LAS VEGAS – May 11, 2023 – Hard-hitting contender Rolando “Rolly” Romero and No. 1 contender Ismael Barroso previewed their showdown for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight World Title at the final press conference Thursday before they meet in the SHOWTIME main event this Saturday, May 13 from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The press conference also featured fighters competing on the undercard of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® telecast. Action beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT will see former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy duel the all-action Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez in the 10-round super lightweight co-main event, and super lightweight contenders Batyr Akhmedov and Kenneth Sims Jr., facing off in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight World Title Eliminator in the telecast opener.

Barroso stepped in on less than a month’s notice after Alberto Puello, who previously held the WBA 140-pound title that will be fought for on Saturday night, had been dropped from the main event because of a failed VADA test.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas:

ROLANDO ROMERO

“I think Barroso is actually a better fighter than Alberto Puello, because he can actually crack. Any time you’re in a fight with a puncher, you know it’s gonna be difficult.

“I’m not underestimating him. I know he can hit and he’s a little tricky. He throws a good straight left that comes out of nowhere that he’s been getting guys with. So I’m definitely not underestimating him.

“I’m going to make 140-pounds the most popping division in boxing. I see many pay-per-view events and I’m involved in all of them.

 “The only thing that I learned from the Gervonta Davis fight is that I need to be patient. Patience is everything in life.

“Everyone can expect to see ‘Rolly’ with the world title around his waist Saturday night. Every fighter that boxes dreams of becoming world champion, so it would be a dream come true.

“All belts mean the same to me. My interim belt meant a lot to me too. I’m just blessed to be in the position to get my hands on another one.

“I do like trash talking, but this isn’t a trash talking fight. I have to respect this man next to me. Someone didn’t want to follow all the rules, so I have to be grateful Barroso is here.

“This is the beginning of the ‘Rolly’ show again. It’s gonna be fireworks.

ISMAEL BARROSO

“I’m churning with the same intensity that I had 10 years ago. You’re going to see that hunger and power in the ring. I’m bringing my best.

“I’m the number one contender and I got the opportunity that I deserve. I know some people thought they were left behind, but that’s not for me to worry about. ‘Rolly’ is here to take advantage of his opportunity, so good for him.

“People who know me, know that I’m a warrior. ‘Rolly’ is a warrior too. So if you’re tuning into this fight on Saturday night, you’re going to see a battle between two fighters who are very eager to become world champion. That means fireworks.

“Winning the title would be another blessing and a great source of happiness. It’s something that I’ve strived for my whole career and it would be the culmination of everything that I’ve trained for my entire life.

“The lesson I’m here to show is that it doesn’t matter how many times you fall down, you have to keep getting up and battling every single moment. Because dreams can come true. Keep striving for whatever you want, no matter how old you are.”

RANCES BARTHELEMY

“I’m well aware that I’m fighting a hungry young lion, but I had a great training camp with my team. We studied him really well and you’re going to see me come out on top on Saturday night.

“The goal is to be able to make history as the first Cuban fighter to win titles in three divisions. That’s what propels me to wake up in the morning and continue chasing this dream I’ve had for years.

“I don’t feel on the decline at all. I feel renewed. I have an outstanding team around me that’s allowed me to reach my peak once again. I feel like I’m more dangerous than ever. I have to prove it on Saturday.

“If you gave me a choice between fighting for a title or a rematch with Gary Antuanne Russell, I think I would take the rematch with Russell.

“Styles make fights and our styles mesh up perfectly. Tune in to this fight because it’s going to be fireworks in the ring.”

OMAR JUAREZ

“I’m ready. I had the best training camp of my career so far. I’m excited to display all my dedication on Saturday night.

“I have experience too, but at the end of the day, we’re both putting it all on the line. We’ll see who’s tougher when the bell rings.  

“Everyone is going to see that I’m the hardest worker in the room. It’s been like that ever since I started fighting, and I’m ready to display it on Saturday night.

“At the end of the day, I want to be great. I have a lot of respect for Rances, but he’s just in my way. I have to fight the best in order to be the best. This is a big win that I’m looking forward to getting.

“We’re fighters and we adapt. I’m ready for whatever my opponent brings to the table. No matter what Rances does, I’m going to be ready.

“This is gonna be an action packed fight with two amazing fighters and hard workers. Make sure you tune in, because all of these fights are going to be awesome.”

BATYR AKHMEDOV

“I’m very happy to be back with this fight. It definitely bothers me what happened since my fight against Alberto Puello. Of course, I want to be fighting for the title, but it is what it is. I took this fight one month after that Puello fight, and now we’re here fighting a tough contender.

“This is a tough fight and I’m happy to be here. I have big opportunities in front of me, and it’s up to me to go get them.

“It’s hard to know what will happen, but I do believe the winner of this fight should face the winner of the main event. We’re two top ranked contenders and the winner should be next. All I can control is doing my best to become the mandatory.

“I feel like I’m a two-time world champion already, but I haven’t got the belt. I know the people appreciate my style and what I do in the ring. I know that I’ve earned being in the main event. But now I do believe that I have a tougher fight in front of me and all I can do is prove what I deserve on Saturday.

“I have to do my best to leave no doubt. I’m going to do my best every single round to win as brightly as possible and make sure there are zero doubts.”

KENNETH SIMS JR.

“This fight is super important to me. Everyone here knows that a couple of years ago, I wasn’t in this conversation. I don’t ever want to leave this conversation again. In order for that to happen, I have to take care of business on Saturday.

“I’ve been extremely focused for the last two years. I’m not a young pup anymore. I’ve got more that I’m fighting for. I’m not just fighting for myself. I’m prepared to do whatever I have to do in the ring to get the win and keep my train rolling.

“There have been a lot of things that have changed with me over the last couple of years. Honestly, I didn’t know what I was doing in the first phase of my career. I was just in there and fighting off straight athletic ability. I never applied what I actually know.

“Now I’ve got a great team around me and I’ve learned a lot about myself. Whether it’s nutrition or strength and conditioning, I didn’t really have that in the first phase of my pro career. Now I have a real team around me and it’s paying off.

“When I say I’m ready for whatever, I mean it. No matter what I have to do. If boxing isn’t working, I can fight. I’m not scared of a fight.

“I think Batyr should be world champion right now and I believe that the winner of this fight should get to fight for the title.”

# # #

ABOUT ROMERO VS. BARROSO

Romero vs. Barroso will see hard-hitting Rolando “Rolly’’ Romero battle No. 1 Contender Ismael Barroso for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight World Title on Saturday, May 13 live on SHOWTIME from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features two additional super lightweight bouts with former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy dueling the all-action Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez in the 10-round super lightweight co-main event, plus top super lightweight contenders Batyr Akhmedov and Kenneth Sims Jr. meet in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight World Title Eliminator opening up the telecast.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromoand @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotionsand  @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

STOCKTON, Calif. (May 11, 2023) – An action-packed world championship doubleheader is coming to Stockton, California.

Undefeated Kazakh phenom Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly (13-0, 8 KOs) will defend his WBO middleweight world title against Canadian contender Steven Butler (32-3-1, 26 KOs) this Saturday at Stockton Arena.
 
In the co-feature, Australian fan-favorite Jason “Mayhem” Moloney (25-2, 19 KOs) will face big-punching Filipino contender Vincent Astrolabio (18-3, 13 KOs) for the vacant WBO bantamweight world title.

Janibek-Butler and Moloney-Astrolabio will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard (6:15 p.m ET/3:15 p.m. PT) includes Stockton-born lightweight Gabriel Flores Jr. (21-2, 7 KOs)and top featherweight contender Ruben Villa (19-1, 6 KOs) in separate eight-round bouts. Amado Fernando Vargas (6-0, 2 KOs), the undefeated son of former junior middleweight world champion Fernando Vargas, is also set to return in a four-rounder.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Eye of the Tiger, tickets starting at $25 are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.

At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Janibek Alimkhanuly

“I’m very excited. This is my second defense. I prepared very well for this fight. I don’t want to just defend my title. I want to unify titles. I think it’s going to be a great fight this Saturday night.”
 
“I really enjoyed training at Brickhouse Boxing. In my last fight, I fought all 12 rounds, and I felt like something was missing. So, we added a new conditioning coach, and he has helped me a lot. I had a very good preparation. I really enjoy working with Buddy McGirt at Brickhouse Boxing.” 
 
“I got a new conditioning coach because I understand that it will help me grow. If you keep doing the same things, then you will stay in the same place. I wanted to grow. I wanted to unify. I wanted to fight Jermall Charlo. I wanted to fight Erislandy Lara. In order to do that, I knew that I had to make changes.”
 
“As a fighter, I really respect him because he says what he thinks. But I’m going to show him that not only will he not be able to knock me out, he won’t even be able to touch me.” 

Steven Butler
 
“I’m 100 percent ready. I have a lot of respect for Janibek for giving me the opportunity, but he’ll be making a big mistake if he tries to think past me. I want to knock him out. I want the belt. That’s it.”
 
“I’ve learned a lot. I started boxing when I was 11 years old. I’m 27 now. So, I have a lot experience behind me. When I put it all together on Saturday night, I’m going to shock the world.”
 
“This means a lot to me. It’s a dream come true. We have worked a long time for this title shot. And now we have the opportunity this Saturday night to fight for, and win, the title.”
 
“I’m scared of nobody. I’ve taken risks my whole life. Janibek is a good boxer. I have nothing bad to say about him. But we worked hard in this training camp. I’ve worked hard my entire life for this fight.”

Jason Moloney

“This means everything to me. I’ve been boxing for nearly 20 years now and chasing this one dream of becoming champion of the world. It’s something I think about every single day of my life. I train so hard. I’ve made so many sacrifices to be in this position. So, I’m ready. Nothing will make me prouder than having that belt wrapped around my waist and sharing this special moment with my family and my team.”
 
This is a really special moment for us. I’ll be fighting to become world champion this weekend. And my brother, Andrew, will fight for a world title on the Haney vs. Lomachenko card as well. This is an incredible story. Two twin brothers that have been on this journey for nearly 20 years. For us to finally achieve it and to become champions one week apart is incredible.”

Vincent Astrolabio 
 
“I’m am very determined to take the belt home to the Philippines for my family, my country and my people. I am prepared 100 percent. I am very much ready for this fight.”
 
“I have this stuffed kangaroo because I will give it to Jason. I have it because I think of Jason as a baby kangaroo.”

Gabriel Flores Jr.

“It feels amazing to be here. It gives me life. It gives me energy. It helps me keep on going. Because when I fight and I win, my whole city wins. My whole city is going in there with me. So, it feels great. I feel so alive here. I can’t wait to repeat 2019.” 

Ruben Villa

“It feels good to finally be on the A-side of the card. To repay the people who have helped me, I always want to perform well. I want to perform at the best. I got to work at the Top Rank Gym for this camp. And everything went well. I really can’t wait to show what I’ve been working on.”

Amado Fernando Vargas

“Training camp has been phenomenal. I’ve been working with Gabriel Flores and his father. They’ve been helping me out tremendously in camp with my boxing. And, of course, my father Fernando Vargas has been helping us. He showed me how to throw my first punch, and now we’re here together on the big stage.” 

Saturday, May 13 
ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)

Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Steven Butler, 12 rounds, Janibek’s WBO Middleweight World Title

Jason Moloney vs. Vincent Astrolabio, 12 rounds, Vacant WBO Bantamweight World Title
 

ESPN+ (6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT)

Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Derrick Murray, 8 rounds, Lightweight

Javier Martinez  vs. Joeshon James, 8 rounds, Middleweight
 
Ruben Villa vs. Maickol Lopez Villagrana, 8 rounds, Featherweight
 
Amado Fernando Vargas vs. Bernardo Manzano, 4 rounds, Junior Lightweight
 
Haven Brady Jr. vs. D’Angelo Fuentes, 8 rounds, Junior Lightweight

Brian Norman Jr. vs. Jesus Perez, 8 rounds, Welterweight

LAS VEGAS – May 11, 2023 – Three matchups featuring undefeated fighters looking to keep perfect records intact will highlight the SHOWTIME BOXING COUNTDOWN live streaming presentation this Saturday, May 13 from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

Action live on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT and is topped by unbeaten super lightweight Esteuri “El Puma” Suero dueling Starling Castillo in a 10-round attraction. Also featured is sensational bantamweight Michael Angeletti in an eight-round bout against Michell Banquez, while super featherweight Justin Viloria will take on Pedro Pinillo in a six-round fight. The live stream is hosted by award-winning MORNING KOMBAT live digital talk show hosts Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell.

These fights precede a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® tripleheader headlined by top contenders Rolando “Rolly” Romero and Ismael Barroso facing off for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight World Championship. That telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT will also see former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy dueling the all-action Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez in the co-main event, plus super lightweight contenders Batyr Akhmedov and Kenneth Sims Jr. meet in a WBA Super Lightweight World Title Eliminator opening up the telecast.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com.

Representing Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Suero (12-0, 9 KOs) will make his U.S. debut on Saturday night, having turned pro in 2019 with a first-round knockout over Elieser Torres. The 23-year-old jump started his professional record with knockouts in nine of his first 10 fights and by winning 10-round unanimous decisions in each of his last two fights – most recently besting Jose Fajardo Galvez in December. He will be opposed by the 27-year-old Castillo (17-1-1, 13 KOs), who most recently fought fellow unbeaten Kenny de Leon to a draw last October. Also, a native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Castillo’s only career defeat came via decision against the unbeaten Otar Eranosyan.

A highly skilled technician with blazing speed and surprising power, Angeletti (7-0, 6 KOs) scored the most impressive victory of his young career last time out, as he dominated the previously unbeaten Jeremy Adorno on his way to a fifth-round stoppage last October. Originally from New Orleans and now training in Spring, Texas, Angeletti carries a five-fight knockout streak into Saturday night. He will face the 32-year-old Banquez (20-3, 14 KOs), a native of Venezuela who fights out of Florida. Banquez owns impressive victories over then-unbeaten opponents Prince Patel and Joahnys Argilagos, and most recently dropped decisions to Ramon Cardenas last July and Antonio Vargas in February.

With a large contingent of supporters in attendance, Viloria (1-0, 1 KO) turned pro in April and delighted his fans with a sensational first round knockout over Sirdarious Smith. The 18-year-old from Whittier, California will step up in competition when he faces Colombia’s Pinillo (5-1, 5 KOs) on Saturday. Pinillo turned pro in December 2019 and scored five-straight stoppages before losing a majority decision to Alejandro Nicasio Garcia in April 2022.

The non-televised undercard lineup will feature highly touted twin super bantamweight prospects in six-round fights as Chavez Barrientes (6-0, 5 KOs) meets Juan Centeno (8-7-3, 1 KO), while his twin brother Angel Barrientes (9-1, 6 KOs) battles Sharone Carter (13-6, 3 KOs). Rounding out the card is Washington, D.C. prospect David Whitmire (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-round super welterweight matchup against Texas’ Javier Vargas (3-1, 3 KOs), and the pro debut of super middleweight Yojanler Martinez in a four-round bout taking on California’s Dario Guerrero-Meneses (3-5-1, 1 KO).

# # #

ABOUT ROMERO VS. BARROSO

Romero vs. Barroso will see hard-hitting Rolando “Rolly’’ Romero battle No. 1 Contender Ismael Barroso for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight World Title on Saturday, May 13 live on SHOWTIME from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features two additional super lightweight bouts with former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy dueling the all-action Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez in the 10-round super lightweight co-main event, plus top super lightweight contenders Batyr Akhmedov and Kenneth Sims Jr. meet in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight World Title Eliminator opening up the telecast.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromoand @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotionsand  @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

LAS VEGAS, NV (May 11, 2023) – The dynamic boxing duo, the Barrientes twins, are back in the ring and ready to take on their opponents this Saturday, May 13th, at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. Chavez Barrientes (7-0, 6 KOs) and Angel Barrientes (9-1, 6 KOs) will each be stepping into the ring in separate 6-round bouts in the super bantamweight division.

Angel Barrientes will be facing off against Sharone Carter (13-6, 3 KOs) from St. Louis. Chavez Barrientes will be battling Juan Centeno (8-7-3, 1 KO) from Miami. Fans can expect an exciting night of boxing as the Barrientes twins look to continue their quest to become world champion.

“I am excited to be back in the ring and to show everyone what I’ve been working on,” said Chavez Barrientes. “We were in camp with Gervonta Davis to help him get ready for Ryan Garcia, so I feel confident in my ability to come out victorious. Juan Centeno is a tough opponent, but I am ready for anything he will bring. I am ready to put on a show for the fans.”

Angel Barrientes echoed his brother’s sentiment, saying, “I have been training hard for this fight and I am ready to give it my all. Sharone Carter has more experience, but I am ready to showcase my abilities in the ring, in front of all my hometown fans. I am looking forward to putting on a great performance for everyone watching.”

The Barrientes twins have been making a name for themselves in the boxing world, with impressive records and elite skills. Fans can expect an action-packed night of boxing as they face off against their opponents.

“This is going to be a great night for my boys as I know they have been training hard to get back in the ring,” said Rich Barrientes, father and trainer of the twins. “They always bring their A-game. I can’t wait to see what they do in the ring on Saturday.”

Doors open and first fight begins at 3:00 p.m. at the Chelsea in the Cosmopolotan of Las Vegas. Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now and available for purchase through 

?Ticketmaster.com.

May 10, 2023, Deerfield Beach, FL – Adrien “The Problem” Broner, Four-time World Champion in four weight divisions, and one of the most riveting boxers of his era, returns to the ring against William “Hutch” Hutchinson in a ten-round welterweight bout in the main event on Friday, June 9 at Casino Miami.

In the co-featured bout, World Boxing Association NABA Light Heavyweight Champion Ahmed ElBiali puts his title on the line in a ten-round bout against Rodolfo Gomez. 

The event will be promoted by Hall of Fame Promoter Don “Only in America” King, will be available live on pay per view, for $24.99

Tickets, priced from $50, go on sale and can be purchased at www.playcasinomiami.com. Ringside tables are $3500. next level tables $2500, ringside seats $750 and side seats are $200 and $150. General Admission tickets at $50.

“They call him the problem fighter,” said King. “He is a problem for all the fighters he deals with. On June 9, The Problem will be facing Hutchinson, who hasn’t lost a fight in seven years. ‘Hutch’ says he is going to solve the problem on June 9, but The Problem will be throwing leather from all kinds of ways Hutchinson has never seen before. It’s going to be a great card top to bottom. We are giving the people what they want on June 9. This is a problem card and I’m happy to be in the middle of it.”

“I am very focused in my training and for June 9,” said Broner. “I’m going to fight this guy who hasn’t lost in 7 years. Come June 9 we got some stuff in store. We’re not looking at this guy as a stepping stone, but I have set some goals, and everyone knows I don’t set my goals low. I want to become world champion once again under the Don King stable. First, I’ve got to get thru Hutchinson then we are going to pursue the 140-pound title. Then I want to become undisputed. It all starts June 9 and I am going to in there and put in a show.”

“I signed up for this fight not to collect a check. I signed up for this fight to win,” said Hutchinson. “I have full confidence that’s going to happen on June 9. I will be in the ring June 9, prepared to fight, and there will be no quit in me. June 9 is going to be a problem for Adrien Broner.”

Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs), born and raised in Cincinnati, OH, made his pro debut 2008 at nineteen years old. In 2011, Broner won WBC, WBO and WBC regional titles in back-to-back-to-back fights. Immediately following, on November 26, 2011, he won his first world title, becoming WBO World Super Featherweight Champion. He defended that title three times then moved up in weight and won the WBC World Lightweight title on November 17, 2012. Broner defended that title once then fought for and became the WBA World Welterweight Champion by beating Paul Malignaggi. He won his fourth world title in a fourth weight division, becoming WBA Super Lightweight World Champion in 2015.

Hutchinson (20-2-4, 9 KOs) was born, raised and lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “Hutch” and has not lost a fight in seven years. The thirty-four-year-old began boxing at thirteen. After a few quick wins by knockout, it was difficult to find opponents, so he was in and out of the gym through his teen years, focusing on football. Because of his limited amateur career, he had a rough start to his pro career, losing his debut at 22 and drawing twice in his first six fights. He then strung wins, while gaining a huge following in his region, calling comparisons to Arturo Gatti for his style and states he has never been in a boring fight I his life. Quite the intellect, Hutch began taking college courses at fifteen, has his law degree and has law offices in both Pittsburgh and Naples, Florida. “For those that don’t know me, they will after I beat Broner.”

WBA NABA Light Heavyweight Champion Ahmed “The American Pharaoh” ElBiali (22-1, 18 KOs) was born in Cairo, Egypt and now resides in Miami, Florida. He won the title in his most recent bout, on June 11 at Casino Miami. Prior to that bout, he had one five fights in a row via knockout. As an amateur, ElBiali was two-time Florida State Golden Gloves Champion. He also holds the unique experience of sparring against both Jake Paul and Tommy Fury. 

Rodolfo “Cobrita” Gomez (14-6-3, 10 KOs) was born in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and now lives in Laredo, Texas. In 2021, Gomez recently went 10 tough rounds and lost decision versus KO artist and undefeated Diego Pacheco and in 2018 knocked out former world champion Ricardo Mayorga.

LAS VEGAS – May 10, 2023 – Former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy and all-action Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez previewed their 10-round super lightweight showdown before they meet in the ring this Saturday, May 13 live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com.

The co-main event between Barthelemy (29-2-1, 15 KOs) and Juarez (14-1, 5 KOs) will see a crossroads battle between two fighters looking to put themselves in position to capture a world title at 140 pounds. Already a champion at 130 and 135-pounds, Barthelemy seeks a second attempt at super lightweight glory, while the 23-year-old Juarez hopes to score a signature victory on his way to his first world title fight.

Here is what the fighters had to say from their respective training camps:

RANCES BARTHELEMY

“I know Omar Juarez is a young, hungry fighter who’s going to come out and try to make a statement. But I’m a veteran in this sport, and I’ve been in there with some of the best fighters in the world. I’m going to use all of my experience to my advantage and come out with the victory.

“A win over Juarez would be instrumental at this stage of my career, because I’m still looking for more big fights. It would show that I’m still one of the top fighters in the division and that I’m ready to take on anyone. I’m always looking for big opportunities, and a win on Saturday will help me accomplish those goals.

“I love fighting on SHOWTIME. They always put on great events, and I know that this fight is going to be a great one. I’m excited to showcase my skills on a big stage and put on a show for all the fans watching at home. As you saw in my last fight, I’m not holding back and will be letting my hands fly.

“I feel great. We had a tremendous training camp, and I’m ready to go out there and perform at my best. We worked on a lot of different things to prepare for this fight, and I feel like I’ve improved a lot since my last fight. I went into this camp thinking that this might be my last run, so I trained smart and with a lot of intensity.”

OMAR JUAREZ

“This by far will be the biggest fight of my career. Rances is a former world champion with a lot of experience, and I’m ready for the challenge. I’m confident in my abilities. I’m going to stick to my gameplan and do everything I can to come out on top.

“Although Barthelemy is a little older now, I know he still has a lot of fight left in him, so I’m preparing for a rough battle. I have what it takes to beat him, and the fans will see me at my best this Saturday.

“I hosted training camp in Las Vegas to prepare for his fight and it’s been great. I’ve been sparring with some of the best fighters in the world, and I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life. My coach Rick Nunez has been instrumental in helping me prepare for this fight. In addition, I hired Tony Brady to do my strength training. I feel strong and we have a good gameplan in place for when we step into the ring.

“A win against Barthelemy would be huge for my career. It would show that I can compete with some of the best fighters in the world and that I’m ready for bigger challenges. A win would open a lot of doors and put me in a great position. I know that a victory could lead to a title shot down the line. That’s my ultimate goal, and I’m going to do everything I can to make it happen.

“Everything is on the line in this fight and I’m happy that it will be live on SHOWTIME, where all the fans will get to see a great fight. This will be the turning point of my career where I take the next step toward my dream of becoming a world champion.”

# # #

ABOUT ROMERO VS. BARROSO

Romero vs. Barroso will see hard-hitting Rolando “Rolly’’ Romero battle No. 1 Contender Ismael Barroso for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight World Title on Saturday, May 13 live on SHOWTIME from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features two additional super lightweight bouts with former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy dueling the all-action Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez in the 10-round super lightweight co-main event, plus top super lightweight contenders Batyr Akhmedov and Kenneth Sims Jr. meet in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight World Title Eliminator opening up the telecast.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromoand @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotionsand  @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

LAS VEGAS – May 10, 2023 – Hard-hitting Rolando “Rolly’’ Romero will battle No. 1 contender Ismael Barroso for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight World Title this Saturday, May 13 live on SHOWTIME from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event. The matchup between come-forward fighters with power in both hands shapes up to be another entertaining title tilt at 140-pounds, a division brimming with talent.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features two additional super lightweight bouts with former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy dueling the all-action Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez in the 10-round super lightweight co-main event, and top super lightweight contenders Batyr Akhmedov and Kenneth Sims Jr., facing off in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight World Title Eliminator in the telecast opener.

Alberto Puello, who previously held the WBA 140-pound title that will be fought for on Saturday night, has been dropped from the main event because of a failed VADA test.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com.

Part of the Mayweather Promotions stable, Romero (14-1, 12 KOs) is known for his brash talk that he backs up with power in both hands as well as an exciting, unique style that makes him must-see whenever he steps between the ropes. Romero returns to the ring for the first time since a May 2022 defeat against three-division champion Gervonta Davis. Prior to the Davis fight, Romero won an interim title in August 2020 by earning a close but unanimous decision over then unbeaten Jackson Marinez. The 27-year-old followed that victory up with a pair of impressive knockout triumphs, dominating slick contender Avery Sparrow with a seventh-round stoppage in January 2021 before dropping former title challenger Anthony Yigit three times on his way to another seventh-round stoppage in July 2021.

“It doesn’t matter who I fight on May 13,” said Romero. “I’m a star and I’m gonna shine no matter what. I can’t wait to put on a show in my hometown of Las Vegas and for everyone watching on SHOWTIME. I’m leaving the ring with that belt.”

Barroso (24-3-2, 22 KOs) is a battle-tested veteran seeking to capture a WBA title for the second time in his career. He came up short in his world title quest when he lost to Anthony Crolla for a lightweight championship in 2016. Barroso, who was born in Tigre, Venezuela and now lives in Miami, Fla., has won four consecutive fights – three by knockout – since suffering back-to-back losses in 2018. In his most recent match, he scored a fourth-round knockout victory over Fernando David Saucedo last August to climb into the No. 1 contender spot for the WBA 140-pound title.

“I’m very happy about this opportunity and I’m not going to waste it,” said Barroso. “On May 13 you will see an extremely hungry fighter going all out for the victory. I’m very thankful to my team for getting me this opportunity and for standing by my side throughout everything. On May 13 I’m winning that title!”

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromoand @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotionsand  @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

Newtown, PA (May 10, 2023)–RDR Promotions will present a loaded night of boxing on Saturday night, May 27th at The Newtown Athletic Club in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

The card will showcase some of the best undefeated talent in the Philadelphia area.

Heading up the card will be Paul Kroll (9-0-1, 6 KOs) of Philadelphia taking on Eduardo Rafael Reyes (11-18) of Mexico in a six-round super welterweight bout.

Kroll of Philadelphia has wins over Shinard Bunch (2-0), Luke Santamaria (11-1) and Mark Dawson (9-0-1). Kroll is coming off a draw with Marquis Taylor on February 18, 2022 in Orlando, Florida.

Reyes is coming off his best win as he got the nod over Brian Agustin Arregui (7-0) on December 9, 2022,

In a eight-round bout, Samuel Teah takes on Andrew Rodgers in an eight-round super lightweight bout.

Teah of Philadelphia is 19-4-1 with eight knockouts. The 35 year-old Teah has big wins over current world champion O’Shaquie Foster (8-0), David Gonzales (8-0-2), Maynard Allison (9-2), Kenneth Sims Jr. (13-1-1), Sonny Fredrickson (21-1) and his last bout he defeated undefeated Enriko Gogokhia (13-0-2) on March 4th in Ontario, California.

Rodgers of Elkhart, Indiana is 7-11-2 with two knockouts. The 30-year old Rodgers has quality wins over Greg Outlaw (8-0), Thomas Velasqiez (10-1-1) and Willie Shaw (14-3). Rodgers is coming off a loss to Angel Flores on January 13th in Santa Ynez, California.

In six-round bouts:

Isaiah Johnson (7-0, 5 KOs) of Sicklerville, New Jersey fights Marquis Hawthorne (8-17, 2 KOs) of Waco, Texas in a junior welterweight bout.

Tahmir Smalls (9-0, 6 KOs) of Philadelphia fights on an opponent to be named in a welterweight bout.

In Four-Round Bouts:

?Erron Peterson (3-0-1, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia battles Nissan Anderson (0-3-2) of Tampa, Florida in a middleweight bout.

Nimal Farmer (3-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia fights Rah’quand McDaniel (1-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in a welterweight contest.

Soslan Alborov (1-2-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia squabbles with Antonio Allen (1-15-1,1 KO) of Philadelphia in a super welterweight tussle.

Donte Turner (3-2, 2 KOs) of Saint Louis, Missouri fights an opponent to be named in a welterweight bout.

Edwin Cortes (3-0) of Millville, New Jersey fights Jeffery Williams (0-1) of Philadelphia in a bantamweight bout.

Nasir Mickens (2-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will take on Braulio Avila (3-15, 1 KO) of Mexico super featherweight bout.

Tariq Green (2-2-1) of Philadelphia fights Courtney Williams (0-2-1) of Milwaukee in a middleweight fight.

Steve Cunningham Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) of Pittsburgh, PA takes on an opponent to be named in a junior middleweight bout. Cunningham is the son of former two-time cruiserweight world champion Steve Cunningham.

THERE WILL BE A PRESS CONFERENCE AT FRAME RESTAURANT (222 MARKET STREET IN PHILADELPHIA ON FRIDAY, MAY 19TH AT 2 PM

TICKETS ARE $65, $75, $125 and $175 (VIP Cocktail) and can be purchased by emailing RDRBOXING@yahoo.com

STOCKTON, Calif. (May 10, 2023) – WBO middleweight world champion Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuky is ready to take out his frustrations on Steven Butler. After calls to unify against the division’s other champions were not answered, Janibek will defend his world title against big-punching Canadian contender Butler on Saturday at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California.

In the co-feature, Australian fan-favorite Jason “Mayhem” Moloney will face Filipino contender Vincent Astrolabio for the vacant WBO bantamweight world title.

Janibek-Butler and Moloney-Astrolabio will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Eye of the Tiger, tickets starting at $25 are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.

Janibek (13-0, 8 KOs), a 2016 Olympian from Zhilandy, Kazakhstan, rose the ranks in 2021 with knockout victories over former world champions Rob Brant and Hassan N’Dam. He picked up the WBO interim middleweight world title last May with a second-round blitzing of Danny Dignum and was elevated to world champion after Demetrius Andrade vacated his title. Janibek made the first defense of his title in November, turning back the stiff challenge of British champion Denzel Bentley. Butler (32-3-1, 26 KOs) has won four straight bouts, all in Canada, since back-to-back defeats.

Following a recent training session, this is what Janibek had to say:

“I give all the credit to Steven Butler for accepting this fight. In a division full of ducks, Butler is a true warrior. I know he will come to fight, and we will give the fans a great show.”

“Demetrius Andrade gave up his title to avoid fighting me. He ran eight pounds up the scale. He is the ultimate duck. Jaime Munguia turned down a shot at the title to fight weaker opposition. They are the two ducks, but I am the champion now.”

“I called out the division’s other champions, and they didn’t answer. Butler answered the call. I am fighting Saturday to prove a point. I will knock out Butler in devastating fashion.”

“The middleweight division runs through me now. I am here to stay. While the other champions continue not to fight, I will challenge the best and knock out everyone in my path.”

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL. – May 10, 2023 – Undefeated prospect and Grand Rapids, Michigan-native Joshua Pagan has relished in the support he’s gotten from fans, family and friends in his home state as he prepares to take on fellow unbeaten Ronnell Burnett Saturday, June 3 from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and streaming live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada.

“I’ve been getting a lot of support back home,” said Pagan. “Everyone is really excited to see me fight. I’m getting a lot of people hitting me up about coming to this fight and that really motivates me to show up and show off my skills on June 3.”

“Joshua is a U.S. national champion and an undefeated prospect who has shown the ability to challenge himself as he’s already beaten two undefeated fighters in just six fights,” added Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “He’s taking on his toughest test of his career and as the boxing saying goes, ‘somebody’s ‘0’ has got to go.’ I believe that Joshua has all the tools to be successful and be part of the resurgence of championship boxing in Detroit. June 3 is going to be an exciting night from the opening bell all the way until Claressa Shields steps into the ring.”

Pagan (6-0, 2 KOs) recently arrived in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to continue his training with renowned coach John David Jackson, and alongside Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.” Shields, who headlines the June 3 event in a rematch against four-division champion Hanna Gabriels.

“I’ve been training for about a week down here,” said Pagan. “The heat is no joke, but training has been great. It’s easy to sweat and it’s a great vibe all around.”

Pagan won the 2021 U.S. Amateur Welterweight National Championship with a unanimous decision over Keon Davis, completing a big step on his boxing journey that began as a teenager with his father and trainer Tony. Pagan explained that after initially getting into the sport because of his father, it was regular viewings of another Grand Rapids native, Floyd Mayweather, that motivated him to see how far he could go in the sport.

“My dad used to box and it was something that our family always watched as well,” said Pagan. “Being from Grand Rapids we would always gather to watch the Floyd Mayweather fights. That really motivated me to want to give it a go in this sport.”

The 23-year-old turned pro in January 2022, earning four victories that year. Most recently, Pagan won back-to-back decisions in Detroit to kick off 2023 as he bested Istvan Bela Orban in February and Wesley Rivers in April. Now already competing in his third fight of the year, Pagan’s time in the amateurs has prepared him well to keep up a busy schedule as a pro.

“I spent a lot of my amateur career fighting guys all around the country and gaining experience,” said Pagan. “It’s the same mentality in the pros. I’m always prepared to fight anyone, so there isn’t a style that’s going to surprise me.

“I’m training year-round and staying ready for what’s next. Each fight we’re learning something new and working on different things. I’m going to keep myself prepared so I can continue to take advantage of opportunities like this. I’m resilient and I’m consistent in my craft. That allows me to be at my best each time that I fight.”

As he prepares to compete on the biggest card of his pro career, Pagan is relishing in the opportunity and is confident that his training has him more than prepared for fight night.

“It’s truly a blessing to be in this position,” said Pagan. “I’m very thankful to Dmitriy Salita for getting me this opportunity to showcase me skills. I’m just ready to go. The way I’ve been working down here, I’m more than ready.”

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL. – May 10, 2023 – Boxing superstar Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.”

Shields has set her sights squarely on an emphatic victory in her rematch against four-division champion Hanna Gabriels, even having her trainer John David Jackson paste a photo of her upcoming foe on their pads, as they near their showdown on Saturday, June 3 from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and streaming live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada.

“My goal is to knock her out as soon as the chance comes,” said Shields. “I don’t want to be in the ring with her for 10 rounds. That’s respect to her. My goal is to train to catch her with a shot or multiple shots, and get the fight over with. I’m always in shape for 10 rounds, but I’m calculating where I’m gonna land those shots so that I can get her out of there.”

“Claressa is already in incredible shape and is working extremely hard to showcase her best in this historic homecoming fight,” added Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “Everyone watching this fight is going to see a boxing great in the prime of her career performing on a big stage. Claressa wants to avenge the only knockdown of her career, and she knows the best way to do that is with a spectacular knockout victory.”

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased through 313Presents.com, Ticketmaster.com and the XFINITY Box Office at Little Caesars Arena. The event is promoted by Salita Promotions and 313 Presents.

The only two-division undisputed champion in boxing history, Shields will continue to make history as she brings big-time boxing to the home of the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings for the first time. The Flint, Michigan native first faced Gabriels in Shields’ sixth pro fight back in 2018, with Gabriels putting Shields on the canvas in round one with a vicious right uppercut-left hook combination. It remains the only time Shields has ever been knocked down as a professional or amateur and although she recovered to win an exciting unanimous decision, she will look for an emphatic ending to their rivalry on June 3.

Here is more of what Shields had to say from training camp in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida:

CLARESSA SHIELDS

“I have a very tough opponent in front of me. This is different from every other fight. I’ve gone in there and dominated almost everybody, except Hanna Gabriels. That’s why this fight is more important to me. She’s the only one who’s possessed the power to knock me down, and she knows that.

“She had moments in the first fight and she believes that she can win the fight. I’ve never gone into a fight against an opponent who knows they have the power to actually hurt me. This is a very serious training camp and I’m not taking her lightly. I’m going to fix my mistakes and make this fight easier for myself.

“I’ve gotten a lot better as a fighter. I can’t make a game plan based off our first fight, because I’ not the same fighter. That’s going to play into my favor.

“I see that Hanna has gotten more confident since our first fight. She’s a lot bigger having fought at heavyweight. She said something about the fire inside of her and how me being so great has angered her. Those are the only differences I see in her.

“Fighting is fighting, so I wasn’t worried about going to the U.K. to take out Savannah Marshall. But I am happy now to be at the point in my career where I can be the first boxer to headline at Little Caesars Arena.

“There’s something about people doubting me that really turns me up. Marshall had been bragging about winning an amateur fight for 10 years. I enjoyed going over there and showing her and all her people that she can’t do anything to me.

“If I was a man, I’d be the face of boxing. I’ve got more accomplishments than everybody. I’m just gonna keep continuing to build myself and let the world accept me and women’s boxing. This next fight is a big next step for me.”

WORCESTER, Mass. (May 10, 2023) – Polar Park, the centerpiece of a revitalized City of Worcester, will host a Pro-Am boxing event this summer for the first time, showcasing New England professional and amateur boxers.

Founded in 2021, the state-of-the-art Polar Park is home of the Boston Red Sox Triple-A affiliate Worcester Red Sox (WooSox) and its officials are fully committed to the local community. A share of the proceeds from what is believed to be the first outdoor boxing show in Worcester history will be donated to local charities.

Shearns Boxing Promotions (SBP) will present “Punch-Out at Polar Park”, in conjunction with Kenrick Ball’s Camp Get Right Boxing in Worcester, on Friday, August 4^th (rain date the following night). Doors open at 5 p.m. ET with the first amateur match starting at 5 p.m. ET, the pro card at 7 p.m. ET.

Former pro boxer and local businessman Chuck Shearns owns and operates SBP with his wife, Karen, and daughters Kayla and Olivia. Ball is one of the most respected boxing trainers and cut men in New England, as well as a being a 15-year gym owner and Worcester businessman.

“My family and I are so excited to be promoting this first-ever boxing event outdoors under the lights at Polar Park,” Shearns said. “And to be able to do it with our friend, Kendrick, who has done so much for Worcester boxing, just adds to what we believe will be a great event for the city. Polar Park is an amazing venue and outdoor boxing is like no other event. You don’t need to be a boxing fan for this to be something you and your family would want to see. Kendrick is starting the first Carlos Garcia Tournament to give amateurs from around New England a chance to compete in front of friends and family at such a unique event. The support that we have received from the city and Polar Park officials is greatly appreciated.”

“I’m grateful for this opportunity to work with Shearns Promotions,” Ball added. “We have talked about this for a long time. Ever since Polar Park’s groundbreaking, especially with my son working on the park as part of the laborer’s union, I dreamed of putting on a show there. Now it’s here! This is a big opportunity for him to perform in a stadium he helped build and saw from the ground up. I hope to see New England boxing fans come out and support the show at this great venue.”

Amateur boxers from throughout New England will participate in the inaugural Carlos Garcia Tournament, named after the Hall of Fame trainer who founded and operated the highly successful boxing program at the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester.

The amateur card will be followed by a championship pro card, which will be streamed live by an outlet to be determined, featuring Ball’s son, Worcester light heavyweight Kendrick “Peppa” Ball, Jr. (20-1-3, 12 KOs), active Worcester police officer Neal Sullivan (0-0-1), Worcester-connected Josniel “TG” Castro (9-1, 7 KOs), and pro-debuting light heavyweight Miguel Teo, the celebrated amateur boxer from Framingham (MA), among others.

Worcester has a rich boxing history dating back a century. Multiple division world champions Lou Brouillard (100-32-1, 57 KOs – 1928-40), who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, and “El Gallo” Jose Antonio Rivera (43-6-1, 25 KOs – 1992-2019), top the All-Worcester boxer list.

Other standout boxers from Worcester include 1928 Olympian Harry Devine (1928-43), New England Welterweight Champion Leo Sawicki (1939-49), 4-time national amateur champion Bobby Harris (1993-99), Sean “The Irish Express” Fitzgerald (1990-2001), Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (2008-19), and current WBC #8 rated lightweight contender Jamain “The Technician” Ortiz (16-1-1, 8 KOs).

Tickets will soon be released and available to purchase from competing fighters, Polar Park’s box office, and online at polarpark.com/boxing.

INFORMATION:

Website: polarpark.com. cgrboxing.com

Facebook: /ShearnsBoxingPromotions, /CampGetRightBoxing, /PolarParkWorcester

Twitter: @ShearnsBoxing, @PolarPark

Instagram: @cgrboxing, @PolarParkWorcester

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone presents a world championship doubleheader. Janibek vs. Butler and Moloney vs. Astrolabio, live this Saturday, May 13 at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+. The event takes place at Stockton Arena in Stockton, CA. 

The main event features undefeated Kazak phenom Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly (13-0, 8 KOs) defending his WBO middleweight world title against Canadian contender Steven Butler (32-3-1, 26 KOs).

Janibek, a native of Zhilandy, Kazakhstan, took the fast track to title contention after representing his country in the 2016 Olympics. He captured his first pair of regional titles in 2019 and in 2021 stopped former world champions Hassan N’Dam and Rob Brant. In 2022, he captured the interim WBO middleweight title. He was then elevated to world champion after Demetrius Andrade elected to move up in weight rather than defend his title. Last November, Janibek defended his title against Denzel Bentley via a 12-round decision.

Butler is a nine-year pro from Montreal, Canada. He captured the IBF North American title via first-round knockout against Janks Trotter in 2016 before suffering his first defeat against then-undefeated Brandon Cook the following year. Butler bounced back with eight knockout victories before decisioning Vitalii Kopylenko to capture the WBC International middleweight title. Butler is now coming off four wins, two of them by knockout.

In the co-feature for the vacant WBO bantamweight title, former two-time world title challenger Jason “Mayhem” Moloney (25-2, 19 KOs) will take on hard-hitting Filipino contender Vincent Astrolabio (18-3, 13 KOs).

The undercard will stream exclusively on ESPN+ at 6:15 p.m. ET / 3:15 p.m. PT.

ESPN’s Joe Tessitore will call the action with Hall of Famers Andre Ward and Timothy Bradley Jr. as analysts; Mark Kriegel and Crystina Poncher will serve as reporters.  

ESPN+, ESPN App Boxing Content: Live and Upcoming, On Demand, Studio Shows, Archives

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 Full coverage on ESPN.com.

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The World Boxing Association declared the Dominican Alberto Puello as 140 lbs. champion in recess, after he tested positive for a banned substance, according to the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA), therefore, the fight between Rolando Romero and Ismael Barroso, will be for the WBA Super Lightweight vacant Championship. 

This was approved by a vote of its members by the WBA Championships Committee, which, in turn, indicates that Puello’s recess status is exceptional and a final decision will be made after May 17, 2023, when the boxer attends a hearing with the Nevada Athletic Commission and the Commission makes a decision or a VADA report indicates a negative result of the B test, which is done at the request of the boxer. 

The Puello vs. Romero fight was not a mandatory defense, however, and adhering to the WBA C22 rule, the WBA Championships Committee approved Barroso as the Dominican’s replacement for this world championship bout. This rule states that when a champion cannot defend his title for medical, legal or other justifiable reasons, he will be declared inactive and the organization will choose the official title contenders. 

Since the bout is scheduled for May 13 and the Nevada hearing will take place 4 days after, the WBA felt the need to adhere to the C22 rule to affect as little as possible the athletes classified at 140 pounds. 

For his part, Barroso, mandatory challenger at Super Lightweight, was chosen to face Romero. The winner will face Ohara Davies no later than 120 days after May 13. 

In the event that the fight ends in a draw or a “no decision,” the Committee will reconsider the 140-pound case and issue a new ruling pending the outcome of Puello’s hearing with the Nevada Commission and the possibility of opening the B Test.

DALLAS, Texas – May 9, 2023 –?Today, international superstar?Jake “The Problem Child” Paul?and combat sports icon?Nate Diaz?came face to face for the first time since Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Real Fight Inc. (Real Fight), announced the fight. Presented by Celsius Essential Energy Drinks, Paul vs. Diaz is set for an eight-round bout live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX on August 5th, 2023. The event will be distributed globally by DAZN PPV. In the US and Canada in addition to DAZN PPV, Paul vs Diaz will be available on all major cable and satellite pay-per-view providers.

Amanda Serrano, one the greatest fighters of all time, will put all of her belts on the line and defend her undisputed title for the first time as she takes on Heather Hardy in the recently announced co-main event. Over 20,000 people have signed up for early access tickets which went on sale today, smashing the American Airlines Center presale record for tickets. All other tickets will go on sale Thursday, May 11th at 10am PT / 12pm CT / 1pm ET at https://www.ticketmaster.com/jake-paul-v-nate-diaz-dallas-06-08-2023/event/0C005EA581B12549.

In the press conference hosted by renowned combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani, Paul and Diaz had plenty to say about their legacies, each other, their upcoming fight, and what’s next for them after August 5^th.

Here is what Paul and Diaz shared:

Jake Paul Quotes

On why Nate Diaz: “Nate Diaz was always the plan after Tommy. That was what I said. Even in the build-up to Tommy, I was like it’s Nate Diaz after Tommy Fury. So that was always the plan… This is a big fight. This is a fight that I’ve wanted for a long time. [Nate] got out of his UFC contract and this is probably the biggest fight of the year, only topping me versus Tommy. I want to make big events, big fights happen and strike while the iron’s hot. He was a free agent. Let’s run it. Make it happen. Settle the shit talk. I’m ready for war. I’m excited to be here. Thank you for having me out, Dallas. I love y’all and I’m going to do what Conor McGregor couldn’t do, and I’m gonna knock this man out.”

On if it’s surreal to face Nate Diaz, and being called delusional to want to: “Look, that’s what people have said my whole, entire career. So I’m used to it. I’m used to the non-believers, and I’ve always said exactly what I’m gonna do and then I’ve done it. And so, yeah, we’re finally here. I predicted the future but it is surreal, you know, and I had to put in the work to get here. And I’m just excited to be here putting on massive events. This is just the start of what I’m going to accomplish. Everything else I’ve said still holds true as well. And this is proof of that.”

On impression of Nate Diaz: “I was sitting on the couch at my dad’s house in Ohio [when] I was probably 14 years old, and we were watching the UFC event and his fight came on, and I saw Nate Diaz. I had a crush on Cameron Diaz at the time and I asked my dad if that was her brother and he said, no, but that’s so the first Nate Diaz fight that I saw. Obviously, he’s a legend in the game and I’m excited to be fighting him. Twelve years later, you know, from the couch in Ohio to here in Dallas, Texas.”

On the Fury vs. Paul result: “I’m filled with vengeance, ambition, hunger, and drive more than ever before. I have a lot to prove, two chips on each shoulder, and it’s do-or-die for me. Truly, this fight is do-or-die. I have to leave it all on the line and I think it’s the same for Nate Diaz. You know, he’s leaving the UFC on a win. He wants to come into this game, make a bunch of money, knock out the YouTuber kid then go back and finish his legacy off. And that’s why this is such an amazing fight. But I just lost, and if he beats me, then where does that leave me? So, it’s two people who can’t lose, who don’t want to lose, who never back down, who keep on fighting. And that’s why this is war and I’m ready for war.”

On coming back from a loss: “This is the only thing I’m focused on and I’m filled with that hunger, and I have more conviction now than ever of what I’m gonna do in this sport. And when you’re doing a lot of fights, back-to-back-to-back, I’m knocking everyone out, putting them on their ass, making tens of millions of dollars, you can lose that hunger. That loss re-instilled that in me and I’m excited to come back. I said don’t judge me by my wins, judge me by my losses. So, I’m gonna come back. I’ve been working in silence. I promise you that. I promise you I know what I’m capable of, and this is going to be the best version of Jake Paul that you’re ever going to see in the ring.”

“[The loss] made me reevaluate everything. Look at myself, my coaches, the people around me, everything. And I think that’s good to do in life. It was sort of this reset and this opportunity to look into the mirror, and I learned more about myself in the loss than I have in any of the wins. It’s made me stronger – mentally, in life, and in everything that I’m doing – and it’s almost like a relief in a sense, because I never wanted to lose. But now that it’s out of the way, I can sort of be free and so in many ways it’s very, very freeing. I think it’ll help me fight being more calm and focused. I brought in a bunch of new people into the team, and I’m excited to show people my new skill set on August 5th.”

On people doubting him: “I like people to doubt me and I’m going to do what they couldn’t do, quite literally.”

“It makes me feel sorry for them because they’re not doing it, and it’s easy to talk from the couch. It’s easy to be a critic. It’s easy to have an opinion when you’ve never gotten the ring. That’s why I respect anyone who gets into the ring, win or lose, especially if you lose and then come back. That’s how you know if they’re a true, real fighter. So I welcome the critics. I love it. I let it fuel me. That’s what has brought me here today. Quite literally it’s the hate and the people booing me and the people doubting me. I sat in front of you at these press conferences dozens of times now and said exactly what I’m going to do. I was laughed at since the very first fight in my career when I said I would be here on the biggest stages. I’ve just continued to prove people wrong, continued to put it on the line, continued to never back down. I put every single one of my opponents on the canvas. Win or lose, they’ve all gone down. I’m a real dog and I know what I’m capable of, and that’s why when these corny people try to say shit, I just laugh at them. Look where I’m at, after three years. Are you kidding me? And not only that, I’m bringing people up with me, young prospects. We just launched Most Valuable Prospects – Amanda Serrano, Ashton Sylvie, all of these people. We have a new MVP signing, that when we announce it, y’all are going to shit your pants. So, I’m just getting warmed up in this game and I’m already, I’m already a statue in the game. I’m here forever. Even if I lose, guess what? Y’all are still going to come back in tune in.”

On taking on classically trained boxers and what’s ahead: “Nate’s classically trained in boxing. Like he just said, he’s been in the gym since he was 15 years old. You know sparring guys like Andre Ward, Regis Prograis….. I want to throw big events. Yes. But at the same time, I’m taking on fights to challenge myself and doing things that people would do… taking on hard opponents. I’m not just taking on these guys who are Journeymen who have these terrible records. I’m going to fight the biggest names in the sport and the best competition, and I’m just getting started.”

“I’m getting more and more experience under my belt with each fight. This will be my eighth fight and I’m just getting better and better in the gym. I spar against world champions, you know, and train with world champions all the time. So plan on that, in the future 100%, but taking it one fight at a time.”

On Hall of Fame potential: “I’ve done more for the sport than any boxers in current history. What has Floyd Mayweather done for women’s boxing? The list goes on. I’ve changed the whole entire game. Brought a new 70 million followers to the sport, put on bigger pay-per-views than some of these Hall of Fame guys…. So you want to talk about Hall of Famers, you want to talk about resume? Yeah, I’m building it up. I just got started in this game. This is my eighth fight and I’m fighting Nate Diaz, one of the biggest MMA fighters in history.”

On Training Camp changes: “I’ve switched up pretty much the whole entire team and brought in new people who are going to hold me accountable for my mistakes that I make even in the gym, even down to the nutrition, strength, and conditioning coaches. All that has been switched. I believe I learned a lot from the last fight, and I’m just implementing those things into my training camp and not going to make the same mistakes. I brought in Shane [Mosely] and Theo Chambers as well as J’Leon [Love] on the team and I was talking with [them] after the fight and they all identified the same little mistake that I was making in the boxing ring that needed to be fixed, which would allow the rest of my mistakes that I was making to be corrected. Once they were on the same page, Shane was free and willing to come in and do this full-time. So we assembled The Avengers team and things have been great now. I feel like a whole completely different fighter already in just a short amount of time. We still have 88 days until the fight, so I’m excited to keep on working. This is going to be my best performance yet.”

On why boxing: “I’m a fighter through and through and I love the routine, the discipline of the sport, being an athlete. I fell in love with it and I caught the boxing bug. I feel like this is what I was put on Earth to do, and the sport saved me in many ways, from where I was at. I was going down the wrong path, in Los Angeles, chasing the wrong things. Involving myself with the wrong people. Boxing gave me the opportunity to step back from that to learn who I was, as a man and to build and grow and to focus on something other than doing, you know, the stupid little YouTube shit that I was doing back in the day because that’s not truly who I was.”

On if there is a belt on the line: “Most valuable belt for sure. Let’s put it on the line.”

On Dallas hosting the fight: “I love Texas. Always loved Texas, and this is where I did my first fan Meetup ever when I was 16 years old. It was awesome to bring it back here and to really put on a show because Texas obviously has crazy fight fans.”

On who is the face of boxing currently: “I would say Canelo’s probably the face, Gervonta is the tits, and I’m the ass.”

On what keeps him motivated: “Legacy. Testing myself and challenging myself to become a world champion. That’s my ultimate life goal right now. Since everything else in my life is set, I could retire and focus on my investments, my sports betting, come with all these other things that I do; acting, working on a movie, all this stuff. So just that passion and still knowing that I haven’t done what I’m capable of in the sport yet and that I’m going to continue to get better and better and better until I can become a world champion. That’s my goal, and that’s what drives me.”

Nate Diaz Quotes

On Why Jake Paul: “Post UFC, my plan was always to fight the biggest names and the best fighters there are. I’ve been trying to get out of the UFC for a long time because I knew I knew that I would work. What fighters worked and what I should do. I have a long road but he was doing the biggest and the best things for fighting and in fighting and I was glad. I had a worthy opponent to make an attack on, as soon as I got out.”

On his opinion of Jake Paul: “He’s doing a good job. He’s been punished like he said. As far as the fighter, he’s young, he’s motivated. He’s working hard. I can see that. I’m sure everybody can see that. That’s kind of motherfucker’s unstoppable. That’s why I wanted to fight Connor and the [reason] I took time off from my fights, when I was fighting was because I wanted top guy and they were trying to give me some fucking lame ass motherfucker. [I want to fight the] best of the best and I think you did a great job and [I want] motherfuckers know that I do a great job too.”

On his opinion of Paul fighting Fury: “No one won or lost. That’s why I wanted to fight [Jake]. You know, I want to fight the guys who win but I don’t think [either] lost the fight anyways. And I think that was a hard fight to take.”

On Real Fight Partnering with MVP: “I appreciate everything that I’ve done and had to go through, because [it] got me to the point where I understood and knew what I needed to do, what I wanted to happen, and what should happen. […] I was watching, motivated the whole time, and it was just [a case of] time will tell, you know, [of] MVP [and] Real Fight coming together.”

On representing MMA vs. boxing: “I was being stereotyped as an MMA fighter. […] I don’t like being stereotyped as an MMA fighter. I’m a black belt in Jujitsu and I would have been a pro boxer when I was 18 years old, but a cage fight came up first. So I was stuck in a cage my whole career. And there were times when I got locked out and contracted right away, […] so I was just locked in longer and longer. I’ve been going to boxing gyms since I was 15 years old. I’m a pro boxer and I don’t think I’ve ever got my ass whupped in a boxing gym and not come back as the last guy to win when the round ends. So, I’ve always wanted to box and like I said, I’ve felt like a pro boxer the whole time. Every fight in MMA, I was training just like any boxer trains for a boxing match. […] So yeah, I’m glad I get to come here and showcase my skills in boxing.”

On what’s next after Jake Paul: “I don’t plan on losing anybody, but no matter what happens, I’ll be here, forever. I’ll be fine. No, I’ll be here. […] I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon […] I feel the same now as I did when I was 18, just with a lot of more experience and time under my belt, you know? And so the show for me is going on.”

On his professional fighting record: “I’m the best fighter ever, […] Everybody agrees with that. [Paul: You’ve got 15 losses.] But who did I fight? Top 10. I’ve been fighting top 10 guys the whole time. I probably fought five guys in my whole career that weren’t top 10 when I wasn’t top 10 either. […] What happened with Conor McGregor? How many rounds did I fight him? I fucking knocked his ass out in seven minutes. He got choked, because he was not trying to get hit no more, and he was smart and took the way out. That’s the way to get out here. Take it the way he had to. Isn’t that the goal of the sport? Seven minutes.”

For more information, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @NateDiaz209, @MostVPromotions, @RealFightINC and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @JakePaul, @NateDiaz209, @MostValuablePromotions, @realfightinc and @DAZNBoxing. 

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About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) 

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

About Real Fight, Inc. 

Founded by mixed martial arts legend Nate Diaz, in 2022, Real Fight Inc. promotes exactly what the name suggests — the fights people want to see, featuring the realest fighters from all over the world. Since his departure from the UFC, Diaz is extending his business empire with a true all-around combat experience that will focus on boxing, MMA, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The inaugural event under the Real Fight, Inc. banner is set to take place on August 5, 2023, when Diaz makes his long-awaited professional boxing debut against Jake Paul at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.? 

About Jake Paul 

Paul (6-1, 4KO’s) will enter Paul v. Diaz having already collected an impressive amount of wins, including defeating one of the greatest combat sports athletes of all time in Anderson Silva, where Paul won ESPNRingside’s 2022 Viral Moment of the Year by dropping Silva in the 8th round. Paul began his pro career in January 2020 with a TKO win against British YouTube star AnEsonGib and followed it up with a stunning knockout of former NBA star Nate Robinson in November 2020. “The Problem Child” then shocked the industry with a first-round KO of former MMA champion and Freddie Roach-trained Ben Askren in April 2021,?followed by?two wins over MMA legend Tyron Woodley, including a vicious sixth-round knockout which won him ESPNRingside’s 2021 Knockout of The Year. After a split-decision defeat against Fury, Paul is eager to get back in the ring and come out victorious with a seventh professional win against Diaz. 

About Nate Diaz: 

Throughout a career that spanned 16 years, no single fighter has captured the imagination of combat sports quite like Stockton, California’s finest Nate Diaz, nor has anybody embodied the spirit of what it means to be a fighter in the broader world. Diaz defines a generation with a raw blend of attitude, perseverance, conviction, and pure skill. His rivalry with Conor McGregor remains the biggest in MMA history, shattering box office and pay-per-view records across the board, while his fights with Anthony Pettis, Leon Edwards, and Jorge Masvidal transcended the cage. Nate scored 16 victories over the course of his career in the UFC, ending with a poetic finish of Tony Ferguson in his final fight in the promotion. 

About DAZN: 

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

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

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

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

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

About American Airlines Center:  

Designed by architectural wizard David M. Schwarz and Dallas based HKS, Inc., American Airlines Center is considered one of the nation’s top arenas. Since opening its doors in 2001, the Center has been setting the precedent for sporting and live entertainment events. Bringing in a wide variety of big name shows as well as being home of both the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, American Airlines Center consistently displays its unique versatility. Billboard Magazine named American Airlines Center the 6th busiest arena in the world in 2022. 

LAS VEGAS (May 9, 2023) – IBF featherweight world champion Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez is gearing up to make the first defense of his crown.

The 29-year-old will face Michael “Mick” Conlan Saturday, May 27, at The SSE Arena in Conlan’s hometown of Belfast.

Lopez-Conlan and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States. BT Sport will broadcast the event in the UK and Ireland.

Lopez (27-2, 15 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, navigated bumpy terrain to become a world champion. Despite losing early in his career to Abraham Montoya and Ruben Villa, he regained his momentum with victories over unbeaten standouts Gabriel Flores Jr. and Isaac Lowe. After two stay-busy wins, Lopez received his shot at the title, defeating Josh Warrington in enemy territory in Leeds, England. Now under the tutelage of Kay Koroma, he is preparing in Las Vegas to make his first title defense. Conlan (18-1, 9 KOs), a 31-year-old Olympic bronze medalist from Belfast, made an unsuccessful bid for the WBA featherweight title against Leigh Wood in March 2022 but bounced back later that year with wins over Miguel Marriaga and Karim Guerfi. Less than six months after his first-round knockout against Guerfi, he will return to The SSE Arena for the third straight time.

Following a recent training session, this is what Lopez had to say:

“I’m excited to have given both my country and my family a world champion. It’s not every day that you get a new world champion in my hometown of Mexicali, Mexico. It had been 27 years since my city last had a world champion. So, I’m happy to have been able to do that.”

“We’re making a strong finish to camp. We’re working with Kay Koroma at DLX Boxing in Las Vegas. We’re making big changes. We know I have speed. We know I have power. But now we’re working on sitting down more on my punches and on using my distance.”

“This is going to be a great fight. He’s an Olympian. He knows how to stick and move. It’s going to be a difficult fight. But my preparation has been excellent. This has been the best training camp of my entire career. And as soon as he starts planting his feet a bit, the fight will end very quickly.”

“It wouldn’t be smart for him to try to brawl with me. So, I expect him to come out and box. But I have the speed and strength to cut the ring and find him. I will knock Michael Conlan out!”

Promoted by Top Rank and Conlan Boxing, in association with Queensberry Promotions, tickets are on sale now via www.Ticketmaster.ie.

Long Island, New York (MAY 9, 2023) – Over twelve years ago, way back in 2011, JOE DEGUARDIA promoted Star Boxing’s first “Rockin’ Fights” professional boxing card at The Paramount. Since then, fight series has become a critically acclaimed New York club boxing series staple. Continuing the tradition, on Saturday May 13, Star Boxing is gearing up for the 44th edition of “Rockin’ Fights” at the now Pollstar #1 club venue in the world, The Paramount.

The “Rockin’ Fights” series has become hallowed ground for Long Island fans and for boxing royalty. It has become perhaps the best fight club series in the country, and certainly has no rival in NY. Past “Rockin’ Fights” consistently featured future world champions and current world level talent. The series was created with the idea of combining fan friendly, thrilling fights, while simultaneously developing prospects into future world champions and contenders.

The first main event of “Rockin’ Fights” in 2011 was headlined by Star Boxing’s own, CHRIS ALGIERI, who called the Paramount home before defeating RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV for the WBO World Super Lightweight Title on HBO. Algieri would go on to fight boxing’s elite in MANNY PACQUIAO, AMIR KHAN and ERROL SPENCE JR.

From 2014-2016, Star Boxing showcased Long Island’s working man, JOE SMITH JR., once again using the Paramount as a springboard to secure a shocking knockout victory over then #2 contender ANDREZEJ FONFARA on NBC. Smith would go on be secure one of the most memorable knockout victories in boxing history when he blasted boxing legend BERNARD HOPKINS through the ropes and onto the floor at the famed Forum in California. Smith would later defeat MAXIM VLASOV to capture the WBO World Light Heavyweight Championship.

Star Boxing has proudly produced 50% of all the Long Island born world champions in boxing history, having developed them through the “Rockin’ Fights” series. The short list of Long Island born World Champions are Star Boxing’s Chris Algieri and Joe Smith Jr., as well as boxing legend BUDDY MCGIRT and the fighting Marine, JAMEL HERRING.

The “Rockin’ Fights” series has featured so many memorable fights and fighters, including current and former world champions, JOE SMITH JR., CHRIS ALGIERI, MICHAEL MAGNESI, DEMETRIUS ANDRADE, JOSHUA CLOTTEY, and, RONICA JEFFREY. The critically acclaimed fight series has also featured world title challengers, CARLOS TAKAM, EMMANUEL TAYLOR, CONSTANTIN BEJENARU, VYACHESLAV GLAZKOV and, MIKE ARNAOUTIS and perennial fan favorite heavyweight VINNY MADDALONE who fought TYSON FURY and EVANDER HOLYFIELD.

A new group of fighters continue to root their professional boxing beginnings in Huntington, Long Island at The Paramount. Each fighter with his own origin story, creating his own legacy, all the while chasing the ghosts of past Paramount world champions.

On Saturday May 13, fans will be treated to a thrilling show, featuring some of the top boxers in the area including the return of newly admitted Suffolk County Police Officer, and undefeated Long Island fan favorite, ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS (12-0 4KO’s) in an 8-round welterweight bout against former multi-time Argentine Boxing Federation Champion MAURO “EL RAYO” GODOY (37-8-1 18KO’s).

In an 8 round welterweight step up fight, former 2021 Irish Prospect of the Year, RYAN “THE SILENT ASSASSIN” O’ROURKE (9-0 4KO’S) will go to battle against skilled southpaw, DASHAUN “TOO SWEET” JOHNS (4-2 3KO’s).

On the undercard, making his Star Boxing promotional debut is Irish born, Yonkers based, undefeated, HARLEY “HEAVY HANDS” BURKE (7-0 6KO’s) in a 6 round light heavyweight bout vs Brooklyn’s KAM HUMPHREY (3-1 2KO’s) who will make his second appearance in the fight series.

Rounding out the card is three 4 round bouts that include a super featherweight clash between Passaic, NJ’s ERICK “EL CANETE” PEREZ (pro debut) vs Staten Island’s DOM BREEN (0-1); a 4 round light heavyweight rematch between FDNY’s LOUIS “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA (2-3-1) and LEVAN LOUTSOUPITZE (0-1) of Astoria, NY; and a 4 round cruiserweight bout between NYPD officer, EMMANUEL ETIENNE (2-1 1KO) against highly decorated former UFC rostered mixed martial artist, making his professional boxing debut, OLUWALE “HOLY WAR ANGEL” BAMGBOSE (pro debut).

“The concept of “Rockin’ Fights” was always to bring thrilling fights to New York, while developing boxing talent into world level fighters and champions,” said Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA. “The success of the concept has built the likes of World Champions, Joe Smith Jr. and Chris Algieri and continues to develop a new generation of young prospects such as Alex Vargas, Ryan O’Rourke and Harley Burke who will display their talents on May 13. It’s amazing to think that 12 years later we are promoting the 44th edition of “Rockin’ Fights” and are pleased to give fans what they have become accustomed to at The Paramount, another thrilling fight night!”

LONDON, ENGLAND – (May 9th, 2023) – BOXXER, the next-generation boxing promotion, today announced updates to the blockbuster SMITH vs EUBANK II: REPEAT OR REVENGE? event headlined by Liam Smith (33-3-1, 20 KO’s) and Chris Eubank Jr (32-3, 23 KO’s), with a new addition to the card confirmed plus a new date for the event at the AO Arena Manchester.

Middleweight sensation Ben ‘The Surgeon’ Whittaker considers ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed one of his greatest inspirations and paid tribute to his idol in style on Saturday night with a stunning blend of skills and showboating which had him trending across UK social media.

The electrifying young talent won a silver medallist at the 2020 Olympics and is widely-tipped by boxing insiders to become a dominant world champion in the professional ranks and a potential all-time great. In July, Manchester fans will have their first chance to witness his magic in person.

The event – headlined by the highly-anticipated rematch between bitter rivals Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr. – also has a new date, moving to Saturday, July 1st.

The date change comes after Smith received medical advice to adjust his training camp for a two-week period in order to allow the healing of a minor injury which had begun flaring up.

With Eubank Jr consenting to the move, the two rivals will now return to the AO Manchester Arena in July, almost five months to the day from the four-round January firefight which took place in front of a sold-out crowd in the same venue – joined by a massive television audience watching on pay-per-view – and ended with Smith winning by stoppage in the first minute of the fourth round.

Determined to avenge the defeat and square the record between them, Eubank Jr activated the contracted rematch clause to set up a summer showdown which has taken their rivalry to new heights and looks set to draw an even larger audience.

Explaining his request, Smith commented, “It’s just an old injury niggle flaring up but I want to take the time to let it heal up so that I can enter the ring at 100% on fight night, because a 100% Liam Smith beats Chris Eubank Jr every day of the week and twice on Sunday.”

The co-headline bout remains in place, with former middleweight world champion Savannah ‘The Silent Assassin’ Marshall (12-1, 10 KO’s) challenging undisputed world super-middleweight champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn (8-1, 2 KO’s) for her four belts and undisputed champion status.

Having won a new belt in each of her three fights in 2022 unified world light-middleweight champion Natasha ‘Miss GB’ Jonas (13-2-1, 8 KO’s) will lay them all on the line in Manchester, with her challenger to be announced in the coming days. 

Jonas – a member of the 2012 Team GB Olympic squad – won the WBO world title in February last year, captured the WBC belt in September and added the IBF belt to her collection in November. 

British super-middleweight champion Mark ‘Kid Dynamite’ Heffron (29-2-1, 23 KOs) – a Champs Camp stablemate of Jonas under the tutelage of two-time trainer of the year, Joe Gallagher – will defend the prestigious Lonsdale Belt against Zak Chelli (13-1-1, 6 KOs) in a certain crowd-pleaser.

Chelli goes into the title challenge off the back of a stunning, career-best performance against American standout Anthony Sims Jr earlier this year. Having recently been mandated for the British title, the Londoner will now be hoping to cause a mighty upset in the North West when he stands toe-to-toe with Oldham native Heffron.

All tickets purchased for the originally-scheduled date remain valid for the newly-announced July 1st date. Ticket-holders who cannot attend the rescheduled date can obtain a full refund by contacting their ticket provider.

New York, NY (May 8, 2023) – DiBella Entertainment has signed 19-year-old junior welterweight prodigy “Dynamite” David Lopez (3-0, 2 KOs) to an exclusive promotional contract.

Coming from a family of fighters, Lopez, a southpaw who is of Black and Filipino heritage, is trained by his father and former pro boxer, Kris Lopez. In addition to his father, David’s older brother, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather were all boxers. When David was just five years old, his father opened Lightning’s Boxing Club in 2009, in their hometown of Oakland, CA. Surrounded by the sport throughout his childhood, Lopez had his first amateur bout at age nine in 2013. Amassing an overall amateur record of 34-4, he won the Desert Showdown World Amateur Boxing Championships, Puerto Rican National Championships, and a bronze medal at the Junior Olympics, in 2015. Earning key victories against notable fighters such as Justin Viloria, Floyd Diaz, and Akeem Cheatem, all multi-National champions, Lopez was rated #1 at bantamweight by USA Boxing in 2015 and 2016.

While preparing for a fight in 2016, Andre Ward, then a light heavyweight contender, visited the Lopez gym and was challenged by a brash 12-year-old David to a sparring session. Reflecting on the experience, Ward complimented the young amateur telling reporter Brin-Jonathan Butler, “He [David Lopez] is the best fighter in the world under 13.”

During his teenage years, the athletic Lopez also excelled at other sports, such as basketball and varsity football.

Lopez turned pro at age 17 while still a student at Alameda High School in California. Following two first-round knockout wins, Lopez made his DiBella Entertainment debut on April 27, facing Nelson Morales at Sony Hall in Times Square, New York City. Seven years after their initial encounter, Andre Ward, by then a Lopez family friend, once again sparred with David to help him get ready for this fight. Opening up the Broadway Boxing event, which was live streamed globally on DAZN, Lopez earned a four-round unanimous decision victory.

“This is a great signing for DBE. I was impressed with what I saw from David at Sony Hall and I believe he has tremendous potential. The father-son dynamic is a longstanding tradition in boxing and I can see that Kris has taught David very well. A working model, David is a good-looking, polished prospect in and out of the ring. I look forward to guiding David’s career and helping him fulfill his promise,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.

“Lou DiBella is a Hall-of-Fame promoter and I know I’m in good hands,” said Lopez. “I took care of business last month and can’t wait to get back in the ring to do it again. I have been training my whole life in this sport and the goal has always been to become a world champion. Having my father in my corner from day one has been a blessing. With DiBella Entertainment, our team is now complete and I know my future is bright.”

“I have observed Lou DiBella for years and said to myself, ‘That’s the guy I want to sign my son to,’ and it happened,” said David’s father and trainer, Kris Lopez. “Let the good times roll.”

“I have known Lou DiBella for many years. He’s a legendary promoter and I have all the confidence in him and DiBella Entertainment to get David Lopez the opportunities to become a future world champion,” said Lopez’s advisor Alonzo Benezra.

Social Media

DiBella Entertainment

Instagram: @DiBellaEnt

Twitter: @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEnt

Facebook: @DiBellaEntertainment

QUINCY, Mass. (May 8, 2023) – Holbrook junior welterweight Mike “Bad Man” Ohan, Jr. (17-2, 9 KOs) may be fighting for the last time on a local-based show, June 10^th on “Fight Night at the Vets Club” card, presented by Granite Chin Promotions’ (GCP), at the Veterans Club in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

A former New England welterweight champion, Ohan faces William Parra Smith (4-14-1, 3 KOs), of Alaska, in a scheduled eight-round bout.

The main event pits Julien “Black Dragon” Baptiste Baptiste (4-3, 2 KOs), of Woburn (MA), versus Ryan Thomas Clark (2-3, 1 KO), of Barrington (NH), in a six-round throwback New England rivalry match for the vacant United States Boxing Federation (USBF) middleweight title.

Ohan fought on his highest platform to date last December, when he lost to 2020 U.S. Olympian Delante “Tiger” Johnson (6-0) in a fight streamed live on ESPN+ from famed Madison Square Garden. Although he lost, Ohan enjoyed the overall experience, and he’s looking forward to fighting more on the road in key match-ups.

“I was offered to fight on this club show and then take a bigger fight next, or wait for a bigger fight,” Ohan explained. “I took this stay-busy fight to be active and keep pushing, but guys like this are hungry, even if his record isn’t good. He has nothing to lose.

“I’m ready to take the next step. Whenever my promoter (Chris Traietti) tells me I have a big fight offer, I won’t hide from any of the bigger names. I want to get tested and surprise people. I like being the underdog.”

“I felt as though it was best to keep Mike busy,” Traietti added. “Anytime you put a fighter in the ring, you are taking a risk, but as long as it is a calculated risk then it’s the responsible decision. When the time comes for Mike to get back on the big stage, I don’t want him rusty, coming off a long layoff. With that said, William Parra smith isn’t a pushover. He just went six hard rounds on my show in February against a guy with a ton of international experience. He comes to fight, and I plan on pushing Mike. You can call whatever you want, a ‘tune-up’ fight, ‘stay busy’ fight. At the end of the day, it is a fight. Mike has to get through this one victoriously. Then the next move will be something big.”

Ohan has stayed busy, working days as a painter for Ohan Painting, evenings training hard in the gym to get ready for his fight. There are advantages and disadvantages of fighting close to home.

“I haven’t thought too much about this, maybe it being my last fight close to home,” Ohan said. “It probably won’t hit me until after the fight. I felt good fighting on a bigger platform. I enjoy traveling and fighting people in different areas. It’s tough selling when you’re making weight, too, It’s added stress. But I love fighting locally, too. Maybe I’ll be in a big fight on the East Coast.”

Also slated to fight on the “Fight Night at the Vets Club” are 2020 USA Boxing Elite National Champion Arika Skoog (1-0-1, 1 KO), of Roxbury (MA), unbeaten Lynn (MA).super middleweight James “Pitbull” Perkins (11-0-1, 8 KOs), and Scituate (MA) heavyweight Kevin Nagle (1-0,1 KO).  

Card subject to change.

Tickets are priced at $60.00 (floor seats), $40.00 (standing room only), and $400.00 for ringside tables of 4 are available for purchase at https://granite-chin-

promotions.ticketleap.com.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, first bout at 7 p.m. ET.

ONTARIO, CA (May 8, 2023): Tickets for the anticipated clash featuring Mexican superstar Jaime Munguia (41-0, 32 KOs) and Ukrainian world champion contender Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (14-4, 10 KOs) are scheduled to go on sale this Thursday, May 11. The 12-round super middleweight fight is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 10 at Toyota Arena and is presented in association with Zanfer Boxing. The fight will be  broadcast live worldwide on DAZN beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT/ 8:00 p.m. ET. 

Tickets for Munguia vs. Derevyanchenko will go on-sale at 10:00 a.m. PT and are priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $30 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboypromotions.com or the Toyota Arena box office Monday through Friday from 12pm-4pm.

Media interested in covering the fight can apply for a credential by clicking HERE. Media credential applications are due by Monday, June 5.

Please note, a previous press release noted that Munguia vs. Derevyanchenko was a middleweight fight; it is a super middleweight match.

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Munguia vs. Derevyanchenko is a 12-round super middleweight fight that is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Zanfer Boxing. The event is sponsored by “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts,” and AutoZone, “Get in the zone, Autozone.” The fight will take place on Saturday, June 10 from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

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

Birmingham, England – 6th May 2023 – Olympic medalist Joshua Buatsi cruised to a commanding Unanimous Decision victory at the Resorts World Arena, Birmingham and live on Sky Sports. The undefeated Light Heavyweight earned scorecards of 97-94, 98-92, and 100-90 from the judges, impressively shutting down a determined and heavy-handed opponent in Pawel Stepien. 

Buatsi was measured and economical in the first half of the fight, feeling Stepien out as he shook off the cobwebs from over a year out of the ring and stopped Stepien from having any opportunity to land his dynamite right hand. 

The Olympic medalist grew into the fight as the rounds went on, loosening up his offense and coming into range to trade punches more often, confident he could come out of any exchange the victor.

Stepien gave everything across the 10 rounds and did not come to lose, taking any chance he got to land shots across the rounds, stepping up the intensity in the second half of the fight and giving Buatsi plenty to think about. This offense from Stepien did give Buatsi chances to land some crunching shots to Stepien’s body that forced him to back away and shell up.

Despite 12 months out of the ring, Joshua Buatsi controlled the fight, and won every single round on one judge’s scorecard, on the way to an intelligent, dominant victory where he didn’t take any unnecessary risks that could have left any talk of challenging for a world championship in future in tatters. 

Shrewd performances like this one are crucial for winning and retaining world championships, and that’s what Joshua Buatsi wants to do.

“I’ve been out of the ring for almost a year, so I needed the 10 rounds. I wanted to knock him out, and I’m disappointed I didn’t, but we got the win. If I had lost it, everything would have changed, so I had to be smart,” Buatsi told Sky Sports after the fight.

Having removed the ring-rust from his extensive layoff and beaten a tough, previously-undefeated opponent, Buatsi is now in position for options ranging from huge domestic clashes to world title contention.

Televised Card Results:

Joshua Buatsi def. Pavel Stepian – UD (98-92, 97-94, 100-90)

Lauren Price def. Kirstie Bavington – UD (100-90, 100-90, 100-90)

Ben Whittaker def. Jordan Grant – KO Rd 3 (0:13)

Tyler Denny def. Macaulay McGowan – SD (96-94, 96-94, 93-97)

Sean McComb def. Kaisee Benjamin – UD (97-94, 97-93, 96-95)

Full Undercard Results

Lauren Price def. Kirstie Bavington – UD (100-90, 100-90, 100-90)

Olympic Gold Medalist Lauren Price was able to add the first ever Womens’ British Championship to her collection in a whitewash, dominating victory over Kirstie Bavington. Price managed the distance of the fight perfectly as Bavington came forward and put her under pressure in every single round. Despite the pressure, Lauren Price was able to fire off brutal combinations as Bavington approached that left her bloodied and badly hurt.

Price looked somewhat close to a stoppage a few times in the later rounds of the fight, but stayed regimented in her approach and took no risks in a fight she was walking away with, making her first 10 round fight look like something she’d done a thousand times before.

Lauren Price made history again, after having done so before in Tokyo, with this victory, and went the Championship distance in only her 4th professional fight. She now looks certain to win World Championships in the professional ranks, with the only question being what could possibly slow her down.

Lauren Price said to Sky Sports after the fight: “I can’t put into words what this means. The olympics was a dream of mine, then I had to start all over again in the professional ranks. Now this was my 4th fight, first 10 rounder, and now I’m British champion. Kirstie made me work for it, she’s extremely fit and kept me on my toes all fight long.”

Ben Whittaker def. Jordan Grant – KO Rd 3 (0:13)

Olympic silver medalist and future boxing superstar Ben Whittaker took another stunning stoppage in the third professional fight of his career, sending a resilient opponent in Jordan Grant tumbling to the canvas and unable to answer the referee’s count just seconds into the 3rd round with a savage left hook to the temple.

Whittaker totally outclassed Grant across the short amount of time the fight lasted, intelligently forcing him into the corner of the ring with footwork and firing off crisp, fast shots to the head and body without allowing Grant to return fire for even a second, minimising all risk. This culminated with a perfect 1-2 from Whittaker straight through the middle of Grant’s guard at the end of the 2nd round that almost ended the fight, but Grant battled on for the start of the 3rd, where he was then beaten into submission.

With his unquestionable self-confidence, brash style in and out the ring, and a penchant for showboating to his opponents, Ben Whittaker has already become a marmite figure in boxing. But everyone, whether they love him or hate him, can’t deny he is one of the world’s finest boxing talents and looks destined for greatness in professional boxing.

Ben Whittaker said to Sky Sports after the fight: “I came out here just to have fun. All these people paid their hard-earned money, I wanted to give them a show. I could have got it done in 20 seconds but I thought we’ll go a bit longer. I’ve done the rounds in camp, it’s only right.”

Tyler Denny def. Macaulay McGowan – SD (96-94, 96-94, 93-97)

Tyler Denny took another impressive win on a BOXXER show to continue his recent career run of success. However, Macaulay McGowan made him work extremely hard for his win and had one judge giving the fight to him.

Denny dominated the first half of the fight, outworking and outjabbing McGowan, who looked unsure about how to break out of this losing situation. But as the rounds went on, and McGowan kept the pace high, he started to close Denny down and land big shots. This culminated in a blistering 8th round where Macauley McGowan unloaded everything he had, battering Denny from pillar to post and leaving him on the verge of being knocked down at multiple points across the round.

Tyler Denny did successfully survive this assault, showing true grit to do so, leaving McGowan with little left in the tank to put the same level of pressure on a slowed Denny for the final two rounds.

In the end the fight was razor close, and the division in the opinion of the judges reflected this, and while Tyler Denny ended the fight with his hand raised, both men showed they deserved their place fighting for a title.

Tyler Denny said to Sky Sports after the fight: “I knew this would be my toughest fight. He came for it tonight. I thought I was cruising through the fight after six rounds, but then he came on strong from there to the end. Listen to that hometown crowd backing me as well.”

Sean McComb def. Kaisee Benjamin – UD (97-94, 97-93, 96-95)

Sean McComb retained his WBO European Super Lightweight fight in an epic 10-round war with the massively talented Kaisee Benjamin, in a fight that had action from the first bell to the very last.

McComb took control of the fight from the first round, using his longer reach to pepper Benjamin with big shots across the first three rounds that left Benjamin reeling and with a seriously damaged nose. But Kaisee Benjamin showed tremendous grit to grow into the fight as it went on, trading in the middle rounds and then taking control in the final rounds after slowing McComb down with savage bodyshots. However, McComb hung on well and had done enough to take a unanimous decision victory on the judges’ scorecards.

Both men showed they deserved their spot at the top of British boxing in this fight, and both will have earned anyone watching this fight’s respect and adoration from now on.

Sean McComb said to Sky Sports after the fight: “Thanks to all my fans who have came over with me from Belfast. I knew I’d take this massive opportunity and take the victory here. I would love to fight on Sky Sports again.”

Shakan Pitters def. Joel McIntyre – PTS (80-72)

6 foot 6 inch tall Light Heavyweight giant Shakan Pitters gave an astute performance to win every single round against a tough opponent in Joel McIntyre who came to win. Pitters used his piston-like jab to great effect across the fight, keeping McIntyre at bay and unable to land any shots, no matter how hard he tried to close the distance.

Pitters used his height and reach advantages very well throughout the fight, controlling the distance smartly and choosing his moments to move forward and inflict damage on McIntyre to perfection. Multiple times throughout the fight, most prominently in the 4th and 6th rounds, Pitters hurt McIntyre with big right hands, but again returned to his highly successful jab rather than become reckless.

Pitters will now be hungry to fight for a British title once again, and mix it up with some of the best Light Heavyweights in the country, as he has done in the past.

Cori Gibbs def. Jimmy First – PTS (78-74)

BOXXER Series winner and Lightweight prospect Cori Gibbs avenged the bizarre first loss of his otherwise perfect career to move to 18-1 as a professional by beating the highly talented Jimmy First. Gibbs suffered the first loss of his career to First in December 2022 in a fight that saw Gibbs deducted three points across the course of the fight for losing his gumshield.

These circumstances make Gibbs’s calm, collected performance, where he used skilled footwork to consistently land shots on Jimmy First without taking any in return. First charged forward doggedly in the second half of the fight, and was able to do some damage when he moved into range, but Gibbs stayed composed and saw out the fight for a points victory.

Danny Quartermaine def. Christian Lopez Flores – TKO Rd 4 (2:58)

Exciting young prospect Danny Quartermaine earned the third stoppage victory of his career to move to 9-0 in a fight that introduced him to boxing fans across the UK in impressive style. Quartermaine, heartily cheered on by hundreds of passionate fans, totally outclassed a 40-fight veteran in Christian Lopez Flores, knocking him down twice before the referee felt Flores couldn’t continue in the final seconds, much to Flores’s protestations.

Quartermaine looks set to rise quickly through the ranks of British boxing. With solid boxing skill, genuine knockout punch power, and a large number of impassioned fans, there could be no limit to how far he could go.

Full Card Results: 

Joshua Buatsi def. Pavel Stepian –

Lauren Price def. Kirstie Bavington – UD (100-90, 100-90, 100-90)

Ben Whittaker def. Jordan Grant – KO Rd 3 (0:13)

Tyler Denny def. Macaulay McGowan – SD (96-94, 96-94, 93-97)

Sean McComb def. Kaisee Benjamin – UD (97-94, 97-93, 96-95)

Shakan Pitters def. Joel McIntyre – PTS (80-72)

Cori Gibbs def. Jimmy First – PTS (78-74)

Danny Quartermaine def. Christian Lopez Flores – TKO Rd 4 (2:58)

Canelo Alvarez is promising to deliver ‘something special’ tomorrow night when he defends his undisputed Super-Middleweight title against John Ryder at the Estadio Akron on Saturday night, live on DAZN and DAZN PPV.
 
Canelo (58-2-2 39 KOs) defends his Undisputed crown for the second time after beating bitter rival Gennadiy Golovkin in their trilogy battle in Las Vegas in September, having ripped the IBF crown from Caleb Plant in Sin City in November 2021 with an 11^th round stoppage.
 
The Mexican superstar will make an emotional return to his homeland for his latest Cinco de Mayo showdown, and it will be 4180 days since he last stepped through the ropes in Mexico, when he stopped Kermit Cintron in Mexico City in five rounds to defend his WBO World Light-Middleweight title.
 
The 32 year old four-weight World Champion fights for the 63^rd time of his storied career as he closes in on 18 years as a pro. Cinco de Mayo weekend will see him fight for the 35^th time in his homeland and it promises to be a spectacular occasion with the state of Jalisco marking 200 years of independence against WBO mandatory challenger Ryder (32-5 18 KOs) – and Canelo is promising a spectacular night in front of over 50,000 fans in Guadalajara.
 
“It’s going to be something special after 12 years,” said Canelo. “I started my career here in Guadalajara in the little arenas. And now we are in the biggest stadium and the biggest response from the people. It’s going to be one of the best nights of my career for sure. I am really excited for this fight. 
 
“I was always thinking about fighting again in Guadalajara of course. You can expect something special, and the result is even better. I’m glad and grateful that the people respond like this. I’m enjoying this moment a lot. I enjoy this because it is hard to put on this kind of fights and have people respond like this. It’s an honor for me and I’m proud of it. I’m going to bring everything tomorrow night. 
 
“It wasn’t about money. There were a lot of things that made it hard to put the fight here. Everything, TV, moving, things had to change here in Guadalajara. It’s hard to do it but you know I’m happy I made this and I’m happy to bring this fight to Guadalajara. 
 
“For a long time, I didn’t train here in Guadalajara so me training here for the whole month is different. I feel different. The vibes are different. My family is here. My grandma is here. So, it’s been different, but I enjoy everything. Eddy Reynoso said to me, ‘You need to enjoy this moment because you deserve it. Enjoy what you do because this is such a big thing’. I am just enjoying and thanking all my people and the response is just amazing, so I enjoy it a lot.
 
“You know it is going to be a good fight when a fighter is coming forward. John is a good fighter. He’s southpaw and he throws punches from everywhere. It’ll be a little bit difficult in the first rounds, but I have the experience and I need to handle it.”
 
OFFICIAL WEIGHTS:
 
12 x 3 mins Undisputed World Super-Middleweight title
CANELO ALVAREZ 168lbs      vs.     JOHN RYDER 167.1lbs
 
12 x 3 mins WBC World Flyweight title
JULIO CESAR MARTINEZ 112lbs vs. RONAL ROLANDO BATISTA 112lbs
 
10 x 3 mins Super-Lightweight contest
GABRIEL VALENZUELA 139lbs        vs.     STEVE SPARK 140lbs