MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – (August 8, 2023) – Adam Azim, the hottest young talent in British boxing, heads to the AO Arena Manchester on Saturday, September 2nd, joining the blockbuster Smith vs Eubank II pay-per-view card on a mission to fast-track himself to world-title contention and fulfil a promise made to his idol Amir Khan.

Having accepted a challenge laid down by Amir Khan – who became world champion at just 22 years old – to win his first world title at an even younger age, the 21-year-old Azim is taking a big step up in opposition in an attempt to fast-track himself into world title contention.

Dangerous Ukrainian Aram Fanyan (22-1, 4 KO’s) has nearly three times Azim’s professional experience and just one career loss, making the young veteran a serious test for the young Azim (8-0, 6 KO’s). Fanyan is headed to Manchester intent on derailing Azim’s momentum and stealing the young prodigy’s shine for himself.

Originally scheduled for June, the clash was postponed when a severe bacterial infection took root in Azim’s left hand via a cut sustained in a training session. Now fully recovered, the super-lightweight standout is straining at the leash to put on another show-stopping performance for British fight fans at one of the most anticipated boxing events of the year.

“Aram Fanyan isn’t coming to roll over. He’s dangerous, he’s experienced and we all know what’s going on in Ukraine right now – he wants to win for his country as much as anything. He’s very motivated and he’s not a guy to underestimate, so he’s definitely a good opponent,” said Azim.

“He’s the toughest opponent of my career so far and I’m looking to put on a great performance which shows beyond doubt that I am ready to to step up to that next level and start winning some titles. Being on a big pay-per-view card like Smith vs Eubank 2 is just extra motivation for me – I want to be headlining my own pay-per-views in the future and the road to that really starts with this fight on September 2nd.”

Fanyan said, “This is a huge opportunity for me to fight on one of the world’s biggest television platforms for the sport of boxing. Ukraine has produced some great names in boxing. After this fight, Aram Fanyan is the next Ukrainian name the world’s boxing fans will come to know

“Adam Azim is young but already has a big name and big reputation, so when I travel to England and beat him on his home soil, that’s going to get a lot of attention and it’s going to open up some huge opportunities for me.”

2_SEP_AZIM_FANYAN_1080x1080_NoCTA.jpeg“Adam Azim is a prodigious talent and having just turned 21 we’ve still only seen a fraction of what he’s capable of. His natural ability combined with his work ethic and ambition is frightening. We believe he is the future star of this sport. On September 2nd he will feature on a pay-per-view card for the first time and we believe he will headline many pay-per-views of his own in the future. He’s facing a dangerous, experienced opponent in Aram Fanyan. It’s an important test for Adam Azim and a big step forward for his career.”

BOXXER: Smith vs Eubank II – Repeat or Revenge? takes place Saturday, September 2nd at the AO Arena Manchester and airs live and exclusively as a Sky Sports Box Office pay-per-view event.

Azim vs Fanyan joins previously announced undercard bouts including a big domestic heavyweight clash between Frazer Clarke (7-0, 5 KO’s) and Dave Allen (25-5-2, 18 KOs), a welterweight encounter between ‘The Albanian King’ Florian Marku (12-0-1, 7 KO’s) and Irish rival Dylan Moran (18-1, 8 KO’s) plus British super-middleweight champion Mark Heffron (29-2-1, 23 KO’s) against Jack Cullen (21-4-1, 9 KO’s) and the return to the ring of light-heavyweight sensation Ben Whittaker (4-0, 3 KO’s).

Final remaining tickets are available via Boxxer.com

This event is presented in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE and Village Hotels.

In a much awaited grudge match, former world champion Kell Brook stopped Amir Khan in round six of their 12-round bout at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.

In round one, Brook wobbled Khan on two occasions. The first was from a hard jab. The second was from a hard right hand. In round six, Brook hurt Khan again with a jab. Brook began to pour on the offense until the fight was stopped at 51 seconds.

Brook, 148.3 lbs of Sheffield, ENG is 40-3 with 28 knockouts. Khan, 147.3 lbs of Bolton, ENG is 34-6.

Natasha Jonas won the vacant WBO Super Welterweight title with a 2nd round stoppage of Chris Namus.

In round one, Jonas dropped Namus with a right hook. In round two, it was a straight left off of a furious exchange that sent Namus down again. Namus got to her feet, but the fight was waved off at 28 seconds.

Jonas, 149.3 lbs is 11-2-1 with eight knockouts. Namus, 147.3 lbs of Uraguay is 25-7-1.

2021 Olympic Bronze Medal winner Frazer Clarke made a successful pro debut with a 1st round stoppage over Jake Darnell in a heavyweight fight.

In round one, Darnell began bleeding from his nose. Shortly after, Clarke landed a big combination that was set off by a body shot that was followed by several head shots that forced the corner of Darnell to throw in the towel at 2:06.

Clarke, 256 lbs is 1-0 with one knockout. Darnell, 248.3 lbs of Blackpool, ENG is 0-1.

Hasan Azim won a four-round decision over MJ Hall in a welterweight bout.

Azim, 148 lbs won by a 40-36 score and is 2-0. Hall is now 2-74-2.

Adam Azim stopped Jordan Ellison in round three of their six-round junior welterweight bout.

In round one, Azim dropped Ellison with a right to the body. In round three, Azim landed a hard left hook to the head that dropped Ellison down and out at 2:09.

Azim, 138.4 lbs is 3-0 with two knockouts. Ellison, 138.4 lbs is 13-36-2.

Brad Rea scored a vicious opening round stoppage over Craig McCarthy in a middleweight fight.

Rea landed a ripping undercard that sent McCarthy down on his back, and the fight was stopped before the 10-count could be completed at 1:53.

Rea, 160.3 lbs of Sweatburg, ENG is 12-0 with five knockouts. McCarthy, 161.3 lbs of Waterford, IRE is 8-1-1.

Viddal Riley won a six-round decision over Will Shihepo in a cruiserweight bout.

In round one, Riley dropped Shihepo with a right uppercut.

Riley, 197 lbs of London, ENG won by a 60-53 score and is now 5-0. Shihepo, 196.3 lbs of Namibia is 25-14.

Germaine Brown won a 10-round unanimous decision over Charlie Schofield in a super middleweight fight.

Brown, 168 lbs of London, UK won by scores of 99-92 and 98-92 twice and is now 12-0. Schofield, 168 lbs of Manchester, UK is 17-2.

    •  Amir Khan 147.3 vs. Kell Brook 148.3
(Junior Middleweight— 12 Rounds)

•     Natasha Jonas 149.5 lbs vs. Chris Namus 147.5 lbs 
(Vacant WBO Female Junior Middleweight World Title — 10 Rounds)

   •    Frazer Clarke 256 lbs vs. Jake Darnell 248.5 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

   •    Adam Azim 138.4 lbs vs. Jordan Ellison 138.5 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

   •    Brad Rea 160.5 lbs vs. Craig McCarthy 161.5 lbs
 (Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

•    Viddal Riley 199 lbs vs. Willbeforce Shihepo 198.5 lbs
 (Cruiserweight— 6 Rounds)
  •    Charlie Schofield 168 lbs vs. Germaine Brown 168 lbs
 (Schofield’s English Super Middleweight Title — 10 Rounds)

###

About ESPN+? 
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 21.3?million subscribers. 
 
Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at?ESPN.com,?ESPNplus.com?or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).
 

(Feb. 15, 2022) — Three former world champions highlight an international fight marathon this Saturday, Feb. 19, live and exclusively on ESPN+. It begins with Breakfast and Boxing from RCC Boxing Academy in Yekaterinburg, Russia, as Zaur Abdullaev defends his WBC Silver lightweight belt in a 12-rounder against three-weight world champion Jorge Linares.

Linares-Abdullaev fight action begins at 9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT, which precedes the highly anticipated grudge match between former world champions Amir Khan and Kell Brook. Coverage of Khan-Brook from AO Arena in Manchester, England, starts at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT and includes the vacant WBO female junior middleweight world title bout between Natasha Jonas (10-2-1, 7 KOs) and Chris Namus (25-6, 8 KOs), English super middleweight champion Charlie Schofield (17-1, 1 KO) defending his belt in 10-rounder versus Germaine Brown (11-0, 3 KOs), and the heavyweight professional debut of British Olympic bronze medalist Frazer Clarke.

Linares (47-6, 29 KOs) has been a professional for nearly 20 years, winning world titles at featherweight, junior lightweight and lightweight. During his lightweight run, he’s defeated the likes of Anthony Crolla and Kevin Mitchell while giving pound-for-pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko a stern test before being knocked out in the 10^th round of their May 2018 matchup. Linares is coming off last May’s competitive decision defeat to rising star Devin Haney. Abdullaev (14-1, 8 KOs), who has won three fights since a TKO loss to Haney, earned the WBC Silver title last September with a unanimous decision over former world champion Dejan Zlaticanin.

ESPN+-streamed undercard action from Russia includes a 12-round WBA 130-pound title eliminator between Mark Uranov (20-2-1, 10 KOs) and Angel Rodriguez (19-1, 10 KOs), and Russian junior welterweight standout Ivan Kozlovsky (4-0, 2 KOs) in a 10-round test against Zoravor Petrosian (12-1, 5 KOs).

About ESPN+? 
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 21.3?million subscribers. 

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at?ESPN.com,?ESPNplus.com?or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

(Jan. 25, 2022) — The long-simmering rivalry between British superstars Amir Khan and Kell Brook will finally come to a head in a 149-pound catchweight battle Saturday, Feb. 19, at AO Arena in Manchester, England. Roughly 20,000 fans will be in attendance for this British super fight for the ages, which sold out in 10 minutes when tickets went on sale in December.

Promoted by BOXXER, Khan vs. Brook and select undercard fights will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+.

“Kell Brook versus Amir Khan is a fight that has sparked international interest,” said BOXXER CEO Ben Shalom. “This legacy-defining fight between the UK superstars, who have been world champions on American soil, now meet in a final showdown at AO Arena in one of the most eagerly anticipated fights in UK history.”

“I think Kell Brook is very bitter, and this is a good time for me to put the issue straight between us because he has always thought he is the better fighter than me,” Khan told Sky Sports. “He’s always said he should have had the recognition that I had and believes that should have been him. But at the end of the day, my skills made me the name I am today.”

In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Brook said: “This is a real grudge match, there’s no love lost in this fight and we both don’t like each other. The fans and the pundits can’t split us, and that shows how even this fight is going to be.”

The 35-year-old Khan (34-5, 21 KOs), from Bolton, England, has been in the spotlight since the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, when he took home a silver medal as a 17-year-old prodigy. As a pro, Khan unified world titles at junior welterweight and fought myriad top names, including Marco Antonio Barrera, Danny Garcia, Marcos Maidana, Paulie Malignaggi, Canelo Alvarez, and Zab Judah. He last fought in July 2019, knocking out former featherweight world champion Billy Dib in four rounds.

Brook (39-3, 27 KOs), a former British champion from Sheffield, England, made three successful defenses of the IBF welterweight world title he won from Shawn Porter in August 2014. His bold 2016 challenge of middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin ended in a fifth-round knockout defeat. He then lost his welterweight title to Errol Spence Jr. via 11th-round knockout the following May. Brook won three consecutive fights before challenging WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford in November 2020. Brook led on two scorecards before being knocked out in the fourth round.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 17.1 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year)
at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

Dubai, UAE (27 September 2021) ‘THE TONGAN TYSON’ Hemi Ahio will use his big showdown at the first-ever Amir Khan Crypto Fight Night at La Perle, Dubai, UAE, on Saturday 16th October to show he’s the real fighting deal.

Undefeated Ahio (17-0, 12 KOs), who has ten KO’s inside the first two rounds, faces Dubai’s KO sensation Mohammad Ali Bayat Farid in an explosive heavyweight collision for the (17-2-1, 17 KO’s) for the Vacant WBC Asia Heavyweight Championship.

The aggressive New Zealand crowd pleaser born to Tongan parents carries power and hand speed that has drawn comparisons to the legendary Mike Tyson.

All funds generated at the A-list event where the world’s top crypto investors settle their differences will be donated to the humanitarian work undertaken by the Amir Khan Foundation.

Ahio, 31, who trains in his home city Auckland at the City Kickboxing gym under Doug Viney said: “Winning this title will open doors to fighting higher ranked fighters so I get known.

“I would like to spend time in Britain boxing because there seems to be some really good Heavyweights.

“The only problem we have in New Zealand is that there aren’t constantly shows like there are in Britain and the United States.

“In terms of training, I love it in New Zealand because we have some excellent boxing teachers and coaches, but perhaps that is something to think about.”

A win in the UAE will help Ahio earn a top 15 ranking with the WBC whose world Heavyweight title will be on the line when Tyson Fury defends against Deontay Wilder on October 9.

Ahio who has won five of his last six contests by KO added: “I would love to fight the French boxer Tony Yoka. He is making his way up and is really technical.

“Of course I would jump in there with Fury, Wilder or Anthony Joshua, but Yoka may have something they don’t.

“I always like studying techniques when I am in the ring with these big dudes and I’d enjoy fighting Yoka before them, especially with his skillset and frame.

“There was talk of fighting Joe Parker in an all New Zealand fight, but it died down pretty quickly.

“I have met Joe once or twice and he is a good guy. I would love to get in the ring with him if I was given the chance.”

Even though all of Bayat Farid’s 17 wins have come inside the distance, Ahio has no concerns about his rival.

“I have no idea about Farid and have zero knowledge on him. I just know that I am meant to be fighting him,” explained Ahio who knocked out 7ft 2in American Julius Long when he last fought in February.

“The only thing I am worried about is my training. I have not even looked at his record, who or where he has boxed.

“When I get to Dubai I will take a look at his fights, but right now I am just putting in the work.”

Two-time world champion Amir Khan and the Super Boxing League (SBL) in association with Savy Capital, Bybit and the World Boxing Council (WBC) will stage the inaugural Amir Khan Crypto Fight Night at La Perle, Dubai, UAE, on Saturday 16th October.

The first ever WBC Crypto belt will be contested for and presented to the winner of the boxing match between the leading crypto traders RookieXBT and Loomdart which headlines the extravaganza.

In the co-main event an exciting showdown between two huge punchers in the heavyweight division sees New Zealand big-hitter Hemi ‘The Heat’ Ahio (17-0-0, 12 KO’s) in a seismic collision with Dubai KO king Mohammad Ali Bayat Farid (17-2-1, 17 KO’s) for the vacant WBC Asia Heavyweight Championship.

Three further contests between some of the world’s most powerful crypto traders will also take place on the card, featuring: Profit Maximalist podcast host Luke Martin vs. whizz-kid trader Barney The Boi, entrepreneur Raghav ‘Reggie’ Jerath vs. investment and finance pro and co-founder of Gath3r Network Foz; leading British trader Adam ‘Cass’ Craigmile vs. Egyptian hot-trader Ahmed Mousa.

Besides a fantastic night of boxing the celebrity crypto crowd will also be involved in an auction of various crypto related assets, collectibles and NFT digital art.

ABOUT SBL

Launched in India in League format. It is the first combat sports promoter to introduce boxing in the Middle East with SBL Jeddah Season. The WBC supported SBL Jeddah Season and also designed a special WBC Belt for the International title when Amir Khan defeated Billy Dib. The first SBL Crypto Fight Night, is all set to recreate history in the Middle East with the first ever WBC Crypto belt, especially designed by the WBC.

ABOUT East West Sports LLC

East West Sports LLC (EWS) owns the Super Boxing League (SBL) has extensive experience in Sports Entertainment having hosted over 151 live events in leading venues internationally. In turn many of these have been aired on leading media platforms such as ESPN, Fox, Sky Sports, Star Sports, MBC, Super Sport, Viacom, Channel 5 and many more…

Please visit www.superboxingleague.com for additional information.

Dubai, UAE – 13 September 2021 – Two-time World Champion Amir Khan and the Super Boxing League (SBL) in association with Savy Capital, Bybit and the World Boxing Council (WBC) are thrilled to announce that it will stage the inaugural Amir Khan Crypto Fight Night at La Perle, Dubai, UAE, on Saturday 16th October.

The high-profile event will feature the World’s leading crypto traders meeting in the ring and all funds generated from the big night – that includes an auction of various crypto related assets, collectibles and NFT digital art – will be donated to the vital humanitarian work undertaken by the Amir Khan Foundation.

The SBL works in unity with the foundation which was set-up by two-time World Boxing Champion & Olympic Silver Medalist Amir Khan with the core objective to support communities globally, especially through health, fitness, and sport. Since its inception, the Amir Khan Foundation has responded to global emergencies and facilitated developmental projects across the world. The foundation exists to support individuals, families and communities globally, and to offer relief and support during times of hardship, urgent need and upheaval.

The star-studded evening will showcase Dubai as the future of Block Chain technology and innovation, with the World’s fastest-growing crypto community in attendance on fight night.

This first of its kind A-list event is supported by the World’s leading boxing governing body the World Boxing Council (WBC), who lead the way in protecting human rights, eradicating discrimination and helping the most vulnerable, and Savy Capital, who is the Crypto Community Partner and makes investments in different asset classes globally.

Boxing history will be made when the first ever WBC Crypto belt will be contested for and presented to the winner of the boxing match between the leading distinguished crypto traders RookieXBT and Loomdart which headlines the extravaganza.

RookieXBT is one of the youngest and most respected Crypto traders. Loomdart is arguably the most notable investor in the industry and partner in VC Egirl Capital.

In the co-main event an exciting showdown between two huge punchers in the heavyweight division sees New Zealand big-hitter Hemi ‘The Heat’ Ahio (17-0-0, 12 KO’s) in a seismic collision with Dubai KO king Mohammad Ali (17-2-1, 17 KO’s) Bayat Farid for the Vacant WBC Asia Heavyweight Championship.

Three further highly-competitive contests between some of the world’s most powerful crypto traders will also take place on the card, featuring: Profit Maximalist podcast host Luke Martin versus whizz-kid trader Barney The Boi; entrepreneur Raghav ‘Reggie’ Jerath vs. investment and finance pro and co-founder of Gath3r Network Foz; leading British trader Adam ‘Cass’ Craigmile vs. American hot-trader Ahmed.

In addition, the event also features an undercard full of action-packed contests, including the highly anticipated professional debuts of two sensational hot prospects: England’s National ABA Youth Champion and Amir’s cousin Abdul Khan, and Tal Singh, the Amir managed England Boxing National Champion, plus other eminent boxers.

Amir Khan, SBL Chairman, said: “Get ready and be prepared to witness high adrenaline action unlike anything you’ve seen before. Being associated with crypto will further augment our endeavour to reach to the population which believe in pace and transformation.”

Bill Dosanjh, SBL CEO & Founder, said: “I’m proud to announce the SBL Crypto Fight Night, as we are the first ever-combat sports promoters to take this leap with something which denotes the future and is in line with the UAE vision as well. Our core objective is to showcase that Dubai is the future hub of Block Chain. This association will help build the sport amongst the millennial and young business generation who have a forward approach.”

RookieXBT and Loomadart can only usually be viewed as avatars, and it’s the FIRST TIME that the Crypto community will see them live.

Self-taught trader Rookie said, “I’m happy to be participating in an event that brings the crypto family together in a way that’s never been done before. It’s extremely humbling. I’m looking forward to this event being a success and hopefully something that happens annually.”

Rival Loomdart who has traded Crypto since 2014 added, “There’s something beautiful about being able to say getting involved in crypto has led to me fighting some dude i’ve never met before. I can’t wait for these to be regular events and let people get revenge for getting dumped on.”

Savy Capital said, “The crypto community is a robust group of individuals and companies that are dedicated to making a difference in today’s society, we are proud to bring them together with the combat sports world partnering with SBL, where we can showcase to people the winning spirit, high octane energy, and giving back personalities of all involved. This event is the first edition of many more to come!”

Roy Blackstone said, “SBL and Savy Capital are combining to give the world the first event that merges the boxing and crypto communities in Dubai, one of the world’s most incredible cities. This night will help to bring awareness of both of these communities to the mainstream, and I am proud to support the very first fight night.

Bybit added, “Crypto and boxing have a lot in common — striving for excellence, keeping one’s composure in challenging circumstances, being resilient enough and coming back again and again even when getting knocked down, and not to mention being often misunderstood. The pandemic has taken a toll on sports and other sources of joy. We at Bybit are glad to be able to help bring some entertainment back, and add a little excitement to the lovers of combat sports and crypto.”

Sheikh Almualla bin Ahmed Al Mualla, the Founder of Ghaf Capital said, “Ghaf Capital is excited to be a part of this “first of its kind” event. In a way, it’s metaphoric of what many of us have lived through last year, taking punches and getting knocked down. We’re excited for an amazing evening with our fellow blockchain pioneers and the athletes attending. It’s going to be a great reminder that no matter what punches life throws at you, keep your hands up and keep swinging!”

• Ends –

ABOUT SBL

Launched in India in League format. It is the first combat sports promoter to introduce boxing in the Middle East with SBL Jeddah Season. The WBC supported SBL Jeddah Season and also designed a special WBC Belt for the International title when Amir Khan defeated Billy Dib. The first SBL Crypto Fight Night, is all set to recreate history in the Middle East with the first ever WBC Crypto belt, especially designed by the WBC.

ABOUT East West Sports LLC

East West Sports LLC (EWS) owns the Super Boxing League (SBL) has extensive experience in Sports Entertainment having hosted over 151 live events in leading venues internationally. In turn many of these have been aired on leading media platforms such as ESPN, Fox, Sky Sports, Star Sports, MBC, Super Sport, Viacom, Channel 5 and many more…

Please visit www.superboxingleague.com for additional information.

Conor Benn is eyeing a huge domestic clash with Amir Khan or Kell Brook should he get past Samuel Vargas on Saturday April 10, but ‘The Destroyer’ insists there is no chance of him overlooking the Canadian-Colombian warrior as he puts his WBA Continental Title on the line once more, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories.

Rising Welterweight star Benn (17-0, 11 KOs) turned in a career-best performance last time out in November as he dominated Germany’s Sebastian Formella over ten impressive rounds, outfighting and outboxing the former IBO World Champion at the top of the bill at The SSE Arena, Wembley.

The Essex native, 24, has come on leaps and bounds since making his professional debut at The O2 in London back in April 2016, and is arguably one of Britain’s most improved fighters in recent years. A win over Vargas next weekend would further enhance his reputation as one of the hottest properties in the 147lbs division. 

“He’s an experienced fighter,” said Benn. “He’s got tonnes of heart. He’s got tonnes of grit and sheer determination that so many fighters lack. He brings the heat! This ain’t going to be a one-two lights out. It isn’t going to be one of them. This is going to be a hard fight. This is going to be me getting stuck straight in and us two going at it in there. It’s going to be one hell of a fight and that’s what I’m preparing for.

“He gave Amir Khan hell. Amir Khan got saved by the bell and by the grace of God three or four times in that fight. He had him on the deck. I know Khan’s chin isn’t that credible but he’s a well-respected fighter. He’s achieved everything that I want to achieve in the sport. This is going to be a harder fight than people think in my opinion. 

“I made the mistake once of overlooking an opponent and I hit the deck twice. I can go back to that fight because it was a career-defining moment for me. I had to ask myself how badly I wanted it. It taught me to never overlook an opponent. I thought, ‘what’s he going to do to me?’. Boom, straight one-two. That was a massive reality check for me. Since then I don’t overlook opponents.

“I’m not overlooking Vargas, but what doors open after him? I want a big domestic fight still. Someone that I can take that experience off. The Amir Khans, the Kell Brooks. The Josh Kelly fight is still there if he’s still fighting. The Amir Khan fight would be one hell of a fight. That would be a great British clash. Amir Khan was a fighter I looked up to and so was Kell Brook. Why not put me in with one of them after Vargas? 

“This is definitely going to be an entertaining fight for the public. This is going to be one that you don’t want to miss. This is going to be a steppingstone in my career. It’s going to be a massive fight. It’s going to be a great fight. It’s going to be a hard fight. I’m going to have to show grit, determination, hunger, skill and power – the full shebang!”

Benn vs. Vargas tops a big night of action April 10, Watford’s Shannon Courtenay (6-1, 3 KOs) faces Australia’s Ebanie Bridges  (5-0, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBA Bantamweight World Title, Hartlepool’s Savannah Marshall (9-0, 7 KOs) makes the first defence of her WBO Middleweight World Title against European Champion Femke Hermans (11-3, 4 KOs), Glasgow Bantamweight Kash Farooq (14-1, 6 KOs) returns after his masterclass win over Angel Aviles and Takeley Super-Middleweight John ‘The Gentleman’ Hedges (1-0) looks to build on his pro debut win last October.

London, UK (24 March 2021) Two-Time World Champion Amir Khan is backing red-hot talent Tal Singh to become the first ever Sikh world champion boxer.

Khan is advising the 26-year-old from Liverpool who is expected to make his highly anticipated professional debut this summer.

Light-flyweight Singh began his amateur boxing career relatively late at 18, but with his natural talent he quickly progressed through the ranks in just 14 fights.

He’s already made history as the first Singh to ever win the England Boxing National Championship in 2018 and incredibly won the title again the following year.

Singh’s undoubted potential also caught the eye of former World Heavyweight Champion David Haye and trainer Ruben Tabares when he trained at the Hayemaker gym alongside Haye for many years.

Not only does the boxing world highly rate him, but he also has a big celebrity following, including magician Dynamo, rapper Tinie Tempah, WWE Champion Jinder Mahal, singer Jay Sean and Bollywood signer and music producer Maj Musik.

Singh believes that this will be a turning point for boxing’s popularity in the Sikh community and his success will inspire widespread Punjabi participation in the sport.

He said, “I’m really excited for what the future holds, having Amir behind me and creating something special legacy wise for the both of us being in one team! I’ve been working really hard for many months alongside Amir in Bolton.  I know there is a lot of pressure on me being Amir’s first and only fighter that he’s looking after, but I’m confident I will deliver on everything Amir believes and sees in me.  I really do think we can do something special together and we’re thrilled to share this news with the world.”

Khan is delighted to be working with Singh and know’s what it’s like to break down barriers. He said, “I’m so happy to working with Tal and I will be putting all my energy into taking him to the top and becoming the first ever Sikh world champion boxer.  He’s breaking down boundaries, just like I did when I became the first ever British-Pakistani world champion to open the doors for the Muslim community in boxing.  I see in him the dedication, mentality and focus to become a world champion.  I know what it takes to be a world champion and I see that in him.  So much so, that I believe in 10 fights he will be world class and ready to fight for a title.  My job is to take him to the top, if I didn’t believe in him I wouldn’t waste my time as I’m still a boxer myself, but with Tal I know he’s committed and dedicated to achieving his dream.”

Khan also added that Singh features in one of the forthcoming episodes of the reality show Meet The Khans: Big in Bolton that starts on BBC3 next Monday.

Over the past few years, Vargas has developed a cult following as one of the sport’s bravest warriors, testing himself against some of the biggest names between 147 and 154, including Errol Spence Jr., Danny Garcia, Luis Collazo, Vergil Ortiz, Amir Khan and Ali Funeka. Though Vargas has a substantial fanbase in Canada and could have chosen an easier path, that’s simply not in his DNA.

“I’m excited to get back in the ring and test one of the guys they say is the future of the welterweight division, but I don’t think it’s his time yet,” said Vargas. “I’ve stood toe-to-toe with the best fighters in this division and I’ve never even touched the canvas. I know what it takes to be at the top level, and I want to prove that I can still be there.”

The bout comes a little more than a year after Vargas became the first fighter of note to have a fight postponed due to the worldwide pandemic. The 31-year old was originally scheduled to face Vergil Ortiz on March 28, but was postponed all the way until July. Despite training through strict restrictions in his home of Canada, Vargas turned in another valiant performance against an explosive and dangerous puncher.

“Sammy never let anything stop him, even when everything was completely closed down, he found a way to get the work in, even if it was by himself at home. He’s never made an excuse or backed down once in his career,” said promoter Lee Baxter. “There comes a time in every prospect’s career when they face a man they can’t break, and you find out what they’re really made of. Conor Benn is going to have that moment on April 10, because he’ll be staring across the ring at a man that the best fighters in this division haven’t been able to break.”

Benn, the son of the legendary world champion Nigel Benn, has been emerging from his famous father’s shadow with a string of impressive victories. Last time out, Benn dominated Sebastian Formella, who had most recently been in the ring with Shawn Porter, virtually shutting Formella out over ten rounds. Benn currently sits 11th in the WBA at welterweight, where the ageless Manny Pacquiao holds the title, alongside Yordenis Ugas.

Thanks to his crowd-pleasing style, Vargas has become a fixture on DAZN. In fact, his bout against Amir Khan was the first major boxing event aired on the platform, kicking off a run that has seen DAZN emerge as one of the power players in the industry.

“I take a lot of pride in being able to fight on DAZN once again, especially because my fans in Canada are able to watch,” said Vargas. “I promise to deliver a win this country can be proud of.”

The card will also feature the WBA female bantamweight title bout between Rachel Ball and Shannon Courtenay, as well as the return of WBO world female middleweight champion Savvannah Marshall.

Location and start time will be announced shortly, as the British Boxing Board of Control will resume overseeing action in the middle of February.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (12 July 2019) Two Time World ChampionAmir Khan is set to make history tonight when he becomes the first Muslim boxer to headline a boxing event in Saudi Arabia.

British-Pakistani Khan faces Australian Two-Time World ChampionBilly Dib at the King Abdullah Sport City stadium in Jeddah with the WBC International Welterweight title on the line, exclusively live in the UK on Channel 5 starting at 8pm on 5Spike.

Ahead of the ‘Red Sea Fight Night’ extravaganza held during Jeddah Seasons, Khan wore the traditional Saudi male attire called the Thobe as he went for a walk by the Red Sea coast. 

A victory over Dib may lead to a potential mega showdown with superstar Manny Pacquiao, who takes on rival Keith Thurman next week in Las Vegas, that could take place later this year back in Saudi Arabia.

The Bolton star has previously visited Saudi Arabia to do his Umrah, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, but has always dreamed of one day fighting in the The Kingdom and popularising boxing as a sport to spectate and participate in.

Khan said, “I’m here in Saudi Arabia to make a major statement.  Fighting in Jeddah is as big and important as any of the big fights I’ve had in my career.  This is about breaking new frontiers and new territory and I’m really excited about the potential and future here.  Being the first Muslim boxer to headline a show here is great honour and tonight is a massive opportunity to showcase Saudi Arabia as a big boxing destination and I believe in a short time it will be become just as attractive as any of the big fight cities.  It’s important to put on a great fight against Dib tonight and come away with the win and the title to line up another big fight out here.”

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (10 July 2019) Amir Khan is promising a special show against Billy Dib this Friday on the massive ‘Red Sea Fight Night’ extravaganza as he looks to make Saudi Arabia the centre of the boxing world.

The Two-Time World Champion makes his big Middle East debut at the King Abdullah Sport City stadium in Jeddah when he takes on Billy Dib for the Vacant WBC International Welterweight Championship, exclusively live in the UK on Channel 5 and 5Spike.

Khan met face-to-face with Dib at the final press conference today at the Jeddah Hilton Hotel and said that this is just the beginning of his plan to bring big-time boxing to the region with the support of the Saudi General Sports Authority.

The fight is being held during Saudi Season that aims to promote the nation as a world leading tourist destination.

“It’s a very exciting time for boxing in the Middle East and myself and my partner Bill Dosanjh are pioneering the move with our Super Boxing League in the region,” Said Khan.

“My fight with Dib is breaking new ground here and I want to put on a real show for the public that have not seen big championship boxing before or have only seen it on TV. I’m sure once they see it and feel the excitement, it will give them a big appetite for it so they can’t wait to see the next show,”

“This is just the start of our plans, we intend to make Saudi Arabia a big-fight capital just like Las Vegas, New York and London and in time I believe that it will be just as big as those cities.”

“Through our Super Boxing League teams the Jeddah Sharks and Tigers we aim to discover and develop the first stars of Saudi boxing and help to create exciting talent in this largely untapped area of potential,”

“Also, we have just opened the Super Boxing Gym in partnership with Fitness Time to bring boxing training initially to eight properties in Saudi Arabia and can expand to 140 properties throughout the KSA that will give incredible access for people to train in boxing.”

“The dream would be to help discover the first Saudi boxing World Champion or help to take the first Saudi boxer to Olympic Gold, that is our aim and this is just the beginning.”

Also meeting at today’s head-to-head were the rest of the undercard:
IBO WORLD BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
PRINCE PATEL V MICHELL BANQUEZ

WBC SILVER FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
DAVE PENALOS V LERATO DLAMINI

HUGHIE FURY V SAMUEL PETER

MAYNARD COMMUNICATIONS

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (9 July 2019) Amir Khan and Billy Dib gave Saudi fight fans a glimpse of what to expect ahead of their big fight this Friday night when they performed a public work-out in the Red Sea Mall in Jeddah.

Two-Time World Champions Khan and Dib will meet at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium with the Vacant WBC International Welterweight Championship on the line, exclusively live in the UK on Channel 5 and 5Spike.

Khan was put through his paces by trainer Clarence “Bones” Adams and fitness and strength conditioner Alex Ariza and was given a huge reception from the hundreds of spectators who filled the floors.  The Bolton star of Pakistani heritage is the first and only high-profile Muslim boxer to have headlined in The Kingdom.

The 32-year-old looked sharp and fast as he unloaded big shots on Bones’ hand pads to the delight of the fans, for many it was their first time seeing a superstar boxer like Khan up close.

Khan is thrilled to making his Middle East debut and has promised more appearance in the future.  He said, “This is my first time fighting in Jeddah and I’m going to make the most of this.  I’ve fought all over the world, Las Vegas, New York, London, but it’s going to be great fighting in Jeddah, I want to create history and I want to bring big fights to Saudi Arabia, I want big fights in Jeddah.”

Dib took the fight with Khan after the original opponent Neeraj Goyat withdrew after being involved in a car crash, but Amir is ready for the change of opponent.

He added, “Sometimes it can be hard when you have a replacement opponent.  It’s been hard because I’ve working on an opponent from India, Goyat, so what I have to do is change my game plan for this fight.  Billy’s a great fighter and a two-time world champion and he’s coming to win so we have to change up a little bit, but I’m ready,”

He finished by promising to deliver an exciting performance for his new audience and is looking to forward to returning to Saudi Arabia soon.

Khan said, “Me and dib, we are both ex-world champions, we’re going to put on a great performance for the fans to enjoy.  A win will give me a top five ranking in the world. We are going to see fireworks and there will be many more events like this in the future.”

Australian Dib didn’t give away too much as he did some light shadow boxing in the ring as he looks to cause a shock and defeat the heavy favourite Khan.

Dib said, “This is an amazing experience for me to be allowed to fight here and I can’t wait.  I can definitely win this it’s a great opportunity for myself.  Amir’s a great fighter and beaten some legends but I’m going to do whatever I can to win.”

Other British fighters on the packed ‘Red Sea Fight Night’ show were in action at the Red Sea Mall workout were Hughie Fury, who takes on former WBC World Heavyweight Champion Samuel Peter; Prince Patel, who faces Venezuelan punch Michell Banquez for the IBO World Bantamweight Championship and middleweight sensation Michael Hennessy who has his second professional fight.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (5 July 2019) On Friday 12th July, Billy Dib, the Two-Time World Champion from Sydney, Australia, front’s up to Bolton, England’s, Amir Khan at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and he’s already launching bouncers around ‘King Khan’s’ ears.

‘This is a one-off fight at welterweight for me and Amir Khan is absolutely the right guy for me to fight,’ states the 33 year old who can count on a 15 year and 52-fight pro career for experience.

‘Put it this way, you’d have to offer me a ridiculous amount, well into eight figures, to step into a ring with Manny Pacquiao. Your health is everything. But Amir Khan certainly isn’t Manny Pacquiao.

‘Look, Amir definitely WAS a great champion, a proven warrior who’s made his mark on the game. He could be a future Hall of Famer. In time, I hope the boxing world will fully appreciate his skillset.

‘But in the past few years there’s been a major decline, a lot of chinks have emerged. He’s no longer the fighter who schooled the likes of Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana. Today, he’s fighting for different reasons….money!’

Like the Bolton wonder, ‘Billy the Kid’ commenced his career in the lighter categories -fighting eight world championship fights between 126-130lbs – and is effectively jumping up three weight categories to challenge Khan. No problem, he insists.

When I landed in Saudi at the end of June, I was already in great shape,’ claims Dib who enters after a spectacular first round knockout victory in late April and whose only loss in his last eight was an IBF World title tilt at Tevin Farmer last August.

‘For the first time in my boxing career, I’ve not needed to worry about my weight. I’ll be far stronger, more thickset and hopefully I’ll carry my speed up cos I’m quick, too. Everybody knows I’m a quality body puncher and I’ll be bringing even more strength and power. I’ll definitely test Khan. I really fancy my chances.’

A triple national amateur champion, bustling Billy represented Oz at the World Juniors and Seniors (Cuba 2002 and Thailand 2003 respectively) and has previously starred as a pro in Britain, the US (ten times), Macau, Japan and Thailand. However, this will be his debut in the region of his ancestry.

‘I’m super, super excited to finally fight in the Middle East. It’s always been a mystery to me why boxing has been so slow to take off in the area,’ he says.

And he’s galvanised to deliver a career best showing.

‘If I don’t bring my absolute A game, I’ll get exposed,’ he concedes.

‘Amir’s a super-fast starter and brings amazing hand speed but once my eye is gauged to that speed, I’ll sort out the game plan. Sometimes that speed works against Amir. The times he’s been kayoed, have been when he gets carried away and becomes reckless. I may not be a one punch ‘lights out’ fighter but I’ve certainly got the power to inflict damage.

‘I expect it to be a stylish fight rather than a war. Amir’s the naturally bigger man so I’ll need to box out of my skin, like I did in the amateurs. I win because I’m the more intelligent fighter. In past fights, I’ve proved I can be a mover, a boxer, a puncher. I can diversify.

‘The only way I win is to lay him out. I’m gonna ice him!’

Check Billy out on Instagram @BillyDib.

The event titled Red Sea Fight Night during the Saudi Seasons is a boxing extravaganza with three further big Championship titles fights on the show: Hughie Fury vs. Samuel Peter; Prince Patel vs. Michell Banquez – IBO World Bantamweight Championship; Dave Penalosa vs. Lerato Dlamini – WBC Silver Featherweight Championship.

An action packed undercard also features British middleweight talent Michael Hennessy Jr. vs Abdul Julaidan Fatah; Super-bantamweight contest Amandeep Singh vs Shakhobidin Zoirov; Lightweight contest Zuhayr Al Qahtani vs. Farhad Hazratzada; Super-featherweight contest Lolito Sonsona vs. Isack Junior; Welterweight contest Rodrigo Caraballo vs. Sajid Abid and Heavyweight Contest Ali Kiydin vs. Hemi Ahio.

Khan v Dib is exclusively live in the UK on free-to-air Channel 5 and the undercard on 5Spike on Friday 12th July.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (5 July 2019) Amir Khan’s ‘Red Sea Fight Night’ showdown against Billy Dib in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday 12th July is the hottest boxing event in the world this summer with a host of celebrities from the world of sport and entertainment attending the big night.

Following confirmation of British Heavyweight great Lennox Lewisand UFC’s legendary Chuck Liddell and current phenomenon Israel Adesanya, Americanrap megastars Rick Ross and Tyga will not only be at ringside to watch the action, but will also PERFORM in the King Abdullah Sports City stadium.

Two-Time World Champions Khan and Dib headline a massive fight card when they collide for the Vacant WBC International Welterweight Championship that also features the mega-heavyweight clash between Hughie Fury and former World Champion Samuel Peter, televised exclusively LIVE in the UK on free-to-air Channel 5 and the undercard of 5Spike.

Known as ‘The Biggest Boss’ Rick Ross is one of hip-hops most respected and revered MCs and was voted MTVs “Hottest MC” of 2011 with a multitude of highly acclaimed hit albums and singles.  The Maimi Monster mogul is also a highly successful record label CEO and business entrepreneur.

Grammy Nominated Tyga is an RIAA Certified Platinum rapper who remains a hip-hop fixture with dedicated and growing following of millions across social media.  His chart topping history is undeniable with 31 hits on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart and selling 638K albums, 12.2 million digital songs and 1.4 billion on-demand streams.

More legendary boxing champion and celebrities will be at ringside for the big fight and will be announced shortly.

The event titled Red Sea Fight Night during the Saudi Seasons is a boxing extravaganza with three further big Championship titles fights on the show: Hughie Fury vs. Samuel Peter; Prince Patel vs.Michell Banquez – IBO World Bantamweight Championship; Dave Penalosa vs. Lerato Dlamini – WBC Silver Featherweight Championship.

An action packed undercard also features British middleweight talentMichael Hennessy Jr. vs Abdul Julaidan Fatah; Super-bantamweight contest Amandeep Singh vs Shakhobidin Zoirov; Lightweight contest Zuhayr Al Qahtani vs. Farhad Hazratzada; Super-featherweight contest Lolito Sonsona vs. Isack Junior; Welterweight contest Rodrigo Caraballo vs. Sajid Abid and Heavyweight Contest Ali Kiydin vs. Hemi Ahio.

Khan v Dib is exclusively live in the UK on free-to-air Channel 5 and the undercard on 5Spike on Friday 12th July.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (3 July 2019) Expect the King Abdullah Sports City to be awash with A-List stars from both the worlds of entertainment and sport when Amir Khan and Billy Dib collide for the WBC International Welterweight belt at the ‘Red Sea Fight Night’ in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Friday 12th July.

Last week Britain’s finest ever heavyweight Lennox Lewis – the 1988 Olympic gold medallist and former unified WBC, WBA and IBF king – confirmed his presence at ringside for the fistic feast in the dessert, live in the UK on free-to-air Channel Five and will feature a white hot undercard fronted by the juggernaut heavyweight collision between Hughie Fury and ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ Samuel Peter. 

And this week UFC legend Chuck Liddell and UFC’s hottest prospectIsrael Adesanya, have confirmed their attendance at ringside to what promises to be an historic landmark night for the sport in the MENA region.

Khan v Dib takes place during Saudi Seasons, which promotes the Kingdom as one of the most important tourist destinations in the world, and during a packed week of activities, Liddell and Adesanya will give seminars at Fitness Time gym in Jeddah.

Liddell – billed as ‘The Ice Man’ for his capacity to strike opponents unconscious – is one of the MMA franchise’s greatest ever stars. And he knows a thing or two about boxing, having been introduced to the Noble Art by his maternal grandfather in his native Santa Barbara, long before he carved his legend inside the Octagon.

In his prime, chiller Chuck was incontestably one of the most savage and complete fighting all-rounders on the planet. Formerly an NCAA collegiate wrestler, he went 20-2 as a kick boxer with an astonishing 16 victims sent for an early shower. He began his life in MMA by conquering the art of Brazilian ju-jitsu before reaching 8^th Dan in the hybrid Hawaiian martial art of Kajukenbo

During a stand-out career between 1998-2010, the 6ft 2in Californian strike specialist ruled on the UFC light-heavyweight throne from 2005-2007 and successfully retained his claim on four occasions. Representing globally revered The Pit team, lethal Liddell smashed the record for the most knockouts in the history of the UFC 205lb division – his business card was a looping overhand right which twice won him the UFC ‘Kayo of the Night’ award – and was involved in a series of unforgettable tear-ups with fellow icons such as Randy Couture, Rampage Jackson, Tito Ortiz and Wanderlei Silva, to name just a few. His 2007 war with the latter scooped MMA Fight of the Year honours.

And ‘The Ice Man’ wasn’t just one of the UFC world’s greatest fighters, he reigned as one of its biggest personalities. The first UFC fighter to grace the cover of ESPN’s The Magazine, Liddell featured in 13 PPV fights netting almost 5.9million buys. He subsequently coached Team Liddell in Spike TV’s hugely popular ‘The Ultimate Fighter’, featured in 11 films, came 11^th in Dancing with the Stars and was a houseguest in the US version of Celebrity Big Brother. Unsurprisingly, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in Las Vegas in 2009.  

Joining Lewis and Liddell in Jeddah, will be present day phenomenon Adesanya, one of the most colourful, controversial and clinical operators on the UFC scene and is a nominee for The Best MMA Fighter ESPY.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria but a resident of Auckland, New Zealand since the age of 13, ‘The Last Style Bender’s combustible high-kicks have taken him to the UFC’s ‘interim’ middleweight championship. A flamboyant showman and incorrigible sledger, the 29 year old has evolved into one of UFC’s biggest box-office draws.

A stick thin 6ft 4in tall and sporting a telegraph pole 80in reach, Adesanya’s crushing kicks earned him 32-0 stats as an amateur kick boxer plus a record three King of the Ring awards. Like Liddle, he has also dabbled with conventional boxing, winning five of six among the paid brigade between 2014-15. 

And the ‘Style Bender’ has proved an absolute sensation since gate crashing the UFC circuit in December 2017. Sporting a perfect 6-0 CV, his fan-friendly, flashy fighting skills have been recognised with three ‘Performance of the Night’ awards plus a brace of ‘Fight of the Night’ accolades.

Israel’s attendance around ringside in Saudi is sure to rouse emotions in what promises to be an unmissable evening of entertainment and action with more big names to be announced.

Fight fans looking to travel out to Jeddah to watch the action packed show headlined by Amir Khan v Billy Dib can purchase fight tickets here and also easily apply for an E-VISA to attend. Please go to this link:

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (27 June 2019) The World Boxing Council (WBC) has sanctioned the organisation’s Vacant International Welterweight title to be contested between Amir Khan and Billy Dib on Friday 12th July at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

It was announced yesterday that Khan would now face Australian Dib after original opponent Neeraj Goyat was forced to withdraw following his involvement in a serious car accident that has required him to have hospital treatment.

The history-making fight between British-Pakistani Khan and India’s Goyat would have been the first time the two nations had met in the boxing ring and the WBC had commissioned a special one-time Pearl Championship belt to commemorate the landmark fight.

However, with the unfortunate withdrawal of Goyat, the WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman has now given permission for the Vacant WBC International title to be on the line instead when Khan and Dib, both Two-Time World Champions, meet in the ring on fight night.

The WBC International Welterweight belt has previously been held by former pound-for-pound greats Shane Mosley and Erik Morales.

Sulaiman said, “The fight between Amir Khan and Billy Dib is now officially confirmed for the WBC International title and I’m proud that it will be contested for at the magnificent King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah. The specially commissioned WBC Pearl Championship belt that was due to be challenged for will now be contested at a future date. The winner of Khan and Dib will receive a WBC ranking in the top five of the welterweight division.”

The event titled Red Sea Fight Night staged during the Saudi Seasons – an initiative aimed at transforming the Kingdom into one of the most important tourist destinations in the world – is a boxing extravaganza with three further big Championship titles fights on the show: Hughie Fury vs. Samuel Peter – Championship Title TBC; Prince Patel vs. Michell Banquez – IBO World Bantamweight Championship; Dave Penalosa vs. Lerato Dlamini – WBC Silver Featherweight Championship

An action packed undercard also features British middleweight talent Michael Hennessy Jr. vs Abdul Julaidan Fatah; Super-bantamweight contest Amandeep Singh vs Shakhobidin Zoirov; Lightweight contest Zuhayr Al Qahtani vs. Farhad Hazratzada; Super-featherweight contest Lolito Sonsona vs. Isack Junior; Welterweight contest Rodrigo Caraballo vs. Sajid Abid and Heavyweight Contest Ali Kiydin vs. Hemi Ahio.

Khan v Dib is exclusively live in the UK on free-to-air Channel 5 and the undercard on 5Spike on Friday 12th July

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (26 June 2019) Amir Khan will now fight Two-Time World Champion Billy Dib on Friday 12th July in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the WBC Pearl Welterweight Championship on the line after his original opponent Neeraj Goyat was involved in a car accident.

Two-Time World Champion Khan was due to face Goyat at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in the first ever Pakistan-India showdown in a boxing ring.

Khan will still headline the groundbreaking boxing extravaganza in the Middle East that also features Hughie Fury, Prince Patel and Dave Penasola all in championship title action, exclusively live in the UK on Channel 5 and 5Spike.

It’s clear that Goyat’s will not recover in time and be fully fit to fight Khan on the scheduled date and promoter Bill Dosanjh of The Super Boxing League has moved quickly to secure Khan a new opponent in the World class former two-time World champion Dibb.

Khan said, “First of all my heart goes out to Neeraj and I pray for him to make a full recovery and is fit and healthy again to resume his boxing career,”

“We’ve had to make the decision to find a replacement and we’ve done extremely well in securing Dib to now be in the opposite corner,”

“This fight is a landmark moment for boxing in Saudi Arabia and myself, Bill, the Saudi GSA and the government have worked tirelessly to put this event together. We wanted to keep the event on during the important Saudi Season and ensure the fans in Saudi get to watch this great event,”

“I’ve been a professional for nearly 14 years now and I’ve seen and dealt with near enough everything in that time so adjusting to a new opponent and challenge is part and parcel of the boxing business so I’ve just got to sit down with my team and work on the new plan,”

“I’m really excited the fight is still on, I would have been absolutely distraught if my dream of fighting in Saudi had to be put on hold. Dib is a respected and experienced two-time World Champion so I’m looking forward to pitting my skill against him.”

Khan v Dib is exclusively live on Channel 5 and the undercard on 5Spike on Friday 12th July.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (24 June 2019) Two-Time World Champion and boxing star Amir Khan’s history making fight against Neeraj Goyat at the King Abdullah Sports Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday 12th July will be broadcast exclusively live in the UK on free-to-air Channel 5.

Khan versus Goyat headlines a fantastic all-action championship fight card that includes heavyweight star Hughie Fury in a sensational showdown with Former World Champion Samuel Peter plus Prince Patel and Dave Penasola both in title fights.

British-Pakistani hero Khan and India’s star Goyat make history when the two nations meet in the boxing ring for the first time ever with the specially commissioned World Boxing Council (WBC) Pearl Welterweight Championship on the line.

The Bolton star promises a feast from the Middle East when he break down frontiers in the event titled ‘Nations Connect’ as he makes his debut in the MENA region and in the The Kingdom for the first time in his illustrious 14 year, 38 fight pro career.

This will also be Khan’s first terrestrial TV appearance since 2010, as Channel 5 televise his ground-breaking fight to millions with the undercard also featuring on free-to-air 5 Spike in nearly 5 hours of live boxing action.

‘It’s an honour to be fighting in The Kingdom during the Saudi Seasons and a big thank you to GSA for making this happen.  I can’t wait to deliver a world class performance here and really put Saudi Arabia on the map as a boxing destination to rival any of the big fights cities in the World.  It’s been a dream of mine to fight here for many years and I finally get to share my talent and spread boxing to new territories across the world just as Muhammad Ali did.  Importantly, this fight against Neeraj is sending a message that our two nations, Pakistan and India, can connect in the boxing ring and through the power of sport we can send out a positive message.” Said Khan.   

Khan is hungry to get back in the ring following his controversial sixth round stoppage loss to WBO welterweight boss and pound-for-pound contender Terence Crawford in April and knows that a victory in Jeddah could lead to a blockbuster showdown with the legendary eight-division World Champion Manny Pacquiao.

In the opposing corner stands Indian trailblazer Neeraj Goyat who will be eager to replicate his compatriots’ recent conquest over sporting rivals Pakistan at the Cricket World Cup.  

The 27 year old former Commonwealth Youth medallist and World Youth and Military Games rep topped the bill in India’s first professional promotion in May 2015, when he also became the first from his nation to contest and win a pro title by scalping Nelson Gulpe for the WBC Asian crown. A brace of successful defences led to Goyat being honoured as the WBC’s Asian Honorary Fighter of the Year in 2017 plus the first Indian to crack the WBC world ratings. 

Though winless in his opening four paid starts (two draws, all overseas), the 5ft 7 ½ in terror has triumphed in 11 of his last 12 – the sole stain a points loss to a Mexican in Mexico. He is also undefeated in MMA combat and yet to be stopped.

Nevertheless, ‘King Khan’ is promising to leave the man from the state of Haryana in a proper state before advancing to what could be an All-Asian career finale against ex-gym mate and eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao from the Phillipines.  

‘End of this year, early next year, I want to make a big name world title challenge and there’s a strong possibility it could be here in Saudi Arabia against Pacquiao,’ claims Khan who will be coached for the first time by ex-WBA super-bantam boss Clarence ‘Bones’ Adams and Alex Ariza.

‘Hopefully, Manny beats up Keith Thurman the week after my fight and we’ll see what happens.

‘A fight between us would set-up boxing in the Middle East forever and lead to multiple championship fights taking place in the region. I intend being at the forefront.’ 

Chief support pitches world grade heavyweights from past and present when undefeated former British champion Hughie Fury, 24, who features courtesy of Hennessy Sports and Channel 5, steps up against one-time WBC World Champion Samuel Peter in a mouthwatering championship title contest to be announced.

England’s first ever World Youth super-heavyweight champion, the 6ft 6in ‘Fists of Fury’ has already showcased his considerable skills in eight countries since debuting as a pro, aged 18, in March 2013. However, this will be his first exposure in the MENA region and he is promising to expand his fan base by delivering a sparkling performance. 

‘I’ve a job to do and it’ll get done. Samuel Peter is a seriously solid, dangerous veteran who can clearly punch but I relish the challenge,’ said Fury who is trained by his father Peter.

He added, ’It’s always great to visit different places and get my name around the World. I’m expecting a great atmosphere. There’s only one thing on my mind, getting to the very top, winning the world title.

Peter, the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’, is a 2000 Sydney Olympian, now in his 19^thyear as a pro.  The powerhouse has clattered 31 victims inside schedule whilst compiling a stellar 38-7 CV. The solid 6ft 2in, 19stone plus African reigned on the WBC throne for seven months in 2008 and has swapped leather with four fellow world champions, including both Klitschko brothers. He famously flattened Wladimir three times before dropping a close, contentious 12 round decision in 2005.

Following a break, Samuel returned in Mexico in February and has already bombed out two foes inside the opening frame. Fury will need to bring his A-game if he hopes to advance above his ranking of 14 with the IBF. 

To add further garnish to the bill, Acton pantomime villain Prince Patel attempts to become the first fighter of Indian heritage to claim a boxing world title when he collides with violent Venezuelan Michell Banquez for the Vacant IBO Bantamweight belt.

It’s a genuine toss-up between boxers who both boast 18 wins from 19 outings – Patel’s blemish a draw, Banquez’s an 11 round points loss in Chile – and both claim 13 stoppage wins.

The punching Prince, a three-time national junior champion and 2013 Senior ABA finalist, is as awkward inside the ropes as he is beyond. Love him or loathe him, he’s hard to ignore.

Nevertheless, 28 year old banger Banquez, known as ‘El Arsenal’ has never been stopped and promises to pose stern resistance.

Bolton, UK (19 June 2019) Two Time World Champion Amir Khan put on a power packed training session at his gym HQ in Bolton today ahead of his departure for Saudi Arabia for his fight with rival Neeraj Goyat.

Khan makes boxing history when he takes on Goyat in the first ever Pakistani-India showdown in the boxing ring on Friday 12th July at the King Abdullah Sport City in Jeddah.

In front of a gym packed with national media, Khan was put through his paces by new trainers Alex Ariza and Clarence “Bones” Adams as he went through a session that included shadow boxing, pads and skipping.

Afterwards, Khan spoke to the media and talked of a potential blockbuster with the legendary Manny Pacquiao in the Middle East providing he beats Goyat and Pacman beats Keith Thurman next month. He also added he doesn’t care if domestic rival Kell Brook retired.

Khan said, “I’d love to do that fight. It’s one of the reasons I’ve take the fight as I know there’s a bigger picture,”

“There’s always talk about Manny and there has been more talk about it lately.  Lets hope he wins against Thurman, I win against Goyat and we can move forward front there.”

“I have this fight and then it could Manny, that would be a great way to finish.”

“I’m not taking my eye off Goyat though, I know that I can’t be complacent and I need to beat him.

London, UK (6 June 2019) The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, will be at ringside to watch Two-Time World Champion Amir “King” Khan’s epic fight against Neeraj Goyat on Friday 12th July at the King Abdullah Sports Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Mr. Khan will be in attendance with Federal Ministers Fawad Chaudry and Zulfi Bukhari to watch the history making fight between British-Pakistani hero Khan and India star Goyat with the specially commissioned World Boxing Council (WBC) Pearl Welterweight Championship on the line.

Khan and Goyat made the third stop of their media tour in London today ahead of their history-making fight. With press conferences in Delhi and Karachi completed, the two fighters came head-to-head in central London at the prestigious Landmark Hotel for their ‘Nations Connect’ showdown.

The fight is officially endorsed by the Saudi General Sports Authority and fits into the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 Strategy, which was launched in April 2016 to rapidly modernise the country that has seen The Kingdom quickly become a major hub for international sporting events.

Khan versus Goyat also takes place during Saudi Seasons that will run from 8 June-19 July that aims to transform the Kingdom into one of the most important tourist destinations in the world.

Before the press conference, Khan and Goyat stopped off for a head-to-head photo in front of one of London’s defining landmarks and one of the most recognisable structures in the entire world, Tower Bridge.

In the press conference, Khan revealed his new training team to help him prepare for the fight that sees him reunite with renown US trainer Alex Ariza and his partner, Former WBA World Super-Bantamweight Champion, Clarence “Bones” Adams.

Khan said, “We are boxers and professional sportsmen and it’s great that India and Pakistan should fight each other in sports like cricket, boxing and other sports. The rivalry is intense between Pakistan and India and it should stay in the sports field, they will be trying to beat each other in sports and more of that needs to happen.”

Goyat, who is fired up by underdog Andy Ruiz’s victory over Anthony Joshua, said, “Indian and Pakistan need to do this more often, especially in boxing, do all the fighting in the ring. I can’t wait to fight Khan. He’s been dropped in the first by Terence Crawford and in the second against Samuel Vargas. It’s my turn to drop him and it won’t be third time lucky for him. I’m going to knock him out cold in the third. It’s a time for upsets just like you saw with Anthony Joshua last Saturday night.”

Unbeaten Prince Patel from Acton, London, was confirmed as one of the British attractions on the undercard of Khan-Goyat and face fearsome Venezuelan puncher Michell Banquez for the IBO World Bantamweight Championship.

Patel said, “I’ve been fighting all over the world and I’m looking forward to my next stop in Saudi Arabia. This is a fabulous opportunity to showcase my skills on such a high profile event and I will rise to the occasion.”

Khan and Goyat will head to the final stop of their press tour in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Monday 24th June.

For regular updates on Khan v Goyat, please go to: www.superboxingleague.com

London, UK (31 May 2019) Boxing icon and global sporting phenomenon Amir Khan will make history when he fights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Friday 12th July, 2019.

As the biggest Muslim personality in sport since Muhammad Ali, Khan will become the first high profile Muslim boxer to showcase his skills at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah – nicknamed the “The Shining Jewel” in a fight that promises to elevate the Kingdom as a major sporting attraction.

Two-Time World Champion & Olympic Silver Medallist “King” Khan from Bolton, England, of Pakistani heritage, will face India’s national boxing hero Neeraj Goyat, the WBC Asian Champion, in a massive showdown with a championship title on the line. 

The fight is an important event taking place during Saudi Seasons that will run from 8 June-19 July that aims to transform the Kingdom into one of the most important tourist destinations in the world.

As a devout practitioner of the Muslim faith and sporting role model, Khan’s presence in Saudi Arabia, home of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Medina, promises to transcend cultural boundaries, capture the imaginations of the millions of citizens living in the MENA region and reach a truly global audience.

British Muslim Khan has thrilled the boxing world with his exhilarating all-action style since he burst onto the world stage at just 17 when he heroically battled his way to a Silver medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. 

In a stunning 38-fight professional career, Khan has become a Two-Time World Champion and has faced some of the very finest boxers and pound-for-pound best of his generation, including Marcos Maidana, Zab Judah, Danny Garcia, Saul Alvarez and in his last fight Terence Crawford.

Khan’s rival Goyat is a phenomenon in his home country.  Hailing from Chandigarh, Goyat is a pioneer in helping to establish professional boxing in India.  He left behind a highly successful amateur career to pursue his dream of becoming a professional boxer and show the world that India can be a new super-power in world boxing.  To that end he has fought in numerous countries, including China, Thailand, South Korea, Mexico and Canada and currently holds the WBC Asian crown.

Amir Khan said, “This is an exciting challenge that I have ahead of me. It will be the first time a British Pakistani will fight an Indian boxer, which eventually will bring the two nations together. I would like to thank the Saudi government and General Sports Authority for giving me this opportunity and I’m a firm believer in sport being a great healer.”

Neeraj Goyat said, “This opportunity is as big as it gets for me. Everything that I have achieved to date wouldn’t matter when I enter the ring on July 12 taking on a seasoned, established superstar in Amir Khan. I will be carrying the hopes of 1.2bn on my shoulders who will expect me to bring the title by causing an upset.”

The fight, officially endorsed by the Saudi General Sports Authority, fits into the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 Strategy, which was launched in April 2016 to rapidly modernise the country. 

Saudi’s energetic young HRH Mohammed bin Salman Crown Prince, who is spearheading the Strategy, is determined to see his country move away from oil dependency towards a future that focuses on economic diversification, innovation and the creative self-fulfilment of its citizens.

He has made revolutionary changes in The Kingdom such as the empowerment of women to more effectively participate in the growth of economic reforms.  The Crown Prince recognises the importance of utilising the power of sport to encourage social change and his vision to enhance international arts to enhance his nation’s reputation on the global stage. 

The Kingdom is quickly becoming a major hub for international sporting events.

In early 2018, Saudi Arabia held its first international motorsport event, the two-day Race of Champions. It then staged its first international boxing event, when the World Boxing Super Series Super-Middleweight final took place in Jeddah in September. Following on from this, The Kingdom hosted Neymar and his footballing superstar compatriots when Brazil faced Argentina in the “Superclasico de las Americas” in October. In December, the Formula E season kicked off with a memorable race around Ad Dirriyah. 

Since the turn of the year, The Kingdom has hosted the Italian Super Cup clash between Serie A Champions Juventus and AC Milan, and the inaugural Saudi International golf tournament, which saw the world’s top players, including Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose, compete at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City.

This momentum will be taken to a bold new height when Amir Khan steps between the ropes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

For regular updates on Khan v Goyat, please go to: https://www.superboxingleague.com

By Bart Barry-

ZAPOPAN, Mexico – This is a place that looks like Guadalajara on a map but like Chapalita right next door holds itself apart from the city at whose airport you must first arrive to visit. Saturday began with a pool party in the hills, a familiar’s friend’s parents’ house, the sort of thing that made more sense when you were 25 years younger and relies on no one saying or even thinking something like that. In its Late Prosperity manner, it was an apt way to begin an afternoon that led to an evening that concluded with Terence “Bud” Crawford’s unmanning Amir Khan.

Thing about Late Prosperity is the spotlight it shines on bygone aspiration. Whereas a pair of Hush Puppies and a La-Z-Boy remain comfortable years and years after their original influencers have migrated to sneakers and IKEA, what modern sorts of architecture and design hallmark Late Prosperity were quite obviously chosen to make an important statement regardless of their dysfunction.

When the asymmetric fixtures basked in a fresh coat of Miami Vice pink or turquoise it mattered little the sharp edges and discomfort all round them, but it’s been 30 years and the green’s gone moldy and the pink grayish, cream-of-what-once-was, and now the first thought that happens, long before even the least-discerning mind processes it, is a word like “unkempt” – which marches the mind down a path of spent-fortunes and last-testaments ignored of economic necessity. The fiftysomething children or grandchildren, overeducated products of overpriced educations, retain all the cultivated tastes and enthusiastic weirdness of their eccentric forebearers but naught of the fortune; what’s desperately worse than weird rich people is their middleclass descendants.

That made Saturday’s poolparty fine foreplay for Saturday’s pay-per-view broadcast. What are some of the hallmarks of Late Prosperity in boxing? Words like “historic” uttered over and over. Words, for that matter, of any kind, uttered over and over. The motormouth striving for relevance, the venue worship, the tired namedropping:

“Madison Square Garden. What, you’ve never – how about Marciano, Robinson, Frazier, Duran, Ali? Surely you’ve heard of them, everyone has. We were surprised to get the invitation but thrilled to accept, but when you think about it, actually, it makes sense we would be here. My grandfather was from Holbrook, you know, which is very nearby Brockton, where Rocky Marciano grew up?”

Meanwhile, all round this production, the normal people with publicschool educations and jobs with salaries and bosses, folks who know who they are and don’t mind it, politely nod and silently wonder when the cake will be cut. Not for a hell of a while. Not till another halfdozen drinks get mixed and the same halfdozen dull stories get renovated and recounted, not till these normal folks get reminded in every imaginable way how lucky they are to be what bit actors compose the background scenery in the crowded courtyard where the historymaking event is due to unfold in the next hour or two.

It’s maddening enough to make you mad enough to ask how it all happened like this, and if you begin the search for a specific villain and go deep enough in it you realize there’s no villain but the system – everyone who thinks he’s a puppetmaster be entangled in the same string lattice as the paupers whose strings he thinks he pulls. Bud Crawford’s lowblow was a fitting end to such a spectacle, fitting as Amir Khan’s predictable and anemic submission to a better man’s fists.

To watch Khan is not to get surprised by his victimhood in meaningful fights but to get surprised by anyone else’s surprise, to wonder, essentially, who the hell decided we should take him seriously in the first place. There was no moment any aficionado doubted Saturday’s outcome; Khan was smaller and weaker and dumber and slower and less balanced and less prepared, and watching him beaten conclusively unto unconsciousness would satisfy solely our beloved sport’s worst impulses. That’s before we consider this was a pay-per-view event, th’t there was an additional charge to see this mess because a transnational media corporation and its wealthy promoter couldn’t possibly cover whatever purse the world’s best prizefighter wanted for a welterweight exhibition match.

Something only marginally worse happened on Fox Sports for free, Saturday, and if PBC still shows no empathy with aficionados’ plight, at least it gets the price right often as not. It’s exhibition matches far as the eye can see, there, too, though without (as much of) the pound-for-pound puffery ESPN now pounds its viewers with.

While we’re evidently stuck on the letter ‘p’ let’s get into this week’s palliative. DAZN will broadcast a wonderful rematch Friday and the continuation of a still-more-wonderful tournament Saturday – when Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Juan Francisco Estrada swap blows in Inglewood, Calif., the night before World Boxing Super Series returns with two junior welterweight matches from Lafayette, La.

DAZN does not yet know what it is, but we already know it is not Late Prosperity. DAZN is making mistakes its peers do not, it is choosing events at least as much as personalities, it is aspiring to become a platform while its peers get remanded, yet again, to the role of copromoter.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

NEW YORK CITY — WBO world welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (35-0, 26KO) retained his title, scoring a strange and somewhat controversial 6th round TKO over former junior welterweight champ Amir Khan (33-5, 20KO) in the main of an ESPN PPV card in front of 14,091 paid fans at Madison Square Garden.

The switch-hitting Crawford, 31, who is notorious for his slow starts, switched the script tonight and almost ended the fight in the first.  In the final minute of the opening round, Omaha’s favorite son connected with a counter right over an extended Khan jab, then followed it with a left for good measure, sending Khan crumbling to the mat.  The Brit was able to beat referee David Fields ten-count, but was quickly met with fury from Crawford. When the bell rang to end round one, Khan was so confused that he assumed a fighting posture for a few extra seconds.

Khan did enough to get by in rounds two and three, and in the fourth saw minor success when engaging in exchanges with Crawford.  Make no mistake though, time and again it was Crawford who landed the more significant blows.

The end came suddenly and controversially in the sixth when Crawford dug a meaty left below the belt that immediately had Khan doubled over in pain.  After taking about two of his allotted five minutes to recover, Khan informed his trainer, Virgil Hunter, that he was unable to continue and the ringside physician stepped up to stop the contest.  Fields ruled the punch an “accidental low blow” and the official result was read, to a chorus of boos, as a TKO for Crawford with an official stoppage of :47 in the fifth round.

Crawford has now stopped his last six opponents inside the distance.  The last time he went to the scorecards was in July 2016 against Viktor Postol.  The win also furthers Crawford case to surmount WBA/WBO world lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (13-1, 10KO) atop boxing’s pound-for-pound list.  The win also furthers Crawford case for pound fWBA/WBO world lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (13-1, 10KO) atop boxing’s pound-for-pound list.

Tonight marked Khan’s first fight back with Hunter after working with Joe Goossen for his last two contests, both of which were victories against lesser competition.  The result tonight also marks Khan’s fourth stoppage loss in five career defeats. Khan’s other professional defeats have come courtesy of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (51-1-2, 35KO), Danny Garcia (34-2, 20KO), Lamont Peterson (35-5-1, 17KO), and Breidis Prescott (31-16, 22KO).

“I could tell I was breaking him down, it was just a matter of time,” Crawford said post-fight.  “I just took my time. I was disappointed the corner stopped the fight in that manner, but Virgil is a great coach, and he was looking out for his fighter. I know he didn’t want to go out like that.”

Crawford also dismissed the notion that Khan had fast hands.  “Benavidez and Gamboa were 10 times faster than him,” he said bluntly.

“The fight I want next is Errol Spence,” he continued. “Whenever he is ready, he can come and get it.”

Top Rank chair Bob Arum echoed Crawford, “We want to fight Errol Spence,” he said. “Everyone wants the fight. There is one guy stopping it, and that is Al Haymon.”

Due to the boxing political divide, a more likely Crawford opponent could be longtime Khan rival Kell Brook (38-2, 26KO) who was in attendance to “scout” Crawford.

ALL ABOARD! Teofimo Lopez KOs Edis Tatli In 5

The 2018 consensus Prospect of the Year, Teofimo Lopez (13-0, 11KO) kept the Teofimo Express rolling, KOing Finnish veteran Edis Tatli (31-3, 10KO) with a body shot in the fifth round of their scheduled twelve round lightweight contest.

The always-flashy Brooklyn-born Lopez, started slower than usual, taking time in the early goings to set traps he could utilize later in the bout.

It wasn’t until the fourth round that Lopez, a former 2016 Honduran Olympian, began to impose his will on his 31 year-old counterpart.  Midway through the fourth, Lopez caught Tatli, who was fighting in the US for the first time, with a short right hand that sent him off-balance.  The 21 year-old kept the heat on, following up with a flurry of shots that culminated with Lopez landing a behind the back punch that earned him a warning from the referee.

In the ensuing round, Lopez was intent on closing the show, and did so with a straight right to the Tatli’s right hip area that dropped him to a knee where he was counted out by the referee.  The end of the fight came at the 1:32 mark of round 5, and a Lopez celebratory backflip shortly followed.

Lopez has now stopped his last five opponents inside the distance, a streak that dates back to last May.

With regards to the future, Lopez and his trainer/father, Teofimo Lopez Jr., have repeatedly called for a fight with WBO world lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (13-1, 10KO).  Lomachenko, however, has made it clear he has little interest in a Lopez clash unless he’s bringing hardware to the table. That perhaps clears the way for Lopez to take on IBF world lightweight champion Richard Commey (28-2, 25KO).  Commey was previously penciled in to face Lomachenko in a unification clash, but had to pull out due to a right hand injury.

The result marked the first time in his 35-fight career that Tatli suffered defeat before the final bell.  His other two losses came via the cards by way of split and majority decisions.

“I knew I was going to get him with a body shot,” Lopez said.  “I softened him up and finished him…I want a world title shot next…We promised to take over the show, and once again, I took it over.”

“I’m ready for Richard Commey or the WBC title. As long as it’s for a title, I am ready to go. No one can take my power.”

Speed Kills: Shakur Stevenson UDs Christopher Diaz

Undefeated lightweight prospect Shakur Stevenson (11-0, 7KO) aced his toughest test yet, scoring a ten round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz (24-2, 16KO).

After a brief feeling out period, the southpaw Stevenson began landing impactful shots in round two, using pawing jabs to set up straight left hands.

In the third, Stevenson’s hand speed was on full display, as he peppered Diaz, 24, with combinations to head and body, darting in and out without being hit with any return fire.

In round five, arguably Diaz’s best, the Puerto Rican started to muddy the waters, bringing the fight in-close, forcing the twenty-one year old Stevenson to fight in tight.

The next round, however, Stevenson popped more jabs, reset the distance, and again found his mark with combinations.

Stevenson, a former 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist, didn’t relent down the stretch, as he continued to mark up Diaz, using superior footwork and hand-speed to hit and not get hit.

At the end of ten, all three judges scored it for Stevenson: 100-90, 99-91, and 99-92.

In the lead up to tonight’s contest, Top Rank chair Bob Arum told various media outlets that his team, specifically matchmakers Brad Goodman and Bruce Trampler, repeatedly tried to talk the Stevenson camp out of taking a fight the Freddie Roach-trained Diaz.  They insisted that they could produce a worthy challenger that posed less risk to their rising star. But the Stevenson camp remained stubborn, convinced the crafty southpaw could handle Diaz and take a giant leap towards earning a title shot, and they were right.  Stevenson handled Diaz with ease. In fact, there was no moment during the thirty minute contest that Stevenson was ever in danger.

Diaz’s only other defeat came in his lone title fight when he dropped a decision to Japan’s Masayuki Ito (25-1-1, 13KO) last June.

“Listen, I want all the champions at 126 pounds,” Stevenson said afterward.  “Josh Warrington is someone I want to fight. I am ready.”

He continued, “I take nothing away from Christopher Diaz. He’s a great fighter, but I came in there to outbox him, and that’s exactly what I did.”

Felix Verdejo Scores Wide UD Over Bryan Vasquez

Felix “El Diamante” Verdejo (25-1, 16KO) scored a wide unanimous decision over two-time world title challenger Bryan “El Tiquito” Vasquez (37-4-0, 20KO) in a ten round lightweight contest that opened the PPV portion of tonight’s card at Madison Square Garden.

In the early goings, Verdejo, 25, worked exclusively behind his jab, constantly snapping left hands in his Costa Rican counterpart’s direction.  In the third, a Vasquez right opened a cut under Verdejo’s increasingly-puffy right eye that started streaming blood.

Perhaps prompted by the cut, Verdejo turned up the aggression in the fourth and began to take full control of the fight.  The one-time highly-touted Puerto Rican prospect started unleashing his right hand, finding success throwing one-twos and right crosses.

Credit Vasquez though, who never once turned back.  The 31 year-old was undeterred by Verdejo’s shots, and kept coming forward, trying desperately to land something of significance.

That punch would never come, and in the end all three judges scored it widely for Verdejo: 97-93×2 and 98-92 for Verdejo.

The result makes it two consecutive wins for Verdejo since suffering a shocking TKO10 stoppage against Ines Antonio Lozada Torres (40-2-1, 24KO) at the Theater at Madison Square Garden last March.  Verdejo KO’d Yardley Armenta Cruz (25-13, 15KO) last November.

Prior to tonight, Vasquez had won two in a row since finding himself on the losing end of a MD against former WBO world lightweight champion Rey Beltran (36-8-1, 22KO).  Vasquez’s only other career defeats came in featherweight world title challenges, against Takashi Utiyama (2012) and Javier Fortuna (2015).

“It was an honor for me to get a big victory in front of my fans at Madison Square Garden,” Verdejo said afterward.  “I defeated a great fighter in Vasquez…I am looking for a world title opportunity soon.”

Felix Verdejo Scores Wide UD Over Bryan Vasquez

Felix “El Diamante” Verdejo (25-1, 16KO) scored a wide unanimous decision over two-time world title challenger Bryan “El Tiquito” Vasquez (37-4-0, 20KO) in a ten round lightweight contest that opened the PPV portion of tonight’s card at Madison Square Garden.

In the early goings, Verdejo, 25, worked exclusively behind his jab, constantly snapping left hands in his Costa Rican counterpart’s direction.  In the third, a Vasquez right opened a cut under Verdejo’s increasingly-puffy right eye that started streaming blood.

Perhaps prompted by the cut, Verdejo turned up the aggression in the fourth and began to take full control of the fight.  The one-time highly-touted Puerto Rican prospect started unleashing his right hand, finding success throwing one-twos and right crosses.

Credit Vasquez though, who never once turned back.  The 31 year-old was undeterred by Verdejo’s shots, and kept coming forward, trying desperately to land something of significance.

That punch would never come, and in the end all three judges scored it widely for Verdejo: 97-93×2 and 98-92 for Verdejo.

The result makes it two consecutive wins for Verdejo since suffering a shocking TKO10 stoppage against Ines Antonio Lozada Torres (40-2-1, 24KO) at the Theater at Madison Square Garden last March.  Verdejo KO’d Yardley Armenta Cruz (25-13, 15KO) last November.

Prior to tonight, Vasquez had won two in a row since finding himself on the losing end of a MD against former WBO world lightweight champion Rey Beltran (36-8-1, 22KO).  Vasquez’s only other career defeats came in featherweight world title challenges, against Takashi Utiyama (2012) and Javier Fortuna (2015).

“It was an honor for me to get a big victory in front of my fans at Madison Square Garden,” Verdejo said afterward.  “I defeated a great fighter in Vasquez…I am looking for a world title opportunity soon.”

Carlos Adames TKOs Frank Galarza In 4

In a crossroads clash originally slated for ten rounds, undefeated Dominican junior middleweight prospect Carlos Adames (17-0, 14KO) remained perfect, stopping Frank Galarza (20-3-2, 12KO) inside four, claiming the NABO junior middleweight title in the process.

Adames, a 24 year-old southpaw trained by Robert Garcia, outclassed his veteran foe from the opening bell, snapping jabs to set up left crosses, for which Galarza had no answer.  Midway through the opening round, Adames connected with a left that opened a cut on the corner of Galarza’s right eye.

Adames continued to dominate the action in rounds two and three and in the fourth finally broke through, sending Galarza to the mat courtesy of a beautifully thrown left cross that exploded on Galarza’s chin.  Galarza beat referee Benjy Esteves’ ten-count, but the Dominican kept his foot on the gas and after showering Galarza with unobstructed punches, Esteves stepped in to stop the contest at the 1:17 mark of round four.

Prior to tonight’s contest, Galarza had strung together a three-fight win streak since dropping two in a row to current IBF/WBA middleweight champion Jarrett Hurd (November 2015) and former IBF world middleweight champion Ishe Smith (September 2016).

Tonight marked Adames’ second appearance in the big room at MSG.  He outpointed veteran Mexican veteran Alejandro Barrera (19-5, 18KO) here in May 2018.

“This was a message to all of the 154-pounders. I want to face all the best,” Adames said post-fight.

“I believe Robert Garcia will get the most out of me. I felt great with him. He told me I was winning the fight, and he told me to pressure him because he was ready to go.”

Edgar Berlanga Destroys Samir Barbosa Inside One

In his Top Rank debut, Brooklyn-born middleweight prospect Edgar “Pachanga” Berlanga (10-0, 10KO) battered and blasted out Brazilian veteran Samir Barbosa (37-16-3, 26KO), disposing  him in just :46 seconds.

It all happened quickly, starting when 21 year-old Berlanga, who previously fought under Evander Holyfield’s “Real Deal” promotional banner, landed a short chopping right that stunned Barbosa.  Berlanga quickly followed up with a hard jab and two more rights, forcing the ref to step in and stop the contest.

While he didn’t get the result he was hoping for, tonight’s fight represented a milestone for the 38 year-old dos Santos Barbosa, who has now fought professionally in ten countries.

For the Puerto Rican-blooded Berlanga, tonight marked his fifth fight within New York City’s five boroughs, but first in Manhattan and first at the Garden.  Berlanga’s next fight is already slated for May 25 when he’ll take on Hungary’s Gyorgy Varju (7-4, 4KO) in Kissimmee, FL.

“I know this will open up a lot of opportunities for me,” Berlanga said afterward.  “I want to make my people from Brooklyn and Puerto Rico proud.”

Ireland’s Fryers Improves To 10-1 With UD Over Noah Kidd

In the third consecutive fight to go the distance, Irish junior welterweight Larry Fryers (10-1, 3KO) shutout Missouri’s Dakota Polley (5-3, 2KO) in a six round contest.  All judges cards read 60-53×3.

It wasn’t as easy a night as the scorecards suggest for the 28 year-old Irishman as he time and again had to eat punches to land his own.

Polley, who was KO’d by Luis Feliciano (10-6, 6KO) his last time between the ropes, showed a decent account of himself tonight.  The 20 year old southpaw went toe-to-toe with Fryer, but consistently got bested when the two exchanged.

In the fifth round, a Fryer lunging left, in which he led with his head, resulted in a clash that produced a deep cut over Polley’s right eye.  In the ensuing round, Polley was deducted a point by the referee for holding.

Ex-Indian Olympian Vikas Krishan UDs Noah Kidd

Former two-time Indian Olympian Vikas “The Indian Tank” Krishan (2-0, 1KO) easily oupointed Missouri’s Noah Kidd (3-2-1, 2KO) in a six round junior middleweight scrap.  All judges scored widely for the 27-year old Indian, 60-54×2 and 59-55. Krishan, a southpaw, controlled the contest bell to bell, but lacked killer instinct, allowing Kidd to linger.  No matter, though. At this point in his career, banking rounds without headgear probably isn’t a bad thing for Krishan.

Lawrence Newton UDs Jonathan Garza To Kick Off MSG Card

Twenty-two year-old Florida native Lawrence Newton ran his record to 12-0, 7KO scoring a wide unanimous decision over Texan Jonathan Garza (7-3, 2KO) in a six round bantamweight contest.  Official scores read 60-54×2 and 59-55, Newton. The fight was the first of nine from Madison Square Garden, culminating when undefeated WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford (34-0, 25KO) defends his title against former junior welterweight champion Amir Khan (33-4, 20KO) live on ESPN PPV ($69.99HD/$59.99SD).  All undercard fights from the World’s Most Famous Arena are currently airing on ESPN2 up until the PPV portion of the card, which will be begin at 9pm ET.