By Norm Frauenheim-

LOS ANGELES – Deontay Wilder wore a mask. It covered his mouth and nose in menacing black. Tyson Fury laughed at the costume, in part because he thinks nothing can hide Wilder’s true character.

“He’s a fraud,’’ Fury said Friday beneath a bright Southern California sun while standing on a stage within a block from Staples Center and the ring where Fury promises to prove just how fraudulent he believes Wilder’s championship credentials are.

Delivering on that promise Saturday in a Showtime pay-per-view bout (9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT), however, might not last beyond the first right hand that Wilder lands. That’s a prevailing theory.

At some point, the guess is that Wilder will exercise that one-punch power like a paralyzing laser from Darth Vader. Just like that, it’ll be over and Fury will be headed back to Manchester City’s pints and pizzas that a year ago had turned the former heavyweight champ into a sumo-sized mess. The sumo size is gone, however.

If not exactly slim, Fury was a scaled-down 265.5 pounds at a weigh-in that did not include the ritual face-to-face pose for the cameras. It was eliminated because of fears that tension between the two camps might escalate into a fracas, or worse.

It’s notable, perhaps, to know that it is the lightest Fury been since he was at 247 for his 2015 upset of Wladimir Klitschko, then the heavyweight’s undisputed champion. But a reported loss of 150 pounds over the last 12 months continues to generate skepticism about Fury. To wit: Was more than just cellulite lost in Fury’s battle to regain a heavyweight belt?

He’s confident he can take Wilder’s WBC belt, mostly because he sees the same limited skillset others have detected in one of the few athletes from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, not in shoulder pads. But Luis Ortiz saw the same limitation and yet could do nothing about it. Wilder got up from a knockdown and soon followed with right that knocked out of the Cuban.

“I’m going to knock him out, too,’’ Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) said Friday at Fury behind a mask still in place and not there because of the Los Angeles smog.

It was gesture of intimidation, an ominous promise that Wilder’s right will land no matter what Fury does.

Yet, there were questions about just how much leverage Wilder would have behind that feared right in a title defense that could put the winner in line for very rich payday against Anthony Joshua. According to contracts filed with the California Commission, Wilder is guaranteed $4 million and Fury $3 million.

If Fury was a scaled-down version of his former self, Wilder was simply skinny. In a surprise, Wilder was at 212.5 pounds Friday. It’s the second lightest he’s ever been. He was at 207.25 in his pro debut a decade ago.

Perhaps, Wilder hopes fewer pounds will augment his quickness and allow him to move away from Fury in a cat-and-mouse game. If Fury’s astonishing weight loss has in fact left him depleted, it’ll become evident in the later rounds. Fatigue in Fury could set him up for the right, which is feared as much as it dismissed as Wilder’s only weapon.

It all depends on who shows up Saturday. There’s the man who was wearing a mask Friday. And there’s man who wore a cellulite costume a year ago. One or both is about to be exposed.

Ricardo “Hindo” Espinoza 22-2 (19 KOs) knocked Colombian Yeison Vargas 17-1 (12 KOs) down three times in round two retaining the WBO-NABO strap live on Telemundo. In what was sure to be a slugfest with the hard-hitting Espinoza and undefeated Vargas, the two stayed on script and came out firing at the bell in round one. Hindo pushed forward with conviction while Vargas did all he could not to take a backward step, Hindo won this chess match and landed the heavier shots and started to wear Vargas down early. Hindo knocked Vargas down twice early in round two with two heavy left hooks and then a third and final time at 1:19 of round one. Espinoza went from an unknown fighter to a legitimate world ranked contender overnight. He’s coming off an impressive second-round stoppage of then #3 WBO ranked bantamweight Daniel “El Alacran” Lozano during the Telemundo summer series.

Promoter Kris Lawrence and The Heavyweight Factory, in association with All Star Boxing, returned to the Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla with “Rumble at the Rock III.” and was live on Telemundo with former world champion Abner Mares 31-3-1 (15 KO) calling the action ringside. According to ESPN a matchup between 130-pound titleholder Gervonta Davis and Mares could happen in February on Showtime

In the 10-round welterweight co-main event, Derrieck Cuevas (19-0-1, 14 KOs) knocked Breidis “Khanqueror” Prescott (31-15, 22 KOs) down in round one with a big chopping left hook. Prescott was on unsteady legs, barely made the count and was saved by the bell. Where it looked like it could be an early night for Prescott, the veteran and well-known Miami via Barranquilla, Colombia, he came back strong in the mid rounds with volume head and body punching. Cuevas of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico was sharp with his attack, firing blistering shots down the line and creating a fun technical clean fight. Cuevas is impressive and beats the gatekeeper with a unanimous decision victory.

Light Heavyweight Ulysses Diaz 8-0(7KO) stopped Fabian Valdez 3-5 at :49 of round number two in a fight Valdez was never in. Diaz overpowered Valdez from the opening bell.

Lightweight Manuel Correa 3-0 (2KO) took the unanimous decision win over Dustin Arnold 6-2(1KO) with all the cards reading 40-36.

In the opening bout of the evening heavyweight Hector “Ready for War” Hodge 3-3 (1KO) was too much for Jairus Gladney 1-1 as he put the Philly fighter down twice in round two. Officially a TKO for Hodge at 1:43 of round number two.

Puerto Rican amateur standout featherweight Luis “El Chucho” Melendez 3-1(3KO) destroyed Jonathan Conde 0-1 fighting out of Miami. El Chucho first dropped Conde with a huge left hook, Conde got up, then a devastating right hand, Conde got up, and yet another big right hand, Conde did not get up. Officially TKO 2:13 of round number two.

Super Middleweight Irosvani Duvergel 4-0(3KO) made quick work of Yendris Rodriguez Valdez 2-4(2KO). Duvergal, a Cuban youth Amateur standout, wasted no time and came right after Valdez, knocking him down twice in round one with the final call a TKO win at 1:46 of the first stanza.

Crowd favorite and local brawler Jessy Cruz 15-7-1 (6KO) opened strong against

A fleet-footed Isaias Martin Cardona 25-14(17KO) who did all he could to keep distance from the hard-charging southpaw Cruz, including several Ali Shuffles, which was by far his most effective tactic. A right hand in round three from Cruz dropped Cardona in again in the fourth with Cruz starting to close distance only to be saved by the bell, and saved yet again by referee Frank Gentile who stepped into the corner of the Mexican fighter and waved the fight off, officially a TKO win at :01 of round number five.

In a bizarre matchup between Super Featherweights Hairon Socarras 20-0-3(13KO) and Mike Oliver 26-10(8KO) the end came quickly as Oliver went down twice and visibly unwilling to continue as he was rendered his second count, officially KO win for Socarras at :50 of round one. It was clear Oliver did not want to fight.

In a spirited slugfest Cuban amateur star Livan Navarro “Machine Gun Kid”10-0(7KO) outpunched and dropped Colombian Wilfrido Buelvas 19-11(13KO) twice in round three and twice in round four earning himself a TKO win at :54 of round number four.

Tori Nelson 155.8 – Sanna Turunen 158.2
(UBF World Middleweight Championship)

Kareem Martin 148 – Andrew Rodgers 149
Alexander Johnson 177.8 – Mengistu Zarzar 182.2
Sam Crossed 189.6 – Twon Smith 187.6
Antonio Magruder 147 – Matt Murphy 144.8
George Harris 218 – Lamar Lewis 235.2
Jordan White 128 – Ndira Spearman 128.2
Kiante Irving 163.4 – George Sheppard 163.8

1st Bell: 7 PM ET

Tricky Entertainment has been promoting music, entertainment and lifestyle events in D.C. for the past ten years, and is run by Erwin Pendergrast.

DCFightNight is run by Sean Magruder, and this will be his second boxing show in DC.

The Matchmaker is Chris Middendorf.

Ticket Prices begin at $45 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.

Marc Abrams at 856 287 7611 or phillyboxing@gmail.com

TORONTO, ON—Just one fight into his professional career and welterweight prospect Lee Reeves is already catching the eyes of the right people. In this case, the eyes of the person the world will be watching this weekend.

The Irish standout, who recently signed a promotional deal with Lee Baxter Promotions in Canada, caught the eye of lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury with his scintillating third round knockout victory over Benito Aburto on November 17 in Toronto.

“Looks like Ireland has a new boxing star,” said Fury, who has also made stops in Canada throughout his career, defeating Zack Page in 2010 in Quebec City, and holding his training camp for his breakout victory over Steve Cunningham in the nation’s capital of Ottawa.

Reeves is unquestionably one of the best Irish amateurs of his era, having collected eight Limerick championships and eight Munster championships to go along with his pair of Irish national titles. During his years as a competitive boxer, campaigning mostly as a light welterweight, he never failed to appear in the national final at year’s end.

In his first professional contest, he made a seamless transition, looking like the accurate, powerful counterpuncher the scouting report promised he would be. A laser accurate left hand eventually mounted enough punishment for the referee to stop the contest in the third frame, to the delight of the raucous Irish contingent present in Toronto.

“He’s fast, talented and super sexy. Actually He reminds me of someone–me,” he said. “I’ll definitely be following his career and tuning in to his next fight December 15th in Toronto.”

Reeves will return on the 15th on the LBP event at the Coca-Cola Coliseum, headlined by Samuel Vargas vs. Gabriel Pereiro.

ABOUT THIS EVENT:

Lee Baxter Promotions, in association with Athlete Development and Management (A.D.A.M.) will present “Risky Business,” live championship professional boxing at the newly renamed Coca-Cola Colisseum in downtown Toronto, Ontario.

The Coca Cola Coliseum is the home of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, and a spot for some of the city’s biggest concerts and attractions, including WWE wrestling.

In the main event, Samuel Vargas will return home to face the undefeated Adrian Gabriel Pereiro, as he begins a new campaign at light welterweight. Vargas is fresh off a thrilling bout with former world champion Amir Khan. Despite coming up short on the scorecards, Vargas not only gained fans, but proved to have plenty of them already. The Colombian-Canadian banger dropped Khan early in the bout, and had him hurt later on in the contest as well. In the end, the fight was the most-watched in the history of U.K. subscription television.

Vargas is now honing his craft in training camp in Spain alongside former welterweight champion Kell Brook, as he is determined to return to Canada an improved fighter.

In the co-feature of the night, an old fashioned local rivalry comes to a boil, as Patrice Volny battles Ryan Young.

Volny scored the biggest win of his career in September, as he dominated veteran Albert Onolunose to capture both the WBA-NABA and WBO-NABO middleweight crowns. The victory situates him in a prime spot within the world rankings in two major sanctioning bodies, remarkably, just twelve fights into his professional career.

Another one of Canada’s top middleweights, Steve Rolls, will be in tough against KeAndrae Leatherwood. Both men have enjoyed significant national television exposure, having graduated from the esteemed ShoBox series on Showtime.

The card will also feature local favorite Nick Fantauzzi against Marco Parente in a light heavyweight contest, Bollywood star Neeraj Goyat, heavyweight sensation Kristian Prenga, the professional debut of Iranian amateur standout Salar Gholami, and the remarkable return Moncef “Buddy” Askri after an 11-year hiatus from the sport of boxing.

Tickets for “Risky Business” are available through Ticketmaster. VIP tables can be purchased by emailing sales@leebaxterpromotions.com. Doors open at 6:00 PM ET, with the first bout starting at 7:00 PM ET.

Kendo Castaneda 139.5 vs Gilbert Venegas 143.5
Xavier Wilson 133 vs Gelacio Cruz 127.5
Luis Villareal 153.5 vs Michael Klekotta 155
Richard Medina 126.5 vs Jorge De Leon 126
David Godley 161.5 vs Washington Luiz 165
George Ramos 159 vs Steven Ramos 164
Dagoberto Navarez 165.5 vs Stetson Horne 166
Mathew Glover 286 vs Christopher Martinez 218

In the 10-round main event, undefeated super lightweights Kendo Castaneda (14-0, 7 KOs) and Gilbert Venegas Jr. (10-0, 6 KOs), will battle for the vacant WBA-NABA title. The entire card will be streamed via Facebook’s FIGHTNIGHT LIVE channel, which has already served more than three million fight fans since May 2017.

Tickets priced $35 General Admission $40 at the door, and $100 Ringside, are on sale now, and can be purchased by calling (210) 449-5599 or (210) 322-9974. The Scottish Rite Theatre is located at 308 Ave E, San Antonio, TX 78205. Doors open at 4:00 PM, first bell at 5:30 PM.

WBC HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – 12 Rounds

Deontay Wilder – 212 ½ lbs.

Tyson Fury – 256 ½ lbs.

Referee: Jack Reiss (Calif.); Judges: Phil Edwards (United Kingdom), Alejandro Rochin (Mexico), Robert Tapper (Canada)

WBA/IBF 154-POUND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – 12 Rounds

Jarrett Hurd – 152 ½ lbs.

Jason Welborn – 152 ½ lbs.

Referee: Dr. Lou Moret (Calif.). Judges: Sergio Caiz (Calif.), David Sutherland (Oklahoma), Patrick Russell (Calif.)

HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT – 10 Rounds

Luis Ortiz – 241 lbs.

Travis Kauffman – 229 lbs.

Referee: Thomas Taylor (Calif.). Judges: Max DeLuca (Calif.), Esther Lopez (New Mexico), Zachary Young (Calif.)

HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT – 10 Rounds

Joe Joyce – 262 lbs.

Joe Hanks – 247 ½ lbs.

Referee Jerry Cantu (Calif.). Judges: Edward Hernandez Sr. (Calif.), Alejandro Rochin (Mexico), Danny Sandoval (Calif.).

LOS ANGELES (November 30, 2018) – One day before the most significant heavyweight event in the U.S. in over 15 years, heavyweight legends have descended on Los Angeles to discuss the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury showdown that will be live on SHOWTIME PPV® Saturday night from STAPLES Center in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

A media roundtable featured heavyweight greats Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Riddick Bowe, Gerry Cooney, Earnie Shavers, Buster Douglas and Michael Spinks as they broke down Saturday’s battle of unbeaten giants.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by BombZquad Enterprises and Queensberry Promotions, in association with TGB Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, are on sale now and are available via AXS.com. Wilder vs. Fury will be produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV. The suggested retail price (SRP) for the pay-per-view telecast is $64.99 for standard definition.

The roundtable was hosted by SHOWTIME Sports award-winning reporter Jim Gray from the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, Los Angeles. Here is what the heavyweight legends had to say Friday:

EVANDER HOLYFIELD

“I feel that Deontay Wilder will win because eventually he’ll land that right hand. He’s very patient. He’s a thinker, but he can also take chances. When people take chances, they win.

“Deontay might not have as much experience as we did in our day, but he’s got the power. That’s what the people want to see and I think they’re going to be happy when they see it.

“There was a point in time where every great heavyweight was from the United States. We had a very good amateur program. I was the last true heavyweight champion from the U.S. before Wilder and until I lost the decision against Lennox.

“To be the heavyweight champion of the world, and to say you’re the best, you have to fight any man.”

LENNOX LEWIS

“I think it’s going to be a great fight. Deontay Wilder has a terrific right hand and when it lands, not too many people can stand up to it. I also think that you can’t hurt what you can’t hit. Tyson Fury is not an easy person to hit. He has great ability and movement. I’m going with Deontay early or Fury late.

“We all know how it feels to lose the heavyweight championship. We know how hard it is to gain it back. Fury has lost it, and now he wants it back. I can see now that he’s sacrificing and saying to himself that he shouldn’t have lost it, and now he has to regain it.

“I think the view in the U.K. is that Tyson Fury is the man that stepped up. The gauntlet was thrown out there and he stood up for Britain. Deontay came to England to challenge Anthony Joshua, but it was Tyson Fury who answered the call.

“I would say that there are a couple of meccas in boxing that are places where everyone wants to fight. Las Vegas, New York and of course, Los Angeles. My fight against Vitali Klitschko at STAPLES Center was a great fight. My plan that night was not to box to go the distance, I boxed to go a short distance and it did.”

RIDDICK BOWE

“I’m going with Deontay Wilder tomorrow night. He’s going to put on a great show for everyone and get another knockout.

“Tyson Fury is skilled and tall, but to me, he doesn’t do enough on offense. He moves but he doesn’t move his hands enough.”

GERRY COONEY

“I think it’s a great fight tomorrow night. We know that Fury is coming back motivated. If Wilder finds a home for that right, he’s going to take Fury out. I think he’s going to connect at some point during the fight.

“I think Tyson Fury is a great man for how far he’s come back in his life and for standing up to Deontay Wilder. Fury called him out, so maybe he knows something we don’t know.

“I’m so glad to be up here. Look at all these great heavyweights and great guys. It’s special and they’re all here to watch this fight tomorrow night.”

EARNIE SHAVERS

“Me and Deontay are both from Alabama. I’ll be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame soon and Deontay will be there one day as well. Deontay is a great puncher and I’m pulling for him tomorrow night.

“I fought in a great era. If you fight guys on the same level, you’ll get good fights. These guys today could get in there in our day and put on a good show.”

BUSTER DOUGLAS

“I think this is going to be a good competitive fight. If I had to pick, I’d take Deontay Wilder by knockout in the eighth round.

“I feel like Tyson Fury has already won by battling back and getting into great shape and being in this position. I’m sure many people thought they’d never see him back here. That’s a victory in itself.

“My victory over Mike Tyson changed my life in a great way. I was now the heavyweight champion of the world. My dream had come true. Seeing my two youngest kids being born was the only thing that could top it.”

MICHAEL SPINKS

“May the best man win. I don’t know who’s in the best of shape but I think Fury being out of the ring makes me lean toward Deontay Wilder. If Fury is as big in person as they say he is, he’s got a great chance.

“If you’re the underdog, you just have to go on what you know and what you’ve worked on. You can’t pay attention to the doubters. You focus on what you’ve prepared yourself for and give it your all. I always saw myself winning. It’s the greatest feeling to come out of the ring victorious.”

# # #

ABOUT WILDER vs. FURY
Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury pits the WBC Heavyweight World Champion Wilder against the lineal heavyweight champion Fury on SHOWTIME PPV® Saturday, December 1 from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and presented by Premier Boxing Champions. The PPV undercard begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature unbeaten unified super welterweight world champion Jarrett Hurd returning to take on Jason Welborn, Cuban heavyweight slugger Luis Ortiz facing-off against Travis Kauffman and rising undefeated heavyweight Joe Joyce battling Joe Hanks.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.staplescenter.com follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @BronzeBomber, @Tyson_Fury, @TGBPromotions, @STAPLESCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter.

QUEBEC CITY (November 30, 2018) – Boxing’s longest reigning world champion, Adonis Stevenson, and undefeated, mandatory challenger Oleksandr Gvozdyk made weight Friday just one day ahead of Stevenson’s 10th defense of his WBC Light Heavyweight Title in a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast Saturday, December 1 from Videotron Center in Quebec City.

SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION will air live on SHOWTIME and stream for free on the SHO Sports YouTube channel and the SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook Page beginning at 7:45 p.m. ET/4:45 p.m. PT, immediately preceding the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury SHOWTIME PPV. Wilder vs. Fury begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and also features unified 154-pound world champion Jarrett Hurd returning to take on Jason Welborn, Cuban heavyweight slugger Luis Ortiz facing off against Travis Kauffman and rising heavyweight Joe Joyce battling Joe Hanks.

FINAL WEIGHTS

WBC Light Heavyweight World Championship Bout – 12 Rounds

Adonis Stevenson – 174 ¼ pounds

Oleksandr Gvozdyk – 174 ½ pounds

Referee: Michael Griffin (Canada); Judges: Guido Cavalleri (Italy), Mike Ross (USA), Jack Woodburn (Canada)

FLASH QUOTES:

ADONIS STEVENSON:

“I know that Gvozdyk is a good boxer, he was a bronze medalist at the Olympics and he has a European style. His movement is good and he has good technique but there are definitely weaknesses that I plan to exploit.

“I don’t care at all that the bookmakers think I’m going to lose this fight. I’ve been the champion since 2013 and so many people have doubted me in all of my defenses. If I let that affect me, I would have lost my belt a long time ago.

“I’m very hungry. I want to win this fight by knockout. My hometown fans don’t come here to watch me fight 12 rounds, they want to see a body on the canvas. They’re always looking for the knockout and so am I. I know that all I have to do is touch him once and it’s check mate.”

OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK:

“I believe I’m ready physically to do what I have to do. I have to be quicker, smarter, more concentrated and always one step ahead of Stevenson. His left hand is the stronger one but I can’t forget about his right hand either.

“Working with Teddy [Atlas] has been a great experience. He’s been a mentor for me. He’s a very demanding guy who won’t let me get away with a single mistake. That’s exactly what I need. He can help me tactically and even physically, we rebuilt our regular training pattern and I believe it will pay off.

“Despite Stevenson’s age, he’s still a very strong fighter. I know what he’s going to try to do. Like he said at the press conference, he’s going to wait for me to make a mistake to try to catch me. I have to be patient and 100 percent concentrated the entire fight. No blinking.”

Nathan Gorman insists there is no bias in his assessment of huge heavyweight showdown on Saturday night when he forecasts Deontay Wilder barely being able to lay a glove on the elusive force that is Tyson Fury.

The 22-year-old Gorman – who fights Alex Leapai on the bumper Warrington-Frampton pre-Christmas boxing bonanza on December 22 at the Manchester Arena – is a distant relative of the Furys and the pair also share a UK training base at Ricky Hatton’s gym in Hyde.

The 14-0 WBC International Silver title holder, however, states that his fight predictions are not based on any loyalties, just personal experience of seeing Tyson up close and personal.

“I would say truthfully and without bias at all, whatever I thought,” explained the Nantwich-based heavy. “I have never sparred with Wilder, but from sharing a ring with Tyson I just can’t see Wilder beating him, I really can’t.

“I just think Wilder will get frustrated with Tyson when he can’t hit him, he will load up big swings and Tyson will make him miss and make him pay.

“He is too clever, he has got too much in the arsenal for him and he is a big 6ft 9″ switch-hitter – and he is really, really awkward,” added Gorman, who admitted to being shocked by the stealth of Tyson when he first got in the ring with him.

“Definitely, I’ve also seen him take the p*ss out of world class sparring partners.”

One thing, Gorman acknowledges, that cannot be legislated for is if Wilder manages to land the lottery punch.

“Obviously, getting onto that, it is 36 minutes and Wilder only needs one punch because he is the most dangerous heavyweight out there, isn’t he? He is more dangerous than Joshua in my opinion and if he hits you, you are going out.

“But, I just can’t see Tyson letting him do that. It is heavyweight
boxing though, so you never know.”

Watch Wilder-Fury live on BT Sport Box Office on Saturday night.

IBF world featherweight champion Josh Warrington takes on former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton at the Manchester Arena on December 22nd live on BT Sport Box Office. Mark Heffron and Liam Williams contest the vacant British middleweight title and Belfast’s blue chip featherweight prospect Michael Conlan (9-0) takes on former commonwealth champion Jason Cunningham (24-5). In a step up, Nathan Gorman puts his undefeated record and WBC International Silver Heavyweight Title on the line against former World Title challenger Alex Leapai.

Elsewhere on the bill. World flyweight title challenger Paddy Barnes (5-1) and unbeaten Light Heavyweight contender Steven Ward (9-0) return to action. Manchester’s 12-0 Light Heavyweight Lyndon Arthur and 7-0 Darlington middleweight Troy Williamson also return.

Tickets are priced at £50 Upper Tier, £80 Tier, £100 Tier, £150 Tier, £200 Floor/Tier, £300 Floor, £400 Floor, £600 Inner Ring VIP Hospitality and are available.

Tickets available via Manchester Arena.

MANILA (November 30, 2018) — With speaking engagements to the students of the Oxford Union and the Cambridge Union and a whirlwind U.S. media tour to announce his WBA welterweight world title defense against former four-division world champion Adrien Broner behind him, boxer laureate Senator MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO is back in Manila, working three shifts and two jobs daily. For Pacquiao, it’s just another day in the office. Make that offices — his gym and the Philippine Senate.

Boxing’s only eight-division world champion and the BWAA’s reigning Fighter of the Decade, Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs), is putting in 14 to 16-hour days training for his upcoming fight against Cincinnati’s Broner (33-3-1, 24 KOs) and serving his constituents. Until the current Senate session ends, on December 12, Pacquiao’s typical work day begins at 6:30 a.m. with a 5.2-mile run followed by strength and conditioning work. After that it is breakfast and Senate work, followed by a two-hour gym session. Following a quick lunch, Pacquiao is off to the Senate where his second work day begins around 1:30 p.m. and usually ends no earlier than 8:30 p.m., where he heads home to dinner with his family.

On Monday, Pacquiao, one of the few senators to take on the cigarette/tobacco lobby, gave a speech to the plenary making another push for his Senate Bill 1599, which he first introduced in 2017, seeking to raise the excise tax on tobacco products.

Citing the benefits of “The Sin Tax Reform Act,” which was passed in 2012, and resulted in a significant decrease in the number of smokers, Pacquiao said, in a privilege speech, “The main objective for the proposal of this bill is to save lives. This goes to show that increasing tobacco tax works. However, because of increasing incomes and population, it is expected that, without any increase in the tobacco tax, we can expect one million new smokers by year 2022.” Additionally, Pacquiao said that the number of Filipino smokers would decrease by one million while generating 30 to 40 billion pesos in incremental revenues. Pacquiao’s entire text of his speech can be accessed via this link: https://senate.gov.ph/press_release/2018/1126_pacquiao1.asp.

Once the Philippine Senate session concludes, Manny will return to his home in General Santos City where he will continue training. There will be one interruption — his fortieth birthday celebration on December 17. Pacquiao and his team will depart for the U.S., on December 22, and begin phase two of his training at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif.

Regarding Pacquiao’s first week of training camp, here is what the team had to say.

“It is good to be back home in the Philippines. It is time to get to work. I have to really focus and train hard for this fight,” said Pacquiao. “I am excited for January 19. Excited to be facing Adrien Broner. Excited to be back at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, my second home, fighting in front of my fans.”

“Training has been good so far. It is great to be back to training. After two weeks, we will be in very good condition. Manny is still very aggressive and still hungry. I have to make sure that we do our best as trainers to prepare Manny for Adrien Broner just like we did for the Lucas Matthysse fight,” said Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao’s trainer.

Added Justin Fortune, Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach, “We have had good training sessions. We started the week off slowly with light training , but it has become stronger as the week progressed because Manny came into camp in great shape. He is very fresh and very strong.”

A three-time Fighter of the Year, Pacquiao, who hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, is the only sitting Congressman and Senator to win a world title. After serving two terms as Congressman, Pacquiao was elected to a Philippine Senate seat in May 2016, capturing over 16 million votes nationally. Pacquiao’s boxing resume features victories over at least seven current and future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, and Juan Manuel Marquez. In his last fight, with Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in attendance (the first time two heads of state attended a championship boxing event), Pacquaio, 39, regained the welterweight title for a fourth time with a vintage performance on July 15 at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, by knocking out defending WBA champion Lucas Matthyssee in the seventh round.

The Pacquiao vs. Broner world championship event will take place Saturday, January 19 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Pacquiao vs. Broner and its co-main event fights will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® and presented by Premier Boxing Champions beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

Promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions in association with About Billions Promotions, remaining tickets to the Pacquiao vs. Broner welterweight world championship event are priced at $1,500, $1,000, $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, not including applicable service charges, and can be purchased online throughAXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.

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About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon, Google and Samsung. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Channels. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and offers Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com

About Premier Boxing Champions

The Premier Boxing Champions series was created and is produced by Haymon Sports, LLC. It features the most accomplished and decorated array of international professional boxing talent across the most popular weight divisions.

About MGM Grand Garden Arena

The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez as well as Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquaio; and concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, U2, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also has been home to annual events including the Academy of Country Music Awards, the Billboard Music Awards, iHeartRadio Music Festival, Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Championship and Frozen Fury NHL pre-season games hosted by the Los Angeles Kings.

Josh Warrington and Carl Frampton took five minutes out from preparations for their upcoming IBF world featherweight contest on December 22nd to share their thoughts on this weekend’s heavyweight blockbuster showdown between WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and the lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury.

Carl Frampton – “When it was first made I strongly fancied Wilder. As the fight has got closer, I’ve been changing my mind. Looking at Fury’s shape and he is in good shape. In the pics I have seen he looks better than he ever has before.

“There are loads of questions to be asked. Has Fury lost too much weight? Is his inactivity going to cost him? How’s he going to be able to deal with Wilder’s punching power? Difficult one to call, but right now I’m leaning very slightly towards Deontay Wilder.”

Josh Warrington- “I said Fury when the fight first got made and I haven’t changed my mind, got to go for Tyson Fury for the win!

“Of course, you can’t rule out Wilder as he has some serious power in those fists and has proved it time and time again, but Fury’s size and ring IQ will prove crucial. I can honestly see him out-boxing and frustrating Wilder for 12 rounds.”

Watch Wilder-Fury live on BT Sport Box Office on Saturday night.

IBF world featherweight champion Josh Warrington takes on former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton at the Manchester Arena on December 22nd live on BT Sport Box Office. Mark Heffron and Liam Williams contest the vacant British middleweight title and Belfast’s blue chip featherweight prospect Michael Conlan (9-0) takes on former commonwealth champion Jason Cunningham (24-5). In a step up, Nathan Gorman puts his undefeated record and WBC International Silver Heavyweight Title on the line against former World Title challenger Alex Leapai.

Elsewhere on the bill. World flyweight title challenger Paddy Barnes (5-1) and unbeaten Light Heavyweight contender Steven Ward (9-0) return to action. Manchester’s 12-0 Light Heavyweight Lyndon Arthur and 7-0 Darlington middleweight Troy Williamson also return.

Tickets are priced at £50 Upper Tier, £80 Tier, £100 Tier, £150 Tier, £200 Floor/Tier, £300 Floor, £400 Floor, £600 Inner Ring VIP Hospitality and are available.

David Price and Tom Little meet on the undercard of the crunch Heavyweight rematch between Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora at The O2 in London on December 22, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and DAZN in the US.

Liverpool puncher Price has suffered back-to-back stoppage defeats, each time on Anthony Joshua’s undercards, and admits he will be fighting for his career when he meets Hatfield’s Little next month.

He was stopped by Alexander Povetkin after initially flooring the Russian last March. Then a fight against Sergey Kuzmin in September was cut short when Price suffered an injury.

The 35-year-old is determined to prove that he can still mix it with the top Heavyweights and is aiming to end 2018 on a high as he bids to return to title contention.

Little, 31, has previously shared the ring with Rio 2016 Olympic Bronze medallist Filip Hrgovic and fast-rising Heavyweight talent Daniel Dubois, who he took five rounds before being stopped in June.

“This is a real fight,” said Price. “He’s well schooled now and he’s also as tough and game as they come. I can’t go from fighting the likes of Alexander Povetkin and Sergiy Kuzmin to fighting knock-over jobs because I need the threat in front of me.

“I know Tom Little really well and he knows me. We’ve done lots of rounds of sparring and I’ve seen him improve a lot during that time. He’s certainly closed the gap that was between us when we first started sparring.

“With the Heavyweight division, there are big fights everywhere. There are so many big names around and they all need dance partners. There are massive opportunities for the winner of this fight on offer.

“What awaits the victor is part of what will make this a cracking fight. Tom has a couple of losses in his last couple of fights and so do I, so we’re both fighting for our careers in this one.”

“I’m delighted and privileged to be fighting on such a great card,” said Little. “This is a massive PPV show on a massive platform in Sky Sports. I’m fighting a huge name and it’s a dream come true to be honest.

“Not to discredit David but I think his last couple of losses have taken a lot out of him and that will be the difference on the night. I think I’m mentally stronger than David, he’s going to let his last couple of defeats get to him whereas I’m just eager to put them behind me and move on.

“I’m willing to go to them deep and dark places to get the win. I’m expecting a very rough fight, it’s going to steal the show. One way or the other, this fight won’t be going the distance.”

Price vs. Little is part of a huge night of boxing in the capital.

Main event sees fierce Heavyweight rivals Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora rematch after their Fight of the Year contender in December 2016.

Charlie Edwards gets a second shot at a World title when he challenges Cristofer Rosales for the WBC Flyweight World title and British Featherweight Champion Ryan Walsh puts his Lonsdale belt on the line against Watford’s Reece Bellotti, with further exciting fights to be announced soon.

Tickets for Whyte vs. Chisora 2 are priced £40, £60, £80, £100, £150, £200, £300 and £600 (Inner Ring VIP)

General Sale tickets are available to purchase from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk), The O2 (www.theo2.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com)

Filip Hrgovi? has offered his prediction for the WBC World Heavyweight title fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury on Saturday night.

The Croatian boxing sensation will be watching with interest as fellow Olympic Bronze Medallist Deontay Wilder puts his title on the line against the lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Hrgovi? is the current WBC International Champion, having claimed the title with a spectacular knockout win over Amir Mansour, and is set to make his first defence against Ytalo Perea on December 8 at the KC Drazen Petrovic in Zagreb.

“I believe Wilder will get the better of Fury in the end, even if it’s a close fight,” says Hrgovi?. “Wilder is strong and his right hand could destabilise Fury as soon as he’s able to reach the target. However, it’s not an easy fight to predict.”

Since joining the professional ranks, Hrgovi? has made no secret of his desire to win World titles, and after only six fights, he is already ranked with the WBC, WBA and WBO. The 26 year-old wagers he will only need five more fights before he is ready to challenge the likes of Wilder, Fury and Anthony Joshua.

“As people are aware, I haven’t hidden from anyone since starting my professional career,” said Hrgovi?. “And I believe I will be ready to challenge for the World title in five fights. Obviously, it is not just my call, I must speak with my promoter, manager and coach, but soon, I will be coming for all the belts!”

The WBC International Heavyweight Championship contest between Filip Hrgovi? and Ytalo Perea will top an action-packed fight card at the KC Dražen Petrovi? on December 8.

Tickets start from 150 KN and are available online via www.eventim.hr. All the action will be broadcast live and exclusive on RTL in Croatia.

Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury will be broadcast live by RTL Croatia on December 2 at 3:30 with a recorded version shown later at 14:30.

By Norm Frauenheim-

LOS ANGELES – There aren’t many hints. Just the taunts, trash talk and everything else expected in the parade of hyperbole before any opening bell. Deontay Wilder glares and issues ominous threats like a preacher promising Armageddon. The bearded Tyson Fury smiles knowingly, then maliciously.

It’s been a show without a clue, a crap shoot, which is a label with one word that has often been used to describe the heavyweight division.

This week’s build-up to Saturday’s bout for Wilder’s World Boxing Council belt in a Showtime pay-per-view bout even included a little strip tease a couple of days before Friday’s formal weigh-in.

Fury stripped off his designer shirt, a step in the marketing dance that looked to be spontaneous. It also exposed the first real sign of what might happen after opening bell, although even that tea leaf can be interpreted a couple ways.

Fury, whose turbulent career has often been more Tyson-like in lifestyle than furious in the ring, appears to be in great shape. The look suggests he is in the kind of condition he will need to be if he intends to elude singular power Wilder possesses in a right hand that has fashioned 39 stoppages in 40 victories. That big right is the reason Wilder is a slight favorite.

Stay away from its wrecking ball impact for 12 rounds and Fury wins. That, at least, is the conventional wisdom. The theory is that Fury’s skillset is more thorough and effective efficient than else Wilder can throw at him.

Fatigue in the later rounds, however, has appeared to be Fury’s fatal flaw. That’s the moment when the narrow odds suggest that Wilder’s game-ender lands, putting a tired Fury onto the canvas and Wilder in line for a shot at Anthony Joshua.

But a conditioned Fury is a different kind of fury altogether. It’s how he frustrated and beat Wladimir Klitschko before Joshua sent the great Ukrainian into retirement. Freddie Roach, who will be in Fury’s corner along with Ricky Hatton and lead trainer Ben Davison, says that if he can beat the accomplished Klitschko he can beat a one-dimensional Wilder.

Hard to argue with that thinking.

Then again, it hard to imagine how difficult it was for Fury to regain his conditioning and what that might mean on Saturday (9 pm ET/6 pm PT).

According to reports in the UK media, Fury was at about 400 pounds a year ago. There are photos of him shirtless, alongside Hatton. A sagging beach ball has more muscle definition. A year later, he is shirtless again, looking fit and perhaps renewed. He reportedly lost between 130 and 150 pounds, give or take a few pints. In other words, he shed about a welterweight to get ready for a title bout, a decisive moment on what he is calling his Road to Redemption.

By now, Fury’s crazy lifestyle is no secret. After Klitschko, The Gypsy King and son of a bare-knuckled Irish Traveller drank and drugged his way into obesity and out of the ring. He served a long suspension. Now he’s back with an upper body that looks good. Yet, the transformation in diet and conditioning could not have been easy.

Did a radical restoration come with a price? Could the toll be an erosion in the resources Fury figures to need in the later rounds if he hopes to elude Wilder’s wild power for what some believe could be a scorecard victory?

Maybe.

But, maybe, Wilder’s one-punch power, delivered with an 83-inch reach from awkward stance, has run its course. For the last couple of years, the prediction is that somebody with a more versatile skillset will eventually beat Wilder. There’s even talk that Fury will win by a stoppage with a well-executed combination that Wilder will never see.

Maybe.

At least, a shirtless moment this week seemed to say so.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Nov. 29, 2018) – Arnold Barboza Jr. is hungry for a 140-pound world title shot. The Los Angeles native, who has fought all but one of his 19 professional bouts in California, will head to Texas intent on staking his claim as one of the division’s top contenders.

Barboza will face Manuel Lopez on Friday, Dec. 14 in a 10-rounder for the NABF junior super lightweight title at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Barboza-Lopez will be the co-feature to the previously announced rematch featuring WBO champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez and No. 1 contender Jesse “Hollywood” Hart.

Ramirez-Hart 2 and Barboza-Lopez will stream live at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ — the new multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN. The entire undercard will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zapari Boxing Promotions, tickets to the Ramirez-Hart 2 world championship event are on sale now. Priced at $100, $65, $45, and $30, tickets may be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, at the American Bank Center Box Office, Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

“I have heard that a world title shot is in my future, but I never take a fight for granted,” Barboza said. “I have trained really hard this fight. Lopez is a tough guy who I know from the amateurs. I am excited to have the opportunity to showcase my skills on a big platform. I never want an easy fight. This is a step-up fight, and I am ready to show the fans what I am made of.”

Barboza (19-0, 7 KOs), a native of Los Angeles, is 2-0 in 2018, including a hard-fought 10-round unanimous decision against Mike Reed on March 10 in Carson, Calif. Lopez (14-2-1, 7 KOs), a native of Denver, is entering this fight on a six-bout unbeaten streak dating back to a competitive 2015 decision loss to then-undefeated Kevin Watts.

The undercard stream will feature:

Mikaela Mayer (8-0, 4 KOs), the 2016 Olympian and one of the brightest stars in female boxing, will defend the NABF super featherweight title in an eight-rounder against Calixta Silgado (17-10-3, 12 KOs).

Big-punching Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer Jr. (18-1-1, 10 KOs) will take on Daniel Lozano (15-5, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBC Continental Americas bantamweight title. Greer, who has won seven of his past eight bouts by knockout, is coming off a third-round TKO against Giovanni Delgado on Sept. 28 in Oakland, Calif.

Gabriel Flores Jr. (10-0, 5 KOs), the 18-year-old fighting sensation from Stockton, Calif., will make his sixth ring appearance of 2018 against Edward Kakembo (10-5, 3 KOs) in a six-round lightweight bout.

Top junior lightweight contender Jamel Herring (18-2, 10 KOs) will continue his march toward a world title shot when he faces former junior featherweight world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos (19-5, 15 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

Top prospect Ruben Vega (11-0, 5 KOs), from Mazatlán, Mexico, will clash with Oscar Mojica (11-5, 1 KO) in a six-round super flyweight battle.

In a six-rounder at super bantamweight, Jesus Arechiga (6-0, 6 KOs) will look to keep his knockout streak alive against David Martino (6-5, 4 KO).

Roberto Duran Jr. (1-0, 1 KO), son of the all-time great, will see action against Leonardo Pena (0-2) in a four-rounder at welterweight.

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

Use the hashtag #RamirezHart2 to join the conversation on social media.

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit www.plus.espn.com.

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

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports), domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie and more), exclusive Top Rank boxing, UFC (beginning in 2019), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

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

Sean Garcia, brother of Olympic standout and Golden Boy Promotions star Ryan Garcia steps into the Fight Club OC ring on December 6th against tough Anthony Torres from Visalia in a featherweight boxing matchup. Sean 2-0 holds four national titles and is a 2x silver glove champion. Torres is a former MMA fighter and has one pro boxing bout under his belt. Another standout star boxer and knockout artist also set to return on December 6th is Abel Sanchez trained 11-0 (11KO’s) Serhii Bohachuck.

Greek Olympic standout Andreas Katzourakis returns to Fight Club OC after a stellar KO against Chukka Willis back on our June 6th Fight Club OC show. Katzourakis now faces a tough Christian Aguirre at 8-3 (4KO’s) who recently KO’d Joey Alday on our Oct 6th Fight Club OC show. Katzourakis is a European and Greek Champion while Aguirre has fought some of the toughest in the fight game. This is a fight you definitely want to be in your seat for! Also fighting on 12/6 is fellow Greek countrymen Triantafyllos Mavidis who will be making his pro debut against Enrique Ojeda from Utah.

3-0 (3KO’s) Bakhodir Jalolov is a 2016 Uzbekistan Olympian who will be making his California pro debut on December 6th. This fight is set for 6 rounds in the heavyweight division.

MMA will also be in full force on December 6th with three BIG bouts from Fight Club OC MMA Matchmaker Mel Valenzuela. Samuelray Barrera from Buena Park will be making his MMA pro debut against Dejon Daniels. Daniels is from Anaheim so this will be a true OC matchup in the Super Middleweight division.

After a tough split decision loss on the FCOC October show Santa Ana standout Richie Palomino returns to face 2-1 Devon Brock. This fight was suppose to happen back on Oct 6th but Brock sustained an injury so prepare for fireworks! The final MMA bout of the evening will be La Habra’s Mark Matsumoto who is set to take on Ventura’s Jesse Newell at 7-3 (4Ko’s).

Less than 60 tickets remain to this spectacular end of the year show. All tickets are priced at $60 and available at www.socafights.com. Don’t forget about the great specials going on at Baja Blues directly next to The Hangar starting at 5:30pm.

Los Angeles, CA (November 29, 2018) Following a knee injury sustained in training by Four-Division Pound-for-Pound Champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, former Unified World Champion and #1 ranked Juan Francisco “El Gallo” Estrada, (37-3-0, 25 KO’s), of Sonora, Mexico will now face cross-town Mexican rival Victor ‘Spock’ Mendez, (28-3-2, 20 KOs), also of Sonora, Mexico in a ten-round super-flyweight clash at UNDISPUTED on Saturday, December 8 emanating from the StubHub Center in Carson, CA. The tripleheader will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:20 p.m. ET/PT.

Estrada vs. Mendez is presented by Zanfer Promotions and Tom Loeffler’s 360 Boxing Promotions. Advance tickets for UNDISPUTED priced at $25, $50, $100 and $150 can be purchased through AXS HERE .The StubHub Center is located at 18400 Avalon Boulevard, Carson, CA 90746. For more information please visit their website at www.StubHubCenter.com. Doors will open at 3:00 p.m. on the day of the event.

“It’s unfortunate that Roman suffered this knee injury in training, he was in great shape and very excited to fight again after his ‘Knockout of the Year’ victory on September 15 in Las Vegas,” said Loeffler. “However, Juan Francisco Estrada and Victor Mendez have both been in training for upcoming fights and each eagerly jumped at the opportunity to fight each other.”

“This will be Juan Francisco’s fourth consecutive fight on HBO, the first coming at the StubHub Center at SUPERFLY 1 in his outstanding battle and victory over Carlos Cuadras. He’s fought on every SUPERFLY show and is always in exciting fights which has made him very popular with boxing fans who will be thrilled to see him fight again on December 8.”

Said Estrada, “Everything happens for a reason, my fight fell scheduled in Mexico fell through but now I have a bigger opportunity on HBO. I’ve had a great training camp and can’t wait to fight Victor Mendez. We’ve known each other for years and now get to settle who is the best super flyweight from Mexico.”

“Juan Francisco Estrada is a great champion and I’ve wanted to fight him for a long time,” said the 25-year-old Mendez. “I’ve heard many great things about the outstanding battles and great fans at the StubHub Center and look forward to fighting there on December 8 and on HBO.”

Estrada is currently world ranked #1 by Ring Magazine and #2 by ESPN. He is also world ranked #1 by the World Boxing Council.

The 28-year-old Estrada is coming off a dominant 12-round decision over Felipe Orucuta on September 8 at SUPERFLY 3. Prior to that, the 28-year-old Estrada challenged WBC Super Flyweight World Champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai on February 24 at SUPERFLY 2, losing a hotly contested 12-round majority decision in a sure-fire ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate that had the huge crowd at the Forum in Inglewood, CA on their feet cheering throughout. Both fights were featured as the main event on HBO’s Boxing After Dark.

Mendez has won nine of his last ten bouts including his last four in a row. Most recently he knocked out Alberto Ascanio in the third round on June 1, 2018. In 2014, he battled current world champion Luis Nery in an eight-round clash losing by very close majority decision.

UNDISPUTED is headlined by the Consensus #1 Ranked Women’s Pound-for-Pound Fighter and Undisputed Women’s Welterweight World Champion ‘The First Lady’ Cecilia Braekhus (34-0, 9 KOs),

defending her titles (WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO) against two-time world title challenger, Aleksandra Magdziak-Lopes, (18-4-3, 1 KO), a native of Gilwice, Poland, now based in Marshfield, MA in the televised ten-round main event. Magdziak-Lopes also holds a victory over Braekhus’ recent opponent Kali Reis.

Opening the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast, two-time United States Olympic Gold Medalist and WBC/IBF/WBA Women’s Middleweight World Champion Claressa Shields, (7-0, 2 KOs), of Flint, MI faces WBO Women’s Super-Middleweight World Champion Femke Hermans, (9-1, 3 KOs), of Londerzeel, Belgium in a ten-round middleweight world title clash.

Headlining the undercard, Southern California fan favorite Louisa ‘Bang Bang Lulu’ Hawton, (8-2-0, 4 KOs), of Perth, Australia will face Lorraine Villalobos, (2-1-0) of Los Angeles in a ten-round WBC Atomweight World Title bout. In her last fight Hawton clashed with Brenda Flores at SUPERFLY 3 on September 8, 2018 at the Forum in Los Angeles losing a very close and controversially scored decision in the world title fight for which the WBC ordered an immediate rematch. The previously announced rematch for December 8 has been postponed due to a recent illness suffered by Flores.

Social Media

Twitter

#UNDISPUTED

@1LadyCecilia

@GalloEstradaOfi

@ClaressaShields

@HBOBoxing

Facebook

/CeciliaBraekhus

/HBOBoxing

Instagram

@CeciliaBraekhus

@TomLoeffler1

360 Boxing Promotions

Website, www.360promotions.us Facebook, @360BoxingPromos, Twitter, @360BoxingPromos

@TomLoeffler1, Instagram, @360BoxingPromotions

QUEBEC CITY (November 29, 2018) – Boxing’s longest reigning world champion, Adonis Stevenson, and undefeated, mandatory challenger Oleksandr Gvozdyk faced off Thursday at the final press conference ahead of Stevenson’s 10th defense of his WBC Light Heavyweight Title in a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast Saturday, December 1 from Videotron Center in Quebec City.

SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION will air live on SHOWTIME and stream for free on the SHO Sports YouTube channel and the SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook Page beginning at 7:45 p.m. ET/4:45 p.m. PT, immediately preceding the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury SHOWTIME PPV. Wilder vs. Fury begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and also features unified 154-pound world champion Jarrett Hurd returning to take on Jason Welborn, Cuban heavyweight slugger Luis Ortiz facing-off against Travis Kauffman and rising heavyweight Joe Joyce battling Joe Hanks.

Here is what Stevenson, Gvozdyk and their respective trainers had to say Thursday at Chateau Bonne Entente in Quebec City:

ADONIS STEVENSON:

“Saturday is a big fight. I’m not underestimating Gvozdyk. I know he’s a good fighter and he’s hungry. He’s trained very hard to get my title. But everybody who comes to my home in Canada always wants my title, but it’s never happened and it’s not going to happen now.

“I’m looking for the knockout. That’s just my mentality and the way that I train. Sugar [Hill Steward] trains me to think that way but I can also go 12 rounds, it’s not a problem. I know that if he makes a mistake, I’m going to catch him. He only has to slip up once in 12 rounds. One mistake, one punch. That’s all it’s going to take. I’m ready. I know I can punch and it’s 12 rounds. I just need one punch. Just one. I’m going to catch him and the night will be over.

“I’ve been pushing myself in training and I’m going to put on another great performance come Saturday and will defend my title once again. In the words of my old trainer, Emanuel Steward, ‘knockouts sell’ and that’s what I’m going for in this fight. I know I’m facing a good boxer who’s coming in very determined. He’ll be ready, but it won’t be enough. Superman is in the building!”

OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK:

“I’m glad to finally be here. I’m very excited. I want to thank Top Rank and GYM Promotions for finally making this happen. I respect Adonis Stevenson as a fighter, he’s a great champion. But I am ready to accept this challenge and on Saturday night there will be a new champion.

“I have one of the greatest trainers in the history of boxing so I’m very confident. We have a good strategy. We had an excellent training camp and I’m ready. Adonis is a great fighter. He’s a dangerous southpaw and this is a real step-up for me but it’s my time.

“People always ask about Stevenson’s age but George Foreman and Bernard Hopkins performed at a high level when they were 50-years-old. It really just depends on how you maintain your body, your living conditions, how you eat and how you train.

“I’m not worried about what the bookmakers say. It doesn’t mean anything that they think I am the favorite. I try to stay focused on the things that I need to be focused on, not what the bookmakers think. The further this fight goes, the better my chances are. My height, my movement and my patience will win me this fight.”

SUGAR HILL STEWARD, STEVENSON’S TRAINER

“I’m happy to be here once again. This is like a second home for Adonis. This fight is just going to be regular Adonis. Adonis wants to get a knockout. I love knockouts. This is how we train for every fight. It’s no disrespect to any fighter, but that’s just the mentality that we have. Adonis and I don’t believe in leaving it in the hands of the judges and that’s been working so far. We will continue to do what we’ve been doing.”

“Adonis has been training his whole life for something like this. This is a big world championship fight against a former Olympian. Welcome to big time boxing, this is what it’s all about. Come December 1, Adonis Stevenson is going to get another knockout.”

TEDDY ATLAS, GVOZDYK’S TRAINER

“We knew that this would be a very difficult fight but what we didn’t know was how difficult it would be to get here. That part of the fight is over, thankfully. We spent eight weeks in California preparing for this bout. Preparing for a tremendous champion. I don’t have to speak about how long he’s been a champion, his reign, his experience, how talented and dangerous he is as a puncher. I believe he’s the best or second-best puncher in boxing today. It’s either him or [Deontay] Wilder, whatever you choose.

“Stevenson has all of the qualities a great fighter needs. He has a great heart, he’s gotten off the canvas and showed tremendous heart late in the Badou Jack fight. This is quite a task that’s in front of us. We understand that. The good news is that we know exactly what we’re facing and we’ve prepared the last eight weeks for that. We have not overlooked anything. I have no doubt that although we have a very steep challenge in front of us, that on Saturday night we will have a new Light Heavyweight Champion of the World.”

TUSCALOOSA, AL. (November 29, 2018) – University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban has sent along a message of support for WBC Heavyweight Champion and Alabama’s own Deontay Wilder ahead of his world title defense against Tyson Fury this Saturday, December 1 on SHOWTIME PPV® from STAPLES Center in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

“Everyone associated with the University of Alabama football program wants to wish heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder all the best in his title defense against Tyson Fury on December 1,” said Saban in the video. “I know it’s been a long time coming to have a prominent American heavyweight champion and we’re so proud of the way you represent Tuscaloosa.”

The Tuscaloosa-native had previously visited the Crimson Tide players in preseason before they began what has been an undefeated season thus far. You can watch the video of Wilder’s address to the team HERE.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by BombZquad Enterprises and Queensberry Promotions, in association with TGB Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, are on sale now and are available via AXS.com. Wilder vs. Fury will be produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV. The suggested retail price (SRP) for the pay-per-view telecast is $64.99 for standard definition.

# # #

ABOUT WILDER vs. FURY
Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury pits the WBC Heavyweight World Champion Wilder against the lineal heavyweight champion Fury on SHOWTIME PPV® Saturday, December 1 from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and presented by Premier Boxing Champions. The PPV undercard begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature unbeaten unified super welterweight world champion Jarrett Hurdreturning to take on Jason Welborn, Cuban heavyweight slugger Luis Ortizfacing-off against Travis Kauffmanand rising undefeated heavyweight Joe Joycebattling Joe Hanks.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.staplescenter.com follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @BronzeBomber, @Tyson_Fury, @TGBPromotions, @STAPLESCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter.

Jono Carroll has branded IBF Super-Featherweight World Champion Tevin Farmer a ‘joke of a man’ ahead of his final eliminator clash with Guillaume Frenois at the FlyDSA Arena on December 8.

The unbeaten Dublin star can win the right to challenge Farmer by overcoming France’s former European Champion Frenois next Saturday, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

Farmer took aim at ‘King Kong’ on Twitter this week, promising to KO the former Prizefighter winner should they ever meet in the ring. A major money fight with Farmer is within touching distance and Carroll believes the American is only keeping the IBF crown warm for him.

“Tevin is an idiot, he’s a joke of a man,” blasted Carroll. “He gives backhanded compliments to his previous opponents that he’s beaten. He does a lot of immature things. He hasn’t got respect for anybody. He’s a fake person.

“All that flashiness is ridiculous. He does my head in as a person. He’s not a true Champion, he doesn’t hold himself like a Champion and he doesn’t behave like a Champion.

“I can’t wait to put him on a platform and smash him up. I’ll show everyone that he’s nothing but a heartless little b*tch. I’m going to tear him apart. I’m as real as they come but I’m a fighter, I’m a warrior.

“I’ve seen him quit before in the past. I’ve watched his fights where he was beaten. Even the commentators said that he looked to the referee for help. If you’re once soft, you’re always soft.

“For me, he hasn’t got a heart. He’s just had opponents smartly picked for him at this stage of his career and the ones that weren’t smartly picked for him smashed him up and beat him.

“I guarantee you I’m going to take that belt off him. I visualise the fight happening and I visualise winning the belt. There’s many ways it can happen. He’s literally just keeping that belt warm for me.”

Despite the heated back and forth with ‘American Idol’ on social media, Carroll remains fully focused at the task at hand and insists he is not overlooking 47 fight veteran Frenois.

“I don’t know too much about him,” admitted Carrol. “He’s experienced, that’s as much as I know. He’s experienced and in boxing you cannot buy experience. I have to be switched on and I have to be on my game.

“In some ways this is my World title fight because it’s all or nothing. He’s a very dangerous opponent, I’m not overlooking him. But at the same time I believe that I’m operating at World level. I’ve looked at one or two of his fights and I believe he is European level. I’ll adapt to him and I’ll beat him, and hopefully stop him.”

Carroll’s clash with Frenois is part of a huge night of boxing in the Steel City.

Main event sees ‘The Special One’ Kell Brook take on Australia’s former Commonwealth Super-Welterweight Champion Michael Zerafa.

Rising Welterweight star Josh Kelly steps up in class as he takes on former WBA World Champion David Avanesyan in his ninth professional contest.

Explosive Liverpool Super-Welterweight Anthony Fowler is in title action as he targets a showdown with newly-crowned British Champion Ted Cheeseman in 2019 and IBF no.1 Featherweight contender Kid Galahad stays busy with an eye on the winner of Josh Warrington vs. Carl Frampton.

Sheffield is well represented on the undercard with Welterweight Anthony Tomlinson, Super-Middleweight Callum Hancock and Middleweight Shakiel Thompson all in action, while Leeds Super-Bantamweight Qais Ashfaq and Denaby Lightweight Terri Harper also feature.

Tickets for Brook vs. Zerafa priced at £40, £60, £100 and £200 (Inner Ring VIP) are available to purchase via StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk) FlyDSA Arena (www.flydsaarena.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com)

Pedro Diaz has warned Filip Hrgovi? (6-0, 5 KOs) not to underestimate his opponent Ytalo Perea (11-3-2, 7 KOs) ahead of their WBC International Heavyweight title clash on December 8 at the KC Dražen Petrovi? in Zagreb.

Hrgovi? has set up camp in Miami for a second time following his impressive knockout win over Amir Mansour in September, and will once again be counting on Diaz’s skills and experience to deliver him a winning performance.

Diaz, who has enjoyed significant success as a coach in both the amateur and professional ranks, says he is pleased with their preparations and how their relationship is developing, but admits: “it takes time to shape a diamond.”

“Filip is a pure athlete. He is always in shape and will be well prepared for December 8,” said Diaz. “I will not go into specifics about our preparations, but what I can say is he will be ready to deliver another great performance.

“It is our second training camp together. We’re working on building and improving the coach-athlete relationship. He is a very talented fighter, and we are progressing every day, but it takes time to shape a diamond.

“Perea is a good opponent for Filip. He has the power, the amateur background and a good boxing knowledge. It is important that Filip does not underestimate him. I believe he is yet to show his true potential as a professional, and I know he will be keen to showcase his capabilities in Zagreb.”

When asked what Hrgovi?’s key to victory will be, the renowned Cuban coach refuses to give too much away, simply starting: “Patience, intelligence and following our game plan, but that’s all I’m willing to say!”

The WBC International Heavyweight Championship contest between Filip Hrgovi? and Ytalo Perea will top an action-packed fight card at the KC Dražen Petrovi? in Zagreb on December 8.

Tickets start from 150 KN and are available online via www.eventim.hr. All the action will be broadcast live and exclusive on RTL in Croatia.

LOS ANGELES (November 28, 2018) – Undefeated heavyweight giants Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury erupted in Los Angeles on Wednesday at the final press conference for their WBC Heavyweight World Championship this Saturday, December 1 on SHOWTIME PPV® from STAPLES Center in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The 6-foot-7 Wilder and the 6-foot-9 Fury went back-and-forth with verbal haymakers before nearly coming to blows while posing for photos onstage. The unbeaten heavyweights will meet in just three days in the most significant heavyweight event in the U.S. in more than 15 years.

The SHOWTIME PPV begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unified 154-pound world champion Jarrett Hurd returning to take on Jason Welborn, Cuban heavyweight slugger Luis Ortiz facing-off against Travis Kauffman and rising heavyweight Joe Joyce battling Joe Hanks.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by BombZquad Enterprises and Queensberry Promotions, in association with TGB Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, are on sale now and are available via AXS.com. Wilder vs. Fury will be produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV. The suggested retail price (SRP) for the pay-per-view telecast is $64.99 for standard definition.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday from Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites Los Angeles:

DEONTAY WILDER

“This is going to be an amazing event. I’ve been so happy in my camp and in my life. Everything has come together. I’m just so happy to be here fighting at STAPLES Center and ready to bring the stars out for this special fight.

“I cannot wait for this fight. The time is coming. Only three days now. Can you feel the energy? The two best heavyweights in the world are right here. This is a moment that I’ve waited for my entire career. This is my time. Tyson Fury had his time.

“What I care about is showing people what I’m all about it. I’m showing you each and every time and I’m giving you a knockout. America has a mighty man in me. America has the baddest man on the planet.

“I put in the hard work to make it here. I’ve grinded and worked. There’s no way I’m going to let a man come from another country and take what I’ve been building.

“I don’t believe Fury has the confidence to come and beat me. His last opponent hit Fury with any shot he wanted. If he’s going to knock me out, why didn’t he knock out his last opponent? He doesn’t believe he can knock me out. When I say it, I believe it. My numbers don’t lie. I’m going to prove it again.

“It’s so beautiful to have two great giants in the ring. Two great guys with great stories. We will determine who is the best. You will get to see who is the best heavyweight in the world. One champion, one face and one name. That is what I’m seeking.

“I’m grateful for all the opponents I’ve faced. Every fighter has brought something to the table and made me bigger and bigger. I had to prove myself over and over again. I have to show everyone with my actions.

“This means everything to me. There are so many emotions running through my body. I’ve been ready for two weeks. We went through the process of camp so that we stayed sharp, but I’ve been ready. I’m a different breed in this sport.

“I’m going to show you domination. I’m going to show you my boxing skill. I’m going to beat him, then knock him out. He’s going to have to back up everything he’s said to promote this fight.”

TYSON FURY

“It is my anniversary today. It’s been three years since I went to Germany and beat Wladimir Klitschko all over Dusseldorf to becoming heavyweight champion. I’m only three days away from doing the same to the ‘Bronze Bomber’.

“We’ve had a fantastic training camp. We’ve put nine weeks in. I can’t remember a better training camp. We’ve had no injuries and fantastic sparring. I’m here to do a job and enjoy myself.

“I hope the boxing fans around the world are going to enjoy this as much as I will. I’ve looked forward to this fight since 2011. On Saturday night, I’m going to finally get my chance to punch him in the face. Deontay Wilder is getting knocked out.

“It’s been a long, hard road. I had many obstacles in the way. My absence from the ring has been well documented, but it’s made me stronger and more determined. I’ve never been as happy during a training camp as I was in this one.

“Having Freddie Roach on the team is fantastic. He’s helped us out a lot in the gym and I’m glad we have him on our side. I’m thrilled to have him.

“The fire in me has been lit again. Nothing in life was given to me. I’ve worked for everything I earned. I am the people’s champion and I am the man who gives the people hope. I’m not just fighting for myself. I’m fighting for the millions of people around the world who look to me for inspiration.

“I don’t need to beat Deontay Wilder to prove I’m the best. I’m the lineal champion. If Deontay wins, he will be the best, but he’s not going to beat me. I’m the best heavyweight alive, and there’s only one way to get that title. You have to come take it from me. There’s never been a man who could better me in a fight.

“Once I knew that I was going to box again, I knew that I would be heavyweight champion of the world again. I know that it’s destiny. I’m showing up on Saturday night, beating Wilder up and becoming WBC champion.”

JAY DEAS, Wilder’s Trainer

“These are two very big tall guys, who are also very athletic, and that’s not something you get to see very often. These aren’t bulky guys who are going to hug all night. These guys are coming to fight. It’s going to make it a very exciting night.

“Typically Deontay doesn’t fight people as tall as he is, but he always fights people heavier than himself. That’s never been an issue. As far as preparation, we felt that because of Fury’s athleticism, we were better off bringing guys who maybe weren’t as tall, but were very athletic. His prevailing attribute is the athleticism, more so than his height.

“It’s been great to see Deontay’s growth over the years. His boxing IQ and maturity level has come so far. He realizes he needs to do what is best for his body each and every day while still getting all of the work done. He’s so much healthier going through the progressions of camp than he ever used to be. He’s really on point with his health, nutrition and workouts. He knows himself so well.

“Deontay and I have been together since his very first day in a boxing gym. We’ve gone through this road together. We had to look up on the internet what someone has to do to make the Olympics. We just had no experience. We’ve been through it all. The ups and the downs. We’re proud to be here and in this position.”

BEN DAVISON, Fury’s Trainer

“These men are both so confident and have such high levels of self-belief, that they’re never willing to give an inch. If it was a race to tie their shoelaces, neither one would want to lose. When they get together, it’s just exciting.

“I knew that Tyson Fury was elite in every department, but he’s even stronger mentally than I imagined. He’s so confident and relaxed. Deontay will have to convince himself of things that are not true to build confidence. That’s the big difference.

“Freddie Roach is a genuinely great person who’s been very accommodating and helpful while we’ve trained in Southern California. You couldn’t have a better person in the corner than Freddie. He’s a legend in the game and we’re blessed to have him in the corner.”

LOU DIBELLA, President of DIBella Entertainment

“There’s nothing like a great heavyweight title fight. As goes the division, so goes boxing. There aren’t truer words. I’ll put a great heavyweight fight against any sporting event you can go to in the world. Saturday night at STAPLES Center, we have a great one.

“We know that Tyson Fury deserves to be here and that he presents a threat. He’s a great champion who can box. He’s a champion for people who have had to overcome struggles. He’s back to looking better than I’ve ever seen him and he’s an inspiration to a lot of people.

“The man I’m lucky to be able to introduce is the best heavyweight in the world. This fight is happening because his team has worked tirelessly for years to get him this kind of opportunity. Finally, on Saturday night, there is a champion brave enough to get in the ring with Deontay Wilder and allow him to realize his dream.

“For years Deontay has been speaking to try to get this opportunity. He didn’t have an easy road growing up or getting into this sport. But he’s always believed in himself. He believes he has the strength to overcome all of those obstacles. On Saturday he’s going to receive his just reward.”

FRANK WARREN, President of Queensbury Promotions

“We’ve got a great fight coming up on Saturday. Team Fury has done a fantastic job getting Tyson Fury into tremendous shape. What’s so significant about this fight is that today is three years to the day when he became heavyweight champion by beating Wladimir Klitschko. He went into his opponent’s backyard and took the title and he intends to do the same on Saturday.

“To see where Tyson Fury is at today is a testament to to his character. He’s here as the lineal champion, undefeated in the ring and back to win his title on Saturday.

“He’s been a consummate professional in training and he has a formidable opponent with tremendous power. But if boxing was about who was the biggest puncher, you wouldn’t need judges. Styles will make this fight. Tyson has answered a lot of questions already and I know he’s in a great place mentally to finish the job.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

“Heavyweight boxing is back. SHOWTIME has done 13 heavyweight title fights in the last four years, including three this year. I can’t think of two guys I’d rather do a big heavyweight fight like this with than Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury.

“Both of these men have beaten the odds to make it here. Tyson Fury’s obstacles have been well-documented and he will again beat the odds on Saturday night just by making it into the ring.

“Who would have thought that when Deontay Wilder picked up gloves at 18-years-old, that he’d be the WBC Heavyweight Champion and headlining a pay-per-view at STAPLES Center, not bad for a kid from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. We’re excited about this fight and we’ll see you on Saturday night.”

# # #

ABOUT WILDER vs. FURY
Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury pits the WBC Heavyweight World Champion Wilder against the lineal heavyweight champion Fury on SHOWTIME PPV® Saturday, December 1 from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and presented by Premier Boxing Champions. The PPV undercard begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature unbeaten unified super welterweight world champion Jarrett Hurdreturning to take on Jason Welborn, Cuban heavyweight slugger Luis Ortizfacing-off against Travis Kauffmanand rising undefeated heavyweight Joe Joycebattling Joe Hanks.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.staplescenter.com follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @BronzeBomber, @Tyson_Fury, @TGBPromotions, @STAPLESCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter.