WHAT: Gervonta Davis and Badou Jack met with members of the media last Saturday in Las Vegas to discuss their upcoming matchups taking place Saturday, December 28 live on SHOWTIME at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in a special year-end Premier Boxing Champions event.

Two-time super featherweight champion Davis will take on former unified world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa for the WBA Lightweight World Championship as the 24-year-old Davis looks to conquer another division. In the co-main event of a special holiday SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast, former two-division champion Jack will challenge WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Jean Pascal.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through Ticketmaster.com.

Also participating in Saturday’s luncheon at Wolfgang Puck at MGM Grand were Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, and Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

Here’s what the fighters and executives had to say:

GERVONTA DAVIS:
Thoughts about Gamboa and moving up in weight:
“We know Gamboa is a veteran and that he’s had a lot of wars, so we know we have a tough fight. He’s definitely dangerous. He can hit. He can fight.

“His last fight he made 134, so we know he can get bigger than me at that weight. I’m going into this knowing he’s a bigger fighter than me. I’m just going to bring my power and capitalize on that weight class and becoming world champion.

“I believe I’m one of the top fighters in the world, but I don’t compare myself to other fighters. I just go out and get the job done.

“Atlanta is my second home. I’m confident I’ll sell it out.”

On his ability and uniqueness as a fighter:
“I come from a different cloth than these other guys. I’ve been through everything in my life. A lot of people haven’t experienced what I have. If I ever get beat it would have to be by someone who’s been through what I have been through. It can’t be anyone who’s just been training all their life.

“Every time I step in the ring I’m willing to leave it all in there. A lot of people haven’t seen my full skills because I haven’t fought an opponent that has brought them out.”

On his potential in the sport:
“The boxing world hasn’t seen my true potential as a fighter, they’ve just seen my power. I’m the type of boxer where if you don’t belong in there with me, you won’t be in there too long. Some fighters like to take their time. I’m the type, if I know you’re not on my level, I’m going to show it. The world will see. I’ll fight anybody.”

BADOU JACK:
On his upcoming matchup against Pascal:
“I’m excited for this fight. I actually called Pascal the day before his last fight and let him know I was rooting for him. But this is business at the end of the day. I’m coming to take back my title.”

On how he feels at this age:
“I feel like a young 36 years old. I live a clean life. I’m always in the gym training and I try not to take any punishment. I have a couple of years left and I’m more motivated now than ever. I needed that little break. I hadn’t had a break since I was an amateur twenty years ago. I took time to relax with the family and eat good food. Now I’m hungry.”

On his last performance against Marcus Browne:
“Everyone who saw me in my last fight could see I was flat. My fighting instinct kicked in at that point. He was fighting a dead man.”

On the Davis vs. Gamboa matchup:
“It’s a great fight. Gamboa is a little older, but he looked good in his last fight. I’m a big, big fan of Tank – the way he fights, his speed, his athleticism, everything. He has star power. He was on my undercard, now I’m on his. He’s going to bring great things to the sport and as long as he stays focused, he’s going to be a superstar. He’s already a superstar.”

LEONARD ELLERBE:
On Davis’ position and progression in the sport:
“We’re going to show everyone how he’s going to become the biggest star in the sport. In 2020 we’re going to blow this out of the water. We’ve been able to think outside the box. That’s how you grow the sport. We’ve made a concerted effort to cross him over to the mainstream; working with the Baltimore Ravens, his parade, now Atlanta.

“Our plan is to make the biggest and best fights out there. We’re going to call the shots and it’s going to be on our terms, and we’ll let everyone know when that happens. Everyone wants to fight Tank. There’s one common thing when you talk about 126, 130, 135, and now 140. There’s one name that’s common among the fighters and that’s Tank. This is going to be a great journey and you better get on it now.

“If he can get past Gamboa on December 28, then in 2020 he’s going into that pay-per-view world. When you have that kind of star power and you’re thinking outside of the box, not just boxing fans, we’re going to make the biggest fights out there in the world.”

On Badou Jack:
“Badou’s a promoter’s dream. He’s a guy who gives you no problems. He’s out there doing wonderful things for himself and his family. He’s doing so much to help so many others. He’s using his platform in the right way. It’s an honor to work with a fighter like him.

“I always knew he was a great talent and sometimes you can find the diamonds in the rough. Everyone’s always looking at the guys coming out of the Olympics. We saw him in the gym and he really messed a guy up. We had an eye on him and we worked out a deal with Lou [DiBella] and the rest is history.

“We had one setback, but everything happens for a reason, and he’s just taken off since. He’s a great fighter and I like the fact that he’s always willing to fight the best. Never had to second guess that he’s willing to fight everybody.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA:
“There are advantages and disadvantages to promoting a show on this date. There has been a lot of success promoting music shows on that weekend. It’s not apples to apples, but it’s one of the factors that went in and there’s a way to turn this into something special and unique because of Gervonta’s fan base.

“It’s great to have skilled boxers but we need, for the health of the sport, guys like Gervonta who are putting butts in the seats. That’s the key in bringing him to Atlanta. Boxing is a part of a culture that crosses over into music and sports. There’s not an athlete who doesn’t watch a pay-per-view boxing match. Tapping into that with a personality like Tank is only going to expand the sport.

“There’s an authenticity and an openness about Gervonta. There’s a lot of people who’ve had setbacks who don’t talk about it, like Tank. It takes a risk to talk about that and that’s why a lot of people can relate. This is Tank. What you see is what you get. It’s very real. It’s very authentic and I think that’s why people connect with him the person as opposed to him the fighter.”

ATLANTA (November 4, 2019) – Tickets are on sale tomorrow, Tuesday, November 5 at 10 a.m. ET for the event headlined by two-time super featherweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Mayweather Promotions’ top rising star and boxing’s hottest attraction, as he takes on former unified world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa for the WBA Lightweight Title live on SHOWTIME Saturday, December 28 at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in a special year-end Premier Boxing Champions event.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through Ticketmaster.com.

The special holiday SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Jean Pascal battling two-division champion Badou Jack in the co-main event.

Davis has recently made Atlanta his home away from home when he’s not in training camp, and will look to grab a world title in a second weight class when he takes on the tough Cuban former champion in Gamboa. This will be Atlanta’s first major boxing event in years as the fan-favorite Davis looks to close out the year in style and build on a tremendous performance in his Baltimore homecoming in July.

“Since I became a main event fighter, my last two fights have been sell outs,” said Davis. “That’s a great accomplishment for someone who’s only twenty-four years old. I’m looking forward to selling out State Farm Arena in Atlanta for my third sell out in a row. There have been tons of people asking my team when tickets go on sale. Don’t make the mistake of waiting. Get your tickets early before they’re all sold out. I’ll see you all in Atlanta on December 28!”

“December 28 marks Gervonta’s third headlining event of 2019 and he continues to validate his star power every time he’s on the big stage,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “From Los Angeles in February to Baltimore in July, both events were star-studded sellouts and I expect nothing different in Atlanta at State Farm Arena. If you’re planning to be in the building on fight night, don’t wait to get your tickets.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

ATLANTA (October 25, 2019) – Two-time super featherweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Mayweather Promotions’ top rising star and boxing’s hottest attraction, will seek to conquer another division and close out the year with a bang when he takes on former unified world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa for the WBA Lightweight Title live on SHOWTIME Saturday, December 28 from State Farm Arena in Atlanta in a special year-end Premier Boxing Champions event.

Davis and Gamboa both scored highlight-reel knockouts this summer to set up this world title showdown that will headline a special holiday SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Interim WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Jean Pascal will defend against two-division champion Badou Jack in the co-feature of this PBC event.

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions. Ticket sales information will be announced next week.

“This event is a great way to top off the holiday season and 2019,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “We’re looking forward to lighting up the city of Atlanta with a spectacle headlined by the most exciting fighter in boxing, Gervonta Davis taking on a seasoned and fearless warrior, Yuriorkis Gamboa. Gervonta spends a lot of time in Atlanta and he wanted to bring his talents to his second home where he plans to put on yet another electrifying performance. We also have Badou Jack who’s ready to get back in the ring after some time off. He has an opportunity before him to be back on the big stage and become champion for the third time. I’m confident that Jack is ready to get back in the mix and he will come ready to go to war against Jean Pascal come fight night. December 28 is going to be lit in the city of Atlanta!”

“Each time Gervonta Davis steps in the ring he proves worthy of the considerable hype around him,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “On the heels of two electric performances in 2019, he’ll close out the year in a new division and look to further define the Tank Davis mystique. Yuriorkis Gamboa presents a challenge unlike anything Gervonta has faced before: a pure boxer with true finishing power and bona fide credentials. And the co-feature, Jean Pascal vs. Badou Jack, is a 50-50 fight between two proven veterans that is sure to deliver on both skill and intensity. We are proud to deliver this unique, holiday event from Atlanta, a city that is long overdue for a marquee world championship boxing event like this one.”

Davis (22-0, 21 KOs) burst onto the scene with an explosive knockout victory over Jose Pedraza to win the IBF super featherweight title in a star-making performance on January 2017. At the time he became the youngest world champion in boxing at age 22. In the ring, Davis blends controlled aggression with blazing hand and foot speed, eye-catching power and sublime boxing skills. It’s a winning combination that has kept the southpaw unbeaten and given him a 95.5 percent knockout ratio, making him a fan favorite on the threshold of superstardom.

A 24-year-old native of Baltimore, Davis thrilled his hometown with a masterful performance against Ricardo Nunez in his last fight on July 27. The sold out crowd at Royal Farms Arena witnessed Davis score a spectacular second round knockout of Nunez to defend his WBA Super Featherweight title and become the first world champion from Baltimore to make a homecoming defense in nearly 80 years. December 28 will be Davis’ third consecutive headlining appearance of 2019. Under the guidance of Mayweather Promotions, Davis will look to further improve his impressive portfolio with a title at lightweight.

“I’m excited to head south for the holiday season and put on a great show for the city of Atlanta on December 28,” said Davis. “It’s been a long time since a boxing fight of this magnitude has come to the city and I’m proud to be able to give lots of excitement to a city where I’ve spent a lot of my time.

“Some of the greatest boxers in the Hall of Fame have won titles in multiple weight divisions and I’m no different. I expect as much success at 135 pounds as I had at 130 pounds. Yuriorkis Gamboa is a respected name in boxing and has achieved high levels of success in both the Olympics and as a professional. I expect him to bring out the best in me and l will be ready for it. I’m thankful to my whole team for making this happen. To all my fans, continue to support me and I’ll fight for you.”

Gamboa (30-2, 18 KOs) is riding a resurgent wave in his career, which has been sparked by some recent displays of power. The 37-year-old, who is from Guantanamo, Cuba and now lives in Miami, has always been a cerebral boxer. But recently he has demonstrated the attitude and ability to be a finisher, dispatching his last opponent with a crowd-pleasing knockout. Gamboa is a former unified featherweight champion, holding the IBF and WBA 126-pound titles between 2009-2011. Since dropping just the second fight of his career against Robinson Castellano in 2017, Gamboa has won four in a row. He is coming off a knockout victory over Roman Martinez as the co-main event to Davis’ Baltimore homecoming in July, setting up a tantalizing showdown between the two for a lightweight championship.

“I am blessed to have this amazing opportunity to become world champion once again,” said Gamboa. “I have been hoping that this opportunity would be against Gervonta Davis as well. I love and embrace the role of underdog that I have in this match because it will be the ultimate motivator. For the first time in my career, I will be involved in a high profile bout in which I am not coming in at a disadvantage. Gervonta is an excellent fighter, but he has yet to face anyone like me. All the sacrifices I have made in my career and my life – leaving Cuba and coming to this country to find a better life for my family – will finally payoff on December 28.”

Pascal (34-6-1, 20 KOs) most recently captured his interim title by giving Marcus Browne the first defeat of his professional career. Pascal scored four knockdowns in the fight, eventually earning a narrow technical decision when a cut suffered by Browne on an accidental head butt stopped the fight after eight rounds. The 36-year-old has been in the ring with the top fighters of his era during his brilliant career, including Bernard Hopkins, Sergey Kovalev, Carl Froch, Lucian Bute and Chad Dawson. Pascal, who was born in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti and now lives in Laval, Quebec, Canada, won first the light heavyweight world title with a unanimous decision over Adrian Diaconu in 2009.

“After I took this belt from Marcus Browne I asked my team to get me back in the ring before the end of the year and they delivered,” said Pascal. “This is going to be a fight you don’t want to miss. Everybody knows I come to fight, I’m a warrior and it’s the same thing for Badou. We both have proven to be boxers that want to fight the best in the world. Now we’re fighting each other, so you know it’s going to be fireworks.

“I’m training super hard for this fight because I know he’s coming to try to take my belts, but I’ve gone through way too much to become a two-time champion, so my belts aren’t going anywhere.”

Jack (22-2-3, 13 KOs) will fight for the interim title that Marcus Browne won in January by defeating him in a fight that saw Jack battle through a nasty cut on his forehead. Jack will return to action in his fourth fight at light heavyweight after relinquishing his super middleweight world title. Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Jack represented his father’s Gambia in the 2008 Olympics and now lives in Las Vegas. Jack won the 168-pound world title with a majority decision against Anthony Dirrell in 2015 and successfully defended the belt three times before a hard-fought majority draw against James DeGale in one 2017’s best fights. In his first bout at 175 pounds, Jack stopped Nathan Cleverly to pick up the WBA light heavyweight title before fighting to a majority draw against then WBC champion Adonis Stevenson in May 2018.

“It feels great to be back and I’m looking forward to putting on another exciting performance,” says Jack. “I always fight to make sure my family lives a comfortable lifestyle and to secure my legacy, but I’m just as motivated to represent and fight for children across the globe that my foundation helps.

“Expect to see me stronger, smarter and more experienced on December 28. I’m looking forward to getting my belts back and becoming a three-time world champion. I respect Pascal and consider him a friend, but business is business.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

BALTIMORE (July 22, 2019) – Former world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa will look to put himself squarely back into world title contention when he faces fellow former champion Roman “Rocky” Martinez on Saturday, July 27 live on SHOWTIME from Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore.

Gamboa last fought in November 2018, when he dropped Miguel Beltran Jr. on his way to earning a unanimous decision in their 10-round fight. He took the momentum from that fight directly into camp for his matchup against Martinez.

“I feel great and I’m in the ideal condition for this fight,” said Gamboa. “It helped immensely that I fought in November 2018 and went back to the gym in late January 2019. I started training camp for this fight in early May 2019 to get me in the best shape possible for Martinez.

“I have to be the best that I can be, and I know that I will be. The rest will take care of itself. I am not coming off a long layoff like I was in previous years, and I’m thankful to my team that put me in this position to get right back in the ring.”

In Martinez, Gamboa faces another former champion who will be looking to get himself back into the world title picture. Neither fighter can afford a loss at this point in their careers, which serves as the ingredients for a high-stakes and exciting battle.

“I expect this fight to be a very cerebral fight at first,” said Gamboa. “You have two former world champions with huge amounts of experience between Martinez and I. It will build into a very entertaining bout for everyone watching. The fans are going to witness boxing at its highest level.”

Amongst his wealth of experience in the ring, Gamboa has faced a litany of champions and contenders throughout his career. Heading into the fight against Martinez, Gamboa sees similarities to his past triumphs over former champions Orlando Salido and Daniel Ponce De Leon.

“I see similarities in Martinez to my previous fights against Salido and Ponce De Leon,” said Gamboa. “Both were tough and rugged and kept coming forward. We all know that Martinez fits the bill as a tough fighter who will never back down. Having faced these two opponents in the past will help me a great deal in this fight.”

Gamboa will be fighting as the co-main event to that evening’s headlining bout featuring WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Gervonta Davis, who defends his title in his hometown against mandatory challenger Ricardo Núñez. If Davis and Gamboa are both victorious on July 27, Gamboa would welcome a future showdown between the two.

“After I win this fight, I am ready for anyone at 130 or 135 pounds,” said Gamboa. “Gervonta Davis is a very good fighter and has done a fantastic job in his campaign as a 130-pound champion. If Gervonta happens to be the next fight, let’s throw hands and see what happens.

“Unlike my fight with Terrence Crawford at 135 pounds, I feel like I would be the bigger man in the ring against Gervonta. A win versus Martinez is a wonderful opportunity and I will not let it go to waste as it will catapult me to much bigger fights, which my fans deserve.”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions in association with GTD Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or at the Royal Farms Box Office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. ET to 5 p.m. ET.

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ABOUT DAVIS VS. NÚÑEZ
Davis vs. Núñez will see two-time super featherweight champion and Baltimore native Gervonta “Tank” Davis become the first fighter from Baltimore in almost 80 years to make a homecoming title defense when he defends his WBA title against mandatory challenger Ricardo “Científico” Núñez live on SHOWTIME Saturday, July 27 from Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature former world champions Yuriorkis Gamboa and Roman “Rocky” Martínez battling in a 10-round lightweight attraction while lightweight contender Ladarius “Memphis” Miller meets former world champion Jezzrel “El Invisible” Corrales in a 10-round showdown.

For more information visit www.sho.com/sports, follow on Twitter @Gervontaa, @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, @PremierBoxing and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOSportsand www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.

BALTIMORE (July 2, 2019) – Former world champions Yuriorkis Gamboa and Roman “Rocky” Martínez will battle in a 10-round lightweight attraction while lightweight contender Ladarius “Memphis” Miller meets former world champion Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales in a 10-round showdown live on SHOWTIME Saturday, July 27 from Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by two-time super featherweight champion and Baltimore native Gervonta “Tank” Davis defending his WBA title in a championship homecoming against mandatory challenger Ricardo “Científico” Núñez.

“Saturday, July 27 is going to be something special for the city of Baltimore,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “While we know what the main event brings, both bouts leading up to it have high stakes written all over them as well. Any time you put former world champions and young hungry prospects in the ring, you know these fighters will be looking to get the win and ultimately put themselves in position for a shot at a title. I’m anticipating non-stop action in these bouts from the first bell to the end.”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions in association with GTD Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or at the Royal Farms Box Office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. ET to 5 p.m. ET.

A former titleholder at 126 and 130 pounds, Gamboa (29-2, 17 KOs) has won his last three fights, including a decision over former world champion Jason Sosa. His last time out, he dropped and defeated Miguel Beltran Jr. by unanimous decision. An Olympic gold medalist for his native Cuba, Gamboa fights out of Miami and will look to get another world title shot with a victory on July 27.

“I’m in a great position in my career and I’m very happy to be back on this big stage again,” said Gamboa. “Rocky Martinez is a very tough and formidable opponent and we will make this a great fight for the fans. I know that I will make it past this challenge and on to more marquee opportunities. I’m looking at facing Gervonta Davis and becoming world champion again.”

Always in exciting and memorable fights, Martinez (30-3-3, 18 KOs) returned to the ring in March by knocking out William Gonzalez. Fighting out of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, Martinez is a three-time 130-pound champion who has faced elite fighters such as Mikey Garcia and Vasiliy Lomachenko throughout a career that has also seen him defeat the likes of Orlando Salido and Diego Magdaleno.

“I’m happy for this opportunity and to have this chance to be near a world title fight again,” said Martinez. “I’m training to win against a good fighter in Yuriorkis Gamboa. It’s a fight that will define my future and I am fully prepared to become world champion again, and this time in another weight division.”

The 25-year-old Miller (19-1, 6 KOs) has won 10 fights in a row, including a victory over current world champion Jamel Herring, as he looks to earn a world title fight. Originally from Memphis and now living in Las Vegas, Miller began 2019 with a first-round knockout over Daulis Prescott in February and now has his sights set on earning a world title fight.

“I’m coming to make a statement on July 27,” said Miller. “That’s the mindset I’ve been training for. I’m facing a former world champion and a win can solidify my name in the 135-pound division. I’ve been working hard and I know that Corrales won’t bring anything that I’m not prepared for. I’m excited to have this opportunity, take advantage of it and get one step closer to a world championship.”

Representing his native Panamá, Corrales (23-2, 9 KOs) won a 130-pound world title by knocking out Takashi Uchiyama in Japan in 2016, before defeating him by decision in the rematch. The 27-year-old returned to the ring in April to knock out Onalvi Sierra in two rounds.

“I’m very excited to have this opportunity and grateful that I have another chance to fight at the highest level,” said Corrales. “Miller is a very skillful boxer and I respect his abilities. I’m going to test him and see if he can fight off of his back foot. I’m going to prepare so that I have all the tools to get the victory on July 27.”

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For more information visit www.sho.com/sports, follow on Twitter @Gervontaa, @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, @PremierBoxing and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOSportsand www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.

Redemption in Miami promoted by New Champions Promotions rocked Anthony Hall in Miami tonight when Yuriorkis “El Ciclon de Guantánamo” Gamboa 29-2, (17 KOs) and Juan Manuel Lopez each won to set up a long-awaited match.

Gamboa won a one-sided unanimous decision victory over two-time world title challenger Miguel Beltran, Jr. 33-7 (22 KO). The four-time world champion in three weight divisions and Olympic Gold Medalist Gamboa dumped Beltran on the canvas right at the end of round one, in what looked like was the start of the end, but it was just the beginning. Gamboa stalked Beltran throughout the next 9 rounds with flashes of his old self. Sharp counter punching and slick feet, Gamboa had Beltran in trouble a few times and finished strong in a great performance.

Former World Featherweight Champion Puerto Rican Juan Manuel Lopez 36-6, (32 KO) put Cristian Ruben Mino 19-3(17KO) on the canvas four times en route to a unanimous decision victory. In round five Mino rocked JuanMa with a left hook in what looked to be a glimpse of JuanMa’s vulnerability of a weak chin which has plagued his career. Lopez was on the ropes and in trouble, however, he was able to work through and work to a victory, but never flashed the brilliance he once possessed. The final cards reading 97-88 and 96-89 twice.

In 2009 Gamboa and “Juanma” were both world titles and rising pound-for-pound stars on a collision course boxing fans were begging for. Both fighters were promoted by Bob Arums’ Top Rank who chose to let the fight marinate. Instead, Lopez’s career got derailed when got knocked out twice by Orlando Salido. Gamboa went to Omaha and introduced the world to Bud Crawford in a clash of undefeated lightweights. Gamboa has gone on to “win some lose some” highly unnoticed and Lopez has lost more than he has won, going 2-4 in his last 6, stopped all 4 times.

“This is something that has been a long time coming. It is something that I have promised to my fans in Miami, which is the city that has really embraced me when I first got here from Cuba,” states Gamboa.

The Cuban and Puerto Rican are now back on track for a collision course after ten years in the making. Long overdue, for sure, over marinated perhaps, great boxing, absolutely.

The live broadcast of the pay per view event “Redemption in Miami” from Anthony Hall kickstarted with a showcasing of undefeated Cuban Bantamweight Jorge Romero improving to 12-0(9KO) pounding out a shutout performance against tough and relentless Jason Vera 5-6(3KO).

Crowd favorite Harold Calderon 18-0, (11KO) from Miami, put Emiliano “Pacman” Martin Garcia 16-3, (13 KO) of Buenos Aires, Argentina on the canvas three times enroute to a strong TKO victory. To the chant of Harold-Harold-Harold from the start of the match, the crowd favorite did not disappoint. Calderon’s straight left hand dropped Martin in round two in a fight he was never really in. Outpowered, outboxed and outclassed was Martin knocking him down twice in the seventh round and the final knockdown came courtesy of a right hand when referee Sam Burgos called a halt to the bout at 1:11 of round seven.

Welterweights’ Sonny Duversonne 4-0(2KO) and Jesus “Zues” Almonte 4-1(2KO) opened the evening at Arnold Hall in Miami with a slow-brewed chess match that nearly turned into a fight of substance on a few occasions however never erupted into the battle it could have been, instead only a brutal game of tag that the judges scored 58-56, 59-55 and 59-55 for Duversonne, handing the Atlantia boxer his first loss as a pro.

A packed house in Miami at Arnold Hall in anticipation of JuanMa Lopez and Yuriokios Gamboa upcoming matches, including heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz.

MIAMI, FL, September 20, 2018 — In the “REDEMPTION IN MIAMI” main event, former four-time world champion in three weight divisions and Olympic Gold Medalist YURIORKIS “El Ciclon De Guantánamo” GAMBOA will battle two-time world title challenger MIGUEL “Barreterito” BELTRAN, JR. in a ten round lightweight bout. In the co-feature, former three-time world champion in two weight classes JUAN “JuanMa” LOPEZ will clash with CRISTIAN RUBEN “Piedrita” MINO, also in a ten-round lightweight bout. “Redemption in Miami” will take place Saturday, November 10 at Marlins Park on the West Plaza in Miami, Florida and will be available live on pay per view, distributed by Integrated Sports Media, beginning at 9 pm ET / 6pm PT at a retail price of $24.95.

“Redemption in Miami” is promoted by New Champions Promotions in association with Marlins Park. Ticket prices start at $60 and will go on sale Wednesday, September 26 at 10:00 am ET and be available at the Marlins Park ticket office and on line at www.marlins.com/boxing. Fight night doors will open at 6:00 pm and first bout will begin at 7:00 pm.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PHOTOS & VIDEO
Photos Courtesy David Martin Warr
Video Courtesy New Champions Promotions

JUANMA LOPEZ
Thank you again for coming and I am happy to be on the big stage again, one that I have been used to being on. This is a pay per view event and that merits a lot of attention. With the help of my management team including Mr. Pepiama who has taken the spot of my promoter and has helped me very much and become almost a father figure to me. I thank New Champion Promotions for giving me this opportunity and I look forward to it. Obviously most important to me personally is to win this fight and potentially set up the next fight against Yuriorkis Gamboa, which has been a fight that has kind of eluded both of us but as long as I take care of business and he takes care of business there is no reason for that not to happen for the next fight. On the other hand he is talking about fighting Lomachenko. If he wins this fight and skips me and wants to keep running, let him run, but hopefully he does not run. This fight was done with the idea and the plan that we both get featured on a card and we fight and win and fight each other but now he’s talking a different language – fighting Lomachenko – so maybe he is having second thoughts. It’s a fight that the public wants but it is all up to him. Hopefully he sticks to the plan.

MIGUEL BELTRAN JR.
I am very happy to be here. This is my first time I Miami. I respect the community, I respect all of the Cubans here in Miami and I respect all the press here in Miami and I respect Gamboa but I came here to fight and I came here to win so let’s get to it. I will be 100% training for the fight. I came here to win and I will give everything in the ring to make that happen and that’s the way it’s going to be. I will be the one winning that night. I am very appreciative of everyone here and than you very much.

GAMBOA
I would like to thank everyone that is here supporting this event. This is something that has been a long time coming. It is something that I have promised to my fans in Miami, which is the city that has really embraced me when I first got here from Cuba. I would like to thank Jesse Rodriguez for believing in me and not only me but believing in Miami to make this a reality. There have been a lot of things that have happened in my career and my career is far from over. I am here to be the best, which is what I have always felt I am. With the right people around me I am looking forward to having a great fight on November 10th and not only a great fight, but a great event in and of itself.

The comment that JuanMa had made earlier that I may be running or I may be ducking – that is false. He knows he is contractually obligated to New Champions for two fights – the second fight would be, if we both win, a fight between me and him. The fact that my goal is to fight Lomachenko or someone else in the division does no mean that I am trying to duck him. By all means I know my obligation and I know his obligation. My obligations right now it to win on November 10. After winning November 10, I want JuanMa.

Very important to note is that the effort that New Champion Promotions is making in not only hosting the event but making the commitment to the city to bring this caliber of an event to Miami and South Florida. Both he and I and the company itself hope to continue to host thee type of events not only in the near future but long term as well.

With respect to my fight in and of itself I would like to welcome the city of Miami, not just my fans, to come and embrace this event on November 10 – it’s going to be a great event. In respect to the comments made by my opponent on November 10, Mr. Beltran, I understand the challenge that he poses but I don’t see him as too much of an obstacle towards the goals that I have set for myself – in the near future is JuanMa and then after JuanMa, going up against Lomachenko. Those are my objectives and I want to share this ride with Miami and that’s what I am doing coming into this new arrangement with New Champion Promotions and making it a must to do the PPV here in Miami because I know the people of Miami are going to support it.

(endquotes)

The pay per view show will include four bouts in all.

Integrated Sports Media will distribute “Redemption in Miami” in the USA on cable, satellite and digital pay-per-view via iN Demand, Vubiquity, DIRECTV and DISH; and live-streamed worldwide on the FITE.TV app and website www.fite.tv, each way for a suggested retail price of only $24.95.

MIAMI, FL, September 20, 2018 — In the “REDEMPTION IN MIAMI” main event, former four-time world champion in three weight divisions and Olympic Gold Medalist YURIORKIS “El Ciclon De Guantánamo” GAMBOA will battle two-time world title challenger MIGUEL “Barreterito” BELTRAN, JR. in a ten round lightweight bout. In the co-feature, former three-time world champion in two weight classes JUAN “JuanMa” LOPEZ will clash with CRISTIAN RUBEN “Piedrita” MINO, also in a ten-round lightweight bout. “Redemption in Miami” will take place Saturday, November 10 at Marlins Park on the West Plaza in Miami, Florida and will be available live on pay per view, distributed by Integrated Sports Media, beginning at 9 pm ET / 6pm PT at a retail price of $24.95

“Redemption in Miami” is promoted by New Champions Promotions in association with Marlins Park. Ticket prices start at $60 and will go on sale Wednesday, September 26 at 10:00 am ET and be available at the Marlins Park ticket office and on line at www.marlins.com/boxing. Fight night doors will open at 6:00 pm and first bout will begin at 7:00 pm.

“I’ve been dreaming all of my life about bringing boxing to my people in Miami,” said Gamboa. “JuanMa and I went to a Marlins game last year and we fell in love with the atmosphere and talked about fighting here. Now it is reality.”

Gamboa (28-2, 17 KOs), from Guantanamo, Cuba now living in Miami, Fla., won Gold as a Cuban in the 2004 Olympic games and is a former featherweight world champion; former super featherweight world champion; former lightweight world champion and former unified world champion. Gamboa defected and made his professional debut in 2007, and two years and fourteen fights later, on April 17, 2009, became world champion, winning the World Boxing Association (WBA) interim featherweight title. After three successful defenses, Gamboa beat International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight champion Orlando Salido to become Unified Champion. Three fights later Gamboa moved up in weight and won the interim WBA super featherweight title and immediately moved up another weight class and won the interim WBA lightweight title, setting up a unification mega-fight against fellow undefeated Terrence Crawford. Gamboa rocked Crawford early in the fight in what has been considered Crawford’s toughest fight to date but eventually succumbed. Gamboa took his last bout on three weeks notice against former WBA Super Featherweight Champion Jason Sosa on November 25 at Madison Square Garden. Gamboa won a majority decision and told Sosa after the fight “I’m sorry i didn’t give you a better match, I only had 3 weeks to prepare. I needed 2 or 3 more weeks to lose the weight correctly. Of course the decision was good though.”

Miguel Beltran, Jr. (32-6, 21 KOs) hails from Los Mochis, Mexico, a boxing hotbed that has produced no less than five world champions. Miguel won twenty-six of his first twenty-seven fights leading to his first world title fight, on December 10, 2011, in his hometown Los Mochis, against International Boxing Federation (IBF) Super Featherweight Champion Juan Carlos Selgado. In the second round following an accidental head butt, the fight was stopped at the recommendation of the ringside doctor, was ruled a No Contest and Selgado retained the title. Beltran Jr. won his next fight, then was rewarded with another world title challenge, this time for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) super featherweight title against Roman Martinez at the Thomas & Mack Center on the undercard of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Sergio Martinez. It was a classic Mexico vs. Puerto Rico battle, they fought on the inside and fought on the outside and at the end, Martinez won the title by split decision. Since then Miguel has stopped four of his last nine opponents.

Puerto Rico’s “JuanMa” Lopez (35-6, 32KOs) from Caguas Puerto Rico, was his country’s Olympic representative in 2004. He made his professional debut in 2005 and in his twenty-second bout won the WBO super bantamweight title against Ponce De Leon by TKO on June 7, 2007 and made five successful defenses. He then moved up to featherweight and won the WBO featherweight title on January 23, 2010 against Steve Levueno. He successfully defended that belt twice. JuanMa was also named the Puerto Rican Fighter of the Year in both 2008 and ’09.

Cristian “Piedrita” Mino (19-2, 12 KOs) from Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina made his professional debut on December 19, 2014 and fought an incredible number of bouts, ten in his first calendar year, sinning all but one by knockout. He followed that up with nine more bouts in his second year – winning all by knockout.

The pay per view show will include four bouts in all.

Integrated Sports Media will distribute “Redemption in Miami” in the USA on cable, satellite and digital pay-per-view via iN Demand, Vubiquity, DIRECTV and DISH; and live-streamed worldwide on the FITE.TV app and website www.fite.tv, each way for a suggested retail price of only $24.95.

Follow all the action as Sergey Kovalev looks to regain the WBO Light Heavyweight title against Vyacheslav Shabranskyy.  The action begins at 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT with Junior Lightweight contest between former world champions Jason Sosa and Yuriorkis Gamboa followed by a Light Heavyweight fight between Sullivan Barrera and Felix Valera

THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.  NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

Round 1: Kovalev  lands a right..Good jab.Body shot..Right from Shabranskyy..BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES SHABRANSKYY..BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES SHABRANSKYY..

Round 2 Hard right from Kovalev..HARD LEFT AND SHABRANSKYY GOES DOWN..Right rocks Shabranskyy..HARD ONSLAUGHT AND THE THE FIGHT IS OVER

Round 1 HARD LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES BARRERA..RIGHT HAND AND DOWN GOES VALERA

Round 2 Left hook from Valera..Good left hook from Barrera..Valera warned for a low blow..Good right from Barrera..Barrera cut over his left eye..Hard right to body from Barrera..

Round 3 VALERA DEDUCTED A POINT FOR LOW BLOW..Left hook from Valera..Left hook to body from Barrera..

Round 4 Good overhand right from Barrera…Hard right…Right to body..right..

Round 5

Round 6 VALERA DEDUCTED ANOTHER POINT FOR LOW BLOW..Barrera lands a right.  Valera lands a left..2 lefts Barrera…Good body shot..Right hand..Straight right to the chin..Hard combination

Round 7  Right from Barrera..Trading body shots..Good right from Barrera..Left uppercut

Round 8  VALERA DEDUCTED ANOTHER POINT FOR LOW BLOWS..Good uppercut from Barrera..

Round 9 BARRERA DEDUCTED A POINT FOR A LOW BLOW..Good left to body and right from Barrera..

Round 10  Big left hook from Valera..Body shot…Barrera lands a body shot..Big left hook

98-88, 97-90, 97-89 for SULLIVAN BARRERA

Round 1 Hard right from Gamboa…Good body shot

Round 2 2 Body shots from Gamboa..Sosa lands a left hook…Cut over Gamboa’s left eye..Good over hand right from Sosa

Round 3

Round 4 Good body shot from Gamboa..

Round 5 Hard right from Gamboa..Good right from Sosa…Right From Gamboa..

Round 6  Left from Gamboa..

Round 7  RIGHT HAND MAKES GAMBOA GLOVE TOUCH CANVAS FOR A KNOCKDOWN..Good left hook from Gamboa..Good right from Sosa..Body shot..

Round 8  Right from Sosa..Left to Body..Left..Right to body

Round 9 Right from Sosa

Round 10 GAMBOA DEDUCTED A POINT FOR HOLDING…

94-94; 95-93; 96-92 for YURIORKIS GAMBOA

NEW YORK CITY –Sergey Kovalev (31-2-1, 27 KO) returned to pre-Andre Ward fight form and captured the WBO world light heavyweight title, blasting through Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (19-2, 16 KO), sending him to the canvas three times inside two rounds en route to a TKO victory.

After a brief “feeling-out” period, where Kovalev was momentarily backed up by a Shabranskyy jab, the 34 year-old Russian marched forward, uncorking massive right hands that seemingly landed at will.  It was midway through the first when a “Krusher” right landed flush on the side of Shabranskyy’s head and sent him down to the mat for the first time.

Upon beating the count, Kovalev greeted his 30 year-old Ukrainian counterpart with more haymakers and eventually connected with an even bigger right that collapsed Shabranskyy to the mat again.  The “Lionheart” beat referee Harvey Dock’s ten count and was able to survive the round.

In the second round, Kovalev picked up right where he left off, fighting as ruthless and relentless as ever, plodding forward and unloading vicious bombs that continually connected with an alarming success rate.

 A left-right-left combo midway through the second sent Shabranskyy down for the third time.  Again, Shabranskyy beat the ten-count, but this time he stood on extremely unsteady legs.  Kovalev continued to wail on an absent Shabranskyy until referee Harvey Dock stepped between the two combatants and called a half to the bout at the 2:36 mark of round two.

It was Kovalev’s first performance since dropping two straight fights to Andre Ward, both controversial in their own right.  In their first meeting, Ward scored a split decision victory, despite hitting the canvas in the second round.  In their rematch, referee Tony Weeks controversially waved off the match in the eighth round after a series of borderline low-blow body shots hurt the 34 year-old Russian and left him defenseless.

 Tonight also marked Kovalev’s first fight working with head trainer, Abror Tursunpulatov.  Previously, Kovalev had been working with John David Jackson.  Rumors of a fractured relationship between Kovalev and Jackson began to swirl between the first and second Ward fights, and in October, the inevitable parting of ways become official when Kovalev formally announced Tursunpulatov as his new coach.

 Prior to tonight’s devastating loss, Shabranskyy was having himself a solid 2017, scoring back to back stoppage wins over Larry Pryor and Todd Unthank May, respectively.  Those wins were enough to land him his first title shot tonight against Kovalev.

 Shabranskyy’s only other loss came courtesy of Sullivan Barrera in December 2016.

 Barrera, who scored a unanimous decision victory earlier in the night against Dominican, Felix Valera, is certainly a candidate to fight for Kovalev’s title in the near future.

 “It’s my goal to be the best in the division,” Kovalev said afterward.  “Here tonight was great boxing for me and I love boxing and I want to make great fights.

Bombs Away — Barrera Scores UD Win Over Valera

Sullivan Barrera (21-1, 14 KO) out-slugged and earned a ten round unanimous decision victory over Felix Valera (15-2, 13 KO) in a light heavyweight contest marred by low-blows.

 There were fireworks from the opening bell and midway through the bout’s first round, the free swinging Dominican, Valera, caught his Cuban counterpart with a monster left hook that sent Barrera down the canvas.  The 35 year-old Barrera was able to shake the knockdown and score one of his own later in the round right as the bell sounded, when a glancing Barrera shot sent an off-balance Valera to the mat.

 The first of four point deductions administered by referee Mike Ortega, Jr. for low blows came in the second round when Valera nailed Barrera below the waistline for the second time.  Valera would also be deducted a point in the sixth and eighth rounds.  Barrera was deducted a point for low blows in the ninth.

 It was a bombs away type affair, with both fighters swinging wildly at times, knowing that they possessed the power to end the fight with one punch.  But time and time again, however, it was Barrera who landed the more meaningful, significant shots.

In an attempt to rattle Barrera flamboyant Valera tried anything he could to disrupt the always-composed Cuban.  The 29 year-old Dominican flailed his arms wildly, stuck his tongue out at Barrera, and even jumped up and down — all to no avail.

 At the end of ten, all judges scored the bout widely for Barrera.  Don Ackerman had it 98-88, Tom Schreck 97-89, and Glenn Feldman 97-90.

 It was another solid win for Barrera, whose only defeat came at the hands of Andre Ward in March 2016.  Barrera last fought in July against Joe Smith, Jr., where much like tonight, he rose off the canvas to score a unanimous decision victory.

 For the durable Valera, it was his second professional defeat, the other coming courtesy of undefeated superstar, Dmitry Bivol.

Gamboa Earns Controversial Decision Over Sosa

Yuriorkis Gamboa (28-2, 17 KO) scored a controversial ten round majority decision victory against Jason Sosa (20-3-4, 15 KO) in what many viewed as a make or break fight for the former three-division world champion.

It was clear early on that the 35 year-old former Olympic Gold Medalist’s gameplan was to stick-and-move, get-in and get-out.  Conversely, Sosa’s plan was to plod forward, apply as much pressure as he could, while landing the bigger, more significant power punches.

After a first round where both fighters staked their flag, Sosa unloaded a looping right that caught Gamboa on the button as the second round drew to a close.  Any Sosa attempt to throw follow up shots were quickly squandered by the dinging of the bell.

Gamboa got right back to work in the middle rounds, however, staying true to his stick-and-move gameplan, landing a few shots, then slipping most of Sosa’s return-fire.

Sosa began to swing the momentum back his way in the sixth, and in the seventh, a Sosa left hook clipped an off-balance Gamboa whose gloved fist made contact with the canvas.  Referee Ron Lipton immediately ruled a knockdown.

The final three rounds saw good action, with Sosa coming forward, and Gamboa trying to hit and move.

In the tenth round, referee Ron Lipton controversially deducted a point from Gamboa for holding.

At the conclusion of ten, judge Robin Taylor scored the contest even, 94-94.  She was overruled by judges John McKaie and Don Trella, who scored the bout 95-93 and 96-92, respectively.  15rounds.com scored the fight 95-94 for Gamboa.

Sosa was initially slated to face Robinson Castellanos (24-13, 14 KO), who scored an upset TKO win against Gamboa in May.  However, an injury earlier this month forced the Mexican to withdraw, and Gamboa was called in as a late replacement.

The win makes it two straight for “El Ciclon” since suffering that shocking defeat to Castellanos.

For Sosa, the tough-luck loss his is second in a row, the other coming back in April courtesy of Vasily Lomachenko.

 “It was a good fight.  I didn’t have enough time to train.  I only had three weeks.  I didn’t have time to get ready.  I needed 2 or 3 more weeks to lose the weight correctly,” Gamboa said afterward.

 He continued, “Of course the decision was good.  I think won every round.  Except for the knockdown and the point deduction.”

 Sosa also spoke afterward, saying, “I was a fun fight.  I took some breaks but I thought I did enough to win. I know I did enough to win the fight.”

Murtazaliev Destroys Galvan In 5, Wins IBA Super Welterweight Title

Bakhram Murtazaliev (11-0, 9 KO) methodically broke down Carlos Galvan (16-6-1, 15 KO) before closing the show in spectacular fashion in the fifth round of a super welterweight contest slated for ten.

 The heavy-handed Russian, who operates under the tutelage of Sergey Kovalev’s new trainer, Abror Tursunpulatov, stalked his Colombian counterpart round after round.  Like waves on a shore, Murtazaliev kept coming forward, forcing Galvan to fight going backwards, something he was clearly uncomfortable doing.

 After four rounds of systematically crushing Galvan’s will, the 24 year-old Russian broke through in the fifth, sending Galvan to the mat with a vicious one-two.  About a minute later, Murtazaliev finished off his wounded foe with a thundering left hook to the liver that put Galvan on the mat for good.  Referee Ricky Gonzalez opted not to administer a ten-count and instead, called a stop to the contest at the 1:31 mark of round five.

It was the fourth stoppage defeat in six overall losses for Galvan.  It was also his fourth time fighting in the United States, and his fourth loss.

Galarza Grabs UD Win In Return To Ring

 Brooklyn’s Frank Galarza (18-2-2, 11 KO) returned to the ring after a fourteen month layoff and scored a unanimous decision win over Chicago’s Jamie Herrera (15-5-1, 8 KO) in an eight round super welterweight contest.

 The victory was hard-earned and well-deserved for Galarza, who had dropped his previous two contests — a TKO loss to Jarrett Hurd and a majority decision loss to veteran Ishe Smith, a fight that saw Galarza hit the canvas in the second round.

 It was a gutsy affair between two veteran prizefighters who each were coming off lengthy layoffs.  For Galarza, who in July inked a new promotional deal with Main Events, the fight marked just his second fight in the last twenty-four months, and the first since September 2016.  For the Mexican-American Herrera, it was just his first fight since November 2016, when he suffered UD loss to Taras Shelestyuk.

The fight was a back and forth contest, with a predictable, but entertaining ebb and flow.  Round after round, both fighters willingly engaged, eating a few shots before landing their own.  But while both fighters enjoyed success over the duration of the contest, it was the 33 year-old Galarza who punches landed cleaner and with more frequency.

In the fifth round, a Galarza right hand opened up a cut over his 28 year-old counterparts left eye.  In the seventh, a booming right to the body by Galarza hurt Herrera, hunching him forward where he was met with a flurry of Galarza lefts and rights until Herrera was able to weather the storm.

The Chicagoan’s high-pressure style was both a blessing and a curse for him in that it seemed to slowly wear down Galarza, but also left him vulnerable to Galarza stick-and-move pot-shots as he tried to work his way inside his reach.  
At the end of eight rounds, all three judges scored the contest for Galarza.  Robin Taylor scored it a shutout 80-72, while referees John McKaie and Allen Nace saw it 78-74 and 79-73, respectively.

 “I feel good after a 14 month layoff, shaking off some ring rust. I’m so grateful for Main Events to put me on their card,” Galarza remarked afterward.

He continued, “Hopefully I’ll be back in the Garden soon. It felt great, it was where I belong. It felt right. Not many places you can call home, but this is one for me.”

 Galarza also acknowledged his legion of fans in the crowd tonight.  “I’m grateful for my supporters, for people who waited it out for me,” he said.  “As a Brooklyn native, a person from New York who’s been around, they support me and that’s the best thing.”

Nursultanov Stays Perfect, Hands Moon First Loss Inside Two

 In a battle that pitted two undefeated middleweights against one another, Kazakhstan’s Meiirim Nursultanov (5-0, 4 KO) made quick work of Marietta, Georgia’s Eric Moon (7-1, 6 KO), stopping him inside two rounds.

 It was all Nursultanov from start to finish, as he pressured and battered Moon from the opening bell.  Midway through the second, Nursultanov pinned Moon against the ropes and wailed away, mixing shots to the body and head.  At the 1:54 mark of the second round, referee Ricky Gonzalez decided Moon had eaten too many uncontested shots and called a halt to the contest.

 The win makes it four kayos in five professional fights for the Egis Klimas managed, Main Events promoted, Nursultanov.

Thunder In His Hands, LeShawn Rodriguez Stops Duarte In 3

 In a middleweight contest slated for six, former New York Golden Gloves Champion and 2016 US Olympic alternate “Lightning” LeShawn Rodriguez (8-0, 7 KO) powered his way past Sao Paolo’s Brazil’s Alex Duarte (13-3-1, 10 KO) en route to a third round KO victory.

It was an impressive display of patience, prowess, and power from the 24 year-old New York native, who balanced his attack, working to both the head and body of his 37 year-old counterpart.

Midway through the second, Rodriguez ripped a left to the body that put Duarte on his knees.  The Brazilian beat Steve Smoger’s ten count and was able to survive the round.

In the third however, a Rodriguez left-right combo to the body and head, sent Duarte to the canvas for good, where he was unable to beat Smogers count.  The official time of stoppage was the 1:48 mark of round three.

It was Duarte’s third loss of his career, all of which have come via stoppage.

“It feels good always to win, but to win by knockout is better, sensational, spectacular,” Rodriguez said afterward.  “I felt at home. A lot of people came out to see me. This is the first time I’ve fought in New York since I turned pro.”

Gogokhia Stays Perfect, Decisions Abreau

 Enriko Gogokhia remained perfect (7-0, 3 KO) with a unanimous decision win over Jose Antonio Abreau (13-3, 8 KO) in a six round welterweight contest.

Action picked up toward the end of the second round when the southpaw, Gogokhia, floored his Dominican counterpart.  The 29 year-old Abrea beat the ten count and was immediately met with a barrage of punches as the round drew to a close.

In the next few rounds, the Egis Klimas managed Gogokhia, pressed his foot on the gas and forced the action, continually getting the better of the boxer’s exchanges.

In the end, all three judges scored it widely for the 26 year-old Georgian native, Gogokhia.  Scores were 60-53 and 59-54, twice.  The judges’ decision resulted in Abreau’s third career loss, all of which have been on US soil.

 “It was a good fight, good opponent with a good record,” Gogokhia said afterward.  “It was harder because the opponent was ready and he also wanted to win. I was just getting started by the last round. Still, a victory is a victory.”

Villareal Kicks Off Pro Campaign With Win

The undercard of Sergey Kovalev vs. Vyacheslav Shabranskyy kicked off with the successful debut of former two-time New York Golden Gloves champion, Ismael Villareal (1-0).  The former amatuer standout scored a unimous decision victory over Race Sawyer (0-5) in a four round super welterweight contest.

Villareal, who fights out of John’s Gym in the Bronx is trained by his father, former welterweight Otilio Villareal, who over his 32 bout pro career, shared the ring with the likes of Zab Judah, Kermit Cintron, and Hector Camacho.

Villareal controlled the contest bell to bell, bruising and battering Utah’s Sawyer with head snapping blows.  The 21 year old Bronx debutant would have benefitted by putting in more work to his foe’s body, but that was not on the agenda tonight.

All in all, Villareal won’t have too much to complain about tonight.  The Ecuadorian-American pitched a shutout on all three judges scorecards. Don Trella had it 40-35, and John McKaie and Robin Taylor scored it 40-36.

 After the contest, Villareal did speak about having some debut butterflies.

 “It totally felt different than the amateurs,” he said. “There were so many more people looking at me. I was trying to look good, I was focused on the knockout because it was my very first professional fight.

“I learned I have to work harder and be careful not to get hit.”

HBO Sports celebrates the holiday weekend with an action-packed tripleheader, including the return of light heavyweight powerhouse Sergey Kovalev, when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: SERGEY KOVALEV VS. VYACHESLAV SHABRANSKYY AND SULLIVAN BARRERA VS. FELIX VALERA AND YURIORKIS GAMBOA VS. JASON SOSA is seen SATURDAY, NOV. 25 at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT) from The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 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.

The fights will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

The main event features the return of the feared Sergey Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KOs) as he battles heavy-handed Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (19-1, 16 KOs) for a vacant light heavyweight title in a scheduled 12-round bout. Following a light heavyweight title reign that spanned more than three years and featured eight successful defenses, polished Russian knockout artist Kovalev, 34, is eager to reclaim the belts he lost in 2016 to future Hall of Famer Andre Ward.

Standing in his way is Ukraine’s Shabranskyy, 30, who turned pro in 2012 after a long amateur career in his home country and has been knocking out top contenders on the way to his biggest fight to date. Both men have been active lately, this being Kovalev’s tenth fight since Jan. 2014 and Shabranksyy’s tenth fight since Jan. 2015. The bout marks Kovalev’s 11th appearance on HBO, while Shabranskyy is making his debut on the main channel after fighting on HBO Latino in 2015.

In the co-main event, one of the top light heavyweight contenders, Sullivan Barrera (20-1, 14 KOs) of Miami via Cuba, closes out his tremendous 2017 by taking on Felix Valera (15-1, 13 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in a ten-round fight. Barrera, 35, is fresh off the biggest win of his career, a unanimous decision victory over Joe Smith Jr. in July and hopes to set himself up for another title shot in 2018 by defeating Valera. Making his U.S. debut, the hard-punching Valera, 29, seeks an upset that would insert him into the light heavyweight championship conversation.

In the opening bout, former unified featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (27-2, 17 KOs) of Miami, Florida squares off against Camden, NJ native Jason Sosa (20-2-4, 15 KOs) in a scheduled ten-round super featherweight contest. Gamboa, 35, is an accomplished veteran with success at all levels, including a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics while representing Cuba and a dominating stretch as a world champion in the pro ranks. Sosa, 29, looks to bounce back after a difficult loss to junior lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko and return to the championship ranks. Sosa is making his third HBO appearance, while the bout marks Gamboa’s tenth fight on HBO.

Immediately following the boxing action, HBO Sports presents a half-hour special spotlighting the career of all-time great Miguel Cotto, who is slated for his professional farewell against Sadam Ali on Saturday, Dec. 2 at Madison Square Garden in a fight to be seen on HBO.

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 HBO Sports is Rick Bernstein; producer, Thomas Odelfelt; director, Johnathan Evans.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

LOS ANGELES (Nov. 6, 2017) Former unified featherweight champion Yuriorkis “El Ciclon de Guantanamo” Gamboa (27-2, 17 KOs) will step in to fight Jason “El Canito” Sosa (20-2-4, 15 KOs) in a 10-round super featherweight fight at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in the televised opener to Kovalev vs. Shabrankskyy. The event takes place Saturday, Nov. 25 and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Gamboa, a 35-year-old native of Guantanamo, Cuba, is an Olympic Gold Medalist who shot to the top of the Featherweight rankings to win two world titles, defeating the likes of Orlando “Siri” Salido and Daniel Ponce De Leon before officially moving up to 130 pounds. Gamboa has also faced stiff competition as a super featherweight, with wins against Darleys Perez and Rene “El Gemelo” Alvarado under his belt. Gamboa is replacing Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos, who pulled out of this fight due to an injury.

“I’m excited for this great opportunity to fight Sosa on the undercard of Kovalev-Shabranakssy,” said Gamboa. “A win over Sosa on HBO could push me back into title contention. I’m a fighter with many aspects and dimensions, and that’s what I’ll bring in my fight against Sosa. For my my last fight, I wasn’t prepared well. This time I will be very much prepared, so I can walk away with my hand raised.”

“I’m excited for Gamboa,” said Zeferino Ramirez of ZR Entertainment. “This is the fight we wanted. And I expect big things in 2018. He’ll be ready for any 130-pound champion if he is successful on November 25.”

The 29-year-old Sosa, of Camden, NJ, is the former WBA World Super Featherweight Champion. He earned his title by handing Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna his first loss as a pro with an 11th-round knockout in Beijing, China in June 2016. Sosa successfully defended his title with a 12-round decision win over Stephen Smith in Monte Carlo in November 2016 before returning several months later in a tough fight against Vasyl “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko in April 2017. Sosa is also known for fighting to an impressive majority draw against former WBA Super World Featherweight Champion Nicholas “Axe Man” Walters and for stopping former world title challenger Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes in only one round.

“People think we have an easier opponent in Gamboa since Castellanos beat him, but we’re not buying into that,” said Sosa. “Maybe Gamboa didn’t take Castellanos seriously. We expect to see the very best Gamboa on Nov. 25. Having said that, this is not about who we are fighting; this is about why. We are fighting to make Puerto Rico proud after what all the people who live there have been through recently.”

“This should be a solid fight between two guys, the same size, who like to hurt people,” said Russell Peltz, Hall of Fame Promoter of Peltz Boxing Promotions.”It’s a better matchup, style-wise, than the one between Jason [Sosa] and Robinson Castellanos.”
Kovalev vs. Shabranskyy is a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO Light Heavyweight World Title promoted by Main Events and Krusher Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions. Barrera vs. Valera is a 10-round light heavyweight fight promoted by Main Events in Association with Shuan Boxing Promotions. Gamboa vs. Sosa is a 10-round super featherweight fight promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Peltz Boxing and ZR Entertainment. The event will take place on Nov. 25 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

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LAS VEGAS – The end was abrupt and unceremonious. Yuriorkis Gamboa quit on his stool after seven rounds. His comeback was over. Maybe, a once promising career was too.

Gamboa (26-2, 17 KOs), a former IBF and WBA featherweight champion, looked all of his 35 years, suffering knockdowns in the third and fourth rounds in a stunning loss to Mexican lightweight Robinson Castellanos (24-12,14 KOs) Friday night at the MGM Grand.

Gamboa, who recently signed with Golden Boy Promotions, flashed some familiar footwork and counter-punching power in the first two rounds. In the third, however, he dropped his hands and Castellanos capitalized in the round’s closing second, dropping the Cuban with a straight right hand.

During the first minute of the fourth, Castlellanos again dropped his hands and Castellano’s again took advantage of the moment, this time dropping him with long right.

Gamboa, a gold-medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics, appeared to regain his composure and mobility late in the fifth and again in the sixth. After the seventh however, he went to his corner and seemed to almost collapse on his stool in exhaustion.

LOS ANGELES (April 7, 2017) – On Friday, May 5, one day before the mega-fight between Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. goes down in Las Vegas, Golden Boy Promotions will throw a Cinco de Mayo fiesta at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Fans will get a full afternoon and evening of activity starting with the Official Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr.Weigh In, an action-packed night of Golden Boy Boxing onESPN fights headlined by Former Three-Division World Champion Yuriorkis Gamboa taking on the longtime contender Robinson Castellanos, surprise fighter appearances, DJs, sponsor giveaways, entertainment and much, much more!

First, the MGM Grand Garden Arena doors will open at 1:00 p.m. PST for the official Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. and full undercard Weigh-in with fighters hitting the scales at 2:00 p.m. PST/5:00 p.m. EST, main pay-per-view-view undercard to weigh in beginning at 2:30 p.m. PST/5:30 p.m. EST. Soon after the weigh-in, the Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN fights will begin, leading into a special televised tripleheader of fan-friendly action live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.

As a special treat to the fans, Golden Boy Promotions will be giving away exclusive VIP seating and entrance to the Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. Weigh-in with purchase of a ticket to Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN: Gamboa vs. Castellanos.

“On the eve of the Mexico vs. Mexico superfight that is Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr., it was only fitting we throw the ultimate fan fiesta on Cinco de Mayo in Las Vegas,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “There is no better way to enjoy this special holiday than to come out and watch some top quality, action-packed fights, listen to the sounds of the mariachi bands and wave your Mexican flags.”

Cuban standout and Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis “El Ciclon de Guantánamo” Gamboa (26-1, 17 KOs) of Miami, FL will be making a rapid return to the ring to face rugged Celaya, Mexico fighter Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (21-11, 13 KOs) in a main event lightweight fight scheduled for 10 rounds transmitted on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes beginning at 5:00 p.m. PST/8:00 p.m. EST.

In the co-main event, Abraham “El Chamaco” Lopez (22-0-1, 15 KOs) of La Puente, CA will put his WBA-NABA Featherweight title and undefeated record on the line, as he squares off in a 10 round bout against dangerous fighter Jesus Rojas (24-1-2, 17 KOs) hailing from Caguas, Puerto Rico.

Opening up Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN televised fights, someone’s “0” must go as Sao Paulo, Brazil’s own Yamaguchi Falcão (12-0, 6 KOs) faces his toughest challenge yet in the sturdy Morgan “Big Chief” Fitch (18-0-1, 8 KOs) of Pittsburgh, PA in a 10 round middleweight match.

Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN: Gamboa vs. Castellanos is a 10-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with ZR Entertainment and sponsored by Tecate BORN BOLD. ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes will transmit the fights live on Friday, May 5 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena at 5:00 p.m. PST/8:00 p.m. EST. ESPN Deportes will also air the undercard matches, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. The same bouts will also run at the same time in English, on ESPN3, with TV coverage starting at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on ESPN2.

Tickets starting at $10* for Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN will go on sale, TODAY, April 7 at 12:00 p.m. PST and will include complimentary VIP reserved seating at the Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. Weigh-in. Ringside seats for fights only are priced at $30*. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call the AXS Contact Center at (888) 929-7849 or MGM Resorts Contact Center at (866) 740-7711. Tickets will also be available for purchase online at www.axs.com or www.mgmgrand.com and various MGM Resorts Box Offices. *All ticket prices do not include service fees or applicable service charges.

Videos and images are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/GamboaVsCastellanos. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for any photos/video of Yuriorkis Gamboa or Robinson Castellanos.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPNBoxing and @ESPNBoxeo; become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/espn.fnf, and www.facebook.com/ESPNBoxeo; and follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPNBoxeo. Follow the conversation using #GBPonESPN.

Yuriorkis Gamboa has confirmed that he will appear and have a booth to Meet & Greet his fans at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the 3rd edition of Box Fan Expo that will take place Saturday May 6, 2017 during Cinco De Mayo weekend. The Boxing Expo will also coincide with the mega fight between Canelo Alvarez vs Julio Cesar Chavez jr, that will take place later that evening.

Gamboa will appear for the first time at this years’ Expo and will be signing gloves, photos and selling merchandise. Fans will have an opportunity to take pictures with the former world champion and Olympic Gold medalist.

He will be raising money for an amazing woman named Ivonne Lugo, who suffers from PKD, an inherited chronic kidney disease. She is in urgent need of a liver and kidney transplant. Gamboa is generously using his time and effort to fundraise in hoping to save her life. Please go to Https://ivonnes.fund and help out this great cause.

Gamboa joins the list of over 50 current and past World Champions boxers who have appeared at the Expo, meeting their fans in person.

Gamboa is a Cuban professional boxer. He is a former unified featherweight world champion, having held the WBA title from 2009 to 2011, and the IBF title from 2010 to 2011. As an amateur he won a gold medal in the flyweight division at the 2004 Olympics, and bronze in the featherweight division at the 2005 World Championships.

Gamboa joins Al Bernstein, Thomas Hearns, Kronk Boxing, WBC, Christy Martin, Mia St.John, Fernando Vargas and Joel Casamayor among early commitments to this year’s Box Fan Expo.

Box Fan Expo has been a huge success with fans and boxing industry people. Many boxing stars have attended the last two Expo’s such as Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, Roy Jones Jr., Sergio Martinez, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Tim Bradley, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, Fernando Vargas, Zab Judah, James Toney, Vinny Pazienza, Mikey Garcia , Mia St.Johns, Leo Santa Cruz, Badou Jack, Terry Norris , Riddick Bowe , Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks and many more…

Exhibitors such as boxing gear, apparel, new equipments, energy drinks, alcohol, supplement products, broadcasting media, sanctioning bodies and other companies who wish to participate will once again have a chance to showcase their brand to fans, media and the boxing industry.

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available online
http://www.boxfanexpo.eventbrite.com

Box Fan Expo is the ultimate boxing fan experience event, which allows fans to Meet and Greet Boxing Superstars of today, current and former world champions, Legends of the sport and other boxing Celebrities at their booth. On Site, fans will experience different activities from Autograph Sessions, Photo Sessions, FaceOff with your favorite boxers, as well as a chance to purchase merchandise and memorabilia from their booth, plus so much more… you won’t want to miss this must-attend Expo!

Box Fan Expo will also feature top boxing organizations, promoters, ring card girls, famous trainers and commentators as well as boxing gear companies “ALL UNDER ONE ROOF”.

Throughout the next 6 weeks leading up to the Event, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo. And for anyone in the Boxing industry or other Exhibitors (non-industry), who would like more information on sponsorships opportunities or reserve a Booth, contact Box Fan Expo:

Telephone number: (514) 572-7222 or Las Vegas Number (702) 997-1927

For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com

More information on the Box Fan Expo is available at: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

You can follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter at: https://www.twitter.com/BoxFanExpo\

and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

David Lemieux scored a devastating 3rd round stoppage over Curtis Stevens in the 3rd round of their scheduled 12-round middleweight bout at The Turning Stones Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

It was a fast paced fight with both guys coming out firing. Lemieux was landing the harder shots early, with Stevens lading some good shots in round two. In round three, Lemieux landed a perfect 12 inch left hook on the jaw of Stevens that put the lights out of Stevens almost immediately as he fell motionless on the canvas, and the fight was waved off instantly by referee Charlie Fitch. Stevens would lay unconscious for several minutes, but finally came to, and was carried out of the ring on a stretcher.

The time of the stoppage was 1:59 of round three, for Lemieux, 159 lbs of Montreal and is now 37-3 with 33 knockouts. Stevens, 158.25 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 29-6.

“I told you what I was going to do tonight,” said David Lemieux. “What I saw was a ‘check mate’,” said Lemieux. “The punch was made with perfect landing. I am in great shape, and I prepared myself for him. He is physically strong but nothing special. Stevens is a solid fighter, and we were successful. I wish him the best, and I hope he is OK.”

Former world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa won a 10-round unanimous decision over Rene Alvarado in a lightweight bout.

In round ten, Alvarado landed a glancing left hand that put Gamboa on the canvas in what was ruled a knockdown.

Gamboa, 131 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB won by scores of 97-92 twice and 97-93 and is now 26-1. Alvarado, 130.25 lbs of Managua, NIC is 24-8.

HBO BOXING AFTER DARK presents a nonstop doubleheader of hot ring action when DAVID LEMIEUX VS. CURTIS STEVENS AND YURIORKIS GAMBOA VS. RENE ALVARADO is seen SATURDAY, MARCH 11 at 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT) from the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY. 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: March 12 (9:00 a.m.) and 14 (11:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: March 12 (3:30 p.m.) and 13 (12:25 a.m.)

The fights will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

In an intriguing middleweight showdown that could help sort out the talent-rich 160-pound division, Montreal’s David Lemieux (36-3, 32 KOs) takes on Brooklynite Curtis Stevens (29-5, 21 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round contest. Both are known for power and aggression and are highly motivated to reestablish their presence in this highly competitive division. The fight marks the third HBO appearance for both men.

In the opening bout, Cuban Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa (25-1, 17 KOs), now fighting out of Miami, returns to the ring following a year layoff, taking on Nicaragua’s Rene Alvarado (24-7, 16 KOs) in scheduled ten-round junior lightweight contest. A highly skilled former world champion, Gamboa needs a strong showing to prove he is still a force at 130 pounds. His only pro loss came at the hands of rising superstar Terence Crawford in a 2014 slugfest.

Immediately following the doubleheader of live action is the premiere of the HBO Sports presentation: 2 Days: “Chocolatito” Gonzalez as the sport’s consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound prizefighter prepares for his March 18 bout in New York City.

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 HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is Rick Bernstein; producer, Thomas Odelfelt; director, Johnathan Evans.

® HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

Patrick Byrne
Director, HBO Media Relations
(212) 512-1361
patrick.byrne@hbo.com
Twitter: @PatrickSportsTV

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LOS ANGELES (March 8, 2017)-Before David Lemieux (36-3, 32 KOs) and Curtis “The Cerebral Assassin” Stevens (29-5, 21 KOs) meet for their main event slugfest, Golden Boy Promotions has lined up a full slate of top-talent fan favorites to round out a stacked undercard featuring newly signed Yuriorkis “El Ciclon de Guantánamo” Gamboa (25-1, 17 KOs) against Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado (24-7, 16 KOs) as the televised co-main event.

“Not only did we want to bring the fans an action-packed main event likely to be a Fight of the Year candidate, we also want to give an entertaining undercard to match,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “We are certain every fighter on this card will be put to the test come fight night, and the victors will be propelled to a greater shot at a world title prize.”

Another previously announced bout includes undefeated lightweight contenders Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (16-0, 7 KOs) and Yves Ulysse (12-0, 8 KOs) to fight for the vacant Junior NABF Super Lightweight title scheduled to go 8/10 rounds.

Making his highly anticipated return to the ring, Mexicali’s hometown hero Diego De La Hoya (16-0, 9 KOs) will look continue his undefeated status as he takes on Mexico City’s Roberto “Escorpión” Pucheta (10-9-1, 6 KOs) for an eight round Mexico vs. Mexico super bantamweight rivalry battle. De La Hoya was last seen defeating Luis Orlando Del Valle via unanimous decision on the undercard of Canelo vs. Smith at AT&T Stadium last September.

Riding on a quadruple knockout streak, Temple Hills, MD’s D’Mitrius Ballard (15-0, 11 KOs) will risk his undefeated status as he faces Zoltan Sera (26-11, 17 KOs) from Budapest, Hungary for an eight round light heavyweight bout.

Participating in the swing bout of the night, Alex Rincon of Carrollton, TX will be making his professional debut as he takes on Ardmore, Okla.’s Shaun “Buddy Hollie” Lee Henson (2-3, 2 KOs) for a four round super welterweight war.

Highly touted Philly prospect Damon “No Smilin'” Allen, Jr. (10-0-1, 4 KOs) is eager to make a name for himself in the lightweight division as he puts back on the gloves to square off against Budapest, Hungary’s Adam “Bad Boy” Mate (24-10, 17 KOs) in a scheduled eight round bout.

Fighting in the first fight of the night and also representing Philadelphia, Todd “2Gunz” Unthank-May (10-0, 4 KOs) will take on southpaw fighter Quinton Rankin (12-3-1, 9 KOs) of Charlotte, NC for an eight round light heavyweight fight sure to excite fans.

Tickets for this highly anticipated matchup are still available and priced at $30, $45, $55 and $75 for ringside seats plus applicable fees and are available at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster(www.ticketmaster.com).

Lemieux vs. Stevens is a 12-round middleweight bout for the WBO Intercontinental, WBC Continental Americas and IBF North American Middleweight titles, presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management and Main Events, and sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD.” The HBO Boxing After Dark® telecast begins at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Videos and images are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/LemieuxVsStevens. Credit must be given to Eye of the Tiger Management for any video/image use of David Lemieux. Credit must be given to Main Events for any video/image use of Curtis Stevens.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mainevents.com and www.hbo.com/boxing; follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @main_events, @HBOboxing; and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/maineventsboxing, www.facebook.com/hboboxing; and visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @main_events. Follow the conversation using #LemieuxStevens.

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 23, 2017) – Building on its record of signing and promoting the best of the best, Golden Boy Promotions – in association with ZR Entertainment — today announced a multi-fight deal with former three-division world champion and Olympic Gold medalist Yuriokis “El Ciclón de Guantánamo” Gamboa (25-1, 17 KOs).

The Cuban standout, who has defeated a who’s who of champions and contenders throughout his 10-year professional career, will look to add to the title belts he has held in the featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight divisions as he makes another run at championship glory.

“I am looking forward to winning yet another world title, and I know Golden Boy Promotions is the perfect place to help guide me,” Gamboa said. “Though I have recently had some long stretches of inactivity, that stops today, and I will take on anyone, anytime, to achieve my goal of recapturing a championship belt.”

Gamboa will come out of the gate facing a tall order on March 11 when he squares off with Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado (24-7, 16 KOs) who was last seen defeating contender Jason “Star” Velez. The fight will serve as chief support for the highly anticipated HBO Boxing After Dark card featuring middleweight knockout artist David Lemieux taking on the heavy-handed Curtis “Cerebral Assassin ” Stevens at Turning Stone Resort Casino.

Gamboa has been a force in multiple divisions for many years, defeating big names along the way including former world champions Orlando “Siri” Salido, Daniel Ponce De León and the contender Jorge “Coloradito” Solís. Gamboa also handed Darleys Pérez and Jonathan “Yoni” Victor Barros their first professional defeats.

“When he is on his game, there are few better than Gamboa in the 126, 130, or 135 weight classes,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Golden Boy Promotions CEO and Chairman. “We are going to get him in the ring in a quality match as soon as possible, and then work with him to start his path back to championship glory.”

Gamboa’s accomplishments in both the amateur and professional ranks are numerous, but a select list includes:
Former Unified WBA and IBF Featherweight Champion
Former Interim WBA World Super Featherweight Champion
Former Interim WBA World Lightweight Champion
First Cuban IBF World Champion in the history of the organization
2004 Olympic gold medalist in the flyweight division.
2006 World Cup gold medalist in the featherweight division
2003 Pan American games gold medalist in the flyweight division
About Golden Boy Promotions
Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by 10-time world champion in six divisions Oscar De La Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing’s most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the world. In its 15-year existence, Golden Boy Promotions has promoted some of the biggest and highest-grossing events in the history of the sport.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya; become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing; and follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @OscarDeLaHoya.

July 7, 2016 – Leading up to the highly anticipated junior welterweight unification championship between Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol – set for Saturday, July 23 and presented live by HBO Pay-Per-View® – HBO Sports will present the exclusive replay of two intriguing showdowns that highlight the remarkable skill and drive of these competitors.

On Friday, July 15 at 11:15 p.m. (ET/PT) and Saturday, July 16 at 11:40 a.m. (ET/PT), HBO2 will replay Crawford vs. Gamboa 2014 and Matthysse vs. Postol 2015 back-to-back. On June 28, 2014 in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, Crawford let the world know he was a force to be reckoned with by knocking out Gamboa in a battle of undefeated rising stars in the ninth round. The win earned Crawford BWAA selection for “Fighter of the Year” honors. Last October in Carson, California, Postol pulled off the upset with a 10th round knockout against one the most exciting fighters and fearsome punchers in boxing, Lucas Matthysse, in a high-action contest.

Both fights will also be available 24 hours a day to HBO NOW, HBO On Demand® and HBO GO® subscribers beginning Monday, July 11.

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

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Luis Ortiz scored an impressive 7th round stoppage over Bryant Jennings in a Heavyweight bout at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Ortiz rocked Jennings with straight left in round one and once again in round three with a combination in round three.  Jennings showed tremendous resolve by landing some solid shots inside that seemed to throw Ortiz of his game.

In round seven, Ortiz landed a thudding left that sent Jennings down face first.  Jennings was able to continue but for not much loner as two more lefts sent him stumbling into the ropes and the fight was stopped at 2:41.

Ortiz, 239 lbs of Cuba is 24-0 with 21 knockouts.  Jennings, 229 1/2 lbs of Philadelphia is 19-2.

Former Featherweight champion, Nicholas Walters and Jason Sosa battled to a dubious 10-round majority draw

Walters focused on the body and landed some crisp shots inside.  Sosa was wobbled in round five from a short right on the inside.  Sosa showed heart but Walters was accurate on the inside and landed 113 more punches then Sosa.

Somehow Sosa won a card 96-94 while two cards read even at 95-95.

Walters, 129 1/2 lbs of Montigo Bay, JAM is 26-0-1.  Sosa, 130 lbs of Camden, NJ is 18-1-4.

Gabriel Rosado pounded out a 10-round unanimous decision over former world champion Joshua Clottey in a Middleweight bout.

Rosado, 158 lbs of Philadelphia, PA won by scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94 and is now 22-9. Clottey, 157 lbs of Bronx, NY is 39-5.

Former world champion, Yuriorkis Gamboa won a 10-round unanimous decision over Hylon Williams in a Lightweight bout.

Gamboa, 133 lbs of Miami, FL won by scores of 98-92 twice and 96-94 and is now 25-1. Williams, 133 lbs of Houston, TX is now 16-2-1.

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 11) – A full night of action awaits fans at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York on Saturday, December 19 as heavyweight world title contender Bryant “Bye-Bye” Jennings (19-1, 10 KOs) and undefeated Cuban star Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (23-0, 20 KOs) battle for the WBA interim Heavyweight World Title live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT. The bout is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Gray Shaw Productions.

Yuriorkis Gamboa (24-1, 17 KOs) of Miami, returns to the ring as he squares off against Hylon Williams Jr. (16-1-1, 3 KOs) of Houston, in a 10-round lightweight bout on HBO Latino Boxing beginning at 12:15 a.m. ET/PT (tape delay). Gamboa vs. Williams Jr. is presented in association with SMS Promotions.

Featured in untelevised bouts will be unbeaten super middleweight D’Mitrius Ballard (10-0, 7 KOs) from Washington D.C., taking on Brazilian seasoned fighter Fabiano “Pit Bull” Pena (11-3-1, 8 KOs) in a six to eight round brawl and an all-Puerto Rico 10-round clash between Manati’s Jorge “Destroyer” Melendez (28-5-1, 26 KOs) and Bayamon’s Steven Martinez (15-2, 12 KOs).

As previously mentioned, Nicholas “Axe Man” Waters (26-0, 21 KOs) battles Jason “El Canito” Sosa (18-1-3, 14 KOs) in a 10-round junior lightweight matchup as the co-main feature of the HBO Boxing After Dark portion of the televised undercard presented by Top Rank. In the HBO Latino® Boxing portion of the televised night, Cuban light heavyweight contender Yunieski Gonzalez (16-1, 12 KOs) fighting out of Miami, Florida will face the undefeated power-puncher, Vyacheslav “Lion Heart – Chigonsky” Shabranskyy (14-0, 12 KOs) of Los Angeles in a 10-round light heavyweight main event presented in association by Star Boxing. Plus, former world title contender, “King” Gabriel Rosado (21-9, 13 KOs) of Philadelphia makes his highly anticipated return to the ring against former IBF Welterweight World Champion Joshua “Grand Master” Clottey (39-4, 22 KOs) of Accra, Ghana, in a 10-round middleweight co-main event. The HBO Latino Boxing event will start at 12:15 a.m. ET/PT (tape delay) or immediately following the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast.

Tickets for the Dec. 19 HBO Boxing After Dark and HBO Latino Boxing event start at $25, $35 and $60 for ringside seats plus applicable fees and are available at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

A 2004 Olympic Gold medalist for Cuba, Guantanamo native Yuriorkis Gamboa was one of the greatest fighters to graduate from the Cuban amateur boxing program, and he has not stopped making history as a professional. Now living in Miami, the 33-year-old Gamboa has won three world titles already, defeating the likes of Orlando Salido, Daniel Ponce de Leon and Darleys Perez. Following the lone loss of his career in a Fight of the Year candidate against Terence Crawford in June of 2014, Gamboa bounced back with a technical knockout of Joel Montes de Oca five months later, and now he makes his return to the ring on December 19.

Houston’s Hylon Williams Jr. was a decorated amateur himself, winning National PAL and National Golden Gloves titles while also securing a spot as an alternate on the 2008 United States Olympic team. As a pro, “Lil’ Ced” has won all but two of his pro bouts, with his most recent draw against Jason Litzau in August coming after a nearly three-year layoff. On December 19, he gets a chance to make a statement to the boxing world if he can defeat Gamboa.

Blasting through all comers at super middleweight, Washington, D.C.’s D’Mitrius Ballard is one of the top prospects from a region of the United States that is producing more world-class fighters than any other these days. Showing his ability to box as well as bang in recent victories over Josue Ovando and Juan Carlos Rojas, the 22-year-old Ballard is looking to end the year with a knockout when he faces an opponent to be determined in a six-round bout.

Fabiano Pena of Los Angeles has accumulated an impressive record of eleven victories since his professional debut in Balneario Rincao, Santa Catarina, Brazil in February of 2013, where he went on to claim the vacant Brazilian cruiserweight title against Lourival Luiz Da Silva that same year. He made his U.S. debut in 2014 boasting a win against Dave Valykeo at the Wheeling Island Casino Racetrack in Wheeling, West Virginia, and hit a rocky patch with one win and three loses in 2015. Pena will seek redemption as he takes on an evenly matched opponent in D’Mitrius Ballard.

A power puncher who delivers the knockouts Puerto Rican fight fans love, 26-year-old Jorge “The Destroyer” Melendez has won several regional titles over the years, but after snapping a two-fight losing streak with a 68-second finish of Antonio Rodriguez in June, the Manati native is firmly focused on finishing 2015 with another win and beginning his quest for world title honors in 2016.

Owner of wins in four of his last five bouts, Steven Martinez packs fight-stopping power in his fists, and with nine of his 12 knockouts coming in three rounds or less, he will be hoping to make short work of Melendez in this battle for Puerto Rican pride. But more importantly, with a victory over this veteran contender, the 25-year-old Martinez can start to make his move up the divisional ladder.

Tickets for the Dec. 19 HBO Boxing After Dark and HBO Latino Boxing event start at $25, $35 and $60 for ringside seats plus applicable fees and are available at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

Jennings vs. Ortiz is a 12-round heavyweight bout fight for the WBA Interim Heavyweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions and is sponsored by Corona, Mexico – Live It to Belive It! and Carmelita Chorizo. Walters vs. Sosa is a 10-round junior lightweight bout presented by Top Rank in association with Peltz Boxing Promotions and Warriors Boxing Promotions. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. ET and first fight begins at 6:05 p.m. ET, and the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins live at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.

Gonzalez vs. Shabranskyy, is a 10-round light heavyweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Star Boxing. The HBO Latino Boxing telecast begins at 12:15 a.m. ET/PT (tape delay).

Host of the event, the Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for blockbuster boxing matches. The December 19 fight will mark Turning Stone Resort Casino’s 16th nationally-televised boxing event in three years, cementing the resort as a mecca for knockout televised fights. Located in Upstate New York, the destination resort offers world-class entertainment and gaming, award-winning accommodations, a diverse mix of restaurants, two luxury spas and several nightlife options.

Professional media requesting credentials for the December 19 fight must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at (315) 366.9291 or kelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.grayshawproductions.com, www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, www.starboxing.com and www.turningstone.com. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @GaryShawBoxing, @TRboxing, @StarBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @TurningStone and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/Gary-Shaw-Productions-134758615997/, www.facebook.com/trboxing, www.facebook.com/StarBoxing, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing or www.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort. Visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @StarBoxing, @TurningStone. Follow the conversation by using #JenningsOrtiz and #WaltersSosa.

Former world champion Cristian Mijares scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Lester Medrano in a Featherweight bout at Plaza de Toros in Cancun, Mexico

Mijares was deducted a point for an accidental headbutt in round four but won by scores of 99-91 on all cards.

Mijares, 126 lbs is now 51-8-2. Medrano, 125 lbs is now 14-3-1.

Yuriorkis Gamboa returned after his 1st professional defeat to stop Joel Montes De Oca in round six of a 10-round Lightweight bout

Gamboa dropped De Oca in round five from a right hand. Gamboa dropped De Oca in the next round from a left hook. De Oca got to his feet but was deemed unable to continue at 1:13 of round six.

Gamboa, 131 3/4 lbs of Cuba is now 24-1 with 17 knockouts. De Oca, 131 1/4 lbs is now 18-4.

NEW YORK (Nov. 10, 2014) – The next chapter of multiple world champion Yuriorkis “The Cyclone of Guantanamo” Gamboa’s (23-1, 16 KOs) illustrious boxing career starts November 15 as the 2004 Olympic gold medalist takes on upset-minded Joel Montes de Oca (18-3, 10 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature at Plaza de Toros in Cancon, Mexico.

The show is being promoted Jose Gomez’ Cancun Boxing, headlined by a 10-round featherweight fight between three-time super flyweight champion Cristian “El Diamente” Mijares (52-8-2, 25 KOs) and Lester Medrano (14-2-1, 9 KOs).

Gamboa will be in an unfamiliar position coming off the first loss as a professional, this past June 28 in Omaha, Nebraska to undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight champion Terence Crawford (24-0, 17 KOs). Gamboa was stopped in the ninth round but the four-time Cuban National amateur champion gained more respect than ever with his gutsy performance and entertaining style in a legitimate Fight of the Year candidate that aired live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

“I want my fans know that I feel great,” the 32-year-old Gamboa said from his home in Miami. “I’ve been training very hard for this fight, which I’m taking very serious because I know the importance of ending the year on a positive note. I’m very happy with my new team. I’m now fully focused on becoming ‘King’ of the lightweight division, as well as hopefully being much more active in 2015 with my goal to fight three or four times next year. I am honored to fight in Mexico and I plan to fight there again in 2015.”

(L) 50 Cent & Gamboa
Gamboa defected from his native Cuba in 2006. The dangerous puncher has captured two World featherweight titles, in addition to three Interim World championships in three different weight classes, ranging from featherweight through lightweight.

Excluding his loss to Crawford, Gamboa has defeated three world champions and seven world title challengers in his last 10 fights, including Orlando Salido, Daniel Ponce De Leon, Michael Farenas, Jorge Solis, Jonathan Victor Barros and Darleys Perez

Montes de Oca has never fought outside of his native Mexico, nor anybody in the same class as Gamboa. In his last fight this past May, Montes de Oca won a 10-round split decision over Daniel Evangelista Jr. (17-3-1), extending his winning streak to 14.

Gamboa is promoted by 50 Cent’s (Curtis Jackson) SMS Promotions.

Follow Gamboa on Twitter @Gamboa.

BRISTOL, CT (July 7, 2014) — On the heels of his scintillating ninth-round knockout victory of undefeated Cuban icon Yuriorkis Gamboa to retain his world title, undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight champion TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD will be joining Doug Kezirian as the in-studio guest on this week’s edition of ESPN Friday Fights, which will air live, This Friday! July 11, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT on ESPN2. Topics Crawford and Kezirian will be discussing will most certainly include a recap of Crawford-Gamboa, arguably the Fight of the Year at the midpoint of 2014 as well as making Crawford (24-0, 17 KOs), the Pride of Omaha, a serious consideration for Fighter of the Year.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with SMS Promotions, PS4 and Tecate, Crawford-Gamboa attracted nearly 11,000 fans to the CenturyLink Center in the first world title fight to take place in Omaha, Neb. in 42 years, when Joe Frazier defended his heavyweight title against Ron Stander on May 25, 1972. According to Nielsen Media Research, Crawford-Gamboa, which was televised live on HBO®, was the second-most viewed fight of the year so far on U.S. television, attracting an average audience of 1.208 million viewers to the live, first-time airing.

Terence Crawford defended the WBO Lightweight title with a 9th round stoppage over former world champion and previously undefeated Yuriorkis Gamboa before nearly 11,000 fans at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

It was a terrific back and forth action fight that saw Gamboa control the early part of the fight with his speed and right hand. Things turned in round five when Crawford sent Gamboa to the canvas. Crawford started to dominate the action in round’s six and seven and sent Gamboa down in round eight. Crawford scored a 3rd knockdown in round nine. Gamboa landed a huge right before getting caught with hard left that sent him to the canvas for a fourth and final time at 2:53 of round nine.

Crawford, 134 3.4 lbs of Omaha, NEB is now 24-0 with 17 knockouts. Gamboa, 134 1/2 lbs of Cuba is now 23-1.

In a battle of undefeated Middleweights, Matt Korobov passed his sternest test when he scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Uzcategui.

Korobov boxed very well over the first three rounds. Uzcategui got in the fight as he landed some long combinations and cut Korobov over the left eye in round five. Korobov came back and had a strong last few rounds and sealed the fight by scoring two knockdowns from right hooks in round seven.

Korobov, 160 lbs of Russia won by scores of 97-91 twice and 96-92 and is now 24-0. Uzcategui, 160 lbs of Venezuela is now 22-1.

LONDON (June 26) – World champion Terence Crawford is hoping victory this Saturday night against “cocky” Yuriorkis Gamboa will kick start his path to greatness.

The WBO lightweight champion got his first taste of world title success when he overcame Scotland’s Ricky Burns earlier this year, with his first title defence taking place this weekend against the unbeaten Gamboa, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

The Omaha, Nebraska native, however, is not merely content with having achieved a lifelong dream by becoming a world champion but has his eyes on bigger prizes as he looks to establish himself as one of boxing’s biggest names.

“Of course being a world champion is going to fill you with confidence but that’s a short term goal – being a world champion. Now it’s about becoming a marquee fighter that everyone wants to see and that everyone acknowledges is a great fighter,” Crawford told BoxNation.

“Gamboa is a great fighter in his own right and for me to be in the ring with him shows where I’m at in my career. I didn’t get into this game to just fight for wins. Of course I’m in it to win it but to be the best you’ve got to beat the best.

“I feel like I’m the best lightweight out there in the world, everybody thinks he’s one of the best lightweights in the world and that’s why we’re fighting. I’m getting the victory. I feel like it’s going to be a tough fight but I will be victorious,” said a confident Crawford.

The 26-year-old has admitted that his fight with the Cuban Gamboa will likely be his last at the 135 pound weight class, as he looks to move up following nearly ten years as a lightweight.

“This is probably going to be my last fight at 135 pounds before moving up. My long term goal is to eventually move up to 147 and remain one of the best up there after fighting at 140 pounds,” said Crawford.

“I’ve been a lightweight for a long time, ever since I was 16, so my body has grown a lot and my last few fights it’s got a little hard on me [to make weight]. So this will probably be my last fight at lightweight,” he said.

The 32-year-old Gamboa goes into the fight with the slick Crawford as an Olympic gold medalist and former WBA and IBF featherweight world champion.

This weekend’s bout, though, will be taking place on the reigning champion’s home soil where he will fight in Omaha for the first time as a professional.

“I can’t describe the feeling [of fighting as a world champion in Omaha] because this is the moment I’ve been asking for and been waiting for. Now that it’s here, come fight night I’m going to put it all on the line,” said Crawford.

“He needs to be ready for whatever I bring. I’m going to bring a few things to the table that I’m going to show on Saturday. I see the fight going in my favour and feel this is my time and I’m not going to take no for an answer.

“Everybody knows he has fast hands and can box well but his downfall is that he’s too cocky. I can make adjustments for any fighter and fight my fight so that I’m the one in there that’s in charge,” he stated.

The American could have opted for an easier route in his first defence rather than such a stringent challenge against someone as skilled as Gamboa, but the fact it was such an intriguing matchup for fight fans made it an easy decision for Crawford.

“I never call out anybody. I never choose anybody. I just fight whoever they would like me to fight. And everybody from the outside looking in said this was a great fight so I just want to put on great fights for the fans, and this is a fight that the fans want to see,” said Crawford.

Crawford vs. Gamboa is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD & Virgin 546) this Saturday night. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

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OMAHA, NEB. (June 26, 2014) — The Official Weigh-In for World Championship Boxing’s return to Omaha for the first time in 42 years, between undefeated world champions TERENCE CRAWFORD, the Pride of Omaha, and Cuban sensation YURIORKIS GAMBOA, will take place Tomorrow! Friday, June 27 in Grand Ballroom A at the the CenturyLink Center in Omaha (455 North 10th St.,Omaha, Neb. 68102).

The Weigh-In will be open to the public. Doors will open at 2:00 p.m. with the fighters stepping on the scale, beginning at 3:00 p.m. CT.

This will be the last times both champions, who boast identical 23-0 (16 KOs) professional ring records, see each other outside the ring before they battle for Crawford’s newly-won World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight title, Saturday, June 28, at the CenturyLink Center Omaha.. Crawford vs. Gamboa will be the first world championship fight Omaha has hosted since Joe Frazier successfully defended his heavyweight title against Nebraska’s-own Ron Stander on May 25, 1972. It will also be a professional homecoming for Crawford, who has not fought in his home state since 2011. The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark®, in its first-ever visit to Omaha, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will open with undefeated Top-Five contenders MATT KOROBOV and JOSE UZCATEGUI battling in a 10-round rumble for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental middleweight title.

This exciting all-action doubleheader features four undefeated gladiators with a combined record of 91-0, 63 KOs.

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Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with SMS Promotions, PS4 and Tecate, remaining tickets to Crawford vs. Gamboa, priced at $27, $52 and $102, can be purchased 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.

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 #CrawfordGamboa to join the conversation on Twitter.