NEW YORK – October 19, 2023 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and DAZN today announced the renewal of the Most Valuable Prospects boxing showcase series which highlights the world’s best up-and-coming talent. Following the series’ success in 2023, MVP will expand the series from four events to six in 2024 and has renewed its distribution partnership with DAZN. Offering fans an array of exciting fights with some of the hottest prospects in boxing, the six-event Most Valuable Prospects series will begin in early 2024 and will be available globally on DAZN. Caribe Royale Orlando and BoxLab Promotions will also continue their partnership with MVP into 2024. The inaugural chapter of Most Valuable Prospects will culminate with two final events in 2023 and is next set to return on Friday, October 27th.

MVP and DAZN’s partnership extension comes on the heels of a sold-out Most Valuable Prospects II and ahead of the record-setting upcoming Most Valuable Prospects III, which precedes the historic 12-round, three-minute rounds unified featherweight title bout between undisputed featherweight champion Amanda Serrano and WBO challenger Danila Ramos the same night. Taking place on Friday, October 27th in Orlando, Florida, Serrano vs. Ramos and Most Valuable Prospects III has already become the highest grossing combat sports gate in host Caribe Royale Resort’s 25-event history. Tickets are on sale now on Ticketmaster.com. 

Following MVP’s October event, Most Valuable Prospects is set to return to Caribe Royale Orlando for a fourth and final 2023 installment, available globally on DAZN. The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and promoted by MVP, with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter for these events and throughout 2024. Caribe Royale Orlando will return as host for multiple events next year.

“Following the incredible ongoing success of our 2023 series, we could not be more excited to renew Most Valuable Prospects for 2024 alongside our dedicated distribution partner DAZN to bring more events and more exhilarating matchups to fans around the world,” said MVP Co-Founders Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul. “Boxing is going through a transformational period and we want to spearhead the change that drives value to fighters first. We look forward to an exceptional 2024 with ten events already in place and an expansion of the MVP roster.”

“After an exciting year of partnership between MVP and DAZN, we look forward to another year of showcasing more Most Valuable Prospects fight nights. DAZN and MVP have had great success thus far and extending this partnership only makes sense to continue putting together even more thrilling fights for boxing fans,” shared Joe Markowski, CEO of DAZN North America. ”Jake Paul and MVP have an incredible impact in growing the sport of boxing and we can’t wait to take part in this impact further.”

“Caribe Royale is proud to continue our relationship with MVP and DAZN after a successful launch of the Most Valuable Prospects Series in 2023,” said Amaury Piedra, Managing Director of Caribe Royale Resort and President of Boxlab Promotions. “Our goal as the premier 4 Diamond all-suite hotel in Florida is to continue to bring live events and entertainment to the Central Florida area. Both our guests and local residents alike will have an opportunity to see the best of boxing’s future champions as they develop their careers. Both Caribe and Boxlab Promotions, along with the wonderful team at MVP, will continue to revolutionize the boxing landscape in 2024 as we take the series to new levels.”

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and promoted by MVP, with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter. The series continues the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent, as well as the addition of special feature matchups to bring outsized viewership to the young talent. All 2023 Most Valuable Prospects events will take place on Friday nights and will be hosted by Caribe Royale Orlando. DAZN will air the series across its platforms as a part of its subscription package which will include the entire main card lineup and prelims. CELSIUS Essential Energy Drinks, maker of lifestyle energy drink, serves as the exclusive energy drink sponsor of the Most Valuable Prospects 2023 series.

For more information, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @MostVPromotions, and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @JakePaul, @MostValuablePromotions, and @DAZNBoxing.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP has produced Jake Paul’s last four global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Fury match, which surpassed 800,000 Pay-per-view buys worldwide. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.? 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.?

?

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.?

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.??

NEW YORK, NY – October 3, 2023 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced that #2-ranked WBA bantamweight Antonio Vargas (16-1, 9 KOs) will face off with veteran contender Hernan Marquez (47-10-2, 33 KOs) for the WBA Continental Americas bantamweight title in the headlining preliminary bout of MVP’s third installment of its Most Valuable Prospects series. The 10-round bout will take place on Friday, October 27 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. On the main card will be a 6-round bout between the young undefeated lightweights Alexander Rios (7-0, 4 KOs) and Benigno Agular (10-0, 4 KOs). Most Valuable Prospects III, presented by Celsius Essential Energy Drinks, will precede the historic 12-round, three-minute rounds unified featherweight title bout between undisputed featherweight champion Amanda Serrano and WBO challenger Danila Ramos. Tickets are now on sale at https://www.ticketmaster.com/mvp-presents-amanda-serrano-vs-danila-orlando-florida-10-27-2023/event/22005F2D8E29C1CE. 

Antonio Vargas, a proud Puerto Rican and local favorite residing in Kissimmee, Florida, aims to defend his WBA Continental Americas title in the headlining Most Valuable Prospects III preliminary bout. Vargas is currently ranked #2 in the world by the WBA, and seeks to extend his six-bout winning streak against Hernan Marquez, the 35-year-old southpaw out of Empalme, Sonora, Mexico. Known for his early-round knockout power, the veteran fighter will look to secure his fifth consecutive win as he takes on the exciting Vargas on Friday, October 27th.

Most Valuable Prospects III main card will feature Alexander Rios vs. Benigno Aguilar as the two lightweight fighters go head-to-head in a 6-round bout. Aguilar, the 24-year-old Mexican American fighter out of Crescent City, Florida, will put his undefeated record to the test against fellow undefeated prospect Rios. The 22-year-old Rios comes to the ring from St. Cloud, FL via Bayamon, Puerto Rico boasting a clean record of seven professional wins and zero losses. Rios returns to Most Valuable Prospects III after a memorable first round knockout on Most Valuable Prospects II.

Also returning to the main card of Most Valuable Prospects III will be the young Puerto Rican sensation Krystal Rosado (1-0, 1 KO), Amanda Serrano’s first official signed fighter, who made her professional debut on Most Valuable Prospects II with an impressive TKO victory in the second round, demonstrating her superstar potential. Rosado’s opponent will be announced in the coming days.

“The world will be watching Amanda Serrano and Danila Ramomake history Friday, October 27th as the first-ever unified women’s championship bout to be fought at 12, three-minute rounds,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “Preceding their historic fight, MVP is thrilled to continue shining a spotlight on both the best and most promising fighters through Most Valuable Prospects III. Rios vs Aguilar will undoubtedly be a Puerto Rico vs Mexico battle and Krystal Rosado is looking to continue her spectacular start to her professional career.”

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and promoted by MVP, with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed by DAZN. The third event in the series continues the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2023 and will be hosted by Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL. DAZN will air the series globally across its platforms as a part of its subscription package which will include Serrano vs. Ramos, the entire main card lineup and prelims. CELSIUS Essential Energy Drinks, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of the Most Valuable Prospects series.

For more information, follow on Twitter via @Serranosisters, @MostVPromotions, @JakePaul, @Boxlab_AP, and @DAZNBoxing, and @cariberoyaleor on Instagram via @serranosisters, @MostValuablePromotions, @JakePaul, and @DAZNBoxing, and @cariberoyaleorlando.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVPworks to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP has produced Jake Paul’s last four global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Fury match, which surpassed 800,000 Pay-per-view buys worldwide. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head-to-head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US, and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.?  

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.? 

? 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.? 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony, and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.    

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.?? 

About Caribe Royale Orlando Resort

Located just minutes from the Walt Disney World® Resort in the nation’s number one convention and tourist destination, Caribe Royale Orlando is the only AAA Four Diamond all-suite meetings resort in Orlando. A TripAdvisor 2022 Travelers’ Choice Award winner – among just 10 percent of hotels worldwide to receive the distinction – the upscale Caribe Royale is emerging from a $140 million renovation that includes fully remodeling all of its one-bedroom suites, an all-new 50,000-square-foot grand ballroom (bringing the total meeting space to 220,000 square feet), and an inviting new lobby. Being privately-owned, Caribe Royale offers meeting planners faster approval cycles and more flexibility to create stand-out events. To learn more or to book a visit, event or meeting, visit www.cariberoyale.com. Follow the all-suite convention hotel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(@cariberoyale), LinkedIn and Pinterest. #cariberoyaleorlando

San Juan, Puerto Rico – September 6, 2023 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) took another historic step on its mission to advance women in boxing to be treated equal to their male peers, announcing the first ever Women’s Unified Championship bout with the same rules as a Men’s Championship. Seven division boxing world champion and undisputed featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (45-2-1, 30 KOs)will face mandatory WBO featherweight challenger Danila “A Guerreira” Ramos (12-2, 1 KO) on Friday, October 27th at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. Serrano vs. Ramos will be preceded by MVP’s third installment of its Most Valuable Prospects series, presented by Celsius Essential Energy Drinks. The WBO, WBA and IBF world title fight between Serrano and Ramos will be contested at 126 lbs and will set a long-awaited historic precedent in women’s boxing as Serrano vs. Ramos will be contested over 12 three-minute rounds, equal to men’s championship fights. To date, per the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports women’s championship fights have been contested as 10 round bouts at 2 minutes per round. Most Valuable Prospects III which precedes Serrano vs. Ramos will be headlined by Antonio Vargas (16-1, 9KOs) as he looks to defend his WBA Continental Americas bantamweight title in a 10 round bout. Serrano vs. Ramos and Most Valuable Prospects III will be available globally on DAZN, with tickets set to go on sale Wednesday, September 13th at www.ticketmaster.com.

Serrano vs. Ramos seeks to set a new standard for women’s boxing, one that hasn’t been seen since Layla McCarter vs. Melissa Hernandez in 2007. This marks over 15 years since the sport has garnered a women’s fight equal to the men’s maximum of 12 rounds at 3 minutes each. Now, with the world watching, Serrano and Ramos will show a new generation of female boxers that they can do anything their male counterparts can do and for the first time ever compete at the same level for a unified world championship title.

Serrano, the first ever Puerto Rican undisputed world champion, started her current WBO featherweight title reign by defeating Heather Hardy in a brutal 10 round fight in 2019 to win the WBO belt, and has since defended her WBO belt five times. Most recently, Serrano offered Hardy redemption, but successfully defended her undisputed featherweight world champion title for the first time in a decisive 10 round unanimous decision victory. Serrano also won a blood-soaked war against WBA featherweight champion Erika Cruz back in February, which made her the undisputed featherweight champion. Serrano’s decisive win against Cruz followed her previous win over Sarah Mahfoud in Manchester, England that added the Dane’s IBF title to her WBO, WBC, and IBO featherweight belts. Her historic clash against Katie Taylor at Madison Square Garden in 2022 earned recognition as Sports Illustrated’s Fight of the Year and The Ring’s Event of the Year and was further nominated for Event of the Year by Sports Business Journal. 

Beyond her power packed punches, the Puerto Rican native is a fierce advocate for equality in women’s boxing. Her headlining bout against Katie Taylor in 2022 broke barriers in women’s boxing when it came to equal pay and was the first combat sports event headlined by two women at Madison Square Garden. Serrano will continue to make history as she faces Ramos, proving that boxers of all genders should compete at the very highest level possible, creating a new, equal standard of 12 three-minute rounds, irrespective of gender.

“Danila Ramos may be my WBO mandatory challenger, but when we step in the ring, she will understand exactly why I am the undisputed featherweight champion,” said Amanda Serrano. “But this fight is about more than some belts. We have faced a long and hard battle, united as women, to achieve the same pay, respect, and recognition in boxing. Together, on Friday, October 27th, we will make history and prove to the world once again, how incredible women’s boxing is and that we are just as tough, dynamic, and capable as any man in the ring, if not more so. This is a fight for women everywhere to be treated the same as their male counterparts.”

Ramos, the veteran fighter out of Buenos Aires by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was ordered by the WBO on August 28th as mandatory challenger for Serrano’s featherweight world title. On August 18th, Ramos won the WBO Interim World Featherweight Championship via a split decision over Brenda Karen Carbajal in Buenos Aires who had held the belt since May 13th, 2022. She shares the same sentiment and desire as Serrano when it comes to showing the world that the rules of elite boxing should be the same for men and women.

“Fighting Amanda Serrano for 12 three-minute rounds for a Unified Championship is set to break the barriers that we women have been looking to do for many years,” said Danila Ramos. “We will go down in history and in the books, it will be a fight of two women warriors! I am preparing like never before for this fight and will proudly represent Brazil as we battle in Orlando, Florida and I look to bring all the belts home.”

“MVP has been focused on disrupting and transforming boxing since our inception two years ago and Amanda Serrano has been a key pillar of those efforts. She is not one of the greatest female boxers ever, she is one of the greatest boxers ever, period,” said Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “On Friday, October 27th, Amanda will once again demonstrate that she is a true ambassador of the sport and an advocate for all female athletes. Her dedication to transforming this sport into the best it can be is nothing short of admirable and she does it all with class outside the ring and a supreme intensity inside the ring. We also recognize Danila Ramos for her determination to show the world that women are equal. Additionally, it’s important that we thank the Florida Athletic Commission for approving this fight and being a part of this historic event.”

“Amanda Serrano is a true trailblazer and innovator”, said Joe Markowski, CEO DAZN North America. “Since DAZN started working with Amanda, she has pushed for three minute rounds, and so we are proud to be involved in this historic night for the sport on October 27th. Watch it live around the world on DAZN.”

Serrano vs. Ramos will be preceded by MVP’s third installment of its Most Valuable Prospects series, presented by Celsius Essential Energy Drinks. The main card of Most Valuable Prospects III will feature three exciting matchups, including the return of the young Puerto Rican sensation Krystal Rosado, Amanda Serrano’s first official signed fighter, who made her pro-debut on Most Valuable Prospects II with an impressive TKO victory in the second round, demonstrating her superstar potential. The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and promoted by MVP, with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed by DAZN. The third event in the series continues the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2023 and will be hosted by Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL. DAZN will air the series globally across its platforms as a part of its subscription package which will include Serrano vs. Ramos, the entire main card lineup and prelims. CELSIUS Essential Energy Drinks, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of the Most Valuable Prospects series.

For more information, follow on Twitter via @Serranosisters, @MostVPromotions, and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @serranosisters, @daniboxe, @MostValuablePromotions, and @DAZNBoxing.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP has produced Jake Paul’s last four global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Fury match, which surpassed 800,000 Pay-per-view buys worldwide. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.? 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.?

?

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.?

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.??

About Caribe Royale Orlando Resort

Located just minutes from the Walt Disney World® Resort in the nation’s number one convention and tourist destination, Caribe Royale Orlando is the only AAA Four Diamond all-suite meetings resort in Orlando. A TripAdvisor 2022 Travelers’ Choice Award winner – among just 10 percent of hotels worldwide to receive the distinction – the upscale Caribe Royale is emerging from a $140 million renovation that includes fully remodeling all of its one-bedroom suites, an all-new 50,000-square-foot grand ballroom (bringing the total meeting space to 220,000 square feet), and an inviting new lobby. Being privately-owned, Caribe Royale offers meeting planners faster approval cycles and more flexibility to create stand-out events. To learn more or to book a visit, event or meeting, visit www.cariberoyale.com. Follow the all-suite convention hotel on Facebook, Instagram,Twitter(@cariberoyale), LinkedIn and Pinterest. #cariberoyaleorlando

About CELSIUS Holdings, Inc.

CELSIUS Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: CELH), is a global consumer packaged goods company with a proprietary, clinically proven formula. A lifestyle energy drink born in fitness and a pioneer in the rapidly growing energy category. CELSIUS energy drinks offer proprietary, functional, essential energy formulas clinically-proven to offer significant health benefits to its users. CELSIUS energy drinks are backed by six university studies that were published in peer-reviewed journals validating the unique benefits provided by them. For more information, please visit: https://www.celsius.com.

Katharina Thanderz (13-0, 2 KOs) becomes Norway’s latest World Champion following a bloody battle with Danila Ramos (8-2, 1 KO) last night in Oslo to claim the WBC Interim Female World Super Featherweight title.

In a fast paced and exciting affair, Thanderz had to withstand some early pressure from the Brazilian Ramos, who started strongly, but was able to find her rhythm and land the more decisive shots as the fight progressed

In a dramatic final round, blood poured down Thanderz’s face following a clash of heads, which saw Ramos deducted a point by the referee, and after the final bell she was awarded a deserved split decision win (97-93, 96-93 and 93-95).

Thanderz follows in the footsteps of current Unified Welterweight Champion Cecilia Brækhus and former WBO Cruiserweight World Champion Magne Havnaa as Norway’s only ever World Champions. 

“I am very happy to get the victory,” said Thanderz. “It was a war from the start to the finish. I couldn’t really see anything in the last round but I knew I had to give it my all. To win a World title feels completely indescribable!”

“Norway has a new World Champion and a new boxing superstar,” said promoter Nisse Sauerland. “Katharina took her chance and won her first World title, but it doesn’t stop here. There are a lot of big fights coming for her!”

Kai Robin Havnaa (16-0, 13 KOs), the son of former WBO World Champion Magne Havnaa, had to overcome a tough test to retain his undefeated record with a win over Mariano Angel Gudino (13-4, 8 KOs). The Argentinian threw everything at Havnaa, but was unable to derail the fast rising Norwegian star, who won via split decision in a valuable learning fight.

“It’s been a hell of a week after the last minute change of opponent,” said Havnaa, who was originally scheduled to face American Al Sands. “But that’s not an excuse because these things can happen in boxing. I learned a lot from this fight. Gudino was a tough opponent and it feels great to get the win!”

“Kai wanted a real test, and he got it,” said Sauerland. “Not many fighters would have accepted such a hard fight on short notice. He showed a lot of heart and courage in there tonight. I don’t believe it was his best performance but he got the win and we move forward. There is still a lot more to come from Kai.”

An action packed undercard at Oslo’s historic Ekeberghallen saw cruiserweight Kevin Melhus (7-0, 3 KOs) continue his unbeaten run with a unanimous points win over Ossie Jervier (6-11, 5 KOs), Alexander Hagen (14-2-1, 6 KOs) outpoint Emmanuel Feuzeu (10-11-2, 4 KOs), Bernard Torres (10-0, 4 KOs) break double figures with his tenth pro win coming by unanimous decision against Christian Flores Lopez (11-6-2, 9 KOs) and Kent Erik Baadstad (6-1, 4 KOs) score a second-round TKO win over Istvan Kun (7-15-2, 4 KOs).

Katharina Thanderz (12-0, 2 KOs) will have star support from Argentinian boxing legend Sergio Martinez when she meets Danila Ramos (8-1, 1 KO) for the interim WBC World Super Featherweight title on November 16th in Oslo.

The former two-weight World Champion will be ringside as Thanderz looks to capture her first World title in front of her home fans at the Ekeberghallen.

“It means a lot to me that Sergio will be there,” says Thanderz. “He always promised that he would be there when I fought for my first World title and he hasn’t forgotten. I couldn’t believe it when he texted me a picture of his flights to show he was coming. I was very happy and got very emotional.”

Before signing for Team Sauerland, Thanderz fought under Martinez’s Maravillabox promotional banner, and the 31 year-old admits the former WBC and WBO champion has been a influential figure in her boxing career.

“He is a big inspiration for me. Not only because of his success as a boxer but also because of his whole life story, which is really special and unique,” she says. “He is the perfect example of the fact that you can achieve whatever you want in life with hard work and self-belief, even when starting from the very bottom.

“He started boxing when he was 20 years old and went all the way to the top winning World title fights more than 10 times. He grew up in a very poor family, and overcame a lot of adversity in life. It’s impossible not to get inspired with his story. He’s also an excellent human being, and so humble. I really appreciate and value his friendship.

“He always gives me a lot of advice, and takes an interest in watching my sparring videos to tell me his point of view. He never talks about specific techniques, but helps me a lot with the mental part of boxing, mental strategies, and the tactical part, which he thinks is the most important part of the game. He’s extremely intelligent, and understanding his philosophy helps me a lot.”

“In her most important fight, it’s a pleasure for me to be able to be there with Katharina to witness her World coronation,” says Martinez. “For me it is a tremendous honour to know her and to have been able to work with her. The most beautiful thing about Katharina, apart from being an excellent athlete, is her quality as a person. She’s a fantastic woman. I love and respect her a lot. I will be there supporting her. She really deserves that.”

Katharina Thanderz headlines a huge show at the historic Ekeberghallen as she faces Danila Ramos for the interim WBC Female World Super Featherweight crown, while Kai Robin Havnaa looks to bolster his World title claim in a crunch cruiserweight clash with Mariano Angel Gudino, and top talents Kevin Melhus, Alexander Hagen, Bernard Torres and Kent Erik Baadstad complete an action-packed card in the Norwegian capital.

Tickets are available online via www.ticketmaster.no. All the action will be available to watch live across Viasat 4, Viasport + and Viaplay in Norway.

Katharina Thanderz (12-0, 2 KOs) and Danila Ramos (8-1, 1 KO) both made weight today ahead of their interim WBC Female World Super Featherweight title fight tomorrow night at the Ekeberghallen in Oslo, Norway.

Thanderz gets her first taste of World title action as she tops an action-packed card at the historic Oslo venue that also features Norway’s number one male boxer Kai Robin Havnaa (15-0, 13 KOs) in a crunch cruiserweight clash against Argentina’s Mariano Angel Gudino (13-3, 8 KOs).

WBC Interim World Super Featherweight Championship:
Katharina Thanderz: 58.6kg
Danila Ramos: 58.1kg

Cruiserweight – 10 Rounds:
Kai Robin Havnaa: 90.5kg
Mariano Angel Gudino: 90.7kg

Cruiserweight – 6 Rounds:
Kevin Melhus: 89.7kg
Ossie Jervier: 89.9kg

Light Heavyweight – 8 Rounds: 
Alexander Hagen: 79.3kg
Emmanuel Feuzeu: 80.7kg

Super Featherweight – 8 Rounds:
Bernard Torres: 58.3kg
Christian Lopez Florez: 58.5kg

Cruiserweight – 6 Rounds:
Kent Erik Baadstad: 91.7kg
Istvan Kun: 90.6kg

Tickets are available online via www.ticketmaster.no. All the action will be available to watch live across Viasat 4, Viasport + and Viaplay in Norway.

Katharina Thanderz (12-0, 2 KOs) came face-to-face with her opponent Danila Ramos (8-1, 1 KO) for the first time at a press conference today in Oslo ahead of their interim WBC World Super Featherweight title fight on Saturday night.

Thanderz, a former European and WBC International Champion, headlines a stacked card at the Ekeberghallen as she challenges for her first World title, while Norway’s number one male boxer Kai Robin Havnaa (15-0, 3 KOs) takes on Mariano Angel Gudino (13-3, 8 KOs) in a crunch cruiserweight clash.

“I feel great. I can’t wait until Saturday,” said Thanderz. “I’ve had a great camp with really hard training. Some days I was completely exhausted but that’s what you have to do to win a fight like this. I have lots of friends and family coming on Saturday so I’m really happy about that. I’m not sure what’s going to happen but I know that I’m going to give it all. This is a big chance for me to realize my dream and win my first World title.”

“I’m very happy to be here,” said Ramos. “Norway is beautiful and it’s the first time I’ve ever seen snow. I feel like I’m already the champ. I didn’t take my belt home to Brazil last time, but there is no way that’s happening again. I’m certain I will win. Come to the fight or watch on TV, I will put in a sensational performance and you will see a new champion on Saturday!”

“It’s a tough fight for both girls and both fighters are here to win,” said promoter Nisse Sauerland.  “It’s a massive night for Norway. Boxing is growing sport over here. It’s been illegal for many years and there have been lots of restrictions, so I’m just happy to put on this great fight night. If Katharina wins then I think there will be a new Norwegian national hero and there will be some very big fights to be made, people like: Terri Harper, Eva Wahlstrom and other big names.”

“I’m happy to be here in Norway,” said Gudino, who comes in as a late replacement for Al Sands. “Havnaa is in trouble. He will see what it is like to fight a real warrior. I’ve come here to fight and I’ve come here to win. I’ve not come here for a holiday. I give the same importance to every fight I have. It doesn’t matter where it is or who it is against. I know Havnaa is a good fighter. He is a big opponent for me, but I’m ready for a war!”

“I can’t wait to get into the ring on Saturday night,” said Havnaa. “I’ve had a late change of opponent before so I’m used to this and I’m not going to let it affect me. My opponent looks fit and strong. I know he is coming here to fight and I will be prepared to face my best opponent yet. He’s says that he’s going to make it war so I’m expecting a war. Let’s go to war!”

“Kai’s had a late replacement. I gave him a list of three fighters and he’s picked the hardest one,” says Sauerland. “I really like his attitude and fingers crossed it doesn’t backfire. I expect a very good, tough fight. It’s going to be a great crowd and we are building something special here in Norway.

“The name Havnaa is synonymous with boxing in Norway. It’s a huge name here. His dad was a World Champion and now Kai is following in his footsteps and emulating his success. He’s the biggest star in boxing in Norway at the moment. He’s taking over and now he needs to produce the goods in the ring.”

Katharina Thanderz headlines a huge show at the historic Ekeberghallen as she faces Danila Ramos for the interim WBC Female World Super Featherweight crown, while Kai Robin Havnaa looks to bolster his World title claim in a crunch cruiserweight clash with Mariano Angel Gudino, and top talents Kevin Melhus, Alexander Hagen, Bernard Torres and Kent Erik Baadstad complete an action-packed card in the Norwegian capital.

Tickets are available online via www.ticketmaster.no. All the action will be available to watch live across Viasat 4, Viasport + and Viaplay in Norway.