London (14 January) – The next super-star of boxing Terence Crawford’s WBO World Super-Lightweight title defence against Hank Lundy on Saturday 27th February at the iconic Madison Square Garden, will be televised exclusively live on BoxNation.

Crawford, a two-time and two-weight World Champion, a big favourite with UK fans’ on The Channel of Champions, returns to action as he looks to elevate into the position of boxing’s main man with Floyd Mayweather retired and Manny Pacquiao soon to be, many experts believe the exciting 28-year-old from Omaha can be that man.

A hero in his hometown, Crawford, who sits inside the top ten of boxing’s Pound-for-Pound best rankings, now looks to make that transition when he makes his debut at MSG, known as the “Mecca of Boxing”, where the immortals of the sport have all plied there trade.

Undefeated in 27 fights with 19 knockouts, 12 coming inside three rounds, the big-hitting and dangerous Crawford, 28, could have been a potential final opponent for Pacquaio, who instead wisely opted to go for a third fight against rival Timothy Bradley.

Crawford, began his title reign when he totally out-classed Scotland’s Ricky Burns in his own backyard in March 2014 to win the WBO World Lightweight title. He then saw off undefeated Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa, a former Olympic Gold medallist, in nine rounds in the first title defence in June before outpointing tough Mexican and former world title challenger Raymundo Beltran in November in his second title defence.

“Bud” started 2015 by stepping up to super-lightweight and destroying number two ranked contender Thomas Dulorme to capture the Vacant WBO Crown with a sixth round stoppage in April, followed by a first title defence against the tough Puerto Rican based Frenchman and number two ranked challenger Dierry Jean in ten rounds last November.

His challenger, Lundy, hails from the mean streets of Philadelphia and brings the old school fight mentality of the greats who have come out of the fighting city like Bernard Hopkins and Joe Frazier, into his showdown against Crawford.

Never to shy away from a fight, his challenger “Hammerin” Lundy has defeated former world champions including David Diaz and Richar Abril as well as contenders Olusegan Ajose, Patrick Williams, Dannie Williams and Angelo Santana in his 32-fight career with 26 wins, five losses, one draw and 13 knockouts. In his last fight he captured the WBC Continental Lightweight title with a fifth round stoppage of Carlos Velasquez and is rated number eight in the world by the organisation.

At the recent fight announcement Crawford and Lundy clashed and both are promising an exciting fight.

“I will show the world I am the best fighter at 140 pounds,” Said Crawford.

He added, “Lundy runs his mouth too much. He’s about to get hurt real bad. But Lundy can fight. He will battle.”

Lunday retaliated, “This is the type of fight I have been waiting for. The last couple of fights I have beaten guys but didn’t get the fair shake. If you’re a true fan of boxing, you know I belong in the ring with the best fighters in the world. I’m the type of guy that no one wants to fight, because I am the real deal. On February 27th, I am coming to Madison Square Garden to fight Terence Crawford, and on the 28th I’ll be leaving with his belt.”

Also on the exciting card another potential boxing super-star Felix Verdejo aims to break through into the mainstream when he defends his WBO Latino Lightweight title against big-hitting Brazilian Williams Silva in his return to MSG.

The red-hot undefeated talent known as “El Diamante” fights out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and aims to become the next big name fighter from the famous fighting island that has produced countless greats like Miguel Cotto, Felix Trinidad, Wilfredos Gomez and Vasquez, Hector Camacho and many more.

Fire-fisted Verjdejo has stopped eight of his last ten opponents inside the distance and this will be the third defence of his title. He won the belt with a fifth round knockout of Marco Lopez in April 2014 and then outpointed undefeated contender Ivan Najera in his first defence. Last time out in December he smashed Josenilson Dos Santos inside two rounds.

The Channel Of Champions, BoxNation, will televise live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 415 and Freeview 255. Subscribe at www.boxnation.com or watch online at watch.boxnation.com and via iPhone, iPad or Android and Amazon devices.

– Ends –

About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.
For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers.

NEW YORK (January 12, 2016) — No one needed to ask, “Where’s the beef?” at today’s press conference at Madison Square Garden, where undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight world champion and 2014 Fighter of the Year TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD and his opponent, Top-10 contender “Hammerin'” HANK LUNDY, announced their world title rumble. Each fighter had his own beef and they weren’t afraid to serve it up. Here are their quotes.

TERENCE CRAWFORD (27-0, 19 KOs), of Omaha, Neb.

“I’ve always wanted to fight in New York — at The Garden — even as a small boy. Fighting in New York tells me where my career is really at and where we are going. I can get a big fan base here. It’s very exciting

“Lundy runs his mouth too much. He’s about to get hurt real bad. But Lundy can fight. He will battle.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with this dude. He better be for real about it. [Mauricio] Herrera? Lundy lost. Doesn’t matter what people think. He lost.

“I used to watch a lot of old fights Uuntil I got older then I wanted to develop my own style, like, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roy Jones, Marco Antonio Barrera.

“I wouldn’t be in this sport if I didn’t think I was the best. If you don’t think lthat you are the best then you are in the wrong sport. I feel like I am one of the guys that will put boxing on my back and carry the sport. I want to do that.

“Best thing about boxing? I get to hit people in the mouth. And I get paid to do it. Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to fight — so why not get paid for it?

“All my kids watch me fight. They see me on HBO and say, “Dad, that’s you – you won that round.

“If I won Powerball would I would still fight? Boxing is my life. You bet I would.”

HANK LUNDY (26-5-1, 13 KOs), of Philadelphia, PA.,

“I am going to break you down, Crawford. This is East Coast fighting, you homie. I’ve been a better, tougher fighter since I reunited with my first trainer, the great Charles Ramey.

“I will be the big ticket seller in this fight not Crawford. We will have fans coming to see me, not Crawford — from Philadelphia, Boston and Providence. I ‘ve always fought on the road. I have fans everywhere.

This is Madison Square Garden. They want to fill the place they know who to get — Hank Lundy. I’m not the ‘B’ side I’m the ‘A’ side

Herrera? I was getting ready to knock him out and Golden Boy knew it. I told them I would fight him again, no purse bid. Nothing.

“I’m Hank Lundy. At the end of the day. I’m one of these fighters that can fight anyone. I fought a whole fight with a damn broken jaw. I put the guy down and he kept coming. But I had a broken jaw. The next day I woke up and it looked like I had grapefruit on the side of my face.

“I’ve got five kids. When I was 18 I was taking them to the gym with me, one on my arm and one in the stroller. Nothing stopped me. They’ve been with me my whole career. They know what it takes to work hard.

“You already know what’s going down. It’s my time. Crawford’s going to be going down early and often. I’ve been in there with the best. Nobody flat out beat my ass and nobody will. That’s why I keep getting these fights. That’s Philly fighting –.Broad Street Bullies.

“I’ve known Crawford since the amateurs. He’s a tough guy. If he’s the best I’m about to show you something. It’s about to be Hank Lundy night at Madison Square Garden.

“This guy is scared to fight me. I’ve been moving all over to try to get him.
I’ve got him now. If I’m under his skin now wait till fight time. One thing about it, I back it up. If you want to talk stuff you’ve got to back it up. You’ve got to have tough skin in this game.

“My kids said, “Dad you’re going to fight Crawford. You’ve been waiting for that.”

*****************************

The Crawford vs. Lundy world title fight will take place on Saturday, February 27, at the “Mecca of Boxing” — The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The co-main event will feature undefeated Top-Five contender FELIX “El Diamante” VERDEJO (19-0, 14 KOs), from San Juan, Puerto Rico, defending his WBO Latino lightweight title against undefeated Brazilian buzz saw WILLIAM “Baby Face” SILVA (23-0, 14 KOs), of São Paulo, Brasil. Both fights will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

These four warriors boast a combined record of 95-5-1 (60 KOs) — a winning percentage of 94% with close to 2/3 of their victories coming by way of knockout.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate, Classic Entertainment & Sports (CES), Diamante Promotions and Madison Square Garden, tickets to the Crawford vs. Lundy / Verdejo vs. Silva championship doubleheader will go on sale Tomorrow! Wednesday, January 13 at 10:00 a.m. ET. Priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25, tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.thegarden.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtags #CrawfordLundy or #VerdejoSilva to join the conversation on Twitter.

NEW YORK (Jan. 12th, 2016) — Brimming with confidence during Tuesday’s press conference at Madison Square Garden, Hank Lundy made it abundantly clear he’s more than just a backup plan for his upcoming opponent, Terence Crawford, boldly predicting the coronation of a new 140-pound king on Feb. 27th.

While the mainstream media has painted Lundy (26-5-1, 13 KOs) as the second or third choice among the Crawford camp for their fighter’s first title defense of 2016 (contenders Mauricio Herrera, Viktor Postol, etc., reportedly turned down the fight), Lundy promises to steal the show when the two square off for Crawford’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) Junior Welterweight Title in the main event of HBO’s World Championship Boxing doubleheader at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, promoted by Top Rank and CES Boxing.

“I guarantee fight night I’m going to break you. I’m going to break your will,” said Lundy during an animated, sometimes heated, exchange Tuesday with Crawford, who mostly chuckled during Lundy’s delivery. “I already got you out of your comfort zone.

“I want you to get this in your head. You can be funny all you want. I’m going to beat your ass. It’s going to be bad.”

Though he’s the clear underdog on paper against the undefeated Crawford, Lundy expects to have “homefield advantage” on Feb. 27th considering he grew up in Philadelphia, less than 100 miles from New York City.

“Philly, Jersey, Boston, they’re all going to be here,” Lundy said. “One thing and one thing’s for sure, the Garden knew what they were doing by picking ‘Hammerin” Hank because they know this bum can’t sell the place out!”

“When we come to New York and we come to Madison Square Garden, we are going to have homefield advantage,” added CES Boxing president Jimmy Burchfield Sr. “If you study homefield advantage, it means a lot. Not only will Philadelphia and New York be here, but Boston and Providence and Connecticut will be here. We will fill that theater with Hank Lundy’s fans.

“Everybody is looking at Hank Lundy as an underdog, or this is your second and third choice. We’re not coming here to be the underdog. Don’t underestimate that. We’re coming here to take the belt back to Philadelphia.

“I think you made a mistake. I really do,” Burchfield said to Crawford, “but we appreciate the opportunity. We’re going to be up for the challenge.”

Crawford (27-0, 19 KOs), the reigning WBO champ, is considered one of the sport’s breakthrough stars, perhaps a top five pound-for-pound fighter by the end of the year if he survives Lundy on Feb. 27th.

Since winning the title from Ricky Burns in England in 2014, Crawford has defended his title four times with knockout wins over Yuriorkis Gamboa, Thomas Dulorme and Dierry Jean.

“Everybody knows you, Hank. You’re like the boy who cried wolf,” Crawford said. “You talk a good game, but when you lose it’s always something. ‘I’m going to do this … I’m going to do that.’ You ain’t gonna do shit. You talk about how street you are. That’s talking, boy.

“We know about you. We’ve heard about you getting socked up in the gym and not doing anything. You can smile all you want. You can talk all you want. For real, though, when you look at me in the eyes, I’m about that lifestyle. You’ve heard my background. We ain’t heard nothing about Hank. We just hear you talking.

“I’m going to put on a spectacular show come Feb. 27th. I’m gonna hit him in his mouth and he’s going to end up like [Dierry] Jean and get what he’s looking for.”

The 27th will be Lundy’s first shot at a world title, a long overdue opportunity after nearly a decade of working his way to the top by facing the toughest opposition in the sport. Lundy’s last 17 fights have covered 13 different states and two countries and the combined record of his opponents during that stretch is a remarkable 276-44.

“He’s fought real fights,” Burchfield said. “He’s never backed down from anyone. He stays in the gym. He’s done nothing to harm his body. He’s a warrior. Terence is a warrior. This is why this fight has the ingredients to be the top fight of 2016.”

No stranger to controversy, Lundy suffered a split-decision loss to Dulorme in December of 2014 after battling back from an early knockdown before his highly-publicized 2015 showdown in Los Angeles against Herrera, which ended in a technical decision loss for Lundy when the fight was stopped toward the end of the fifth round due to a pair of cuts over each of Herrera’s eyes caused by accidental head-butts.

“Another round and it would’ve been a knockout victory for Hank,” Burchfield said. “We’ve told Herrera we’d fight him. We’d fight him for nothing. They won’t fight us.”

Crawford went on to stop Dulorme in six rounds in April in a blistering performance by the reigning champ in Texas, but, Burchfield said, Dulorme was “damaged goods” by that point courtesy of the test he faced from Lundy in his previous bout.

“I beat the brakes off him,” Lundy said of Dulorme. “Had the man running around the ring.”

Crawford’s trainer, Brian McIntyre, had a different perspective from watching the fight.

“He said he was beating up Dulorme. No you weren’t,” McIntyre countered. “You were losing, dog. You did come back, though, but you needed help. You needed someone to coach you in the corner, to get you up. ‘Come on, man. You got dog in you! You got dog in you!’

“I don’t have to do with that Terence, because the dog’s already in him when he comes out. I know that for sure. You don’t have confidence in yourself. Another thing I noticed about you, you’ve switched coaches time and time again. That’s inconsistency, bro, along with your chin. Your chin is inconsistent!

“I respect you. I’m just stating the obvious and the obvious is you’re going to get your ass kicked. I bet you that. I bet $10,000 on that.”

The Feb. 27th HBO doubleheader, which begins 10 p.m. ET, also features a 10-round WBO Latino lightweight title bout between reigning champion Felix Verdejo (19-0, 14 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and unbeaten challenger William Silva (23-0, 14 KOs) of San Paolo, Brazil. On sale beginning tomorrow, tickets are priced at $25, $50, $100, $200 and $300 and can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone at (866) 858-0008 or online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.thegarden.com.

“[Crawford-Lundy] reminds me of a fight a long time ago, Floyd Mayweather and Emanuel Burton,” said Top Rank president Todd DuBoef. “People said, ‘Burton’s got nine losses. How can you put Mayweather in with him?’ and what a fight it was. Floyd had to earn every bit of that, probably his most difficult fight to date and someone that gave him an enormous amount of difficulty and challenges in the ring. Don’t ever judge a fighter by their record. Hank Lundy has been in there with everybody. People thought he was beating Dulorme and Herrera. He is a top quality fighter.

“What Terence Crawford represents in the sport right now is one of the most excellent fighters in the sport,” added HBO Sports executive vice president Peter Nelson. “In front of him in Hank Lundy is one of the best tests that can be found, a fighter that will step up and take the challenge.”

For more information, visit www.cesboxing.com or www.toprank.com, or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.twitter.com/trboxing using the hashtag #CrawfordLundy to join the conversation. Updates are also available on www.facebook.com/cesboxing, www.facebook.com/trboxing or www.facebook.com/trboxeo.

NEW YORK (January 12, 2015) — Undefeated superstar champions TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD and FELIX “El Diamante” VERDEJO will make their 2016 debuts in title defenses, Saturday, February 27, at the “Mecca of Boxing” — The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Crawford, the two-division world champion and 2014 Fighter of the Year will be defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight world championship belt against Top-10 contender “Hammerin'” HANK LUNDY. Verdejo, the boxing gem of Puerto Rico, will be risking his WBO Latino lightweight title crown and his march to a world title shot when he rumbles with undefeated Brazilian buzz saw WILLIAM “Baby Face” SILVA. Both fights will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

These four warriors boast a combined record of 95-5-1 (60 KOs) — a winning percentage of 94% with close to 2/3 of their victories coming by way of knockout.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate, Classic Entertainment & Sports (CES), Diamante Promotions and Madison Square Garden, tickets to the Crawford vs. Lundy / Verdejo vs. Silva championship doubleheader will go on sale Tomorrow! Wednesday, January 13 at 10:00 a.m. ET. Priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25, tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.thegarden.com.

“I will show the world I am the best fighter at 140 pounds,” said Crawford

“We can’t wait to shut up this dude, once and for all,” said Brian McIntyre, Crawford’s chief trainer and co-manager.

“This is an excellent matchup,” said Cameron Dunkin, Crawford’s co-manager. “Terence, the best in the world, against Lundy, a world-class fighter. Fans at The Garden and at home watching on HBO will be on their feet for as long as it lasts.”

“This is the type of fight I have been waiting for,” said Lundy. “The last couple of fights I have beaten guys but didn’t get the fair shake. If you’re a true fan of boxing, you know I belong in the ring with the best fighters in the world. I’m the type of guy that no one wants to fight, because I am the real deal. On February 27th, I am coming to Madison Square Garden to fight Terence Crawford, and on the 28th I’ll be leaving with his belt.”

“I feel happy to be going back to New York where last time I didn’t have one of my best performances because of the injury I suffered on my left hand, but I hope that this time I can give all my fans in ‘The Big Apple’ the spectacle that they deserve,” said Verdejo. “I’m coming ready to demonstrate to the world that in Puerto Rico there is a hungry fighter that wants to continue the tradition of champions that our Island has a rich history of producing.”

“We are going to New York to face William Silva, who on paper looks like the toughest fighter Felix has ever faced, but we are confident we will do the right preparation to pass this test,” said Ricky Marquez, Verdejo’s trainer and manager. “We know that we can count on the support of all the boricuas and we dedicate this fight to them, because they inspire us to wake up every morning at dawn to keep working harder and harder.”

“This is the fight I’ve wanted for a long time. At last, we get Verdejo in the ring,” said Silva.

“All of us at Top Rank are thrilled to return to the Theater at Madison Square Garden,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “We are particularly delighted that America superstar Terence Crawford will defend his world junior welterweight title against an ever dangerous Hank Lundy. The big boxing program will also showcase rising superstar prospect and the pride of Puerto Rico Felix Verdejo who will take on undefeated contender William Silva of Brazil.”

“It is great to be working with Top Rank and HBO Boxing on this event. This is the type of fight that is great for the sport of boxing, said Jimmy Burchfield, Sr., president of CES, Lundy’s promoter. “Fans will see two true warriors who will leave it all in the center of the ring, and it should go down as one of the best fights of the year. Hank Lundy has been waiting for a well-deserved opportunity like this his whole life, and he is hungry and ready for this bout. “Hammerin'” Hank has never turned down an opportunity, and in his past 17 bouts he has fought in 13 different states against opponents with a combined record of 276-44-4. On February 28th the world will see the best Hank Lundy yet.”

“Making his Manhattan debut, Terence Crawford stands today among boxing’s fastest rising stars” said Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports. “His opponent Hank Lundy, Crawford’s toughest to date, seeks to usurp that star power for himself on fight night with an upset at the historic Madison Square Garden Theater. This will be a memorable night that will catapult the winner to new heights.”

Crawford (27-0, 19 KOs), of Omaha, Neb., who has won three of his last four bouts by stoppage, will be making his debut at the “Mecca of Boxing” in his second title defense as WBO junior welterweight world champion. The consensus Top-10 pound-for-pound fighter will be looking to build on his star-making 2014 which featured three world championship victories as well as Fighter of the Year honors from the BWAA and major media alike. Crawford, 28, captured the vacant WBO junior welterweight crown on April 18, 2015, via a devastating sixth-round knockout of once-beaten No. 2 world-rated contender Thomas Dulorme. He successfully defended the title on October 24, stopping No.2 world-rated contender Dierry Jean in front of a packed house at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha. Crawford began his career-best year on March 1, 2014, just 13 days short of the sixth anniversary of his professional debut. He captured the WBO lightweight title, dethroning defending champion Ricky Burns on Burns’ home turf of Glasgow, Scotland. Scoring a powerful and unanimous decision, Crawford put the boxing world on notice with his virtuoso performance as he pulled out all stops in dismantling Burns, rocking the defending champion throughout the fight, while switching back and forth between orthodox and southpaw stances. He followed that with a dramatic and critically-acclaimed knockout victory of undefeated former world champion and Cuban Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa on June 28, 2014, in a Fight of the Year nominee. It was one of the most-watched fights of the year with over 1.2 million viewers catching the live, first-time airing of the fight, according to Nielsen Media Research. He concluded 2014 on November 29 with a thorough shellacking of one-time world title challenger and No. 1 contender Ray Beltran, winning 11 of the 12 rounds. Crawford is only the second Nebraska native to be recognized as a boxing world champion. Perry “Kid” Graves, from Rock Bluff, captured the welterweight crown, knocking out Johnny Alberts in Brooklyn, in 1914, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

Lundy (26-5-1, 13 KOs), of Philadelphia, PA., will be bringing anything but brotherly love when he battles Crawford. The nine-year pro has a refreshing “old school” attitude about competition which can be boiled down to three words, “Bring It On!” Boasting a professional resume that doesn’t shy away from any tough fights, Lundy, 32, has several impressive victories, including former world champions David Diaz and Richar Abril as well as contenders Olusegun Ajose, Patrick Lopez, Dannie Williams and Angelo Santana. Lopez and Williams were both NABF lightweight title fights. In his last fight, on October 17, Lundy captured the World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas lightweight title via a fifth-round knockout of Carlos Velasquez. Like Crawford, he can switch effectively and seamlessly to the southpaw stance. He is currently world-rated No. 8 by the WBC.

Verdejo (19-0, 14 KOs), from San Juan, Puerto Rico, who earned “Prospect of the Year” honors in 2014 and 2015, is looking to begin this year as a bona fide world title contender. He returns to the ring having won eight of his last 10 fights inside the distance, including his first and last fights of 2015 — a fifth-round knockout of Marco Lopez, on April 25, for the vacant WBO Latino lightweight title and a second-round pasting of Josenilson Dos Santos on December 11, which was Verdejo’s second defense of the title. In between those two fights, Verdejo successfully defended his title on June 13 at Madison Square Garden during Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend, winning a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated contender Ivan Najera of San Antonio, TX. Already world-rated No. 4 by the World Boxing Association (WBA), No. 6 by the WBO and No. 7 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF), Verdejo, 22, continues to develop into a major gate attraction, producing standing room only crowds every time he fights. A former amateur standout who represented Puerto Rico in the 2012 Olympics, Verdejo has been mentored by Puerto Rican boxing icon and Hall of Fame inductee Felix Trinidad.

Silva (23-0, 14 KOs), of São Paulo, Brasil, who will be making his HBO debut, has only gone the distance three times over the past five years. He began to separate himself from the pack in 2013, when he captured the WBO Latino welterweight title via a 12-round unanimous decision over Hector Santana. In his 2014 debut, he captured the WBO Latino lightweight title, again by a 12-round decision, over Pablo Barboza. Santana and Barboza had a combined record of 40-5 when Silva fought them. Silva, 28, won all his 2015 fights by knockout, including a third-round stoppage of Bayanmunkh Bayaanjargal on the undercard of the December 11 Verdejo-Santos fight. Silva was licking his chops at the prospect of fighting Verdejo and made no secret of his desire at the post-fight press conference. World-rated No. 15 by the WBO, Silva will be one of the biggest and most dangerous opponents Verdejo has ever faced.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtags #CrawfordLundy or #VerdejoSilva to join the conversation on Twitter.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Jan. 11th, 2016) — When it came time for undefeated junior welterweight world champion Terence Crawford to find a suitable opponent for his first title defense of 2016, only one of the so-called top 140-pounders in the world answered the challenge.

Philadelphia’s “Hammerin'” Hank Lundy, boxing’s most feared road warrior, will get his long-overdue title shot Saturday, Feb. 27th, 2016 against the unbeaten Crawford in the 12-round main event of HBO’s World Championship Boxing doubleheader at The Theater at Madison Square Garden for Crawford’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) title.

Top Rank and CES Boxing, Lundy’s promoter, will host a press conference Tuesday at Madison Square Garden beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET to officially announce the fight.

“I’m running with a dream,” said Lundy, ranked No. 8 in the world. “This is what I’ve been fighting for my whole career.

“I’m telling Crawford: ‘You’re coming to the east coast. You’re coming into my backyard. I’m coming here to knock you out. I’m going to give you everything you’re looking for.'”

Ten years since his debut, Lundy (26-5-1, 13 KOs) has finally reached the pinnacle of his profession, a well-deserved opportunity for a fighter who’s always been willing to fight anyone, anywhere at any given time, traveling from Quebec to the Ukraine to earn his respect in a sport where such persistence and dedication sometimes goes unrewarded.

“We’ve waited for this opportunity for a long time. No one deserves this more than Hank,” said CES Boxing president Jimmy Burchfield Sr. “We’ve fought everywhere. We’ve taken last-minute fights overseas. We’ve been the underdog. No one works harder than Hank and no one is hungrier for a shot at a world title. On Feb. 27th the whole world will see why he is the best 140-pounder in the world.”

According to Crawford’s promoter, Top Rank founder and CEO Bob Arum, no one else would step to the plate against Crawford, not even Mauricio Herrera, who beat Lundy in July in a controversial technical decision; reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Viktor Postol, whom Lundy faced in 2013; or former champ Ruslan Provodnikov.

“That’s what I tell you about these fighters. They want to pick and choose,” Lundy said. “One thing I tell you about me and in my career, you never see ‘Hammerin” Hank pick and choose. I don’t care who I’m in the ring with. I’m an old-school, throwback fighter. You put them in front of me, let’s get it. I don’t have time for picking and choosing. The opportunity came for a world title and I’m ready. I’ve been ready.”

Facing Crawford (27-0, 19 KOs) is a unique challenge, but not the first time Lundy has stood toe-to-toe with an unbeaten vet. A 5-foot-8 right-hander from Omaha, Neb., Crawford rose to prominence in 2013 with a dominant, unanimous decision win over Breidis Prescott, followed by back-to-back wins over former WBC Silver Lightweight champ Alejandro Sanabria and unbeaten Russian Andrey Klimov before earning his shot at 140-pound title-holder Ricky Burns in 2014.

Crawford has defended his WBO title four times since beating Burns, including wins over contenders Raymundo Beltran and Thomas Dulorme, both of whom Lundy lost to in close, controversial decisions (a majority decision loss to Beltran in July of 2012 and a split decision loss to Dulorme in December of 2014 on HBO). Three of those aforementioned title defenses took place at the CenturyLink Center in Crawford’s hometown. He hasn’t fought on the east coast since beating Angel Rios in New Jersey in 2011.

“I’m not going to downplay it. [Crawford] does what he’s supposed to do when he gets those guys in front of him, but at the end of the day I haven’t seen any improvement,” Lundy said. “If you look at my resume, I’ve fought the tougher opposition than Crawford.

“He fought a couple of guys I already fought and I’ll you like this, after you fight me you’re never the same. Those guys are never the same after fighting Hank Lundy. Dulorme? I gave you the blueprint on how to beat him. Beltran? I beat him but didn’t get a fair shake. At the end of the day, think about it, if I didn’t get robbed on those fights, ‘Hammerin” Hank Lundy would be undefeated and would’ve already had a world title.

“I can really say no one has flat-out beat me. I’ve suffered controversial losses. I consider myself undefeated. That’s how I go into my fights. This fight, fighting for the word title, I’m looking at it as if I’m undefeated and he’s trying to take my pride.”

Lundy’s bold claims aren’t without merit. The Philadelphia native has faced an undefeated opponent with at least eight pro fights on his record five times in his career and is 3-1-1 in those bouts, including a win over Tyrese Hendrix on ESPN in 2010 and a knockout victory against Jason Cintron, the younger brother of former world champ Kermit Cintron, in 2009. Lundy also owns a split decision win over current World Boxing Association (WBA) Lightweight Champion Richar Abril.

Win or lose, Lundy’s fights never lack in excitement or drama. After reviving his career with wins over Ajose Olusegun and Angelo Santana, the latter in his Showtime debut, Lundy lost a controversial technical decision to Herrera when the fight was stopped toward the end of the fifth round due to a pair of cuts over each of Herrera’s eyes caused by accidental head-butts. The fifth round turned out to be the difference-maker; the fight was even after four, but judges Eddie Hernandez and Fernando Villareal awarded the partial fifth round to Herrera while Zac Young ruled it an even 10-10 round. Herrera won, 48-47, 48-47, 48-48.

Feb. 27th will be Lundy’s third fight since reuniting with his original trainer, Charles Ramey, who coached Lundy as an amateur and helped guide him to wins in each of his first 16 pro fights. The difference is noticeable in Lundy’s defense, which appeared impenetrable in Lundy’s recent knockout win over Carlos Winston Velasquez in October.

“I’m back to the fighting ‘Hammerin” Hank that everybody loves,” Lundy said. “Before, in previous fights, you saw a lot of brawling, but I’m back to my boxing and punching, slickness, going to the body — I’m back, man. Listen, I can’t wait until the world sees me February 27th. I’ve got something to show you.

“Everybody knows ‘Hammerin” Hank is an elusive guy. I make guys miss, I make them pay, but with my boxing ability there’s going to be more damage done now. After I make you miss, I’m going to make you pay.”

Those who’ve followed his career know Lundy’s been clamoring for a title shot as far back as 2012 when he called out 135-pound title contender Antonio DeMarco. Even though it’s taken longer than anticipated for that opportunity to come, the 32-year-old Lundy is grateful for the experiences in between, both good and bad.

“I grew into a hell of a fighter — smart, I know what I’m doing in there,” he said. “When I first jumped onto the scene, I started boxing at the age of 18, turned pro at 23, so in professional fights I was still learning the game. Now I’m actually the complete package. I don’t have any wear and tear on me.

“Most of these guys I’m fighting, because they had long amateur careers, have a lot of wear and tear on their bodies. Sometimes they don’t last that long in the pro game. I’m fresh and I’m going to show the world on Feb. 27th on HBO at Madison Square Garden that ‘Hammerin” Hank is bringing that world title to Philadelphia.”

The Feb. 27th HBO doubleheader, which begins 10 p.m. ET, also features a 10-round WBO Latino lightweight title bout between reigning champion Felix Verdejo (19-0, 14 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and unbeaten challenger William Silva (23-0, 14 KOs) of San Paolo, Brazil.

For more information, visit www.cesboxing.com or www.toprank.com, or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.twitter.com/trboxing using the hashtag #CrawfordLundy to join the conversation. Updates are also available on www.facebook.com/cesboxing, www.facebook.com/trboxing or www.facebook.com/trboxeo.

It’s a holiday treat for HBO Boxing fans. Over four consecutive nights in late December, the HBO service will present nine of the year’s standout fights, spotlighting some of the biggest names in the sport in riveting performances. Featured are signature wins by Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, Sergey Kovalev, Terence Crawford, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and Timothy Bradley Jr.

Starting Sunday, Dec. 27, HBO will replay nine major league showdowns from this year sprinkled over four consecutive nights. All the fights will also be available on HBO ON DEMAND® as well as the HBO NOW and HBO GO® services.

The “Boxing’s Best” lineup airs at 11:00 p.m. each night and includes:

Sunday, December 27 Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal I
Terence Crawford vs. Dierry Jean
Canelo Alvarez vs. James Kirkland

Monday, December 28 Lucas Matthysse vs. Ruslan Provodnikov
Timothy Bradley Jr. vs. Brandon Rios

Tuesday, December 29 Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux
Takashi Miura vs. Francisco Vargas

Wednesday, December 30 Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez
Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez vs. Brian Viloria

*Winners names are in italics
All Times ET/PT

Jose Benavidez Jr. fights for titles. Fights to stay unbeaten.

Fights to stay busy, too.

He’s been pretty good at the first two, but staying busy has eluded him at an age when the young junior-welterweight needs fights like a talented student needs consistent challenges on a long lesson plan.

The 23-year-old Benavidez (23-0, 16 KOs) hopes to eliminate that problematic idle time, beginning on Dec. 12 in Tucson when he fights for only the second time since winning a controversial decision over Mauricio Herrera for a WBA interim title on Dec. 13, 2014, in Las Vegas.

“I was supposed to fight in November, but it didn’t happen,’’ Benavidez said Thursday before a Top Rank news conference in Tucson announcing a Unimas-televised card that will also feature emerging featherweight Oscar Valdez. “I was supposed to fight a couple of times.’’

Both times, Benavidez was mentioned as a possibility for Terence Crawford, the 2014 Fighter of the Year. But Crawford bypassed Benavidez, winning both — first in March over Thomas Dulorme in his 140-pound debut and then Dierry Jean in October.

Benavidez is still a possibility for Crawford. Top Rank’s Bob Arum mentioned him again during the weigh-in last
Friday for Timothy Bradley’s victory over Brandon Rios In Las Vegas.

“I’d love to fight Crawford, absolutely’’ said Benavidez, who in May scored a 12th-round stoppage of Jorge Paez Jr. in Phoenix, Benavidez’ hometown.

It looks as if Benavidez is an alternate for Crawford. Manny Pacquiao is reportedly interested in career ending fight against either Crawford or Bradley. If the Filipino opts for Bradley, Benavidez might the next man up for Crawford. Viktor Postol is another Benavidez possibility.

“Anybody, I’ll fight anybody,’’ said Benavidez, who title will not be at stake on Dec. 12 when he is scheduled to fight Brazilian Sidney Siqueira (26-10-1, 17 KOs), perhaps at a catch weight between 140 and 150 pounds.

Meanwhile, Benavidez is staying busy. He has too. Boxing is the family business. He’ll be with his brother, David, (10-0, 9 KOs), an 18-year-old light-heavyweight who fights Mexican Felipe Romero (19-9-1, 13 KOs) Saturday night on ShoBox card (Showtime 10:45 p.m. ET/PT) at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock.

“Oh, yeah, I have to be there for my brother,’’ Benavidez said. “We train together. Always have. He keeps me ready. We spar and, man, he beats the bleeping bleep out of me.’’

Nothing bleeping busier than a sibling rivalry.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday in Omaha’s CenturyLink Center, in what was probably another attendance record of some prepositional sort – in October, against a French speaker, after a Texas fight, under the rules of the WBO, within the American Midwest, without a doubt, beyond expectations – Nebraska junior welterweight Terence Crawford razed Haitian-Canadian Dierry Jean in 10 rounds. Before Jean was able to retrieve his check from the scorer’s table with a shrug, talk turned to Crawford’s next opponent: Manny Pacquiao, in his first last match, in April, on pay-per-view! And the shrugging commenced.

Anybody see Terence Crawford repeating as Fighter of the Year for 2015?

They can’t all be good twelvemonths, and to be fair, the exceptionality of Crawford’s 2014 was impossible in 2015, known forevermore in boxing annals as the year 0 AH (After Haymon), but Crawford, or at least his handlers at Top Rank, the incredible shrinking promoter, might have put in an effort slightly more inspired than what 2015 shined. There was the compulsory migration to a new weightclass, junior welterweight, that might’ve impressed if Crawford’dn’t already fought a better junior welterweight, Breidis Prescott, on no notice, in 2013 (2 BH). Then there was the inexplicable University of Texas venue in Arlington, on a campus even UT alumni needed to google, and a typically tough, hopeless opponent.

Saturday’s match, an achievement-award homecoming tilt, a way for Omahans to thank a fellow Nebraskan for excelling at some sport other than football, happened against a man not even fightweek festivities bothered embellishing. He was Dierry Jean, the Haitian-born Canadian smuggled out of Montreal to rehab Lamont Peterson in 1 BH, after Lamont got spincycled by Lucas Matthysse, just before Lucas got handled by Danny Garcia. Whatever the ratings boards say of Jean, and no, I don’t care enough to check, intuition says he’s roughly half the opponent someone of Crawford’s talent and pedigree should be confronting in his third match at 140 pounds, on HBO.

So bring on the Pacman!

That’s actually an uncharacteristically interesting fight if it happens in 1 AH, which it likely will not, because honestly, how often does anything genuinely interesting still happen in our oncebeloved sport? Faded as Pacquiao is, a return to 140 pounds – where he fought only once, stiffening Ricky Hatton in 6 BH – might quicken his movements some and make a fight entertaining enough to disarm the righteous rage aficionados feel about the performance, and postfight gracelessness, Manny and Coach Freddie staged against Floyd Mayweather in May. Disarm is perhaps a verb too far: Boxing is just beginning to experience the first sensations of the injury it suffered from The Fight to Save Boxing.

If the pay-per-view numbers are to be believed, and they never ever are, Mayweather took a 90-percent haircut, Pacquiao-to-Berto, and Gennady “Our Next Superstar” Golovkin didn’t do even half Mayweather’s new number, despite allegedly breaking Madison Square Garden attendance records not even the Empire State though to track till GGG’s invasion. The official model is probably broken, and adherence to it – basic cable to premium cable to PPV – almost assuredly will frustrate any who obstinately power towards it.

Bob Arum is not to blame. His legacy as a legendary promoter is assured by the company and fighters he built and the enduring changes he wrought (how do you think boxing got off free TV in the first place?), and he’s been semiretired, anyway, since Juan Manuel Marquez dangled Manny Pacquiao between life and death in 3 BH. What has happened to Top Rank since then is a descent that now accelerates.

There’s a chance all living systems follow the same spiraling pattern, and if they don’t, certainly boxing’s television model has: Disorder –> Negative Feedback (diminishing returns) –> Order –> Positive Feedback (increasing returns) –> Disorder.

The consolidation of broadcasting from many to few imposed an orderly system for exponentially increasing the revenues generated by select men like Mike Tyson and Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. This increased revenue summoned new agents, like Al Haymon, and disproportionately empowered a few men to move the sport according to their whims. And the more whimsically they behaved, the more revenue they generated till the order disintegrated in the spectacle of a network, HBO, despite having invested extraordinary resources in the promotion of two fighters, Mayweather and Pacquiao, being powerless to make them face one another.

The Fight to Save Boxing was not the beginning of disorder so much as its highest manifestation: A match no expert believed would please its consumers found the largest paying audience assembled in our sport’s history. What 30 years of splintering titles and feuding promoters and deteriorating talent pools could not do to obliterate boxing’s fanbase – decimate, yes, but not obliterate – May 2 did in less than an hour.

Aficionados’ hostility now makes them casual fans whose indifference ensures diminishing returns for every organism in the boxing ecosystem. Opponents of the truly talented are no longer talented enough to improve them, and the truly talented’s skills subsequently erode till they bore their audiences away or lose in matchmaking mishaps. Suddenly boxing is ubiquitous on free television, the last era’s Promised Land, and yet nobody cares at all. The negative feedback has begun in earnest, and while human technology ever has an acceleratory effect on its spirals, the last cycle took decades to complete and this one is barely begun.

Prizefighting, in the sense of men paying to watch other men bludgeon one another to unconsciousness, will endure, but prizefighting, in the sense of a match generating $500 million again, is finished for years, definitely, for decades, probably, and for a lifetime, possibly.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Terence Crawford made his case for a fight with Manny Pacquiao as he defended the WBO Super Lightweight title with a 10th round stoppage over Dierry Jean at the Centurylink Arena in Omaha, Nebraska

Just before the end of round one, Crawford landed a straight left and right hook that sent Jean to the canvas.  Crawford continued to beat up Jean over the course of the bout.  Crawford dominated the bout from the southpaw stance as he only occasionaly ate right hands.  In round nine, Crawford dropped Jean again with a couple of chopping shots to the top of the head.

Crawford came out in round ten and hurt Jean several times before landing a hard combination that sent Jean into the bottom ropes and referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight.

Crawford of Omaha, Nebraska is 27-0 with 19 knockouts.  Jean of Montreal, QUE is 29-2.

Andy Ruiz Jr. battered Raphael Zumbano Love over eight rounds to win a unanimous decision in a Heavyweight bout.

Ruiz, 248 3/4 lbs of Imperial Valley, CA won by scores of 80-72 two cards and 80-70 on the 3rd card and is now 26-0.  Zumbano Love, 247 3/4 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is now 37-12-1.

Mikael Zewski scored a 5th round stoppage over Ayi Bruce in a scheduled 10-round Jr. Middleweight bout.

In round five, Zewski landed a big uppercut that was followed by a left and right to the head that sent Bruce to the canvas.  Bruce tried to get up but was counted out at 1:41 of round five.

Zewski, 149 1/2 lbs of Trois-Riverst, QUE is 27-1 with 21 knockouts.  Bruce, 149 1/2 lbs of Accra, GHA is 15-12.

Former world featherweight champion Evgeny Gradovich won a 8-round split decision over Aldomir Silva in a Jr. Lightweight bout.

Gradovich, 127 3/4 lbs of Oxnard, CA won two cards by 79-71 and 78-74 scores while Silva took a card 77-75.

Gradovich is 20-1-1.  Silva, 127 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 19-9.

Julian Rodriguez remained undefeated with a 4-round unanimous decision over Alvaro Ortiz in a Welterweight bout.

Rodriguez, 143 1/4 lbs of Hasbrook Heights, NJ won by scores of 40-36 on two cards and 39-37 and is now 11-0. Ortiz, 140 lbs of Ciudad, MX is 7-5-1.

Alex Saucedo remained undefeated by scoring 2 knockdowns en route to a 6-round unanimous decision over Angel Martnez in a Welterweight bout.

In round five, Saucedo dropped Martinez from a chopping right hand. In round six, Saucedo dropped Martinez with an accumulation of punches on the ropes.

Saucedo, 142 1/4 lbs of Oklahoma City, OK won by scores of 60-52 twice and 60-54 and is now 19-0. Martinez, 141 1/2 lbs of Empalma, MX is 12-8-1.

Alfredo Martinez registered three knockdowns en route to a 4-round unanimous decision over Darin Hampton in a Welterweight fight.

In round two, Martinez dropped Hampton with a series of body shots. Martinez continued to batter Hampton by scoring another knockdown just seconds later. In round four, Martinez scored another knockdown from a left to the body.

Martinez, 142 lbs of Scotts Bluff, NE won by scores of 40-33 on two cards and 40-34 and is now 5-0. Hampton, 141 1/2 lbs of Kansas City, MO. is 1-2.

Zsolt Daranyi scored a 2nd round stoppage over Sean Rawley Wilson in a scheduled 4-round Jr. Middleweight bout

Daranyi dropped Wilson with a right hand at the end of the opening frame. In round two, Daraanyi landed about 25 unanswered blows with most being body shots until the bout was stopped at 1:55 of round two.

Daranyi, 153 lbs of Toronto, CAN is 5-0 with 5 knockouts. Wilson, 153 3/4 lbs of Lavista, NE is 5-16-1.

Follow all the action as WBO Jr. Welterweight champion Terence Crawford defends against Dierry Jean.  The action begins at 9:30 PM ET / 8:30 CT

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HBO Boxing Insider Kieran Mulvaney goes one on one with Terence Crawford. Crawford vs. Jean happens Saturday, October 24 live on HBO at 9:30pm ET/PT

TERENCE CRAWFORD

“Dierry Jean is a good fighter. I am not overlooking him. There is a lot at stake for both of us. One of the secrets to my success has been to never look past an opponent or train less than 110% for a fight. It’s all about focus and keeping the blinders on. If you don’t respect the talents of the man in the opposite corner then you’re asking for trouble.

“It was a great honor being the [2014] Fighter of the Year. It was so big. A lot of great fighters never won it and for me to win it at such an early age is quite humbling.

“This will be MY show on Saturday night. Jean will not dictate the fight to me.

“Who cares if Jean sparred with Manny Pacquiao? That’s sparring.

“Bodywise, I feel comfortable and much stronger at 140 than I did at 135.

“I feel great being home in Omaha. I can’t think of a better place to make the first defense of my junior welterweight world title. It’s going to be a great fight and a great event. I am so Omaha. I wear it on my trunks…on my sleeve…and in my heart.

DIERRY JEAN

”Terence Crawford is the HBO darling. But I will hurt him.

“Fighting in Omaha will have no effect on me. No pressure. I’m not here to win over Crawford’s hometown fans. I’m here to beat their champion.

“My training camp lasted eight weeks and I sparred with southpaw and orthodox fighters switching up every two rounds.

“I was a sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao in his last camp. He taught me how to fight a southpaw. I even used the shoulder roll on him. Manny was so quick and strong. He threw his whole body into every punch.

“I love being the underdog. I’m always the underdog. I’m used to it. I’m going to show everyone that I’m the top man in the junior welterweight division. I’m going to shock the world! Everything is in my favor.

“I’m dedicating this fight to my big brother who passed away two months ago. I plan to go to Haiti after the fight and visit his grave.

“I learned a lot from my loss to Lamont Peterson when we fought last year. It was my first world title fight. I went full out trying to get the early knockout and by the fourth round I was really gassed. I rallied in the later rounds but then I ran my tank empty.

“This time I’m going to box Crawford and if I catch him with a good punch I will finish him. It’s all about being first…first with the jab and first with the counter punch.”

The 2014 BWAA Fighter of the Year returns to the ring before an admiring hometown crowd with a new junior welterweight crown to defend when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: TERENCE CRAWFORD VS. DIERRY JEAN is seen SATURDAY, OCT. 24 at 9:30 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from Century Link Center in Omaha, Neb. The HBO Sports team will call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: Oct. 25 (9:00 a.m.) and 26 (11:30 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Oct. 25 (3:30 p.m.) and 27 (11:00 p.m.)
Omaha native Terence Crawford (26-0, 18 KOs), who turned 28 on Sept. 28, has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past two years, and was recently honored by the BWAA as 2014’s Fighter of the Year. He overwhelmed Thomas Dulorme in April to earn a new title belt at 140 pounds. Now, he returns to a venue that will be filled with supporters, striving to enhance his standing as one of the sport’s greatest talents.
Dierry Jean (29-1, 20 KOs), 33, a native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti and now based in Montreal, is riding a four-bout winning streak, three of them by knockout. He is looking to score one of the top upsets in a weight class filled with exciting fighters and matchups.
Scheduled for 12 rounds, the Crawford-Jean bout was originally part of a previously announced doubleheader that also included a heavyweight title fight between Wladimir Klitschko and Tyson Fury, which was postponed to Nov. 28 due to injury.
Leading off the telecast will be the exclusive replay of two sensational title bouts that took place last Saturday night at a sold out Madison Square Garden. Middleweight title-holder and 160-pound powerhouse Gennady Golovkin remained undefeated and registered his 21st consecutive ring KO with an eighth-round TKO victory over David Lemieux and flyweight champ Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez scored a thrilling ninth-round TKO against challenger Brian Viloria, reaffirming his standing as the sport’s No. 1 pound-for-pound attraction.
Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.
All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.
The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Dave Harmon; director, Johnathan Evans.
® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

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OMAHA, NEB. (August 24, 2015) — Undefeated two-division world champion and the reigning Fighter of the Year, TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD, Omaha’s favorite son, will make a homecoming defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight title against one-time world title challenger and current No. 2 world-rated contender, DIERRY “Dougy Style” JEAN, Saturday, October 24, at CenturyLink Center Omaha (455 North 10th St., Omaha, Neb. 68102). The championship event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

The two warriors boast a near-perfect combined record of 55-1 (38 KOs) — a winning ratio of 98% with nearly 70% of those victories coming by way of knockout.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate, tickets to the Crawford vs. Jean world championship event go on sale at 2:00 p.m. CT Today! Priced at $27, $52, $77 and $127, reserved seat tickets are available at the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. To charge-by-phone call (800) 745-3000. To order online, visit ticketmaster.com.

“I will be totally prepared for whatever Dierry Jean brings to the ring,” said Crawford. “I love this big event as it is not often Omaha fans get to attend a prize fight
live on HBO.”

“I just can’t wait! I want this. I’m hungry,” said Jean. “Crawford is the HBO darling who is supposed to be the next big thing but I will hurt him. Mark my words! I will be crowned world champion on October 24th.”

“Terence is well on his way to topping his breakout year in 2014 where he won three career-best world championship victories en route to earning Fighter of the Year accolades,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “Now that Terence is a two-division world champion he will be bringing that momentum on October 24 when he returns home to the great fans of Omaha and to HBO, defending his newly-won junior welterweight world title against the Canadian cold front known as Dierry Jean, who has iced seven of his last ten opponents.”

“This is a BIG fight for Terence. Dierry Jean is an excellent fighter and Terence knows it,” said Cameron Dunkin, Crawford’s co-manager. “Terence is very focused and is training harder than ever anticipating a very competitive fight. Believe me, Terence will be ready!”

“Dierry Jean is recognized by most observers as one of the most talented boxers to ever come out of Canada,” said Camille Estephan, Jean’s manager. “His lone loss was in his first world title challenge and he doesn’t want to miss his chance for a world title this time. Dierry wants to fulfill his potential and I believe he’s learned from his world title shot experience in January 2014. It’s great that we have a chance at redemption and October 24th will be his moment. This fight has the makings of a great battle for the fans.”

“In 2014 lightweight champion Terence Crawford emerged as a superstar earning Fighter of the Year honors,” said Peter Nelson, vice president of programming, HBO Sports. “He kicked off 2015 with a huge statement by moving up to a new division and knocking out Thomas Dulorme to remain undefeated and become a world champ at 140 pounds. Now Terence will defend his new title against Canada’s Dierry Jean who has won his last four bouts and looks to upset the champion before a partisan hometown crowd in Omaha.”

Crawford (26-0, 18 KOs), of Omaha, Neb., makes his ring debut as WBO junior welterweight world champion. The consensus Top-10 pound-for-pound fighter will be looking to build on his star-making 2014 which featured three world championship victories as well as Fighter of the Year honors from the BWAA and major media alike. Crawford, 27. captured the vacant WBO junior welterweight crown on April 18, via a devastating sixth-round knockout of once-beaten No. 2 world-rated contender Thomas Dulorme. Crawford began his career-best year on March 1, 2014, just 13 days short of the sixth anniversary of his professional debut. He captured the WBO lightweight title, dethroning defending champion Ricky Burns on Burns’ home turf of Glasgow, Scotland. Scoring a powerful and unanimous decision, Crawford put the boxing world on notice with his virtuoso performance as he pulled out all stops in dismantling Burns, rocking the defending champion throughout the fight, while switching back and forth between orthodox and southpaw stances. He followed that with a dramatic and critically-acclaimed knockout victory of undefeated former world champion and Cuban Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa on June 28, 2014, in a Fight of the Year nominee. It was one of the most-watched fights of the year with over 1.2 million viewers catching the live, first-time airing of the fight, according to Nielsen Media Research. He concluded 2014 on November 29 with a thorough shellacking of one-time world title challenger and No. 1 contender Ray Beltran, winning 11 of the 12 rounds. Crawford is only the second Nebraska native to be recognized as a boxing world champion. Perry “Kid” Graves, from Rock Bluff, captured the welterweight crown, knocking out Johnny Alberts in Brooklyn, in 1914, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

Jean (29-1, 20 KOs), a native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, who now fights out of Montréal, Québec, Canada, returns to the ring riding a four-bout winning streak, with three of those victories coming by way of knockout, since suffering a 12-round decision loss to International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior welterweight world champion Lamont Peterson on January 25, 2014. Career highlights include an IBF junior welterweight title elimination victory over Cleotis Pendarvis, which led to his world title challenge of Peterson, NABF and NABA super lightweight title victories over Lanardo Tyner, Ivan Cano and Juan Rivera, and NABF lightweight title victories over Mario Perez and Daniel Ruiz. Only Tyner avoided losing by knockout. Jean, 33, is currently world-rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and No. 6 by the WBO.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo, or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordJean to join the conversation on Twitter.

Terence Crawford will defend the WBO Lightweight title against Dierry Jean on October 24 in Crawford’s hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

I’m excited to be able to bring these types of fights to Omaha. This is what Omaha, Nebraska, has been missing for decades,” Crawford told ESPN.com on Thursday. “I’m just happy to bring some excitement to the city instead of the people watching the news and hearing about all the negativity going on.”

“I just can’t wait. I want this. I’m hungry,” Jean said. “Crawford is the HBO darling who is supposed to be the next big thing, but I will hurt him. Mark my words. I will be crowned world champion on Oct. 24th.”

“His lone loss was in his first world title challenge, and he doesn’t want to miss his chance for a world title this time,” said Camille Estephan, Jean’s manager. “Dierry wants to fulfill his potential, and I believe he’s learned from his world title shot experience in January 2014. It’s great that we have a chance at redemption, and Oct. 24 will be his moment. This fight has the makings of a great battle for the fans.”

“I’m excited about the fight,” Crawford said. “A lot of people don’t know who he is but I know him. He’s a great, solid fighter. No walk in the park. I’m just ready. I watched [Peterson-Jean] live [on television]. I watched it as a fan, but there was always that possible chance of us fighting. On that particular day, I wasn’t looking at him like I’ll fight him one day but I knew that day may come.

“He put up a great fight against Peterson. He made it very exciting. He showed a lot of heart, showed a lot of skill, showed a lot of determination. You can’t take anything away from the guy. I will be totally prepared for whatever Dierry Jean brings to the ring.”

Said Cameron Dunkin, Crawford’s co-manager with Brian McIntyre, “This is a big fight for Terence. Dierry Jean is an excellent fighter and Terence knows it. Terence is very focused and is training harder than ever anticipating a very competitive fight. Believe me, Terence will be ready.”

“I was willing to fight the IBF champion [Cuenca] to unify our titles,” Crawford said. “You know me. I was willing to fight anybody. I got some names — Orozco, Soto — but they’re fighting each other. Herrera came up. [My managers] brought up Cuenca. I was like, ‘OK, I’m ready to face him in a unification fight.’ But I let my managers do their job. Dierry Jean got the fight.

“I never predict a knockout. I only predict victory. As long as my hand is raised at the end of the fight, I’m happy with that.”

By Norm Frauenheim

Jose Benavidez Jr. would welcome a chance to fight emerging star Terence Crawford, who is expected to make his second appearance at junior welterweight in the fall.

“We want that fight,’’ Benavidez’ father and trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr., said Thursday while planning for his son’s return to the gym next week..

Benavidez’ dad echoed comments made by his son, who talked about his hopes for a Crawford bout before a 12th-round stoppage of Jorge Paez Jr. in Phoenix on May 15.

That’s when Top Rank told 15 Rounds that Benavidez had been a possibility for Crawford’s debut at 140 pounds last spring. In the end, however, Puerto Rican Thomas Dulorme, instead of Benavidez, fought Crawford, who scored three knockdowns in winning a sixth-round TKO for the WBO’s version of the title on April 18 in his only bout this year.

Benavidez, an unbeaten 23-year-old from Phoenix, holds the WBA’s interim belt, which he won in a controversial decision over Mauricio Herrera in December and retained in a first defense against Paez Jr.

Benavidez’ chances at a bout with Crawford appear more likely now than they did April, because Top Rank wants to keep the Boxing Writers reigning Fighter of the Year busy while waiting to hear how Manny Pacquiao’s rehab from shoulder surgery is – or isn’t — progressing.

The unbeaten Crawford is a leading contender to succeed Floyd Mayweather Jr. as the game’s biggest star. He’s a nominee for 2014 Fighter of the Year Wednesday night at the ESPYs.

“Time will tell,’’ Crawford said Monday during a video chat with fans and media. “Right now, I’m just being patient with my career.’’

Against Benavidez (23-0, 16 KOs), Crawford (26-0, 18 KOs) would likely be a big favorite.

“That’s okay,’’ Benavidez Sr. said. “Herrera was a big favorite, too. Junior is going to be a big underdog for now, because he hasn’t really convinced people.’’

Herrera, his Southern California fans and many in the media remain convinced that the 116-112, 117-111, 116-112 scorecards in favor of Benavidez on Dec. 13 at Las Vegas’ Cosmopolitan were a rip-off, perhaps the biggest in 2014.

In the bout’s immediate aftermath, Herrera said he wanted a rematch. Benavidez said he’d give him one. But talk of a rematch quickly died. Instead, Herrera fights Hank Lundy Saturday in a final bell for the historic Sports Arena in Los Angeles.

Then, there was Jessie Vargas. Over the last 12 months, Benavidez has said repeatedly that he wanted Vargas. After a controversial finish to a one-sided loss to Timothy Bradley on June 27 in Carson, Calif., it’s not clear where Vargas goes next.

The bout was stopped seven seconds before the closing bell, just seconds after Vargas rocked Bradley with an overhand right. But the stoppage was a mistake. Referee Pat Russell thought he had heard the bell. The fight went to the cards.

Vargas is asking the California commission to declare the bout a no-contest. That might be one step in pursuing a rematch

“It just kind of looks like our only fight is Crawford,’’ Benavidez said. “It’s what we’re we’re hoping for. We’re excited about the chance.’’

RSVP and Submit Questions
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LAS VEGAS, NV (July 6, 2015) — By popular demand, Fighter of the Year, undefeated two-division world champion and ESPY “Best Fighter” nominee TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD will host a video chat for fans and media, live from Omaha, Today! Monday, July 6, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. Omaha Time / 4:30 p.m. PT. Crawford is up for discussing anything, including his professional career, his recent humanitarian trip to Africa and his ESPY nomination (You can vote for him here: www.toprank.com/vote-4-crawford). Questions can be submitted in advance via twitter.com/trboxing and please use the Hashtag #AskCrawford. To participate in the live video chat, use either https://plus.google.com/events/c3a97duf1l2qqsuns2lluu1o5fg or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nVf1Pb8rg8.

A consensus Top-10 pound for pound fighter, Crawford (26-0, 18 KOs), of Omaha, NE, produced a stellar year in 2014 earning him the “Fighter of the Year” award from the Boxing Writers Association of America. One of boxing’s brightest young stars, Crawford captured the World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight title in March 2014, dethroning Ricky Burns in the defending champion’s native Scotland, with a virtuoso performance. Crawford successfully defended the title twice in that year, knocking out undefeated Cuban superstar and former world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa — a Fight of the Year nominee — and a one-sided unanimous decision over one-time world title contender and mandatory challenger Ray Beltran last November. Crawford vacated that title, ending his 13-month reign, on April 18 to challenge for the vacant WBO junior welterweight title against top-rated contender Thomas Dulorme in Arlington, TX. Crawford captured his second world title in as many divisions when he knocked out the once-beaten Dulorme in the sixth round.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing or facebook.com/trboxeo, or and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing or twitter.com/trboxeo.

By Bart Barry-

FORT WORTH, Texas – This is not the city where Terence Crawford fought Saturday. But it is part of an enormous thing called Metroplex, a collection of cities that comprises Dallas and Arlington, where Crawford did fight, a 50-mile expanse whose population, if counted as one, would tally 6.5 million souls, sitting just behind New York City and well ahead of Los Angeles among the nation’s largest. I stay at the western end whenever I visit Metroplex because it affords more culture-per-square foot than anywhere I’ve found.

There is a symbiotic relationship shared by truth and beauty; beautiful lies are gaudy by comparison, and an ugly truth is at best tolerated, not celebrated, by a person of any aesthetic taste. Terence Crawford has a beautiful way for being truthful, and Lucas Matthysse and Ruslan Provodnikov have truthful ways for being beautiful, and The Kimbell Art Museum, located 17 miles west of Arlington, the city on whose University of Texas campus Crawford untied Puerto Rican Thomas Dulorme on Saturday before Matthysse decisioned Provodnikov on HBO, has such truth and beauty in its architecture and collection one quickly forgives himself for stretching a metaphor that mayn’t even exist.

For years the front of architect Louis I. Kahn’s masterwork went unseen, as construction equipment obscured everything in pursuit of contemporary Italian master Renzo Piano’s pursuit of a Kahn tribute – the second time Piano has made such a thing, and as the first time, Houston’s Menil Collection, succeeded so completely it established Piano as a modern master, the Italian did it again – but with last year’s opening of the Piano Pavilion, across a plaza from The Kimbell, the lovely waterfalls and marble-lined treeways of Kahn’s entrance are available now to the public at every moment of every day, and the nearly priceless collection that resides beneath The Kimbell’s signature half-circles, topping concrete tops that treat water as light, spilling it from narrow grooves, are available to the public during business hours without a penny’s charge.

In all the great state of Texas, The Kimbell comes closest to duplicating Europe’s genius for gorgeous public spaces. That word above, priceless, is pricey anymore – overused as it is by salesmen on every used-up lot. But it is nearer to fitting than cliche when it modifies what The Kimbell comprises; works by Leonardo and Michelangelo and Caravaggio and most every Renaissance master whose name you begrudgingly memorized for that enormous art-history class in the assembly hall where the dullard professor dimmed the lights for her terrible cave-paintings slideshow that dimmed your lights instants later.

Cut the lights, indeed, Terence.

The only word that bubbles to the top for a careful observer of Crawford is composure. Crawford gives entire rounds to his studious ideal. He sees no occasion for studying tape of his opponents, one assumes, because he reads them and calibrates so well in the moment. Crawford has now fought top professionals and found no scenario among them for which he cannot improvise. He is much more like a prime Andre Ward, lately, than Andre Ward is.

Crawford does everything well, and he does everything well in an assured way any opponent must find sapping if not spiritually crippling. Crawford missed Dulorme wide in the opening rounds with his hard punches and found him only with touches, even when spanking the impetuous Puerto Rican with a righthand lead. A left hook to Dulorme’s body towards the end of round 3 changed the match, and Crawford and Dulorme each sensed it, and especially Crawford did.

Crawford, like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao before him, is a natural jewel excavated and polished by promoter Top Rank and its singular capacity for cultivating prizefighters as attractions and achievers. (If you doubt that, ask the lads at Premier Boxing Champions how their Son of the Legend investment looks right now.)

Crawford waited till Dulorme, whose chin is much more reliable when wagging than absorbing – “Sugar Chin” as Crawford’s most colorful trainer, Brian McIntyre, called the Puerto Rican – got too close or too confident or simply forgetful, and Crawford jab-feinted Dulorme’s guard out of position then snapped his head leftwards with a hook and rightwards with a cross, the same elegant 3-2 combo with which Carl Froch cut the lights at Wembley last year, and everything after that was but a chance to inspect Crawford’s poise like he inspected Dulorme’s vulnerabilities, until KO-6.

Nobody who was ringside in this city got to watch what followed in New York on the HBO broadcast, though trust every one of us found the replay on our hotels’ dials Sunday morning. Such sanity in the violence Matthysse and Provodnikov subjected one another to; despite the real damage they did to one another’s bodies and brains in 36 minutes of combat, they embraced like once-separated brothers before the 12th round, and if it were a 15-round fight, there’s plenty of chance the victor would have been the Russian rather than the Argentine. But Matthysse has more class than Provodnikov, if just a wee bit less relentlessness, and Matthysse won Saturday’s tilt the way a prizefighter, a professional combatant, should do it.

If Crawford and Matthysse should fight next, and of course they should, HBO’s junior welterweight champion will be a much better one than PBC’s.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

ARLINGTON, Texas – It is said a fighter becomes 20-percent better upon winning a world title. Undefeated junior welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford appears to have gained an additional 20-percent by winning 2014 fighter of the year.

Saturday at College Park Center, before a crowd that compensated with passion for what it lacked in density, Crawford (26-0, 18 KOs) showed his trademark composure while waiting for Puerto Rican challenger Thomas Dulorme (22-2, 14 KOs) to overestimate his own talent, conditioning or chin. At nearly the midway moment of the 12-round match, Dulorme did just that, Crawford caught him with a signature combination, and at 1:51 of round 6, the match was over.

“That’s why he’s fighter of the year!” cheered promoter Bob Arum.

“I had a great training camp,” Crawford said afterward. “I was ready for anything he gave me tonight. It was just a matter of time. I feel very strong in this weight division.”

The match began tentatively. Neither man landed many meaningful punches in the first two rounds, and if there were a surprise it was how widely Crawford’s misses went – how easily Dulorme timed him and pulled back from peril – and how otherwise inactive the Nebraskan appeared, contenting himself with waiting for Dulorme to make errors that did not come initially.

A Crawford left hook to the body in round 3, though, began a transformation of the fight’s complexion.

Showmanship and closing rounds effectively gave Crawford whatever scoring advantage he enjoyed after four – as Dulorme got increasingly hesitant the more demonstratively confident Crawford acted.

“He did exactly what we wanted him to do,” said Crawford’s trainer, Brian McIntyre. “We knew (Dulorme) was going to gas out. He’s too tight, he gasses out.

“We call him ‘Sugar Chin’.”

At the beginning of round 6, Crawford landed a left hook, right cross combination, 3-2, that ruined Dulorme. Three knockdowns followed, as Crawford calmly laid waste to the man in front of him.

There may be more popular fighters in the world right now, but it is doubtful there are better or more complete ones.

ISMAIL MUWENDO VS. ROLANDO CHINEA
When two undefeated prospects face-off, brutal affairs often result. That was the case in Saturday’s co-main event, when Uganda’s Ismail Muwendo (17-0, 12 KOs) and Pennsylvania’s Rolando Chinea (10-1-1, 6 KOs) traded fists for eight rounds that were not even as their majority decision for Muwendo indicated: 76-76, 78-74, 79-73.

In the opening rounds, the Ugandan’s speed and reflexes appeared to overwhelm the Pennsylvanian; but for some quick body work in round 2, Chinea looked like a young man tapping away at a grown man. As the fight progressed, Muwendo began to raze him, opening a cut over Chinea’s left eye in round 4, one that garnered a ringside physician’s appraisal before round 5 began.

Chinea’s subsequent idea was a good one – smother the Ugandan and keep him from building forward momentum – but ultimately Chinea did not have the power or accuracy to dissuade Muwendo’s onslaught.

After taking a beating in round 5 that made his corner tell him to win big in the next, with the implication they’d not allow another round if he didn’t, Chinea went out and absorbed blows enough to tire Muwendo a bit in round 6.

Ultimately, Chinea surprised most in attendance by not just making it to the final bell but winning the eighth round on any honest scorecard.

UNDERCARD
The evening’s final undercard bout saw San Antonio welterweight Benjamin “Da Blaxican” Whitaker (9-1, 2 KOs) provide a stiffer-than-expected test for undefeated Kosovar Skender Halili (8-1, 8 KOs), blemishing Halili’s record with a unanimous decision judges scored 80-72, 78-74, 79-73 for the San Antonian. Whitaker’s speed gave Halili trouble from the opening bell, and Whitaker’s clever combinations and willingness to trade on even terms at unexpected moments, too, troubled the undefeated Kosovar. Halili showed a lack of power that belied his sparkly record, failing to dent Whitaker the times he did connect with his chin.

Saturday’s third match, a tilt between undefeated Russian cruiserweight Medzhid Bektemirov (16-0, 13 KOs) – a physically strong man’s whose total lack of urgency is offset by broadcaster HBO’s recent fascination with all things former-Soviet Bloc – and Ghanaian Michael Gbenga (16-19, 16 KOs), ended in a wide unanimous decision for the Russian by official scores of 80-72, 80-72 and 79-73. Menacing as Bektemirov may look, he failed to imperil Gbenga even once, in 24 minutes of stalking, scowling and launching long, slow left-hook leads.

Before that, Michigan super middleweight Anthony Barnes (8-0, 6 KOs), a man who wears Kronk on his trunks but fancies himself a small and slow Muhammad Ali, easily decisioned Arlington’s own Martinez Porter (3-4-4, 1 KO) by unanimous scores of 59-55, 59-55 and 58-56. Wheeling to his left and throwing few meaningful punches, Barnes benefited from an opponent with poor offense and porous defense. A good closing round, in which Barnes landed a smattering of right crosses, improved their otherwise lackluster affair.

Saturday’s first bout, a middleweight scrap betwixt Texans, Dallas’ Mike Tufariello (4-2-2, 4 KOs) and Schertz’s Eddie Tigs (1-5-3), was the sort of honest effort one expects from otherwise hopeless local fighters on an undercard. Though neither man has much of a future in the sport, it was heartwarming to see two men epitomizing the verb “to fight” – an increasingly rare occurrence. The match ended in a questionable draw, with all three judges scoring 38-38, and Tigs having dropped Tufariello in round 1 – a knockdown omitted from all three judges’ tallies, somehow – and then having dropped the two middle rounds on official cards.

Opening bell rang on a cavernous College Park Center at 5:45 local time.

Terence Crawford became a two-division world champion as he captured the WBO Jr. Welterweight title with a 6-round stoppage over Thomas Dulorme in Dallas, Texas.

In round six, Crawford landed a right hand that stumbled Dulorme back to the ropes and he went to a knee. Crawford then landed a hard barrgae in the corner that sent Dulorme down for a 2nd time. Crawford then unloaded a fury of punches on the ropes and Dulorme went down for a 3rd and final time and the bout was stopped at 1:56 of round six.

Crawford, 139 3/4 lbs of Omaha, Nebraska is now 26-0 with 18 knockouts. Dulorme, 139 1/4 lbs of Carolina, PR is now 22-2.