Former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. dropped Luis Ortiz three-times en-route to a 12-round unanimous decision at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles

In round two, Ruiz landed a quick and powerful right hand that sent Ortiz to the canvas. Ortiz was wobbly and went down again from a flurry of punches. Ortiz was able to steady himself and landed some hard lefts in the round.

In round seven, Ruiz floored Ortiz with a right to the top of the head. In round 11, the left eye of Ortiz began to shut. Many rounds did not have a ton of action, but when there was, both guys threw power shots with the intentions of ending the fight. Ortiz made one last final stand in the final round, but it was not enough as Ruiz won by scores of 114-111 twice and 113-112.

Ruiz landed 76 of 267 punches; Ortiz was 78 of 428.

Ruiz, 269 lbs of Imperial, CA is now 35-2. Ortiz, 245.5 lbs of Camuguay, CUB is 33-3.

“Everyone was doubting me, but I worked so hard for this fight,” said Ruiz. “Ortiz is a warrior who hits hard. I did a beautiful job boxing him around. I showed more class than I usually do just coming forward.”

“I told you I was going to be a warrior and that’s what I did,” said Ortiz. “This is Cuba vs. Mexico. This is what I live for. To everyone who said that I’m old, I gave you a war today. There are always surprises in boxing, and that’s what you got if you didn’t think I’d give it my all.”

“It was a difficult fight,” said Ruiz. “I was waiting for him to load up and countering him when he did. It was a blessing we were able to be successful.”

“If Deontay Wins in October, me and him are with the same management and we can make this fight happen,” said Ruiz Jr. “Let’s do it. Let’s get it on. I’m hungry and I want to be champion again and bring that belt back to Mexico.”

“Deontay Wilder is back and I’m always looking for great exciting fights for the fans,” said Wilder. “If Andy Ruiz Jr. is what’s next, then I’m ready to get it on.”

Isaac Cruz Takes Out Ramirez in 2

Isaac Cruz destroyed Eduardo Ramirez in round two of a scheduled 12-round lightweight bout.

In round two, Cruz landed a huge left hook that dropped Ramirez face-first.. Later in the round, Cruz landed a vicious four-point combination that sent Ramirez down again and the fight was over at 2:27.

Cruz, 135 lbs of Mexico City is 24-2-1 with 17 knockouts. Ramirez, 134.5 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is 27-3-1.

“I was ready to win at all costs, for my family and what better way to win than here in front of all the great fans in Los Angeles,” said Cruz.”

“I lost and I have to accept that,” said Ramirez. “I’ll get better and move forward. I felt like I was fighting well and then everything turned all of a sudden. That’s just boxing. Now I’m going to rest, recover and plan my next moves going forward. But I’ll definitely be back, you can count on that.”

“We want the rematch with Gervonta Davis,” said Cruz. “That’s what these fans want. I promised the knockout tonight and we got it done.”

Mares and Flores Battle to Draw

Former world champion Abner Mares came back from a four-plus year layoff but was only to get a 10-round majority draw with Miguel Flores.

It was a high-contact fight that saw Mares fight well early, with Flores coming on late.

Mares landed 151 of 652 punches; Flores was 124 of 665.

Scores were 96-94 and 95-95 twice,

Mares, 134 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 31-3-2. Flores, 135 lbs of Mirella, MEX is 25-4-1.

“Obviously it had been over four years, so I was a little off with my timing and a little sluggish,” said Mares. “But I felt good and I thought I was landing the more powerful shots throughout.” 

“It was a good fight and obviously I thought that I pulled it off,” said Flores. “I know we’re in his hometown and he’s a veteran so it is what it is. He was trying to pot shot me, but I was catching most of it. He got me with a couple good shots early on but I felt like I was in control after the fourth round.”

“It was a great atmosphere,” said Flores. “It’s hard to not let the crowd get you carried away. I know they were cheering for me too by the end. This leaves me in a great position. We got a draw against a three-division world champion so it leaves a good taste in your mouth.”

“After four years away I did enough to beat a young kid and an active fighter,” said Mares. “My performance speaks for itself. The crowd was happy and it felt good to be home. I definitely felt like I won but it is what it is, the judges saw a draw.”

Edwin De Los Santos Stops Valenzuela in 3

Late-replacement Edwin De Los Santos shocked previously undefeated Jose Valenzuela in round three of their 10-round lightweight bout.

In a wild round two, Valenzuela dropped De Los Santos with a hard left hand. Seconds later, De Los Santos scored a hard knock down with a hard right hook that set up a flurry that was punctuated by another right hook his own. De Los Santos was deducted a point as he hit Valenzuela when he was down. In round three, De Los Santos dropped Valenzuela again with a hard right hook. Moments later, De Los Santos rocked Valenzuela with a hard right hook and the fight was stopped at 1:08.

De Los Santos, 134 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 15-1 with 14 knockouts. Valenzuela, 134.5 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is 12-1.

“Valenzuela is a fighter who I feel has been protected and I wanted to show everyone what I’m capable of,” said De Los Santos. “The plan wasn’t to come forward so much, but when I saw how he was fighting, I was ready to go toe-to-toe. The Mexican fighters love to fight like that, but he was open for me to attack.”

“I didn’t expect De Los Santos to be as aggressive as he was in the fight,” said Valenzuela. “He gave it out as he good as he took. I just want to focus on getting back in the ring and redeeming myself.”

“I came in against a ranked fighter tonight and I was up for the task,” said De Los Santos. “Now I want the same name that everyone wants. I want Gervonta Davis.”

Joey Spencer Decisions Salgado

Joey Spencer remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Kevin Salgado.

Spencer landed 79 of 395; Salgado was 54 of 422.

Spencer, 154.5 lbs of Grand Blane, MI won by scores of 99-91 twice and 100-90 and is now 16-0. Salgado, 153.2 lbs of Mexico City is 14-1-1.

“He’s a hard-hitting counter puncher, so we wanted to control the distance,” said Spencer. “I feel really strong. I’m really proud of the work that we put into my conditioning and I think it showed in the fight. I’m improving as I get more experience, and that helps me stay more composed in these fights. I’m going to keep adding to my game as I get more comfortable. I’m definitely working towards improving as an offensive fighter.”

“I have a couple ideas of who I want to fight next,” said Spencer. “Tony Harrison, Tim Tszyu, Erickson Lubin and Sebastian Fundora are all guys I want to fight. I want to face the best. There’s one champion in the division and we have to fight each other to get to him.”

Aleem Shuts out Plania

Ra’eese Aleem remained undefeated and tuned up for a world title fight by winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Mike Plania in a super bantamweight.

In round two, Aleem landed a right hand that had Plania stumbling which was ruled a knockdown.

Aleem landed 134 of 592 punches; Plania was 47 of 345.

Aleem, 121.5 lbs of Muskegon, MI won by scores of 100-89 on all cards and is now 20-0. Plania, 122 lbs of General Santos City, PHL is 26-2.

“The fight was everything that I expected,” said Aleem. He’s a very tough fighter and a great competitor. I just wanted to fight a smart fight, because we know he’s dangerous. Although I didn’t feel his power, I know that he can hit. I just wanted to take my time and let everything fall into place.”

“It’s time for ‘scared boy’ Stephen Fulton Jr. to come out of hiding and sign the contract,” said Aleem. “Let’s get in there so I can give him his first loss. It would be a closer fight than tonight, but I still expect to dominate and get the win.”

Anthony Garnica remained undefeated with a six-round majority decision over Jose Lopez in a super bantamweight fight.

Garnica, 123.4 lbs of Oakland, CA won by scores of 59-55 twice and 57-57 and is now 10-0-1. Lopez, 127.5 lbs of Dallas, TX is 17-11.

Former world heavyweight champion Charles Martin battered and bloodied former United States Olympian Devin Vargas in his way to a fourth round stoppage in a scheduled eight-round bout.

The time of the stoppage was 1:59.

Martin, 250 lbs of Saint Louis, MO is 29-3-1 with 26 knockouts. Vargas, 243 lbs of Toledo, OH is 22-8.

LOS ANGELES – August 2, 2022 – Fighters competing on the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View undercard headlined by the heavyweight showdown between Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. and Luis “King Kong” Ortiz previewed their upcoming matchups during a virtual press conference on Tuesday as they near their Labor Day Weekend matchups on September 4 from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Tuesday’s virtual event featured top lightweight Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz and veteran contender Eduardo Ramirez, who meet in a WBC Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event, former three-division world champion and L.A. fan-favorite Abner Mares and Miguel Flores, who duel in a super featherweight attraction, and unbeaten rising lightweight Jose Valenzuela and former world champion Jezreel Corrales, who battle in the pay-per-view opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online at AXS.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday:

ISAAC CRUZ

“I’m thrilled about this fight because the fans are going to be the true winners. I can’t wait to get in the ring and compete.

“We’re not going to take anything away from anybody, because we know what he’s capable of. Eduardo Ramirez is a very tough and complicated rival for me. 

“I’m planning to welcome Eduardo Ramirez to the division in the harshest of ways. We’ll be ready for whatever he brings into the ring.

“The fight against Gervonta Davis motivated me and gave me the goal of wanting to face him again. All I have to do is take down every single opponent who they put in front of me. I have a serious opponent in front of me now, but I know I have what it takes to bring the title back to Mexico City.

“I am a more mature and experienced fighter than I’ve been in the past. I can guarantee that the experience that I’m going to acquire going forward will make me more aware of everything surrounding me and make me even better in that rematch against Gervonta Davis.

“I’m ready for any of the top fighters at lightweight. When the time comes, I hope they step up to the plate and take on the challenge.”

EDUARDO RAMIREZ

“I’m so excited for this challenge on September 4. It’s going to be a great fight and I’m counting down the days until it’s fight night.

“I’ve fought a lot of high-quality opponents. I respect Isaac and I know that we’re both on winning streaks. I fully believe that I’m up to the challenge and that I have to defeat Isaac to achieve everything I have in mind for my career.

“I never think about a particular fight in a way that adds pressure. Boxing is what I do. Isaac is a quality opponent for sure. But I know that I can do whatever I set my mind to, because I crave the challenges that come my way. I want to face the best and I’ll be ready to do so on September 4.

“I try to live in the moment and not make too many plans. That can be counter-productive. I’m expecting a positive result from this fight. I’ll see what doors open after this and then make the best decision for my career.

“I’m not going to close any doors on what division I’ll fight in. I’m going to go where the biggest fights are. It’s about what me and my team believe fits me best.

“I don’t care who I’m fighting. Give me short guys or tall guys, I’m going to fight and I’m going to do everything I can to beat my opponent. No matter what they bring.”

ABNER MARES

“I’m happy to be on this card and happy to be back, period. I’m overjoyed with gratitude more than anything. I can’t wait for September 4 because it’s a comeback that I’ve asked for and it’s more meaningful because it’s happening here in L.A.

“Once you get to a certain point of your life, you have to train differently. I train smarter, not harder. I can’t do the same things I used to do. I’m sparring younger fighters, but I have to be smart, while still getting great conditioning in.

“What I’m doing this camp, that I haven’t done a lot in the past, is enjoy it. I’m enjoying myself and enjoying my progress. My family and friends are coming to see me spar, because I know this could be my last fight. It’s one of those opportunities that you hardly ever get.

“I’m not putting pressure on myself about what comes next. I’m not here to call anyone out. I’m going to take it fight-by-fight. It’s Miguel Flores in front of me and we’ll see what happens after that.

“Stamina is everything for a fighter. But for me, as the fighter who’s been out, it’s more about the timing. I’m going to be well-conditioned. It’s more the timing and reflexes and finding your distance. It’s a matter of sparring a lot and getting that back. The conditioning is no concern.

“When my fight got pulled because of my injury, I had unfinished business with Gervonta Davis. There were some fights that could have gotten done in that time, so maybe that is in the back of my mind. But my focus is really on this fight and what’s in front of me.

“I still have the drive and the fire in me. When you still have that, why not come back and show that you’re still capable of reaching great heights?”

MIGUEL FLORES

“I just want to make the most of this opportunity against Abner Mares. This is a great card full of Mexican warriors and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.

“Even though he’s been out, the name Abner Mares brings a lot to the table. I know that I have to get past him in order to get bigger fights. Abner has been out four years, but rest does you good. He might come out feeling fresh. I’m expecting the best version of Abner Mares.

“I’ve competed at the world class level. I know what it takes and we’re excited to give the fans a great show.

“To me, Abner is the target. I’m not just focused on one weak point. I want to target his body. He’s been out, so I want to see how he reacts to the body shots.

“I’m fighting a living legend. He won titles at three weights and that tells you a lot about Abner. I hope he’s not thinking I’m an easy fight.

“I’m always grateful for these opportunities. This is my third pay-per-view event. I’ve beaten good solid opponents and I know what I can do. You just want to have that perfect night and I’m hoping that’s September 4. I hate to ruin Abner’s plans, but we’re looking to go in there and possibly knock him out.”

JOSE VALENZUELA

“It’s great to be back on such a great card in Los Angeles. I have a tough opponent and I’m planning to put on another great show.

“I’m feeling great about the position I’m in. I always knew that I would be here. I’m just taking it step by step and I’m very motivated to face a highly-ranked fighter with a lot of experience.

“I think a win in this fight will open doors and give me leverage to get the big fights. People are going to have to take me seriously as a top fighter at lightweight.

“I don’t think I can just win a close fight, I have to win in impressive fashion or knock him out. I’m confident that I can do that. I’ve seen some of his film and I sparred with Alberto Machado, who beat Corrales, so I’m confident in what I can do.

“I think a fight against Isaac Cruz would be a great matchup. I’ve been asking to fight him since before he fought Gervonta Davis. I know me and my team are down to do it, so I hope he and his team are too.

“I knew I was going to beat Francisco Vargas and I knew that I’d eventually hurt him. I didn’t see it coming so early, but I was happy with the result and I hope to do that again on September 4.”

JEZREEL CORRALES

“I’m really excited for this fight. I feel strong and I can’t wait for this opportunity to compete on a great card. I’ve had a fantastic training camp and I’m excited for the challenge coming up.

“I feel comfortable at 135 pounds. This is a competitive division and I look forward to being a part of it. There are a lot of exciting challenges ahead of me and I’m ready for all of them.

“With my experience and the amount of fights I’ve had, I believe that I can win this fight. Every fight is different though. I’m only focused on the present. I can’t rely on what I’ve accomplished in the past.

“I’m not about to underestimate Valenzuela. That’s asking for trouble. I’ve faced opponents with more accolades, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to underestimate his abilities.

“I’m not intimidated by the bright lights. He’s the one who has to rise up to the challenge. I’m going to do my own thing and show up like I always do.

“Everyone is rushing Valenzuela a little bit and they’re overlooking who I am and what I’ve accomplished. I do respect what Valenzuela has done, but you can’t put the cart before the horse. I can still accomplish a lot of great things in the ring.”

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ABOUT RUIZ VS. ORTIZ

Ruiz vs. Ortiz will see former unified heavyweight champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. and top contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz meet in a 12-round WBC Heavyweight Title Eliminator headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View on September 4 in a Labor Day Weekend clash from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The pay-per-view telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and feature a stacked lineup of rising and accomplished stars in high-stakes matchups. In the co-main event, hard-hitting Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz will step in to take on fellow Mexican and veteran contender Eduardo Ramírez in a 12-round WBC Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. 

The action will also see the return of popular three-division champion Abner Mares in his first action in three years as he battles former title challenger Miguel Flores in a 10-round super featherweight attraction, plus exciting rising star José Valenzuela duels former world champion Jezreel Corrales in the 10-round lightweight pay-per-view opener.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LOS ANGELES – June 22, 2022 – Former unified heavyweight champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. and top contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz will meet in a much-anticipated 12-round WBC Heavyweight Title Eliminator headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View on September 4 in a Labor Day Weekend clash from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The pay-per-view telecast will begin at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and feature a stacked lineup of rising and accomplished stars in high-stakes matchups. In the co-main event, hard-hitting Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz will step in to take on fellow Mexican and veteran contender Eduardo Ramírez in a 12-round WBC Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. 

The action will also see the return of popular three-division champion Abner Mares in his first action in three years as he battles former title challenger Miguel Flores in a 10-round super featherweight attraction, plus exciting rising star José Valenzuela duels former world champion Jezreel Corrales in the 10-round lightweight pay-per-view opener.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, go on sale tomorrow, Thursday, June 23 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased online at AXS.com  

Pre-sale tickets are available NOW until 10 p.m. PT through AXS.com with the code: BOXING or CRYPTO

“The fight fans in Los Angeles are in for an action-packed Labor Day Weekend as Southern California’s Mexican-American star Andy Ruiz Jr. returns in his toughest test since his title run, against the always dangerous Cuban southpaw Luis Ortiz on September 4,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “This is a perfect clash for the electric atmosphere at Crypto.com Arena and is sure to deliver fireworks. The FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View main event will prove once again that high-stakes heavyweight action is a must-see event. Adding in a slew of intriguing undercard matchups and this will be a night that will keep fans glued to their seats from start to finish.”

Ruiz (34-2, 22 KOs) shocked the boxing world in 2019 when he was brought in as a late replacement to face heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua and turned the tables on the champion, knocking him out in the seventh round and taking home the titles. The 32-year-old from Imperial, California lost his rematch with Joshua by unanimous decision, but returned to the ring in May 2021, bouncing back from an early knockdown to defeat all-action contender Chris Arreola by unanimous decision in a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View. Ruiz has taken down a slew of contenders throughout his heralded career, which dates back to a prolific amateur run that included two Mexican Amateur National Championships.

“I’m so excited to get back in the ring in front of all of my fans in Los Angeles on September 4,” said Ruiz. “This is my chance to prove to everyone that I’m going to be heavyweight champion of the world again. I’m super motivated to be facing a great fighter like Luis Ortiz, so my fans can expect to see me at my best. Everyone has wanted to see this fight and we’re going to give everyone a war on fight night.”

With exceptional power and sublime technical skills, Ortiz (33-2, 28 KOs) has been a fixture atop heavyweight rankings for years, with his only defeats coming in memorable contests against former longtime heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. Born in Camaguey, Cuba and trained by longtime coach Herman Caicedo in Miami, Ortiz won three bouts between Wilder contests, defeating Travis Kauffman, Christian Hammer and Razvan Cojanu. Most recently, Ortiz topped a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View on New Year’s Day, recovering from early adversity to floor former heavyweight world champion Charles Martin on his way to a sixth-round knockout.

“I’m blessed to be back in a position to get closer to achieving my goal of becoming the first heavyweight champion of the world from Cuba,” said Ortiz. “Anyone who doubts me, has only fueled me to keep going. I know that I have to make a big statement in this fight, and that’s my plan on September 4. I respect Andy Ruiz, but he’s standing in my way and I’m going to do whatever it takes to go through him.”

The 24-year-old Cruz (23-2-1, 16 KOs) returned to the ring in April with a knockout over former champion Yuriorkis Gamboa after dropping a competitive decision against three-division champion Gervonta Davis last December. A native of Mexico City, Cruz shot up the lightweight rankings in 2020, announcing his presence with an electrifying first-round knockout over veteran Diego Magdaleno in October. Cruz followed that up in 2021 by winning a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Matías Romero in March and by defeating former champion Francisco Vargas by decision in June ahead of the Davis clash.

“I’m very happy and motivated to come back in the ring in front of the great fans in Los Angeles on September 4,” said Cruz. “I’ll be facing a very good opponent and I’ll be back at the same arena where I faced one of the best fighters in the division in Gervonta Davis. Stepping back into the ring there is pumping me up even more and I can’t wait to start throwing my hands on fight night.”

Fighting out of Sinaloa, Mexico, Ramírez (27-2-3, 12 KOs) has moved himself into title contention with five-straight victories as he looks to make a splash in his lightweight debut against Cruz. The 29-year-old most recently earned a decision victory over Luis Melendez in May, which followed up a dominant decision against Miguel Marriaga in December 2021. Ramírez is currently riding wins in seven of his last eight fights since losing to then featherweight champion Lee Selby in 2017.

“I am coming up in weight for this fight, but that just means I’ll be that much stronger,” said Ramírez. “I’m excited for this opportunity, because after I win, I will be recognized as a top fighter in my new division. He’s not going to outbox me and he can’t knock me out, so he has no way to win. I’m planning on showing the world what I can do against a perfect opponent for me.”

One of the most accomplished fighters of this era, Mares (31-3-1, 15 KOs) will return to the ring in a bid to continue adding to his already sterling resume in the sport. Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and now living in Montebello, Calif., Mares was a member of the Mexican Olympic boxing team in the 2004 Athens Olympics before going on to win world titles at bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight. His two battles for the featherweight world title against Leo Santa Cruz epitomized the kinds of high-volume clashes that set Mares apart from many of his contemporaries. Throughout his career, Mares owns victories over top contenders and champions including Daniel Ponce De Leon, Vic Darchinyan, Joseph Agbeko, Anselmo Moreno and Jesus Cuellar.

“I know everyone is used to seeing me suited and booted on T.V. talking about the beautiful sport of boxing, but let me remind everyone, I’m a bad m-f’er in the ring, and on September 4, the world is going to remember what they missed,” said Mares. “I’m the best in boxing in speed, power, intelligence, and good looks. Miguel Flores is on my radar, and I’m sorry to say, he’s going back to elementary school after meeting me. I’m a master in this game, and I’m back. Welcome to Team Mares 2022.”

Flores (24-4, 12 KOs) bounced back from back-to-back defeats in his previous outing that took place last June, as he earned a decision over Diuhl Olguin. The 29-year-old had lost a pair of contests in challenging four-division champion Leo Santa Cruz in November 2019 and top contender Eduardo Ramirez in December 2020. Born in Mexico and now residing in Spring, Texas, Flores turned pro in 2009 at just 17-years-old and was victorious in his first 22 bouts.

“I’m very motivated to be on the big stage once again and I’m excited to get into the ring,” said Flores. “This is a huge opportunity for me against a three-division champion and I’m doing everything I can to make the most of it. This is Michoacán vs. Guadalajara and we’re going to give all the fans a great show on September 4.”

The 23-year-old Valenzuela (12-0, 8 KOs) trains as a stablemate of unbeaten two-time world champion David Benavidez as he looks to continue cementing his contender status in 2022. Valenzuela was sensational his last time in the ring as he blasted out former world champion Francisco Vargas via a round-one knockout in April. Born in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, Valenzuela turned pro in 2018 and rode a five-bout knockout streak before earning his first 10-round decision in a victory over Deiner Berrio in September 2021.

“I’m extremely motivated for this fight,” said Valenzuela. “My opponent is an accomplished former champion and this is the kind of challenge that I’ve been asking for. I’m going to come into this fight extremely prepared to make another statement on September 4 and give the fans a great show like I always do.”

The 30-year-old Corrales (26-4, 10 KOs) has won three-straight fights since moving up to lightweight in 2021 and has ascended to the number two ranking in the WBA. Fighting out of San Miguelito, Panama, Corrales won a super featherweight title in 2016 when he went to Japan and knocked out Takashi Uchiyama before winning a decision in their rematch. He also owns victories over current former champion Rene Alvarado and veteran contender Robinson Castellanos.

“Valenzuela is a good young fighter with some skills, but he doesn’t have the experience to handle what I’m bringing to the ring,” said Corrales. “This is going to be like when the great Panamanian champion Roberto Duran took Davey Moore to school. Class is going to be in session on September 4 and no amount of studying is going to have him ready for what I’m planning to do.”

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Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

BROOKLYN–It took one punch by Gervonta Davis to shut the mouth of Rolando Romero as Davis retained his WBA Lightweight title with a sixth round stoppage of Romero in front of a sold-out Barclays Center of 18,790.

The fight was a tactical first five-plus round with neither man averaging more than 20 punches per round.  

Finally in round six, Romero ran right into a perfect left to the face that had him sprawling into the ropes and down the canvas,  Romero got to his feet but was unsteady, and referee David Fields stopped the fight at 2:39.

Davis, 133.75 lbs of Baltimore, MD is 27-0 with 25 knockouts.  Romero, 134.25 lbs of Las Vegas is 14-1.

Gervonta Davis

“I want to thank God, first for this victory, second I want to thank Al Haymon, Mayweather Promotions, Showtime, we did it again in New York City baby. Thank you New York City.  I won my first belt here and it was great to come back to New York City and do it again.

“I was thinking as this interview was coming up and as much as I wanted to be cocky, but I want to thank Rolly. I want to thank his team. We settled it like men inside the ring. I wish him the best in the future.

“I knew it was all about selling the fight. I’m glad we didn’t fight the first time because I was so emotional. But I’m just grateful to be in this position and to be able to come out with the win. He was strong for sure but it was a couple shots that I was getting warmed up and he caught me and I was like, ‘I can’t sit with him just yet.’ I know when to take it to my opponents and when to chill out. There was someone in the crowd and they were telling me to press forward and I was like, not yet. I got to loose him up a little more.

“The crazy thing is that I didn’t even throw it that hard. He just ran into it. He just ran into it. Something like when Pacquiao got caught. I didn’t even throw it that hard and he’s the one who ran into it, when he was talking that it was going to be me.

“I knew that I could get into his head, just from when we weighed in. I knew his goal was to move in front of me (on stage during the weigh in) so when he went in front of me he didn’t realize that the stand was coming to an end so I just tapped him and he fell.

“I’m here baby, whatever they want to do, I’m here. I want to send my condolences to Mr. Russell, he was someone who I came up with in the amateurs. I want to shout out the Russell brothers and send my condolences to them.”

Lara Stops O’Sullivan in eight; Retains Middleweight title

Erislandy Lara retained the WBA Middleweight title with an eighth round stoppage over Gary O’Sullivan.

In round four, Lara dropped O’Sullivan with a straight left.

In round eight, it was another straight left that rocked O’Sullivan and the fight was stopped.

Lara, 159.75 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 29-3-3 with 17 knockouts.  O’Sullivan, 159 lbs of Cork, IRE is 31-5.

Erislandy Lara

“This new style that I’m demonstrating is for all the boxers to show them how I can fight now, just being able to change up. He was a tough boxer, too.

“I’m a smart boxer, a slick boxer, that’s what I did tonight. I wait until he attacks and then I do what I have to do to win the fight.

“I saw the opening, he was leaving himself open and that’s when the left came in and knocked him down. I saw in the eighth round he didn’t have any more power and that’s when I stepped up and showed my power.

“I want to thank the fans that came to Brooklyn, Al Haymon and Luis De Cubas Jr. for setting up the big fights that I want to have for me. I’m still a force

Ramos Gets Family Revenge; Decisions Santanaria

Jesus Ramos avenged a loss that his uncle Abel had to Luke Santamaria, by winning a 10-round unanimous decision in a super welterweight bout.

Ramos landed 158 of 625 punches; Santamaria was 142 of 560.

Ramos, 153.5 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ won by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 and is now 19-0.  Santamaria, 154 lbs of Garden Grove, CA is now 13-3-1.

Jesús Ramos

“Yes of course (it was important to avenge the loss of my uncle). It wasn’t the way we wanted to win, but I think it takes two to tango and tonight I was the one who wanted to fight. I’m not really satisfied. I could have done a lot better but like I said, it takes two to tango and tonight Santamaria didn’t want to fight

“I could have pressed a little more, gone to the body a little more, he was kind of slippery in there, and I didn’t want to risk anything because he would counter so I was trying to stay composed and stay at my distance.

“I’m going to go back and watch the fight and grow. I went 10 rounds again and it’s going to help me mature a lot more.

“I want whoever they want to put in front of me. We’re going to keep going forward and take whatever fight my team thinks is best for me.

“I could improve on cutting off the ring a little and going to the body a little bit more. He was headbutting me and fighting a little dirty in there, so I didn’t want to get too careless.”

Luke Santamaría

“I thought it was closer than that. I thought we got the win. Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way. I moved up in weight. I thought he was going to be stronger than that. I thought we did enough to win the fight.

“The plan was to counter and slip his shots. I thought it was good enough to get the win but what happened happened and we can’t complain.

“We’re going to stay at 147. When you lose you dig a deep hole but we’ve dug ourselves out of the hole before and we’ll do it again. He never hurt me, never felt his power. I was good. I thought he was going to be tough. I’m just as tough as they come.

“The plan was to box him and to get him tired and it was working. I thought it worked.”

Ramirez Decisions Melendez

Eduardo Ramirez won a 10-round majority decision over Luis Melendez in a junior lightweight fight.

Ramirez landed 171 of 555 punches; Melendez was 193 of 659.

Ramirez, 130 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 95-95 and is now 27-2-4.

Eduardo Ramírez

“The first few rounds were even, but after that he only had his jab. I was able to hurt him. He tried to win going backwards and that’s no way to win.

“I want to fight for the world title next. I’m ready for any of the top fighters. I don’t shy away from tough challenges.”

Luis Meléndez

“I felt I won the fight. It’s part of the game. You just have to go back and keep training and just come back better.

“The last scorecard when they said it, I felt I won, without a doubt. My people know I won, the crowd knows I won, it definitely hurts when you travel here and you expect to win and it’s my first pay-per-view. Everybody at home was watching me. It is what it is. I just have to go back to the drawing board and get better. I’m still young. I felt I landed the crisper punches and out-boxed him. He never hurt me. Never.

“It felt great to hear the crowd cheering for me. It’s more of a Gervonta crowd, but they showed me love. It just comes with the territory. The judges didn’t think it was for me this time. It is what it is.”

Luis Arias won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jimmy Williams in a super welterweight fight.

Arias, 155.25 lbs of Boca Raton, FL won by scores of 99-91 on all cards and is now 20-3-1.  Williams, 154 lbs of Plainfield, NJ is 18-8-2.

Jalil Hackett remained undefeated by stopping Jose Belloso in round three of their four round welterweight bout.

The time was 2:13 for Hackett, 145 lbs of Washington, DC who is now 4-0 with three knockouts.  Belloso, 145.75 lbs of Carson, CA is 4-1.

Adrian Benton remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Jose Antonio Meza in a super lightweight bout.

Benton, 129.4 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 7-0.  Meza, 130 lbs of Gomez Pueblo, MEX is 8-7.

Arnold Gonzalez won a six-round split decision over Tracey McGruder in a welterweight contest.

Gonzalez, 146.4 lbs of New York won on two cards 58-56, while McGruder took a card 59-57.

Gonzalez is 10-0.  McGruder, 148.4 lbs of Rochester, NY is 6-3.

Cattino Oliver won a four-round unanimous decision over Jahdon Lewis in a super bantamweight fight.

Oliver, 118.2 lbs of Baltimore, MD won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice and is now 2-0.  Lewis, 118.2 lbs of North Augusta, SC is 2-2.

Julica Pavilus won a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Mia Ellis in a lightweight bout.

In round six, Pavilus dropped Ellis with a left hook.

Pavilius, 133.2 lbs of Port-a-Prince, HAI won by scores of 59-54, 58-55 and 57-56 and is now 3-5-1.  Ellis, 134 lbs of Baltimore, MD is 4-1.

LOS ANGELES, MAY 11 – The World Boxing Council have named the opponents Probellum stars O’Shaquie Foster and Noel Gevor must face next to keep on track for their respective world title shots.
Super-featherweight stylist Foster is the No1 contender in the WBC rankings and has been ordered to face Mexico’s Eduardo Ramirez (No3) next.

The winner of that fight will be in line to face champion Shakur Stevenson, who won the WBC belt by defeating Oscar Valdez in Las Vegas last month.

In a recent post on social media, Foster said a fight between the pair would be: “the most Highly Skilled fight EVER at 130lbs. It’s the fans that win…”

Cruiserweight puncher Gevor, meanwhile, has been matched with South Africa’s Thabiso Mchunu with the prize being a shot at champion Ilunga Makabu.

Gevor (26-2,11KO), the WBC Silver champion who fights out of Germany, is No2 in the sanctioning body’s ratings while Mchunu, who lost to the world champion Makabu in January, is No3.

The former world title challenger strengthened his position with the WBC by defeating contender Youri Kalenga in February.

The ordered fights were announced by WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman on Tuesday.

American Foster (19-2, 11KO), who beat Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov at Probellum Evolution in Dubai earlier this year in an official eliminator, is joined by stable-mate Archie Sharp in chasing a fight with Stevenson.

Sharp is the ranked as the No1 contender for the American’s WBO title in the 130lbs division.

To keep up to date with the latest news on Foster and Gevor’s big fights, as well as the other fighters in Probellum’s roster, sign up to our newsletter?or follow Probellum on?Instagram,?Twitter?and?Facebook?

SHAPR SENDS ‘GAME-PLAN’ WARNING TO STEVENSON

TOP TEN RANKING NEXT AFTER KO WIN FOR TAPIA

About Probellum???
Launched in September 2021, Probellum is a global boxing promotion and media company, and the fastest-growing brand in the sport.

Following the success of the opening two shows in December 2021, Probellum has already held back-to-back world championship nights in Dubai, as well as a packed card in Newcastle.

The world title action then headed to Liverpool earlier this month where Paul Butler won the WBO bantamweight crown.

Probellum’s elite stable of fighters also includes Nonito Donaire, Regis Prograis, Estelle Mossely, Sunny Edwards, Eimantas Stanionis, Donnie Nietes and Dina Thorslund.

But the company has also recruited the next generation of stars with Peter McGrail, Mark Dickinson and Pat and Luke McCormack and Shabaz Masoud among the young talents under the Probellum umbrella.

Since launching, Probellum has signed co-promotional partnerships with some of the biggest promoters globally, including DiBella Entertainment (US), Wasserman (Germany), Universum (Germany), GYM (Canada), Maravilla Box (Spain), Team Ellis (Australia), Titov Boxing Promotions (Russia), Volcano Boxing (El Salvador), BXSTRS Promotions (Mexico), PR Best (Puerto Rico) Glozier Boxing (New Zealand), Box Office Sports (Ghana) and LNK Boxing (Latvia).????

BROOKLYN – April 29, 2022 – The SHOWTIME PPV undercard for Gervonta Davis vs. Rolando Romero will feature three exciting, explosive matchups entering the ring in high-stakes action on Saturday, May 28 live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

Two-division world champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara will defend his WBA Middleweight Title against hard-hitting, Irish crowd-pleaser Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan in an all-action co-main event of the telecast, which begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Sensational young star Jesús “Mono” Ramos will put his unbeaten record on the line against rugged super welterweight battler Luke Santamaría in a 10-round showdown on the pay-per-view, while hard-hitting contender Eduardo Ramírez battles Puerto Rico’s Luis Meléndez in a 10-round super featherweight thriller that shapes up to deliver toe-to-toe action opening up the telecast.

“When you look at the matchups, this is an edge-of-your-seat pay-per-view undercard,’’ said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Erislandy Lara, a highly skilled champion who has engaged in numerous exciting action bouts, will have everything he can handle against Gary O’Sullivan, who has never backed up in a boxing ring. Fans will also get to see exciting young star Jesús Ramos bringing that heat-seeking knockout mentality to the ring against rugged brawler Luke Santamaría, and Eduardo Ramírez versus Luis Meléndez, as they look to add their duel as the latest chapter in the classic Mexico vs. Puerto Rico boxing rivalry. Whether you’re watching at Barclays Center in Brooklyn or watching live on SHOWTIME PPV, you’re going to be entertained all night long.’’

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through seatgeek.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available for purchase at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

Lara (28-3-3, 16 KOs) was the longest reigning 154-pound world champion before he lost a tough split-decision to Jarrett Hurd in a title unification match in 2018 that earned “Fight of the Year” from the BWAA. Lara returned from that fight and battled current 154-pound world titleholder Brian Castaño to an exciting draw in another narrow fight that could have gone Lara’s way. Lara most recently moved up to middleweight, capturing his WBA title with a first round knockout of Thomas LaManna in May 2021. Lara faced a slew of the top 154-pounders in the sport, including Canelo Alvarez, ahead of his middleweight debut.

“I’m ready to get back in the ring and show the fans that I’m still a world class fighter,” said Lara. “Gary O’Sullivan has proven to be a tough opponent for everyone he’s faced, and his only losses are to champions. I’ve been in many great fights and it will be no different when I step into the ring at Barclays Center. Being on this stage always brings out the best in me and fans can expect to see my power in this fight.’’

A native of Cork, Ireland, O’Sullivan (31-4, 21 KOs) has won three of his last four fights leading into his title shot against Lara on May 28. O’Sullivan’s aggressive style has made him a fan-favorite each time he steps into the ring. He has faced a deep roster of top names, including David Lemieux, Jaime Munguia, Chris Eubank Jr., and Billy Joe Saunders. O’Sullivan scored a career-best victory in December 2017, as he stopped rising prospect Antoine Douglas during a five-fight knockout streak.

“From the very first time I watched boxing, I’ve always dreamed of being a world champion and from the first day I turned professional I’ve worked towards that goal,” said O’Sullivan. “I’ve had some setbacks, but I’ve gone back to the drawing board, regrouped, righted some wrongs and kept pushing forward. I’ve always known that one day the chips would fall in my favor. I’m coming to rip that belt back to Ireland and hear the words, ‘And the new!’”

A strong southpaw who at 21 has yet to come close to hitting his ceiling as a fighter, Ramos (18-0, 15 KOs) is the nephew of welterweight contender Abel Ramos, who was defeated in February by Santamaría via unanimous decision. Jesus knocked out tough contender Vladimir Hernandez in February on that same card. Prior to that impressive outing, Ramos had shown the ability to outpoint his opponents with back-to-back 10-round unanimous decisions over Brian Mendoza in September 2021 and Javier Molina in May 2021. Overall, the youthful Ramos has gained recognition with highlight-reel KOs, stopping six of his last eight opponents, showcasing a desire to end his fights early.

“Training out in Las Vegas has been going great so far,” said Ramos. “We’ve had some great sparring out here. We expect Santamaria to move around the entire fight, so we’re going to be ready to cut the ring off and land heavy shots. I’m going to win on May 28 because of the preparation I’ve been doing, but I’m not underestimating anyone and will prepare to the best of my ability.”

The 24-year-old Santamaría (13-2-1, 7 KOs) will look to continue his success against the Ramos family as he steps into the ring after back-to-back impressive victories, first defeating two-division champion Devon Alexander in August 2021 before defeating Abel Ramos in February on less than two weeks’ notice. Santamaría had previously dropped a decision to top prospect and SHOBOX: The New Generation® alum Paul Kroll in October 2020, following an August 2020 triumph over veteran contender Mykal Fox that saw him put Fox down in the first round. The Garden Grove, Calif. native also owns a decision over Willie Jones and a majority draw against SHOBOX® prospect Marquis Taylor in his 2019 contests.

“I’m daring to be great in this fight,” said Santamaría. “That’s the main reason I agreed to fight Ramos. I’ve shown that I’m willing to compete against anyone, because I believe in my training and my abilities. This is going to be a great fight for the fans and I can’t wait to step in there on May 28.”

Fighting out of Sinaloa, Mexico, Ramírez (26-2-3, 12 KOs) has risen up the rankings with four-straight victories, including most recently defeating Miguel Marriaga in December 2021. He previously had stopped then-unbeaten Leduan Barthelemy in November 2019 before blasting out Miguel Flores in December 2020. The 29-year-old is currently riding wins in six of his last seven fights since losing to then featherweight champion Lee Selby in 2017. He’s won 17 of his last 20 fights overall, including a March 2019 knockout victory at Barclays Center.

“I’m happy to be returning to Brooklyn for this fight,” said Ramírez. “I scored a big knockout last time I was there, even though I was the underdog going into the fight. My plan is to deliver a moment like that once again. I’m already in great shape and I will be prepared for a war on May 28.”

Originally from Puerto Rico and now fighting out of Miami, Fla., Meléndez (17-1, 13 KOs) has moved into contender status with an undefeated streak after dropping his third pro fight back in 2018 via split decision. The 24-year-old was busy in 2021, winning eight times, including six victories by knockout. Most recently, Melendez scored a career-best victory over Thomas Mattice in November, winning a unanimous decision after eight rounds. Melendez’s clash with Ramírez shapes up to be a classic Puerto Rico-Mexico ring war.

“I’m very excited to be on a big card like this,” said Meléndez. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and I’m coming to put my name on the map come May 28. The winner of this fight is going to be the fans. I’m going to make Puerto Rico proud once again and display my talents in the ring. I want to thank my team and say that I’m not going to disappoint, because this is just the beginning for me.”

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A pair of Sampson Boxing’s exciting contenders, super welterweight Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and super featherweight Eduardo Ramirez, moved themselves into separate world-title challenges with career-boosting victories on Showtime Pay-Per-View Sunday night.

Fighting on the undercard of Tank Davis’s also-thrilling war with Isaac Cruz at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs) was able to use his amazing physical gifts to outwork Spain’s formerly undefeated Sergio “El Nino” Garcia (33-1, 14 KOs) over 12 rugged rounds; while Mexico’s Eduardo “Zurdito” Ramirez (26-2-3, 12 KOs) continued his surge with a thrilling toe-to-toe 10-round unanimous decision over the always-game Colombian Miguel “The Scorpion” Marriaga (30-5, 26 KOs).

Fighting in the night’s co-main event, a twelve round WBC super welterweight eliminator, the 6’ 5” Fundora’s reach and activity rate were enough to overcome the dangerous Garcia’s attempts to land fight-ending haymakers. Fundora, the WBC #4 contender before the fight, whipped hard lefts and rights to the head and body from a seemingly impossible distance for a 154-lb fighter, as well as wicked uppercuts on the inside. Always in great shape, the entertaining Fundora kept a steady tattoo going on the sometimes befuddled Spaniard.

Rated WBC #2 before the fight, Garcia also had his moments. Especially in the middle portion of the fight, where he landed more-than-occasional bombs on the iron chin of Fundora, but not enough to sway the judges.

The scores were 115-113, 118-110 and 117-111. Fundora becomes the next mandatory challenger to WBC Champion Jermell Charlo.

And in a WBC 130-lb elimination fight, Ramirez, of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, brought his latest winning streak to four with an impressive unanimous decision over a determined Marriaga. The difference in punching power gave the Mexican slugger the advantage, but Marriaga never tacitly agreed to make it easy. Despite being down in round three from a Ramirez left hook, Marriaga got up, stayed in the fight and kept it interesting throughout. All three judges, however, scored the bout 99-90.

“Both of my fighters looked very good,” said their promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz. “Fundora is unstoppable at this weight. Even the best of the best can’t deal with his size. And Eduardo Ramirez is ready to become a world champion with his win over Marriaga. It was a very good night for Sampson Boxing and for two of my future champions.”
About Sampson Boxing

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America. Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, ESPN+, DAZN, VS., FOX, Fox Sports and several international networks. For more information, visit sampsonboxing.com.

Gervonta Davis fought through an injured left hand, but was able to hold on a win a 12-round unanimous decision over tough challenger Isaac Cruz to retain the WBA Lightweight title in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The fight was entertaining with Davis looking to land uppercuts with both his left and right hands. Cruz lived up to his pressure fighting scouting report as he tried to stay in the chest of Davis. Davis was able to build up an early lead by landing those uppercuts and hard left hands. Somewhere towards the middle of the fight, Davis seemed to hurt his left hand.

Cruz was able to close the gap down the stretch as he was able to land some good combinations. Davis did a terrific job in round 12, as he was clearly hurt, but able to avoid Cruz’s aggressive onslaught and land some solid counters of his own.

Davis landed 133 of 462 punches; Cruz 121 of 553.

Davis, 134.5 lbs of Baltimore, MD won by scores of 116-112 and 115-113 twice to raise his mark to 26-0. Cruz, 134.5 lbs of Mexico City is 22-2-1.

“That’s my style. ‘Pitbull’ is always going to be on the attack,” said Cruz. “I think we retained rhythm from the start to the end.”

“He’s a shorter fighter, so I was throwing down on the top of his head,” said Davis. “I hit him with my knuckle and messed it up. I hurt my hand in the sixth round. No matter if the opponent is taller or shorter, I’ve got to get through it. He’s a warrior. Even though he didn’t win, a star was born tonight.”

“It was right around the fifth round I saw that his hand wasn’t working correctly,” Cruz observed.

“Viva Mexico. I have nothing to say, the fans are speaking on who won this fight,” he said.

“L.A., we did it for Kobe,” said Davis. “At the beginning of the fight, he came on strong. I felt as the fight was going, he was breaking down. But I hurt my hand, so I wasn’t able to get him out of there.

“Whatever the best opportunity is for me, I’ll do it. All of them guys are easy work. I’m the top dog.

Fundora Decisions Garcia

In a battle of undefeated super welterweight’s, 6’7″ Sebastian Fundora won a 12-round unanimous decision over Sergio Garcia.

In round four, both guys began to bleed as Fundora started to leak from his nose and Garcia started to bleed around the right eye. It was a tough fight on the inside with Garcia trying to back up Fundora. Fundora was efficient with his volume punching.

Fundora landed 187 of 717 punches, Garcia was 163 of 778.

Garcia took some late rounds to make the scores close, but Fundora won by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 115-113.

Fundora, 153.25 lbs of Coachella, CA is 18-0-1. Garcia, 153.5 lbs of Spain is 33-1.

“I was using my distance a lot more. I wanted to display something different than what I’m used to,” said Fundora. “Height was definitely a difference in this fight.”

“Maybe things could have been different if I had been more aggressive from the beginning,” said Garcia. “I shouldn’t have let myself get carried away by what he was doing.”

“We just beat the No. 2 in the WBC, so we have No.1, and we have the champion,” said Fundora. “Whoever they give us next, we’re ready for.”

Adames Decisions Derevyanchenko

Carlos Adames won a 10-round majority decision over former world title challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko in a middleweight bout.

It was an action packed fight that saw both guys land serious leather on their opponent. Adames landed the flashier punches and pushed the action, and won by scores of 97-93, 96-94 and 95-95.

Adames landed 161 of 564 punches; Derevyanchenko was 157 of 562.

Adames, 159.5 lbs of Washington Heights, NY is 21-1. Derevyanchenko, 159.5 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 13-4.

“This means a lot for me in my career and this is a big accomplishment winning against a fighter of his caliber,” said Adames, who was born in the Dominican Republic and fights out of Washington Heights in New York City.

“I am aggressive and speedy by nature, so I came in ready to do my thing. He started slow, wanting to see what would happen, and simply had the wrong game plan. He got a bit tired as the fight went on, took a lot of hard shots from me and it was evident that I caused him a lot of damage.”

“I expect my opponent to fight the same style. It was nothing special for me, just a quality fight,” said Derevyanchenko.

“He stayed southpaw, that was the difference in the fight. I don’t know what I’ll do next. I need a little bit of rest and then I will go back to the gym because I love boxing and I love the show.”

“This gives me an opportunity to move on,” said Adames. “I dominate at both 154 and 160, so wherever they give me the opportunity to fight for a championship is where I’ll go.”

Ramirez Decisions Marriaga

Eduardo Ramirez won a 10-round unanimous decision over Miguel Marriaga in a super featherweight bout.

In round three, Ramirez dropped Marriaga with a straight left. Ramirez continued to beat up Marriaga with hard combinations throughout the contest.

Ramirez landed 280 of 76 punches; Marriaga was 159 of 689.

Ramirez, 129.5 lbs of Durango, MEX won by scores of 99-90 on all cards and is now 26-2-3. Marriaga, 129.5 lbs of Arjona, COL is 30-5.

“I would like to thank the fans, SHOWTIME and the Montiel family for supporting me. Marriaga was a tough opponent, but I managed to dominate,” said Ramirez. “I had a varied fighting style and kept him on his toes the whole time.”

“We started out strong, but then things got progressively harder. Having said that, we are pleased with the work we put in today,” said Marriaga. “We should have been more savvy, but we tried our hardest in the face of a great opportunity that unfortunately we could not take advantage of.”

“Now I’m going to relax with my family and enjoy the holidays,” said Ramirez. “Then hopefully 2022 will come with a title shot for me.” 

LOS ANGELES (December 3, 2021) – Fighters competing on the Gervonta Davis vs. Isaac Cruz SHOWTIME PPV undercard taking place this Sunday, December 5 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) previewed their respective showdowns during a press conference Friday before they enter the ring in a Premier Boxing Champions event from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

The event featured rising super welterweight star Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and fellow unbeaten Sergio Garcia, who compete in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator that serves as the co-main event, middleweight contenders Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Carlos Adames, who meet in a 10-round WBC Middleweight Title Eliminator, and featherweight contenders Eduardo Ramirez and Miguel Marriaga, who square-off in a 10-round attraction that opens the pay-per-view telecast.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Friday from downtown Los Angeles:

SEBASTIAN FUNDORA

“My style just depends on the fight. If he gives me the chance to display my skills and shows he can last in there, then I’ll do that. But if I can end it quickly, then I’m going to do what I always do.

“If he’s willing to fight on the inside or try to walk me down, it’s going to go like my recent fights have gone. If he wants to box me, we’ll definitely be ready for that.

“I do what I worked on in training camp during a fight. I don’t worry about what Garcia is going to do. I’m not concerned with what style he brings. We’re prepared to be the best Sebastian Fundora possible.

“We want the belts. Whoever wins a Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano rematch, I want them in the ring. Those are the guys to beat and I want to prove myself against them.

“I’ve been improving with age and as I continue to mature. With each fight we pick up some new things based off how opponents attack me. That’s helped me be better each time I step into the ring.

“I just listen to everything my father says. That’s the respect and teamwork that we have for each other. If he wants me to keep this guy at a distance, I’ll do that. But if he wants me to run an opponent over, I’m ready to go.

“I can guarantee fans that you’re going to get your money’s worth on Sunday. I promise that this is going to be the fight of the night.”

SERGIO GARCIA

“It’s an honor for me to be here making my U.S. debut on SHOWTIME PPV. I feel absolutely no pressure. Fundora is a peculiar fighter for this division. He’s unusual to prepare for. But I have sparred against opponents as tall as he is. I feel ready for any challenge that he may throw my way on Sunday night.

“I’m not going to tell you what I’m going to do in the ring. It’s up to me to show you in the ring on Sunday night what I can do beyond just words. It’s my job to show the world what I’m capable of and to prevent the knockouts that Fundora is used to getting from happening. Fundora is going to come with his hunger, his ambition and his drive, and I’m going to do the same thing.

“I came here to win the fight and I came here to win hearts. It’s going to be a great fight because I didn’t come here to run. I came here to stand up to Fundora. I respect my opponent. I respect anybody who gets in the ring with me. I’m going to put my pride and my skills on the line and show everybody what I’m capable of.

“I’ve sparred with guys as tall as Fundora but those guys are actually heavier than Fundora is. I consider that an advantage. It’s something that made me tougher. Something that made me stronger. It’s going to come in handy when I get into the ring on Sunday night.

“I absolutely love this challenge. I’m coming into somebody else’s house. I have no pressure. All I want to do is give the fans a great show and enjoy each and every moment. Hopefully there’s a happy ending, but I plan to savor every single second that I have on Sunday night.

“Spanish boxing is certainly on the rise. But I fight for my family. I want to make them proud. I want to make my corner proud. Those are the people that mean the most to me and who I fight this fight for. For my fans in Spain and for my two little ones, my wife and my family.”

SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO

“I have a lot of motivation for this fight. That and my power is going to help me. Winning this fight is going to keep my career going and put me where I want to get back to.

“I feel strong and I’m excited to face Adames. He’s a good fighter who hits hard. But I’m ready for anything he brings. I’ve fought the best middleweights in the world. I’ve faced power punchers before, so I’m not worried about his power.

“I’ve studied Adames and looked at some of his past fights. He’s a very strong fighter. I am familiar with him and we’ve been working during training camp for what he does. I know what I have to do on Sunday night and I’m going to show everyone during the fight.

“Of course I need to win this fight. This fight is the next step toward becoming world champion. I want to win this fight, face Jaime Munguia and then fight for the title again. My dream is to win the belt and that’s what I’m working toward.”

CARLOS ADAMES

“Every fight has something big on the line. Every fight is risky. Otherwise, why are you fighting? I always look for the biggest challenges. I want to fight against the best boxers, and Sergiy is certainly one of them. I am aware of everything that is at stake, but I do not run away from it. I am excited for what is going to come on Sunday night.

“I understand that he has fought against great fighters. In the end, he is fighting against Carlos Adames, and I am a big puncher. Don’t underestimate me. Otherwise, he is going to have a big problem on his hands. I consider myself to be a great fighter just like him.

“People didn’t think I would be that great at 147-pounds. I showed them. Then I went to 154, and they didn’t think I was going to be a great fighter, but I showed them there. Now I am at 160, and I am going to show them again how powerful I can be and how big of a threat I can be. Sergiy is a good fighter, but he’s not an obstacle for me. I don’t consider him to be an insurmountable mountain.

“Sparring is not a fight. He can spar with Superman. I don’t care. I am going to be ready for him. He is going to realize how strong I am. He can spar with whoever he wants, but Carlos Adames is a whole different thing.”

EDUARDO RAMIREZ

“In the end, whether the win comes by knockout or decision, it doesn’t really matter to me. What matters the most is the work that I put in the gym day in and day out for this fight to be reflected in the ring. I just want to give the fans a great show.

“I’m a guy that lives in the present, not the past. The list of fighters he has faced is impressive, but it doesn’t matter what he did in the past. It’s about what happens on Sunday night.

“In the end, for me, I hope to put Mexico’s flag in the air Sunday night. I want to make everybody proud in my country and show my fans what I’m capable of.

“As far as the world title opportunity, we do hope that a win brings me a title eliminator shot or perhaps even a world title fight. But in the end, I have to go step-by-step. I can’t look past this fight, otherwise none of my ambitions are going to come true.”

MIGUEL MARRIAGA

“Every fight is important, but in this case, this fight has a potential to earn myself another world title shot. It’s do or die because it is that big of a fight on Sunday night.

“I have fought against high caliber opponents, and Ramirez isn’t unbeatable. He is not someone that I am overly concerned about. I have to be focused, I have to be aware and not underestimate anybody. In the end, it’s about what I do inside the ring.

“Everybody knows I’ve come to Los Angeles ready to fight. I’m facing a quality opponent, but the most important thing is to believe in my preparation and to go look for the fight, not wait for the fight to come to me.

“I had great preparation for this fight. It’s a pleasure to be opening up the pay-per-view. Now it’s time to go out there and win.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“We have a fabulous undercard on Sunday night. Mayweather Promotions has promoted the biggest fights in the history of the sport and I can honestly say that this phenomenal undercard is probably in the top three ever that I’ve promoted.

“Top to bottom, this card is outstanding. In the co-main event, we have Sebastian Fundora, who is an exciting fighter and one my favorite in the sport today. He is going to be in for an all-out war against Sergio Garcia. These guys are going to give everything they’ve got.

“We all know Sergiy Derevyanchenko and have seen him in tough fights before and come up short in some questionable decisions. He’s going to look to take advantage of that experience on Sunday when he faces the tough and hard-hitting Adames in what shapes up to be an exciting bout.

“In the opening bout, we’re going to see top featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez take on a former world title challenger in Miguel Marriaga. I can’t wait for this whole show. These are fights that you don’t want to miss.”

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ABOUT DAVIS VS. CRUZ
Davis vs. Cruz will see five-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis defend his WBA Lightweight Championship against hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz live on SHOWTIME PPV on Sunday, December 5 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features rising super welterweight star Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora facing fellow unbeaten Sergio Garcia in a WBC Super Welterweight World Title Eliminator that serves as the co-main event. Plus, hard-hitting middleweight contenders Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Carlos Adames square off in a 10-round battle, while top featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez faces former title challenger Miguel Marriaga in the pay-per-view opener.

LOS ANGELES – November 10, 2021 – Rising super welterweight star Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will square off against fellow unbeaten Sergio Garcia in a WBC Super Welterweight World Title Eliminator that serves as the co-main event of the Gervonta Davis vs. Isaac Cruz SHOWTIME PPV on Sunday, December 5 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

The pay-per-view will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will also feature hard-hitting middleweight contenders Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Carlos Adames squaring off in a 10-round battle. Kicking off the pay-per-view, top featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez faces former title challenger Miguel Marriaga for 10 rounds of action.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

“This is a pay-per-view undercard that perfectly fits with what the main event between Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz will deliver – all action from start to finish,’’ said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Sebastian Fundora, Sergio Garcia, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Carlos Adames, Eduardo Ramirez and Miguel Marriaga are all hard-hitting boxers who come to fight and are looking for the knockout. Fans that purchase tickets to STAPLES Center or tune in to SHOWTIME PPV on Sunday, December 5 can expect explosive entertainment from start to finish.’’

Fundora (17-0-1, 12 KOs) continues to rise up the super welterweight ranks and recently delivered his most impressive victory to date by stopping Jorge Cota in four rounds in May. The six-foot-six brawler has reached this point by showing off the skills of a rugged boxer who is more comfortable fighting on the inside than most. Born in West Palm Beach, Fla. to his Mexican mother and Cuban father and trainer, Freddy – both boxers – the 23-year-old now lives and trains in Coachella, Calif.

“I’m super excited to be back in the ring,” said Fundora. “I haven’t stopped training since my fight against Cota and I’m always prepared for every opportunity that arises. I don’t know much about Garcia, but my promoter has told me for the past two years that he’s from Spain and he’s ranked number two in the WBC. So it only makes sense for me, being the number four-ranked fighter in the WBC, that we face each other. This is going to be an exciting fight on December 5.”

The 29-year-old Garcia (33-0, 14 KOs) will bring an edge in pro experience into his U.S. debut against Fundora on December 5. Fighting out of Torrelavega, Cantabria, Spain, Garcia has competed professionally since 2012. He ascended the rankings by traveling to the U.K. to defeat then unbeaten Ted Cheeseman on his home soil in 2019 and followed up with a triumph over veteran contender Sergey Rabchenko. Garcia has added three victories since then, including 2020 wins over Pablo Mendoza and Gregory Trenel.

“I want to thank my team for giving me this opportunity to show my boxing skills to the U.S. audience,” said Garcia. “I’m very excited to make the most of this chance that I have. After winning four European championships and other important titles, I feel that I’m ready to win a world title. I am only focused on Sebastian Fundora, but after this fight I want Jermell Charlo or Brian Castaño.”

A 2008 Olympian for his native Ukraine, Derevyanchenko (13-3, 10 KOs), will seek another opportunity at a middleweight world title. Known as “The Technician” and now training out of Brooklyn, Derevyanchenko is long established as a top middleweight contender, having faced the likes of Jermall Charlo, Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin. He owns victories over contenders including Tureano Johnson, Jack Culcay and Sam Soliman. .His most recent fight ended in a decision loss to Charlo in a SHOWTIME PPV headlining fight in September 2020.

“I’m excited to get back in the ring and continue my journey toward becoming world champion,” said Derevyanchenko. “Adames is a good fighter and I respect what he can do, but he’s standing in my way right now. I’m looking forward to this challenge and I can’t wait to give the fans another great fight.”

A native of Comendador, Dominican Republic, Adames (20-1, 16 KOs) fights out of New York City as he seeks to earn a second shot at a world championship. The 27-year-old defeated a slew of contenders including Frank Galarza, Joshua Conley, Alejandro Barrera and former Champion Carlos Molina on his way to a 2019 title shot that he lost by narrow decision to Patrick Teixeira. In his most recent outing, Adames scored a third-round TKO over Alexis Salazar on the Davis vs. Barrios SHOWTIME PPV undercard in June.

“I am very happy to return to action on December 5,” said Adames. “I’m having an excellent and very demanding training camp, so my opponent better be 100% ready. It’s very exciting to be on the undercard of this huge event. My fans expect a great performance from me and I’m going to deliver it.”

Fighting out of Sinaloa, Mexico, Ramirez (25-2-3, 12 KOs) has risen up the featherweight rankings with three-straight sensational knockout victories. He stopped then-unbeaten Leduan Barthelemy in November 2019 before blasting out Miguel Flores in December 2020 and most recently dropping Isaac Avelar in May. The 28-year-old is currently riding wins in five of his last six fights since losing to then 126-pound champion Lee Selby in 2017. He’s won 16 of his last 19 fights overall, with his only other blemishes coming in a draw against Barthelemy that was later avenged, and a decision loss to Claudio Marrero.

“I can’t wait to be back on another big card against another very good fighter in Miguel Marriaga,” said Ramirez. “He’s very strong and he has good experience against top fighters. Vasyl Lomachenko is the only one to stop him, but I will be the second because I need to make a statement with this fight and show everyone that I’m ready to fight for the title.”

A former world title challenger at 130 and 126 pounds, Marriaga (30-4, 26 KOs) most recently stopped Jorge Garcia Jimenez in April to make it victories in five of his last six outings since 2018. The 35-year-old fights out of Arjona, Colombia and has fought professionally since 2009. Marriaga went the distance in a pair of featherweight title fights against Oscar Valdez and Nicholas Walters, in addition to losing a super featherweight title fight to Vasyl Lomachenko.

“I am training very hard for this fight as I always do,” said Marriaga. “I’m very happy with my All-Star Boxing team for getting me this fight. Winning on December 5 will propel me to another world title fight. My only goal is to achieve my childhood dream of becoming a world champion and I’m not going to let this opportunity slip by me.”

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ABOUT DAVIS VS. CRUZ
Davis vs. Romero will see five-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis defend his WBA Lightweight Championship against hard-hitting contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz live on SHOWTIME PPV on Sunday, December 5 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles in a Premier Boxing Champions event. Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

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

Former Heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. had to shake off an early knockdown, but righted himself to win a 12-round unanimous decision over Chris Arreola in front of a restricted sellout of 3,940 fans at The Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

In round two, it was Arreola who landed a chopping right that sent former champ, Ruiz down to a knee. That was the high-point for Arreola as Ruiz was able to get in a rhythm and land hard three-punch combinations throughout that were mostly of the Jab/:eft-hook/Right Hand variety, Arreola seemed like he would be dangerous, but that was thwarted as in round eight, Arreola seemed to hurt his left shoulder after absorbing a right from Ruiz Ruiz was methodical down the stretch and boxed his way to a 118-110, 118-110 and 117-109 victory.

Ruiz landed 161 of 626 punches; Arreola was 109 of 521.

Ruiz, 256 lbs of Imperial, CA is 34-2. Arreola, 228.6 lbs of Los Angeles is 38-7-1.

ANDY RUIZ JR. “Chris is a veteran and a hard puncher. We did what we had to do tonight. We got the victory that we wanted. I was at my lowest point and now I have to climb the ladder again. I’m thankful for the victory and I’m ready to move on to the next.
“He got me with a good clean right hand in the second round. I was too overconfident and dropped my hand a bit. Hats off to him. We just kept pushing and pushing. I switched up and started focusing on counterpunching and working the body.

“I felt a little rust and I know other fighters can relate to that. If he wants to run it back, we’ll run it back with him.”

“I just have to get back to work. I learned a lot about throwing different combinations in training, but the rust showed in the ring. Arreola was very good tonight.
“When you go down, you just have to climb back up. That’s exactly what I did. I got dropped, but I got up and got the victory. 
“I could have done a lot more. I couldn’t really find my distance, but some of that was Arreola doing a good job. I could have kept my hands up better, but I just need to get back in the gym and stay busy. 
“I got a little overconfident in the early rounds. The most important thing was that we came back and got the victory. 
“I’m going to stick around this weight, but I’m going to tighten everything up. I faced a strong veteran who knew exactly what he was doing. 
“A fight against Luis Ortiz would be an exciting matchup. I have to get back to training so I can keep feeling better in the ring. I’m actually happy to get the 12 rounds in.”

CHRIS ARREOLA“I respect the judges, but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. He might have won, but don’t tell me I only won two or three rounds. 
“I got hit in the shoulder and it kinda threw it off. It wasn’t a big deal though. It’s a part of boxing. I didn’t take too much punishment. I’m ready to run it back with Andy.”

“A lot of punches he threw were hitting my gloves. He never put me in danger. It’s dejecting to not get the respect from the judges that I feel I deserve.

“There’s no moral victory. I came here to beat Andy. He might have beat me, but I felt like he won seven rounds at the most.

“I give me and Joe a lot of credit. We trained hard for this fight. I did everything I had to do in the gym.

“I was a better fighter than Andy Ruiz expected. This version of Ruiz would knock Joshua out, but I was in great condition and ready for everything he had to offer.

“I absolutely hurt him, but Andy is a dangerous fighter. I didn’t want to get hit with a suckerpunch like Anthony Joshua.

Ramos stops Figueroa After 6

Abel Ramos dominated and beat up Omar Figueroa Jr as the fight was stopped after round six of their scheduled 12-round welterweight bout.

Ramos landed a plethora of hard shots on an awkward style of Figueroa, who would be holding his glove up on the side of face, Ramos started breaking down Figueroa in round five, as Figueroa was developing a mouse under his right eye. In round six, Ramos dominated Figueroa by landing hard thudding shots to the head of body. Figueroa was spitting up blood and the fight was stopped in the corner.

Ramos, 146.6 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ is 27-4-2 with 21 knockouts. Figueroa, 146.4 lbs of Weslaco, TX is 28-2-1.

ABEL RAMOS“Omar is a very tricky fighter. He has an awkward defense and it was hard to catch him clean at first, but the fight overall went as planned.
“I trained so hard for this fight. I knew my career was on the line. I knew I needed a win and I knew Omar would bring a good fight. I’m glad to be back on the winning side and I’m ready to take on the best of the division.
“We trained to attack the body. Our plan from the beginning was to pressure him. We wanted to score points to the body. I could hear him groaning and I knew once I hurt him bad, that the fight was over. 
“I missed the feeling of the crowd cheering. My adrenaline was through the roof. They give you excitement and we missed that in boxing.”

Fundora Stops Cota in 4!

6’7″ Sebastian Fundora continues to be one of boxing’s most exciting and unique performer as he stopped Jorge Cota in round four of their scheduled 12-round junior middleweight fight.

The two stood toe-to-toe for the whole fight as they were winging and whaling shots on one another. In round two, Cota was cut on his nose. Fundora continued to lay a beating on a game Cota, who kept trying to fight back and land an ois fhccasional overhand shot. In round four, Fundora hurt Cota with chopping lefts and body shots. Cota was staggered but he was getting caught and the fight was stopped at 2:35.

Fundora, 152.8 lbs of Coachella, CA is 17-0-1 with 12 knockouts. Cota, 153.4 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is now 30-5.

SEBASTIAN FUNDORA“I’m extremely grateful to fight in front of the fans tonight. It was fun to hear the cheers, the boos and everything. I’m honored to be in this position.
“It was a good trading fight. We were hitting each other, but my punches were doing more damage and that’s why the referee stepped in. I think he could have been stopped earlier in the round. I just kept fighting until the end.
“I saw his leg wobble in the first round, but he took it and kept coming. The second time I saw it, I knew I had to go for the kill.
“My message to the rest of the division is that we’re here. If youre ready for war, we’re ready to take it. Bring it on.”

Ramos decisions Molina

Jesus Ramos remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Javier Molina in a welterweight bout.

Ramos was cut over his right eye in round six. In round seven, Molina was deducted a point for hitting behind the head.

Ramos landed 135 of 579 punches; Molina was 77 of 413.

Ramos, 150 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ won by scores of 99-90 twice and 97-92 and is now 16-0. Molina, 149.2 lbs of Norwalk, CA is 22-4.

JESUS RAMOS“It was my second time going the distance and that’s what we wanted. We love knockouts, but we’re glad at this point in my career that I got the experience. I thank Molina for taking the fight, he’s a great fighter. 
“I might have been looking for a knockout too much in the early rounds. I got used to it and I settled down and I felt like I was breaking him down little by little. He was trying to survive a little bit, so it made it harder to get the knockout. 
“I learned a lot today. I’m going to keep building on that. I feel like I have a lot of momentum. It was a big step up for me and I feel like I showed a lot. I showed I have good conditioning and good movement along with my power. 
“My father told me to invite him to come to me. We were pressuring him to start. My dad had me change it up. He came in a little bit, but then he backed off. That’s how I tried to counteract his movement.”

Lara Knocks Out LaManna in 1; Wins Middleweight Title

Erislandy Lara won the WBA Middleweight title with a devastating 1st round knockout of Thomas LaManna.

Lara landed a huge left to the head that put LaManna on his back and the fight was stopped at 1:30.

Lara, 159.4 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 28-3-3 with 16 knockouts. LaManna, 159 lbs of Millville, NJ is 30-5-1.

ERISLANDY LARA – KO1 at 1:20
“He said at the press conference that he was going to knock me out, but he ran right into that punch. Maybe he was overthinking it all along. 

“I felt strong and sharp tonight at middleweight, but I still want all of the big fights at 154-pounds too. I want the winner of the Jermell Charlo-Brian Carlos Castano unification fight. (WBC Middleweight Champion) Jermall Charlo is like family, we worked in the same gym for years, but this is a sport and I’d welcome the challenge.

“I feel great physically. I’m going to keep doing this until my body tells me I can’t do it anymore. I don’t feel like I’ve taken a lot of punishment in my career and I know I have at least another three years of my prime left.”

Ramirez Stops Avelar in 3; retains Interim Featherweight title

Eduardo Ramirez retained the WBA Interim Featherweight title with a third round stoppage over Isaac Avelar.

In round three, Ramirez dropped Avelar with a perfect right hook. Ramirez finished the fight woth another huge hook that rocked Avelar and the fight was called off at 1:16.

Ramirez, 125.4 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is 25-2-3 with 12 knockouts. Avelar, 125 lbs of Mexico is 17-3.

“I am beyond happy right now. I’m just elated and moved by having been able to fulfill the promise I made to my baby boy Eduardo Ramirez Jr. He just turned two years old and I wasn’t able to be there to give him a hug for his birthday, but I had promised him that I would bring the title back home to him as a gift, and that is exactly what I’m doing now. 
“You have to have a stone-cold mindset, and that’s what we had to finish Avelar off. We were able to connect the right combinations to finish the fight off exactly how we wanted.

“This was a perfect coronation. To be honest, I would now like to have the chance to fight against Leo Santa Cruz. I previously fought against Miguel Flores, who barely lasted 4-5 rounds against me, but Leo couldn’t knock him out. This convincing knockout should be my ticket to have that opportunity”. 

Adrian Granados and Jose Sanchez battled to a eight-round draw in a welt welterweight contest.

Granados took a card 77-75, while two cards were even at 76-76.

Granados, 146.6 lbs of Mexico City is 21-8-3. Sanchez, 146.2 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 11-1-1.

Carlos Negron won a eight-round unanimous decision over Scott Alexander in a heavyweight bout.

Negron, 238. lbs of Villaba, PR won by scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75 and is now 23-3. Alexander, 235 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 16-4-2.

Anthony Garnica remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Jesse Bassie i a featherweight fight.

In round one, Garnica dropped Bazzi with a right hand.

Garnica, 125.2 lbs of San Francisco, CA won by scores of 40-35 on all cards and is now 6-0. Bassie, 126.4 lbs of Deerborn, MI is 1-2.

Fernando Molina won a six-round unanimous decision over Prisco Marquez in a lightweight bout.

Molina landed 116 of 358 punches; Marquez was 44 of 264.

Molina, 133.6 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX won by 60-53 scores on all cards and is now 6-0. Marquez, 135 lbs of Liberal, KS is 4-3-1.

CARSON, CALIF. (March 24, 2021) – Cuban star and WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara will seek a third world title in a second weight class when he faces veteran contender Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna for the WBA Middleweight Title in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, May 1 as part of a stacked night of boxing from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The broadcast begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and precedes the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View event headlined by former unified heavyweight world champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. battling all-action heavyweight Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola, which tops a stellar boxing extravaganza all taking place at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The FOX PBC Fight Night co-main event will see top featherweight contender Eduardo Ramírez take on hard-hitting Isaac Avelar in a 12-round fight for the vacant interim WBA Featherweight Title.

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 26 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at AXS.com for the event that includes an action-packed lineup of FOX PBC Fight Night and FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View fights. Dignity Health Sports Park will be open to fans in a limited capacity, with all guests remaining socially distanced and subject to local and state health guidelines throughout the event.

“Erislandy Lara has had a long reign as an elite 154-pounder and now has his sights set on a new challenge in the star-studded middleweight division,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “He will bring his renowned skills and style to this tough matchup against the young and rangy Thomas LaManna. With fast-rising Mexican contender Eduardo Ramírez squaring off against the young exciting Mexican brawler Isaac Avelar in the co-main event, this primetime lineup is an ideal way to load up an already stacked night of boxing at Dignity Health Sports Park, leading up to the return of Andy Ruiz Jr. against Chris Arreola live on pay-per-view.”

Lara (27-3-3, 15 KOs) was the longest reigning 154-pound world champion before he lost a tough split-decision to Jarrett Hurd in a title unification match in 2018 that was the unanimous “Fight of the Year”. Lara returned from that fight and battled current 154-pound world titleholder Brian Castano to an exciting draw in another narrow fight that could have gone Lara’s way. Lara has since scored back-to-back triumphs with a knockout of Ramon Alvarez in 2019 to capture his current title, and a decision over Greg Vendetti in August 2020. Lara has faced a slew of the top 154-pounders in the sport, including Canelo Alvarez, ahead of his middleweight debut.

“I’m excited to be making my 2021 debut on a huge platform live on FOX,” said Lara, who was born in Guantanamo, Cuba and now trains in Las Vegas. “Thomas LaManna is a tall middleweight with a lot of experience and I’m taking this fight very seriously, like always. I arrived weeks ago for training camp and Ismael Salas immediately got me working on the fundamentals of boxing. At this stage in my career, I’m all-action, fighting on the inside, and letting my hands fly. I’m going to make a statement in this fight with a knockout.”

The Belleville, New Jersey-native LaManna (30-4-1, 12 KOs) was riding an eight-fight unbeaten streak, which included seven wins plus a draw against Gabriel Bracero, before losing to Jorge Cota in January 2020. He won back-to-back middleweight fights in January and October entering this showdown, knocking out Jorge Pimentel and Juan de Jesus Gonzalez. Prior to his two most recent knockouts, LaManna dropped a narrow decision to Brian Mendoza in August 2020.

“It’s been a long time coming and now I’m finally getting my chance to accomplish my ultimate dream of becoming a champion,” said the 29-year-old LaManna. “This is the land of opportunity and I’m getting mine on May 1. I’ve put my heart, blood and soul into this game. I’m the definition of the ‘American dream’. People can write me off if they want, because at the end of the day, there’s no doubt that I’m coming to win. This is my time.”

Fighting out of Sinaloa, Mexico, Ramírez (24-2-3, 11 KOs) has risen up the featherweight rankings with back-to-back sensational knockout victories, stopping Leduan Barthelemy in November 2019 before most recently blasting out Miguel Flores in December 2020. The 28-year-old is currently riding a streak of wins in four of his last five fights since losing to then 126-pound champion Lee Selby in 2017. He’s won 15 of his last 18 fights overall, with his only other blemishes coming in a draw against Barthelemy that was later avenged, and a decision loss to
Claudio Marrero.

“This fight is very important for my career because it puts me one step closer to fighting for a world title again,” said Ramírez. “But I will not be looking past Avelar, who is coming off a big win and will be coming to fight like a proud Mexican, just like I do. I will be in top shape and ready to achieve this step toward my dream of getting another chance at a world title. No disrespect to my opponent, but I will win, no matter what it takes.”

The 23-year-old Avelar (17-2, 10 KOs) most recently won a wide unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Sakaria Lukas in December 2020, stopping a two-fight skid that included a loss to super bantamweight world champion Stephen Fulton. The Aguascalientes, Mexico native was unbeaten in his first 16 pro fights, including a 2019 triumph over Juan Antonio Lopez in his U.S. debut.

“I’m coming into this fight strongly believing that I’m going to stop Eduardo Ramírez,” said Avelar. “I’ve been hurting and stopping sparring partners during camp, so I’m fully prepared for a war. This is going to be a spectacular fight like Rafael Marquez vs. Israel Vazquez. I’ve been improving my game quite a bit in the last year. I asked for this fight, and I’m going to make Ramírez regret accepting it.”

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Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

Follow all the action as Errol Spence Jr. defends the IBF/WBC Welterweight titles against former two-division world champion Danny Garcia.  The action begins at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with Eduardo Ramirez taking on Miguel Flores; Josesito Lopez against Francisco Santana and Sebastian Fundora battling Habib Ahmed

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Round 1: Jab from Spence..Combination..Counter left from Garcia..Right to body..Left to body from Spence..Counter from Garcia..Good left from Spence..Right from Garcia..

Round 2 Good straight left from Spence..Lead left..

Round 3 3 punch combination from Garcia…Jab from Spence..Hard left to body,..Hard right from Garcia..Good jab from Spence..

Round 4 Spence applying pressure..Hook from Garcia..2 rights..Jab from Spence..Body shot

Round 5 Hard left from Spence..Hard right..2 body shots from Garcia..Combination from Spence

Round 6 Body shot from Garcia..Good body shot from Spence..Combination on the ropes..Jab..Right counter from Garcia…Left counter from Spence

Round 7 Right from Garcia..2 rights to the body

Round 8 Body shot from Garcia..Spence working on the inside..Good body shot,..Garcia right eye swelling…Double jab and left to body

Round 9 Combination from Garcia…

Round 10 Quick right from Garcia

Round 11 Spence jabs to the body..Body shot from Garcia,,

Round 12 Good right hook from Spence..Spence working on inside..

116-112 TWICE AND 117-111 FOR SPENCE

Round 1 Huge uppercut hurt Ahmed..Hard hooks

Round 2 Power shots landing for Fundora..HuGE SHOTS ON THE ROPES FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1: Jab by Lopez…LEFT TO BODY AND BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES SANTANA..  Left hook wobbles Lopez..Body shot from Lopez

Round 2 Body shot by Lopez..Counter from Santana

Round 3 Hard right and Combination from Lopez..Hard Jab

Round 4 Good jab from Lopez..Counter right from Santana..Good counter hook…

Round 5 Good body shot from Lopez..Body shot hurts Santana

Round 6 Lopez lands a body shot…Body shot

Round 7 Left hook from Santana..Good left hook from Lopez..2 rights and left uppercut ..Hard left hand..Body shot

Round 8 Left from Lopez

Round 9 hard right hurts Lopez…BIG FLURRY AND DOWN GOES SANTANA

Round 10  BIG HOOK AND DOWN GOES SANTANA..Right from Lopez..HUGE HOOKS AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 Hard Right hook from Ramirez..Overhand left..Hard body shot..Body work from Flores

Round 2 Good uppercut from Ramirez..Lead left..Hard shots and a body shot from Ramirez..Uppercut..2 body shots from Flores..

Round 3 Left from Ramirez…Good body shot from Flores

Round 4 Good right to body from Ramirez..Flores lands a body shot and hook to head..Good combination from Ramirez..2 jabs from Flores..

ROUND 5 HUGE RIGHT COUNTER AND DOWN GOES FLORES…HE GETS UP BUT THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

14 Months after being involved in a gruesome automobile accident, Errol Spence Jr. retained the IBF/WBC Welterweight titles with a solid 12-round unanimous decision over former two-division champion Danny Garcia in front of 16,101 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Spence was very effective with his jab and pressure that would not let Garcia get off in the fight. Garcia was able to land some shots in between the pressure of Spence.

The right eye of Garcia began to sell in the 8th round. The activity of Spence was clear in the fight and won by scores of 117-111 and 116-112 twice.

Spence landed 187 of 707 punches; Garcia was 117 of 700. Spence out-Jabbed Garcia 84-14.

Spence, 146.5 lbs is 27-0. Garcia, 146.75 lbs of Philadelphia is 36-3.

ERROL SPENCE JR.“The moment is surreal. Coming back from the accident, I feel like I looked pretty good tonight. 

“All training camp I felt good. I told people I didn’t want a tuneup fight. I proved to everyone that I’m the best 147-pound fighter in the world. 
“Danny Garcia pushed me to the limit, especially in training camp. I’ve watched him fight since he was an amateur. I knew he was a great champion and I had to be 100% ready.”

“I’m the taller fighter and he had shorter arms, so the jab made sense to use. Everything was set up off the jab. We were prepared to out point him using that jab. I think Lennox Lewis would be proud of me using the jab the way I did.

“I had a great training camp where I was sparring and taking punches. I wasn’t surprised when I had to take a punch in the fight. I had already been taking punches and I’ve always had a great chin anyway.

“I give my performance a B. I think I had a little bit of ring rust. But I was in such great shape and took everything seriously in training so that I would not be discouraged by that. I worked my jab and used my angles because that was my best move.

“I’m just thinking about seeing my kids tomorrow and hanging out on my ranch. I’m going to eat some good food and we’ll see what the future holds. It’s been a long year and a half, so I’m going to wind down for a week or two, then get back on it.

“It was a lifelong dream of mine to be a household name in Dallas and I’ve done that. I’m thankful to have that support. I was smiling walking to the ring because it was a long road back. It took a lot of trials and tribulations to get to this point tonight, and it all paid off. I’m here for a reason.

“I proved that I’m back and here to stay. I’m the unified champion of the world for a reason.

“I felt some of his punches, but it wasn’t enough to discourage me from coming forward. He was strong and I give him his kudos. He came to fight and tried to take my titles, but I defended it well at home.

“I’m glad that my hard work and path to get back ended with my titles around my waist again in my hometown in front of my home fans.

“I think I hurt him a bit, but Danny Garcia is very gritty and he’s not going to cower down to anybody. I thought I got him a couple times to the body, but I knew he wasn’t going to back down. He’s a real fighter.”

DANNY GARCIA

“He was the better man tonight. No excuses. I fought a hard and tough fight. He had a good jab and that was the key to the fight. He was also a bit busier than me.

“I just have to rebuild and see what we do next. I fought hard and I’m proud. All my losses were hard fights that I fought till the end, so I’m proud of my effort.

“I knew what he was bringing to the table. I just had to believe in my hook more and throw it more. I can’t make any excuses. We can only get better from here. 

“His jab was rangy and threw my timing off a bit. That was the key to the fight. Everything else I feel like I adapted to. The jab was the only thing that was better than expected.

“I think Spence is physically stronger than Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter. They’re all on pretty much the same level, but Spence is the strongest one. 

“I was trying to be more active. He did a good job taking away what I wanted to do. Everyone is looking for my left hook, so I thought my right hand could be the difference. I had some success going to the body with it. When two champions fight, one guy is going to be better on the night.”

Fundora Destroys Ahmed in 2

6’7″ Inch Sebastian Fundora took out Habib Ahmed in round two of their scheduled 12-round super welterweight bout.

Fundora obliterated Ahmed from the opening bell as he landed furious flurry of punches for both rounds before the fight was stopped at 1:30 of round two.

Fundora, 153.5 lbs of Cochella, CA is 16-0-1 with 11 knockouts. Ahmed, 152.5 lbs of Accra, GHA is 27-2.

SEBASTIAN FUNDORA
“We just fought in an eliminator, so I’m pretty sure I’m high up in the rankings now. We’ll go back and talk about what’s next with my team. I may take a week off and enjoy the holidays, then come back strong with whatever is next. I want to fight anyone. The 154-pound division is stacked, so I’ll be ready for anyone. 

“I had the time to admire my work in round one. I was happy to enjoy it while I had the chance after I landed that uppercut. 

“We were ready for anyone who we had to face tonight. A win like this doesn’t surprise me because we were so prepared. 

“I feel like I’m meant for this. I’ve worked so hard for this. Me and my father have worked on this dream since I was eight-years-old. By now, big stages like this feel normal to me. 

“I don’t think I’m peaking yet. I turn 23 this month. I feel like I have a lot of room to grow. I’m going to be in this sport for a long time and I’m going to be champion, but we’re not there yet. 

“We saw him buckle in the first round. I heard my dad yell from the corner that he was shaken. I knew he couldn’t take the power, so I decided to walk right through him.”

HABIB AHMED“I’m disappointed with how the fight went. I took the fight on short notice so I knew it would be difficult. But I was training hard and wanted to test myself. 

“He’s tall and he’s a good boxer. I didn’t start working fast enough and he started working immediately. That’s why he got me with the uppercut in round one. That messed up my rhythm. I was surprised he came out so fast. 
“I’m still young and have a future in this sport. I’m going to get back in the gym, correct my mistakes, and come back better.”

Lopez Stops Santana in 10th

Josesito Lopez stopped Francisco Santana in the 10th and final round of their welterweight bout.

Lopez dominated the bout from the get-go as in round one. Lopez landed a big right that was followed by a left to the body that put Santana on the deck.

In round nine, Lopez scored a 2nd knockdown as he landed some hard hooks on the ropes. Lopez continued to batter Santana for the balance of the round and the fight could have been stopped there. In the 10th, Lopez dropped Santana again. The fight went on, but only for a few seconds more as Lopez landed a barrage of punches that forced the stoppage at 1:22.

Lopez, 146.2 lbs of Riverside, CA is 38-8 with 21 knockouts. Santana, 147 lbs of Santa Barbra, CA is 25-9-1.

JOSESITO LOPEZ“Santana is one of the toughest fighters out there not holding a belt. I’m never in an easy fight but, I’m always going to give it everything I have.

“He knew that if he made a small mistake, he was going to pay. I made sure he paid and I dictated the pace with my jab while utilizing good footwork against a tough fighter.

“I was patient. He’s a tough crafty fighter who can take good punches. He’s a solid fighter with a strong punch.

“You can’t deny me anymore. If I’m not in with the best, I’m in with the toughest. I want one of the world champions or one of the top fighters. 

“It was a tough fight like I expected. I had to be smart in there, dictate the pace and pick my shots. We managed to do what we set out to do.

“The work I put in with Robert Garcia has showed in every fight. I get better each and every fight and come out with wins. Today I stopped one of the hardest guys in the sport to finish.  

“I feel like I’ve gotten stronger, smarter and faster. I’ve improved in every part of my game thanks to Robert Garcia. 

“I deserve to be fighting the best now. I’ve proved it. I’d fight the winner or loser of tonight’s main event. Not only am I as good as any of them, but I’m one of the most entertaining fighters in the division. 

“We worked out positioning. We were maybe a little too cautious at times. But we wanted to break him down little by little. I was happy to be able to finish the job.”

FRANCISCO SANTANA

“He got me with a flash knockdown in the first round. He throws big wide shots and he caught me on the top of my head and messed with my equilibrium for a second. I was able to get up and go back to work. 

“I thought I had something left, but after tonight I have to go back and talk with my family. I think that was my last fight. I was able to do a lot of great things in the sport. No fighter ever wants to hang them up, but I thank God that I was able to meet so many great people in the boxing world. I might be retired as a boxer, but I’m still going to be around this sport.”

Ramirez stops Flores in 5

Eduardo Ramirez stopped Miguel Flores in round fie of their scheduled 12-round featherweight bout.

In the beginning of round five, Ramirez landed a crushing left hook to the jaw that sent Flores crashing on his back. Flores got up with blood flowing out of his mouth, and the bout was stopped at 20 seconds.

Ramirez, 125.2 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is 24-2-3 with 11 knockouts. Flores, 125.4 lbs of Dallas, TX is 24-4.

EDUARDO RAMIREZ

“I’m very happy about the win. I worked very hard and I’m thrilled to get the victory tonight.

“This was all the result of the hard work I put into the gym. The Montiel brothers trained me well and it all paid off tonight.

“This was a last minute opponent. I didn’t get to train specifically for him. But I’m getting better every day in the gym, that’s my main focus. I feel like I can beat anyone in this division.

“I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. Whatever my team wants to do, we’ll talk about it. I just want to become a world champion. I’ll be ready anywhere at any time.

“I always felt in control of the fight. My intensity dropped a bit in the third round, but my corner kept telling me to put the pressure on and I’d get the knockout. That’s exactly what ended up happening.

“I like to do it all in the ring. I can move around and box. But I love to go in there and fight inside. I’m learning so much day after day from training in Tucson with the Montiel brothers.

MIGUEL FLORES

“I was having fun in there. I thought I was doing better on the inside than the outside with him. We were putting on a good fight. He just caught me with one of those looping shots. It happens, it’s part of boxing. I’m a fighter and I’ll be back.

“I thought I hurt him with a few body shots and was coming on in the fight. I was effective on the inside. I thought I could have taken over, but he’s a crafty guy. It felt like an even fight.”

EARLY RESULTS

Isaac Avelar won a 10-round unanimous decision over Sakaria Lukas in a featherweight bout.

Avelar landed 225 of 686 punches; Lukas was 100 of 562.

Avelar, 126.8 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 98-92 on all cards and is now 17-2. Lukas, 127.6 lbs of Namibia is 23-1.

Vito Mielnicki Jr. remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Steve Pulluaim in a welterweight bout.

In round one, Mielnicki dropped Pulluaim with a right to the top of the head. in round two, he dropped Pulluaim with a left to the body.

Mielnicki landed 121 of 309 punches; Pulluaim was 47 of 247.

Mielnicki, 146.8 lbs of Roseland, NJ scores of 60-52 on all cards, and is now 7-0. Pulluaim, 144.8 lbs of Riverside, MO is 5-3.

Marco Delgado won a six-round split decision over previously undefeated Burley Brooks in a super middleweight bout.

In round five, Brooks was deducted a point for a low blow. In round six, he was deducted another point for the same infraction.

Delgado landed 95 of 387 punches; Brooks was 85 of 366.

Delgado , 170/6 lbs of Anaheim, CA won by scores of 59-53 twice with Brooks taking a card 57-56.

Delgado is 7-1. Brooks, 170.4 lbs of Dallas, TX is 6-1.

Juan Tapia won a eight-round unanimous decision over Fernando Garcia in a super bantamweight bout.

In round six, Garcia had some blood on the bridge of the nose.

Tapia, 123 lbs of Brownsville, TX won by scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74 and is now 10-3. Garcia, 122.4 lbs of Dallas. TX is 13-3.

Frank Martin stopped Tyrone Luckey in round five of their scheduled eight-round lightweight bout.

Martin dropped Luckey twice in round two, once in round five and ended with a body shot at 2:31 of round five.

Martin, 138,6 lbs of Indianapolis, IN is 12-0 with nine knockouts. Luckey, 138.4 lbs of Long Beach, NJ is 12-13-4/

ARLINGTON, TX. (December 2, 2020) – Super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will face former title challenger Habib Ahmed in a Super Welterweight Title Eliminator on the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View event headlined by Errol Spence Jr. vs. Danny Garcia this Saturday, December 5 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair while featherweight contender Miguel Flores will meet Mexico’s Eduardo Ramirez in a Featherweight Title Eliminator to open the pay-per-view.

Ahmed replaces Jorge Cota and Flores replaces Julio Ceja, after Cota and Ceja tested positive for COVID-19. Flores had already been preparing to face Isaac Avelar on December 5 and Ahmed had been in training as a potential replacement on this card.

Buy the pay-per-view now on www.foxsports.com/ppv and watch on any screen.

Mexico’s Avelar will take on the unbeaten Sakaria Lukas in a 10-round super featherweight showdown headlining FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Prelims on FS2 and FOX Deportes. Prelims begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and will also feature top prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr. taking on Steven Pulluaim in a six-round welterweight bout, plus unbeaten super middleweight prospect Burley Brooks facing Marco Delgado in a six-round attraction.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

Non-televised action will see Dallas-native Fernando Garcia (13-2, 8 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight fight against Brownsville, Texas’ Juan Tapia (9-3, 3 KOs) and unbeaten Indianapolis native Frank Martin (11-0, 8 KOs) dueling New Jersey’s Tyrone Lucky (12-12-4, 8 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout.

Towering at nearly six-feet six-inches, Fundora (15-0-1, 10 KOs) has used his height and length, combined with power and aggressiveness, to rack up an unbeaten record since turning pro in 2016. The 22-year-old owns two victories in 2020, beating then unbeaten Daniel Lewis by decision in February, before most recently becoming the first fighter to knock out Nathaniel Gallimore with his August triumph on FOX. Fighting out of Coachella, California, Fundora entered the ring three times in 2019, including TKO victories over then unbeaten fighters Donnie Marshall and Hector Manuel Zepeda, plus an exciting split-draw against fellow contender Jamontay Clark.

A native of Accra, Ghana, Ahmed (27-1-1, 18 KOs) steps into the ring after his August fight with Alantez Fox ended with a no-contest after three rounds. Prior to that, Ahmed scored a dominant unanimous decision over Juan De Angel in May 2019. The 29-year-old has won back-to-back fights since dropping a 2018 world title contest against Gilbert Ramirez. Ahmed was unbeaten in his first 26 pro fights since his 2011 debut, leading up to the Ramirez fight.

Lopez (37-8, 20 KOs) has long established himself as a fiery competitor and top contender in multiple weight classes and has compiled an impressive resume. He owns victories over Victor Ortiz, Miguel Cruz and Mike Dallas Jr., having given the last two the first defeat of their careers. Additionally, he has squared off against Canelo Alvarez, Andre Berto, Marcos Maidana and Jessie Vargas. In 2019 the Riverside, California native lost a majority decision to Keith Thurman, before most recently knocking out John Molina Jr. last September.

Santana (25-8-1, 12 KOs) has taken on the toughest challenges at 147 and 154 pounds and has made his name with his action style throughout a long career as a contender. Santana returns to the ring after losing to former unified champion Jarrett Hurd in January. The Santa Barbara, California native owns a victory over Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz in April 2018 and has faced unified champion Jermell Charlo and former champion Sadam Ali, while also fighting to a six-round draw against former unified champion Julian Williams in 2011.

The 28-year-old Flores (24-3, 12 KOs) will return to action for the first time since dropping a decision to four-division champion Leo Santa Cruz in their 130-pound title fight last November. Born in Michoacan de Ocampo, Mexico and fighting out of Houston, Texas, Flores scored stoppage wins over Luis May and Raul Chirino heading into that title fight. A pro since 2009, Flores won his first 22 pro fights.

Fighting out of Sinaloa, Mexico, Ramirez (23-2-3, 10 KOs) has risen up the featherweight rankings with wins in three of his last four fights since losing to then 126-pound champion Lee Selby in 2017. The 27-year-old Ramirez most recently gave Leduan Barthelemy his first career loss via a fourth-round stoppage in their rematch last November, following up on their split-draw the first time they faced off. Overall, Ramirez has won 14 of his last 17 outings.

The 23-year-old Avelar (16-2, 10 KOs) lost a narrow split decision to Miguel Tique in December after being stopped by unbeaten top super bantamweight Stephen Fulton in August 2019. The Auguascalientes, Mexico native was unbeaten in his first 16 pro fights, including a 2019 triumph over Juan Antonio Lopez in his U.S. debut. He will be opposed by the undefeated Lucas (23-0, 16 KOs), who will make his U.S. debut on December 5 after victories in 2019 over Raston Kayira and Ndodana Ncube.

A Roseland, New Jersey native Mielnicki (6-0, 4 KOs) steps into the ring under the guidance of renowned coach Joe Goossen for the first time on December 5 as he looks to continue to show the skillset of a future champion. The 18-year-old Mielnicki has scored three victories in 2020, including most recently stopping Chris Rollins in August. He will take on the 30-year-old Pulluaim (5-2, 1 KO) who defeated Emeka Ifekandu in his last fight in October 2019. The Riverside, Missouri native Pulluaim has fought professionally since 2018.

The 24-year-old Brooks (6-0, 5 KOs) trains alongside Errol Spence Jr. and under the guidance of top trainer Derrick James. A Dallas native, Brooks made his 2020 debut in February, scoring a first round stoppage of Melvin Russell. He will face Anaheim, California’s Delgado (6-1, 5 KOs), a 29-year-old who has fought professionally since 2016 and who most recently stopped Joseph Ward in October 2019.

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ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA
Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Habib Ahmed in a Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus Texas contender Miguel Flores faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

ARLINGTON, TX. (November 20, 2020) – Former world champion Julio Ceja shared insight into his training camp and previewed his upcoming showdown against contender Eduardo Ramirez before they kick off the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) event headlined by Errol Spence Jr. vs. Danny Garcia on Saturday, December 5 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

This training camp was the second for Ceja with Ismael Salas in Las Vegas, a highly-regarded trainer who has worked with Erislandy Lara, plus Rances and Leduan Barthelemy, amongst many others.

“We’ve been in training for two months with coach Salas and we’ve been really focused on my strength work,” said Ceja. “We’ve been going over every detail because we know that Ramirez is a strong and dangerous fighter. Salas is familiar with him from when Leduan fought him, so we’re going to have a perfect game plan for December 5.”

In his most recent fight, the 28-year-old Ceja challenged unbeaten WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Brandon Figueroa last November. Although Ceja gave Figueroa his toughest test to date in battling Figueroa to a split draw, Ceja was not able to win the title due to missing weight the day before. Now officially moving up to 126 pounds, Ceja expects the extra weight to benefit him against Ramirez.

“We’ve had some trouble making 122-pounds for the last few fights, so that’s why we decided it was time to move up to featherweight,” said Ceja. “I’m working really hard and I feel stronger than ever. There are no concerns about making weight. We are about to finish our sparring and I can’t wait to show off my improvements in the ring.”

The Tlalnepantla, Mexico native will be facing another Mexican fighter in Ramirez, opening up the pay-per-view undercard that features two other fights with Mexican or Mexican-American fighters squaring off in the Sebastian Fundora vs. Jorge Cota and Josesito Lopez vs. Francisco Santana matchups. With these styles in tow, Ceja predicts another classic Mexican battle.

“This is a fight with two Mexican warriors, so it’s going to be spectacular,” said Ceja. “Boxing fans know that when two Mexican fighters meet, especially in the U.S., there are going to be fireworks. Ramirez is smart and strong, but we’re planning to out think and out work him. This fight is definitely going to steal the show and be a match that people will be talking about afterward.”

In this WBC title eliminator, Ceja will be able to put himself into a position to potentially face current WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. in the near future. While Ceja plans to be ready for anyone he ends up facing for the title, Ceja believes his performance in defeat against Guillermo Rigondeaux showed that he can match up well with highly skilled fighters such as Russell.

“This fight on December 5 is an amazing opportunity to fight for a world title,” said Ceja. “We’re only focused on Ramirez, but after this fight, whoever the champion is, that’s who I’m going to be ready to face. I’ll say yes right away. People saw what I did to Rigondeaux and that I was beating him before the referee stopped the fight too early. I showed my strength in that fight and I showed how I would give Gary Russell Jr. problems.”

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ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA
Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Jorge Cota in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus former champion Julio Ceja faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

ARLINGTON, TX. (October 8, 2020) – Unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. will duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 with fans in attendance at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Jorge Cota in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus former champion Julio Ceja faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale Wednesday, October 14 at 10 a.m. CT, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium. Spence vs. Garcia was originally scheduled for November 21.

AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.

The hometown hero Spence will return to fight at AT&T Stadium after putting on a masterful performance in front of an enormous crowd at the Dallas Cowboys’ home last March, when he dominated four-division champion Mikey Garcia on his way to a unanimous decision victory. Possessing dangerous one-punch knockout power, two-division champion Danny Garcia was an indomitable force in the 140-pound division and has been equally powerful at welterweight, winning the WBC title in 2016. He will be looking to regain his 147-pound world title against Spence.

“In the tradition of memorable PBC welterweight clashes, Errol Spence Jr. vs. Danny Garcia will pit two fighters with elite skills and heavy hands against each other in a high-stakes showdown on December 5,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Every time Spence fights in front of his hometown fans it is an unforgettable and energetic evening. We’re excited to be able to bring those fans this great matchup with Spence going up against an elite and always dangerous two-division champion in Danny Garcia. With three all-Mexican wars on the undercard, this FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View is lined up to deliver action fights all night long.”

“We’re thrilled to deliver fans a blockbuster night of boxing headlined by Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr. battling Danny ‘Swift’ Garcia in an exclusive FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View special event,” said Bill Wanger, Executive Vice President, Head of Programming and Scheduling for FOX Sports. “This should be an epic evening of must-see fights, and we’re excited to deliver viewers the next best things to front row seats.”

“What an exciting event to look forward to as we welcome yet another championship fight to AT&T Stadium,” said Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones. “We are honored to once again partner with TGB Promotions and Premier Boxing Champions and provide a top flight boxing match between Errol Spence Jr. and Danny Garcia on December 5.”

This will be the third FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View headlined by Spence (26-0, 21 KOs), whounified welterweight titles in September by besting Shawn Porter in one of the best fights of the year. Spence was launched into stardom when the 30-year-old first captured a welterweight crown by traveling to the U.K. to stop Kell Brook in front of his hometown fans in 2017. He followed up his title-winning victory with triumphs over Lamont Peterson and Carlos Ocampo in 2018.

Fighting out of his native Desoto, Texas, Spence will return to the ring for the first time since miraculously surviving a car accident last October where he was thrown from the vehicle before it crashed. Spence represented the U.S. at the 2012 Olympics before turning pro later that year and scoring knockouts in 10 of his first 12 fights, showing the promise that he would eventually fulfill on the biggest stages of the sport.

“Having my comeback fight be in front of my hometown fans at AT&T Stadium is added motivation and a dream come true,” said Spence. “It means even more because I’m going up against a great champion in Danny Garcia. I know people are looking out to see if I’ve lost a step or won’t be at my best, but I’m 100% focused and everything is on point in training camp. I just can’t wait to go out there on December 5 and put on a show.”

Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) is the latest in a long line of great boxers from Philadelphia who have made their mark on the sport. His run through the super lightweight division and two-year reign as a unified champion is one of the most impressive in modern history as he defeated a string of champions, including, Erik Morales, Amir Khan, Zab Judah, Lucas Matthysse, Nate Campbell and Kendall Holt. Garcia also has been equally impressive at welterweight, defeating former world champions Lamont Peterson, Paulie Malignaggi, and Robert Guerrero.

After dominating the super lightweight division, the 32-year-old Garcia moved up to welterweight where he won the vacant WBC title with a unanimous decision over Guerrero in 2016. He lost a split decision to Thurman in a unification match in 2017 and dropped a narrow unanimous decision to Shawn Porter for the WBC title in 2018. Many observers and fans thought he deserved the decision in those matches. He bounced back from the Porter fight to score a spectacular knockout victory over Adrian Granados in 2019 and most recently dominated Ivan Redkach on his way to a unanimous decision in January.

“I’m very excited to get back in the ring,” said Garcia. “This is going to be my second fight of 2020, even though it’s been a crazy year with the pandemic and everything. I’m glad we’re finally getting back to where we were and that we’ll be able to bring this fight to the fans. This matchup is a mega-fight unification bout. It’s my opportunity to reclaim my spot at the top in this division and become a five-time world champion. Training and sparring has been going really well. I’m extremely prepared for this already and it can’t get here soon enough. Come December 5, I will be crowned unified champion!”

Towering at nearly six-feet six-inches, Fundora (15-0-1, 10 KOs) has used his height and length, combined with power and aggressiveness, to rack up an unbeaten record since turning pro in 2016. The 22-year-old owns two victories in 2020, beating then unbeaten Daniel Lewis by decision in February, before most recently becoming the first fighter to knock out Nathaniel Gallimore with his August triumph on FOX. Fighting out of Coachella, California, Fundora entered the ring three times in 2019, including TKO victories over then unbeaten fighters Donnie Marshall and Hector Manuel Zepeda, plus an exciting split-draw against fellow contender Jamontay Clark.

“I’m thrilled to be back in action on a card of this magnitude to finish the year off,” said Fundora. “We’ll be facing a very experienced opponent in Jorge Cota, who’s someone that always comes to fight and give the fans a great show, just like me. We’re going to train hard to go up against this challenge. I’m certain Cota is doing the same, which is going to make this a great fight on December 5.”

Representing his native Sinaloa, Mexico, Cota (30-4, 27 KOs) bested 154-pound contender Thomas LaManna in his last fight, battering LaManna before stopping him in the fifth-round. The 32-year-old has bounced back from a loss to unified 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo with back-to-back stoppage victories. Cota had won 12 of 14 fights prior to facing Charlo, with his only defeats coming to former unified champion Jeison Rosario and top contender Erickson Lubin.

“I’ve been fighting professionally for 11 years and I know that this fight is do-or-die for me,” said Cota. “I know that if I lose, that could be my last chance to fight for a world title. I will be prepared to retire. So I’m training like everything in my life depends on beating Fundora and that’s how I’m going to fight him on December 5.”

Lopez (37-8, 20 KOs) has long established himself as a fiery competitor and top contender in multiple weight classes and has compiled an impressive resume. He owns victories over Victor Ortiz, Miguel Cruz and Mike Dallas Jr., having given the last two the first defeat of their careers. Additionally, he has squared off against Canelo Alvarez, Andre Berto, Marcos Maidana and Jessie Vargas. In 2019 the Riverside, California native lost a majority decision to Keith Thurman, before most recently knocking out John Molina Jr. last September.

“I’m ready to get back to fighting,” said Lopez. “This is an all-action card, so it’s only right that I’m included on it. I’m expecting a great fight against an excellent fighter in Santana. I’m just working hard to put on the best performance that I possibly can on December 5. This is going to be a fun, tactical fight, but we’re also going to be very aggressive. This type of fight belongs on a huge pay-per-view event like this one. My training camp has gone really well and I can’t wait to steal the show on what I think will be the card of the year.”

Santana (25-8-1, 12 KOs) has taken on the toughest challenges at 147 and 154 pounds and has made his name with his action style throughout a long career as a contender. Santana returns to the ring after losing to former unified champion Jarrett Hurd in January. The Santa Barbara, California native owns a victory over Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz in April 2018 and has faced unified champion Jermell Charlo and former champion Sadam Ali, while also fighting to a six-round draw against former unified champion Julian Williams in 2011.

“Me and Josesito are both throwback blood and guts gladiators,” said Santana. “I have nothing but respect for Josesito. We’re both fighters who have been underdogs throughout our careers and caused problems for the best fighters in the world. That combination is going to make this all all-out war and an instant classic. My motto is train, fight, win. On December 5, there is no other option.”

A former super bantamweight champion, Ceja (32-4-1, 28 KOs) will move up to featherweight as he seeks an opportunity to capture a championship in a second division. Ceja’s 2019 saw him engage in two action-packed battles, dropping a June contest to former champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and most recently fighting unbeaten super bantamweight champion Brandon Figueroa to a draw in November. The 27-year-old captured his 122-pound title with a stoppage of Hugo Ruiz in 2015, and has also challenged for a bantamweight title throughout his career.

“I’m very excited for this upcoming war between two Mexican fighters,” said Ceja. “I’m in Las Vegas and training hard every day. Camp is going perfectly and I will be 100% on December 5 so I can get one step closer to becoming world champion again.”

The 27-year-old Ramirez (23-2-3, 10 KOs) has risen up the featherweight rankings with wins in three of his last four fights since losing to then 126-pound champion Lee Selby in 2017. Fighting out of Sinaloa, Mexico, Ramirez most recently gave Leduan Barthelemy his first career loss via a fourth-round stoppage in their rematch last November, following up on their split-draw the first time they faced off. Overall, Ramirez has won 14 of his last 17 outings.

“I am in fantastic shape for this fight and I’m looking forward to showing off my improved skills once again,” said Ramirez. “I learned a lot in my loss against Claudio Marrero. I believe that I displayed those improvements when I beat Leduan Barthelemy. It was a big statement knocking him out and I can’t wait to make another statement in this fight against Ceja.”

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Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

Sampson boxing proudly announces the re-signing of featherweight contender Eduardo “Zurdito” Ramirez and super welterweight contender Jorge “Demonio” Cota, both of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, to exclusive long-term promotional contracts.

Ramirez (23-2-3, 10 KOs) is a 27-year-old, highly skilled southpaw with fast hands and super defense. He was last seen stopping formerly undefeated Cuban Leduan Barthelemy in four impressive rounds last November in Las Vegas. The pair had previously fought to a controversial draw, but this time Ramirez left no doubt.

Cota (30-4, 27 KOs) is a 27-year-old perennial contender with powerful fists and a hard-nosed relentless free-swinging style. Cota was last seen at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia where he scored a TKO 5 over popular contender Thomas LaManna on the undercard of promotional stablemate Jeison Rosario’s title-winning stoppage of Julian Williams in January of this year.

Both fighters are trained by Pedro and Eduardo Montiel and managed by Manuel Montiel Jr., brothers of five-time world champion Fernando Montiel.

“I have been given many good opportunities in my career and look forward to many more with Sampson Boxing,” said Ramirez. “Sampson told me if I work hard and do my job, he will get me in the right fights and we have both kept our word.”

“I am happy to continue to fight under the Sampson banner,” said Cota. “Sampson never gave up on me. I will continue to fight hard and work to win a world championship for my team.”

Lewkowicz says he’s happy to be continuing his promotional relationship with both Mexican warriors.

“Both of these fighters are from the toughest parts of Mexico and they work everyday for more for themselves and their families. I am honored to remain part of their team and helping them fight their way to better lives. They are both good men who always show up to fight. They are both coming off big victories in their careers and when boxing starts up again, they will both see good opportunities to come.”
About Sampson Boxing

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America. Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, ESPN+, DAZN, VS., FOX, Fox Sports and several international networks. For more information, visit sampsonboxing.com.

LAS VEGAS (November 22, 2019) – The WBC Silver Bantamweight Championship match between Luis Nery and Emmanuel Rodriguez is off of the Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz II FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena this Saturday, November 23.

Nery (30-0, 24 KOs) did not make the 118-pound limit and Rodriguez (22-2-3, 9 KOs) opted not to fight for safety reasons. The match was scheduled to open the pay-per-view portion of the card.

Leduan Barthelemy (15-0-1, 7 KOs) will take on Eduardo Ramirez (22-2-3, 9 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight bout in the pay-per-view opener. Barthelemy and Ramirez were slated to appear on the televised prelims on FS2.

In action now appearing on FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Prelims on FS2 and FOX Deportes, cruiserweight prospect Marsellos Wilder (5-1, 2 KOs) will battle Dustin Long (2-1-2, 2 KOs) in a six-round fight and super featherweight prospect Viktor Slavinskyi (10-0-1, 6 KOs) will take on Mexico’s Rigobert Hermosillo (11-1-1, 8 KOs) in a six-round bout.

Undefeated Shon Mondragon (4-0, 2 KOs) is set to face Nicaragua’s Juan Centeno (4-3-1, 1 KO) in the Prelims swing bout.

The rest of the card is unchanged. Boxing’s longest reigning heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will defend his WBC title against Cuban slugger Luis Ortiz in the main event, plus three-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz takes on Miguel Flores for the vacant WBA Super Featherweight title in the co-main event.

Pay-per-view action also features WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Brandon Figueroa taking on former champion Julio Ceja. Ceja failed to make the 122-pound limit at today’s weigh-in, so he cannot win the belt and it will become vacant if Ceja wins the fight.

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For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepageand www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LAS VEGAS (November 7, 2019) – Undefeated Cuban contender Leduan Barthelemy will square off against former title challenger Eduardo Ramirez in a 10-round super featherweight rematch that headlines FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Prelims on FS2 and FOX Deportes Saturday, November 23 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Barthelemy and Ramirez go toe-to-toe again after originally fighting to a split-draw in their 2017 duel.

Prelims begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and will also feature 17-year-old sensation Vito Mielnicki Jr. in a four-round welterweight bout against North Carolina’s Marklin Bailey and rising super lightweight prospect Omar “El Relámpago”Juarez battling Michigan’s Kevin Shacks in a six-round attraction.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at www.mgmgrand.com or www.axs.com.

Prelims precede the pay-per-view event headlined by boxing’s longest reigning heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder defending his WBC title in a rematch against once-beaten Cuban slugger Luis “King Kong” Ortiz. Three-division champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz will seek a title in another division in the co-main event when he takes on Miguel “El Michoacan” Flores for the WBA Super Featherweight Championship as part of pay-per-view action beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The younger brother of two-division champion Rances and Olympic gold medalist Yan, Barthelemy (15-0-1, 7 KOs) has won back-to-back unanimous decisions in 2019 since the split draw against Ramirez, most recently defeating Jose Cayetano in June. The 30-year-old from Guantanamo, Cuba now lives and trains in Las Vegas and won his first 13 fights after turning pro in 2011.

Ramirez (22-2-3, 9 KOs) followed up the draw against Barthelemy by challenging Lee Selby for the featherweight world title in a bout that he lost by decision in December 2017. The 26-year-old southpaw from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico bounced back from the loss with a stoppage victory over Carlos Jacobo in 2018 and a knockout of Bryan De Gracia in March 2019. He most recently lost a decision to former champion Claudio Marrero in June.

Fighting out of Roseland, New Jersey, Mielnicki (2-0, 2 KOs) burst onto the professional scene in July with a first-round knockout in his debut. The 17-year-old had an exceptional amateur career, compiling a 147-22 record and was named the Most Outstanding Boxer of the 2011 Junior National Golden Gloves amongst many accolades before turning pro. He most recently delivered another first-round knockout while earning his second pro win in September and will look for his third win against the 25-year-old Bailey (6-5, 4 KOs), who fights out of Durham, North Carolina.

The 20-year-old Juarez (5-0, 3 KO) was a highly decorated amateur who turned pro in September 2018 and has been on an active pace thus far. Representing his hometown of Brownsville, Texas, Juarez scored a first round stoppage of Gino De La Paz last time he entered the ring, in action on FS1 in front of his hometown fans in August. He will be opposed by the 28-year-old Shacks (3-4-3, 3 KOs) who fights out of Lansing, Michigan.

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ABOUT WILDER VS. ORTIZ II
Wilder vs. Ortiz II will see boxing’s longest reigning heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder defending his WBC title in a rematch against once-beaten Cuban slugger Luis “King Kong” Ortiz Saturday, November 23 in FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View action live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Three-division champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz seeks a title in another division when he takes on Miguel “El Michoacan” Flores for the WBA Super Featherweight Championship in the co-main event.

Pay-per-view action begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and also features undefeated rising star Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa making the first defense of his WBA Super Bantamweight Title against former champion Julio Ceja while undefeated Mexican power-puncher Luis Nery battles Puerto Rico’s Emmanuel Rodríguez in a matchup of former bantamweight champions.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepageand www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

HOUSTON, TEXAS–Houston, Texas showed up for Jermall Charlo (28-0) tonight in his WBC middleweight title defense against Tv’s The Contender champion Brandon Adams (21-2) at The NRG Arena.

Charlo dominated in every facet of the fight, which opened with Adams taking a cautious approach and working in timid combinations while Charlo consistently came over the top with a speedy overhand right.

The crowd was clearly in thirst of fireworks and a knockout that unfortunately never came, but it wasn’t by lack of effort from the WBC middleweight titlist. At times it looked almost as if Charlo was punching a fire hydrant in Adams, unloading big power punches only for the smaller man to keep coming forward.

Adams applied a gutsy gameplan and pressed Charlo on the inside in the early 300 dollar loan same day and middle rounds, only to be teed off on by Charlo with body shots and uppecuts, to the pleasure of the Houston crowd. The most significant reaction came in the final seconds of the third round when Charlo landed a picture perfect uppercut on the chin of Adams.

While Adams never really was able to get the better of Charlo in a given round he did have his moments, landing stiff right hands sporadically throughout the late rounds, that however did not seem to slow up Charlo’s effort.

The crowd launched into a “Charlo” chant at a few points in the late rounds, hoping to speak a knockout into existence, but Adams was just too game and finished the fight out on his feet. To the surprise of nobody in attendance the final scores read in favor of Charlo at  119-109 and 120-108 two times.

“I wasn’t frustrated that I didn’t get the knockout,” Charlo told SHOWTIME’s Hall of Fame ringside reporter Jim Gray following the fight. “This is boxing and he came out to box. I came out to fight. It was a good fight. The city of Houston, I’ll be back.

“My hand will be alright.  I hurt my hand in like the second round but I kept throwing it. It was obvious my jab wasn’t flowing.” 

“I was coming up here to win,” said Adams. “I was coming to try to take him out in his hometown.  He did what he was supposed to do. He’s a champ for a reason and I take my hat off to hm.

“He’s a much bigger guy, period.  I just tried to put my best foot forward and tried to take him out at the end.”

“Canelo has done a great job of being a champ, Golovkin also,” said Charlo. “Those guys are at the top but there’s always a young underdog and a lion ready to take over. That’s me.”

Erickson Lubin (20-1) looked every bit the star he has been projected to become against French veteran Zakaria Attou (29-6-2).

Lubin stalked the 37 year old with superior hand-speed and peppered in power shots to make an early statement. It was clear that there was blood in the water early on as Attou spent most of the bout on a backstep offering little resistance.

Lubin’s arsenal finally become too much in the middle of the fourth round as he caught Attou in the corner and strafed him with loaded up power shots until Attou fell forward for the knockdown. The Frenchman stumbled to his feet only for his corner to throw the towel prompting the stoppage.

Erickson Lubin moved to 21-1 and acknowledged to Jim Gray his next outing likely will not be for a title, but expressed interest in a marquee name like Austin Trout or Terell Gausha as an opponent.

“I feel like I just came ready,” said Lubin, who has been training with Kevin Cunninham for the last year. “I was just a few steps ahead from the opening bell. I knew I was going to come out here and dominate. After a few shots, he looked hurt. I was going to keep teeing off until he was down or out. 

“I don’t think the Jermell Charlo fight was too soon, there was just a few mishaps in camp. My next fight won’t be for a world title but I definitely want to get in there with a top-10 kind of guy. I just want to prove that I’m one of the top fighters.”

“I’m heartbroken about the injury,” said Attou. “My strategy was to start picking up the pressure after the sixth round. I know that Lubin has never been 12 rounds before, so our plan was to come on in the late rounds and take him out.”

Featherweights Eduardo Ramirez (22-1-3) and Claudio Marrero (23-3, 17 KOs) kicked off the televised portion of the card with an evenly matched display of high-speed chess in the early goings of their eliminator showdown.

The slight underdog Marrero picked up the pace in the third round unloading a nice barrage with Ramirez backed up to the ropes before the Mexican native turned the tide and pivoted his way into an offensive onslaught of his own.

The two southpaws continued to trade blows into the middle rounds, with Marrero consistently finding a home for his jab and following up with clean power shots. Ramirez shook off a few stiff power shots and continued to counter with hard shots of his own to the delight of the Houston crowd.

The back and forth action continued into the late rounds with fatigue setting in on both sides. Neither fighter was able to create a clear separation in the later portion of the bout making for some challenging rounds to score.

Both fighters embraced and pled their case to the crowd following the final bell. Despite a game effort from Ramirez the scores read 116-112 115-113 118-110 in favor of the Dominican southpaw Claudio Marrero.

My strategy was to pressure him all night and break him down,” said Marrero. “He was an awkward fighter that was hard to solve, but I thought I did a good job as the fight went on. I could feel that he was weak in the body so I attacked there and did it well.

“I’m ready for anybody. I always step to the plate and fight who’s in front of me. Bring them on. Leo Santa Cruz could definitely get this action next.”

A disappointed Ramirez said he thought he won the fight. “I disagreed with the judges,” said Ramirez. “I thought it was close but that I won. I dominated enough of the fight to earn it.

“I went forward with my typical Mexican style and attacked all night. I wanted to target the body and I thought I did that well. I want the rematch with Claudio Marrero, that’s my goal.”

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting super welterweight Erickson “Hammer” Lubin taking on French contender Zakaria Attou in a 12-round WBC title elimination bout in the co-main event. Opening the telecast is a WBA featherweight title eliminator between slick Mexican southpaw Eduardo Ramirez and power-punching Dominican Claudio Marrero.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale Monday, May 13 at 12 p.m. CT and can be purchased through Ticketmaster. Charlo vs. Adams is promoted in association with Banner Promotions and The Tournament of Contenders.

“Jermall Charlo is already a star and on June 29 he gets to bring the excitement that follows him into every fight back to his hometown of Houston,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “We can’t wait to see the fans embrace their champion and push him to another electric performance at NRG Arena and live on SHOWTIME. He’s going to have tricky opposition in middleweight contender Brandon Adams, who’s highly motivated to upset Jermall’s homecoming. It’s going to be a great atmosphere in Houston and I’m sure that will propel each man to be at their very best.”

“I am very happy for Brandon to have this great opportunity,” said Artie Pelullo, President of Banner Promotions. “This is the right fight at the right time in Brandon’s career. I want to thank SHOWTIME for giving Brandon this chance to prove he belongs here.”

“Brandon Adams is out to prove once again that The Contender creates world champions and contenders,” said Jeff Wald of The Tournament of Contenders.

The 28-year-old Charlo (27-0, 21 KOs) won a world title at 154-pounds when he scored a devastating third-round knockout of Cornelius Bundrage to win the IBF Junior Middleweight Title in 2015. Born in Richmond, Texas and growing up in Houston, Jermall still trains in Houston with renowned coach Ronnie Shields. He successfully defended his 154-pound title three times, including a devastating knockout of top contender Julian Williams, before moving up in weight to campaign at middleweight.

Jermall proved to be just as dominant at 160 pounds as he was at 154 pounds when he made his middleweight debut by stopping Jorge Sebastian Heiland in the fourth round of their July 2017 bout. He became the interim WBC middleweight champion with a second round knockout victory over Hugo Centeno, Jr. Jermall is one-minute older than his identical twin brother, former champion Jermell Charlo, and most recently defeated Matt Korobov to retain his interim title in December.

“It’s time for me to put up for my city of Houston,” said Charlo. “George Foreman is back and he’s in the middleweight division. That’s the way I feel about fighting in my hometown. You know how hot it gets down here in the summer and no one is going to be able to take this heat that I’m about to deliver. I’ve been working hard with Ronnie Shields and making some adjustments and now you’re going to see me back with the knockout power. I know Brandon Adams is looking at this as a big opportunity, but it’s a big step up for him. The pressure isn’t on him. It’s on me, because I’m fighting in my hometown and I’m going to deliver what the fans have come to expect from me.”

The Los Angeles-native Adams (21-2, 13 KOs) shot up the middleweight rankings by winning the 2018 reboot of The Contender. He is currently ranked fifth by the WBO and seventh by the WBA after beating Ievgen Khytrov, Tyrone Brunson, Eric Walker to make the series’ final, where he defeated Shane Mosley Jr. by unanimous decision in a 10-round fight.

The 28-year-old’s current run came after a three-year absence from the ring following a loss to John Thompson in 2015. He was 17-1 in his first 18 pro fights after turning pro in 2011, with his only loss coming to Willie Monroe Jr.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity and ready to prove that I belong in the conversation as one of the top fighters in the middleweight division,” said Adams. “This is an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down. They must feel that I am beatable, and want to use my name that I built up on The Contender, so now I need to show why I won The Contender and continue my winning ways. Charlo is a solid fighter and he’s a champion for a reason.I look forward to matching skills with him and showcasing my ability.”

Lubin (20-1, 15 KOs) is coming off an impressive TKO victory of Ishe Smith in which Lubin became the first to ever stop the durable former champion. The 23-year-old from Orlando, Florida is looking to get back into world title contention and a victory over Attou will do just that. The only loss of Lubin’s career came in a world title fight against former champion Jermell Charlo in October 2017.

Born in Paris, France Attou (29-6-3, 7 KOs) will be making his U.S debut, having campaigned primarily in his home country. He is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Stefano Castellucci on March 16. Attou is currently riding a seven-fight win streak after having fought to a draw against Emanuele Della Rosa in 2016.

Ramirez (22-1-3, 9 KOs) has strung together two TKO victories since suffering the only loss of his career, in which he dropped a unanimous decision to Lee Selby in a world title match in 2017. The 26-year-old southpaw from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico bounced back from the loss with a stoppage victory over Carlos Jacobo in 2018 and stopped Bryan De Gracia in his last fight on March 2 on SHOWTIME.

Marrero (23-3, 17 KOs) is keen to get back into the championship ranks and wants to remove the sting of losing a unanimous decision to Tugstsogt Nyambayar in his last fight in January. The 30-year-old southpaw from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic won the interim WBA featherweight title with a knockout victory over Carlos Zambrano in 2017. Five months later he lost the title to Jesus Rojas, but he bounced back from that loss with an impressive knockout of then unbeaten Jorge Lara in April 2018.

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

BROOKLYN, NY — In the main event of a Showtime Championship Boxing card in front of 7,329 paid fans at the Barclays Center, WBA world junior middleweight champion Brian “El Boxi” Castaño (15-0-1, 11KO) fought former world champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (25-3-3, 14KO) to a twelve round split draw and retained his title in the process.

It was an impressive American debut for the undefeated 29 year-old Argentine, who brought the pressure to his Lara all night long. Early on, it was Lara’s fight though, as the slick Cuban southpaw peppered in his shots with effectiveness, and moved well laterally, avoiding many of his counterpart’s punches. As the fight progressed, however, especially during the middle rounds, Castaño’s never ending pressure began to overwhelm and smother Lara, who would shell up for ten to fifteen seconds at a time without returned any fire.

Both fighter’s dug in down the stretch, with Castaño still drudging forward, while Lara still found success pot-shotting with that coiled left hand.

At the end of twelve, judge John McKaie scored it 115-113 Lara, Kevin Morgan 115-113 Castaño, and Julie Lederman 114-114, even.

The fight marked Lara’s first bout since his dramatic 2018 Fight of the Year split decision loss to Jarrett Hurd, a fight in which Hurd dropped Lara in the 12th to tip the scorecards in his favor.

For Castaño, who amassed an impressive 181-10 amateur record which included a 2011 win over current welterweight champion Errol Spence, Jr., tonight marked his first defense of his WBA title since winning it via TKO against veteran French fighter Cedric Vitu (47-3, 19KO) in March 2018.

“It was a great fight, but I saw myself winning eight rounds tonight. My punches were much more effective,” Lara said. “He did have pressure but I was dominating the pressure. I was definitely expecting that pressure because he waited a long time for this fight.”

He added, “If we have to fight him again I’ll fight him. Hurd or Castano. Anybody, I’ll have the rematch with both.”

Castaño addressed the media afterwards, as well, saying, “It was a good fight. A clash of styles. I know I won the fight. I feel I was robbed. If he wants the rematch, I’ll give him the rematch.”

Luis “King Kong” Ortiz Decisions Christian Hammer

Luis “King Kong” Ortiz (31-1, 26KO) easily outpointed durable veteran Christian Hammer (24-6, 14KO) in a ten round heavyweight bout, making it three wins in a row for the Cuban southpaw since suffering his lone career defeat — a TKO loss to WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in March 2018.

It was a relatively easy night at the office for Ortiz, who at 238¾ lbs was fighting at his lightest weight since 2015. Ortiz used his jab early to to control the range, peppering in that thundering left hand to keep Hammer honest. Hammer, who was making his US debut, was willing to shell up and let Ortiz fire a few shots before trying to come back and connect with a game changing right.

Early in the second round, it looked like Hammer might have hurt Ortiz, as the big Cuban lost his balance, and dipped low, his glove possibly grazing the canvas. Referee Shada Murdough didn’t rule a knockdown, however, and Ortiz quickly regained composure.

In the fourth round an Ortiz left drew blood from the 31 year-old Hammer’s nose, which seemed to bother him for the remainder of the round as he continually wiped the blood away with the back of his glove. The very next round, Hammer returned the favor, and sent a straight right to the face of Ortiz which immediately produced blood from “King Kong’s” nose.

From the fifth till the final bell, the debatable 39 year-old Ortiz put it in cruise control, banging away at Hammer, who has also come up short against notables Tyson Fury and Alexander Povetkin, without any repercussions.

At the end of the contest, judges Waleska Roldan and John Basile scored it 99-91 and Joseph Pasquale 100-90 all for Ortiz.

“The fight wasn’t what I was expecting. It was a hard fight and my corner really had to work with me,” Ortiz said. “It was a hard fight. After I got the rhythm, I heated up a little bit.”

“I fought a fight that I hadn’t for years, which is box and work,” he continued. “So I’m not disappointed I didn’t knock him out. I showed some of my boxing skills tonight.”

Hammer also spoke after the fight. “Ortiz is a very good and experienced fighter. He’s technical and smart but he’s not as intimidating as people say he is,” he said. “I respect Ortiz but I don’t think he’s the best fighter I’ve ever faced.”

Hammer also chalked up his defeat as a moral victory, adding, “I’m very confident going forward. I know that I can go the distance with anyone and I’m willing to fight anyone. People thought I’d get knocked out but I proved them wrong.”

Ramirez Stops De Gracia In Dramatic Fashion

With one perfectly thrown right uppercut, Mexican featherweight Eduardo Ramirez (22-1-3, 9KO) offset Bryan De Gracia’s (24-2-1, 20KO) equilibrium, zapped his legs of their strength, and moments later, ended their fight in dramatic fashion en route to a TKO9 victory, claiming the WBA’s “Gold” featherweight world title in the process.

It was a back and forth affair, a clash of styles, with the Panamanian assuming the role of aggressor, while Ramirez content to olé his foe and slip in counters. The fight began to heat up as it bore on, with exchanges occurring with more frequency. Toward the end of the fifth, the two let their hands fly with fury, both eating and landing leather. It was De Gracia, however, getting the better of his opponent that round, and capped that exchange with a huge right that landed flush just seconds before the bell.

The seesaw contest continued until the 9th when seemingly out of nowhere, Ramirez landed a fantastically timed right uppercut, thrown under De Gracia’s outstretched jab, that exploded on the Panamanian’s chin and sent him into disarray. Clearly hurt, De Gracia stumbled around the ring trying to regain his balance, but was unable to do so. Ramirez stayed right with De Gracia, unloading the tank, and finally, after one more big right hand that sent De Gracia stumbling back toward the ropes, referee Benjy Esteves stopped the contest at the 2:10 mark of round 9.

Two judges had De Gracia up 77-75 at the stoppage, while the third had it a draw, 76-76. 15rounds.com had Ramirez up 77-75 at the time of the stoppage.

Tonight marked the first time De Gracia fought outside his native Panama. Conversely, for Ramirez, this was the second time he fought on American soil. The Mexican drew with undefeated Cuban southpaw, Leduan Barthelemy in September 2017.

Ramirez’s only career defeat remains his decision loss to Welshman Lee Selby in their 2017 world title fight.

“I‘d like to dedicate this fight to my deceased grandfather,” Ramirez said afterward. “This win is in memory of him.”

He continued, “I definitely knew it was close but my corner kept telling me to keep going and going, and that’s when I caught him.

Edwin Rodriguez Grinds Out UD Over Mitch Williams

Former super middleweight title challenger turned borderline heavyweight, Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (31-2, 20KO) outslugged fellow cruiserweight Mitch “King Kamm” Williams (16-7-3,11KO) en route to a ten round unanimous decision.

The Dominican-American Rodriguez, who tipped the scales just shy of the cruiserweight limit at 198.2 lbs., looked less than impressive, but showed a ton of heart as he stood toe-to-toe, exchanging blow-for-blow with his 36 year-old counterpart. Rodriguez, who now fights out of Stafford, TX, hurt Michigan’s Williams with body shots a few times during the contest, but was unable to deliver definitive blows and stop the rugged southpaw — something a better conditioned Rodriguez may have very well been able to do.

“La Bomba” has now won three in a row since being viciously KO’d by Thomas Williams Jr. in late 2016. His only other professional came courtesy of Andre Ward in their 2013 title fight.

Antonio Russell Brutalizes Cardenas, Stops Him In 6

In the second of three fights broadcast on the Showtime Sports YouTube channel, undefeated bantamweight Antonio Russell (13-0, 11KO) punished seventeen-fight Mexican veteran, Jose Maria Cardenas (16-4, 13KO) en route to a TKO6.

It was a rough and tumble affair, originally slated for 8, that was particularly brutal at times. Towards the end of the first round, Russell uncorked a barrage of hammering rights to the side of Cardenas’ head that eventually crumbled Cardenas to the canvas.

In the ensuing rounds, the Washington DC native, Russell, continued to have his way with the too-tough-for-his-own-good Mexican, who time and again found himself with his back against the ropes, eating Russell punches while attempting to clinch.

Eventually, at the :22 mark of the 6th round, after being tagged with another flurry of Russell blows, the ringside physician jumped onto the ring apron and advised the referee to stop the contest.

Russell, who fights out of the Russell family-owned Enigma Boxing Gym in Capitol heights, MD, had his older brother, WBC world featherweight champion, Gary Russell, Jr. operating as his chief second during the match.

In the second of three fights broadcast on the Showtime Sports YouTube channel, undefeated bantamweight Antonio Russell (13-0, 11KO) punished seventeen-fight Mexican veteran, Jose Maria Cardenas (16-4, 13KO) en route to a TKO6.

It was a rough and tumble affair, originally slated for 8, that was particularly brutal at times. Towards the end of the first round, Russell uncorked a barrage of hammering rights to the side of Cardenas’ head that eventually crumbled Cardenas to the canvas.

In the ensuing rounds, the Washington DC native, Russell, continued to have his way with the too-tough-for-his-own-good Mexican, who time and again found himself with his back against the ropes, eating Russell punches while attempting to clinch.

Eventually, at the :22 mark of the 6th round, after being tagged with another flurry of Russell blows, the ringside physician jumped onto the ring apron and advised the referee to stop the contest.

Russell, who fights out of the Russell family-owned Enigma Boxing Gym in Capitol heights, MD, had his older brother, WBC world featherweight champion, Gary Russell, Jr. operating as his chief second during the match.

Barthelemy Cruises To UD In First Fight Since 2017

Undefeated Cuban super featherweight Leduan Barthelemy (14-0-1, 7KO) returned to the ring for the first time since drawing against Eduardo Ramirez in 2017 and waltzed to a wide 8 round unanimous decision against Mexico’s Miguel Angel Aispuro (11-7-2, 7KO). The southpaw Barthelemy, who is the younger brother of former two-division world champion, Rances Barthelemy, had everything working well tonight. He was patient and precise, scoring with jabs, straight lefts, and counter rights. He mostly forewent any combination punching, however, and because of that was unable to stop Aispuro inside the distance. Nonetheless, Barthelemy notched another “W”, earning scores of 80-72×2 and 79-73 from the judges.

Hitchins Makes Easy Work of Game Morales

Undefeated Mayweather Promotions prospect and Brooklyn native, Richardson Hitchins ran his record up to a perfect 8-0, 4KO with a 4th round TKO stoppage against hard-nosed veteran David Morales (13-10, 13KO). The former 2016 Haitian Olympian wasted no time introducing himself to his Nicaraguan counterpart, immediately going on the offensive, unloading from the opening bell, forcing Morales to fight going backward. After two-plus rounds of battering Morales from post to post and rope to rope, Hitchins finally finished off his foe with a flurry of punches that brought Morales to a knee. Although he beat the ensuing ten count, he was unable to answer the bell for round 4.

Undefeated Mayweather Promotions prospect and Brooklyn native, Richardson Hitchins ran his record up to a perfect 8-0, 4KO with a 4th round TKO stoppage against hard-nosed veteran David Morales (13-10, 13KO). The former 2016 Haitian Olympian wasted no time introducing himself to his Nicaraguan counterpart, immediately going on the offensive, unloading from the opening bell, forcing Morales to fight going backward. After two-plus rounds of battering Morales from post to post and rope to rope, Hitchins finally finished off his foe with a flurry of punches that brought Morales to a knee. Although he beat the ensuing ten count, he was unable to answer the bell for round 4.

Maryland’s Irby Stays Unbeaten, Scores UD Over Okoth

Landover, Maryland’s Tyrek Irby (7-0, KO) made it two-for-two for “Free State” southpaws, grinding out a six round unanimous decision over fellow welterweight Dennis Okoth (2-2-1, 1KO) of Kenya. After scoring a knockdown early in the first, Irby then went on the defensive, counterpunching his way past the aggressive Kenyan. It wasn’t easy or pretty — especially after a clash of heads in round 6 opened a nasty gash above Irby’s right eye — but Irby was able to navigate his way to the win. Ring announcer Miguel Flores failed to announce the actual judge’s scores, but no reason to doubt the decision.

Baltimore’s Anderson Opens Card With Easy Win

In the first of nine fights slated from the Barclays Center, undefeated Maryland southpaw Aaron Anderson (4-0, 3KO) shutout (40-36×3) fellow middleweight Chukka Willis (4-10, 2KO) in a four rounder. The night’s boxing will commence with a Showtime Championship Boxing tripleheader (9pm ET), anchored by undefeated WBA junior middleweight champion Brian Castaño (15-0, 11KO) against former Cuban titleist, Erislandy Lara (25-3-2, 14KO). The broadcast will also feature a ten round heavyweight scrap between former heavyweight title challengers Luis Ortiz (30-1, 26KO) and Christian Hammer (24-5, 14KO) and a twelve round featherweight fight featuring Panama’s Bryan De Gracia (24-1-1, 20KO) and Mexico’s Eduardo Ramirez (21-1-3, 8KO).

BROOKLYN (February 25, 2019) – Hard-hitting Bryan De Gracia will face once-beaten contender Eduardo Ramirez in a 12-round featherweight match live on SHOWTIME Saturday, March 2 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

De Gracia vs. Ramirez replaces the previously scheduled Ricardo Núñez vs. Edner Cherry match after Cherry was forced to withdraw due to a medical issue. The winner of De Garcia vs. Ramirez will capture the WBA Gold Featherweight Championship and be in line to face WBA (Regular) Featherweight World Champion Can Xu.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by former world champion Erislandy Lara challenging undefeated WBA Super Welterweight Champion Brian Castaño and also features Cuban heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz battling Christian Hammer.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment, are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

The Panamanian De Gracia (24-1-1, 20 KOs) will be fighting for the first time in the United States on March 2. The 25-year-old has knocked out seven of his last eight opponents and scored four straight stoppage victories since his one loss to Jorge Sanchez in 2017. De Gracia, who is ranked No. 2 by the WBA at 126 pounds, picked up two victories in 2018, including most recently stopping previously unbeaten Edinso Torres Jr. in August.

Ramirez (21-1-3, 8 KOs) suffered the only loss of his career when he dropped a unanimous decision to then-featherweight champion Lee Selby in December 2017. The 26-year-old southpaw from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico had fought unbeaten Leduan Barthelemy to a draw prior to the Selby fight and most recently bounced back from that loss with a TKO victory over Carlos Jacobo in November.

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