot so, yeah, it’s like a home fight for me.

“I know Ed Williams. He’s a nice little boxer, long and rangy. That’s about it.

“I’m going for the knockout and it may come early, or it may not. No matter what, I always put on a good show.”

ED WILLIAMS:
“This is one of the fights that will determine whether I continue and move up, or I do something different. This is it. That’s what ShoBox has always been about for fighters like me.

“I took a break from boxing and got my college degree in industrial engineering. But I got the bug and came back. Things would have been much different if I would have stayed with it. I’m not doing anything with my degree yet, but will once I’m finished with boxing.

“I’m older but I don’t have many miles. I’m well-preserved. It’s going to be exciting and I’m looking forward to an exciting fight.”

JAMES GORDON SMITH:
“I’ve never lost to anyone from Chicago, and Friday night will be no different.

“I’ve been around boxing forever and all the talking doesn’t bother me. I would expect nothing else. He’s coming into my backyard and should be confident. He’s coming in with an eight-fight winning streak. It don’t bother me. It just gives me the extra motivation to make sure no one comes into my backyard and beats me.”

JOSHUA GREER, JR.:
“It’s not my first undefeated fighter I’ve fought so it’s no big deal. I know what I have to do.
Sure, we were going at it pretty good at the press conference. You can say it’s a Chicago-Detroit thing. Of course there’s a rivalry there.

“I’m fast, but people underestimate my power. My power is a bigger strength than my speed. It’s something not a lot of people expect of me.

“You will see fireworks from round one.”

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Rich Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

# # #

ABOUT SHIELDS vs. SZABADOS
Claressa Shields vs. Szilvia Szabados is the professional television debut of two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields against former world title challenger Szilvia Szabados. The six-round women’s bout headlines a ShoBox: The New Generation telecast from MGM Grand Detroit in Detroit, Mich., and airs live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

ABOUT MGM GRAND DETROIT
The only Forbes Four-Star hotel in Detroit with the only Forbes Four-Star spa in Michigan, the AAA Four Diamond Award-winning MGM Grand Detroit is the city’s first and only downtown hotel, gaming and entertainment destination built from the ground up. The hotel features 400 chic and stylish guest rooms, including nine rooftop VIP suites and 56 opulent corner suites. Guests enjoy signature restaurants; two by world-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck as well as the hotel’s own sports pub, TAP at MGM Grand Detroit; casual dining options; lounges; high-energy nightlife; and the only resort-style spa in Southeast Michigan. More than 30,000 square feet of meeting space hosts everything from large corporate events to intimate black-tie affairs. MGM Grand Detroit is a wholly owned subsidiary of MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information, visit mgmgranddetroit.com or call toll free at (877) 888-2121

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, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network 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.

MULVANE, Kansas (March 9, 2017) – Rising junior middleweight prospect Neeco “Rooster” Macias will put his undefeated record on the line March 25 against Mexican veteran Cesar Soriano in an eight-round bout, on “KO Night Boxing: History Begins”, featuring the professional debut of hometown hero Nico Hernandez, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist.

“KO Night Boxing” will air live (9 p.m. ET) on CBS Sports Network from Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas.

One of only two U.S. men boxers to medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wichita native Hernandez. will face upset-minded Las Vegas (NV) flyweight Patrick Gutierrez (0-2) in the six-round main event.

Got to promo links: English – https://vimeo.com/206517858
Spanish: https://vimeo.com/206496742

In association with Kansas Star Casino, KO Night Boxing LLC is the licensed promoter of “KO Night Boxing: History Begins”, which is being sponsored by Miller Lite, Mel Hambelton FORD and TITLE Boxing.

The 25-year-old Macias (14-0, 8 KOs), fighting out of Palm Desert, California, takes on “gatekeeper” Soriano (26-34-1, 16 KOs) in the opening televised bout. The extremely aggressive fighting Macias, who is the reigning World Boxing Council’s (WBC) United States junior middleweight champion, is currently ranked No. 13 by the United States Boxing Association (USBA).

In short, Macias is an energized-bunny boxer, always going forward, throwing an arsenal of punches from every conceivable angle. His fan-friendly style, in addition to his rooster persona, makes him an instant favorite wherever he fights. Kansas fans there to support Hernandez will probably take to Macias before the first bell.

“I never chose my nickname,” Macias explained. “I fought a lot in the amateurs between Los Angeles and Fresno, where there are a lot of Latino fans. They started calling me, Gallo, which is Spanish for Rooster. In my fourth fight, I did a little rooster dance and scratched. Then, I was more dramatic, and eventually I started crowing. I crow and scratch before, during and after my fights, so I better live up to my nickname and keep winning.

“We don’t just focus on techniques on camp, I go through some insane, hardcore workouts. Everybody gets tired in the ring but I train very hard and always find my second wind during fights because I train so hard. I’ve been doing it this way for the past five years. I have a good coach, my father (Al), who pushes me. I never reach a plateau in workouts. We even steal workouts from other gyms. But, boxing is 80-percent mental and with the Adrenalin rush from fighting in front of large crowds, mentally, I have to be strong to physically do what I do in the ring.”

Macias is getting close to breaking into the world ratings. Two of his last three fights have been shown on CBS Sports Network, both live from Las Vegas, including his USNBC-winning fight against previously undefeated Rolando Garza (9-0), the former member of the Mexican National Boxing Team. Macias took the fight to Garza fight from the opening bell, never letting up during this action-packed fight, until the referee stopped the fight in the fifth round.

“Everybody hits the wall and I did against Garza in the fourth round,” Macias said, “but I got my second wind and finished him off in the fifth. I’ve gotten better since that fight, too. I’m not a Floyd (Mayweather Jr.)-like fighter, so I’ve been working on my defense, keeping my hands high, elbows close to my body. I’m smothering opponents now, not giving them leverage, and I haven’t been getting cut like I did in my earlier fights.

“I’m going to show fight smarts early, fighting in flurries and pressuring him inside to make him uncomfortable, and then wear him down for the middle and late rounds. The ‘Rooster’ is going to pressure him; tap, tap, tap to the body, until things settle down and then start digging punches to his head and body. I’m doing everything to come out of this fight 15-0.”

Soriano has won his last two fights. He is the former Fecarbox and WBC Mundo Hispano lightweight champ. As a “gatekeeper,” he has tested the likes of world title challengers Dierry Jean and Ionut Dan Ion, as well as top contenders such as Kevin Bizier and Logan McGuinness.

Ticket prices are $115.00 (ringside, rows 1 & 2), $75.00 (floor seats, rows 3-5), $60.00 (floor seats, floor rows after 1-5), $35.00 (lower bowl) and $25.00 (upper bowl). Suites seating up to 22 people are available to purchase for $2,500 (includes non-alcohol beverages and food).

Tickets are available to purchase at www.kansasstarcasino.com/entertain/arena
or www.ticketmaster.com. All ages show.

Doors open at 5:00 p.m. CT with the opening bout scheduled at 6:00 p.m. CT.

TITLE Boxing is the official apparel and gloves partner for Knockout Night Boxing.

INFORMATION:

Websites: www.kansasstarcasino.com, www.konightboxing.com

Twitter: @Kansas_Star, @Neonstarmedia

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Neon-Star-Media

Follow Nico Hernandez on Twitter & Instagram @Nicomhernandez and ABT Films on Twitter @abtfilms

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 9, 2017) – Top undefeated prospect DANIEL “TWITCH” FRANCO, (15-0-3, 10 KO’s) of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, will make his highly anticipated return to Southern California on Thursday, March 23 in the 8-round main event against battle-tested veteran CHRISTOPHER “S.D. KID” MARTIN, (29-8-3, 9 KO’s) at EXCHANGE LA Nightclub in Downtown Los Angeles.

Presented by Bash Entertainment, advance tickets starting at $60 can be purchased by calling 818-8584342. EXCHANGE LA is located at 618 South Spring Street in Downtown Los Angeles. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. PT with the first bell at 6:30 p.m. PT. EXCHANGE LA is ages 21 and over only.

“I’m so very excited to be fighting in Southern California for the first time in over two years,” said the 25-year-old world ranked Franco. “While I’ve loved fighting in Oakland and Washington, D.C., there’s no place like home.”

“Christopher Martin is a very tough test, he’s fought many world champions and numerous contenders and I’m definitely looking forward to the challenge.”

“We’re thrilled to work with Daniel and his team on this main event. Given the styles of both fighters, this fight will provide action from the opening bell and great entertainment for our fans at the DTLA,” said STEVE BASH of Bash Entertainment.

“Daniel has continued to shine, exceeding expectations with each fight and having him fight at home in front of his family and huge number of local fans will make for a very special evening,” said RAY CHAPARRO, Manager of Daniel Franco.

Most recently, Franco won the IBF-USBA Lightweight Title with a sensational fourth round stoppage of previously undefeated Derrick Murray on November 10, 2016 in Washington, D.C. in the main event of the prestigious FIGHT NIGHT annual charity boxing event. The victory was his third in 2016, all by knockout.

Fighting out of San Diego, the 30-year-old Martin has shared the ring with world champions Gary Russell Jr., Jhonny Gonzalez and a wealth of contenders and top prospects including Miguel Marriaga, Daniel Roman, Roberto Castaneda, Teon Kennedy, Luis Orlando Del Valle and Chris Avalos.

Comosa AG are pleased to announce the launch of the World Boxing Super Series, a revolutionary bracket-style elimination tournament featuring the world`s best boxers and a total of $50 million in prize money. The winner will receive the GREATEST prize in boxing – the Muhammad Ali Trophy.

“The World Boxing Super Series will change the world of boxing,” said Roberto Dalmiglio, Comosa’s Head of Management Board. “The tournament will set new standards, ensure coherent storylines and provide top-class boxing throughout the year. It is Comosa’s ambition to turn the World Boxing Super Series into the world’s biggest and best boxing tournament.”
The tournament will be organised by newly-founded Comosa AG, a Swiss-registered company with principal owners from the world of marketing (Highlight Event & Entertainment), broadcasting (Modern Times Group) and boxing (Team Sauerland).
The tournament, the first of its kind, will kick off in September 2017. It will be taking place on an annual basis. The inaugural season of the World Boxing Super Series will feature two weight classes, 16 fighters and a total of 14 main events. In each weight class, eight boxers will battle it out in a bracket-style elimination tournament, with four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and one final. This makes for seven top fights per weight class, and a total of 14 fights in season 1 to be staged in premier venues around the globe. An expert panel will invite the world’s best boxers, namely the top 15-ranked fighters of the four big federations WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO.
Matthew Hooper, Executive Vice President, Modern Times Group, said: “The fighters can earn a lot of money in the World Boxing Super Series and also prove that they are the number one in their division. We will set out a clear and consistent schedule and stick to it.”
The eight Quarter Finals – four in each weight class – will take place in September and October 2017, with the four Semi Finals scheduled for January and February 2018. The two Finals will then go down in May 2018.
“Comosa is proud to announce a close cooperation with the family of the greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali, and we are delighted to honour his legacy with this tournament,” said Kalle Sauerland, Comosa’s Chief Boxing Officer. “Whoever emerges as the winner of the World Boxing Super Series will rightfully receive the GREATEST prize in boxing, the Muhammad Ali Trophy.”
Added Richard Schaefer, Comosa’s Chairman of the Americas: “I have been involved in the sport for a long time and boxing has really been missing a big tournament like the World Boxing Super Series. Every major sport has one. This is a fascinating project and I am thrilled to be involved. The quality of the people behind this tournament ensures it will be a success.”
The weight classes for the inaugural season of the World Boxing Super Series – as well as the respective participants – will be announced at the Draft Gala, a live-televised kick-off event in June 2017. To avoid each other in the Quarter Finals, the top four boxers will be seeded. During the Draft Gala, they will pick their Quarter Final opponents.
Comosa will partner up with boxers, promoters and managers from around the world, and in accordance with the four major World Boxing Federations, creating a new platform for the sport to thrive on.
Comosa has signed an agreement with MP & Silva, which is the exclusive sales agent of World Boxing Super Series tournaments for the next 3 seasons (2017/18, 18/19 and 19/20) on a world-wide basis excluding USA and Scandinavia. The rights will be available for international territories on all broadcast platforms, including digital and OTT formats.
Alongside action-packed Fight Nights, there will be extensive TV & online programming produced for fans around the globe. More information will be announced in due course.

New York (3/9/17) – DiBella Entertainment wrapped up an eventful weekend of boxing with the signing of three of the Midwest’s most promising prospects, including a 2016 Olympian. After a record crowd descended on Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, for the unification bout between Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia, promoter Lou DiBella looked to the future, inking promotional deals with 2016 American Olympian Charles Conwell, Conwell’s half-brother Isaiah Steen, and former amateur champion Ardreal Holmes. The trio, who are managed by Split-T Management’s David McWater, will be co-promoted by Oklahoma-based Holden Productions.

Conwell, of Cleveland, OH, who will make his professional debut on April 21 at Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, OK, amassed a record of 132-14 as an amateur before representing the United States in the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Despite Conwell losing to eventual two-time Olympic gold medalist Vikas Krishan Yadav, it was clear to many that he would have a promising future in the professional ranks. The 19-year-old welterweight will join Holden’s “Four State Franchise,” a team of boxers that boasts a large and passionate following in Oklahoma.

“Signing with DiBella Entertainment and Holden Productions means everything to me,” said Conwell. “I know they really care about their fighters. With them guiding my career, the sky is the limit. They will help make sure that I am not only a champ, but a legend. I love my fans in Cleveland and can’t wait to make new fans and family in New York City and in the Four State Franchise.”

Boxing is a family affair for Conwell, who, like all eight of his siblings, was enrolled in boxing at a young age by his father, Charles Conwell, Sr. Charles Jr. and his older half-brother, super middleweight Isaiah Steen (6-0, 5 KOs), were the only two to stick with it. “It is good to have my brother next to me as I go into the next phase of my career,” said Conwell.

“I’m excited to be with DiBella Entertainment and Holden Productions,” said Steen. “I know they are great people and meeting Mr. DiBella was very exciting. I could tell right away he cared about his fighters. I can’t wait to start this next chapter in my career.”

Junior middleweight Ardreal Holmes (5-0, 3 KOs) also signed a promotional pact with DiBella and Holden on Saturday. The 22-year-old southpaw hails from Flint, MI, and is a four-time Michigan Golden Gloves champion, a 2015 USA National Elite champion and 2016 US Olympic Alternate. He has since relocated to Lansing, MI, to train with Joe Bermudez. There he splits his time between boxing, a part-time job and caring for and mentoring his 15-year-old brother, who also has aspirations to become a professional prizefighter.

“Aside from winning world titles, and unifying all of the belts at 154, then moving up to 160, my goal is to return to my home in Flint, and bring whatever success I have back with me. I want to be a positive role model for the kids in Flint,” said Holmes. The young fighter hopes to use the platform that boxing provides to keep attention on the water crisis in his hometown. “Everyone I know has been affected by the water crisis in Flint. I want to help make sure they aren’t forgotten.”

Holmes describes signing with DiBella and Holden as the high point of his boxing career thus far. “I can’t thank God enough for blessing me with this opportunity. Rest in peace to my brother and I love you to my family, Split-T Management, Flint and my whole state of Michigan for standing behind me 100 percent. It’s been a long road for Team Holmes and we have plenty miles left in us. I’m grateful that Mr. DiBella is giving me a chance to showcase to the world what I’ve been working on for almost half my life. I’m definitely going to make the most of it.”

“These three fighters are phenomenal additions to the DiBella Entertainment family,” said DBE President Lou DiBella. “All three guys are well-grounded, family-oriented and have the talent to become champions. It’s great to expand my relationship with Tony Holden, who I have worked with for years.”

ABOUT DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT
In May of 2000, Lou DiBella launched DiBella Entertainment (DBE), a full-service sports and entertainment company, which has become one of the most successful promotional entities in boxing. Serving as matchmaker, television distributor, marketing advisor, and promoter, DiBella has developed an exciting stable of championship caliber, world-class fighters. DBE clearly established itself as an industry leader with the successful launch of its monthly-televised “Broadway Boxing” series in April 2004. Prior to becoming a promoter, DiBella held an 11-year tenure as the Senior Vice President of HBO Sports. He is also a well-known fixture in the film industry, having worked as an Executive Producer for the film “Love Ranch”, as an Associate Producer on “The Fighter”, and making his acting debut in “Rocky Balboa”. The President and Managing General Partner for the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball team, DiBella proudly wears his 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series rings, as his team is the class AA affiliate to the San Francisco Giants. In 2014, DiBella was inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.

ABOUT HOLDEN PRODUCTIONS
Tony Holden, a former television producer, started in boxing in 1990 when he formed Holden Productions. Holden has promoted numerous world champions and stars, some of whom started their careers under his wing. They’ve fought on all of the major television outlets, both domestically and internationally. Currently, Holden Productions’ “Four State Franchise” is a major draw at the Buffalo Run Casino and their cards are always sold out. Current and former fighters include boxing greats Tommy Morrison, Johnny Tapia and Prince Naseem Hamed, Joe Mesi, Olympian Zahir Raheem as well as Trey Lippe-Morrison, and Ivan Baranchyk, among others.

Anthony Crolla says he is flying in his camp for his World Lightweight title unification rematch with Jorge Linares at the Manchester Arena on March 25, live on Sky Sports.

Crolla was told in no uncertain terms by trainer Joe Gallagher that he had to lock himself away as he prepared to meet the Venezuelan for the second time following their tight first encounter in September, where Linares added Crolla’s WBA strap to his WBC Diamond belt and the Ring Magazine crown.

‘Million Dollar’ is looking to reclaim the belt he won in stunning fashion in his Manchester fortress in a rematch with Darleys Perez before KOing Ismael Barroso, and the 30 year old believes that paying heed to Gallagher’s impassioned plea in their press conference to stay focussed on training will pay dividends in a fortnight’s time.

“I understood what Joe meant in the press conference,” said Crolla. “I think in the past I have been a bit stupid and that’s been my fault. I run around with tickets and stress over things, I’ve been told it for years but this time it’s been different and I’m flying in camp. It’s been a load off my shoulders and I am just concentrating on getting my belt back.

“We’re both bringing different game-plans to the ring and there’s no doubt that we’ll both leave it all in the ring again, like we did last time. I did everything I could to win last time but I came up short, the right man won but there wasn’t a lot in it. This time I am going to make sure that doesn’t happen. It’s a second chance to win those belts and a second chance to beat a great fighter like Jorge, and I’ve prepared myself physically and mentally to be better than him this time.

“I was disappointed that I lost, and you should never be satisfied with losing, I was happy that I gave everything on the night but there was things that I did that I was annoyed about and I won’t be making them this time.

“He didn’t outclass me because two of the judges only had one point in it, so we’ve made the adjustments that I need to do to make sure the result is different.”

Crolla’s clash with Linares is part of a huge night of action in Manchester where there’s a crossroads battle of Blackpool as Middleweights Brian Rose and Jack Arnfield lock horns.

Martin J. Ward defends his British Super-Featherweight title against Maxi Hughes in their third clash in the paid ranks, Marcus Morrison defends his WBC International Middleweight strap against Jason Welborn, while his Joe Gallagher gym-mate Hosea Burton looks to bounce back into title contention from his epic battle with Frank Buglioni, Irish sensation Katie Taylor fights for the fourth time as a pro, while there’s also action for Tomi Tatham, Ben Sheedy, Nathan Wheatley and Sean McGoldrick.

Tickets are on sale priced at £40, £60, £80, £100 and £150 and available from www.manchesterarena.com or by calling 0844 847 8000. VIPs tickets are exclusively available through www.matchroomboxing.com priced at £250.

Face value tickets for March 25 will also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

ENDS

Darlington’s perpetual power puncher Troy Williamson makes his keenly awaited bow under the Frank Warren standard this Friday in a four rounder at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall.

Last Sunday, Glynn Evans caught up with the 25 year old middleweight – a former ABA champion and European Championships rep – to hear his story.

You’d have been a rare dark face growing up in the northern market town of Darlington. Did that present difficulties?
A bit, yeah. I’m also fourth youngest of 11 -six girls, five boys – so it was quite a rough upbringing.

There were only about five black families in the whole area so I had a few (racial) problems. It didn’t help that my dad had a reputation as a hard man so we kind of got picked out by local lads looking to make a name for themselves.

I was a quiet kid, certainly didn’t look for bother,and it took a lot to rile me. But I could always stick up for myself.

When did you become involved in boxing?
When I was 10, I went the boxing gym for a couple of months but you couldn’t compete until you were 11 and I got bored with just training.

I gave it another go when I was about 17. I started out at the Darlington club but, after about three years, I moved to the Stockton ABC where I won 11 of 12 (bouts) under Imran Naeem who coaches the Leather twins (unbeaten pros Josh and Kalum). Then the Darlington gym moved to walking distance of my house so I thanked Imran for all his help and returned there.

What did you achieve in the amateur ranks?
I only ever boxed as a senior but crammed in 68 bouts with just 15 losses. I got to two English ABA finals losing on points to (2014 Commonwealth Games champion and 2016 Olympian) Anthony Fowler in 2014. Fowler was flying at the time, knocking everybody out and even my friends wrote me off, expected me to get stopped. But I gave him a real fight. Only experience beat me.

A year later, I beat (unbeaten pro) Jack Flatley to finally win the crown. The same year, I won the Three Nations gold and made the quarter-finals of the European Seniors in Bulgaria. I also fought in Miami, Finland, Denmark and Uzbekistan.

I spent two years with the Team GB set-up, up in Sheffield, which really brought me on as a fighter and, being away from home, matured me as a person. And I did well, jumped at all the chances offered to me.
I had four five round fights in the World Series of Boxing against some of the best amateur boxers in the world. I fought the (2016) US Olympian Charles Conwell in Florida and twice boxed Arlen Lopez, the Cuban who won gold at Rio (Olympics). He was also world champion at both junior and senior level and was easily the best I ever faced. He had everything; fast, elusive, could switch, could punch….

The experience of fighting in the WSB should certainly accelerate me through the professional ranks. The kids I fought in the amateurs were definitely more talented than the pros I’ve fought. My team are talking about fast tracking me sensibly.

Why did you choose to forsake Elite level funding with the Team GB set-up to gamble on a pro career?
I felt I’d learnt all I could in the amateurs and the pros were the next natural step. Several friends recommended MTK (Matt Macklin’s Mack The Knife Promotions) to me, saying they’re genuine people with a reputation for looking after their fighters well. So I decided to give it a go.

At the moment, I train in the north-east because my coach Andy Marksby has a job outside of boxing but, in time, I’d like a couple of camps over at the MTK set-up in Marbella. Getting decent sparring is a struggle and I have to travel to Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Derby, Birmingham…but I’ve had decent work with the likes of John Ryder, Anthony Ogogo and Scott Fitzgerald.

Late last year, you kick started your paid career with a third round stoppage of a Bulgarian import in Edinburgh, followed by a four round shut-out of Manchester’s Yailton Neves in Durham. How did you assess those performances?
After what I achieved in the amateurs, there was a lot of weight on my shoulders to blow my opponents away. The Bulgarian was quite a bit heavier than me but eventually I managed to get him out of there. The second one kept moving on the back foot and made it through. I just need to close the distance a bit quicker. I was happy enough but I’ll get better.

What qualities do you possess that fans can look forward to?
Above all, I train hard, never cut any corners. I’m physically strong and I hold a good shot. As I progress, the longer fights will suit me. I’ve a good engine and I’ll wear people down. I need to tighten up my defence but I’m coming on loads every spar.

How do you pass your time away from boxing?
I like to walk my dogs. I’ve seven (!); three Chihuahuas, two Jack Russells, a whippet and a Pomeranian puppy. I used to breed them.

What are your short-term goals over the next 12 months or so?
I just want as many fights as possible and to keep my winning streak going before thinking about titles in 2018. I’d like to go the traditional route; English, British and Commonwealth…

It’d also be good to get a bit of a buzz going in the north-east. Stuey Hall (Darlington’s former IBF bantamweight champion) is a mate – we go running together – but, growing up, I didn’t really have a local boxer to look up to. My hero was Mike Tyson.

In addition to myself, there’s Martin and Tommy Ward from Durham, plus the Leather twins and Joe Maphosa from Middlesbrough way. We’ve the potential to put on cracking shows.

Finally, what can the Belfast fans expect to see from Troy Williamson inside the ring at the Waterfront Hall on Friday night?
Excitement and explosiveness! Training’s gone great. I feel sharp, the best I’ve ever been and now I just can’t wait. I’d love my opponent to come and have a go, rather than just run or cover up, so I can show my best.

09 March 2017 – Bangkok, Thailand: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), held a public face-off today at the Vertigo Rooftop Bar at the Banyan Tree hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. ONE: WARRIOR KINGDOM is set to rock the Impact Arena this Saturday, 11 March and will feature the return of ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela “Unstoppable” Lee of Singapore as she makes the first defense of her title against challenger Jenny Huang of Chinese Taipei.

Visit the official ONE: WARRIOR KINGDOM FACE-OFF photo gallery by clicking here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BxHVlFU0lKiIWU5DUGdOVDF1UjQ

Angela Lee, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion, stated: “I would love to test my skills against the best fighters in the world, and to show everyone how much I have improved since my last fight. I’m coming into this bout against Jenny [Huang] hungry and determined. Winning the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship is one of the best achievements of my career so far, but I don’t want to go into this fight feeling like I’m the champion. I want to stay as hungry as the challenger.”

Jenny Huang, ONE world title challenger, stated: “I have worked very hard to earn this opportunity. Angela Lee is a great, young champion, but I’m coming for the belt. I know chances like this are very rare and I will do my best to take the title home for all my fans.”

20-year-old Angela “Unstoppable” Lee became the youngest world champion in the history of mixed martial arts when she captured the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship via a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Japanese veteran Mei Yamaguchi in May of 2016. Lee’s stunning performance reverberated throughout the sport, captivating audiences the world over and catapulting the young fighter to superstardom. Now, the undefeated champion Lee makes her way back to the ONE Championship cage to make the first defense of her title against top rated challenger Jenny Huang.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™

ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, OSN and more.