LAS VEGAS (May 16, 2022) — Tiger Johnson has been ready for prime time ever since representing the U.S. at last summer’s Tokyo Olympics. The welterweight standout will get a chance to put his skills on display in prime time as he fights an opponent to be named in a six-round special feature Saturday, May 21, at the Resorts World Event Center at Resorts World Las Vegas. Johnson’s bout will open the ESPN telecast of the Janibek Alimkhanuly-Danny Dignum WBO Interim middleweight world title bout.

Alimkhanuly-Dignum, a 10-round lightweight co-feature between Jamel Herring and Jamaine Ortiz, and Johnson’s return will air live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Following his Olympic run, Johnson (3-0, 2 KOs) made an impressive pro debut by stopping Antonius Grable in the fourth round last November on the Terence Crawford-Shawn Porter undercard. The 23-year-old followed up that performance with a decision win over Xavier Madrid and a fourth-round TKO over Sebastian Gabriel Chaves.

The following undercard bouts are scheduled to stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.

• Southern California standout Adam “Blunose” Lopez (15-3, 6 KOs) will face Dominican puncher William Encarnacion (19-2, 15 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout. Lopez became a fan favorite after a breakout performance against Oscar Valdez in November 2019. Despite losing that fight, Lopez demonstrated the poise and composure that would eventually lead him to wins over Louie Coria, Jason Sanchez, and a razor-thin majority decision loss to former world champion Isaac Dogboe. The 26-year-old faces yet another tough challenge in Encarnacion, who is coming off a loss against top contender Abraham Nova.
   
• 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas (12-1, 11 KOs) will take on Colombian Ruben Cervera (13-2, 11 KOs) in a junior lightweight clash scheduled for eight or six rounds. Balderas is coming off three consecutive stoppage victories since signing with Top Rank last year.
   
• Former world champion Jessie Magdaleno (28-1, 18 KOs) returns from a nearly two-year layoff to fight Mexico’s Edy Valencia Mercado (19-6-6, 7 KOs) in an eight-rounder at featherweight. Magdaleno has won three in a row since losing the WBO junior featherweight crown to Isaac Dogboe in April 2018.
   
• U.S. Olympic silver medalist Duke Ragan (5-0, 1 KO), from Cincinnati, Ohio, will put his unbeaten record on the line against Victorino Gonzalez (5-2, 2 KOs) in a featherweight bout scheduled for six or four rounds.
   
• Steven “So Cold” Nelson (17-0, 14 KOs), from Omaha, Nebraska, returns from an extended layoff to take on Louis Rose (17-3-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round light heavyweight battle. Nelson, who knocked out DeAndre Ware in September 2020, suffered a torn Achilles shortly after that bout.

The undercard will also feature three swing bouts:

• Undefeated lightweight contender Giovanni “El Cabron” Cabrera (19-0, 7 KOs), a Chicago native who signed with Top Rank earlier this year, will face Argentinean veteran Elias Araujo (21-4, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
   
• Lightweight prospect Charlie Sheehy (2-0, 2 KOs), a former Team USA amateur standout from Brisbane, California, returns in a four-rounder against New Orleans native Burnell Jenkins (2-1, 1 KO).
   
• Rising junior welterweight Kasir “Mazzi” Goldston (4-0, 1 KO) will fight Cuban spoiler Yaniel Alvarez (2-1, 1 KO) in a bout scheduled for six or four rounds.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $25 are on sale now and can be purchased at Etix.com.
 # # #
About Resorts World Las Vegas
Resorts World Las Vegas was developed by Genting Berhad, a publicly traded Malaysian corporation registered with the Nevada Gaming Commission. The company has affiliated operations in the Americas, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas. In partnership with Hilton, Resorts World Las Vegas integrates three of Hilton’s premium brands into its resort campus, including Las Vegas Hilton, the resort’s full-service brand; Conrad Las Vegas, Hilton’s lifestyle luxury brand; and LXR, Hilton’s network of independent luxury properties, which operates as Crockfords Las Vegas, Genting’s internationally renowned ultra-luxury brand. Resorts World Las Vegas features 3,506 guest rooms and suites, an innovative, next-generation gaming floor, world-class food and beverage options, a 5,000-capacity theatre, distinct nightlife venues, a curated retail collection of designer and boutique shops and more. The integrated resort weaves time-honored traditions of the international Resorts World brand into the fabric of Las Vegas, introducing a bold, fresh take on hospitality to the city with stunning design, progressive technology and world-class guest service. Resorts World Las Vegas is?Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™?with?Forbes Travel Guide,?a verification that ensures the resort has appropriate health safety procedures in place.?For?more information, visit?rwlasvegas.com?or find us on?Facebook,?LinkedIn,?Twitter?and?Instagram.

About Genting Group
Genting Group comprises Genting Berhad (KLSE: GENTING), the holding company, and its listed companies Genting Malaysia Berhad (KLSE: GENM), Genting Plantations Berhad (KLSE: GENP) and Genting Singapore Limited (SGX: G13). Genting Group is involved in leisure and hospitality, power generation, oil and gas, property development, life sciences and biotechnology activities, with operations spanning across the globe, including in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, China, the United States of America, Bahamas and the United Kingdom. Genting Group is a leader in the global gaming and hospitality industry. Founded in 1965, Genting Group has more than 50 years of experience in developing and operating destination resorts in the Americas, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas, offering an unparalleled resort experience and iconic entertainment attractions to over 50 million visitors a year. For more information, visit?www.genting.com. 

LAS VEGAS (April 25, 2022) — Middleweight contender Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly has been anxiously waiting for the main event spotlight, and on Saturday, May 21, he’ll hope to seize it. Alimkhanuly will face undefeated Englishman Danny Dignum in a 12-round showdown for the vacant WBO Interim middleweight world title at Resorts World Event Center at Resorts World Las Vegas.

In the co-feature, former junior world champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring returns to the lightweight division in a 10-rounder against undefeated NABF titleholder Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz.

Alimkhanuly-Dignum, and Herring-Ortiz will air live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $25 go on sale Tuesday, April 26 at 10 a.m. PT, and can be purchased at Etix.com.

“Janibek is a special talent, one of the very best to come from Eastern Europe in recent years,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He’s getting the platform he deserves — a Las Vegas main event on ESPN — and I expect him to look sensational against a tough Englishman like Danny Dignum. Janibek has everything it takes to reign as middleweight world champion for a very long time.”

Alimkhanuly (11-0, 7 KOs) is a 2016 Olympian who has been on the fast track to a world title shot ever since knocking out 50-fight veteran Milton Nuñez in his pro debut. The Kazakh southpaw then racked up eight additional wins before scoring eighth-round stoppages over former world champions Rob Brant and Hassan N’Dam. Despite only 11 fights, Alimkhanuly has become an actively avoided fighter within his division, as several recognizable names at 160 pounds chose other options when opportunity knocked. With this shot at the interim title, he’ll finally get his chance on the main event stage.

Alimkhanuly said, “Demetrius Andrade and Jaime Munguia avoided fighting me, so I give Danny Dignum a lot of credit for stepping up to the plate. I will show the entire world true ‘Qazaq Style’ on May 21, and I will leave the ring as the WBO Interim middleweight champion. While the division’s top names are avoiding me, they won’t be able to run forever. I can’t wait to put on a spectacular showing at Resorts World Las Vegas.”

Dignum (14-0-1, 8 KOs) spent the better part of his amateur career at light heavyweight. In fact, the Essex, England, native had never made the 160-pound limit until November 2019, when he scored a fifth-round TKO over Conrad Cummings to snatch the WBO European crown. Dignum has made three defenses of his regional title, one of which ended in a split draw against Andrey Sirotkin. In February, he knocked down Grant Dennis three times en route to a sixth-round stoppage victory. Dignum will enter the ring with a height and size advantage in this all-southpaw battle.

Dignum said, “I am absolutely buzzing to be fighting Janibek for the WBO Interim middleweight world title. It’s a dream come true to be headlining a show in Las Vegas. All the sacrifice over the years has been worth it to get to this point. I’m very confident in my ability and will be coming to Resorts World to win that title.”

Herring (23-3, 11 KOs), a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and 2012 U.S. Olympian, began his pro career with a somewhat difficult run at 135 pounds. However, after signing with Top Rank and dropping down to junior lightweight, he revitalized his career with an impressive knockout over Juan Pablo Sanchez on the undercard of Jorge Linares-Vasiliy Lomachenko. Herring only needed two additional fights before upsetting Masayuki Ito for the WBO 130-pound crown. Herring made three tough defenses against Lamont Roach Jr., Jonathan Oquendo and Carl Frampton before losing his belt to Shakur Stevenson in October 2021. With this championship experience under his belt, Herring is ready to give it another go at 135 pounds.

Herring said, “I’m happy to be back, starting the new year with a fresh start. A lot has changed since I was last in the ring. I am working with a new trainer, Manny Robles, and returning to the lightweight division for this upcoming fight. I’m optimistic that a victory here will place me back in the title picture at either lightweight or junior lightweight.”

Ortiz (15-0-1, 8 KOs) is a quick-handed boxer whose only blemish is a majority draw against then-undefeated prospect Joseph Adorno. The 25-year-old demonstrated speed and volume punching in that fight, qualities that helped him obtain a unanimous decision win over Nahir Albright back in February to capture the NABF crown. This will be a considerable step up in opposition for Ortiz, who will have his second shot at fighting on a Top Rank on ESPN card.

Ortiz said, “Jamel Herring is a tremendous fighter with an impeccable resume, and I have all the respect in the world for what he’s accomplished, but on May 21, he’s stepping into my ring in my weight class, and I will show him – and the entire world – why I’m the future at 135 pounds. What you saw in February against Nahir Albright is simply a preview of what’s to come. We’ve only scratched the surface. I’m looking forward to adding more titles to my own resume as I climb the ladder in 2022.”
 # # #
About Resorts World Las Vegas
Resorts World Las Vegas was developed by Genting Berhad, a publicly traded Malaysian corporation registered with the Nevada Gaming Commission. The company has affiliated operations in the Americas, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas. In partnership with Hilton, Resorts World Las Vegas integrates three of Hilton’s premium brands into its resort campus, including Las Vegas Hilton, the resort’s full-service brand; Conrad Las Vegas, Hilton’s lifestyle luxury brand; and LXR, Hilton’s network of independent luxury properties, which operates as Crockfords Las Vegas, Genting’s internationally renowned ultra-luxury brand. Resorts World Las Vegas features 3,506 guest rooms and suites, an innovative, next-generation gaming floor, world-class food and beverage options, a 5,000-capacity theatre, distinct nightlife venues, a curated retail collection of designer and boutique shops and more. The integrated resort weaves time-honored traditions of the international Resorts World brand into the fabric of Las Vegas, introducing a bold, fresh take on hospitality to the city with stunning design, progressive technology and world-class guest service. Resorts World Las Vegas is?Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™?with?Forbes Travel Guide,?a verification that ensures the resort has appropriate health safety procedures in place.?For?more information, visit?rwlasvegas.com?or find us on?Facebook,?LinkedIn,?Twitter?and?Instagram.

About Genting Group
Genting Group comprises Genting Berhad (KLSE: GENTING), the holding company, and its listed companies Genting Malaysia Berhad (KLSE: GENM), Genting Plantations Berhad (KLSE: GENP) and Genting Singapore Limited (SGX: G13). Genting Group is involved in leisure and hospitality, power generation, oil and gas, property development, life sciences and biotechnology activities, with operations spanning across the globe, including in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, China, the United States of America, Bahamas and the United Kingdom. Genting Group is a leader in the global gaming and hospitality industry. Founded in 1965, Genting Group has more than 50 years of experience in developing and operating destination resorts in the Americas, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas, offering an unparalleled resort experience and iconic entertainment attractions to over 50 million visitors a year. For more information, visit?www.genting.com. 

LAS VEGAS – In the end, it was Terence Crawford’s dance floor.

He danced with his family. Danced with his mom. Maybe he danced to the top of the pound-for-pound debate.

Neither the dance nor the debate figures to end anytime soon. Above all, Crawford proved he still belongs on any dance floor and in any debate with a 10^th-round stoppage of Shawn Porter Saturday night in front of a capacity crowd at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Porter came as advertised. He knows a lot of dance steps. But he couldn’t sustain them against the patient Crawford. He knows how to wait. Knows how to adjust. And how to finish.

The finish came at 1:21 of the 10^th round after two knockdowns of Porter. Porter’s first trip to the canvas started with a left-uppercut from. The return trip started with a combination followed by a left hand to the head. Frustrated, Porter got up and stomped his foot.

 But the gesture was futile. It was over. His father and trainer, Kenny Porter, was already up the steps with towel in hand. The towel was never thrown. The referee and inspector for the Nevada Commission saw it and acted. Kenny Porter would later say his son wasn’t properly prepared, confirming rumors that Shawn Porter had a problematic camp.

For Crawford, however, it was a moment that punctuated what he wanted to accomplish.

The belt, the World Boxing Organization’s version of the welterweight. Title, was still in his dangerous hands. More important, he strengthened his claim on the top spot in the pound-for-pound debate. Canelo Alvarez, are you listening?

One potential Crawford rival, however, was there. Listening and watching. Errol Spence had a ringside seat.

“Now wait, my thing is, who’s No. 1 in the welterweight division now?” Crawford said in a comment clearly intended for Spence.

At the top of the 147-pound division, it’s either Spence or Crawford. There is nobody else. Crawford made sure of it by eliminating Porter from any real say-so in the weight class. Crawford also has the last word, at least for now.

“You know who I want,’’ said Crawford, who collected about $6 million, $2 million more than Porter’s $4 million payday. “I’ve been calling him out all day. Maybe, Spence will get his tail out of his butt and fight me.’’

Maybe.

For now, there are questions about where Crawford is headed. Promotionally, he’s a free agent. His victory of Porter was the last fight on Top Rank contract.

Top Rank’s Bob Arum is confident he can re-sign him. Arum is already talking about a fight between Crawford and junior-welterweight champion Josh Taylor, who is preparing to move up in weight

For now, however, Crawford only wanted to celebrate a night that began with Porter coming out fast, moving forward and attacking throughout the first three minutes. For one round, it worked. He appeared to win the round with his aggressiveness.

He also was sending a message, one that he wore on the back of his black-and-orange robe. Marvelous War, it said. It was a tribute to legendary warrior, Marvin Hagler. It was note of respect to the past. But it was also a look at the immediate future, a sign of what Porter intended to do.

To wit: Crawford better be ready to brawl. He was. Porter unleashed a whirlwind of an arsenal — conventional, unconventional and often a blur of both.

“I figured that I had the reach and he had to take chances to come to him and he did what he normally does,’’ Crawford said.  “He tried to maul and push me back but I used my angles and I pushed him back at times as well.  Shawn Porter is a slick fighter he was doing some things in there and made me think

“I know I caught him with a good uppercut and then when I caught hidm with another left hook clean in his face that he was real hurt and his dad did the right thing by stopping it because I was coming with a vengeance.’’

In the end, there was nothing else to do but dance to Chaka Khan’ “Ain’t Nobody.’’

For one night, nobody but Terence Crawford.

Falcao wins technical decision in dull bout stopped by head butt

It was called an eliminator. In one way, it was. The crowd cheered when the final six rounds of the Esquiva Falcao-Patrice Volny was eliminated because head butt.

The butt came late in the sixth after Volny (16-1, 10 KOs), of Montreal, swung his head into Falcao’s face. The bout, so-called eliminator for a shot at the International Boxing Federation’s middleweight title. Everything before then was boring. Think deadly dull.

After it was determined that Falcao could not continue, the scorecards were turned in and counted. Two scores, 57-56 and 58-56 were for Falcao, an Olympic silver medalist from Brazil The third — a head scratcher — was for Volny, 86-84. Falcao (29-0, 20 KOs) got the victory by technical decision.

The crowd got some relief. At least, it was over.

Kazak middleweight Alimkhanuly wins stoppage

Janibek Alimkhanuly (11-0, 7KOs) ), a heavy-handed middleweight from Kazakhstan, administered a beating, landing lethal left hands that rocked Hassan N’Dam around the ring and off the ropes, virtually everywhere except on to the canvas.

Somehow, N’Dam (38-6, 21 KOs) , a former middleweight champion from Cameroon, stayed on his feet throughout the bout on a card featuring Crawford-Porter. But that wasn’t enough for him to have even a slim chance of winning. Finally, Kenny Bayless stopped it at 2:46 of the eighth round of a bout that could have easily been stopped a round or two earlier.

Unbeaten Raymond Muratalla wins fifth-round TKO

There was no stopping Raymond Muratalla (13-0, 11 KOs), a lightweight from Fontana CA. Elias Araujo (21-4, 8KOs), of Argentina, couldn’t. But Allen Huggins could. And did.

Huggins stepped in and ended the bout at 2:20 of the fifth round in the first ESPN + PPV bout on the Crawford-Porter card. Araujo protested, first in anger. Then, in tears. But the referee had seen enough. Muratalla began to land punch after punch. Blood began to drip from a cut on Araujo’s cheek and from his nose.

Huggins saved him from what would have been a bad beating.  

Dogboe wins majority decision

LAS VEGAS –Isaac Dogboe, a fighter from Ghana once projected to be a star, continued to try to regain some of his abundant promise, scoring a narrow victory — majority decision — over Puerto Rican Christopher Diaz (26-4, 16 KOs) on a card featuring Crawford-Porter.

Dogboe , a former 122-pound champion now at featherweight, won his third straight since his career(26-4, 16 KOs) was sidetracked by successive losses to Emanuel Navarrete.

Head butt leads to no decision

There was blood. But there was no decision.

Adan Ochoa (12-2, 5 KOs), a featherweight from Long Beach CA, was badly cut above his right eye in a head butt with Adam Lopez (15-3, 6 LOs of Glendale CA during the first round of a scheduled eight-rounder. on the Crawford-Porter card.

Late in the second, the blood began to flow into Ochoa’s eye. Just as the bell rang to start the third, the fight was stopped, declared a no decision because it had not gone at least four rounds.

Karlos Balderas wins fourth-round stoppage

Karlos Balderas (11-1, 10 KOs), a junior-lightweight from Santa Maria CA, was bigger and just better, scoring repeatedly with combinations, including a headrocking left-right that finished Julio Cortez (15-4, 11 KOs) of Ecuador at 2:13 of the fourth round in the second bout on the Crawford-Porter card.

First Bell: Tiger Jonson kicks off his career and Crawford-Porter card with TKO win

It was first bell. A debut, too.

Tiger Johnson, a welterweight from Cleveland, kicked off his career and the card featuring Terence Crawford-versus-Shawn Porter with a stoppage of Antonius Grable (3-3-1, 3 KOs) in a Saturday matinee at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Johnson landed successive right hands, leaving Grable of Sarasota, FL dazed and done at 1:54 of the fourth round.

Just to make sure that everybody noticed, celebrated by walking toward retired welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, who was already in his ringside seat for he ESPN + pay-per-view telecast..

“I’m here, Tim,” Johnson shouted as he leaned over the ropes. “I’m here.”

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 10, 2021) — Raymond “Danger” Muratalla, the 24-year-old lightweight star from Fontana, California, has a new opponent for his PPV debut Saturday, Nov. 20 at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. After unbeaten prospect Steven Ortiz was forced to withdraw due to injury, Muratalla will fight Argentina’s Elias “El Macho” Araujo in an eight-rounder to open the PPV broadcast of the welterweight super fight between undefeated WBO world champion Terence “Bud” Crawford and former two-time welterweight world champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter.

The PPV telecast also includes a 12-round IBF middleweight title eliminator featuring unbeaten contenders Esquiva “La Pantera” Falcao and Patrice Volny, and a 10-round middleweight tilt between rising star Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly and former world champion Hassan N’Dam.

Presented by Top Rank and TGB Promotions, Crawford-Porter will be a Top Rank PPV exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.  Limited tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting AXS.com.

Muratalla (12-0, 10 KOs), who trains with Robert Garcia in Riverside, California, has won seven consecutive bouts by knockout. Araujo (21-3, 8 KOs) has never been stopped as a professional, and his only two lightweight defeats have come via close decision. He was supposed to fight Joseph Adorno in Las Vegas on Nov. 5, but the bout was scrapped after Adorno missed the contract weight.

Before the PPV broadcast commences, Southern California natives Adam “BluNose” Lopez and Adan Ochoa will fight in an eight-round featherweight rematch on the undercard telecast (ESPN2 & ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) headlined by the scheduled 10-round featherweight firefight between former world champion Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe and two-time title challenger Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz. Lopez (15-3, 6 KOs) hopes to rebound from June’s razor-thin decision loss to Dogboe, while Ochoa (12-2, 5 KOs) seeks retribution. Ochoa and Lopez fought as undefeated prospects in April 2017, and Lopez prevailed by four-round unanimous decision.

The fight action begins on the ESPN App (6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT) with a pair of young stars. 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas (10-1, 9 KOs) looks to continue his winning ways against Julio Cortez (15-3, 11 KOs) in a six-rounder at junior lightweight, while recent U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson will make his long-awaited professional debut in a welterweight four-rounder versus Antonius Grable (3-1-1, 3 KOs). Johnson recently signed a long-term promotional pact with Top Rank.

Balderas, the fighting pride of Santa Maria, California, lost his unbeaten record with a shocking knockout loss to Rene Tellez Giron in December 2019. After the setback, Balderas changed managers, signed a promotional contract with Top Rank, and linked up with noted trainer Buddy McGirt. He came back in August with a second-round knockout over Fidel Cervantes. Cortez, a seven-year pro, has never been knocked out.

Johnson, from Cleveland, Ohio, advanced to the quarterfinals of the welterweight bracket at the Tokyo Olympics before losing a decision to eventual gold medalist Roniel Iglesias (Cuba).

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

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 14.9 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year)
at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About Michelob ULTRA Arena
The Michelob ULTRA Arena is a multi-purpose arena home to World Championship Boxing, premier concerts and special events. With seating for as many as 12,000, the arena, which was recently renovated in 2018, offers excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art lighting and sound. The entertainment venue is home to WNBA team, the Las Vegas Aces, the city’s first professional basketball team. Prominent events have included concerts such as Justin Timberlake, KISS, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Katy Perry, John Mayer, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Alejandro Fernandez and David Foster & Friends. World championship boxing events have featured fighters including Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins. The Michelob ULTRA Arena also has been home to multiple Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events, USA Basketball and the Latin Billboard Music Awards.

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 4, 2021) — There will be plenty of fistic reinforcements Saturday, Nov. 20 at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Two high-stakes middleweight showdowns and a 50-50 fight featuring undefeated lightweights will comprise the televised PPV undercard of the welterweight super fight between undefeated WBO world champion Terence “Bud” Crawford and former two-time welterweight world champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter.

The co-feature, a 12-round IBF middleweight world title eliminator, will see Brazilian 2012 Olympic silver medalist Esquiva “La Pantera” Falcao fight fellow unbeaten Patrice Volny.

The PPV telecast also includes a 10-round middleweight tilt between rising star Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly and former world champion Hassan N’Dam, and an eight-round lightweight duel between unbeaten prospects Raymond “Danger” Muratalla and Steven “The Hitman” Ortiz.

Presented by Top Rank and TGB Promotions, Crawford-Porter will be a Top Rank PPV exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Limited tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting AXS.com.

Before the PPV telecast, a special feature will set the stage. Former junior featherweight world champion Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe will face two-time title challenger Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz in a 10-round featherweight bout. Dogboe-Diaz will be shown live on ESPN2 and ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Additional undercard fights will be announced shortly.

Falcao (28-0, 20 KOs) is a seven-year pro who signed with Top Rank following the 2012 Olympics. The 31-year-old southpaw has steadily climbed the world rankings and has knocked out five straight foes dating back to 2019. In his last outing, he stopped former world title challenger Artur Akavov in four rounds. Volny (16-0, 10 KOs), from Montreal, Canada, has fought all his pro fights in his home country and is coming off a March knockout over noted tough man Janks Trotter. The winner of Falcao-Volny will be in line to fight for the title currently held by Gennadiy Golovkin.

“I have waited for an opportunity like this for a long time, and I will grab it with both hands,” Falcao said. “I have an Olympic medal, and now it’s time to add a professional world title to my trophy case.”

Volny said, “I had several major opportunities fall through, but I am ecstatic that the fight with Falcao is happening. It won’t be an easy fight, but I have been training for a long time, and I will do whatever it takes to earn my shot at the title.”

Alimkhanuly (10-0, 6 KOs) is ranked the No. 2 middleweight by the WBO and coming off his signature win, an eighth-round stoppage over former world champion Rob Brant. From Zhilandy, Kazakhstan, the 2016 Olympian has knocked out four straight opponents dating back to April 2019. N’Dam (38-5, 21 KOs), a 17-year pro from Cameroon, held the WBA middleweight world title in 2017 and challenged for world titles on three other occasions. After a pair of defeats at super middleweight, N’Dam returns to the middleweight ranks, where he most recently defeated the formidable Martin Murray via majority decision.

Muratalla (12-0, 10 KOs), from Fontana, California, has risen to prominence fighting out of the famed Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside, California. He last fought on the Josh Taylor-Jose Ramirez card in May, knocking out Jose Gallegos in five rounds. Ortiz (12-0, 3 KOs), from Philadelphia, has made a habit of knocking off undefeated prospects. In his last six fights, he has defeated four undefeated fighters, including a unanimous decision over the 14-0 Jeremy Hill in March.

Dogboe (22-2, 15 KOs) has revitalized his career since back-to-back title fight losses to Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete. After a comeback knockout over Chris Avalos, he bested Adam Lopez by majority decision in June. Diaz (26-3, 16 KOs) is a two-time world challenger coming off a 12th-round TKO loss in a bid for Navarrete’s WBO featherweight world title. The Puerto Rican veteran had won two bouts as a featherweight entering the Navarrete fight and hopes a win over Dogboe leads to a third crack at world title glory.

“I’m excited for this challenge, a massive opportunity to get closer to becoming a two-division world champion,” Dogboe said. “This is a fight the fans won’t want to miss. I know Christopher is tough, but I’m stronger, tougher, and smarter. I’d like to commend everyone at Top Rank for making this fight possible and to Diaz for accepting the challenge. I always want to give the fans something to remember. That’s why I leave it all in the ring.”

Diaz said, “I’m coming back, and I’m very excited about fighting on a great stage like Crawford vs. Porter. Dogboe is a solid fighter who only has two losses against Navarrete. We both have a lot to give to boxing. The fans already know what to expect every time I get in the ring. I’m sure this fight will steal the show on November 20.”

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

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 14.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About Michelob ULTRA Arena
The Michelob ULTRA Arena is a multi-purpose arena home to World Championship Boxing, premier concerts and special events. With seating for as many as 12,000, the arena, which was recently renovated in 2018, offers excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art lighting and sound. The entertainment venue is home to WNBA team, the Las Vegas Aces, the city’s first professional basketball team. Prominent events have included concerts such as Justin Timberlake, KISS, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Katy Perry, John Mayer, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Alejandro Fernandez and David Foster & Friends. World championship boxing events have featured fighters including Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins. The Michelob ULTRA Arena also has been home to multiple Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events, USA Basketball and the Latin Billboard Music Awards.

Former world champion and pound-for-pound elite, Vasiliy Lomachenko stopped Masayoshi Nakatani in round nine of their scheduled 12-round lightweight bout at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas.

In round one, Lomachenko was cut on the middle of his forehead that was caused by a accidental headbutt. In round five, Lomachenko stepped around Nakatani and landed a left hand that put Nakatani on the deck.

Lomachenko was very accurate in his first fight back after losing his titles to Teofimo Lopez at the end of 2020. In round nine, Lomachenko landed a series of quick shots to the head that hurt Nakatani. Follow up hard combinations had the referee stop the fight at 1:48.

Lomachenko said, “I’m happy because I won. All the strategies that we developed with my team {worked}. I reached all my goals. I won and now I’m back on track.

“Everybody saw how I won this fight, and everybody is waiting for the rematch {with Lopez}, so let’s make a rematch.

“He has a fight in the future with {George} Kambosos, but how about after, in the beginning of next year? December, January, February, I am waiting.”

Added Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, “In case there was any doubt, Lomachenko proved he is still one of the very best fighters in the world. He is healthy and ready to fight any of the lightweights.”

Lomahenko, 134.6 lbs of Ukraine is 15-2 with 11 knockouts. Nakatani, 134.4 lbs of Osaka, JAP is 19-2.

Alimkhanuly stops Brant after 8

Janibek Alimkhanuly stopped former beltholder Rob Brant after round eight of their scheduled 10-round middleweight bout.

In round six, a short left sent Brant to a knee. Alimkhanuly dominated the fight and Brant was never in the contest

Alimkhanuly said, “Tonight, I showed the world what ‘Qazaq Style’ is about. Rob Brant is a former world champion for a reason, but I came here to showcase my full arsenal, and that’s what I did.

“I am highly ranked, and I have the confidence to fight any middleweight in the world. I had a great training camp with Buddy McGirt, and this was the result of all the hard work we did in camp.” 

.Alimkhanuly, 159.6 lbs of Kazakhstan is now 10-0 with six knockouts. Brant, 159.6 lbs of St, Paul, MN is 26-3.Rpb

Giovani Santillan remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Cecil McCalla in a welterweight bout.

Santillan landed 168 of 469 punches; McCalla landed 109 of 500.

Santillan, 147.6 lbs of San Diego, CA won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 and is now 27-0. McCalla, 147.4 lbs of Randallstown, MD is 23-4.

Luis Fernando Saavedra won a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Robert Rodriguez in a bantamweight fight.

Saavedra landed 92 of 296 punches; Rodriguez landed 86 of 290.

Saavedra, 118 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55, and is now 9-6. Rodriguez, 118.8 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 9-1-1.

Floyd Diaz won a four-round unanimous decision over Jaime Josso in a bantamweight bout..

Diaz, 117.8 lbs of Las Vegas, won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 2-0. Josso, 116.2 lbs of Laredo, TX is 2-1.

Guido Vianello stopped Marlon Williams in round two of their four-round heavyweight bout.

In round one, Vianello dropped Williams with a right to the body. Seconds later it was another right that put Williams down for a second time. When the bell rang to start round two, Williams did not look good, and the referee stopped the fight at the start of round two.

Vianello, 244 lbs of Rome, ITA is 8-0-1 with eight knockouts. Williams, 217.5 lbs of Lafayette, LA is 6-2.

Subaru Murata made a successful pro debut with a 2nd round stoppage over Kevin Monroy in a scheduled four-round junior featherweight contest.

In round two, Murata landed a booming left hook that sent Monroy to the deck, and the fight was stopped at 1:42.

Murata, 121.6 lbs of Tokyo, JAP is 1-0 with one knockout. Monroy, 119.8 lbs of Stockton, CA is 1-2.

DeMichael Harris remained perfect as he stopped Jonoton Hernan Godoy after round three of a scheduled four-round lightweight bout.

In round three, Harris dropped Bodoy with a right to the temple. Later in the round, Body was dropped again with a right. At the end of the round, another right hand sent Bodoy down for a third time. The bout was stopped in the corner after the round.

Harris, 134.2 lbs of Cleveland is 4-0 with four knockouts. Godoy, 134.2 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 5-9.

LAS VEGAS (May 27, 2021) — Janibek Alimkhanuly, the middleweight phenom who once ruled the amateur ranks, is ready to bring his patented “Qazaq Style” to Las Vegas. Alimkhanuly, an unbeaten 28-year-old, will step up against former middleweight world champion Rob “Bravo” Brant in a 10-round showdown Saturday, June 26 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Brant-Alimkhanuly will serve as the co-feature to the 12-round lightweight main event between former pound-for-pound king Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko and Japanese contender Masayoshi Nakatani.

Lomachenko-Nakatani and Brant-Alimkhanuly will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets priced at $400, $300, $200, $125 and $75 go on sale Friday, May 28 at 12 p.m. PT and can be purchased by visiting Etix.com.

“This is a fantastic doubleheader featuring a living legend in Lomachenko and a pair of middleweights who are closing in on a world title opportunity,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Janibek is relatively young in the pro ranks, but he has long wanted to fight the best available opposition. Rob Brant didn’t hesitate when offered this fight.”

Brant (26-2, 18 KOs) won the WBA middleweight belt in October 2018 with a one-sided decision over Ryota Murata, but in their rematch less than nine months later, Murata stopped Brant in a two-round barnburner. Brant returned last August and stopped Vitaliy Kopylenko in five rounds. Alimkhanuly (9-0, 7 KOs) dominated the field en route to winning the 2013 World Championships and represented Kazakhstan at the 2016 Olympics, where he advanced to the quarterfinals. A five-year pro, Alimkhanuly made his Top Rank debut in 2018 and most recently knocked out Gonzalo Coria in two rounds last October inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble.

“I am very excited to be back in the ring under the Top Rank banner against a formidable opponent in Janibek,” Brant said. “I am excited to showcase all the hard work I have put in with a victory on a stacked card.”

Alimkhanuly said, “For the fans who don’t know about me, you will be introduced to ‘Qazaq Style’ on June 26. Rob Brant is a former world champion who demands respect, but I am coming to Las Vegas to put on a spectacular show. My time has come. I will beat any of the middleweight champions. You will see it soon.”

About Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is a reimagined and re-conceptualized casino resort. The property is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. The integrated resort intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture and features three hotel towers totaling over 1,500 Chambers and suites; the 60,000 sq. ft. Mohegan Sun Casino, operated by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment; a five-acre desert pool oasis including a multi-functional event lawn; live music and entertainment theater with 4,500 capacity; 24 Oxford showroom accommodating 650 guests; an exclusive portfolio of twelve food and beverage venues including Todd English’s Olives, Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market, the legendary Nobu, Michael and David Morton’s One Steakhouse, Kassi Beach House from restauranteur Nick Mathers, Casa Calavera by global hospitality company Hakkasan Group, the sports entertainment, daylife and nightlife venue Money, Baby! from Justin Massei and Mikis Troyan of Clive Collective, famous Afters Ice Cream, Pizza Forte by the Ferraro Family and signature Virgin Hotels restaurants and bars including The Kitchen at Commons Club, The Bar at Commons Club, The Shag Room and Funny Library Coffee Shop. The property is owned by JC Hospitality, LLC, in partnership with Juniper Capital Partners, Virgin Group, LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, Dream and Orlando Development. The off-Strip playground is located at 4455 Paradise Road. For more information, visit www.virginhotelslv.com.

About Virgin Hotels
Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value, and a seamless, personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson’s global Virgin Group has pioneered for 50 years. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. Virgin Hotels Chicago – named the “#1 Hotel in the United States” in 2016 and “#1 Hotel in Chicago” in 2016, 2017, and 2020 by the Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards – Virgin Hotels Dallas – named the “#16 Hotel in Texas” – Virgin Hotels Nashville and Virgin Hotels Las Vegas are now open. Locations in New York, New Orleans, Miami, Edinburgh and Glasgow to follow. Virgin Hotels continues to explore hotel and office conversions and ground-up development in Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and London.

About Curio Collection by Hilton
Curio Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of nearly 100 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts. Curio Collection properties offer travelers authentic, curated experiences through distinctly local offerings and elevated amenities, while providing the benefits of Hilton and its award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors. Read the latest brand and hotel stories at newsroom.hilton.com/curio, and connect with Curio Collection on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 12.1 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $12.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $18.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

Emanuel Navarrete became a two-division world champion as he won the WBO Featherweight Title with a 12-round majority decision over previosuly undefeated Ruben Villa at the MGM Conference Center in Las Vegas.

In round one, Navarrete scored a knockdown from a left uppercut. In round four, it was another uppercut that sent Villa down.

Navarrete outlanded Villa 163-131.

Navarrete, 126 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 115-111 and 114-112 twice and is now 33-1. Villa, 125 lbs of Salinas, CA is 18-1.

Navarrete said, “I knew that Villa was a fighter that moved a lot, and I knew that he was going to move even more once he felt my power. I didn’t get the knockout, but I got the victory.
 
“I’m very happy with this championship. It’s a reflection of all the sacrifices and all the hard work I put in. I conquered my second weight class because of all that hard work.
 
“I have my sights set on all the world champions at 126. I would love to face {Josh} Warrington. I think that our styles will make for a great fight.”

Alimkhanuly stops Coria in 2

Janibek Alimhanuly destroyed Gozala Cora in two rounds of their scheduled 10-round middleweight bout.

In round one, Alimkhanuly dropped Coria with a hard left. In round two, Alimkhanuly landed anther booming left that sent Coria down face-first and the fight was stopped at 2:59.

Alimkhanuly, 159.6 lbs of Kazakhstan is 9-0 with five knockouts. Coria, 158.6 lbs of Argentima is 16-4.

Alimkhanuly said, “I want to fight a world champion soon, like Demetrius Andrade and Jermall Charlo. Canelo, of course. Top Rank promotes Ryota Murata at 160. I want to fight him as well. Whoever the top guys are 160, I want them next.”

Rodriguez Stops Krael in 3

Good looking prospect Elvis Rodriguez stopped durable Cameron Krael in round three of their scheduled eight-round junior welterweight bout.

In round three, Rodriguez landed a right hook to the head that sent Krael down for the 10-count at 53 seconds.

Rodriguez, 141.5 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 10-0-1 with 10 knockouts. Krael, 141.2 lbs of Las Vegas is 17-17-3.

Lorenzo Simpson won an eight-round unanimous decision over Sonny Duversonne in a battle of undefeated middleweights.

Simpson controlled the action with his superior boxing ability.

In round sfive, Duversonne landed a right hand that forced Simpson’s left glove to touch the canvas and ruled a knockdown.

Simpson, 156 lbs of Baltimore, MD won by scores of 79-73 and 78-73 twice and is now 9-0. Duversonne, 154.8 lbs of Miami FL is 11-1-2.

Bryan Lua remained undefeated as he won a six-round unanimous decision over Nelson Colon in a lightweight bout.

Lua, 131.6 lbs of Malera, CA won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 7-0. Colon, 131.6 lbs of Cayey PR is 4-4.

Rashiem Jefferson remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Steve Garaganza in a junior featherweight bout.

In round three, Garaganza was cut over his left eye.

Jefferson, 123.8 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 40-36 on all cards, and is now 3-0. Garaganza, 123.5 lbs Laredo, TX is 2-3-1.

Kahshad Elliott made a successful pro debut with a 1st round destruction over Akeem Jackson in a scheduled six-round junior middleweight bout.

Elliott scored two knockdowns, with Jackson not wanting to get up before referee Michael Ortega’s 10-count at 1:15

Elliott, 152.8 lbs of Plainfield, NJ is 1-0 with one knockout. Jackson, 151.5 lbs of Oxon Hill, MD is 1-2.

LAS VEGAS (October 2, 2020) — Undefeated southpaw middleweight phenom Janibek Alimkhanuly is set to introduce ESPN viewers to his brand of “Qazaq Style.” Alimkhanuly will fight Argentinian contender Gonzalo Coria in a 10-rounder Friday, Oct. 9 from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Conference Center.

Alimkhanuly-Coria will serve as the co-feature to the vacant WBO featherweight world title fight between Emanuel Navarrete and Ruben Villa, and both bouts will be televised LIVE on ESPN beginning at 10 p.m. ET.

Undercard action, including a 10-round lightweight showdown between Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno and Avery Sparrow, will stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET. The ESPN+ stream will also see junior welterweight knockout sensation Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez against veteran spoiler Cameron Krael in an eight-rounder.

“Janibek is a future world champion, and I expect him to take advantage of the ESPN platform,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Elvis Rodriguez is a born puncher and a splendid young talent, but Krael is not an easy out. Joseph Adorno can prove a lot with an impressive showing over Avery Sparrow.”

Alimkhanuly (8-0, 4 KOs) turned pro in October 2016 after concluding a sterling amateur run for his native Kazakhstan, which included gold medals at both the Asian and World Championships in 2013 and a berth at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He makes his 2020 debut after going 4-0 in 2019, a year in which he won the WBC Continental Americas and WBO Global belts. Alimkhanuly last fought Nov. 9 on the Jamel Herring-Lamont Roach Jr. undercard in Fresno, Calif., and he knocked out veteran Albert Onolunose in six rounds. Coria (16-3, 6 KOs) is coming off a career-best performance last June, a 12-round unanimous decision over Marcos Reyes in Reyes’ hometown of Chihuahua, Mexico.

“I’ve been out of the ring for a long time, and I’m very anxious to return,” Alimkhanuly said. “I had a great training camp with Buddy McGirt and excellent sparring partners. This is the next step as I prepare to fight for a world title in the near future. I can’t wait for Oct. 9 to show my fans ‘Qazaq Style.’”

Adorno (14-0-1, 12 KOs) has not fought since a January draw against Hector Garcia, and he recently had his scheduled June 23 bout canceled after falling ill before the weigh-in. Adorno, who has wowed audiences with his highlight-reel knockouts, looks to regain his career momentum with an impressive showing against Sparrow (10-2, 3 KOs). A veteran of Philadelphia gym wars, Sparrow is coming off a competitive decision defeat June 25 to the unbeaten Abraham Nova. He took the Nova fight on short notice, but with a full training camp to prepare for Adorno, Sparrow hopes to graduate from prospect-tester to contender.

Rodriguez (9-0-1, 9 KOs) emerged as a “Bubble” superstar, having won three bouts by stoppage in three rounds or less. On July 2, he knocked out Danny Murray in the opening round. Nineteen days later, he stopped Dennis Okoth in the second round. In his last bout, Aug. 29 on the Jose Ramirez-Viktor Postol undercard, he knocked out Cody Wilson in the third round. Krael (17-16-3, 4 KOs) has four wins over previously undefeated prospects, four defeats by split or majority decision, and only one knockout loss. In 2016, he pushed Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas to the limit before losing an eight-round unanimous decision.

In other undercard bouts:

Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. Sonny Duversonne (11-0-2, 8 KOs)
8 Rounds, Middleweight
Simpson, a 20-year-old phenom from Baltimore, made headlines in August when he became the first American-born fighter to sign an advisory deal with MTK Global. Simpson last fought July 11 in Biloxi Miss., where he stopped Alex Sandro Duarte in 1:45. Duversonne has won 10 straight bouts since starting his career 1-0-2.

Bryan Lua (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Nelson Colon (4-3, 3 KOs)
6 Rounds, Lightweight
Lua, from Madera, Calif., returned Sept. 19 following a layoff of more than two years and knocked out Luis Norambuena with a left hook in the second round. Colon’s only defeats have come against undefeated prospects, and on Aug. 21, he dropped a majority decision to Ofacio Falcon.

Rashiem Jefferson (2-0) vs. Steve Garagarza (2-2-1, 1 KO)
4 Rounds, Junior Featherweight
Jefferson, a 19-year-old prospect from Philadelphia, fought inside the “Bubble” on Sept. 5 and turned back Jose Martinez via four-round unanimous decision. Garagarza, from Laredo, Texas, has never been knocked out as a pro and is coming off a March decision win over Oscar Barrera.

Kahshad Elliott (Pro Debut) vs. Akeem Jackson (1-1, 1 KO)
4 Rounds, Junior Middleweight
Elliott, from Plainfield, N.J., won 10 national titles as an amateur and will turn pro at 154 pounds after attempting to qualify for the Olympics in the 165-pound division. He finished his amateur career with a reported 117-23 record.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com,ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

QUEBEC CITY, Canada (March 5, 2020) — Janibek Alimkhanuly will bring his brand of “Qazaq Style” north of the border. Alimkhanuly, the latest middleweight sensation from Kazakhstan, will defend his WBO Global and WBC Continental Americas belts in a 10-rounder against fellow unbeaten Issah Samir on Saturday, March 28 at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada.

Alimkhanuly-Samir will open the ESPN-televised doubleheader (10 p.m. ET) featuring WBC/IBF light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev’s title defense against mandatory challenger Meng Fanlong.

The undercard (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET) will see the return of heavyweight contender Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas in a 10-rounder against 2004 U.S. Olympian Devin Vargas. Rivas, from Colombia, has made Montreal his home since turning pro in 2009.

“What an undercard we have in Quebec City, as Janibek is truly one of the special young talents in the entire sport,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Oscar Rivas is a dangerous freight train of a heavyweight, and he is in the mix to fight for a world title in 2020. It is going to be an action-packed evening.”

Alimkhanuly (8-0, 4 KOs), who is trained by Buddy McGirt and managed by three-time BWAA Manager of the Year Egis Klimas, represented Kazakhstan at the 2016 Rio Olympics and captured gold at both the 2013 Asian and World Championships. Ranked No. 4 by the WBO, Alimkhanuly took the express lane to contention, besting veteran spoiler Vaughn Alexander in only his fourth pro fight. He went 4-0 with three knockouts in 2019, including a sixth-round knockout over former Canadian and NABO middleweight champion Albert Onolunose last November in Fresno, Calif.

“I only want the toughest competition. That’s why I am a contender after eight pro fights,” Alimkhanuly said. “This is a great opportunity to showcase my skills live on ESPN. I will leave Canada with the ‘0’ on my record. I want to thank Samir for taking the fight, but he won’t be able to solve the ‘Qazaq Style’ puzzle.”

Samir (18-0, 15 KOs) is the latest world-class pugilist from Accra, Ghana, a proud fighting city that has produced world champions Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey, David Kotey, Joshua Clottey and Richard Commey, among many others. He represented Ghana at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and turned pro in 2011, knocking out eight opponents in his first year in the paid ranks. Samir won the Ghanaian middleweight title over veteran Philip Kotey in 2015 and, following a nearly three-year layoff, he returned to action in June 2018. He is 4-0 with three knockouts since then and will be making his first professional appearance away from his homeland.

“I am coming to Canada to steal the show,” Samir said. “Every time I enter the ring, I fight for Ghana and our great champions who paved the way. Janibek is skilled fighter, but I know he has not fought anyone like me.”

Rivas (26-1, 18 KOs), who recently signed a co-promotional deal with Top Rank, had an action-packed 2019. He knocked out former world title challenger Bryant Jennings in January and knocked down — and nearly knocked out — Dillian Whyte in July before dropping a unanimous decision for the WBC interim heavyweight world title. Ranked No. 3 by the WBC, Rivas is still in the thick of the heavyweight mix despite the Whyte loss. Vargas (22-6, 9 KOs) revitalized his career in January with an upset victory over 2004 Puerto Rican Olympian Victor Bisbal. Last August, he knocked out then-unbeaten Irish prospect Niall Kennedy in five rounds.

“The past year, I have proven I am one of the world’s elite heavyweights,” Rivas said. “This year, my goal is to prove that I deserve my chance to take on the best heavyweight boxer in the world, Tyson Fury, who is also under contract with Top Rank. On March 28, I will smash my opponent with a spectacular ‘Kaboom.’”

In other undercard action on ESPN+:

Wilfried Seyi (8-0, 4 KOs), a native of Cameroon who calls Montreal home, will fight Alan Carrillo (11-4, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder at super middleweight. Sey represented Cameroon at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and he recently qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

In an eight-round super bantamweight battle, Ismael Camacho Garcia (12-2-3, 5 KOs) will face Montreal-based veteran Vislan Dalkhaev (12-1, 3 KOs), who has won three in a row.

Heavyweight prospect Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (6-0, 6 KOs), a 2016 Italian Olympian, will face an opponent to be named in an eight-rounder.

Montreal-based super middleweight KO artist Christian “Solide” Mbilli (16-0, 15 KOs) will face Mexican veteran Felipe “El Pinocho” Ugalde (18-1, 15 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Groupe Yvon Michel, Roc Nation Sports and Gestev, tickets priced ($CA) at $542, $330, $275, $137, $104, $75 and $55 (including fees and taxes) are on sale now and are available via www.ticketmaster.ca and in person at the Videotron Centre box office.

For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing, Facebook.com/groupeyvonmichel; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/yvonmichelGYMl; twitter.com/ESPNRingside; IG: https://www.instagram.com/espnringside/.

Use the hashtag #BeterbievMeng to join the conversation on social media.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown quickly to 7.6 million subscribers in less than two years, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, thousands of college sports events (including football and basketball) from more than a dozen sports at 20 conferences, hundreds of MLB and NHL games, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, Bundesliga – beginning in 2020, EFL Championship and Carabao Cup, Eredivisie), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com or ESPNplus.com. It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ ­— all for just $12.99/month.

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 7, 2019) — Undefeated super lightweight contender Arnold Barboza Jr., South African welterweight contender Chris van Heerden and unbeaten middleweight prodigy Janibek Alimkhanuly will all see action in scheduled 10-rounders Saturday, Aug. 17 at Banc of California Stadium on the undercard of WBO junior featherweight world champion Emanuel Navarrete’s title defense versus Francisco “Panchito” De Vaca.

The trio will be part of a stacked undercard that will air live on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Barboza (21-0, 8 KOs), fresh off a knockout win over Mike Alvarado in April, will take on Jose Luis Rodriguez (25-13-1, 13 KOs). A native of nearby South El Monte, California, Barboza is ranked No. 4 by the WBO at 140 pounds. Rodriguez is 0-1-1 in 2019, including a competitive decision loss to former world title challenger Antonio Orozco and a draw with then-unbeaten prospect Bakhtiyar Eyubov.

“That Alvarado fight boosted my confidence to a whole new level,” Barboza said. “I’ve always been confident, but I needed to know I could do it at that level. The hard work paid off. We’ve trained hard for this fight. I’m at another level now, and we’re ready to showcase that on the 17th.

“Everyone looks at the rankings, but it’s the next man up on the contract for me. Of course I want a title shot, but the longer these champions wait, the harder it will be for them because I am building my confidence in the ring.”

Alimkhanuly (6-0, 2 KOs), who captured a gold medal at the 2013 AIBA World Boxing Championships and advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics, will face Stuart McLellan (27-3-3, 11 KOs). Trained by Buddy McGirt, Alimkhanuly most recent fought on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Anthony Crolla card April 12 in Los Angeles, dominating Cristian Olivas over 10 rounds.

“Every time I fight, I try to show what ‘Qazaq Style’ is all about,” Alimkhanuly said. “With every fight, I gain more valuable experience, and I will be ready to challenge for a world title before long. I have an incredible trainer in my corner and the confidence needed to advance to the next level. This is a very big stage, and I will show everyone that I’m a middleweight to watch.”

van Heerden (27-2-1, 12 KOs) will face Aslanbek Kozaev (33-2-1, 8 KOs), who has won seven in a row dating back to November 2015. On March 23, van Heerden impressed in his Top Rank debut, notching a six-round technical decision over Mahonri Montes in a bout that ended due to a cut suffered by van Heerden.

“It’s a homecoming for me on Aug. 17,” van Heerden said. “The LA fans will adopt this South African boy. I am grateful to Top Rank for the opportunity to compete and stay busy on my road toward a world title.”

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions and Iron Boy Promotions, tickets priced at $100, $80, $70, $60, $45 and $25 (not including applicable fees) are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 and in person at the Banc of California Stadium box office.

In other action on the undercard:

• Super lightweight contender and 2008 U.S. Olympian Javier Molina (19-2, 8 KOs) will look to make it three wins in a row against Manuel Mendez (16-5-3, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder. 
   
• Unbeaten welterweight Brian Mendoza (17-0, 12 KOs), who turned heads with a sensational one-punch KO on May 4 in Stockton, California, will return to action in an eight-rounder versus Larry Gomez (9-1, 8 KOs).
• Former Russian amateur standout Dmitry Yun (1-0, 0 KOs) will face Javier Martinez (4-6, 3 KOs) in a six-rounder at lightweight.
• Super lightweight prospect Elvis Rodriguez (2-0-1, 2 KOs), whose last fight ended in a  technical draw due to an accidental headbutt, will fight Jesus Gonzalez (6-2, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder. 

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

About Banc of California Stadium

Located in the heart of Los Angeles in Exposition Park, Banc of California Stadium is the first open-air stadium built in Los Angeles since Dodger Stadium in 1962. Home to the Los Angeles Football Club, the stadium is a $370 million, state-of-the-art, world-class venue specifically designed to present all types of star-studded live entertainment and creates an unparalleled fan experience for music, sports, and more. At a capacity of 23,500 for concerts (22,000 for soccer), the venue’s unique “outdoor arena” design provides for an intimate experience with excellent sightlines of the stage from every seat and superior quality sound throughout the house. Banc of California Stadium sits atop the hallowed grounds of the former Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, which hosted some of the most legendary music artists of all time — befitting its history, the new stadium continues the tradition of hosting the very best in live entertainment. For more information, visitwww.bancofcaliforniastadium.com.

Vasyl Lomachenko scored a sensational 4th round stoppage over Anthony Crolla to retain the WBA/WBO Lightweight titles in front of 10,101 fans at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Lomachenko was flawless as he took a couple of rounds to figure out Crolla, who did little more then move around the ring.  He started to ramp up the activity at the end of round two.  In round three, Lomachenko was credited with a knockdown as he landed a hard combination that referee Jack Reiss ruled that the ropes kept Crolla up.  In the next round, Lomachenko continued to batter Crolla until he landed a perfect right hook to the temple that sprawled Crolla face-first to the canvas and the fight was stopped at 49 seconds.

Lomachenko, 134.6 lbs of Ukraine is now 13-1 with 10 knockouts.  Crolla, 134.8 lbs of Manchester, UK is 34-7-3.

“I want to fight with Mikey Garcia, but we’ll see. I don’t know,” Lomachenko said. “I stay at 135 as long as it’s possible, and I want to unify all {the} titles.

Gilberto Ramirez announced himself to the light heavyweight division as he stopped Tommy Karpency at the end of round four of a scheduled ten-round bout.

Ramirez dominated the fight as he landed thunderous body work.  Ramirez was effective with the straight left that drew blood from Karpency’s nose.  Karpency could not continue at the end of the 4th frame citing a broken rib.

Ramirez, 174.6 lbs of Mazelton, MX is 40-o with 26 knockouts.  Karpency, 174.6 lbs of Adah, PA is 29-7-1.

“I feel more comfortable at 175 pounds than 168,” Ramirez said. “I’m looking for all the champions at 175. I want to be a pound-for-pound fighter.

“I struggled making 168 for a very long time. We’ll see what’s next, but my body felt great at 175. My new head trainer, Julian Chua, did an excellent job preparing me for this fight. Karpency was a tough guy.”

Arnold Barboza Jr. stopped former world champion Mike Alvarado in round three of a scheduled ten-round super lightweight bout.

Barboza rocked Alvarado with a hard right and knocked him down with a follow up punch.  Alvarado tried to get to his feet, but was wobbly and the fight was stopped at 49 seconds.

Barboza, 140 lbs of South El Monte, CA is 21-0 with eight knockouts.  Alvarado, 139 1/2 lbs of Denver, CO is 40-5.

“That was a good fight, and now I want Jose Ramirez. I want Maurice Hooker,” Barboza said. “That’s what I want in my future. Alvarado is a tough guy, and I stopped him in three rounds. Hopefully, this performance will catapult me to a world title opportunity. To perform like I did in front of my hometown fans, it doesn’t get better than that.”

Said Alvarado: “He caught me with a clean, surprising shot. He just caught me. It’s boxing. Some just sneak in and do the job, you know?”

Janibek Alimkhanuly won a 10-round unanimous decision over Cristian Olivas in a middleweight fight.

Alimkhanuly, 160 lbs of Almaty, KAZ won by scores of  100-90 twice and 99-91, and is now 6-0.  Olivas, 159 1/4 lbs of San Diego, CA is 16-5.

It was a short night at the office for Italian heavyweight Guido Vianello (3-0, 3 KOs), who knocked out Lawrence Gabriel (3-2-1, 2 KOs) at 49 seconds of the opening round. Vianello represented his homeland at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“I believe this was my strongest performance to date, and I’m only going to get better and better,” Vianello said. “My power is improving with every fight.”

Guido Vianello destroyed Lawrence Gabriel inside of a minute of their scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

Vianello landed a hard right that hurt Gabriel.  A few more hard shots put Gabriel down, and the fight was stopped in 49 seconds.

Vianello, 244 1/2 lbs of Rome, ITA is 3-0 with three knockouts.  Gabirel, 208 lbs of Syracuse, NY is 3-2-1.

Alexander Besputin won a 10-round unanimous decision over awkward Alfredo Blanco in a welterweight bout.

Besputin was cut over the right eye in the first frame from a couple of wild shots that got through from Blanco.

In round nine, he was cut on his forehead.

Those did not matter as Besputin landed hard and quick combinations, and won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91.

Besputin, 147 lbs of Oxnard, CA is now 13-0.  Blanco, 146 1/2 lbs of Pigue, ARG is 20-8.

“He had a very uncomfortable, awkward style, which made it difficult for me to find my rhythm,” Besputin said. “Most importantly, I got the win, and we can move on to bigger fights. I am a top contender now, and I am ready to fight for a world title next. Bob Arum says I can beat the top welterweights, and I know I can.”

Ruben Rodriguez won a four-round majority  decision over Rumel Snegur in a welterweight bout.

Scores were 40-36, 39-37 and 38-38.

Rodriguez, 144 3/4 lbs of Indio, CA won by scores of   and is now 6-0.  Snegur, 142 lbs of Portland, OR is 3-4-1.

LOS ANGELES (March 18, 2019) —Undefeated super lightweight Arnold Barboza Jr. is a young contender closing in on a world title shot. Mike Alvarado wants another taste of world championship glory. Barboza, from South El Monte, California, will take on former 140-pound world champion Alvarado in a 10-round super lightweight bout on Friday, April 12 at Staples Center as part of the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Anthony Crolla undercard.

Lomachenko-Crolla and the 10-round light heavyweight battle between longtime WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez and Tommy Karpency will stream live and exclusively in the United States beginning at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on ESPN+, the direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment and ESPN, which will mark its one-year anniversary since launching on the day of the fight. The entire undercard, including Barboza-Alvarado, will stream live on ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Matchroom Boxing USA, tickets priced at $310.50, $207, $103.50, $77.65, and $51.75 (including facility fees) are available now and can be purchased by visiting AXS.com.

“I am excited for this opportunity. We know it’s a dangerous fight and that Alvarado possesses power in both hands, but we are going to be ready for whatever he brings,” Barboza said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve fought at home, but I am ecstatic to fight here at Staples Center. It’s a dream come true. We are also excited to fight a former world champion like Mike, and we know he is going to be at his best.”

“Fighting on this card is an honor, and come April 12, the world is in for an exciting show,” Alvarado said. “I’m taking full advantage of this opportunity to bring me one step closer to securing my legacy as a champion.”

Barboza (20-0, 7 KOs), ranked No 3 by the WBO at 140 pounds, turned pro following a 95-fight amateur career and a stint as a fullback/linebacker at South El Monte High School. He went 3-0 in 2018, including a hard-fought 10-round decision over Mike Reed (23-1 at the time). In Alvarado (40-4, 28 KOs), he is facing a modern-day action hero who has thrilled boxing fans with his willingness to go toe-to-toe. He was one half of the 2012 Fight of the Year versus Brandon Rios, won by Rios via seventh-round TKO. Alvarado scored a unanimous decision in the immediate rematch but proceeded to lose three in a row versus Ruslan Provodnikov, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Rios in the rubber match.

After overcoming personal demons, Alvarado returned to the ring in March 2016 ready for one final run. Since then, he is 6-0 with 5 knockouts. In his previous bout, Oct. 13 on the Terence Crawford-Jose Benavidez Jr. undercard, he blasted out Robbie Cannon with a vicious overhand right in the second round.

Also on the card:

Top welterweight contender Alexander Besputin (12-0, 9 KOs) will defend his USBA title against Alfredo Blanco (20-7, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Besputin is currently ranked No. 1 by the WBA.

“I am a top welterweight, and now that I’m ranked No. 1 by the WBA, I can’t be avoided by the champions for long,” Besputin said. “I am ready to put the welterweight division on notice.”

Janibek Alimkhanuly (5-0, 2 KOs), a former amateur standout from Kazakhstan, will face the rugged Cristian Olivas (16-4, 13 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBO Global and WBC Continental Americas middleweight belts. Two of Olivas’ four losses have come via split decision, and he has never been knocked out as a pro.

“I am training hard with Buddy McGirt, and I know that Olivas is a tough customer who will come forward and make for a great fight,” Alimkhanuly said. “It is a dream come true to fight at Staples Center, and I want to give all of the great fans in Los Angeles a spectacular show. I will show everyone what Qazaq boxing style is all about.”

Super middleweight contender and three-time Indian Olympian Vijender Singh (10-0, 7 KOs) will make his United States debut against Calvin Metcalf (9-1-1, 2 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Singh captured a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics, becoming the first Indian boxer to claim an Olympic medal.

Italian heavyweight Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (2-0, 2 KOs), who represented his homeland at the 2016 Rio Olympics, will fight Lawrence Gabriel (3-1-1, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder.

Los Angeles native Chris “The Boy” Zavala (3-0, 2 KOs) will face Sergio Gonzales (2-2, 1 KO) in a four-rounder at super featherweight.

Dominican-born bantamweight prospect Elvis Rodriguez (1-0, 1 KO) will take on Kevin Luna (1-2, 1 KO) in a four-rounder.

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit www.espnplus.com.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

Sergey Kovalev quieted his many nay-Sayers by putting on a boxing clinic, and recapturing the WBO Light Heavyweight decision with a 12-round unanimous decision over Eleider Alvarez in a rematch that took place at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Kovalev boxed very well as he showed consistent boxing with his jab that set up his workrate over the 36 minute fight.  Alvarez only threw 30 punches per round which did not provide him with the opportunities  to the land the big shots that propelled him to a knockout victory over Kovalev last August.

Kovalev took the advice of new trainer Buddy McGirt and took what the Alvarez gave him, which was jabbing through out the rounds and getting in his right hand which kept Alvarez on the defense.

Kovalev doubled up Alvarez on the punches landed, and won by scores of 120-108 and 116-112 to raise his mark to 33-3-1.  Alvarez is 24-1.

“We worked a lot on my jab,” Kovalev said. “Right now, I am working with {trainer} Buddy {McGirt} the way I was when I was an amateur

“After this, I want unification fights.”

Said Alvarez: “I don’t see myself as a loser tonight, but I do give him credit, especially in that 12th round. I think that he went out and proved that he wanted to win.”

Rising star, Teofimo Lopez, beat up, bloodied and battered Diego Magdaleno and stopped him in round seven of a scheduled ten-round lightweight fight.

Magdaleno’s face started chopping up in round two from the hard blows from Lopez.

In round six, Lopez landed a blistering left hook to the chin that Magdaleno to the canvas.’In round seven, Magdaleno landed two of the powerful and concussive left hooks on a beaten Magdaleno that plummeted him to the canvas at 1:08 and the fight was halted.

Lopez, 134.8 lbs of Brooklyn is 12-0 with 10 knockouts.  Magdaleno, 134.7 lbs of Las Vegas is 34-3.

“I take nothing away from Diego Magdaleno. We picked our shots, and we knew that in the later rounds, he’d drown in those deep waters,” Lopez said. “As the competition gets tougher, you will see more of what I can do. I dissected him like a surgeon.”

Oscar Valdez shook off 11 months of ring rust and stopped Carmine Tommasone in round seven to retain the WBO Featherweight title.

In round four, Valdez dropped Tommasone with a right hand.  Tommasone began to bleed from his nose.  Later in the round, Valdez sent Tommasone down with a hard jab.  In round five, Tommasone began to bleed from his mouth.  In round Round six, Valdez sent Tommasone down with a left hook.

Valdez ended things just nine seconds into round seven, Valdez dropped Tommasone with a perfect left uppecut to the chin and Tommasone went to the deck, and the fight was stopped.

Valdez, 125.8 lbs of Nogales. MEX is 25-0 with 20 knockouts.  Tommasone, 125.4 lbs of Italy is 19-1.

“I was very excited. I kind of didn’t want to get too crazy in there. It was tough the first round to get {my rhythm},” Valdez said. “But finally, I got the job done. I congratulate him. He’s a great fighter. I wish him nothing but the best.

“We started 2019 well. The sky’s the limit.”

Richard Commey stopped Isa Chaniev in the 2nd round to win the IBF Lightweight championship.

In round one, Commey landed a perfect right that dropped Chaniev hard to the canvas.  In round two, Commey rushed out and landed a perfect left hook that sent Chaniev to the deck.  Commey was all over Chaniev, and landed power shots.  As referee Laurence Cole stopped the bout, Commey added two more shots and sent Chaniev to the deck at 39 seconds.

Commey, 134.3 lbs of Accra, Ghana now will face WBA/WBO champion Vasyl Lomachenko on April 12th with a record of 28-2 with 25 knockouts.  Chaniev, 134 1/2 lbs of Russia is 13-2.

“This is everything for me. This is what I worked so hard for,” Commey said. “Finally being a world champion, I feel like I fulfilled a destiny for me.”

Next up for Commey is a potential showdown with WBA/WBO lightweight champion and pound-for-pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko. He hurt his right knuckle in the opening round, and if receives a clean bill of health, Lomachenko will be next.

“When I hit him in the first round, I hurt my right knuckle,” Commey said. “I’m going to have to get it looked at and see what happens.”

Janibek Alimkhanuly stopped Steven Martinez in round five of a scheduled eight-round middleweight bout.

In round three, Alimkhanuly dropped Martinez with a left to the body.  Alimkhanuly continied to pound away on Martinez, who had his nose bloodied in the fourth and finally was pulled out the fight 21 seconds into round five.

Alimkhanuly, 162 lbs of Kazakhstan is 5-0 with two knockouts.  Martinez, 160 1/2 lbs of Bronx, NY is 18-5.

“I showed what I was capable of against a tough opponent,” Alimkhanuly said. “I am close to world title contention. It’s going to be a big year for me in 2019. This is only the beginning of my journey.”

Enriko Gogokhia stopped Vitor Freitas in round three of their six-round junior welterweight bout.

Gogokhia dropped Freitas in the 1st round with a straight left that barely touched Freitas.  Gogikhia was cut on his forehead in round two from an accidental headbutt.  In round three, Gogokhia landed a little left to the body that put Freitas down, and the bout was stopped.

Gogokhia, 142 1/2 lbs of Georgia Republic is 10-0 with five knockouts.  Freitas, 141 lbs of Salvador, BRA is 15-4-1.

Jason Sanchez stopped Daniel Olea in round two of their scheduled eight-round featherweight bout.

Sanchez was dominant and landed a big right hand that dropped Olea and the bout was stopped at 1:35.

Sanchez, 125 1/2 of Albuquerque, NM is 14-0 with seven knockouts.  Olea, 125 1/2 of Mexico is 13-7-2.

“I wanted to be patient in there. I wasn’t necessarily looking for the knockout right away,” Sanchez said. “But the opportunity came, and I took advantage of the opening.”

In an entertaining ten-round junior middleweight scrap, Patrick Day won a unanimous decision over Ismail Iliev.

Day, 153 3/4 lbs of Freeport, NY won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94 to raise his mark to 17-2-1.  Iliev, 154 lbs of Russia is 11-1-1.

Bakhram Murtazaliev stopped Elvin Ayala in round nine of their scheduled ten-round junior middleweight bout.

In round two, Murtazaliev was credited a knockdown when he landed a combination that made Ayala stumble into the ropes.

In round nine, Murtazaliev dropped Ayala with a hard right hand.  Seconds later, a follow flurry of hard power punches forced the ref to stop the bout at 2:05.

Murtazailev, 153 1/2 lbs of Russia is 15-0 with 12 knockouts.  Ayala, 154 lbs of New Haven, CT is 29-13-1.

Top Rank on ESPN is bringing a fistic extravaganza to Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on Saturday, Feb. 2 with three world title fights, the return of 2018 ESPN “Prospect of the Year” Teofimo Lopez, and an action-packed undercard spread across ESPN/ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.

The light heavyweight world title rematch between champion Eleider Alvarez and challenger Sergey Kovalev and Teofimo Lopez-Diego Magdaleno will stream LIVE in English and Spanish exclusively on ESPN+ at 12 a.m. ET. Alvarez knocked out Kovalev last August in a come-from-behind upset that shook up the boxing landscape. Kovalev, one of the most dominant champions of this era, is seeking to become a three-time world champion. Lopez, the consensus 2018 Prospect of the Year, is coming off a stunning 44-second knockout over Mason Menard December 8 on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Jose Pedraza undercard.

The Oscar Valdez-Carmine Tommasone featherweight world title fight and the Richard Commey-Isa Chaniev lightweight world title bout will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 10 p.m. ET. Valdez, one of boxing’s elite action heroes, returns to the ring for the first time since suffering a severely broken jaw in a decision win over Scott Quigg last March 10. The winner of Commey-Chaniev will eye a unification bout against Lomachenko later this year.

The scheduled five-fight undercard, which includes top middleweight prospect Janibek Alimkhanuly, will kick off the evening at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

ESPN’s coverage of Top Rank on ESPN: Eleider Alvarez vs. Sergey Kovalev 2 also includes live streaming on ESPN+ of the Official Press Conference Thursday, Jan. 31 at 1 p.m. ET and live television coverage (ESPN2) and streaming (ESPN+) of the weigh-in on Friday, Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. ET.

Top Rank on ESPN Alvarez vs. Kovalev 2 LIVE on ESPN+, ESPN and ESPN Deportes

Date

Time (ET)

Event

Platform

Thurs., 1/31

1 p.m.

Top Rank on ESPN: Alvarez vs. Kovalev 2/Valdez vs. Tommasone Official Press Conference

ESPN+

Fri., 2/1

5 p.m.

Top Rank on ESPN: Alvarez vs. Kovalev 2/Valdez vs. Tommasone Weigh-In

ESPN2, ESPN+

Sat., 2/2

7 p.m.

Super Saturday ESPN+ Undercard INCLUDING

Janibek Alimkhanuly (4-0, 1 KO) vs. Steven Martinez (18-4, 13 KOs) & Jason Sanchez (13-0, 6 KOs) vs. Daniel Olea (13-6-2, 5 KOs)

ESPN+

10 p.m.

Super Saturday ESPN Main Events

Oscar Valdez (24-0, 19 KOs) vs. Carmine Tommasone (19-0, 5 KOs), 12 rounds, Valdez’s WBO featherweight world title

Richard Commey (27-2, 24 KOs) vs. Isa Chaniev (13-1, 6 KOs), 12 rounds, vacant IBF lightweight world title

ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sun., 2/3

12 a.m.

Super Saturday ESPN+ Main Events

Eleider Alvarez (24-0, 12 KOs) vs. Sergey Kovalev (32-3-1, 28 KOs), 12 rounds, Alvarez’s WBO light heavyweight world title

Teofimo Lopez (11-0, 9 KOs) vs. Diego Magdaleno (31-2, 13 KOs), 10 rounds, lightweight

*ESPN+

*ESPN+ to stream in English and Spanish

To subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 per month, go to www.espnplus.com.

###

ESPN+

ESPN+, which surpassed one million paying subscribers in just five months, is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie and more), hundreds of MLB and NHL games, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), exclusive Top Rank boxing, UFC, Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App, the leading sports app and the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans. The ESPN App delivers a rich, personalized experience that curates all of ESPN’s content around each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also be available through ESPN.com.

ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment enterprise, features more than 50 assets – eight U.S. television networks, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN International, ESPN The Magazine and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

It was billed to be a toe-to-toe action fight, and it lived up to it as Miguel Berchelt beatdown a game Miguel Roman to retain the WBC Super Featherweight title via 9th round stoppage at The Don Haskins Cinvention Center in El Paso, Texas.

The two landed heavy punches over the 1st part of the fight that saw several phone booth exchanges, with Brerchelt getting the better of the action.

In round six, Berchelt finally cracked Roman as he landed a hard right hand that sent Roman to the canvas.  Seconds later it was a quick left-right combination that sent Roman down for a 2nd time.

Berchelt continued to pound away on Roman.  The fight could have been stopped several times if not for Roman showing a tremendous heart and landing a right hand to keep him in the fight.

Roman finally broke for good in round nine as he was dropped by a barrage of punches.  Seconds later, it was another nasty head combination that had referee Jon Schorle stop the bout at 2:58.

Berchelt, 129.6 lbs of Merida,  MEX is 35-1 with 31 knockouts.  Roman, 129.6 lbs of Ciudad Juarez, MEX is 60-13.

“This was the toughest of my four world title defenses,” Berchelt said. “I give my respect to Mickey as an opponent. The key was my body work. He kept getting up and fighting with all of his heart. He’s a valiant Mexican warrior.”

Said Roman: “I feel fine. I gave it 100 percent. I’ll be back.”

Three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga stopped Jose Estrella in round four of their scheduled 10-round featherweight bout.

In round three, Marriaga landed a perfect left to the face that sent Estrella to the canvas.  In round four, it was a hard left to the body that sent Estrella riving in pain on the canvas for the 1-count at 2:43.

Marriaga, 126.5 lbs of Cartagena, COL is 27-3 with 23 knockouts.  Estrella, 126 1/4 lbs of Tijuana. MEX is 20-15-1.

“He was a very tough and strong opponent,” Marriaga said. “I know he trained hard for this fight, but I trained harder. In the end, my experience was key in getting the victory. The plan was to attack the body and that’s exactly what I did. I knocked him out with a huge left hook to the body.

“I know that I have what it takes to become a world champion. I want to challenge for another world title!”

Robson Conceicao won an eight-round unanimous decision over Joey Laviolette in a super featherweight bout.

Conceicao, 130 1/4 lbs of Bahia, BRA won by scores of 80-72 on all cards, and is now 10-0.  Laviolette, 129.5 lbs of Sackville, CAN is 9-2.

Conceicao said: “This is my second bout fighting eight rounds and I felt great. I always train hard and I am always in great physical condition. I feel like I’m prepared to go the 12-round distance. I want to face the best. I’m ready to battle against the champions of the junior lightweight division. I want Tevin Farmer, Miguel Berchelt, Alberto Machado, or Gervonta Davis. I don’t care who it is. I want a title!”

Saul Rodriguez remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Claudio Tapia in a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Rodriguez landed a left to the body that put Tapia on a knee.  Tapia’s left eye began to swell really badly.  In round two, it was a left hook that sent Tapia to canvas.  Seconds later a right hand ended things when Rodriguez scored a 3rd knockdown at 1:57.

Rodriguez, 135 3/4 lbs of Riverside, CA is 22-0-1 with 16 knockouts.  Tapia, 137 lbs of Ciudad Mendoza, ARG is 28-19-4.

Rodriguez said: “I was anxious and excited to get back in there after such a long time out of the ring. It was a long time coming, but I did what I had to do and got the job done.”

Nicklaus Flaz took an exciting eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Sagadat Rakhmankul in a welterweight bout.

In round four, Flaz landed a hard right that sent Rakhmankul to the canvas.  Rakhmankul came back in round five to land some crushing shots that rocked Flaz all over the ring, and even open a cut over Flaz’s right eye.

The two pounded it out in the last round with Flaz hammerimg Rakhmankul and almost scoring a knockdown.

Flaz, 147 1/2 lbs of Vaga Alta, PR won by scores of 78-73, 77073 and 76-75 and is now 6-1.  Rakhmankul, 147.25 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 3-1.

Janibek Alimkhanuly took a eight-round split decision over Vaughn Alexander in a super middleweight bout.

Alimkhanunly, 163 1/4 lbs of Almaty, KAZ is 4-0.  Alexander, 162.25 lbs of St. Louis, MO 12-2.

Zach Prieto needed just 45 seconds to dispose of Michael Andrews in their scheduled four round middleweight bout.

Prieto, 158 lbs of El Paso, TX is 4-0 with three knockouts.  Andrews, 157 lbs of Pontiac, MI is 1-3.