OXNARD, CA (July 28, 2022) – Prince Ranch Boxing’s welterweight, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (15-1-1, 10 KOs), will look to make a successful return after suffering his first career loss when he faces former world champion, Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (27-2-3, 18 KOs), Saturday, August 6th on the undercard of Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Michael McKinson. Hooker vs. Cobbs, a 10-round bout, will take place at The Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, broadcasted worldwide on DAZN. 

“I am going into this bout with my mind on coming out victorious by all means necessary,” said Cobbs. “I and understand that I need to make a statement in this fight to get back on track toward fighting for a world title. At this point in my career all fights are going to be tough, and I must step up my game. This is going to be a great show, and its time for me to show up and show out.”

For those unaware, Maurice Hooker held the WBO super lightweight title defeating Alex Saucedo in Saucedo’s hometown to win the belt. He would be dethroned following that bout by unified world champion Jose Ramirez. Hooker has been viewed as a top-15 super lightweight for most of his career.

“This is a chance for Blair Cobbs to show the world where he is at,” said Greg Hannley, CEO of Prince Ranch Boxing who manages Cobbs. “In facing a former world champion this will tell him a lot about himself and his future. The future is in Blair’s hands and I have faith he will come out on top.”

FORT WORTH, TX (July 26, 2022): Newly crowned WBC, WBA, and Ring Magazine Flyweight World Champion Marlen Esparza (12-1, 1 KOs) of Houston, TX, is set to defend her three world titles for the first time against her mandatory, former WBA Interim Flyweight World Champion Eva “La Ley” Guzman (19-1, 11KOs) from Maracay, Venezuela on Saturday, August 6 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX. The 10-round flyweight event will serve as the co-main event for Vergil Ortiz, Jr. vs. Michael Mckinson.

Also, on the card, Dallas, TX fan favorite Maurice “Might Mo” Hooker (27-2-3, 18 KOs) will face Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (15-1-1, 10 KOs) of Philadelphia, PA, in a 10-round welterweight fight. Opening the DAZN stream, Bektemir “The Bully” Melikuziev (9-1, 7 KOs) of Indio, CA, will take on Sladan “The Miner” Janjanin (32-10, 24 KOs) of Boston, MA in an 8-round super middleweight event. All fights will stream live worldwide, exclusively on DAZN starting at 5:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. CT / 8:00 p.m. ET. 

Tickets for Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson are on sale now and are priced at $275, $137.50, $82.50 and $44 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase online at Ticketmaster.com, DickiesArena.com and GoldenBoyPromotions.com

Also on the card and part of The Golden Boy Fight Night: Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson Prelims on DAZN and the Golden Boy Boxing YouTube page, Alex “Chi Town Heat” Martin (17-4, 6 KOs) returns to the ring against the battle-tested warrior Henry “Hank” Lundy (31-10-1, 14 KOs). The 10-round super lightweight fight will be part of the preliminary bouts ahead of the DAZN broadcast hosted by Golden Fight Night’s Beto Duran and Texas rising boxing star Alex Rincon. Additional fights on the card will be announced shortly. 

“I am ready for Eva Guzman. Mandatory defense or title fight, all fights are serious business for me!” said Marlen Esparza. 

“This is the opportunity I have been waiting for to prove I am the best,” said Eva Guzman. “After this victory, the whole world will know I am the most dangerous fighter at 112lbs.” 

“Im ready to show the world I’m still a warrior,” said Maurice Hooker. “I’m ready to give them a fight they will always remember.”

“Blair the Flair is saying absolutely nothing. See you August 6,” said Blair Cobbs. 

“It’s been a long time in training camp, the opponents pulled out, the dates rescheduled, so I am happy to finally have a fight and step back in the ring on August 6 on a big Golden Boy show,” said Bektemir Melikuziev. 

Marlen Esparza was born to make history in boxing. Born in Houston, Texas, Marlen Esparza began her boxing career at 12 years old after growing up in a household that loved the sport. In May 2012, Esparza became the first American woman to qualify to compete in the 2012 Olympics in London, the first year that women’s boxing made its debut as an Olympic event. She would win the bronze medal in the women’s flyweight division. In 2017, Esparza became the first female fighter signed by Golden Boy Promotions. 

In 2021, Esparza had a successful year, with an unanimous decision victory against Ibeth Zamora Silva for the WBC Flyweight World Championship and successfully defended her new world championship title against former world champion Anabel “Avispa” Ortiz. On April 9, as part of the undercard of Ryan Garcia vs. Emmanuel Tagoe, Esparza faced her toughest challenge to date, taking on five-division world champion Naoko Fujioka. The fight pitted the #1 vs. #2 in the female flyweight division, granting them the honor of fighting for the first-ever Ring Magazine Female Flyweight World Championship. After 10-rounds of non-stop action from two of the mightiest female fighters in the flyweight division, the judges ruled in favor of Esparza unanimously, crowning her the new WBC, WBA, and Ring Magazine World Champion. 

An accomplished fighter since her professional debut in 2015, Eva Guzman has rapidly risen the ranks to a world championship by defeating some of the toughest fighters in the division. Her first big test came in 2018 when she faced Yaditza Perez for the IBA World Minimumweight World Championship. In 2021, she earned the most significant accomplishment in her career thus far, moving up in weight and fighting in Mexico for the first time against Isabel Millan to claim the crown as the WBA’s newest Interim Flyweight World Champion. The new title had also earned her the honor of becoming the new mandatory to fight Marlen Esparza for the WBA Flyweight World Championship, something she has dreamed of becoming since her professional debut. 

Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson is a 12-round welterweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, August 6 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

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

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 20, 2022): The pride of Grand Prairie, Texas, Vergil Ortiz Jr. (18-0, 18 KOs), hosted a virtual media roundtable to talk about his upcoming fight on Saturday, August 6 against undefeated welterweight contender Michael “The Problem” McKinson (22-0, 2 KOs) of Portsmouth, Great Britain. The 12-round welterweight fight will be hosted by Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, and will stream live worldwide, exclusively on DAZN. 

Tickets for Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson go on sale TOMORROW, Tuesday, June 21st at 8:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m CT / 11:00 a.m. ET and are priced at $275, $137.50, $82.50 and $44 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase online at Ticketmaster.com, DickiesArena.com and GoldenBoyPromotions.com.

Below are some quotes from the call. To view or download the full recording click HERE:

“Michael McKinson is ranked by the WBO, he’s undefeated, it would look good on my resume if I defeat him. He’s a good fighter.”

“[Spence vs. Crawford] I want my shot with whomever, it doesn’t matter to me.”

“We just made some changes here and there, in terms of my training. Not huge changes, but overall I feel 100% now. We are ready to go. I really want to get back into the ring. By the time I fight this August, it will almost be a whole year. I would love to fight at least twice this year and stay even busier next year.”

“I was very disappointed that I didn’t get to fight [on March 19] especially since we found out I wasn’t able to go on, literally, the week of the fight. It’s not like I wanted to waste a whole training camp and some months before that; that’s not me. I did see Michale McKinson fight that night. I didn’t think too much about it. First of all, he fought someone who had a completely different style than I. But we are aware of how he fights, so we have a little more tape to go off of.”

“My time away will not have any impact on me. These last few weeks in sparring I have been doing really well. I feel great, I feel like I have been fighting every week. So, I don’t think my time away will have any impact on my performance at all.” 

“I don’t feel like I will have a home field advantage at Dickies Arena. Definitely the people will be on my side; but I feel like regardless of where I am at, whenever I land punches the crowd erupts anyway. So I don’t see it as an advantage.”

“I have learned things from all the different coaches that I have been with. Every coach has their own point of view, they all have different styles. One thing that I have learned from Manny is to be really explosive with my punches. Don’t waste time reacting, don’t think about it. Because if you think about it you get stuck and then you can make mistakes.”

Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson is a 12-round welterweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, August 6 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

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

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 16, 2022): Knockout sensation and the pride of Grand Prairie, Texas, Vergil Ortiz Jr. (18-0, 18 KOs), will make his grand return to the ring on Saturday, August 6, taking on top 10 ranked, undefeated welterweight contender Michael “The Problem” McKinson (22-0, 2 KOs) of Portsmouth, Great Britain. The 12-round welterweight fight will take place at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, and will stream live worldwide, exclusively on DAZN. 

Tickets for Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson go on sale Tuesday, June 21st at 8:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m CT / 11:00 a.m. ET and are priced at $275, $137.50, $82.50 and $44 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase online at Ticketmaster.com, DickiesArena.com and GoldenBoyPromotions.com.

“I am very happy to be stepping back into the ring again,” said Vergil Ortiz, Jr. “I’m ready to show the world once again why I’m ready for a world title.” 

“I’m getting what I deserve,” said Michael McKinson. “I was prepared to fight Ortiz, Jr. before; now, I have been given the opportunity again to prove I am the best in this division.”

“Vergil Ortiz, Jr. is the most exciting welterweight in the world,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO. “We are happy that he is back, healthy, and feels 100%.  Fighting in his home state, I can’t think of a better way for him to make his comeback and put on another great performance for his fans.  He is one step away from challenging any world champion and he will prove it on August 6.”

“I am delighted that this fight has come back around for Mikey,” said Eddie Hearn, Chairman of Matchroom Boxing. “He suffered disappointment in March when Vergil was forced out of the fight, but thanks to a lot of hard work all round, he was able to fight in LA and gathered valuable experience by making his US debut and all that comes with it – so there will be no surprises for him in Fort Worth. Vergil is an exceptional fighter, one of the best rising stars in the sport, but we believe Mikey has the style to cause him a lot of problems, and this could be his break-out night.”

“First of all we are just happy that Virgil is fit, healthy and ready to get back in the ring,” said Ed Breeze, EVP Rights at DAZN. “Virgil is one of the most exciting fighters in boxing and in Mckinson he will be fighting a serious contender in the division. Expect fireworks August 6th, live worldwide on DAZN.”

“Dickies Arena is thrilled to host the 12-round welterweight fight in what will be one of the most exciting and gripping fights between hometown sensation Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Great Britain’s undefeated Michael McKinson.  Fort Worth is in for an action-filled fight night and Dickies Arena is ready,“ said Matt Homan, President and General Manager of Dickies Arena.

Vergil Ortiz Jr. boasts a perfect knockout undefeated record and is considered one of the most exciting fighters in the welterweight division. Originally scheduled to return to the ring on March 19 in Los Angeles against Michael “The Problem” McKinson, Ortiz, Jr. suffered a medical emergency that forced him to pull out of that fight. Fortunately, the fighter is now 100% healthy to return and is looking to make an impressive comeback in front of his hometown when he faces McKinson at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX. Ortiz, Jr. was last seen in the ring in a fantastic TKO victory against world title contender Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas in August 2021. In addition, he has faced and won against some of the toughest fighters in the division, knocking out contenders like Antonio “Relentless” Orozco, Brad “King” Solomon, and Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker. 

Ranked as one of the top 10 best welterweights in the world, Michael McKinson is an undefeated fighter ready to face any contender in the division. Hailing from Portsmouth, Great Britain, the 27-year-old made his US debut on March 19, defeating Alex “Chi-Town Heat” Martin after a last minute change due to the cancellation of Ortiz, Jr. vs. McKinson. Now a notable name in the boxing scene, McKinson has enjoyed an accomplished career capturing titles including the WBC International Silver Welter Title and the WBO European and Global Welter titles. Now, the UK fighter will be looking to show that he has what it takes to defeat Ortiz, Jr. in his home turf and prove he belongs among the division’s elite. 

Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson is a 12-round welterweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, August 6 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

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

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 15, 2022) – Unfortunately, Vergil Ortiz Jr. has had to pull out of this Saturday’s main event vs. Michael Mckinson after being diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. Vergil is recovering well in hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

“We wish Vergil a very quick and speedy recovery,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “As fighters, our first instinct is to fight whatever we have and tough it out. It takes a lot of courage to admit that something is wrong and get the care that you need. We are confident that we will be seeing Vergil in the ring again very soon.”

More information on the March 19 event will be announced shortly.

HOLLYWOOD, CA (March 10, 2022) – Fan favorite, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (15-0-1, 10 KOs) of Philadelphia hosted a media workout today at the world famous WildCard Boxing Club ahead of his fight against fellow stablemate Alexis Rocha (18-1 (12 KOs) on March 19. Their 10-round welterweight fight will be the co-main event to Vergil Ortiz, Jr. vs. Michael McKinson at the University of Southern California’s Galen Center in Downtown Los Angeles and will be streamed live, worldwide, on DAZN.

Below is what the fighter had to say about his upcoming fight:

“I can’t wait for this fight. I love every single opportunity to get out there and show the world what Blair ‘The Flair’ is all about. Each moment, each day, I am getting better and better. Everyday I am refining my craft, inside and outside of the ring and people are going to see it come March 19.

“Once again, I have to fight against the odds. There are a lot of people that think, Alexis Rocha might win. Let’s see what happens when he fights ‘The Great One.’ I expect that he is training very hard, but Blair ‘The Flair’ is training smart. It doesn’t matter what he does. In that ring he is going to try everything and he is not going to be able to get anything done because I am much, much better.

“It’s a big possibility that this fight may not go the distance. If he comes towards me and gets in my face I am going to shut him down.

“We are going to go in the ring with energy, and be the best that we possibly can which is always the most exciting, the biggest flair, the biggest attraction in boxing. Fans will have to tune in because the main event is the co-main event on March 19.”

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.galencenter.org or www.goldenboypromotions.com. Please note that LADPH guidelines and other protocols relating to admission requirements will be in place for this event, which include that all guests aged 2 and older will have to provide proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result within 24 hours for an antigen test or 48 hours for a PCR test.

Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, March 19 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

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

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 10, 2022) – Saturday, March 19 promises to be a night full of action as Bektemir “Bully” Melikuziev (8-1, 6 KOs) of Indio, CA returns to the ring for the first time in 2022, to face seasoned veteran David “La Pantera” Zegarra (34-7, 21 KOs) of Lima, Peru. The fighters are set to face off in a 10-round light heavyweight fight as part of the DAZN broadcast. Then, opening up the DAZN broadcast, undefeated fighter Evan Sanchez (9-0, 6 KOs) from Parlier, CA will participate in a 6-round welterweight fight against Alejandro Munera (6-6-4, 5 KOs) from Medellin, Colombia.

The event is headlined by #1 WBO ranked and undefeated heavy-hander, Vergil Ortiz Jr. (18-0, 18 KOs), of Grand Prairie, Texas taking on #3 WBO ranked, undefeated welterweight Michael “The Problem” McKinson (21-0, 2 KOs) of Portsmouth, Great Britain in a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Title . The co-main event of the night will pit Orange County’s Alexis “Lex” Rocha (18-1, 12 KOs) of Santa Ana, CA against Philadelphia’s Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (15-0-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight fight. The event will take place at the University of Southern California’s Galen Center in Downtown Los Angeles, streaming live, worldwide on DAZN.

Part of the Golden Boy Fight Night live stream on the Golden Boy Boxing channel on YouTube, undefeated fighter, and fan favorite, Alex Rincon (9-0, 6 KOs) of Dallas, Texas, will face Puerto Rico’s Luis Sanchez (9-2, 6 KOs) in an 8-round super welterweight fight. Also on the card, Los Angeles’ undefeated fighter John “Scrappy” Ramirez (8-0,7 KOs) will fight Roberto “Escorpion” Pucheta (10-20-3, 6 KOa) of Jalisco, Mexico, in a scheduled 6-round bantamweight bout. Other fights featured as part of the live stream include two 4-round fights featuring prospects Miguel Gaona (1-0) of Los Angeles, CA, in a lightweight fight against Mexico City’s Gilberto Aguilar (0-4) and London’s Ramla Ali (4-0) in a super bantamweight fight against Toronto’s Shelly Barnett (5-6-2). The night will also include popular fighters Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (20-3, 16 KOs), Alejandro Reyes (6-0, 4KOs), and Dalis Kaleiopu (1-0, 1 KO), in bouts with opponents to be announced.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.galencenter.org or www.goldenboypromotions.com. Please note that LADPH guidelines and other protocols relating to admission requirements will be in place for this event, which include that all guests age 2 and older will have to provide proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result within 24 hours for an antigen test or 48 hours for a PCR test.

Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, March 19 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

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

SANTA ANA, CA (March 8, 2022) – Orange County’s rising star, Alexis “Lex” Rocha (18-1, 12 KOs) hosted a media workout today ahead of his fight against Philadelphia’s Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (15-0-1, 10 KOs) on March 19. The 10-round welterweight fight will be featured as the co-main event to Vergil Ortiz, Jr. vs. Michael McKinson at the University of Southern California’s Galen Center in Downtown Los Angeles and will be streamed live, worldwide, on DAZN. Alexis took us on tour of Downtown Santa Ana and then travelled to his gym TKO Boxing Club for a workout where he was joined by his team, his brother world title contender Ronny Rios, and the mayor of the City of Santa Ana, Vicente Sarmiento.

Below is what the fighter had to say about his upcoming fight:

“I am excited for the challenge to face Blair Cobbs. He is an undefeated fighter, I take nothing away from him because he shows a lot of heart in the ring. I have seen him hit the deck, get back up, and win his fight. He’s a good fighter, but I am very motivated to go out there and shine.

“I am not intimated by undefeated record. I put no pressure on myself about that, because last time I put pressure on myself I lost. Since that loss, that 0 went away, and I feel like the pressure got off of me. You put so much pressure on yourself to stay undefeated and really all that pressure can be defeating, mentally.

“He has a unique style; he likes to mix it up. But I feel like I know his weaknesses and his strengths and come fight night, I am ready for whatever.

“I give every training camp 110%. My confidence is through the roof, my training has been incredible, my worth ethic is incredible, the commitment from my team is incredible. And the mind set I carry is one where I know what I want, and I know how to get it. I have dreams, I have desires that I want to go get and I am very motivated.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.galencenter.org or www.goldenboypromotions.com. Please note that LADPH guidelines and other protocols relating to admission requirements will be in place for this event, which include that all guests aged 2 and older will have to provide proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result within 24 hours for an antigen test or 48 hours for a PCR test.

Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, March 19 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

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

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 2, 2022) – Orange County’s rising star, Alexis “Lex” Rocha (18-1, 12 KOs) of Santa Ana, CA will take on Philadelphia’s Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (15-0-1, 10 KOs) as the co-main event to Vergil Ortiz, Jr. vs. Michael McKinson on Saturday, March 19. The duo will face off in a West Coast vs. East Coast, career-defining, 10-round welterweight battle at the University of Southern California’s Galen Center in Downtown Los Angeles and will be streamed live, worldwide, on DAZN.

“I know what is expected of me at this stage of my career; I’m expected to knock people out,” said Alexis Rocha. “I own and embrace that expectation. I know Blair and have watched him develop. He’s a good fighter, but I am confident I will win in explosive fashion. He’s a southpaw and I’ve sparred with the best southpaws in the world, from Pacquiao to Josh Taylor. I’m ready for this fight.”

“This is my moment to prove that I am a fighter to be feared in the welterweight division,” said Blair Cobbs. “I am ready for this challenge and can assure all my West Coast and East Coast fans that I am here to win and make a name for myself.”

“Both Alexis and Blair are shining stars in the Golden Boy stable,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “They have grown up here, we have developed their careers, and now they are ready for the next big challenge in their boxing careers. I am excited to see what they will both do in the ring and feel that on March 19th we will see a new star emerge.”

After a strong performance and knockout victory over Jeovanis Barraza on the undercard of Munguia vs. Rosado at the Honda Center in November 2021; Alexis “Lex” Rocha is ready to continue his winning streak. A victory over Blair Cobbs could be the career-defining opportunity Rocha has been waiting for to prove he has what it takes to climb the elite ranks of the welterweight division. This wouldn’t be the first challenge the Southern California native has faced. He has successfully defeated tough competitors, including James Bacon, Berlin Abreu, Roberto Valenzuela Jr., and Brad Solomon.

One of the most popular fighters to come out of Freddie Roach’s stable at Westside Boxing Club, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs, was last seen in a spectacular fifth-round TKO victory over the seasoned Brad Solomon in El Paso, TX, in June 2021. Undefeated in his career, except for a draw early on in 2018, Cobbs is no stranger to adversity as he has taken on and defeated tough opposition like Ferdinand Kerovyan, Estevan Villalobos, and Samuel Kotey Neequaye. Now, the undefeated welterweight is ready for the next stage of his career as he faces the fan-favorite Alexis Rocha on March 19.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.galencenter.org or www.goldenboypromotions.com. Please note that LADPH guidelines and other protocols relating to admission requirements will be in place for this event, which include that all guests age 2 and older will have to provide proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result within 24 hours for an antigen test or 48 hours for a PCR test.

Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, March 19 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

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

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 22, 2022) – Undefeated, WBO International Welterweight Champion, Vergil Ortiz Jr. (18-0, 18 KOs), of Grand Prairie, Texas and Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya hosted a special press event today at the Galen Center to promote the upcoming bout between Vergil Ortiz, Jr. and #3 WBO ranked welterweight Michael “The Problem” McKinson (21-0, 2 KOs) of Portsmouth, Great Britain. The pair are set to collide on Saturday, March 19 at University of Southern California’s Galen Center in Los Angeles. The 12-round fight for Ortiz, Jr.’s WBO International Welterweight title will stream live, worldwide, exclusively on DAZN.

Below are what Vergil and Oscar had to say about the upcoming bout:

VERGIL ORTIZ, JR., WBO INTERNATIONAL WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION:

“I feels awesome putting a card in LA. I have a lot of fans here in LA that have been asking me on social media to come back and I am happy that we are able to do that. I am looking forward to putting on a good show at the Galen Center.

“I always train to go the distance in every fight. I don’t go into the ring looking for the knock out. If the opportunity comes to finish the fight with a knock out I will take it.

“I would love to fight at the very least three times this year. After this fight get back in the ring as soon as possible, stay active. That’s how I feel the sharpest.

“My dad has been training me the whole time alongside Hector Beltran. He’s the one that is always on my a** making sure that I am doing everything right. Now that we have added Manny Robles to the corner, he brings experience and a different point of view. He’s taken fighters like Oscar Valdez and Andy Ruiz to world title fights and hopefully we can do the same.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO GOLDEN BOY:

“As a promoter we have to knock on a lot of doors to get our fighters a fight, and it’s a dream come true when fighters like Michael McKinson want to face one of our guys. Vergil is in a very unique position, being 18-0, 18KOs. World champions know that he’s dangerous, world champions know that if they get in the ring with him there will be a huge possibility that they are going to loose. So it surprised me that McKinson was knocking on Vergil’s door, on our door. It just goes to show you that when you are fighting at this level, you are going to cross paths with great fighters who want to fight the best.

“Vergil has his father who knows the in’s and out’s. He has trained him all his life. It was a breath of fresh air to hear what they were thinking, to come to LA which has great fighters and great sparring. Manny has experience and great knowledge that can be a good second voice for Vergil’s father, who is on the fore front of Vergil’s training.

“Vergil is just getting better and better, and better. I tell every world champion, fight Vergil now. Fight him now because if you wait a year or two, it will only get worse for you because Vergil is very young and just getting better and better. He’s knocking on the door of these champions so it’s going to be very interesting on who he fights next.”

Tickets for the event go on sale now and are priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.galencenter.org or www.goldenboypromotions.com. Please note that LADPH guidelines and other protocols relating to admission requirements will be in place for this event, which include that all guests age 2 and older will have to provide proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result within 24 hours for an antigen test or 48 hours for a PCR test.

Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, March 19 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

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

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 4, 2022): Undefeated knockout sensation, Vergil Ortiz Jr. (18-0, 18 KOs), of Grand Prairie, Texas will make his grand return to Los Angeles, when he faces off against the #3 WBO ranked, undefeated welterweight Michael “The Problem” McKinson (21-0, 2 KOs) of Portsmouth, Great Britain. The 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight title will take place at University of Southern California’s Galen Center in Downtown Los Angeles, on Saturday, March 19 and will stream live, worldwide, exclusively on DAZN.

“I am excited to return to Los Angeles, my home away from home,” said Vergil Ortiz, Jr. “I have been training in Southern California for my entire career and can’t wait to put on a big show for all my SoCal fans. I am taking on an undefeated, world-ranked opponent in McKinson, but I am ready to show the world that I belong at the top of the division and am ready for a world championship title shot.”

“Firstly, I want to thank everyone behind securing me this opportunity,” said Michael McKinson. “It’s an opportunity of a lifetime and I can’t wait to take America by storm. Vergil Ortiz, Jr. is an unbelievable talent that’s captured the eyes of everyone, but I’m about to come with a whole new box of problems. This fight changes my life, but winning this changes my future. This is huge for me, my family and everyone around me, I’ll give it everything.”

With a perfect knockout record, Vergil Ortiz Jr. has rapidly climbed the ranks of the welterweight division. He was most recently seen in an entertaining and fantastic TKO victory against the tough, world title contender Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas in August 2021. The 23-year-old has had an exciting career since his 2016 debut, knocking out contenders like Antonio “Relentless” Orozco, Brad “King” Solomon, and Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker. On March 19, Ortiz, Jr. will be looking to keep his title, undefeated record, and #1 ranking when he faces Michael McKinson at USC’s Galen Center.

Ranked #3 in the welterweight division by the WBO, Michael McKinson is an undefeated fighter ready to put his undefeated record on the line to prove he has what it takes to take over the #1 position in the division. Hailing from Portsmouth, Great Britain, the 27-year-old has had an active career capturing titles including the WBC International Silver Welter Title and the WBO European and Global Welter titles. Now, fighting in the U.S. for the first time, McKinson will be looking to claim the WBO Intercontinental Welterweight title from Vergil Ortiz, Jr. on March 19.

“Vergil Ortiz, Jr. is one of the most exciting welterweights to watch in the sport today,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “Since his professional debut, Vergil put the world on notice with his incredible punching power. Now, undefeated, with a perfect knockout record, Vergil is ready to fight against the elite in the division starting with the world ranked Michael McKinson.”

“I am so pleased to be able to deliver this fight for Michael – it really is a life-changing opportunity in so many ways,” said Eddie Hearn, Managing Director, Matchroom Sport. “Michael has got the style to beat Vergil, who for me is already a top five Welterweight in the world, a brilliant and powerful fighter. There’s only certain styles that can beat him, and Michael has a style to cause Vergil all sorts of problems. The money is always important as it’s a tough sport and you have to make every penny you can, but if Michael beats Vergil, he goes on to make multi-million-dollar purses.”

Ortiz Jr. vs. McKinson is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, March 19 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

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

Vergil Ortiz Jr. fough through adversity, but showed he is a legitimate contender to comeback and stop former world title challenger in round eight of their scheduled 12-round welterweight bout at the Star in Frisco, Texas.

In round two, Kavaiauskas hurt Ortz with a right hand, and set off a fiery exchange that looked like it sent Ortiz to the canvas but it was ruled a slip. In round three, Kavaliauskas hurt Ortiz again with a right hand, but this time Ortiz came off the ropes and fired off a left hook that sent Kavaliauskas to the canvas.

In round eight, Ortiz dropped Kavaliauskas three times. The first was a left hook to the body. The next two were from hard left hooks to the head and the fight was stopped at

Ortiz, 147 lbs of Grand Prairie, TX is 18-0 with 18 knockouts. Kavaliauskas, 146.1 lbs of Lithuania is 22-2-1.

Ortiz said, “I feel good. The fight started off slow in my opinion and I just had to adjust. After the second round, I had to adjust and try to find a way to wear him down. I started using my jab more and fought more intelligently. After the third round, I felt more confident because I knew that I could control the fight moving forward. But he is a tough guy, a very strong fighter, and I respect that he came to fight.” 

“I came here to fight, I was sure I would stop him. I prepared myself so hard to be ready for this fight. I was 100% in shape, I was fast, I was strong. But you know, it is what it is, today he was stronger, he is a tremendous fighter. He has good power and good speed, good jab, good technique, he is a good fighter. I was thinking that I was going to end the fight in the second round, but he survived. He is a warrior,” said Kavaliauskas. 

Gutierrez Decisions Alvarado; Retains 130 lb Title

Roger Gutierrez defended the WBA Super Featherweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision from the man he won the belt from Rene Alvarado in their trilogy bout.

Gutierrez, 130 lbs of Venezuela won by scores of 116-112 twice and 115-113 and is now 26-3-1. Alvarado, 129.2 lbs is 32-10.

“I hurt my right hand, it was very inconvenient because I feel like I could have ended the fight earlier. But I want to thank god we were victorious and that is the most important thing. I know Rene is a warrior, but we had a good fight today and we are happy to take on the next challenge, and perhaps fight Leo Santa Cruz,” said Gutierrez. 

Alvarado stated, “I feel like I dominated the majority of the fight. I do not feel like the decision was fair. In the last round, I did get the cut on my left eye and I couldn’t see, but I know that I closed those two rounds.”

Alvarado Destroys Vazquez in 1

Light-Flyweight world champion Felix Alvarado destroyed late-replacement Israel Vazquez in the opening round of their scheduled 10-round non-title bout.

Alvarado landed a hard counter right that sent Vazquez down and out at 2:50.

Alvarado, 107.6 lbs of Managua, NIC is 37-2 with 32 knockouts. Vazquez, 107.6 lbs of Bayamon, PR is 10-5-2.

“I did feel a little unstable with the change of opponents and of course I would love to fight Eric Lopez, but unfortunately that didn’t happen due to the visa issues. Fortunately, we had a good training camp and we were prepared for Israel. Luckily the fight ended early enough where he wasn’t injured and I wasn’t injured,” said Alvarado. 

Rincon Decisions Buzolin

George Rincon remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Nikolai Buzolin in a welterweight bout.

Rincon, 142.2 lbs of Dallas, TX won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 12-0. Buzolin, 143 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 8-4-1.

“He was a shorter fighter with a very awkward style and I had to be careful with those looping hands. There were a few things that I wish that I could have made more clear during the fight, but his style didn’t really help. Just happy that I was able to be here, fight in my hometown, in front of my friends and family. Glad we got the win and I plan to go back to the gym and keep getting better,” said Rincon.

Alex Martin won a 10-round unanimous decision over Josec Ruiz in a super welterweight bout.

Martin, 137 lbs of Chicago is 17-3. Ruiz, 135.4 lbs of Miami, FL is 23-5-3.

Martin said, “I knew that I hurt him with that body shot in the last round and he started to fold over. I still could have followed up with more body shots, but I am happy I got the win. I am ready to come back. I am motivated and just thankful to God for the opportunity.”

Alex Rincon remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Sanny Duversonne in a middleweight contest.

Rincon, 153.4 lbs of Dallas, TX win by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 and is now 9-0. Duversonne, 154.8 lbs of Avon Park, FL is 11-4-2.

“He was a tough warrior, you have to respect him. I knew he was going to be a durable fighter. I also knew that I needed to use my jab to counter his jab and set up the shot. But I feel good, I think it was about time I got some war wounds so people can believe I am a fighter,” said Rincon. 

FRISCO, TEXAS (August 12, 2021) – Welterweight knockout sensation Vergil Ortiz, Jr. (17-0, 17 KOs) is set to defend his WBO International Welterweight Title against the fearless Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas (22-1-1, 18 KOs) in a 12-round bout live at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas; streamed live on DAZN on Saturday, August 14. Today the fighters met for their first face-off in the Lone Star State at the final press conference.

Joining them, the co-main event fighters Roger “The Kid” Gutierrez (35-3-1, 20 KOs) will defend his WBA Super Featherweight World Championship against Rene “El Gemelo” Alvarado (32-9, 21 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round rematch. Their match has turned into a trilogy event and is the second opportunity Alvarado is seeking to recapture the world title for Nicaragua. Alvarado’s twin brother, Felix “El Gemelo”Alvarado (36-2, 31 KOs) was also in attendance as he is set to fight Israel Vasquez (10-4-2, 7 KOs) in a 10-round flyweight event as the DAZN show opener.

Additional fighters in attendance included fighters featured on the undercard from Golden Boy Fight Night on Facebook Watch: Danielito “El Zorro” Zorrilla (15-0, 11 KOs), and Dallas natives Alex Rincon (8-0, 6KOs) and George Rincon (11-0, 7 KOs). Zorrilla is set to face Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano (33-7-1, 23 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight fight for the NABO title. George Rincon is set to fight Nikolai Buzolin (8-3-1, 4 KOs) in an 8-round super lightweight fight and Alex Rincon will face Sunny Duvesonne (11-2-2, 8 KOs) also in an 8-round super welterweight bout. The additional fight of the night includes a 10-round super lightweight bout between Alex Martin (16-3, 6 KOs) and Josec Ruiz (23-4-3, 16 KOs).

Below is what the fighters had to say:

VERGIL ORTIZ, JR. WBO INTERNATIONAL WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION:

“I feel pretty good, you know, this is my second time fighting in Texas, I’m the main event and I want to put on a good show… Everyone has been asking for this fight, our styles complement each other. It’s going to be a good fight no matter what.”

EGIDIJUS KAVALIAUSKAS, WELTERWEIGHT CONTENDER:

“I love boxing, it’s what I love to do. This is going to be a great fight. I know his style and he knows mine, styles make fights. I like that he is a fighter that brings it, and I am not surprised he took the fight, he is a warrior as am I.”

ROGER GUTIERREZ, WBA SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION:

“I want to thank god and Golden Boy for the opportunity… Being on top is hard, but we always have to be better and get better. We always have to adjust to the next fight and the next fighter… Everyone will have their own opinions about me, but that doesn’t affect me, I am the champion.”

RENE ALVARADO, SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT CONTENDER:

“No two fights are alike, and the difference in this fight is the objective: to recapture the world title. The fight will be a very competitive, I have a lot of self confidence and faith in god that I will be the world champion once more.”

FELIX ALVARADO, LIGHT FLYWEIGHT CONTENDER:

“I feel good, thankful to God and Golden Boy Promotions for bringing us back to fight together in the same event. I am seeking to make history with my brother, hopeful to bring two great victories for Nicaragua.”

ISRAEL VASQUEZ, LIGHT FLYWEIGHT CONTENDER:

“I am very excited for the fight, excited to be representing Puerto Rico, the mecca of boxing. I want to demonstrate that I am at a world champion level, and this fight, this victory will do that.”

DANIELITO ZORRILLA, SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDER:

“My last fight was not my night, by on Saturday ‘El Zorro’ will be present. We have a plan to execute, but if the knockout comes, we can go home early.”

ALEX RINCON, SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS:

“Growing up it has always been a dream to fight together at the same event, and I am happy we get to do it in our hometown, Dallas.”

GEORGE RINCON, SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS:

“We are training in Washington D.C. to get away from the distractions. I love that we get to fight in Dallas, it’s home.”

Ortiz, Jr. vs. Kavaliauskas is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, Aug. 14 at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Tickets for Ortiz, Jr. vs. Kavaliauskas are on sale now and are priced at $250, $150, $100, $75, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.seatgeek.com.

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

About The Star
The Star is the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility in Frisco, Texas. Developed as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Frisco, Frisco ISD and the Dallas Cowboys, The Star features Ford Center, a 12,000-seat stadium that hosts Frisco ISD football games, concerts and other events; Cowboys Fit, a 60,000 square-foot gym developed in partnership with leading fitness developer, Mark Mastrov; Cowboys Club, a members-only club where the country club meets the NFL; the Omni Frisco Hotel, a 16-floor, 300-room luxury hotel; Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, a 300,000 square-foot center of excellence for sports medicine; Twelve Cowboys Way, a 17-story, luxury residential tower in partnership between Pro Football Hall-of-Fame Quarterback #12 Roger Staubach, and Dallas-based developer and former Dallas Cowboys center, Robert Shaw; Formation, a dynamic coworking experience offering a collaborative work environment of open workspace, dedicated desks and private offices; as well as a variety of shopping, dining and nightlife options throughout The Star District. For more information on The Star, visit www.TheStarInFrisco.com

FRISCO, TEXAS (July 20, 2021): Roger “The Kid” Gutierrez (35-3-1, 20 KOs) will defend his WBA Super Featherweight World Championship against Rene “El Gemelo” Alvarado (32-9, 21 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round trilogy fight that will be the co-main event to Ortiz Jr. vs. Kavaliauskas. The event, which will also feature Felix Alvarado and several rising talents, will take place on Saturday, Aug. 14 at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas and will be streamed live on DAZN.

“The final chapter of the longstanding rivalry between Roger Gutierrez and Rene Alvarado will end on Aug. 14,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “The results of their first two fights were sharply different from each other, though both battles produced an equal amount of excitement. This third fight will put an end to their rivalry with even more action and place the winner on the path to unify titles in the division.”

Gutierrez is a Venezuelan world champion who had initially suffered several setbacks in his young career, including a stoppage loss to Rene Alvarado. However, Gutierrez maintained his tenacity and turned his career around by scoring an upset knockout win against Rocky Hernandez in 2019. Since then, the 26-year-old has been on an incredible streak in which he avenged his first professional loss by defeating Alvarado and becoming a world champion. Gutierrez plans to remain champion by winning decisively on Aug. 14.

“I am very excited for this trilogy fight that I am going to have with Rene Alvarado,” said Roger Gutierrez. “I know that the fight will not be easy and my opponent is tough. He beat me in the first fight, and then I took the title from him in the second bout.. It will be an exciting battle, and I know the fans will enjoy it very much. ”

Alvarado is a 32-year-old former world champion of Managua, Nicaragua who has fought the likes of Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos, Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez, Danis “Djingis Khan” Shafikov, Carlos “The Solution” Morales and Andrew “El Chango” Cancio, the man he beat to become a world champion. Though he lost his belt to Gutierrez in his first defense, he planas on regaining the title and initiating a long reign.

“I am happy to have the opportunity to rectify the loss I suffered against Roger Gutierrez,” said Rene Alvarado. “I made mistakes in that second fight, but I promise to correct them all on August 14 so I can deliver to Nicaragua a great victory. As always, I will train 100% and leave everything in the ring.”

Felix Alvarado (36-2, 31 KOs) of Managua, Nicaragua will defend his IBF light flyweight world title against Erick López (16-5-1, 10 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico in a scheduled 12-round clash.

Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano (33-7-1, 23 KOs) from Tlalnepantla, Mexico and Danielito “El Zorro” Zorrilla (15-0, 11 KOs) from Toa Baja, Puerto Rico will open DAZN’s main broadcast in a 10-round clash in the 140-pound division.

Additional bouts will be streamed live on Golden Boy’s official Facebook page.

Alex Martin (16-3, 6 KOs) of Chicago, Illinois will meet Josec Ruiz (22-4-3, 15 KOs) of Miami, Florida in a 10-round battle in the super lightweight division.

George Rincon (11-0, 7 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will return in a 10-round super lightweight fight against a soon-to-be-announced opponent.

Leonardo Baez (19-4, 10 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico and Hector Valdez (14-0, 8 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will clash in a 10-round matchup for the NABA Super Bantamweight Title.

Alex Rincon (8-0, 6 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will participate in an eight-round super welterweight bout against Sanny Duversonne (11-3-2, 8 KOs) of Miami, Florida.

#

Ortiz Jr. vs. Kavaliauskas is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, Aug. 14 at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Tickets for Ortiz Jr vs. Kavaliauskas are on sale now and are priced at $250, $150, $100, $75, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.seatgeek.com.

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

About The Star
The Star is the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility in Frisco, Texas. Developed as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Frisco, Frisco ISD and the Dallas Cowboys, The Star features Ford Center, a 12,000-seat stadium that hosts Frisco ISD football games, concerts and other events; Cowboys Fit, a 60,000 square-foot gym developed in partnership with leading fitness developer, Mark Mastrov; Cowboys Club, a members-only club where the country club meets the NFL; the Omni Frisco Hotel, a 16-floor, 300-room luxury hotel; Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, a 300,000 square-foot center of excellence for sports medicine; Twelve Cowboys Way, a 17-story, luxury residential tower in partnership between Pro Football Hall-of-Fame Quarterback #12 Roger Staubach, and Dallas-based developer and former Dallas Cowboys center, Robert Shaw; Formation, a dynamic coworking experience offering a collaborative work environment of open workspace, dedicated desks and private offices; as well as a variety of shopping, dining and nightlife options throughout The Star District. For more information on The Star, visit www.TheStarInFrisco.com.

FRISCO, TEXAS (July 13, 2021): Welterweight knockout artist Vergil Ortiz Jr. (17-0, 17 KOs) will return against Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas (22-1-1, 18 KOs) in a 12-round defense of his WBO International Welterweight Title. The bout will take place on Saturday, Aug. 14 at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Undercard information will be announced shortly.

“Vergil Ortiz Jr. is developing the most impressive resume for any boxer his age,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “Though the welterweight division is perhaps the most competitive weight class in the sport, Ortiz Jr. has been able to maintain a knockout ratio of 100% in his big tests against Antonio Orozco, Brad Solomon and Maurice Hooker. On August 14, Ortiz Jr. will look better than ever and remind everyone why he is the biggest threat at 147 pounds.”

Since debuting as a professional in 2016, Ortiz Jr. has knocked out every single challenge put in front of him. The native of Grand Prairie, Texas, who has roots in Michoacan, Mexico, has scored stoppage wins against the likes of Antonio “Relentless” Orozco, Brad “King” Solomon and Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker. The 23-year-old contender is anxious to fight for a world title and knows that “Mean Machine” stands in his way.

“I always said I’m here to take on the toughest challenges to prove myself,” said Vergil Ortiz Jr. “Egis is a very game, strong opponent, and a win over him would leave no doubts that I’m ready for a world title fight immediately. It won’t be easy, but that’s the point. The fans are going to enjoy this one.”

Kavaliauskas is a Lithuanian contender who has defeated the likes of David Avanesyan and Juan Carlos “Merengue” Abreu. He has also faced tough tests against “The New” Ray Robinson and Terence “Bud” Crawford, the latter of whom handed the “Mean Machine” his sole defeat. The 32-year-old will return after stopping Mikael Zweski in September 2020.

“Fans been asking for this fight, and we’re going to give it to them,” said Egidijus Kavaliauskas. “So, mark your calendar and have your popcorn ready. A war is coming.”

#

Ortiz Jr. vs. Kavaliauskas is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, Aug. 14 at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Tickets for Ortiz Jr vs. Kavaliauskas will go on sale Friday, July 16 at 10:00 a.m, CDT and are priced at $250, $150, $100, $75, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.seatgeek.com.

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

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

About The Star
The Star is the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility in Frisco, Texas. Developed as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Frisco, Frisco ISD and the Dallas Cowboys, The Star features Ford Center, a 12,000-seat stadium that hosts Frisco ISD football games, concerts and other events; Cowboys Fit, a 60,000 square-foot gym developed in partnership with leading fitness developer, Mark Mastrov; Cowboys Club, a members-only club where the country club meets the NFL; the Omni Frisco Hotel, a 16-floor, 300-room luxury hotel; Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, a 300,000 square-foot center of excellence for sports medicine; Twelve Cowboys Way, a 17-story, luxury residential tower in partnership between Pro Football Hall-of-Fame Quarterback #12 Roger Staubach, and Dallas-based developer and former Dallas Cowboys center, Robert Shaw; Formation, a dynamic coworking experience offering a collaborative work environment of open workspace, dedicated desks and private offices; as well as a variety of shopping, dining and nightlife options throughout The Star District. For more information on The Star, visit www.TheStarInFrisco.com.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday in Fort Worth undefeated welterweight prospect Vergil Ortiz made an entertaining match with fellow Texan and former 140-pound titlist Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker on DAZN.  The match ended in round 7 when Hooker broke something between his right shoulder and hand, though not his middle finger – whose resilience he later confirmed energetically.  Ortiz was winning when the match ended about exactly the way its 10-1 odds anticipated.

Vergil Ortiz is ready for Terence Crawford.  He is no less likely to beat Crawford in 2021 than he’ll be in 2026.

Bud’s 3 1/2 years at welterweight are an embarrassment for our beloved sport.  Some of it’s Bud’s fault, probably, for pricing himself out of whatever halfassed plans his promoter planned to make for him.  Much of it is Top Rank’s fault for having no viable plan for Crawford at 147 pounds, building no one for him and finding every reason to avoid PBC as a fixed strategy.

Avoiding PBC hasn’t been a bad play for Top Rank these last few years.  But PBC has every other welterweight worth watching, and as one of the world’s two best prizefighters Bud Crawford deserves an opportunity to make at least one superfight in the final year or two of his prime.  He now says he’s moved on from that superfight with Errol Spence, which leaves him alternately courting a semiretired senator in the Philippines and scoffing at a title defense with Ortiz.  Neither option is palatable.  One pays much better than the other, but Manny Pacquiao is way too savvy to fight Crawford without a tuneup or two and incentives aplenty.

Bud was back in Lone Star State to see his stablemate look game but overmatched against Ortiz on Saturday.  At ringside Crawford looked softer than he has in the past.  That is, his smile felt genuine and his laughter too; gone was the dark anger that followed him like a raincloud.  He knows posterity will blame Spence for their non-fight, he knows Pacquiao will be more washed than him if they do fight in the fall or next winter, and he believes, incorrectly, he’s had a first-ballot career.

Just because Bud has been near the top of abstract rankings for a couple years doesn’t mean his reign has been a good one.  If he’s not going to make immediate matches with Ortiz then two of PBC’s top-3 welterweights his best shot at an enduring legacy is moving to 154 pounds, where he can play cleanup with the same poor competition he’s fought at welterweight and get even more credit for it.  Crawford’s unlikely to move seven pounds higher as Canelo is to return to middleweight for a rubbermatch with GGG.

Then Vergil Ortiz is the best option.  Ortiz’s promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, hasn’t a choice these days but to say yes to anything anyone with money offers, and Top Rank has lots of ESPN money to use on a meaningful fight for Terence Crawford.  Ortiz has a very good jab, a gaudy record and unremarkable defense.  Crawford, who’s fought thrice in two years (1-0 against contenders, 2-0 against Brits), should be rusty enough for Ortiz to scare him a bit more than Egidijus Kavaliauskas did 16 months ago.

Ortiz fights in the undissuadable, gladiator-academy style all Robert Garcia’s men favor (except for Robert’s little brother, Mikey, who has too much talent to’ve chosen Robert for non-fraternal reasons).  Ortiz isn’t going to learn nuance under Garcia.  He’s not going to learn much defense either.  Instead he’ll get instruction on walking through punches and ignoring damaged eyes and hitting the other guy hard and whatnot.  His greatest attribute against Crawford will be just how awful Crawford’s competition at welterweight has been (one-legged Jose Benavidez may very well be the greatest welterweight Bud ever fights).

Even grizzled aficionados fall for the all-by-knockout tag.  Fought guys you’ve never heard of? guys in the wrong weightclass? guys with multiple losses? guys coming out of retirement?  Suddenly it doesn’t matter because the wins were all-by-knockout.  There’s plenty of this with Ortiz.  The real tell to listen for is: “But none of those guys had been stopped before in their career!”  That’s when you know a circusbarker, be he promoter or flunky, is pettifogging poor competition.  Maybe Matthew Macklin has lost four times, and maybe there was that unfortunate episode at a lower weightclass seven years ago, but he’s never been knocked-out like that!

Mighty Mo was having none of it Saturday night.  After tasting leather aplenty and taking a knee the round before, Hooker threw a cross in the seventh and broke some part of his hand, and that was that.  Or wait, no it wasn’t.

After refusing to do that b-side thing where you favorably compare the man who just beat you less conclusively at 147 pounds than the guy who unbuttoned you at 140 Hooker explained something about both his hands being broken but one of them popping.  The socially distanced Texas crowd, partisan Ortiz and partisan Latino, booed Hooker, and Hooker, himself a Texan, told them what they could do with themselves.  It was fantastic comical.  He then turned, tossed his middle fingers in the air like smoking pistols, stepped through the ropes onto the apron, and challenged a few thousand of his critics.

Even Bud Crawford had fun with that.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Vergil Ortiz Jr. remained perfect by stopping former world champion Maurice Hooker in seven entertaining rounds at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

The two stood toe-to-toe for most of the fight Ortiz landed the harder blows as he rocked Hooker several times. Hooker was able to get in some good shots of his own and the effects of those punches showed on the swelled up face of Ortiz.

In round six, Ortiz landed a hard right that sent Hooker back to the corner and eventually down.

In round seven, it was a right to the side of the head that sent Hooker to a knee, and the fight was over at 36 seconds.

Ortiz, 147 lbs of Grand Prairie, TX is 17-0 with knockouts, Hooker, 147 lbs of Dallas, TX is 27-2-3.

Estrada Decisions Ortiz; Wins WBA Minimumweight title

Seniesa Estrada won the WBA Minimumweight Title with a 10-round unanimous decision over long reigning champ Anabel Ortiz.

In round two, Estrada put Ortiz on the deck with a big left hand.

Estrada landed 163 of 511 punches; Ortiz was 102 of 373.

Estrada, 104.4 lbs of E. Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 100-89 twice and 99-90 and is now 20-0. Ortiz, 105 lbs of Mexico City, MEX is 31-4.

Marcelino Lopez stops Jairo Lopez in five

Marcelino Lopez stopped Jairo Lopez in round five of a scheduled 10-round welterweight bout.

In round two, Marcelino dropped Jairo with a left hook. In round three, it was a right that sent Jairo to a knee. In round four, Jairo went down from what looked like a push, yet was scored a knockdown. In the same round Marcelino was cut over his left eye from an accidental headbutt. In round five, Marcelino dropped Jairo in the corner for the 10-count, and the fight was over at 1:24.

Marcelino, 140.8 lbs of Arribenos, ARG is 37-2-1 with 22 knockouts. Jairo, 139.2 lbs of Apodaca, MEX is 27-12.

Kalkreuth Blows Out Long in 1

Tristan Kalkreuth destroyed Dustin Long in round one of a scheduled six-round cruiserweight fight.

Kalkreuth landed a huge barrage of punches in the corner and finally sent Long to the canvas and the fight was stopped at 1:18.

Kalkreuth, 198 lbs of Duncanville, TX is now 8-0 with six knockouts. Long, 199.8 lbs of Johnson City, TN is now 4-2-2.

Alex Martin won a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Luis Hernandez in a junior welterweight bout.

Martin, 140 lbs of Chicago, IL won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 and is now 16-3. Hernandez, 139.4 lbs of Chihuahua, MEX is 21-1.

George Rincon won a eight-round unanimous decision over Luis Solis in a super lightweight bout.

Rincon, 139.2 lbs of Dallas, TX is 11-0. Solis, 139.8 lbs of Merida, MEX is 25-12-4.

Hector Valdez won a eight-round unanimous decision over Alberto Torres in a super bantamweight bout.

Valdez, 121.6 lbs of Dallas, TX is 14-0. Torres, 121.4 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 11-4-3.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (March 18, 2021): Vergil Ortiz Jr. (16-0, 16 KOs) and Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (27-1-3, 19 KOs) hosted a final press conference today ahead of their 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Title. The action will take place this Saturday, March 20 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, including the U.S. and Mexico.

Below is what today’s main event participants had to say at the press conference:

VERGIL ORTIZ JR, WELTERWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“I’m very thankful to be fighting back at home again, especially after fighting in a bubble last year. It was a really cool experience. I found that I really love the fans. I enjoy the fans. So, what better place to come back and fight than in the Dallas Fort Worth area?”

“This fight is really special to me. I asked for this fight at 140 pounds. He was a good fighter then, and he is a good fighter now. I want to fight the best. The only way to be the best is to fight the best. I feel very confident. I have the confidence of my promoter and team behind me. I had a great camp, and I am ready to go.”

“We will find out on Saturday if my power and size will be too much for him. I have never been in the ring with him before, so I don’t know how he will take it. But it’s not just power with me. It’s not just my physical attributes. My best attribute is my thinking ability, and I’m going to do a lot of that on Saturday.”

“This is going to be one of the first fights in Dallas between two world class natives of the area. We are going to put a really great show. I’m really excited about it. We’ve trained really hard, and I hope you all enjoy the show.”

MAURICE HOOKER, FORMER WBO JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION:
“This fight will mean everything to me. I’m happy to be back at home where fans at home can see me. And it’s great to give to the fans something special after all they have been going through.”

“I have been watching Vergil Ortiz for a while now. I have been supporting him since he started because he is from Dallas. His 16-0 with 16 knockouts don’t mean nothing to me until we get in the ring. I mean, it’s cute, but we will see in the ring.”

“I’m excited. My team is excited. I’ve worked hard. The fact that I’ve been called the underdog has pushed me more. I’ve prepared well for this fight. I’m going to go in the ring, do my business, and have fun with it.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF GOLDEN BOY:
“Everyone is saying that he is the next big thing in the welterweight division. And he is. But first he has to get past Maurice Hooker, and that is no easy test. This is a real fight and a tough test for him. If he beats him, then he is going straight to the top of the division, where are lots of big fights to make. I can’t say who I want him to see next because this Saturday’s fight is a big test.”

“Hooker’s style, abilities and experience make him dangerous. He’s going to show Vergil different angles. It’s a different style than what Vergil has faced in the past. But Vergil has a great corner. He is a great fighter and has great team. They’ve studied Maurice. So that’s why I feel this will be an amazing fight.”

Ortiz Jr. vs Hooker is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Championship presented by Golden Boy. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, March 20 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, including the U.S. and Mexico.

Tickets for Ortiz Jr. vs. Hooker are on sale and are priced at $200, $100, $60 and $40, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.dickiesarena.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

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

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

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (Feb. 19, 2021): Seasoned slugger Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano (33-7-1, 23 KOs) will take on rising contender Jonathan “Thunder” Navarro (17-0, 9 KOs) in a 12-round fight for the WBC Silver International Super Lightweight Title in the new co-main event to Ortiz Jr. vs Hooker. The action will take place Saturday, March 20 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, including the U.S. and Mexico.

Highly touted heavyweight monster Arslanbek Makhmudov was originally slated to return in the co-main event, but he will now return in April against a very big challenge. Details for Makhmudov’s return will be announced in the coming weeks.

“This co-main is a Golden Boy special — two guys who can crack, don’t take a step backwards and are always going for the knockout,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “With both guys having been off for more than a year due to Covid-19, each is hungry for a win and to position themselves in the mix at the top of the super lightweight division.”

Cano is a 31-year-old contender from Tlalnepantla, Mexico, who is coming off wins against
Jorge “El Niño de Oro” Linares and Roberto “Massa” Ortiz. This young veteran of about 15 years has also defeated the likes of Ashley Theophane, Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera and Ruslan Madiev, and he has participated in great battles against “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Paul “The Magic Man” Malignaggi and Erik “El Terrible” Morales. Cano will inch closer to a world title shot if can beat Navarro.

“I am very happy to be returning on such an important card on March 20” said Pablo Cesar Cano. “I am delighted for the chance to be active once again, especially because of all that has happened due to the pandemic. I am motivated, and I have a positive mentality. I’m going to make sure I train very hard to be at optimum shape on fight night.”

Navarro is a 24-year-old rising contender who scored his biggest win yet in 2018 when he beat then-undefeated prospect Damon Allen Jr. via technical knockout. Since then, he has scored two impressive wins, though he has been inactive since October 2019. Navarro plans to return to the ring and make a big statement in order to put himself in line for a world title shot.

“I am very excited for this fight,” said Jonathan Navarro. “You’re not going to want to miss it. This fight will be a big step up for me, and it will bring me closer to becoming a world champion. We are working very hard back at camp and making sure we are prepared for Cano. I’m coming to make a statement in the 140-pound division. I will let everyone know that I’m coming for a belt very soon!”

As announced previously, the Ortiz vs. Hooker undercard will be stacked from top to bottom with highly competitive matchups.

Anabel “Avispa” Ortiz (31-3, 4 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico and former flyweight champion Seniesa “Superbad” Estrada (19-0, 8 KOs) of East Los Angeles, California will meet in an epic 10-round fight for Ortiz’s WBA Minimumweight World Title.

Luis “Matador” Hernandez (21-0, 19 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico will participate in a 10-round super lightweight battle against Alex Martin (15-3, 6 KOs) of Chicago, Illinois.

George Rincon (10-0, 7 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will return in an eight-round super lightweight fight against Alex Martin(15-3, 6 KOs) of Merida, Mexico.

Hector Valdez (13-0, 8 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will face Alberto Torres (11-3-3, 4 KOs) of Sacramento, California in an eight-round super bantamweight battle.

Oscar Acevedo (7-0) of Garden City, Kansas and James “Crunch Time” Willkins (9-1-0, 6 KOs) of Staten Island, New York will meet in an eight-round super featherweight bout between two Golden Boy prospects.

Tristan Kalkreuth (7-0, 6 KOs) of Duncanville, Texas will return against a soon-to-be-announced opponent in a six-round fight in the cruiserweight division.

Ortiz Jr. vs Hooker is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Championship presented by Golden Boy. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, March 20 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, including the U.S., Mexico and Russia.

Tickets for Ortiz Jr. vs. Hooker are on sale and are priced at $200, $100, $60 and $40, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.dickiesarena.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

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

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

DALLAS, TEXAS (Jan. 27, 2021): A hometown battle between two Dallas, Texas natives will take place on March 20 as Vergil Ortiz Jr. (16-0, 16 KOs) and former world champion Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (27-1-3, 19 KOs) clash in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO International Welterweight Title. The bout will headline a card that includes the Unites States debut of heavyweight monster Arslanbek “Lion” Makhmudov and a world title clash between Anabel “Avispa” Ortiz and Seniesa “Superbad” Estrada.

Information regarding the venue will be announced shortly as it is pending commission approval. The fights will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, including the U.S., Mexico and Russia.

“On his rapid ascent from prospect to contender, Vergil has absolutely blown away everyone we have put in front of him, including a former world champion,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “But with a win over Maurice Hooker, just one fight removed from a significant title reign, on March 20, Vergil can stamp his ticket to a world championship fight.”

Since debuting as a professional in 2016, Ortiz Jr. has knocked out every single person who has stepped into the ring with him. The native of Grand Prairie, Texas, who has roots in Michoacan, Mexico, has scored stoppage wins against the likes of Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera, Antonio “Relentless” Orozco, Brad “King” Solomon and Samuel Vargas. The 22-year-old contender has been wanting to fight Hooker for some time, and he’s eager to demonstrate his abilities against a former world champion.

“First and foremost, I’m really grateful to be fighting back at home again,” said Vergil Ortiz Jr. “Not only that, but I’ll be fighting another Dallas native in Maurice Hooker. I’ve known Hooker since back in the amateur days. I know we’re going to give the fans back at home a fight to remember.”

Hooker is a 31-year-old former world champion who traveled to United Kingdom to defeat Terry “Turbo” Flanagan and capture the 140-pound WBO title. Then, Hooker scored big wins against undefeated contenders Mikkel “Slikk Mikk”LesPierre and Alex “El Cholo” Saucedo before suffering his first loss in an epic unification fight against Jose Carlos Ramirez. Now at welterweight, Hooker plans to derail Ortiz’s meteoric rise by putting an end to their long-standing rivalry.

“I’ve never been one to shy away from a fight,” said Maurice Hooker. “The decision to fight Ortiz was an easy one as it allows me to prove to the world something that I already know—that I’m one of the best welterweights in the world. I have a new team around me who has taken my game to a whole new level, and I feel amazing at this weight class. I can’t wait to put on a show for all the fans on March 20. Dallas, get ready!”

In the co-main event, Arslanbek “Lion” Makhmudov (11-0, 11 KOs) will make his highly anticipated United States debut in a 10-round defense of his NABF heavyweight title in a bout presented by Golden Boy and Eye of the Tiger Management. The 31-year-old Russian is on the fast track to a world title, and he already has his eyes set on the biggest names of the division.

Two-division champion Anabel “Avispa” Ortiz (31-3, 4 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico and former flyweight champion Seniesa “Superbad” Estrada (19-0, 8 KOs) of East Los Angeles, California will meet in an epic 10-round fight for Ortiz’s WBA Minimumweight World Title. Ortiz is eager to make a statement in her United States debut, while Estrada looks to accomplish her dream of becoming a world champion in more than one division.

Luis “Matador” Hernandez (21-0, 19 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico will participate in a 10-round super lightweight battle against Alex Martin (15-3, 6 KOs) of Chicago, Illinois.

George Rincon (10-0, 7 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will return in an eight-round super lightweight fight against a soon-to-be-announced opponent.

Hector Valdez (13-0, 8 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will face Alberto Torres (11-3-3, 4 KOs) of Sacramento, California in an eight-round super bantamweight battle.

Oscar Acevedo (7-0) of Garden City, Kansas and James “Crunch Time” Willkins (9-1-0, 6 KOs) of Staten Island, New York will meet in an eight-round super featherweight bout between two Golden Boy prospects.

Ortiz Jr. vs Hooker is a 12-round fight for the WBO International Welterweight Championship presented by Golden Boy. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, March 20 in Dallas, Texas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, including the U.S., Mexico and Russia.

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

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

Knockout king Ortiz Jr (16-0, 16 KOs) becomes the first new signing following the partnership between MTK, as advisors, and Mirigian as manager, which will see the two parties working together with Ortiz Jr over the next five years in a manager and advisor role.

Ortiz is ranked number two with the WBO and number five with the WBC and has won all 16 of his fights by knockout, including wins over the likes of Samuel Vargas, Brad Solomon, Antonio Orozco and Mauricio Herrera.

It sees MTK Global continue their expansion into the US, after signing world champions Jamel Herring and JoJo Diaz, and rising stars Lorenzo Simpson and Jonathan Lopez earlier in the year.

Speaking on the announcement, Vergil Ortiz Jr said: “I’m very excited to sign with MTK as an advisement group with manager Rick Mirigan, who also happens to be the manager of my favourite boxer Jose Ramirez. I’ve heard great things about Rick and MTK and I’m looking forward to the future.”

MTK Global CEO Bob Yalen said: “We are proud to be partnering with Rick Mirigian to work with the incredible Vergil Ortiz Jr.

“Rick is one of the leading boxing figures in the US, and what he’s managed to achieve in the sport shows that he’s guaranteed to be a valued strategic partner for MTK Global.

“Ortiz has had a sensational career so far and he’s destined to become a world champion, so we’re extremely excited to now be working with this superstar.”

Manager Rick Mirigian said: “There are plans for Ortiz to be the face of the 147 pound and a superstar in the near future. We want to build Ortiz outside of the ring and bring in landmark endorsement deals, and look to help put on major fights around him at Cowboy Stadium.

“I’m blessed and grateful to him and his team for giving me the chance to help guide this next chapter of his career, I will give them my all.”

Further news on the ground-breaking partnership with Mirigian will be announced in the coming days.

By Bart Barry –

Friday DAZN returned to boxing broadcasting with a good mainevent from Indio, Calif., in which undefeated Texas welterweight Vergil Ortiz manhandled Colombian veteran Samuel Vargas in an empty casino ballroom.  Ortiz threw every punch correctly and concussively and wore Vargas away till the end of round 7 brought a merciful technical stoppage.

Too early to say with Ortiz.  He does everything right and well and says the right things, too, but questions galore remain about his handlers, his promoter and his trainer, and their aptitude for developing a young prospect like Ortiz.  There’s a pink flag in there, as it were, about his weight, as well.

Ortiz turned pro four years ago as a junior welterweight and began campaigning round 147 a year ago without first winning a world title at his born-on weight.  Much as Golden Boy Promotions needs promising prospects and many as the world titles are in the world it’s a touch concerning Ortiz outgrew junior welter before his promoter got him a title shot.  And while many prospects have been funneled to Robert Garcia’s Oxnard these last 10 years, since Garcia steered Brandon Rios to an unlikely championship and nearly got Antonio Margarito blinded by Manny Pacquiao, there are a few questions about Garcia’s versatility as a trainer and teacher.

Samuel Vargas was an interesting choice of opponent for Friday’s match and DAZN’s return to boxing.  Vargas is a welterweight ratings board unto himself.  How you did against Vargas sets your status: Errol Spence (KO 4), Danny Garcia (KO 7, 2:17), Ortiz (KO 7, 2:58), Amir Khan (UD 12), Luis Collazo (SD 10): Collazo gets decisioned by Khan who gets stiffened by Ortiz who gets decisioned narrowly by Garcia who gets decisioned widely by Spence.  Would that all things were so symmetrical.

Vargas showed more than merely heart in Indio.  He showed veteran savvy when hurt; once he realized he couldn’t attrite Ortiz he retreated to the ropes and boxed pretty effectively, taking away Ortiz’s firstchoice weaponry and stinging him with accurate if anemic counters; he made Ortiz make decisions Ortiz had yet to make in his prizefighting career but will have to make whenever his promoter tries to make real money with him.

Vargas was a low-intermediate challenge for Ortiz but unfortunately the best sort of test Ortiz will see before being the b-side against bigger promoters’ titlists.  PBC owns every welterweight a-side but one, and Ortiz sure ain’t ready for Bud Crawford.  Thus the pink flag allusion above.  There’s no substitute for the experience of a 12-round title fight, for exhausting oneself in 36 minutes of combat with a man who expects to beat you – either because it’s his belt and you’re the usurper, or because the title is vacant and he resents your quick ascent – but Ortiz isn’t going to have any of those at welterweight, and it’s unfortunate he didn’t have any at 140 first.  You have to get seven deep in The Ring’s current 147-pound ratings before you consider making Ortiz a favorite, and even then it’s not much of a consideration.

Who, then, will Ortiz perfect his craft against in the weird silence of a pandemic?  Don’t answer that.  Let’s treat that weird silence instead.

There was an interesting moment in between one of the rounds of Ortiz-Vargas on Friday.  DAZN showed an instant replay without commentary, ostensibly to allow viewers to hear the concussiveness of Ortiz’s punches, but what you heard nearly as much were DAZN’s commentators yelling about the punches in realtime.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard commentators so clearly in an instant replay.  Then there was veteran referee Jack Reiss’s trip to Ortiz’s corner to explain his reason for admonishing Ortiz to stop spinning Vargas a round after DAZN’s Sergio Mora talked loudly about how much he disagreed with his own misinterpretation of Reiss’s officiousness.

Lots of strange new ingredients, there.  The referee hearing so clearly what was being broadcasted about his performance, the twoman commentary crew – seated 20 feet apart and invariably yelling to one another without realizing it – seeing the referee influenced by its commentary, the fighters’ conversations with one another and the referee being casually audible, and the absence of thousands of their fellow men communicating in yells and whispers and cheers and beer orders reducing the number of words the twoman crew spoke during the action.  It was a more intimate spectacle, a purist’s view, but nothing to attract casual fans, who delight in celebrity and sadism much more than craft or tactical nuance.

Variables affecting variables at variable rates – the quintessence of selforganization.  The promoters and networks, who play a centralizing role, surely don’t enjoy all these new variables (except for Bob Arum who’s old enough to find it amusing), but the fighters don’t seem to mind it too much.  They’d rather have what initial adrenaline a crowd supplies, but their ability to summon adrenaline from nearly any source is why they’re professional fighters; so long as paychecks clear and bank accounts stabilize prizefighters mightn’t mind the intimacy of their new arrangement.

Viewers are certainly privy to more than we were before.  Again, the cameras and commentators and promoters and commissioners and pressrow media, all, were existentially invested in having a monopoly on the information given aficionados.  In most cases these monopolies were naturally erected; Max and Jim and Larry were able to tell you things you didn’t know because they had a truckful of guys with headsets hearing all the things you couldn’t hear, and their commentary was essential in marketing to you a product intended to grow subscribers – just like Sergio’s commentary and Tim and Dre’s commentary and Paulie and Al’s commentary.

But as subscribers go wanting and advertisers go with them, we draw closer to a day, perhaps, when aficionados can have all we’ve ever wanted: a commentary-free audio track.  For an educated viewer, after all, there’s never been anything so poetic as the sounds of punches, in their sundry rhythms and rhymes, and how blissful might it be to listen finally without impediment?

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry