NEW YORK (Dec. 9, 2021) — Featherweight prospect Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials champion at 125 pounds, has signed a multi-year professional contract with Top Rank. Carrington (1-0) turned pro with a unanimous decision victory Oct. 9 on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III undercard.

Carrington hails from Brownsville, Brooklyn, the same neighborhood that produced Mike Tyson, Zab Judah and Shannon Briggs. He will train with the noted Kay Koroma, who is known for working with the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Mikaela Mayer. Carrington’s Top Rank debut is set for Saturday, Jan. 15 on the Joe Smith Jr.-Callum Johnson undercard at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.

“Bruce Carrington is one of the great American amateurs of his generation, and he has the makeup and skills to be a future world champion,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He stood out on the Fury-Wilder III card as someone whose amateur success will translate to the pro ranks.”

Carrington said, “I’ve always admired how Top Rank develops young fighters into champions. I see myself having a long career, and I am excited to perform on ESPN’s platforms. I’ve always had a pro style, and after the Olympic Trials, I knew I was ready to take the next step.”

Carrington missed out on an opportunity to qualify for Tokyo after the American qualifiers were canceled in 2020 and 2021. It was an unfortunate break for the 24-year-old, who began boxing in the Brooklyn gyms at the age of 7. He watched up close as fellow New York City fighters like Danny Jacobs, Luis Collazo, and Curtis Stevens turned into top professionals.

Carrington, whose nickname “Shu Shu” means “the one who rises above all” in Egyptian, finally rose to the top of the amateur heap. As the eighth seed at the Olympic Trials, he defeated the likes of Duke Ragan, the Top Rank signee who earned a silver medal in Tokyo. In addition to Carrington, Top Rank has all five male Olympians from Tokyo under contract: Troy Isley (3-0, 2 KOs), Tiger Johnson (1-0, 1 KO), and silver medalists Ragan (4-0, 1 KO), Keyshawn Davis (3-0, 2 KOs) and Richard Torrez Jr. (pro debut).

By Norm Frauenheim-

Classics never end. Look it up. They are timeless by definition. So, too, is Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder.

A sure sign of it is in the story of the beautiful brawl. It’s still being told, four days after Fury got up twice, scored three knockdowns and finished Wilder in the eleventh round.

Just four days might as well be four decades on a modern clock accelerated by social media. The public attention span lasts about as long as a tweet these days. Here now, forgotten a blink later.

But we’re still talking about Fury-Wilder, rare for a heavyweight fight or any other bout in a crowded schedule full of baseball playoffs and football. Interest endures, not because there will be a fourth fight. No worries, there won’t be.

But the third fight will continue to reverberate, repeated and re-written, mostly because of the personal drama that continues to unfold.

Unlike the definitive end brought on by Fury’s right hand at 1:10 of the eleventh, there are still more rounds to go in this one. The first of many came from Wilder Thursday.

“We didn’t get the win but a wise man once said the victories are within the lessons,” Wilder said through social media. “I’ve learned that sometimes you have to lose to win. Although, I wanted the win I enjoyed seeing the fans win even more. Hopefully, I proved that I am a true Warrior and a true King in this sport. Hopefully, WE proved that no matter how hard you get hit with trials and tribulations you can always pick yourself up to live and fight again for what you believe in.

“Last but not least I would like to congratulate Tyson Fury for his victory and thank you for the great historical memories that will last forever.”

There was a tone of resignation, if not outright concession, in Wilder’s words. It was far from what he told Fury in the fight’s immediate aftermath. Video shows him saying he didn’t “respect” Fury, who went to his corner. Fury also said he refused to shake hands.

Many in the Twitter mob weren’t happy with Wilder’s message. It didn’t go far enough, they said. “Last but not least” angered many. “First and foremost” apparently should have been the lead.

Some also ripped Wilder for his faith. They were unhappy with his reference to God. Their complaints remind a soldier’s son of something he often heard from his father after he returned from combat in some far-flung hellhole. There are no atheists in a foxhole, he used to say.

Wilder had just been under hellish fire in what these days is called a combat sport. I’m not sure how many of those key-board chicken-hawks have experienced, much less endured, incoming punches from a 6-foot-9 heavyweight named Fury. But, please, give Wilder a break.

From this corner, Wilder’s message is another step in a personal evolution. We’ve watched him – and Fury – grow up in a cruel place. While covering the Beijing Olympics 13 years ago, I remember a wide-eyed kid with a bronze medal. He was just happy to be there.

His emergence, first as a heavyweight contender and then a feared champion, has been both unlikely and unsettling. The happy kid changed. Increasingly, he believed in the infallibility of his one-dimensional power. Then suddenly, his deadly right hand failed him.

Fury got up from it in their first fight and eliminated it in their second. In the third, Fury again got up from it and then delivered some cruel irony, knocking out Wilder with his own right hand. For Wilder, it had to be devastating. His sense of self – the singular power that defined him – was gone.

His identity crisis was evident throughout the long delays before the third bout. He called Fury a cheater. His crazy talk included body bags and legal homicide. He wouldn’t – couldn’t — begin to accept defeat.

Until now.

The nice kid in Beijing is beginning to re-emerge, this time with some of the wisdom that comes with a hard-earned maturity.

He reminds me of George Foreman, the biggest power puncher of his generation. A defining photo of Foreman is of a smiling kid waving an American flag in a bear-paw-sized hand after winning gold at the 1968 Mexico City Games.

Like Wilder, however, Foreman’s fundamental good nature got fractured by Muhammad Ali in a devastating loss, the classic Rumble in the Jungle in the former Zaire almost exactly 47 years ago — Oct. 30, 1974.

Foreman was supposed to win. There were even fears that he would hurt Ali. But Ali won, scoring a stunning eighth-round stoppage. The loss changed Foreman.

“For a couple of months, it was like he was in a trance,’’ said Bill Caplan, Foreman’s publicist then and his friend forever. “I couldn’t talk to him.’’

Foreman even had his own conspiracy theories as a way to explain away the loss. He suggested he had been drugged, alleging that somebody put something in his water bottle.

If that sounds familiar, it is. Wilder alleged the same thing after his loss to Fury in the second fight in February 2020.

But eventually Foreman took it back, got over it.

Eventually, Caplan said, Foreman became Ali’s friend.

He grew up, which is what we are seeing Wilder do.

Foreman, himself, marveled at what he saw in Fury-Wilder.

“I’m just so happy to have lived long enough to see the past come alive again,’’ Foreman said on his YouTube platform from a desk that included a photo of Ali in the background. “It was like something out of the past.’’

Foreman also said it’s time to move on.

“We can quit talking about George Foreman, Muhammad Ali, Jack Johnson,’’ he said.

The graceful humility in those words is a Foreman trademark, there now as a 72-year old man just as surely as they were in his flag-waving gesture 53 years ago.

But I, for one, will never quit talking about Foreman, Ali, Johnson or Joe Frazier or Joe Louis or any of the other heavyweights made great by the classics they won. And lost.

In Fury-Wilder, it’s just nice to have another one, alongside all of them.Attachments area

Follow all the action as Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder meet in their trilogy fight for the WBC Heavyweight Title

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Round 1 Right to bidy from Wilder..Left hook..Left hook from Fury..1-2…Big 1-2

Round 2 Right from Fury..Left to body from Wilder..Right to body from Fury..Nice right from Wilder…right from Fury..

Round 3 Jab from Fury…Jab to body from Wilder…Good jab from Fury…Big right from Wilder..Stiff jab from Fury…Right from Wilder..HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES WILDER…Big right..Left hook

Round 4 Good body shot from Fury..HUGE RIGHT FROM WILDER AND DOWN GOES FURY…BIG COMBINATIOMD AND DOWN DOWN GOES FURY

Round 5 Big right from Wilder…Good jab from Fury..left-right…Big uppercut…Good jab..Right from Wilder…

Round 6 Exchanging of rights…2 rights from Fury…Right from Wilder…Right from Fury..uppercut..Hard right..

Round 7 Hard right from Fury..Body shot…Body shot from Wilder…Big Right from Fury..Right from Fury…Right from Wilder..Jab and right..Uppercut hurts Wilder..Right..

Round 8 Jab frm Fury..Right..right and uppercut…Hard right from Wilder..Left from Fury..2 rights wobble Wilder..Big right

Round 9 Doctor looks at Fury…Right to body from Wilder…Good combination..Jab from Fury..Right hurts Wilder..Right from Wilder…hook from Fury..right..Uppercut from Wilder…

Round 10 Big right from Fury and another…body shot..HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES WILDER…Big from Fury…Big right..Right from Wilder…Big uppercut from Fury wobbles Wilder..Big flurry from Wilder

Round 11 Jab from Fury…Big right..Hard body shot…Good uppercut..right…HUGE RIGHT…DOWN GOES WILDER FACE FIRST…FIGHT OVER

LAS VEGAS – It was wild. Wildly chaotic. Wildly sloppy. It careened from reckless to dangerous, from crazy to classic.

Wildly wonderful.

In the end, the wild victory belonged to Tyson Fury, who scored a knockdown in the third round, got up twice in the fourth, scored another knockdown in the tenth and finished exhausted Deontay Wilder in the eleventh.

The end, the closing blow, at 1:10 of the eleventh Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena was appropriate for a heavyweight title fight that included just about everything.

Amid the chaos, it was clean and crisp. It was a right hand that traveled through midair looking like an orbiting projectile.

It landed, ground zero, on the side of Wilder’s face. He was out. Unconscious, he fell along the ropes and onto the canvas, a wild man in name only.

For Wilder, there was some cruel irony that the end would come at the end of Fury’s right hand. The right was his defining weapon. It’s how he climbed to the top of the division. In the end, it his rival’s right that brought him down, toppled him and perhaps his career.

“I hope he goes down in history as a great fighter,’’ Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) said during an interview in the middle of the ring moments after the fourth. “I hope.’’

Fury won’t have to hope about his place in history.

“Like the great John Wayne said: Iron and steel, baby,’’ Fury said.

Wayne, iron and steel endure. So, too will the memory of this, Fury’s defining triumph.

“I have never seen a heavyweight fight like this,’’ said Fury co-promoter Bob Arum, who promoted the great Muhammad Ali. “Two tremendous warriors.’’

Fury might not be the most refined heavyweight. He’s not Ali. But he ranks as one of the smartest ever in the fabled division. At 6-foot-9 and jiggly, nobody would pick him out of a lineup as a world heavyweight champ. He doesn’t look the part.

Even against Wilder (42-2-1, 41 KOs), his midsection shook like Jello. But it shook because he was bouncing on his toes, resilient as ever after knockdowns that might have been the end of any other heavyweight.

At times, it looked as if it might be enough for Wilder to win the third fight in a turbulent trilogy with Fury. He hurt Fury in the fourth, knocking him down for the first time within those three minutes with the deadly punch.

But Fury got up, looking composed as he sat down on a stool with Wilder’s likeness emblazoned on top of it. Fury sat there, looking as though he knew he would eventually flush Wilder away in defeat.

He could see the doubt, then fatigue in Wilder’s eyes. With patience and then power, he would finish him. And he did.

“Don’t ever doubt me,’’ said Fury, who retained his lineal and World Boxing Council titles. “When the chips are down, I will always deliver.’’

There was no post-fight reaction from Wilder. He was taken to the emergency room at a Las Vegas hospital. There was no immediate word on his condition.

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Frank Sanchez wins unanimous decision

There was controversy. When is a knockdown really a knockdown? Who knows? There appeared to be no answer in a strange seventh round of a heavyweight bout between Frankie Sanchez and Efe Ajagba. 

In the end, it didn’t matter. Sanchez made sure of it. He had all of the other answers. Foot speed and accuracy were enough for Sanchez (19-0, 13 KOs) to score a unanimous decision over Ajagba (15-1, 12 KOs) in the final fight before the third step in the Fury-Wilder trilogy.

In the seventh, a long right from Sanchez appeared to put Ajagba onto one knee. The Cuban heavyweight quickly followed with a left uppercut that put the Nigerian on his butt. But there was no count, no point reduction, no nothing from referee Mike Ortega.

It was as if it didn’t happen. Truth is, it had no impact on the result. There’s no doubt about Sanchez’ victory.

Helenius wins sixth-round TKO

There were low blows. There was confusion. In the end, there was only Robert Helenius.

Helenius (31-3, 20 KOs), a Swede who sparred with Deontay Wilder at his Alabama training camp for Saturday night’s third fight with Tyson Fury, emerged from it all with a victory over Polish heavyweight Adam Kownacki (20-2, 15 KOs). Officially, it was a TKO at 38 seconds of the sixth round. Initially, it looked to be a disqualification of Kownacki for throwing a low blow.

A low blow from Kownacki in the third sent Helenius to the canvas in evident pain. Helenius had been dominating most of the fight, which started with him landing a big right onto Kownacki’s left eye. By the third round, it looked as if the eye was swollen shut.

Jared Anderson rolls on, scoring second-round TKO

He is being hyped as the heavyweight of the future. That future got a little closer Saturday night in the first fight on an all heavyweight pay-per-view card featuring Fury-Wilder.

Jared Anderson (10-0, 10 KOs), of Toledo OH,  rocked and rolled all over Russian Vladimir Tereshkin (22-1-1, 12 KOs), leaving him dazed, defenseless and defeated within just two rounds.

Anderson fired a succession of punches, a blend of power and speed, all while moving forward. Tereshkin never had a chance. Referee Kenny Bayless ended it, a TKO, with the Russian standing motionless and helpless at 2:51 of the second round. 

Berlanga survives knockdown, wins decision.

Edgar Berlanga‘s apparent ride to a world title suddenly took a couple of unexpected turns. Both took him to places he’s never been. Never heard. 

First, there was the canvas. He was knocked flat on his back. 

Then, there were boos. 

In the end, Berlanga escaped with his unbeaten record (18-0, 16 KOs) intact. He won a  decision, unanimous on the cards but not so unanimous in a crowd gathering for the Fury-Wilder heavyweight collision. He beat a tireless Argentine, Marcelo Coceres (30-3-1, 16 KOs), whose ceaseless movement confused him throughout 10 rounds. Then, there was Cocere’s right hand. That nearly stopped him.

The right put Berlanga down in the ninth of 10 rounds. He got up, surprised and perhaps embarrassed. But he was never able to really elude the right or catch Cocere’s with a clean shot of feared power. But he did enough, at least in the judges’ eye’s. All three scored it 96-93

Julian Williams loses split decision

Julian Williams started fast. Faded late.

In the end, he fell, losing a split decision to bloodied, yet resilient Vladimir Hernandez in a junior-middleweight bout, the fourth fight on the card featuring Fury-Wilder.

Williams (27-3-1, 16 KOs) , a former 154-pound champion, was in control early. He cut Hernandez (13-4, 6 KOs)badly. Blood streamed from a nasty wound at one corner of Hernandez’ eye. The Mexican looked beaten. But he wasn’t. He began rocking Williams with precise shots midway through the 10-rounder. At times in the final two rounds, Williams looked exhausted. Hernandez saw the fatigue. So did a small crowd. So, too did, two of the judges. On two cards, it was 96-94 and 97-93 for Hernandez. On the third, it was 96-94 for Williams.

Robeisy Ramirez wins a yawner

It was a unanimous decision. A unanimous bore, too.

Featherweight Robeisy Ramirez (8-1, 4 KOs) put on a performance that made Guillermo Ringondeaux look exciting. Still, it was enough for a 99-91, 97-93, 99-91 decision over Olrando Gonzalez (17-1, 10 KOs on the Fury-Wilder undercard..

Ramirez is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, including a victory over Shakur Stevenson in the gold-medal bout at the 2016 Rio Games. He must have put Stevenson to sleep with his slick, no-risk tactics. No wonder nobody watches Olympic boxing any more.

Featherweight prospect scores shutout in debut

Bruce Carrington, a potential featherweight prospect from Brooklyn, scored a shutout in his debut.

He won, beating Cesar Cantu (3-2, 1 KO) in a professional introduction that was a unanimous success on the scorecards and to the handful of fans seated at T-Mobile a few hours before the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder heavyweight title fight. He won, 40-36, on all three cards.

Carrington’s combination of power and hand-speed repeatedly rocked Cantu, a tough Texas who somehow stayed on his feet throughout the four rounds.  

First Bell: Heavyweight Viktor Faust wins third-round TKO

LAS VEGAS — It started early. It ended early.

A heavyweight card featuring Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder began with a heavyweight matinee
Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. 

Unbeaten Ukrainian Viktor Faust (8-0, 6 KOs) flashed his power quickly, knocking Mike Marshall  (6-2-1, 4 KOs) off balance and forcing him to slip in the second round of a scheduled eight. A round later, Faust finished the job, scoring a crushing knockdown of Marshall, of Danbury, CT, down. Marshall was dazed and done, a TKO loser at 1:49 of the third.

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS – Tyson Fury stepped onto the official scale four pounds heavier for his third fight Saturday night with Deontay Wilder than he was for his victory in their rematch.

Fury didn’t take off his shirt or his black hat. Both might have weighed more than four pounds. But Fury was in no mood to pose – or perhaps expose a soft belly – after his weight was announced at 277 at Friday’s weigh-in. He only wanted to taunt and promise.

He did that, with a series of off-the-scale threats at Wilder, who was seven pounds heavier (238) than he was for his rematch loss (231).

The weight, Fury said, “means total obliteration of the Dosser.’’

Wilder stood and stared back through glasses dark enough to hide what had to be a darkening intent.

Wilder is seeking vengeance in an attempt to regain the World Boxing Council’s heavyweight title defense Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in a Fox/ESPN pay-per-view bout.

Fiury was at 273 pounds 19 months ago when he dominated Wilder in a seventh-round stoppage for the WBC belt.

A heavier Fury was no surprise. He had hinted repeatedly that he had added pounds. But he was from the 290 that been speculated during the days before the weigh-in.

Both fighters have been climbing up the scale throughout the trilogy.

Fury was 16.5 pounds heavier for the rematch than he was for their first fight, a draw, in December 2018 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

That’s when a 256.6-pound Fury got up from two knockdowns. Wilder was at 212.5 for the first fight.

A heavier Fury proved to be more effective in the rematch. The added weight allowed him to suffocate Wilder with size and early aggression. The tactic forced Wilder to retreat. Wilder, who has never shown he can fight off his back foot, was never able to land his big right.

Fury goes into the third fight promising to stop Wilder earlier than he did in the second fight.

Fury might have to. If the fight goes into the late rounds, he might tire, make a mistake and walk into a deadly right hand that Wilder calls “the power of God.’’

 •   Tyson Fury 277 lbs vs. Deontay Wilder 238 lbs 
(Fury ‘s WBC & Lineal Heavyweight World Titles — 12 Rounds)
Judges: Tim Cheatham, Dave Moretti and Steve Weisfeld
Referee: Russell Mora

•      Efe Ajagba 237 lbs vs. Frank Sanchez 240 lbs 
(NABO and WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Titles — 10 Rounds)

•    Robert Helenius 246 lbs vs. Adam Kownacki 258 lbs 
(Heavyweight — 12 Rounds)

•    Jared Anderson 240 lbs vs. Vladimir Tereshkin 256 lbs 
(Jr. NABF Heavyweight Title — 8 Rounds)

(ESPN2 & ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT)

•  Edgar Berlanga 168 lbs vs. Marcelo E. Coceres 166.5 lbs 
(Vacant NABO Super Middleweight Title — 10 Rounds)

   •   Julian Williams 156.5 lbs vs. Vladimir Hernandez 153.5 lbs
 (Junior Middleweight — 10 Rounds)

(ESPN APP 4:50 p.m. ET / 1:50 p.m. PT)

•  Robeisy Ramirez 126 lbs vs. Orlando Gonzalez 126 lbs 
(Jr. NABF Featherweight Title — 10 Rounds)

   •   Bruce Carrington 127 lbs vs. Cesar Cantu 127 lbs
 (Featherweight — 4 Rounds)

   •   Viktor Faust 233 lbs vs. Mike Marshall 242 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 8 Rounds)

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS – Deontay Wilder, a man with many more personalities than punches, once talked about legal homicide. Now, he’s talking about love.

He’s changed all right, which is exactly what he promised to do after Tyson Fury fractured his identity in a one-sided stoppage more than a year-and-a-half ago

But it’s hard to know if the changes are real or rhetoric. Has he evolved? Repaired his sense of self after Fury stripped him of his defining power? Or is he role playing? It’s impossible to know. At least, it is until his heavyweight trilogy with Fury unfolds Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Call Wilder the biggest wild card in a bout hard to pick because of the 19 months that have come and gone since either fighter has answered an opening bell. There are questions after the long stretch of idle time amid a Pandemic and postponements brought on by legal issues and Fury’s positive tests for COVID.

A lot has led up to the third fight. The first two fights left plenty of clues about what to expect Saturday night. Yet, the third bout is wrapped in mystery. It’s almost as if they are starting over. At least, Wilder hopes so.

He has Malik Scott in his corner instead of Mark Breland, who threw in the towel midway through the seventh round, halting an embarrassing beatdown from Fury in the rematch. He still calls Breland disloyal, a word he used again Wednesday during an exchange with Fury during a heated news conference.

“Mark Breland, he saved your life that night,’’ Fury said. “You ought to have given him a pay raise.’’

What was striking about Fury’s edgy rip – one of many, however, was in Wilder’s reaction. He hasn’t changed his mind about Breland, who ranks among one of the good guys in a business without enough of them.

Wilder didn’t apologize, not for Breland or allegations that Fury cheated. But he didn’t go on a rant, either.

Throughout the newser, Wilder remained seated while Fury paced.

“I detect some nervous energy,’’ Wilder told him, sounding a little bit like a dispassionate psychiatrist analyzing an anxious patient.

“Insecure piece of shit,’’ Fury fired back.

It was at that point that the Wilder from six months might have jumped up and gone Mike Tyson on Fury. Didn’t happen. This time, there was no talk of body bags. The crazy Wilder of June was gone. This was the composed Wilder. He was happy and calm just a couple of days before a chance to wreak havoc against a bitter rival.

“With me and my team aboard, we all understand everything that has happened,’’ Wilder said during a Zoom call a couple of weeks before the news conference. “We’re just looking forward to it. We all smile. You know, we all laugh.

“You know, I always talk about the love I have in my camp. And it is so real. You know, I love to display it. I love to talk about it because, you know, so many people look for this type of love, because there’s so many fake people out there that show fake love. 

“And I know for sure if I see love, it’s between the family that I have within my team and my brotherhood that I have with all my guys. You know, and that means a lot to me.”

The imminent Fox/ESPN pay-per-view date won’t exactly be a lovefest. But peace and harmony in Wilder’s corner might be a sign that he and Scott are communicating. 

There’s an old theory that experienced fighters don’t change, at least not much. Wilder is 35. He’s fought 44 times (42-1-1, 41 KOs). He successfully defended the World Boxing Council’s version of the heavyweight title 10 times. It’s a comprehensive resume, one which says that new tricks in this old warhorse are unlikely.

Fury, who survived Wilder’s deadly right hand in the first fight and nullified it in the second, is confident he has seen every Wilder dimension. There’s been only one: That right.

Wilder promises more, saying Scott has found heretofore dormant weapons in a skillset that had started and ended with the right. There’s a guessing game that Wilder will enter the ring, planning a small adjustment that will allow him to create the space he needs for the leverage to throw – and land — the right. 

In the rematch, Fury suffocated him, leaving him no space. No leverage. In the end, Wilder was left with only an identity crisis.

Maybe, he has conquered it. If he has, he has a chance.Attachments area

LAS VEGAS (October 7, 2021) – Fighters competing on the stacked undercard leading up to the highly anticipated Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder III heavyweight title trilogy showdown previewed their respective showdowns before they enter the ring this Saturday, October 9 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The press conference featured fighters competing on the ESPN+ PPV and FOX Sports PPV that will see 2016 Nigerian Olympian “The One and Only” Efe Ajagba and fellow unbeaten Frank “The Cuban Flash” meet in the 10-round co-main event, heavyweight contenders Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius and Adam “Babyface” Kownacki square off in a 12-round rematch and 21-year-old sensation Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson and Russian veteran Vladimir Tereshkin battle in the eight-round PPV opener.

The press conference also included fighters competing in preliminary bouts airing on ESPN2 and FS1, as super middleweight knockout artist Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga faces former title challenger Marcelo Esteban “El Terrible” Coceres in a 10-round showdown, plus former unified 154-pound champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams returns to take on Mexico’s Vladimir Hernandez in a 10-round bout.

Fury vs. Wilder III tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.tmobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:

EFE AJAGBA

“I want to thank my whole team for giving me this opportunity on the undercard for this big heavyweight championship fight. I’m really looking forward to Saturday.

“Sanchez made a mistake calling me out. It’s a huge mistake. He better be ready for what I’m bringing.

“We’ve been working on a lot of new different things that you’re going to see in this fight. If he wants to test my power, we’ll see if he can stand up to it.

“It’s been great to be sparring with Tyson Fury because it gives me a lot of good experience. I’ve learned a lot from that work. He puts pressure on me to keep moving in the ring and throwing combination punches.”

FRANK SANCHEZ

“This is a very big fight for me. I’m going to show that I’m a champion and that I’m coming here to win.

“I’ve been looking for this fight against Efe for a long time. I know that I can beat him and I’m going to beat him on Saturday.

“It’s been a great experience training with Eddy Reynoso and I’m learning a lot from him and Canelo. They’ve supported me a lot heading into this fight. Canelo has taught me to be focused and calm in the ring, and most importantly to have confidence in the work that I put into this fight.

“What I’ve seen is that Efe relies on his power. He doesn’t have the boxing skills that I do. Once he faces someone like me, who has a lot of different tools, then it’s going to be different for him.”

ROBERT HELENIUS

“I don’t see myself as an underdog. I’ve never seen myself that way. I know what I can do in the ring and I’m planning to do it again, just like in the first fight.

“Sparring with Deontay Wilder for three weeks was very helpful. It really helped me get used to the time difference. But we also had sparring partners other than Deontay to help us prepare for Adam’s style.

“I’ve been boxing for over 20 years. But this is going to be the best Robert Helenius that you’re ever going to see.”

ADAM KOWNACKI

“The people I surround myself with have helped me focus throughout this time since my last fight. I’m glad he says that he’s at his best right now, so there will be no excuses when I beat him this time.

“This means everything to me. I’ve been training very hard for this fight. It’s do or die for me. I have to prove that the last fight was an accident and that it won’t happen again.

“I got reckless in our first fight. I wasn’t listening to my coach like I should have. I needed to use my jab a lot more.

“Right now I’m just focused on Robert. I learned that if you look too far forward, something will hit you in the face. I’m only focused on Robert Helenius.”

JARED ANDERSON

“My confidence is always through the roof. The great sparring I get with Tyson Fury helps because he supports me and gives me pointers. It’s nice to be prepared like that before I actually step in there.

“It means a lot that Fury is supporting me. It lets everyone know that I’m a name to be reckoned with and that everyone has to look out for me.

“My level of competition is continuing to grow. Tyson said that I’m a totally different fighter from the last camp he worked with me. We’re just working on being the best that I can be.

“I don’t think that I have anything to prove because I have nothing to lose. That’s what makes me an incredibly dangerous opponent. Make sure you tune in, because we’re going to war for sure.”

VLADIMIR TERESHKIN

“I’m very ready to fight on this huge event. I’m happy and I know a lot about my opponent. I’ve done great preparation and we’re going to win.

“My opponent is a strong fighter but I’m prepared as well as I ever have been. He’s going to have to be ready for what I bring to the ring just like I’m going to be.”

EDGAR BERLANGA

“When I fight, I bring fireworks. I’m just a different type of fighter with a different type of energy. I belong on a major card like this.

“It was a blessing to get rounds in during my last fight. I got the experience that I needed. It’s going to help my career knowing that feeling. My power was still there and we got the job done that night.

“We have a game plan for Saturday and we’re going to execute it like I always do. We’re not going to the scorecards. Get your popcorn ready and tune-in.”

MARCELO ESTEBAN COCERES

“I’m ready for this big opportunity. I’m happy to be here and ready to take advantage of this chance .

“I’m just coming to bring my fight and execute my game plan. I’m not going to give away too many details, but we’re coming to win on Saturday.

“I don’t like to study my opponents too much. Because they can switch game plans. My team has looked at some of his fights and we’ve just gone from there.”

JULIAN WILLIAMS

“It almost feels like I’m making my pro debut on a big card because it’s been so long since I’ve been in the ring. It’s been a good thing in some ways. I was able to recharge my batteries. Sometimes rest is good and I took full advantage of it.

“The 154-pound division is still wide open. We have two main guys with Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano, but there’s no clear cut best guy. There’s still room for me to come in and seize the day.

“I respect that Hernandez is coming to fight and bring his best. But just wait until Saturday, because I have something in store for him.”

VLADIMIR HERNANDEZ

“I’m very excited to have this opportunity. I had great preparation for this bout and I’m ready for Julian Williams.

“Alfredo Angulo was a big opportunity and this is an even bigger one. I’m going to take full advantage of it.

“This is a very different opponent than Angulo. He’s a lot faster and he’s a very tough fighter. We’re ready for a war. I’m coming with everything I have for my Mexican people.”

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LAS VEGAS (October 6, 2021) – WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and former heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder previewed their highly anticipated heavyweight title trilogy showdown at the final press conference Wednesday before they step in the ring this Saturday, October 9 live on ESPN+ PPV and FOX Sports PPV from T-Mobile Arena.

Face to face for the first time since originally announcing the trilogy showdown in June, Fury and Wilder exchanged words during the heated press conference, rehashing the numerous dramatic twists and turns that have made up their rivalry, while promising to end their feud in the ring on Saturday.

Fury vs. Wilder III tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.tmobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

The fighters were joined on stage by their respective trainers, SugarHill Steward (Fury) and Malik Scott (Wilder). Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday:

TYSON FURY

“I’ve just been training and taking it day by day. All we can do is live one day at a time. Every day that we wake up is a blessed day.

“All these fights are exactly the same to me. Some guy is trying to take my head off. No matter who it may be, they don’t matter to me. It’s the Tyson Fury road show and it has continued for 13 years.

“Wilder is a weak person mentally and I’m going to knock him out on Saturday night. I obliterated him in the rematch and I see much more of the same in the third fight.

“I’m the last man standing between me, Deontay and Anthony Joshua. I’m the last one undefeated. I’m the two-time heavyweight champion and I’ve never lost a fight. That’s history.

“Me and Sugarhill go back to like 2010 in Detroit. We have a great bond going. To have any successful relationship, you have to have good communication. We’ve got that. We just gel together.

“It’s not easy for me to pick a trainer because I’m outspoken and do outlandish things. I have to have someone on the same wavelength to match that and I’ve definitely found a match with Sugarhill.

“He says he wants to do bad things to me and that he’s got all this anger and aggression. Those who hold hot coals with aggression are the ones who get burned. He knows he’s lost twice and that he’s going to lose the third time.

“He’s in denial and he’s getting knocked out. His legacy is in bits. I knocked him out and now I’m going to retire him.”

DEONTAY WILDER

“I don’t have anything to prove. I’m in a great place and in a great state of mind. I have a lot of great people around me. This fight is about redemption, retaliation and retribution.

“We’ve been going from day one since the last fight. There’s been no stop. The delays have been beneficial for us. One thing about this camp, is that I’ve had all of my brothers around me who’ve been with me from the start.

“Many people thought I was down and out, but it wouldn’t be fair to the people around me to feel that way. My dedication has been focused every day.

“Over training is a real thing and we’ve been able to take small breaks at certain times before getting back at it. Everything has been good and timed out perfectly.

“Saturday night is going to be a different fight. It’s rare that we get trilogies like this and I truly believe this one is going down in history.

“It’s only made me better as a man and as a fighter to see certain things that happened in the second fight. It’s made me even hungrier than before. I needed everything that happened in that fight. It was really a blessing in disguise.

“I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Your legacy only dies when the desire for the sport dies. I’m well alive right now.

“My energy is like my mind, it’s very violent. I’m just ready to go October 9. I’ve dedicated myself and devoted my time and my body, me and my team, to reinventing myself. I’m ready to reintroduce myself to the world.

“Get ready for war. This is going to be an amazing fight on Saturday night. I’m wearing my red outfit because I want it back in blood. I’m looking forward to it.”

SUGARHILL STEWARD, Fury’s Trainer

“Training Tyson Fury has been just about making him better. He was already an exceptional boxer before I started training him. We fine-tuned those skills and understood some things that he didn’t see. Most importantly, it’s just about being ready. When he’s ready, he’s unstoppable.

“Tyson Fury is very conscious of Deontay’s abilities. We’re just concentrating on being sharp and being focused. There’s always more to learn in boxing and Tyson is learning and having fun with it.

“It’s exciting to be here. I believe in what the Wilder camp has been working on. I’ve looked at the clips. It gets me motivated to keep working with Tyson. We’re expecting nothing less than a knockout.”

MALIK SCOTT, Wilder’s Trainer

“I’m a student of the game. Deontay, in my opinion, ruled the heavyweight division just using one or two weapons. Being in training with him, I used to always say that a lot of his skills weren’t being used. He got content knocking people out with one weapon.

“I went into Deontay’s toolbox and pulled everything out that he did well. I wanted to make sure that we drilled it over and over again. I didn’t teach him anything new. Deontay Wilder can do it all, I just pulled some of those things out of him.

“When it comes to working on Deontay’s fundamentals, he has good fundamentals, he just didn’t always use them. I’m just reminding him about tools that he wasn’t using.”

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LAS VEGAS (October 5, 2021) – WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and former heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder made their grand arrivals in Las Vegas Tuesday evening to officially kick off fight week for their highly anticipated heavyweight title trilogy showdown taking place this Saturday, October 9 live on ESPN+ PPV and FOX Sports PPV from T-Mobile Arena.

The resumption of one of the great heavyweight feuds, Fury vs. Wilder III fight week began with both fighters stating their intention to settle this rivalry once and for all on Saturday night

Fury said, “You can go to college and get a master’s degree in nearly two years, so for a boxer, that’s very easy to do. No matter what Deontay Wilder does, I’m still going to knock him the fu*k out!”

“I see me beating him up and then knocking him out,” said Wilder. “I’m going to put on a great performance Saturday night.”

Fury vs. Wilder III tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.tmobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

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For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.toprank.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @trboxing, @TGBPromotions, @TMobileArena and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/trboxing.

LOS ANGELES – ESPN and FOX Sports announce broadcaster assignments for Fury vs. Wilder III fight week with three former champions, veteran hosts and Hall of Famers set to call the action from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  

Highlighting the week, three-time world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis returns with undefeated former two-division world champion and 2004 U.S. Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward to call ring action with veteran play-by-play announcer Brian Kenny on Saturday, Oct. 9, at 9:00 PM ET.    

Helming the desk will be FOX Sports host Kate Abdo, along with two-time welterweight champion Shawn “Showtime” Porter and well-known ESPN boxing commentator Max Kellerman. Abdo will also host the weigh-in (Friday, October 8, on ESPN2 and FS2 at 5:00 PM ET) and the main event press conference (Wednesday, Oct. 6, on ESPN2 and FS1 at 5:00 PM ET). Joining her for the weigh-in are Porter, Lewis and Ward. Kenny moderates the main event press conference alongside Porter and Lewis. 

FOX PBC reporter Heidi Androl will join ESPN commentator, Bernardo Osuna, to handle reporting duties for fight night. Osuna will also handle fighter interviews during the weigh-in show and serve as interpreter on fight night, while International Boxing Hall of Famer Larry Hazzard returns as the unofficial scorer and rules expert. 

Rounding out the broadcaster lineup for the week is ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr., who will appear at all three events. The Hall of Famer returns after announcing Wilder vs. Fury II. 

Spanish-language coverage for Fury vs. Wilder III includes play-by-play from FOX Deportes’ Adrián García Márquez and four-weight world champion Erik Morales, along with famed ESPN Deportes broadcaster David Faitelson and veteran ESPN Deportes boxing journalist Carlos Nava with analysis. FOX Deportes’ Jaime Motta provides live reporting and interviews ringside.  

Wilder vs. Fury III production will include a unique mixture of innovative camera mounts, super slow motion and high resolution. FOX Sports will add a pair of JitCam cranes on opposite sides of the rings, one with the ability to move up to 100 feet along a track from one side of the venue to the other. A Dynamicam, a mini three-axis cable cam system, functioning as a wired “drone” on the reverse side of the ring, will fly over the audience. A super high-resolution “c360” camera will be used above the ring in the place of a conventional robotic overhead to allow infinite zoom and pan functions to that position. 

Additionally, FOX Sports will have an ultra-slow-motion camera on the reverse side of the ring, sporting a one-of-a-kind high-resolution lens to give a cinematic “Raging Bull” feel to replays.  In addition, there will be several wireless cameras, including FOX Sports’ Megalodon shallow depth-of-field camera, made famous as part of FOX NFL coverage last season. 

Of the 30-plus cameras, all ring coverage will be in super slow mo. On the audio front, FOX Sports will employ more than 50 wired and wireless microphones, including mics on referees and trainers.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 14.9 million subscribers. 

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

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst. 

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing FOX Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets.  Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, the business has ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing relationships.  FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Network; FS1, FS2, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports’ digital properties include FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App, which provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, instant scores, stats and alerts to iOS and Android devices. Additionally, FOX Sports and social broadcasting platform Caffeine jointly own Caffeine Studios which creates exclusive eSports, sports and live entertainment content. Also included in FOX Sports’ portfolio are FOX’s interests in joint-venture business Big Ten Network, a licensing and commercial relationship with The Stars Group that created the FOX Bet sports betting platform and the FOX Bet Super 6 free-to-play game, as well as a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.

For more information, visit: 

FOX Sports Press Pass or ESPNPressRoom www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.toprank.com, www.foxdeportes.com and www.espn.com/boxing

By Norm Frauenheim –

Tyson Fury, street-corner philosopher and street-wise pugilist, has no illusions about what he does for a living.

“It’s not rocket science,’’ he said.

Sometimes, it’s not even Sweet Science.

That bring us to Fury’s third fight with Deontay Wilder on Oct. 9 for Fury’s heavyweight title at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

The long-awaited third chapter in the heavyweight trilogy is a lot of things. There’s rancor, trash-talk, some cheap drama, a little bit of mystery and an element of risk. The theatrics make it interesting.

But science, rockets or sweet, don’t figure to be a big part of the show. That might have to wait, perhaps for a Fury-Oleksandr Usyk fight in a division turned on to its top-heavy head last Saturday by Usyk’s skillful upset of Anthony Joshua in London.

Usyk took Joshua’s collection of belts, scoring a unanimous decision in a stunner that some argue places him at the top of the heavyweight ranks, ahead of even Fury, the World Boxing Council champion who also has a claim on the lineal title.

Fury, who knows a lot more about The Sweet Science than he does rockets, is not ready to step down or aside for anybody. No surprise there.

“Not a man born from his mother can beat me,’’ he said in a zoom call with reporters Wednesday.

No comment from Usyk’s mom, yet. But you get the idea.

Usyk, who waits on a contracted rematch with Joshua, is on Fury’s horizon and will stay there if there is no single misstep that will allow Wilder to land his right hand. The power in that Wilder right is scary.

“I only got one fight on my mind and that’s Deontay Wilder, the most dangerous heavyweight in the world right now,’’ Fury said.

The danger is there, all right. It nearly finished Fury in their first fight in December 2018, when Fury got up twice in a draw. Fury survived the power. Remembers it. Understands it, too.

He neutralized it in an embarrassing rout of Wilder in February 2020, forcing Wilder’s corner to throw in the towel after six-plus rounds. Then, Fury predicted what he would do and how he’d do it. As potent as that power is, it’s the only thing Wilder has had throughout his 44-fight career (42-1-1, 41 KOs).

Wilder has since changed his corner, firing Mark Breland and hiring Malik Scott. But a new corner, Fury says, won’t change Wilder’s fundamental character or add to his one-dimensional skillset.

“It’s been so long since that last fight that he could have got a college degree in that time,’’ Fury said in a crack that suggested he’s confident the same Wilder will be there at opening bell for an ESPN/Fox pay-per-view bout.

Wilder’s thorough whipping of Wilder in their rematch was a simple task of fundamental geometry. Fury went straight at him, smothering him with his 6-foot-9 frame and taking away the space he needs for leverage on that feared right hand.

The simple move stripped Wilder of his only weapon. More than that, it stripped him of his identity. That wasn’t science. It was the art of psychology, one that Fury seems to be practicing during the days before opening bell next week.

Wilder has never acknowledged that he lost the rematch. He blamed Breland. He blamed a costume that he says weakened him in the walk to the ring. He suggested that Fury’s gloves were loaded. He forgot to mention the grassy knoll. Lots of conspiracies, but no accountability.

“He hasn’t accepted defeat,’’ Fury said. “Therefore, he can’t overcome it.’’

Sometimes, common sense is the best kind of science. 

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 29, 2021) – WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury expects history to repeat itself when he takes on Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder next Saturday, October 9 on ESPN+ PPV and FOX Sports PPV from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. After dethroning Wilder via seventh-round knockout in February 2020, Fury reiterated that he expected the third fight to be a shorter, more dominant affair.

Tickets for Fury vs. Wilder III are on sale now and can be purchased at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

This is what Fury, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, and Frank Warren (Fury’s co-promoter) had to say during Wednesday’s virtual press conference.

TYSON FURY

“I’m very excited. I’m looking forward to this fight. I’m very motivated, focused, and determined and I can’t wait for October 9. I wish it was this weekend. I have to wait one more week until I get these big hands on Wilder for a third time. It’s one of the few heavyweight trilogies since Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield. I’m going to go all guns blazing, full out attack, all in victory, straight out of the door from round one until it finishes. It’s either going to be me or Wilder. I’ve never had a bad training camp, and I’m in the best shape of my life. I’m injury-free, which is the most important thing. I’m really looking forward to it, and I can’t wait.”

“I don’t really make much of the excuses that were flying around for so long. I think they just made him a weaker character and less of a man and less of a fighter, because when you get beat, you get beat. Shake the man’s hand and move on. Lots of fighters have lost. Muhammad Ali lost fights, Mike Tyson lost fights. It’s what they do after they lose that makes them who they are. I don’t really have a lot to say about what Deontay Wilder was saying. It’s none of my concern because when some people lose, they have to make up an excuse for why they lost and that’s what Wilder’s reason is for convincing himself about whatever happened. That’s up to him, so good luck to him in the fight, and we’ll see if he can do anything better.”

“I don’t make much of his training videos because a lot of people speak a lot of words and nothing ever gets done about it, but we’ll see on the night. I hope he brings a better fight because {our} last fight was disappointing, to say the least. I trained for an absolute war, and it was a one-sided beatdown, so hopefully he can give me a challenge.”

“It’s none of my concern about where the belts are as long as my belt is strapped around my waist. The rest of them, I don’t care where they go because there’s only one man that can bring them all back and that’s me. There only has ever one, and that’s me. I’m sick of saying it. There has only ever been one, and there only can ever be one, and that is me, ‘The Gypsy King.’”

“It’s nearly that time of the year again where I take over Las Vegas, and it becomes the home of ‘The Gypsy King,’ and just remember that I plan to smash Deontay Wilder to bits….and I will.”

BOB ARUM

“There is no heavyweight in the world that can beat Tyson Fury, period, end of story. No heavyweight in the world, now and in the near future.”

FRANK WARREN

“I think we only saw him a few weeks ago. Other than that, it was closed down.

“When I saw him, he was in extremely great physical condition, and he was great mentally. This is a dangerous Tyson Fury. When he’s like this, he’s a dangerous man, and I think Deontay Wilder will have a real problem.”

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QUINCY, Mass. (September 28, 2021) – Granite Chin Promotions has announced that New England heavyweight champion “Fly” Mike Marshall will fight on the high-profile October 9th Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III FOX pay-per-view event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The 33-year-old Marshall (6-1-1, 4 KOs), fighting out of Danbury, Connecticut, will take on undefeated Ukrainian prospect Victor Vykhrryst (aka Faust) in an 8-round bout

“This fight means everything to me,” Marshall said. “I’ve worked for this my whole life. To have this opportunity to showcase what I can do as a fighter is incredible. I signed with Chris (Granite State Promotions president Chris Traietti) after the (Steve) Vukosa fight (10-round split draw, this past June) and he’s really come through.

“I’m not the type of person to shy away from an opportunity like this that he gave me. I saw that he had gotten other fighters in big fights. Promoters like Chris don’t get the credit that they deserve. Fighters need good promoters and management teams like I have. At the end of the day, we need fights and to get paid.”

“Fighters like Mike represent how I want to build Granite Chin,” Traietti commented. “I want all my fighters (and most do) to have what I call the 3A mentality….anyone, anytime, anywhere…just pay us accordingly. Most promoters want to keep their guys in this tiny bubble making scraps. That’s boring, short sighted and creates a low ceiling. I want to sharpen my fighters up at home but then we go on the road to see what we got and make damn good money in the process.

“Mike didn’t even hesitate at this fight. He saw the opportunity and did what real fighters do, step up to the plate and get ready to go to bat. I appreciate the credit he throws my way, but he did the heavy lifting, he took the fights that me and his management team told him. This wasn’t an easy road for him. He had to take on some tough fighters and now he’s getting his just reward. In a few weeks it won’t just be the New England fight crowd that knows about ‘Fly’ Mike.”

Vykhryst, 29, will be making his United States debut as a professional against Marshall. A decorated amateur boxer, he won gold medals at the 2017 European Championships and 2019 European Games. The 6’ 5”, 235-pound Vykhryst, who has fought in Germany the past two years, is coming off victories against unbeaten opponents, 11-0 Jacek Krzysztof Piatek (KO1) and Wilmer Vasquez (11-0-2).

“He’s a big right-hander,” Marshall noted. “He has had experience fighting in the WSB (World Series of Boxing – 3-1), too. A fight is a fight and I’m not saying anything before our fight. I’ll show what I have during the fight.”

What could an impressive victory against Vykhryst, especially on the Fury-Wilder III platform, do for Marshall and his career?

Marshall responded: “Wow! More opportunities will open up with a win against this guy on this card. I think the floodgates will open. I’m so excited to be living out my dream. Most people don’t know I was an amateur for 10 years and we didn’t get paid. I’ve sacrificed a lot to get here. Somebody once told me: ‘Life isn’t about what you want, it’s about what you are. I can’t run, I’m answering the call.”

INFORMATION:

Facebook.com/GraniteChin

Twitter: @Granite_Chin, @FkyMikeMarshall

LAS VEGAS (September 28, 2021) – Polish star Adam Kownacki has revenge and redemption on his mind as he prepares for his rematch against Robert Helenius, which takes place on the ESPN+ PPV and FOX Sports PPV undercard (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) leading up to the highly anticipated Fury vs. Wilder III heavyweight trilogy showdown on Saturday, October 9 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“A win on October 9 puts me back on the map and would show that the last fight was just an accident,” said Kownacki. “I think that I got a little tired and tried to end the night early, so I rushed in and got caught. But being Brooklyn-born, when someone puts you on your ass, you want to show the kind of character you have, come back and beat them. I come from a hardworking community of mostly immigrants. So I don’t shy away from hard work or tough tests.”

The test in front of Kownacki is a second showdown against Finland’s Helenius, after Kownacki suffered his first career loss in March 2020 against Helenius. For this fight, Kownacki has made adjustments in training camp to help put him over the top when he faces Helenius again.

“Training has been going great,” said Kownacki. “I’ve been eating healthier and feeling a lot better. We’ve been working out of Bellmore Kickboxing Academy in New York and I’ve been sparring with Otto Walin and Brandon Lynch. We cut down sparring to two days a week, but we’re doing eight and 10-round sessions, so it’s been great work.

“With the rematch being postponed a few times, we’ve basically had three or four mini camps going all the way back to January. At this point, I just can’t wait to get back in the ring with Helenius.”

Kownacki’s rise up the heavyweight division coincided with him becoming a popular draw amongst the passionate Polish sports fans in his adopted hometown of Brooklyn. On October 9, Kownacki fights in Las Vegas for the first time in his career, and competes outside of Brooklyn for the first time in years. This change in venue is something that Kownacki is not only ready for, but could work to his advantage.

“I’m going to be ready for the bright lights for sure,” said Kownacki. “There actually might be less distractions for me in Las Vegas, compared to being in Brooklyn. I’m not looking to make any excuses, but my son was born just months before my last fight and there were lots of sleepless nights leading up to it. For this fight, my son will be staying back home with my wife. I’ll miss them, but I should be able to totally focus during fight week.”

Known for his aggressive and action-packed style, Kownacki does not plan to abandon that strategy that made him a fan-favorite, but he plans to be more prepared for what Helenius brings to the ring and fully-focused on showing the best version of his skills on October 9.

“Helenius is a good counter puncher and that’s what I got caught with,” said Kownacki. “I got reckless. Every fighter in this division can pack a punch. Everyone who’s seen me fight, knows that I come forward and try to destroy people. As always, this fight is going to be action packed. On October 9, I’m going to show everyone that my last fight was an accident and that I’m back to being my old self.”

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LAS VEGAS (September 22, 2021) – Former longtime heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder vowed revenge during a virtual press conference Wednesday, as he previewed his highly anticipated heavyweight trilogy grudge match against WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury taking place Saturday, October 9 on ESPN+ PPV and FOX Sports PPV from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“I want payback back in blood,” said Wilder. “On October 9, I will get my revenge. It’s an eye for an eye.”

Tickets for Fury vs. Wilder III are on sale now and can be purchased at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

Here is more of what Wilder had to say Wednesday:

DEONTAY WILDER

“I feel amazing. It’s past good or great. This time that has passed has been great for me. With the more time that’s passed, the more that we’ve been able to work on different little things and perfect them. You can’t always be perfect, but that doesn’t mean you can’t train to be perfect.

“Malik Scott is a wonderful person and trainer. We met years ago sparring with Tomasz Adamek. We clicked right away and we’ve formed a real bond and brotherhood. I have so much love around me in this camp, that I’m not dwelling on anything negative.

“We’re having fun while learning and creating things together during training camp. That’s just the passion that we have to become two-time heavyweight champion of the world.

“I’m super focused. I’m more focused now than I’ve even been in my entire career. This is the second phase of my career. I had fun winning and defending the title for five years. At this point, we’re just serious about everything. I’m in a happy place and I’m glad that I’m here.

“They say that things happen for a reason and that we don’t understand that reason until we get to a certain place in life, then we understand it. My whole team understands everything that has happened and we’re looking forward.

“The delay was actually a blessing for me. The more they delayed it, the more time we had to work on my craft and art, along with strategically going over the game plan we’re going to have on October 9. It was obviously frustrating, because I was ready to go, and this is the longest I’ve been out of the ring. There’s something about the ring that calls you and draws you back. But I’ve used the time and benefited tremendously.

“I appreciate the love from my true fans. I’ve received so many messages from people of all walks of life. Now we’re back again for redemption and retaliation on October 9. The BombZquad is back.

“This has hands down been the best training camp I’ve had in my entire career. Sometimes you need events to happen in life to bring about changes that you need. We’ve had no distractions and I’m just in a happy state mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

“You’re looking at a rejuvenated and reinvented Deontay Wilder. The old Deontay is no longer there. I can’t explain it to you, I have to show you on October 9. I’m looking forward to it and I can’t wait.”

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LAS VEGAS (September 20, 2021) — Brooklyn’s newest young knockout prodigy and a former unified world champion from Philadelphia will see action Saturday, Oct. 9 at T-Mobile Arena in preliminary bouts before the highly anticipated heavyweight trilogy grudge match between WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and former heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder.

Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga will fight former world title challenger Marcelo Esteban “El Terrible” Coceres in a scheduled 10-round showdown for the vacant NABO super middleweight belt, while Julian “J-Rock” Williams will face Mexico’s Vladimir Hernandez in a 10-round junior middleweight bout in his first fight since losing his title belts.

Berlanga-Coceres and Williams-Hernandez will be televised live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, FS1 and FOX Deportes, and simulcast on ESPN+. Preliminary bouts will stream live on the ESPN App and FOX Sports App starting at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.

The all-heavyweight Fury vs. Wilder III ESPN+ and FOX Sports PPV bonanza begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features 2016 Nigerian Olympian “The One and Only” Efe Ajagba squaring off against fellow unbeaten Frank “The Cuban Flash” in the 10-round co-main event; the highly anticipated 12-round rematch between Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius and Adam “Babyface”Kownacki; and the eight-round PPV opener featuring 21-year-old sensation Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson versus Russian veteran Vladimir Tereshkin.

Tickets for Fury vs. Wilder III are on sale now and can be purchased at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

Berlanga (17-0, 16 KOs), the Brooklyn-bred puncher with Puerto Rican roots, became one of boxing’s most talked-about fighters by scoring first-round knockouts in his first 16 fights. The 2020 Prospect of the Year, he’s walked to the ring with mentor and multi-platinum hip hop artist Fat Joe and become a social media sensation with his highlight-reel stoppages. The knockout streak ended in April, as Berlanga knocked down Demond Nicholson four times in eight rounds and had to settle for a unanimous decision. Coceres (30-2-1, 16 KOs), from Argentina, challenged Billy Joe Saunders for the WBO super middleweight world title in November 2019 and was nearly level on the scorecards before being knocked out in the 11^th round. He last fought in June, knocking out Nelson Nicolas Rosalez in the second round.

Berlanga said, “I am thrilled to be fighting on the Fury-Wilder III card, and I am coming do what I always do, which is to steal the show and knock out my opponent in devastating fashion. Coceres is in for a rude awakening on October 9. Do not get up for a snack when I’m fighting. It’s going to be a short, brutal night. Count on it.”

“Berlanga can say what he wants about making it a short night or whatever. The biggest talkers are usually the most insecure,” said Coceres. “I know what I bring to the table. I’ve been in there with the better fighters, while he’s feasted on a diet of nobodies. In my mind, it won’t be an upset when I beat this kid. On October 9, it is man versus boy, and that boy is in for a rude awakening.”

Philadelphia’s Williams (27-2-1, 16 KOs) became a unified world champion at 154-pounds in May 2019 when he upset Jarrett Hurd in one of the year’s best fights, winning a close-quarters brawl by unanimous decision. The 31-year-old dropped the titles in his first defense, losing to Jeison Rosario in January 2020. Williams had been riding a five-fight winning streak going into the Rosario matchup, in which he added victories over former champion Ishe Smith and hard-hitting contender Nathaniel Gallimore to his ledger. He returns to action on Oct. 9 against the 32-year-old Hernandez (12-4, 6 KOs). Originally from Durango, Mexico, Hernandez now lives in Denver, Colorado, and most recently earned a decision victory over longtime contender Alfredo Angulo in August 2020.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to compete on this amazing card,” said Williams. “I’m excited to be getting back in the ring and starting my journey back to the very top of the division.”

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity to get back in the ring on October 9,” said Hernandez. “I expect Julian Williams to be prepared like I am to give the fans a great fight. I have been doing nothing but staying ready and training since my last fight. I promise that I’m going to bring the action when that bell rings.”

Preliminary bouts include a 10-round featherweight bout between two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez (7-1, 4 KOs) and unbeaten Puerto Rican prospect Orlando “Capu” Gonzalez (17-0, 10 KOs), heavyweight phenom Viktor Faust (7-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder against Mike Marshall (6-1, 4 KOs), the pro debut of former U.S. amateur star Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington in a four-round featherweight contest against an opponent to be named, and junior welterweight standout Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez (11-1-1, 10 KOs) versus Victor Vazquez (11-5, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.toprank.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @trboxing,  @TGBPromotions, @TMobileArena and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/trboxing.

ESPN and FOX Sports will jointly present the much-anticipated Fury vs. Wilder III heavyweight championship fight Saturday, Oct. 9, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  The ESPN+ PPV and FOX Sports PPV pits the unbeaten WBC and lineal champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) against former heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs).   

The third match between the two giants – Fury stands 6’9” while Wilder is 6’7” – will conclude one of boxing’s most storied heavyweight trilogies. It follows a controversial draw in December 2018 that saw Fury rise from a pair of knockdowns, and the dramatic February 2020 rematch, where Fury flipped the script and knocked out Wilder in the seventh round. 

Before the main event, three other heavyweight bouts will be aired: a battle of unbeatens in Efe “The One and Only” Ajagba versus Frank “The Cuban Flash” Sanchez, a hotly anticipated rematch between Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius and Adam “Babyface” Kownacki, and rising American superstar Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson against fellow unbeaten Vladimir Tereshkin. 

The two-bout undercard broadcast starts at 7 p.m. ET /4 p.m. PT on ESPN2, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, FS1 and Fox Deportes.  

Preliminary fights will stream live on the ESPN App and the FOX Sports App at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT. 

Pre-Fight Programming

ESPN and FOX linear networks will air a variety of pre-fight programming: one-hour reviews of the first two fights, parts two and three of the 30-minute all-access Inside Fury vs. Wilder III and the behind-the-scenes one-hour special Countdown: Fury vs. Wilder III.   

Live fight-week coverage will include Wednesday’s press conference at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and FS1, and Friday’s weigh-in at 5 p.m. on ESPN2 and FS2.  In addition, Max on Boxing with Max Kellerman will air Friday evening. 

For more information, visit ESPNPressRoom or FOX Sports Press Pass. 

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

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LAS VEGAS (September 8, 2021) – WBC Heavyweight World Champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and former longtime heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder have restarted their long-running rivalry and stated their intent to finally settle the score when they meet for the third time on Saturday, October 9 in an ESPN+ PPV and FOX Sports PPV event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“I’m going to knock Deontay Wilder spark out and it’s going to be even quicker than our last fight,” said Fury, who stopped Wilder in their second fight in February 2020 to capture the WBC title. “If he couldn’t beat me after three years out of the ring and 10 stone weight loss, he’s never beating me. None of them will. They’re just hyped up bums. All of them. Wilder, Joshua, Usyk. They’re all bums. Compared to me, they’re no good.”

“Hopefully Fury is confident enough to go through with this fight, because I’m going to be a reinvented Deontay Wilder on October 9,” said Wilder, who had successfully defended his heavyweight title 10 times before losing to Fury. “This training camp has rejuvenated me. It’s refreshed me. The key to victory in this fight is having a violent mind, but approaching it with calmness. I have all the right people around me and we’re looking forward to October 9. I just hope Fury is ready to put on a show for the fans and make history once again.”

Listen to the full interview with Wilder on the latest episode of the PBC Podcast.

Fury vs. Wilder III tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.tmobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

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LAS VEGAS (July 15, 2021) — The heavyweight trilogy showdown between WBC and lineal world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and former world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder — scheduled for Saturday, July 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas – has been postponed due to Fury’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
 
The two goliaths will now meet Saturday, Oct. 9 at T-Mobile Arena, and live on ESPN+ PPV and FOX Sports PPV, resuming one of the great rivalries in the division’s storied history.
 
Tickets purchased for July 24 will be honored for the rescheduled date.
 
Fury vs. Wilder III tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.tmobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.
 
“I wanted nothing more than to smash the ‘Big Dosser’ on July 24, but I guess the beating will have to wait,” Fury said. “Make no mistake, I will be back and better than ever. We will fight Oct. 9, and I will knock him spark out!”
 
“This is what we went to arbitration for,” said Shelly Finkel, Wilder’s manager. “He just wanted what was owed to him. He remains ready to reclaim his world title on Oct. 9.’’

By Norm Frauenheim-

The Olympics are often portrayed as a standard, the flip side to what the boxing acronyms represent. But the IOC, the International Olympic Committee, is beginning to look like just another ruling body with a rack of made-up belts for sale. The IOC wraps itself in flags, national anthems, mottos and the medal count. But the IOC counts only the money.

A looming disaster in Tokyo exposes the bottom line.

Citius – Altius – Fortius. That’s Latin, Olympic-speak, for Faster – Higher – Stronger. More like Faster – Higher – $tronger.

The IOC landed in Tokyo this week like the WBA seeking a sanctioning fee for an interim title. Opening ceremonies for the already postponed Olympics, the 32^nd in the history of the Summer Games, are supposed to happen on July 23, just 16 days from the date that Japanese health authorities declared a state of emergency.

Sha’Carri Richardson, an American sprinter banned for smoking pot, won’t be the only one not there. Fans won’t be either. They’ve been banned from attending because of the re-emergence of COVID-19. Apparently, The Games must go on. But the delta variant isn’t playing games.

The emergency declaration coincided with IOC President Thomas Bach’s arrival in Tokyo, where he began three days of quarantine at a five-star hotel. Enjoy the room service. It’s hard to know what else there will be to enjoy at a joyless Games. It’ll be an Olympics in the bubble, essentially a television show.

For Japan, it’s already a financial disaster. Japan invested a reported $12.6 billion to organize the Olympics before the Pandemic. Now it’s reported to be at least twice that much.

Who pays? The Japanese, who in polling over the last six months were increasingly opposed to staging the Pandemic Games. The IOC should have listened, or at least been prepared with alternate plans. But the money – rights’ fees, advertising, travel and all the rest – added to a force that led to the danger confronting a nation and the world’s best athletes.

 The debt is staggering. All it buys is the potential for more of a Pandemic that just won’t go away. It scares the stock market. It means empty planes, empty hotel rooms and empty seats all over again. Vaccines are supposed to work. But not everybody is willing to take a couple of jabs. No vaccine for stupidity.

Meanwhile, the ominous news is everywhere, including boxing, which had begun to move ahead with plans for business as usual.

On the same day that Japan’s emergency ban on fan attendance at Olympic venues was announced, there was a Twitter report from Mike Coppinger about a possible COVID outbreak in Tyson Fury’s training camp for a second rematch with Deontay Wilder on July 24 at Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena. As of Thursday, there was no confirmation of the report.

If true, however, it would represent a major setback in boxing’s hopes for business as usual. At best, it would force a postponement, another one in a long series of chaotic delays. At worst, it would mean no fight at all. Only a ruling through arbitration forced the third fight.

But neither Fury-Wilder III nor Tokyo Olympics XXXII is worth the risk of more COVID.  If this Pandemic continues, there won’t be any sanctioning fees left for anybody.Attachments area

TUSCALOOSA, AL. (June 30, 2021) – Former longtime heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder laid down the gauntlet in a video posted to his Instagram this week, as the power-puncher displayed the measures he is taking in training camp to regain his title on Saturday, July 24 in a trilogy showdown against Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury live on pay-per-view from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“You say you’re a semi-truck, but I’m a freight train!” Exclaimed Wilder in the video, responding to Fury’s boast during their Los Angeles press conference.

Will the “Deontay Wilder Express” be right on time and make the Alabama-native a two-time heavyweight world champion? Or will Fury “truck” through Wilder and cement his claim to the heavyweight crown? The sporting world will have to wait until July 24 to find out.

Tickets for Fury vs. Wilder III are on sale now and can be purchased at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

ABOUT FURY VS. WILDER III
Fury vs. Wilder III will see two heavyweight kings meet for a third world title showdown as undefeated WBC world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury puts his title on the line against former longtime heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder Saturday, July 24 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The resumption of one of the great heavyweight feuds, Fury vs. Wilder III will be broadcast live on pay-per-view.

The pay-per-view undercard will see 2016 Nigerian Olympian “The One and Only” Efe Ajagba will take on fellow unbeaten Frank “The Cuban Flash” Sánchez in the 10-round co-main event, plus the 12-round rematch between Finland’s Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius and Polish star Adam “Babyface” Kownacki. The eight-round pay-per-view opener will see Toledo-born Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson step up in class against undefeated Russian contender Vladimir Tereshkin.

For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.toprank.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @trboxing, @TGBPromotions, @TMobileArena and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/trboxing.

LAS VEGAS (June 29, 2021) — Four big heavyweight fights in one historic night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Three can’t-miss heavyweight showdowns have been added to the televised PPV undercard of the highly anticipated third fight between WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and former heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder.

In the 10-round co-main event, 2016 Nigerian Olympian “The One and Only” Efe Ajagba will take on fellow unbeaten Frank “The Cuban Flash” Sánchez. The PPV telecast also includes the 12-round rematch between Finland’s Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius and Polish star Adam “Babyface” Kownacki, who was stopped by Helenius in the fourth round of their first bout in March 2020.

The eight-round PPV opener will see Toledo-born Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson step up in class against undefeated Russian contender Vladimir Tereshkin.

Tickets for Fury vs. Wilder III are on sale now and can be purchased at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

Ajagba (15-0, 12 KOs) turned pro in July 2017 and soon established himself as one of the division’s fiercest one-punch knockout artists. He showed his mettle when he rose off the deck to knock out Iago Kiladze in December 2019, and three months later, he broke down and stopped former world title challenger Razvan Cojanu in the ninth round. He last fought in April in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and knocked out Brian Howard with a single right hand in the third round.

“I am honored to be fighting on the Fury-Wilder III pay-per-view as the co-main event,” said Ajagba. “I have been patiently waiting for this opportunity to showcase my skills. My fans — and critics — can expect to see more jabs, head movement, footwork and power in both hands against Frank Sánchez. July 24 is going to be a special night for ‘The One and Only’ Efe Ajagba.”

An amateur standout from his native Cuba, Sánchez (18-0, 13 KOs) now trains in San Diego with coach Eddy Reynoso. The 28-year-old has stayed busy on his rise up the heavyweight rankings, scoring three victories in 2020 as he earned a unanimous decision over Joey Dawejko and stopped Brian Howard and Julian Fernandez. Sanchez most recently won a technical decision over Nagy Aguilera in May and will look for an important victory over the fellow unbeaten Ajagba that could catapult him up the heavyweight division.

“I am excited to make my case as the top heavyweight title contender on the best pay-per-view card of the year,” said Sánchez. “I look forward to fighting Efe Ajagba and coming out victorious. Boxing fans want to see the best fight the best. People say Efe Ajagba is avoided, and that’s exactly why I chose to fight him. Fans can expect a great fight between two undefeated heavyweights July 24.”

In just his second stateside outing, Helenius (30-3, 19 KOs) shocked the crowd at Barclays Center by handing Kownacki the first loss of his career via a fourth-round TKO. Born in Sweden and fighting out of Mariehamn, Finland, Helenius established himself as one of Europe’s top heavyweights and knocked out Erkan Teper in September 2018 to move up the rankings. Prior to dropping his U.S. debut to Gerald Washington in 2019, the 37-year-old had won six of his last seven fights, with his lone blemish coming against Dillian Whyte.

“I’m looking forward to repeating my first performance against Kownacki on July 24,” said Helenius. “Boxing fans can expect another incredible fight with my hand raised in victory once again. All of Finland will be behind me when I show the world why I am most deserving of a world title fight. My only goal is to be world champion and unfortunately for Adam he stands in my way.”

Kownacki (20-1, 15 KOs) will be seeking revenge for the first loss of his career when he rematches Helenius on July 24. The 31-year-old Kownacki, who was born in Lomza, Poland and moved to Brooklyn when he was seven, is noted for his tenacity and had been progressing towards a world title shot with knockouts in five of his last seven fights prior to the March 2020 defeat to Helenius. Kownacki owns victories over former world champion Charles Martin and former title challengers Gerald Washington and Chris Arreola. His August 2019 battle against Arreola set CompuBox records for heavyweights in combined power punches thrown and landed.

“I’m very excited to be back in the ring,” said Kownacki. “The pandemic made things hard for everyone, but things are getting back to normal. Being a part of an all-heavyweight pay-per-view like this feels great, and it’s a great thing for fans of our sport. This pay-per-view will be action-packed from top to bottom. I can’t wait to get my revenge against Robert Helenius. It’s been a long year waiting for the rematch, but I’ll be getting a victory on July 24. I feel like things will get back to normal and I will prove that I am one of the top heavyweights in the world.”

Anderson (9-0, 9 KOs) has not tasted the final bell as a professional, a dominant run that began with a first-round stoppage in his pro debut less than two years ago. He has five first-round knockouts and became the breakout star of the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble, where he went 5-0. After closing out his Bubble run with a sixth-round knockout over Kingsley Ibeh, Anderson returned April 10 with a second-round blitzing of Jeremiah Karpency. Anderson was Fury’s primary sparring partner for the Wilder rematch and will serve in the same capacity for the trilogy bout. Tereshkin (22-0-1, 12 KOs) a 6’6 southpaw, is a 14-year professional who has won 14 consecutive fights since the lone draw on his ledger.

For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.toprank.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @trboxing,  @TGBPromotions, @TMobileArena and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/trboxing.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Silence from Deontay Wilder can be a good thing. But even a little wasn’t enough in a news conference bizarre, even by boxing’s twisted standards. A lot was said about Wilder’s decision to say almost nothing during a scheduled appearance in front of the media this week for the formal announcement of a third fight with Tyson Fury.

Wilder wore sunglasses dark enough to hide his eyes and headphones, presumably the noise-canceling model. He appeared to be a man determined to insulate himself from the chaos he and his craft promise. It was an angry look, appropriate for the stage.

But it was also another costume. The last time he fought, he wore a comic book-like suit of armor into the ring, a get-up he would later blame for his loss to Fury in their second bout. He went on to blame a lot of things. But never himself. It’s hard to blame somebody you don’t know. Increasingly, that’s who Wilder appears to be. There’s a confused sense of self in the ex-heavyweight champ, one that has been further fractured by the loss of his title to Fury 16 months ago.

The belt was his identity. It’s gone.

Power also has been his identity. But Fury left some doubt about its potency. It’s fight-stopping potential is still there, still dangerous enough respect. To fear. But Fury stripped some of the deadly certainty out of Wilder’s right hand and perhaps his mind when he got up – twice — in their first bout, a draw in December 2018.

It looks as if Wilder can’t be sure of much, including himself, these days. Perhaps, the costumes are a way of hiding, or a method of searching for changes that can transform him into the fighter he once knew. For now, however, it just looks like an act, one that’s not fooling anyone, especially Fury.

Fury had all the lines in what was supposed to be the only news conference before their July 24 bout at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

“Thank you everybody for coming out for this one-sided press conference,” said Fury, who knows something about acting and even more about a show-stopping quip.

By then, it was already evident that the silence was just one part of the act. Before the Los Angeles news conference, Wilder talked to UK reporters via Zoom. After the news conference, he met, one-on-one, with Elie Seckbach for the popular ESNEWS on YouTube.

Turns out, silence was a little bit more expendable than the vow it appeared to be during the presser. In Wilder’s ever-changing wardrobe, it was just a costume accessory. This one proved to be awkward for PBC, Top Rank and everybody else trying to conduct the newser.

It ended with perhaps the longest, if not the strangest, face-off ever. Fury and Wilder were asked to pose for the cameras. It’s a ritual that sometimes goes awry because of a shove or a punch. Without the extracurricular violence, it’s a pose meant for video and still photos. Look mean, act angry. It’s marketing. It’s theater. Wilder and Fury walked to center stage, separated by a few feet. Fury smiled, talked some trash. Then, Wilder took off his sunglasses in what could have been interpreted as a threatening gesture. The idea, perhaps, was to show Fury his angry eyes, an intimidating look into his furious soul.

Fury looked. And looked. He also smiled. Wilder looked. And looked.  He also ran his tongue beneath his lower lip, back-and-forth, in a gesture meant to add to a scary mask.

For an estimated five-and-a-half minutes, nobody would break the stare. The first to blink is a sign of weakness. At least, that’s an old theory in an ancient sport. Fury and Wilder might still be standing there if not for the bodyguards and security who stepped between them and begged them to walk away.

Wilder was the first to break it off.  It was time for another costume change.