Hialeah, FL / February 21, 2023 – Former three-time world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux, with a professional record of 20-3-1 (13 KOs), will return to the ring for the first time in almost one year when he takes on veteran Jesus Martinez in the 10-round bantamweight main event at Hialeah Park on Friday, February 24, 2023.

Rigondeaux, whose last bout was a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Vincent Astrolabio on February 26, 2022 in Dubai, has been sidelined since suffering severe facial burns and eye injuries in a freak kitchen accident at his home in Miami nine months ago.

Now 42 years of age, the former WBO/WBA Super Bantamweight and WBA Bantamweight world champion will attempt to tap the fountain of youth in his 25^th professional fight as he looks to win for the first time since defeating Liborio Solis in February of 2020.

Martinez of Miami via Colombia, has a record of 33-17-1 with 16 knockouts. Martinez has defeated Jonathan Burgos (9-2-1), Miguel Martinez (20-2), Angel Berrio (14-2). Martinez has also shared the ring with former world champions Luis Nery and TJ Doheny as well as top prospects Gary Antonio Russell, Dominique Crowder and Antonio Vargas. Martinez is on a two-fight winning streak.

In Eight-Round Bouts:

Ariel Perez De La Torre (9-1, 7 KOs of Mexico vis Cuba takes on Yonfrez Parejo (24-5-1, 12 KOs) in a super bantamweight clash.

Hugo Noriega (5-0, 3 KOs) of Cuba takes on Carlos Mohammed Rodriguez (15-10-1, 6 KOs) of Mexico in a welterweight fight.

Yoaki Urrutia (9-0, 6 KOs) of Cuba battles Luis Eduardo Florez (26-25, 21 KOs) of Colombia in a middleweight tussle.

In Six-Round Bouts:

Damian Lescaille (2-0, 1 KO) of Cuba fights Lucas McDonald (1-10, 1KO) of Belville, Texas in a welterweight bout.

Carlos Fromenta (9-1, 5 KOs) of Cuba will take on Armando Reeves (3-10-2) of Jefferson City, MO in a cruiserweight fight.

In Four-Round Bouts:

Jose Brayan Fonteboa of Hialeah, Florida will make his pro debut against Ashton Royal (1-4, 1 KO) of Texas in a super lightweight affair.

Adlay Rodriguez (2-0, 2 KOs) of Cuba fights Ryan Schwartzberg (1-9-2, 1 KO) of Dania, Florida in a super lightweight bout.

Gustavo Trujillo (1-0, 1 KO) of Cuba will take on Jawaski Bethly (0-1 of Louisiana in a heavyweight bout.

Hialeah, FL / January 17, 2023 – Former two-time world boxing champion Guillermo Rigondeaux arrives at the ultimate career crossroads when he returns to action for the first time in a year on Friday, February 24, 2023 at Hialeah Park. 

With a professional record of 20-3-1 (13 KOs), the now 42-year-old Rigondeaux faces battle-tested super bantamweight Jesús Martinez, who will bring a mark of 33-17-1 (16 KOs) into the Hialeah Park headliner. 

Rigondeaux, who dropped decisions to Vincent Astrolabio in February of 2022 and John Real Casimero in August of 2021, has been sidelined since suffering severe facial burns and eye injuries in a freak kitchen accident at his home in Miami over ten months ago. 

“After the way he lost his last two fights and because of his time away from boxing, winning is just not good enough, Rigo must entertain,” said Alberto “Beto” Ferreiro, Sports Journalist and host of Café Deportivos con Beto.   “Rigondeaux is obligated to win big and to put on a good show for his fans if he expects another title shot.”  

Rigondeaux, the former WBO/WBA Super Bantamweight and WBA Bantamweight world champion will attempt to tap the fountain of youth in his 25^th professional fight as he looks to win for the first time since defeating Liborio Solis in February of 2020. 

“Rigo must attack and knock Jesús Martinez out,” added Ferreiro.  “That’ll be his only option if he wants to continue boxing at a higher level. Anything less than that will likely mean the end of Rigondeaux’s long professional career.” 

Tickets for what promises to be an action-packed card at Hialeah Park on Friday, February 24, 2023 are on sale at the Hialeah Park web site (www.hialeahparkcasino.com).  

Hialeah, FL / January 4, 2023 – Former two-time world boxing champion Guillermo Rigondeaux, with a professional record of 20-3-1 (13 KOs), will return to the ring for the first time in almost one year when he headlines the fight card at Hialeah Park on Friday, February 24, 2023.

Rigondeaux, whose last bout was a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Vincent Astrolabio on February 26, 2022 in Dubai, has been sidelined since suffering severe facial burns and eye injuries in a freak kitchen accident at his home in Miami nine months ago.

Now 42 years of age, the former WBO/WBA Super Bantamweight and WBA Bantamweight world champion will attempt to tap the fountain of youth in his 25^th professional fight as he looks to win for the first time since defeating Liborio Solis in February of 2020.

Tickets for what promises to be an action-packed card at Hialeah Park on Friday, February 24, 2023 are on sale now at https://hialeahparkcasino.com

Hialeah Park Casino, with entrances at 100 East 32^nd Street and 2200 East 4^th Avenue, is easily accessible from all major Miami highways and conveniently located just minutes by car from Miami International Airport, South Beach, Downtown Miami, Coral Gables, and Doral.

John Riel Casimero retained the WBO Bantamweight Title with a 12-round split decision over Guillermo Rigondeaux in a fight void of action at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Casimero tried to make the fight, but Rigondeaux just backpaddled for most of the fight and less than 90 punches were landed between the two fighters.

Rigondeaux landed 44 of 221 punches; Casimero was 47 of 297.

Casimero, 118 lbs of the Philippines won by scores of 117-111 and 116-112 while Rigondeaux took a card 115-113.

Casimero is 31-4. Rigondeaux, 117.4 lbs of Cubs is 20-2.

JOHN RIEL CASIMERO

“I’m excited to get the win. Rigondeaux is a good boxer and two-time Olympic gold medalist. I was worried, because he said he wouldn’t run, but he ran the whole time. I thought I got the knockdown in the first round too.

“My expectations were for a knockout. Me and all my fans wanted that. I did my best to knock him out, but he was just running and not fighting.

“I had a three-fight plan. First was Rigondeaux, and I beat him. Next is Nonito Donaire and then finally Naoya Inoue.”

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX

“Nobody wants to fight with me because I frustrate them in the ring. I landed the punches that I needed to in order to win the fight tonight. This is how I win. 

“I have these God-given skills and this is the way I display them. I’m a unique fighter. It’s my style and it’s the only one I know. 

“You can see I’m still better than anyone else in the light weight classes and I’m going to keep fighting.”

Russell and Rodriguez ends in a no-contest

Gary Antonio Russell and Emmanuel Rodriguez ended in a no-contest after a headbutt opened up a bad cut on Rodriguez.

GARY ANTONIO RUSSELL

“It happens. I was looking to establish my jab and I tried to set up a hook, and he came in at the same time. It’s very disappointing. 

“I was actually in camp for about four months. I prepared great for this fight. I was really looking to broadcast my talents and show everyone what’s in my arsenal. Unfortunately the headbutt happened. 

“Of course I would like to come right back. If he can do it, I want to get right back in there with Rodriguez.”

EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ

“I feel okay. I’m a little frustrated after putting in all this work for the fight to end so quickly with nothing happening. 

“With the headbutt, maybe if there was no blood, we would have been able to continue. But once I saw all the blood, I knew it was over. 

“I don’t want to lose the condition that I’m in. I prepared really hard for this fight. As soon as the injury is fixed, I’ll be back in the ring and I’d like to fight Russell again.”

Warren Takes out Vazquez in 2

Former world champion Rau’She Warren took out Damien Vazquez in round two of their 10-round bantamweight bout.

In round one, Warren dropped Vazquez with a right hook. Vazquez was not up for long as seconds later, he was sent to the deck for a second time from another right hook. In round two, Warren dropped Vazquez again with a perfect straight right to the jaw and the fight was stopped at 2:18

Warren, 117.4 lbs of Cincinnati, OH is 21-3 with five knockouts. Vazquez, 117.2 lbs of Las Vegas is 16-3.

Rau’shee Warren

“I was trying to show them something different this time around. I have always had the power but this training camp was very different. I was sitting on my punches and working on something different. It worked in the ring.

“I always knew I had that power and I always knew I had that speed. It’s just about taking your time in the ring and letting them come. When I saw the opportunity, I went for it.

“Next fight is a title fight. I am the number one contender for the WBA. I want to thank Al Haymon for putting me in this position. I want to thank my team for pushing me. They know what kind of fighter I am. I guess these next few years, I am going to be champion. Next fight I am grabbing that title. Maybe I will fight the winner of the main event tonight (Rigondeaux vs. Casimero).”

“I proved tonight that I’m ready for a big fight. Now it’s back home and back to the gym and back to the drawing board.

“My corner told me to slow down in the second round and just let it come. I was just trying to let him get comfortable and as soon as I did that I caught him with the left hand.”

In a non-televised bout, Brandun Lee from La Quinta, Calif., improved to 23-0 with 21 KOs in his California debut as he knocked out Ezequiel Fernandez (28-5-1, 3 KOs) three times in the opening round. “Of course it was good, but could have been better,” said Lee whose fight was called off at 1:40 of the first round. “There’s always room to improve but at the end of the day we got the job done. I’ve been putting dudes to sleep so you’re right, it’s only right for me to step up the competition and go to world-class SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.”

WBO Bantamweight World Championship – 12 Rounds

Guillermo Rigondeaux – 117 ½ lbs.

John Riel Casimero – 118 lbs.

Referee: Jerry Cantu; Judges: Tim Cheatham (Nev.), Robert Hoyle (Nev.), Daniel Sandoval (Calif.)

WBA Bantamweight Interim Title Bout – 12 Rounds

Gary Antonio Russell – 116 ¾ lbs. 

Emmanuel Rodriguez – 118 lbs.

Referee: Sharon Sands; Judges: Rudy Barragan (Calif.), Pat Russell (Calif.), Zachary Young (Calif.)

Bantamweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Rau’shee Warren – 117 ½ lbs. 

Damien Vazquez – 117 ¼ lbs.

Referee: Ray Corona; Judges: Robert Hoyle (Nev.), Alejandro Rochin (Mexico), Daniel Sandoval (Calif.)

Note: During the SHOWTIME telecast, highlights from rising super lightweight star and KO artist Brandun Lee’s bout will be shown. Friday, Lee (22-0, 20 KOs) of La Quinta, Calif., weighed in at 141 ½ pounds and his opponent Ezequiel Fernandez (28-4-1, 3 KOs) of San Juan, Argentina, weighed 138 ½ pounds. The contracted weight for the bout is 142 pounds.   

# # #

ABOUT RIGONDEAUX VS. CASIMERO

Rigondeaux vs. Casimero will see two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux face bantamweight world champion John Riel Casimero for his WBO belt on Saturday, August 14 live on SHOWTIME headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will also see rising unbeaten contender Antonio Russell battle former world champion Emmanuel Rodríguez as they vie for the WBA Interim Bantamweight Title in the co-main event. Kicking off the telecast, former world champion Rau’shee Warren duels Damien Vázquez in a 10-round bantamweight bout.

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

CARSON, CALIF. (August 12, 2021) – Two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and WBO Bantamweight World Champion John Riel Casimero went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before they headline action live on SHOWTIME this Saturday, August 14 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Also featured at Thursday’s press conference were rising unbeaten contender Gary Antonio Russell and former champion Emmanuel Rodriguez, who meet for the WBA Interim Bantamweight Title in the co-main event, plus former champion Rau’shee Warren and Damien Vazquez, who square off to kick off the telecast at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX

“All these jokers always talk a lot about making me retire, but they have to do it in the ring. Let’s see what you do on Saturday. I’m still right here.

“I’m enjoying this back and forth right now. It’s heating up. He’s going to have to back it up on Saturday night.

“He’s knocked out six guys in a row, but none of them are in the same class as me. He’s going to have the devil in front of him on Saturday.

“I’m only worried about the title that Casimero has. I’m coming for the WBO belt on Saturday night. Everyone who is here knows my story and what I’ve done at 122-pounds. I’m going to do the same thing at 118-pounds. Casimero is no exception, he’s just standing in my way.

“I like all the challenges. I want to face all the champions out there like I’ve done my whole career. I’ll take on any champion who’s willing to face me.

“Casimero is going to be the third Filipino that I’m going to take down. Everyone is going to see what I’m about on Saturday. I don’t have to tell anyone what’s going to happen now, you’re going to see it all in the ring.

“I’m not worried about his talking. I always do my best talking with my fists and in the ring. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to show him the kind of fighter I am.

“I’m going to do what I’ve always done on Saturday night. I’m going to win. I’m not a big talker going around making big statements. I’m just going to do what I do best.”

JOHN RIEL CASIMERO

“This is a very good fight on August 14. Rigondeaux is a great fighter. But this fight is very important to me because I know my next opponent may be Nonito Donaire or Naoya Inoue. Those two opponents may be scared of me but Rigondeaux is not scared. But don’t worry Rigondeaux, this will be your last fight on August 14.

“I know how to manage my game plan against Rigondeaux but I’ll leave it as a surprise for him. Let’s see what happens Saturday. I’m not so much into the talking.

“I’ve stopped my last six opponents and Rigondeaux is next. He’s ‘finito’. If I finish Rigondeaux, then maybe Donaire or Inoue will be next.

“I’m confident I’m going to knock him out because of my training camp. I’ve been training so hard and my coach Nonoy Neri has prepared me for this moment.

“I respect Rigondeaux because he’s a good boxer and a two-time Olympian. But I want to show to the world that I can knock him out and a lot of my fans want to see me knock him out. So that’s what I’m going to do.

“I have a surprise for Rigondeaux on Saturday night. He will maybe last three rounds. Don’t run!”

GARY ANTONIO RUSSELL

“I’m hungry and I’m ready to eat. It’s just that simple. This fight is going to give me a chance to broadcast more skills that I haven’t been able to show so far. You’re going to see more of what’s in my arsenal. He’s a good fighter and I’m not overlooking him at all, but I know what I’m bringing to the table.

“I believe I’m ready for the title. Again, I’m not overlooking Rodriguez by any means. But good luck to Rigondeaux and Casimero on Saturday, because hopefully I’m facing the winner of that fight.

“People are going to see that I’m a great fighter after Saturday night. They’re going to say that Gary Antonio Russell comes from a great pedigree, all his family are winners, and he’s following suit.”

EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ

“This is my chance for redemption. Everybody knows I got robbed in my last fight with the controversial decision. Now, I’m just trying to do my best on Saturday night and prove that I’m still here. I’m going to show why I deserve more opportunities and that I’m going to be a champion again at some point.

“Of course I’m focused first and foremost on Saturday night, but for the future I’m looking for fights against stellar fighters like Casimero and Rigondeaux. It’s a matter of first taking care of business on Saturday and then looking to fight the best.

“After this fight, I want fans to be able to say that I’m within range of the contenders of this division.”

RAU’SHEE WARREN

“I feel like this fight is going to go my way the whole way. The way I’ve been training and staying dedicated to the sport through the pandemic is going to be the difference. I stayed hungry the whole time. He’s just another fighter standing in my way.

“I’m not going to doubt him as a fighter. Every fighter is out there trying to beat the best, but it’s going to be difficult getting past me. He better be ready as soon as he steps in that ring. He’s expecting a fight, but I’m expecting a knockout.

“I’m trying to get back to being champion again. I was a champion before and we’ve got some champions up here, so why not take on one of them when I win this fight? I’m not jumping the gun though. On Saturday night I have to handle who’s in front of me. You’re going to see a different Rau’shee come fight night.”

DAMIEN VAZQUEZ

“All respect to Rau’shee for being an Olympian and a world champion but honestly, I had a tremendous training camp and I feel like I’m going to come out on top. I feel better at 118 pounds than I ever did at 122 pounds. I feel more powerful at 118 than I did at 122.

“I’m expecting an action-packed fight. I want everybody to watch it because it’s going to be a great fight and I feel like I’m going to come out on top. He can expect whatever he wants, but we’re going to go out there and find out on Saturday.

“I’m hungry just like he is, so it’s going to be one hell of a fight. I expect to come out on top and that’s that.”

#

ABOUT RIGONDEAUX VS. CASIMERO
Rigondeaux vs. Casimero will see two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux face bantamweight world champion John Riel Casimero for his WBO belt on Saturday, August 14 live on SHOWTIME headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will also see rising unbeaten contender Gary Antonio Russell battle former world champion Emmanuel Rodríguez as they vie for the WBA Interim Bantamweight Title in the co-main event. Kicking off the telecast, former world champion Rau’shee Warren duels Damien Vázquez in a 10-round bantamweight bout.

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

CARSON, CALIF. (August 9, 2021) – WBO Bantamweight World Champion John Riel Casimero will look to score a career-best victory and successfully defend his 118-pound title for the second time when he faces two-division champion Guillermo Rigondeaux this Saturday, August 14 live on SHOWTIME from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will begin at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT as Casimero fights in the U.S. for the third time, this time headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event. Here is what the three-division world champion Casimero had to say about this Saturday’s showdown and more:

On his current training camp:

“This has been a fantastic training camp. I’ve really been focusing on my conditioning so that I can keep my strength for all 12 rounds. This has been the best training I’ve had in a while, because for this fight I had a set date and plenty of time. For my last fight, the date was changed because of the pandemic and that was difficult to work through. But this camp has been very smooth.”

On training alongside his mentor and promoter Manny Pacquiao:

“Manny is my idol in this sport. It’s great for me to be able to watch how he trains every day. He helps me with some aspects of boxing, but most important is the motivation I get from watching him work.

On fighting in front of Southern California’s Filipino population and returning to fight at Dignity Health Sports Park:

“I always want to go out and do my best for the fans. There are going to be a lot of Filipinos there and I want more than anything to give them a great fight to watch. This is the same place where I won the interim title in 2019, so it will be very special to me to go defend my world title and put on a great performance in that ring once again.”

On what style he expects Rigondeaux to bring into the ring:

“I know that I can make this an easy fight for myself. I want him to have some guts and be the exciting fighter he’s shown recently. It will be better for the fans and it will really prove who is the best.”

On what message he wants to send to the rest of the division with a win:

“I want to show that I’m strong and can beat any tough opponent. A win over Rigondeaux will solidify me as one of, if not the best, fighter in the bantamweight division. My goal is to take care of business on Saturday night, then go after the scared Nonito Donaire.”

#

ABOUT RIGONDEAUX VS. CASIMERO
Rigondeaux vs. Casimero will see two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux face bantamweight world champion John Riel Casimero for his WBO belt on Saturday, August 14 live on SHOWTIME headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will also see rising unbeaten contender Antonio Russell battle former world champion Emmanuel Rodríguez as they vie for the WBA Interim Bantamweight Title in the co-main event. Kicking off the telecast, former world champion Rau’shee Warren duels Damien Vázquez in a 10-round bantamweight bout.

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

STAFFORD, TX. (August 5, 2021) – Two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux gave insight into his training camp as he prepares to take on WBO Bantamweight World Champion John Riel Casimero on Saturday, August 14 in the main event live on SHOWTIME from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will begin at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will see Cuba’s two-time Olympic gold medalist Rigondeaux, who has earned pound-for-pound recognition at various points in his career, return to action against the Philippine’s Casimero, a three-division world champion looking for a career-best victory in his second 118-pound title defense.

Here is what Rigondeaux had to say about training camp with Ronnie Shields and more:

On his upcoming matchup with John Riel Casimero:

“It has been a very focused camp, and I have found inspiration watching the Olympics, and it has lit a spark in me. Winning two gold medals in my early years gives me added incentive to win this fight. I want to prove to the world that I am one of the best boxers ever, and that I have a lot left to give in this sport. I am confident that I am going to do that against the most avoided fighter in my weight class. Casimero is a dangerous fighter and a very powerful puncher, but I’m going to tame him with great boxing skills.”

On his recent training camp with coach Ronnie Shields:

“Training in Texas with Ronnie Shields has been great and our energy working together is fantastic. Ronnie has had a lot of world champions, and has a very professional boxing gym, with a lot of world champions and fighters who are competing at the highest level of the sport. I am motivated to work hard, not just to reach my own goals, but by all the young fighters in the gym who are driven and focused. The atmosphere has brought something new out of me. I’m revived and feeling young again.”

On fighting for WBO world title:

“It always feels good fighting for a world title, and I have had the WBO title before after I beat Nonito Donaire, but this time I’m going up against a hungry young lion. I am looking to capture another world title, and give another great fight that fans will talk about for years.”

On returning to the ring after a year-long layoff:

“I feel good. I think at this point in my career, all the time away from the ring helps. I know how to fight and I know how to train, the big thing is knowing how to recover, and not damage my body. I am doing a good job at staying sharp in the gym, but not over training. A win against Casimero will do wonders for my career.”

#

ABOUT RIGONDEAUX VS. CASIMERO
Rigondeaux vs. Casimero will see two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux face bantamweight world champion John Riel Casimero for his WBO belt on Saturday, August 14 live on SHOWTIME headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will also see rising unbeaten contender Antonio Russell battle former world champion Emmanuel Rodríguez as they vie for the WBA Interim Bantamweight Title in the co-main event. Kicking off the telecast, former world champion Rau’shee Warren duels Damien Vázquez in a 10-round bantamweight bout.

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

CARSON, CALIF. (July 21, 2021) – Two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and WBO Bantamweight World Champion John Riel Casimero previewed their upcoming championship showdown during a virtual press conference on Wednesday before they step into the ring on Saturday, August 14 live on SHOWTIME headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will begin at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will see Cuba’s two-time Olympic gold medalist Rigondeaux, who has earned pound-for-pound recognition at various points in his career, return to action against the Philippine’s Casimero, a three-division world champion looking for a career-best victory in his second 118-pound title defense.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX

“We are in the home stretch of training and everything has been going great. We’re fully focused on and excited about this fight coming up on August 14.

“It’s about patience before everything. That’s how I live. Whoever is standing across the ring from me on fight night, I will be ready for him regardless.

“I’ve always been at the world championship level and everyone knows that. At this point, I’m just waiting for August 14 to again show what I’m capable of and take care of business.

“I’m not worried about Casimero’s power or anything he brings. I’ve fought in three divisions and I’ve gone after the biggest challenges every time. I’m just not worried about what Casimero will do in the ring.

“It’s simple to me. Casimero is going to do his job and I’m going to do mine. We’ll both bring our ‘A-games’ and see who comes out on top on August 14.

“I’m not a big trash-talker. It’s not about what he’s going to say beforehand. I’ll see him in the ring on August 14 and he’ll get the real Rigondeaux just like he wants. Until then, I’m just focusing on my job.

“He says he’s going to retire me, so it’s on now. We’ll see if he’s able to back up that talk on August 14.

“He’s going to feel my power. Everyone is talking about his power and I feel like my power is being underestimated. I can’t wait to get in the ring on August 14 and show everyone what I’m capable of.

“I can guarantee that everyone is going to see the best of me on August 14. I perform best under the bright lights and that’s what I’m bringing to this fight.

“Casimero is a good opponent. Every opponent that I face believes that they can beat me, but the pressure is on them to back that up. I can only control what I bring and I know I’m going to be ready.

“I moved down to bantamweight because nobody wanted to fight me at 122-pounds. I’m the best fighter at that weight and everyone knows it. But no one wanted to fight me, so it just made sense to go down to bantamweight.”

JOHN RIEL CASIMERO

“I’m so ready for this fight on August 14. Training camp has gone so well and I’m just ready to rumble.

“Nonito Donaire didn’t want to fight me but that’s okay. Donaire is easy for me. Now, I have Rigondeaux and I know he’s very experienced. He’s a two-division world champion and a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist. This will be a great fight.

“Rigondeaux has a much different style from Donaire. I’m actually much more excited to fight Rigondeaux because Donaire is scared of me. I don’t think Rigondeaux is scared. If he’s not scared, he better fight me and not run.

“I want this to be a fight. The fans want this to be a fight. I hope Rigondeaux doesn’t run. If he does, this will be a boring fight. His old fights are no good. All he does is run, run, run. I want the Rigondeaux that doesn’t run, the one that boxes and fights.

“I believe that my work rate will overwhelm Rigondeaux. We put together a nice strategy with my trainer for Rigondeaux. We’ve watched a lot of tape on him. We just hope that the Rigondeaux that fought Nonito Donaire on a bicycle doesn’t show up. We want to see the one we’ve seen recently that comes to fight. I want to excite the people at the Dignity Health Sports Park. It’s a very special place to me because that’s where I won the WBO title. It will be another great fight if Rigondeaux comes to fight.

“When I beat Rigondeaux on August 14, he’s going to retire. He’s finished. Finito!

“We don’t underestimate anybody. I know that he’s a great fighter, a two-division champion and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist. I want to do my best. I prepare very well for every fight. I just hope Rigondeaux leaves his bicycle at home and brings his boxing shoes and comes to fight. I know he’s preparing for this fight with hard work too.

“The change in opponent doesn’t bother me at all. It went back-and-forth between Rigondeaux and Donaire. I don’t care who they put in the ring in front of me. I’m ready and prepared for Rigondeaux.

“Rigondeaux thinks that Donaire is a better fighter than me, so I’m going to change his opinion on August 14.

“I need to win this fight so that I can keep moving along and get the next two big fights against Donaire and Naoya Inoue. But maybe those two are scared of me and don’t want to fight me.

“Manny Pacquiao is my idol. He’s a big inspiration. Being together and being able to train and run alongside him and watch what he does is inspiring. Everything about him is amazing. His power, what he does inside the ring and what he does outside of boxing as a Senator and what he does to help people are all inspiring and impressive.

“I’m very excited to be fighting back at the place where I won my world title. I have great memories there. There’s nothing better than going back to where you won your title. I think Rigondeaux has realized at this age he needs to engage a little more. I think this building brings out great fights. There’s something about the venue, so I think that Rigondeaux will stand and fight me and give the fans at the ‘War Grounds’ what they want to see.”

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ABOUT RIGONDEAUX VS. CASIMERO
Rigondeaux vs. Casimero will see two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux face bantamweight world champion John Riel Casimero for his WBO belt on Saturday, August 14 live on SHOWTIME headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will also see rising unbeaten contender Antonio Russell battle former world champion Emmanuel Rodríguez as they vie for the WBA Interim Bantamweight Title in the co-main event. Kicking off the telecast, former world champion Rau’shee Warren duels Damien Vázquez in a 10-round bantamweight bout.

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

CARSON, CALIF. (July 15, 2021) – Two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux will face bantamweight world champion John Riel Casimero for his WBO belt onSaturday, August 14 live on SHOWTIME headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will also see rising unbeaten contender Antonio Russell face the toughest test of his career in former world champion Emmanuel Rodríguez as they vie for the WBA Interim Bantamweight Title in the co-main event. Kicking off the telecast, former world champion Rau’shee Warren duels Damien Vázquez in a 10-round bantamweight bout.

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

“Guillermo Rigondeaux is one of the most skilled fighters in all of boxing and he will seek to add to his resume against the exciting three-division champion and reigning 118-pound titlist John Riel Casimero,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “These are two fighters who have accomplished a lot in the sport, but each can elevate themselves to new heights with a victory on August 14. In the co-main event, Antonio Russell looks to announce himself as the next Russell brother in line for a world title, against the sturdiest test of his career in Emmanuel Rodríguez. Opening up the night of bantamweight duels, Rau’shee Warren can step closer to regaining a bantamweight championship when he faces Damien Vázquez. These three fights will have huge implications on the future of the bantamweight division, which always provides great action for the fans.”

A longtime champion of the 122-pound division, Rigondeaux (20-1, 13 KOs) moved down in weight and captured a WBA bantamweight title against Liborio Solis in February 2020 on SHOWTIME. Since turning professional in 2009 after one of the best amateur careers in history, Rigondeaux has showcased masterful technical skills that made him a unified super bantamweight world champion and perennial member of the pound-for-pound list. A two-time Olympic gold medalist for his native Cuba, Rigondeaux made his name with victories over the likes of Nonito Donaire, Rico Ramos and Joseph Agbeko. 

“This is a big fight for me and my team because we have a chance to win that WBO title,” said Rigondeaux. “Fighting on SHOWTIME once again is going to be fun and I’m grateful for the opportunity. Although I’ve been out of the ring for well over a year, I’m still in great shape and have plans to ruin Casimero’s dreams. I know he has a lot of power, but he’s fighting a man with excellent boxing skills and a high ring IQ. I’m going to box circles around Casimero and show him what ‘El Chacal’ is all about.  My trainer Ronnie Shields, and I have been working on some new tricks, so don’t be surprised if I knock him out.”

The 32-year-old Casimero (30-4, 21 KOs) of Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines will make his second title defense in this August 14 matchup, having successfully defended it for the first time by knocking out Duke Micah in September 2020. Casimero trains in Las Vegas and originally won the title with an impressive third-round stoppage of Zolani Tete in November 2019. The three-division champion had previously captured titles at flyweight and light flyweight in a career that dates back to 2007. This will be his third career fight in the U.S. and his second to take place at Dignity Health Sports Park.

“I am very excited to be back on SHOWTIME and fighting in Southern California where a lot of Filipino fans can come see me fight,” said Casimero. “I look forward to defending my title against Guillermo Rigondeaux. Rigondeaux is known to a lot of Filipino fans for beating my fellow countryman Nonito Donaire . I will show the boxing world how to beat Rigondeaux and send him into retirement once and for all.”

The middle brother between WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Jr. and 2016 U.S. Olympian Gary Antuanne, Antonio Russell (18-0, 12 KOs) announced his arrival amongst the bantamweight division contenders with a technical decision over former world champion Juan Carlos Payano in December 2020 on SHOWTIME. The 28-year-old from Capitol Heights, Md. turned pro in 2015 after an impressive amateur career. After four wins in 2019, Russell kicked off 2020 defeating Jesus Martinez in February.

“I’m very excited for this fight on August 14 on SHOWTIME,” said Russell. “I’ve put in the work and I’m always ready to fight, no matter when the call comes. I’m so focused right now. Rodriguez is the only thing on my mind and I’m ready to put on a show.”

The 28-year-old Rodríguez (19-2, 12 KOs) returns to action after dropping a controversial split-decision to Reymart Gaballo last December on SHOWTIME. Fighting out of Manati, Puerto Rico, Rodríguez won the IBF Bantamweight World Title with a unanimous decision victory over Paul Butler in 2018 and successfully defended it against then-unbeaten Jason Moloney. Rodríguez went on to lose the title to unbeaten champion Naoya Inoue in their May 2019 title bout.

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring for this fight,” said Rodríguez. “Everyone knows what happened in my last fight against Gaballo. This time, I’m not leaving it up to the judges. I’m going for the knockout and a statement victory.”

Warren (18-3, 4 KOs) bounced back from a close decision loss in a world title fight against then unbeaten former champion Nordine Oubaali in January 2019 by earning decisions over Gilberto Mendoza and Sharone Carter. A southpaw from Cincinnati, Ohio, Warren won the WBA Bantamweight World Championship with a majority decision over Juan Carlos Payano in 2016 and lost the title the next year to Zhanat Zhakiyanov by split-decision. The 34-year-old became the first three-time Olympic boxer from the U.S. when he qualified for consecutive Olympic teams in 2004, 2008 and 2012.

“Vázquez is not the type of fighter that can compete with me,” said Warren. “When they sent me the name, I looked at one of his fights and 10 seconds was all I needed to see. I really want to face Rigondeaux, but I’m going to handle this and I’m going to wait until I get who I want to get. I’ve been sparring with a lot of top amateurs and that’s been keeping me sharp. They throw punches in bunches and they’re keeping me on my toes heading into August 14.”

The 24-year-old southpaw Vázquez (15-2-1, 7 KOs) was born in Thornton, Col. and now fights out of Las Vegas. The younger brother of former two-time champion Israel Vázquez, he most recently lost to super bantamweight champion Brandon Figueroa last September after having previously scored a stoppage win over Alejandro Moreno in February of 2020. Vázquez turned pro in 2013 and reeled off 14 consecutive wins to begin his career in the paid ranks.

“This is a great opportunity for me,” said Vázquez. “I turned pro at sixteen-years-old, so I took a much needed break after the Brandon Figueroa fight. Now I’m back and more ready than ever. I’m back fighting at bantamweight and that’s for sure the best weight for me going forward. I’m ready to show the world what I’m capable of. This is going to be a war. Warren is a world class fighter, but if he thinks this is an easy fight, then he is totally mistaken and I’ll prove it on August 14.”

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

Gary Russell Jr. defeated mandatory challenger Tugstsogt Nyambayar by unanimous decision to make the 5th defense of the WBC Featheweight title at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

It was a tactical fight early, which played right into Russell’s hands as he was able to establish his speed advantage. Nyambayar was able to get into the fight in the middle rounds as his pressure was controlling the action. There were several nice exchanges that saw Russell be able get the better of some of those as his experience in championship fights was evident. Down the stretch each took turns winning rounds, but it was Russell’s ring generalship that won out in the end by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112.

Russell of Capitol Heights, Maryland is 31-1. Nyambayar is 11-1,

GARY RUSSELL JR.

“We put the work in every day in the gym. I’m a perfectionist. We knew we had a very tough opponent and I knew he was going to bring his physical best. He had everything to gain and nothing to lose. We just focused and showed I’m one of the longest reigning champions for a reason

“The difference was ring generalship, hand speed and boxing IQ. He only had 11 pro fights, of course he was an Olympic silver medalist, but he only had those 11 pro fights. I’ve had over 30 and I think my experience was enough to overcome and win this fight.

“We never take a day off. I’ll probably be back in the gym next week. We’ll keep our wheels turning and stay sharp.

“If we have to move up in weight for these top fighters to feel like they have an advantage and take the fight, then we’ll do it.”

“It was definitely the kind of fight that I expected. I knew that I was fighting a tough competitor. We knew he’d be strong, but I felt like my hand speed, my ring generalship and my boxing intellect would ultimately overcome in this fight and that’s what happened.

“I kept my jab in his face and in the back half of the fight, I told myself to hold my hands up, come forward and press the action. I wanted to dictate the action and that’s exactly what we did.

“Nyambayar was definitely one of the better fighters that I competed against. I feel like he would give any of the other 126-pound fighters trouble. If he stays focused, he’ll become a world champion.”

TUGSTSOGT NYAMBAYAR

“It wasn’t my night. He was the better man tonight. I didn’t do my work the way I was supposed to. He is a great champion who fought a great fight.

“I made a mistake by waiting for him during the fight. I’d love the rematch if I can get it.

“I want to thank the Mongolian fans for coming out tonight and I’m grateful to everyone in Mongolia.”

In a fight void of a lot action, Guillermo Rigondeaux won the WBA Bantamweight title with a 12-round splits decision over Liborio Solis

In round seven, Rigondeaux landed a hard left that put Solis on the seat of his pants. The fight saw mostly Solis following Rigondeuax without either guy doing much of anything.

Rigondeaux, 117.4 lbs of Cuba won by scores of 116-112 and 115-111. Solis won a card 115-111.

Rigondeaux is 20-1. Solis, 117.4 lbs of Venezuela is 30-6-1.

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX

“Our team is with me more than their own families. This isn’t just my victory, but it’s a victory for me whole team to get me this win at this age.

“Liborio is an excellent fighter, but I saw the opportunity to strike and scored the knockdown.

“Ronnie Shields is the real champion. The preparation that he gave me for this fight was incredible. Ronnie is one of the best.”

“Solis is an excellent boxer and he gave me a run for my money. It was a competitive fight, congratulations to him for keeping up in the ring, but everyone knows the better fighter got the win.

“When you get to my level, you just have to keep doing your work, and good things will come to you.

“Like I’ve showed everyone before, I can fight right in the middle of the ring. I tried that in the first round, but after that round, Ronnie Shields told me to show him some boxing and cut the ring off.

“I’m available for anyone who wants to get in the ring. Who do the fans want to see me fight? I’m ready for any fighter. Now that I’m at my weight, let’s go hunting.”

LIBORIO SOLIS

“I thought I won the fight. Going backwards is no way to win a vacant title. I put the majority of the pressure on him. I’m not going to argue with the judges, but I thought I did enough to win.

“The punch surprised me on the knockdown, but I wasn’t hurt. I was ready to fight immediately right after.

“I hurt him in the first round and that’s what caused him to run. I’d like a rematch because I thought I got the better of him tonight.”

In a sensational junior lightweight elimination bout, Jaime Arboleda held on to take a 12-round split decision over Jayson Vekez in a war.

The guys took turns wailing on each other. Arboleda was bleeding from the nose in round seven. Velez came on late and dropped Arboleda in the final frame. Arboleda was hurt several times in the final frame, but he was able to reach the final bell and win by scores of 114-113 twice and 115-112 for Velez.

Arboleda, 129.5 lbs of Panama is 16-1. Velez, 130 lbs of Caguas, PR is 29-6-1.

JAIME ARBOLEDA

“Jayson Velez is a great fighter and has a great style. He was trying to use that to break me down tonight. Velez has faced a lot of good fighters and I believe I belong with those fighters. I had him hurt badly a few times, but I just got a little bit ahead of myself and didn’t finish.

“My next fight is up to my team. I’m in line for the title, but we’ll see how things play out. I want to stay busy for sure this year.

“It was a clean shot on the knockdown but it happened because I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to stylistically and with my footwork. I was a bit tired, but I wasn’t too hurt. I went right back to fighting.”

JAYSON VELEZ

“It was a close fight, but I think I won the fight. It could have gone either way. I think I knocked him down twice but they didn’t count one of them. It’s okay. I showed that I’m a warrior like always. I have six losses now but I’ve never been knocked out. I’m still here, and I believe I’ll be world champion someday.”

ALLENTOWN, PA. (February 6, 2020) – WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. and unbeaten mandatory challenger Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar went face-to-face at a final press conference Thursday before they headline action live on SHOWTIME on Saturday, February 8 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The press conference also featured former champions Guillermo Rigondeaux and Liborio Solis, who battle in the co-main event for the vacant WBA Lightweight Title, plus Jaime Arboleda and Jayson Velez, who compete in a 12-round WBA Super Featherweight Title eliminator to open the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Kings Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through www.pplcenter.com/events (direct link HERE).

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from the Renaissance Allentown Hotel:

GARY RUSSELL JR.

“We had a great training camp. I have my younger brothers on the card with me and in camp, pushing me every day. We’re ready, focused and hungry.

“Tug will be the best he possibly can be because he knows he’s facing one of the best fighters in the world. He has everything to gain and nothing to lose. He’s going to leave it all on the line.

“I think Tug is a lot more technically sound than a lot of the guys who I have competed against. He’s another guy with everything to gain and nothing to lose, so I’m anticipating a tough fight.

“If it were up to me, I’d be facing Leo Santa Cruz or Gervonta Davis, but this is what I have to face. I’m here to defend my title in style once again.

“It’s amazing to watch my younger brothers and to have them on the same card. I’m excited to work their corners. There’s never been a set of three brothers to become world champions, and I think we’ll do that real soon. They’re both extremely talented and hungry. I expect them to be better than me by the time they’re at this point in their careers.

“I was the first fighter to turn pro on ShoBox, and I went on to win my title on SHOWTIME. The fact that we’re still doing it now speaks wonders. I work great with their team and I’m grateful to be in this position.

“You should expect to see what you always see with me. Boxing at its best. A great deal of ring generalship. Good boxing IQ. Hand speed. Punching power. The total package as a fighter. As a matter of fact, I’m trying to figure out why I’m not on the pound for pound list given all of that. That’s an issue.”

TUGSTSOGT NYAMBAYAR

“I’m very excited for this fight. It’s going to be a good fight for the fans. Gary Russell Jr. is a great champion, but watch on Saturday night, when I become the new featherweight world champion.

“I just have to be better than Gary Russell on Saturday night. The past experience won’t matter. If he thinks I’m too inexperienced for this fight, he is going to be in for a surprise Saturday.

“I know that I’m the underdog, but that doesn’t affect me. I don’t care if I’m the favorite or the underdog.

“I’m not worried about any ring rust. I’ve worked so hard in the ring during training camp to make sure I’m the best I’ve ever been.

“Working with Ismael Salas has been very good for me and I think it’s taken me to another level in my career. All of skills, all of my power and speed, it will all be with me on Saturday. I just have to put it together for my best performance.

“I’m very ready for this fight. I want to be the first WBC featherweight champion in history from Mongolia. I’m ready, you just need to watch on Saturday.”

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX

“Bantamweight is my division. I have no issues making that weight. I want to thank my team for getting me prepared and getting me to this position. All that’s left is to fight Saturday night.

“I want to also thank Ronnie Shields for how he has prepared me for this fight. It’s been a great training camp and I can’t wait to step into the ring and become champion again.

“I feel 100% and I believe that bantamweight has always been my best weight. I did well at 122 pounds, so i stayed there. My plan now is to dominate this division.

“Me and Ronnie Shields have great chemistry and worked well together. Ronnie is a great trainer and I’m looking forward to a long run that we’re going to have together.

“I’m going to be phenomenal in the ring. I’m going to unify 118 pounds just like I did at 122 pounds. I’m excited to get started.

“My strategy will depend on the fight that Solis brings. I’m a veteran in this sport, dating back to the amateurs, so I’m used to seeing so many different styles. I’m to fight the way that gives me the best chance to win.”

LIBORIO SOLIS

“Thank you very much to my team who has backed me and supported me leading up to this fight. I’m very grateful for this opportunity. My opponent has been a great champion and I’m very excited to be here to fight him.

“This is obviously going to be a great fight. I’m a warrior who always comes to fight. He can pick his strategy however he wants. But I just want to get in there and put my skills on display.

I was already a champion in one division and I had a fight taken on the scorecards at bantamweight, or else i would already be a two-division champion.

“Saturday is going to be different than my last fights. Both me and Guillermo give our heart and soul and we’re going to fight until the best man wins. I’m not leaving that ring without a championship.

“I’m going to come with everything on Saturday. I come to fight and I come to win. I’m sure Guillermo is the same. The difference will be my determination to win this fight.

“I don’t think anyone’s weight or which division we fought at in the past will be an advantage. I’m sure he could have always fought at 118. The person with the advantage is who wants it more.”

JAIME ARBOLEDA

“I want to thank all the great champions up on this stage and everyone on my team who made this fight happen. This opportunity has been a long time coming and I’ve been preparing hard to make the most out of it.

“On Saturday, I’m very confident that this is going to be a great fight and end in a knockout. I’m prepared and I know that I’m going to win.

“This is a great chance to get one step closer to my dream of becoming a world champion. I know what I have to do and I’ve prepared every day to make sure that I fight my best on Saturday night.

“We have a lot of respect for each other and we’re looking forward to Saturday night. Don’t miss this card because it’s going to be action packed from start to finish.”

JAYSON VELEZ

“I’m happy to be here again and back in a big fight. My last time fighting on SHOWTIME was in 2012 and I’m very thankful for this opportunity to compete on this stage once again.

“I’m blessed to be able to do what I do every day. I’ve fought professionally since 2007. This is the dream that every boxer has. When I win on Saturday, I’ll be the mandatory for the belt and that’s the opportunity that I want.

“I’ve been training hard for this fight and I’m ready. I’ve won three fights in a row heading into a great fight between two hungry fighters. We want to add each other to our record and I believe that this fight is ending in knockout.

“Don’t miss this fight because this is going to be great. There’s going to be a lot of action. Every time I step into the ring, win or lose, I will leave everything in there. I fight with my heart and I fight for Puerto Rico.”

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ABOUT RUSSELL VS. NYAMBAYAR
Russell vs. Nyambayar will see WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. defend his 126-pound crown against unbeaten mandatory challenger Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar live on SHOWTIME on Saturday, February 8 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will see former world champions Guillermo Rigondeaux and Liborio Solís battle for the vacant WBA Bantamweight World Title in the co-main event, plus Jaime Arboleda meeting Jayson Vélez in a 12-round WBA Super Featherweight Title eliminator bout opening the telecast

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

HOUSTON, TEXAS – February 4, 2020 – Former world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux will seek to become a three-time, two-division world champion when he moves down to bantamweight to challenge former champion Liborio Solis for the vacant WBA title live on SHOWTIME this Saturday, February 8 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from PPL Center in Allentown, Pa.

“I’m trying to make history by winning a third world title in a second weight class, while also matching my two [Olympic] Gold Medals,” said Rigondeaux, who will fight at bantamweight for the first time in his career. “I want to make a statement and solidify my legacy as one of the best Cuban fighters ever. I want the boxing world to be talking about me, as I seek to become a world champion once again. February 8 will be a special day for me and my family.

“I know at super bantamweight I am a force to be reckoned with. Now that I’m moving down to bantamweight, I feel stronger and I’m getting the most out of my skills. The bantamweight and super bantamweight divisions are filled with great fighters to test myself against. It’s a very exciting time and I am training very hard for each opportunity that is granted to me.”

This will be Rigondeaux’s second straight fight working with the renowned head trainer Ronnie Shields, and conducting training camp at Shields’ gym in Houston.

“Ronnie and I are working very hard and smart,” said Rigondeaux. “We have put together a great game plan that we are going to execute on fight night. All of my tools are getting sharpened up and everyone will see that the hard work we’ve put in will pay off. Ronnie is a great coach and I’ll be fighting with something to prove on fight night.”

“He is very focused, and one of the hardest workers in the gym,” said Shields. “Rigondeaux is so determined to become a world champion once again. He comes to camp every single day with that goal, and I don’t see any way he doesn’t achieve it.”

Rigondeaux is coming off an exciting knockout win over former world champion Julio Ceja last June. The Guantanamo, Cuba native will look to capture his next world title when he faces Solis, a former super flyweight world champion for the vacant WBA belt.

“Solis is a good opponent and a worthy challenger, but I am ready to reclaim my status as a world champion,” said Rigondeaux. “I’m going to show people why I am one of the best boxers of my generation.

“This is a very big deal for me. For years I was one of the best fighters in the world, if not, the best fighter in the world. When you’re a champion, you only fight the top opponents and those are the type of fights I want. I’m going to start another long reign as champion beginning February 8.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Kings Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through www.pplcenter.com/events (direct link HERE).

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ABOUT RUSSELL VS. NYAMBAYAR
Russell vs. Nyambayar will see WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. defend his 126-pound crown against unbeaten mandatory challenger Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar live on SHOWTIME on Saturday, February 8 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will see former world champions Guillermo Rigondeaux and Liborio Solís battle for the vacant WBA Bantamweight World Title in the co-main event, plus Jaime Arboleda meeting Jayson Vélez in a 12-round WBA Super Featherweight Title eliminator bout opening the telecast

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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

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (January 6, 2020) – WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. will defend his 126-pound crown against unbeaten mandatory challenger Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar Saturday, February 8 live on SHOWTIME from PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will see former world champions Guillermo Rigondeaux and Liborio Solís battle for the vacant WBA Bantamweight World Title in the co-main event. The telecast opens with Jaime Arboleda meeting Jayson Veléz in a 12-round bout WBA Super Featherweight Title eliminator.

The main event showdown will see Russell make the fifth defense of his title as he looks to again display the skills and speed that have made him one of the elite featherweight fighters in the world. He will be challenged by the 2012 Olympic silver medalist “King Tug”, who quickly rose up the rankings facing quality opposition throughout his 11-fight career.

“Gary Russell Jr. has proven himself to be at the very elite level of this sport and one of the best fighters in the featherweight division,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “His speed, power and overall skillset has made him a must-watch every time he steps into that ring. He’s going to get all he can handle from an undefeated fighter in ‘King Tug’ Nyambayar, who has the pedigree and power to make this a memorable fight. You won’t want to blink during this high octane showdown February 8 on SHOWTIME from PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania.”

“The February 8 card is co-headlined by two of the most skilled boxers in the sport today,” said Stephen Espinoza, President Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “Gary Russell Jr. – arguably the fastest hands in boxing – will be facing his toughest challenge as world champion against the aggressive power-puncher ‘King Tug’. And in the co-main event, Guillermo Rigondeaux, one of the best boxers on the planet since his days as an amateur in Cuba, moves down in weight to the bantamweight division for the first time in his pro career as he faces former world champion Liborio Solis with a world title at stake. Add in a compelling super featherweight eliminator and we have the makings of an action-packed tripleheader on February 8.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Kings Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through www.pplcenter.com/events (direct link HERE ).

The Capitol Heights, Maryland native Russell (30-1, 18 KOs) has held his WBC Featherweight Title since 2015 when he stopped multiple division champion Jhonny Gonzalez to emphatically capture the belt. The 31-year-old is part of one of boxing’s premier fighting families as he is trained by his father Gary Sr., and trains alongside his younger brothers, unbeaten super lightweight Gary Antuanne and undefeated bantamweight Antonio. Russell most recently stopped former champion Kiko Martinez in May on SHOWTIME after previously defeating then unbeaten challenger Joseph Diaz Jr in 2018 in a hometown defense.

“I’m forced to defend my title against another mandatory challenger and I’m going to show on February 8 why none of the other champions want to face me,” said Russell. “I’m the longest current reigning WBC champion but no one has stepped up to the challenge I present. I’m going to take care of business against a strong opponent and display all my skills like I always do.”

The 27-year-old Nyambayar (11-0, 9 KOs) represented his native Mongolia in the 2012 Olympics but now lives in the U.S. and is training out of Las Vegas. Nyambayar ascended up the featherweight rankings after his extensive amateur career with victories over then unbeaten Harmonito Dela Torre and former interim champion Oscar Escandon. Most recently he won his first 12-round decision by defeating former champion Claudio Marrero in January.

“This is going to be an exciting fight for everyone watching on February 8,” said Nyambayar. “Gary Russell Jr. is a great champion who is very talented, but he has the WBC belt and that’s what I want. I’m training hard to win this fight and I will be ready for anything that Russell brings to the ring.”

Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs) will look to move down and capture a title in a second weight class in his SHOWTIME debut. Since turning professional in 2009 after one of the best amateur careers in history, Rigondeaux has showcased masterful technical skills that made him a unified 122-pound world champion and perennial member of the pound-for-pound list. A two-time Olympic gold medalist for his native Cuba, Rigondeaux made his name with victories over the likes of Nonito Donaire, Rico Ramos and Joseph Agbeko. Most recently, Rigondeaux scored an exciting eighth-round stoppage of former champion Julio Ceja in June.

Born in Venezuela and fighting out of Panama, Solís (30-5-1, 14 KOs) will make his U.S. debut on February 8 while riding a five-fight winning streak. Solís captured a super flyweight world title in 2013 amidst a 14-bout unbeaten run. He has lost by decision in his two previous attempts at 118-pound title, including a controversial loss to Jamie McDonnell, which he has bounced back from on his current win streak.

Arboleda (15-1, 13 KOs) has ripped off five straight victories by stoppage since he suffered the only loss of his career against Recky Dulay in 2017. The 25-year-old Arboleda from Curundu, Panama will be fighting in the U.S. for the third time in his career. He’s coming off a knockout victory over Victor Betancourt on August 24.

The 31-year-old Veléz (29-5-1, 21 KOs) has strung together three straight knockout victories since losing to Ryan Garcia in 2018. The Juncos, Puerto Rico resident is coming off a knockout victory over Hector Ruben Ambriz Suarez on July 27 and is looking for another championship opportunity. He came up short in his previous attempt when he fought to a draw against Evgeny Gradovich for the featherweight world title in 2014.

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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

Liborio Solis had a problem obtaining a visa in time and his fight this Saturday night with former world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux has been cancelled, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

ONTARIO, Calif. (November 14, 2019) – Former world champions Guillermo Rigondeaux and Liborio Solis will battle for the vacant WBA Bantamweight World title Saturday, December 21 in the FOX PBC Fight Night co-main event and on FOX Deportes live in primetime from Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.

Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will see rising heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba taking on Iago Kiladze in a 10-round opening attraction. The event is is headlined by the highly anticipated WBC Super Welterweight Title rematch between Tony “Superbad” Harrison and Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.

“With two world title fights and one of boxing’s most exciting prospects entering the ring, Saturday, December 21 is going to be a night of action that fans in Southern California won’t want to miss,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “In addition to the main event, one of boxing’s most skilled fighters, Guillermo Rigondeaux, will look to become a two-division world champion against a battle tested former champion in Liborio Solis. Plus, hard-hitting phenom Efe Ajagba hopes to pass another test with flying colors against Iago Kiladze to round out a tremendous lineup on FOX and FOX Deportes.”

Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs) will look to move down and capture a title in a second weight class while showing off the masterful technical skills that made him a unified 122-pound world champion and perennial member of the pound-for-pound list. A two-time Olympic gold medalist for his native Cuba, Rigondeaux made his name with victories over the likes of Nonito Donaire, Rico Ramos and Joseph Agbeko. Most recently, Rigondeaux scored an exciting eighth-round stoppage of former champion Julio Ceja in June on FOX.

Born in Venezuela and fighting out of Panama, Solis (30-5-1, 14 KOs) will make his U.S. debut on December 21 while riding a five-fight winning streak. Solis captured a super flyweight world title in 2013 amidst a 14-bout unbeaten run. He has lost by decision in his two previous attempts at 118-pound title, including a controversial loss to Jamie McDonnell, which he has bounced back from on his current win streak.

Nigeria’s Ajagba (11-0, 9 KOs) most recently passed the toughest test of his professional career when he defeated fellow 2016 Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen by 10-round unanimous decision in July. The 25-year-old Ajagba gained widespread notoriety in August 2018 when his opponent, Curtis Harper, walked out of the ring after touching gloves to start the first round. Ajagba won the fight without throwing a punch as Harper was disqualified. Living in Stafford, Texas and training with Ronnie Shields, Ajagba has steadily increased his competition and added knockouts wins over Amir Mansour and Michael Wallisch this year.

The 33-year-old Kiladze (26-4-1, 18 KOs) broke a three-fight losing streak by fighting to a split draw in May against undefeated heavyweight Robert Alfonso. Kiladze’s losses had come against top heavyweight Adam Kownacki, Michael Hunter and Joe Joyce, who own a combined 34-1 record. Originally from Georgia and now fighting out of Los Angeles, Kiladze won six straight fights between 2014 and 2018.

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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.

LAS VEGAS (May 2, 2019) – WBC Super Welterweight Champion Tony “Superbad” Harrison and former super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo will step into the ring for a highly anticipated rematch live in primetime Sunday, June 23 in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features former world champion Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux taking on exciting Mexican contender Julio Ceja in a WBC Super Bantamweight world title eliminator.

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

Harrison and Charlo’s first encounter took place live on FOX in December as Harrison earned the decision and upset Charlo to earn the title. The close nature of the bout helped warrant an immediate rematch that promises to be just as highly charged and dramatic.

“Tony Harrison and Jermell Charlo showed off their elite talent to the world in their first bout and I anticipate an even more explosive showdown in the rematch on June 23,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Harrison will no doubt be at his very best again as he looks to establish himself in the championship ranks. Jermell Charlo is certainly more motivated than ever to reclaim his spot atop the 154-pound division. Fans tuning in on FOX and FOX Deportes in primetime and in attendance at Mandalay Bay Events Center are in for an action-packed Sunday night.”

Harrison (28-2, 21 KOs) has proven to be “Detroit tough” during a boxing career inspired by early years trained and managed by the late Emanuel Steward. He had to climb back into title contention twice before reaching the top with his unanimous decision victory over Charlo last December.

Harrison was on track for a title shot before suffering the first loss of his career in 2015 to Willie Nelson. After three-straight wins, he earned a shot at the vacant 154-pound title against Jarrett Hurd. Although Harrison had strong moments in the fight, he eventually lost to Hurd and was forced to again climb to the top. After another three victories, including a win over former champion Ishe Smith, Harrison took advantage of his second world title opportunity against Charlo.

“Being a world champion now, I’m excited to defend my title for the first time in this rematch that everyone is looking forward to,” said Harrison. “I think there’s actually more pressure on Charlo, just like last time. It’s just a blessing for me to be fighting on FOX and FOX Deportes Sunday, June 23. Everyone is going to be tuned-in to this fight and we’re going to bring the action to Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, the capital of the boxing world. I plan on doing the exact same thing to Jermell that I did in December. I’m going to get the win, and then I don’t want to hear any more crying or excuses.”

The 28-year-old Charlo (31-1, 15 KOs) suffered the first setback of his career with the close unanimous decision loss to Harrison. Fighting out of Houston, Texas, Charlo won the vacant WBC title with a devastating knockout victory over John Jackson in 2016. He made three successful defenses of the title with highlight-reel knockouts over Charles Hatley and Erickson Lubin, plus a majority decision win over former champion Austin Trout.

Charlo is trained in Dallas by Derrick James, who was recognized as the 2017 Trainer of the Year by Yahoo Sports and also works with welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. Charlo is one-minute younger than his identical twin brother, Jermall, who is the WBC interim middleweight champion and a former 154-pound champion.

“I am in a ruthless state of mind. I am upset and this upcoming fight, I am going to give it 110 percent,” said Charlo. “I am way hungrier now than I was before. I am not desperate for a win because I know how to win. The judges gave me a bad decision because I didn’t get the knockout, but you don’t have to knock everybody out to beat them. He knows he didn’t beat me. He knows exactly what happened. He knows he can’t beat me. If I have to go in there and prove it again, I will.”

Rigondeaux (18-1, 12 KOs) will look to show off the masterful technical skills that made him a unified world champion and perennial member of the pound-for-pound list when he steps into the ring on June 23. A two-time Olympic gold medalist for his native Cuba, Rigondeaux made his name with victories over the likes of Nonito Donaire, Rico Ramos and Joseph Agbeko. The 38-year-old most recently knocked out Giovanni Delgado in January on FS1.

Fighting out of Tlalnepantla, Mexico, Ceja (32-3, 28 KOs) won an interim world title at super bantamweight in 2015 by stopping Hugo Ruiz in the fifth-round. The 26-year-old would lose the full title to Ruiz in their rematch in 2016, but has won two of three fights since, including a knockout of Anselmo Moreno.

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Fans can live stream the fights on the FOX Sports app, available in English or Spanish through the FOX, FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku.

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, @MayweatherPromo, @MandalayBay and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.

Caleb Plant won the IBF Super Middleweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Jose Uzcategui in Los Angeles.

In round two, Plant dropped Uzcategui with a left hook. Two rounds later, it was a similar punch that put Uzcategui down for a 2nd time. The fight was grueling and plant showed the war scars as he was cut around his right eye in round six.

Plant, 166.8 lbs of Nashville, TN won by scores of 116-110 twice and 115-111 and is now 18-0. Uzcategui, 165.2 lbs of El Vigia, VEN is 28-3.

Joey Spencer remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Brandon Harder in a scheduled four-round super welterweight bout,

In round one, Spencer dropped Harder with a straight right to the head. In round two, it was another right that sent Harder down again. Moments later, Harder went down again, and the bout was stopped.

Spencer, 155.8 lbs of Linden, MI is 6-0 with six knockouts. Harder, 153 lbs of Southaven, MS is 2-2.

Brandon Figueroa stopped Moises Flores in round three of a their scheduled 12-round super bantamweight bout.

Figueroa dropped Flores with a huge left hook, and finished him off later in round three with a barrage of punches that sent Flores down for a 2nd time, and the bout was stopped at 1:35.

Figueroa, 121.4 lbs of Welasco, TX is 18-0 with 13 knockouts. Flores, 121 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 25-2.

Former world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux stopped Giovanni Delgado in the 1st round of their scheduled 10 round super bantamweight bout.

Rigondeaux dropped Delgado at the end of the 1st round with a hard overhand left for the 10 count. The time of the finish was 3:00.

Rigondeaux, 122.2 lbs of Santiago, CUB is 18-1 with 12 knockouts. Delgado, 128.6 lbs of Tacubuyla, MEX is 16-9.

Lindolfo Delgado stopped Sergio Lopez in round three of a scheduled eight-round super lightweight bout.

Delgado dropped Lopez with a left to the body for the 10-count at 2:48.

Delgado, 140.4 lbs of Linares, MX is 8-0 with eight knockouts. Lopez, 137.2 lbs of West Covina, CA is 22-13-1.

Ahmed Elbiali stopped faded Allan Green in round three of their scheduled eight-round light heavyweight bout.

In round one, Elbiali dropped Green with a right-left combination on the ropes. In round two, Elbiali dropped Green with a big left hook. In round three, Elbiali dropped Green with hard right hand, and the bout was stopped at 1:16.

Elbiali, 175 lbs of Cairo, EGY is now 18-1 with 15 knockouts. Green, 178.6 lbs of Tulsa, OK is 33-6.

LOS ANGELES (January 2, 2019) – Former world champion and pound-for-pound contender Guillermo Rigondeaux will return to action against Mexico’s Giovanni Delgado in an eight-round match on Premier Boxing Champions Prelims live on FS1 and FOX Deportes on Sunday, January 13 from the Microsoft Theatre at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

The Prelims show begins at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT with hard-hitting 2016 Mexican Olympian Lindolfo Delgado (7-0, 7 KOs) in an eight round super lightweight fight. Also light heavyweight power-puncher Ahmed Elbiali (17-1, 14 KOs) takes on Oklahoma’s Allan Green (33-5, 22 KOs), which will be shown on the telecast if time allows.

Prelims precede a Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes show that features IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Jose Uzcategui taking on unbeaten Caleb Plant in the main event. Coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will also see unbeaten featherweight Brandon Figueroa take on Moises Flores and sensational prospect Joey Spencer entering the ring.

In an anticipated rematch Ryan “Cowboy” Karl (15-2, 9 KOs) meets Kevin Watts (12-3, 5 KOs) for an eight-round super lightweight FS1 TV swing bout. Watts stopped Karl in the fifth round of their exciting April bout.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Zanfer Promotions, start at $50, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

Rigondeaux (17-1, 11 KOs) will step into the ring against Mexico’s Giovanni Delgado (16-8, 9 KOs) for a super bantamweight attraction as he seeks to show off the masterful technical skills that made him a unified world champion and perennial member of the pound-for-pound list. A two-time Olympic gold medalist for his native Cuba, Rigondeaux made his name with victories over the likes of Nonito Donaire, Rico Ramos and Joseph Agbeko. He will look to rebound from his defeat to Vasiliy Lomachenko last December when he competes on January 13 against the 27-year-old Delgado (16-8, 9 KOs).

A rising prospect from Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Lindolfo Delgado picked up five knockout wins in 2018, after turning pro in 2017 following the 2016 Olympics. The 23-year-old will fight in the U.S. for the second time when he makes his 2019 debut on January 13.

Born in Cairo, Egypt and now living and training in Miami, Elbiali bounced back from a loss to former champion Jean Pascal with a third-round knockout of Zoltan Sera in June. The 28-year-old scored knockouts in 13 of his first 16 pro bouts and will take on Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Green, who most recently defeated Edgar Perez this year.

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Fans can live stream the fights on the FOX Sports app, available in English or Spanish through the FOX or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku.

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 and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

Former world champion Guillermo Rigdondeaux will return to the ring on a Premier Boxing Champions card in January, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

PBC has three cards scheduled in January: a Jan. 13 card on Fox Sports 1 in Los Angeles headlined by Jose Uzcategui’s mandatory super middleweight title defense against Caleb Plant; the Jan. 19 Showtime PPV card headlined by Manny Pacquiao defending his welterweight belt against Adrien Broner; and a Jan. 26 Fox card at Barclays Center headlined by welterweight titlist Keith Thurman against Josesito Lopez.

“Rigo is training and he will be on one of those January shows,” manager ALex Bornote said.

He added that although Rigondeaux fought as a junior lightweight in his last fight, he is returning to the 122-pound junior featherweight division.

Former world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux has been released by his promoter Roc Nation Sports, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“But we weren’t able to come up with anything significant for him, and he’s in the later part of his career, so if he’s a free agent, maybe he can go make a fight for himself,” Roc Nation’s Dino Duva said. “We’re OK with that and we wish him the best.”

Duva admitted that the way he lost to Lomachenko hurt their chances of bringing Rigondeaux back in a meaningful fight.

“It hurt him big time,” Duva said. “Losing to Lomachenko isn’t horrible because he’s a great fighter, but the way it ended definitely hurt and made it that much difficult to get him back on U.S. television. The ending was unfortunate, but he can still fight, and I hope he gets another shot to prove himself.

“I’m happy for the time we worked with him. He had some very good performances, but he was hurt a little bit by the lack of U.S. television interest over the past few years. Some of it was due to his lack of excitement in the ring and that was always a struggle. But the truth is, he is an all-time great fighter at his weight class. I wish him the best.”

Guillermo Rigondeaux was stripped of his junior featherweight title following his defeat to Vasyl Lomachenko in a junior lightweight title bout on December 9th, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“I think it’s very unfair,” Alex Bornote, Rigondeaux’s manager, told ESPN. “We fought at 130 pounds. What does that have to do with anything at 122 pounds, where Rigo was champion? They just had it in for us. His inactivity has totally screwed him. Rigo has been inactive and when you’re inactive the WBA is not getting any sanctioning fees, so they’ve had it in for us.”

“I didn’t think it would be such a horrible performance,” Bornote said. “It’s another nail in his coffin in his career. It’s the Rigo story. Never have I ever seen such a thing. He has no luck at all.

“He doesn’t feel all that great right now. He didn’t think the weight difference would be such a big deal, but Lomachenko is a very special talent, a great boxer. And Rigo also hurt his hand, so he was at a big disadvantage.”

“It was hard enough for Rigo to get a fight when he had a world title, so now imagine what it’s going to be like without a title. But he’s definitely going back to his weight class at 122 pounds or maybe 126 pounds,” Bornote said. “He’s really a natural 118-pounder, but in this market, with the opponents out there, we might have to also consider fighting at 126 pounds.

“I just don’t know what we’re going to do. Maybe we’ll find something in Europe for him. They liked him when he fought in U.K. [in 2016]. But we’ll try to get him back in the ring and wash that bad taste out of our mouth because that performance with Lomachenko was horrible. He knows it. Lomachenko was just too big, too fast and Rigo hurt his hand. It was a disaster for him. Lomachenko is special. Rigo doesn’t see anyone who is going to beat [Lomachenko] in that weight class. He said Lomachenko is for real.”

Saturday’s Top Rank on ESPN telecast, featuring Vasiliy Lomachenko successfully defending his WBO World Junior Lightweight title against Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-1-0, 11 KO), delivered big on ratings and viewership, making it Saturday’s most-viewed telecast on cable television among men 18-34 and men 18-49, according to final viewership data from Nielsen Media Research.

December 9 Top Things to Know

· All four of Saturday night’s fights within the telecast averaged at least 1.6 million viewers and rank among the top eight fights on cable in 2017

· Saturday’s Top Rank on ESPN averaged 1,845,000 viewers across ESPN and ESPN Deportes, including 405,000 Hispanic viewers

· On ESPN, the full telecast averaged 1,730,000 viewers and was the most-viewed Hispanic telecast of the day on the network

· On ESPN Deportes, the full telecast averaged 115,000 viewers and was the most-viewed telecast of the day on the network

· On ESPN, the telecast averaged 290,000 Hispanic viewers and 17% of the audience was of Hispanic descent. The telecast was the most-viewed telecast of the day on cable television among Hispanic adults 18 to 49.

Top Rank on ESPN to date

· Saturday’s Top Rank on ESPN telecast ranks as the second most-viewed boxing telecast on cable in 2017, behind the Top Rank on ESPN Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn July telecast

· To date, Top Rank on ESPN is averaging 1.6 million viewers and 55% of the audience has been multicultural

· Top Rank on ESPN has also aired the twelve most-viewed fights on cable in 2017

*Note that telecast refers to full window (e.g. 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.) and fight refers to each single fight during the telecast

Viewers for Top Boxing Fights on Cable Television in 2017

NET

Date

Fight

Viewers

ESPN

07/01/2017

Manny Pacquiao/Jeff Horn

3,925,000

ESPN

07/01/2017

Jerwin Ancajas/Teiru Kinoshita

2,234,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Vasiliy Lomachenko/Guillermo Rigondeaux

2,114,000

ESPN

07/01/2017

Michael Conlan/Jarrett Owen

1,867,000

ESPN

11/11/2017

Artur Beterbiev/Enrico Koelling

1,725,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Shakur Stevenson/Oscar Mendoza

1,687,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Chris Diaz/Bryant Cruz

1,647,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Michael Conlan/Luis Fernando Molina

1,635,000

ESPN

08/19/2017

Terence Crawford/Julius Indongo

1,327,000

ESPN

11/11/2017

José Ramírez/Mike Reed

1,182,000

ESPN

07/01/2017

Shane Mosley Jr./David Touissaint

1,177,000

ESPN

08/19/2017

Oleksandr Gvozdyk/Craig Baker

968,000

Next up for Top Rank on ESPN is the Saturday, February 3 bout between Gilbert “Zurdo” Ramirez, Mexico’s super middleweight champion, defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) title against Top-Five world-rated contender Habib “Wild Hurricane” Ahmed from Accra, Ghana. The fight will take place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX, and will be televised live and exclusively at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and stream live on the ESPN App.

By Jimmy Tobin-

Saturday night at Madison Square Garden Vasyl “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko convinced his fourth consecutive opponent to quit on his stool. His victim this time, fellow two-time Olympic gold medalist, Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux, retired with an injured left hand after the sixth round. What more need be said about the action, lopsided, clinical, predictable as it was?

Much will be made of Rigondeaux’s decision in the aftermath: some will wonder how a fist that seemed never to land could have been damaged, or why trainer Pedro Diaz seemed so ready to act on Rigondeaux’s cue to end the affair. Ringside, Tim Bradley, as honest and polite and warring a prizefighter as we have seen in recent years, voiced such skepticism when Rigondeaux, halfway through the fight but at the threshold of humiliation, chose to preserve a career he says he may pursue no further.

Rigondeaux is a proud man, indeed his disregard for audiences is proof of that; he is also a fighter at heart, something he confirmed in climbing off the canvas to butcher Hisashi Amagasa and in his utter and arrogant defusing of Nonito Donaire. For this, perhaps, his professed injury deserves a courteous ear. But every second of every minute of every round Saturday belonged to Lomachenko, and who could better appreciate that dominance, and the bruising mischief it wrought, than Rigondeaux? Perhaps for the first time in a boxing ring, Rigondeaux was without answers, and that hopelessness, made all the more real by the taunts and mockery that have become part of Lomachenko’s signature, was likely more than he could bear.

Now a 37-year-old (and injured?) persona non grata, Rigondeaux chose to walk away from what was likely his last chance at glory and the remuneration it brings. Yes, Lomachenko held every advantage; size, youth, activity aside, he is simply better than Rigondeaux and employs an ideal style for disrupting the Cuban’s measured violence. The fight Rigondeaux had lobbied so long for was finally his, however, and he revealed how much that opportunity meant to him. Offer whatever apologies for Rigondeaux you like, boxers are held to a higher standard because they have earned that honor, and in capitulating as he did, Rigondeaux showed that however brilliant a fighter he is, barring something remarkable and out of tune with the tenor of his career, greatness will elude him.

Did it also confound and abuse him on this night? Well, not yet. Lomachenko is not yet a great fighter. He has the makings of one, certainly, but dominance alone does not establish greatness—at least not in an eleven fight career that features more losses (one) than it does great opponents. That lone loss, to Orlando Salido, is too frequently glossed over to be forgotten. Yet Lomachenko is no longer the naive and inexperienced fighter that fell for Salido’s dirty charms, and the next man who hangs a defeat on the Ukrainian will accomplish something greater than Salido did. Unlike Rigondeaux, Lomachenko will end his career remembered for more than his amateur achievements.

Still, there is something missing from Lomachenko, or, more charitably, if not from him then at least from his fights. That something was on display this weekend, though.

You could find it in the ring in Hialeah, Florida, where light heavyweight neverender, Jean Pascal, took his first (and hopefully only) leave of the sport knocking out aspiring Ahmed Elbiali. Plenty pulped over the past few years, Pascal nevertheless faced yet another undefeated fighter in Elbiali—his fifth in his last six fights. And as he has done for years, Pascal drew a line in the sand behind which he lobbed one grenade after another, wagering on his ammunition outlasting his opponent.

It was there in the Copper Box Arena in England, where +5000 underdog Caleb Truax won the IBF super middleweight title from James DeGale. No meager feat that: taking a title on the cards on a champion’s turf, but there was Truax giving his best performance in his biggest moment and being rightly rewarded for it. That title came with a bullseye, and Truax, who understandably dropped to his knees as his name was read, now wears both happily.

So too, could you find it in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, where Miguel Roman extended his career at the expense of Orlando Salido, who bid us farewell with yet another self-immolating performance. Salido’s career ends the way it began, with a TKO loss, but what he managed in the sixty fights in between is what defines him. If a less-than-great fighter can have a great career, then Salido had one; if there is a question about Salido the fighter he left unanswered it has yet to be spoken. Like Rigondeaux, Salido too decided he had had enough, wilting finally under Roman’s bodywork and the slow bleed of a career remarkable for its brutality. But boxing forgives the bold (which is why any outcome other than Saturday’s would have been better for Rigondeaux), and Salido earned that soft spot on the canvas.

Pascal, Truax, Salido—Lomachenko is better than all of them by some margin. And yet these three each provided something more intimate, more vulnerable, and in their own way more endearing than Lomachenko’s perfection. Lomachenko is math not literature; the application of formulas not passion.

The implied request here is for moments of genuine peril for Lomachenko, the type of request last directed toward Floyd Mayweather Jr., whose fights also felt scripted in their dominance. It is because of comparisons like this that the goalposts are continuously moved on Lomachenko, and so they should be considering how close he was to them from the start, how easily he has triumphed since his stumble against Salido (because, again, that happened). But this is proof he is great, you say? Fine. Those goalposts, move them again and again and again.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday on ESPN Ukrainian super featherweight champion Vasyl “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko made undefeated Cuban super bantamweight champion Guillermo “The Jackal” Rigondeaux quit after six rounds. On HBO Mexican journeyman Miguel “Mickey” Roman beat to a crumple Mexican journeyman and former champion Orlando “Siri” Salido. ESPN’s match comprised two fighters with four Olympic gold medals. HBO’s comprised two fighters with 25 professional losses. While any aficionado might’ve predicted which match would be more entertaining, few of us predicted exactly how much more entertaining Roman-Salido’d be than Lomachenko-Rigondeaux.

Saturday’s mainevents hadn’t a unifying thread that springs to mind but Salido, HBO’s counterprogramming ace, representing the one loss on Lomachenko’s record. It’s a proper loss, too, no matter how a commentator and ring announcer now revise it.

No sooner do we threaten to start a new era in which undefeated ledgers are not all there is to a fighter’s dossier but we try to unblemish Lomachenko’s record retroactively – else we’ll compromise what words like “otherworldly” we now include in the subtitle of his brochure. This straining for symmetry is what happens when we see ourselves as storytellers, not journalists, a point of ongoing and massive struggle for television as a medium.

Television was built on images that flicker to mesmerize and entertain. When this wasn’t enough to grow revenues television endeavored to get serious and journalistic and in a small corner of itself did so successfully enough subgenres got born. But television is too topical to be sober or intellectual as the written word – with its frowzy dressers, doughy faces, hard drinkers and thousandhours spent in front of library stacks instead of mirrors – and television knows this about itself and too knows it’s not glorious or beautiful as cinema or it wouldn’t have to sell its every fifth minute to advertisers. Television is best when it tries to be a little of both, more intellectual than cinema, more fun than print.

Television is frankly awful when it tries to lecture. There were some moments of it Saturday.

Something about Lomachenko, starting with his silly nickname, makes aspiring Homers of every speedreader and street philosopher; the mean feat of making smaller men quit fighting in frustration ascends to the historic when Lomachenko does it. Much of this, again, is his topicality; Lomachenko’s promoter, Bob Arum, knows better than any man alive if you can get your guy in front of a camera against weak opposition television’s salesmanship reliably fills every vacuum in realtime; commentary crews involuntarily enter a hyperbole duel with one another, earnestly wanting to be able to say theirs was the first to perform a historic inventory of this historic figure’s every historic quality. Some writers sometimes do this, too, especially those who hope to make it to television someday, but writing polices its own – as it did for centuries before television’s invention – dealing in credibility more than ratings.

Something about the very nature of words makes it harder to write “Lomachenko may someday be considered greater than Muhammad Ali” than it is to say it.

If there’s some tension between a pursuit of truth and a fun experience, television has to err on the fun side of things, selling the experience in a way print does not: nobody, after all, in 30 years will say he remembers the first time he read about Lomachenko, while plenty of folks now hope to have occasion to say they remember the first time they saw him. There are plenty of smart professionals in television, of course, and after thinking a bit on the proposition they realize the risk to credibility of calling every fighter the next Ali, Marciano or Robinson (or Pernell Whitaker) is dwarfed by the reward of being the first to recognize a future legend.

“Predicting,” as they say, “10 of the next two great champions.”

At the risk of losing a reader or two, I can happily report I found Miguel Roman’s victory multiples more compelling than Lomachenko’s. Wait, get back here, you two; I watched Lomachenko-Rigondeaux live, not Roman-Salido. If I wasn’t nearly first on the Rigondeaux bandwagon I did cover from ringside his sixth, ninth and 10th prizefights and recognized, with the help of a local San Antonio trainer, his multitude of talents. I wasn’t ringside for his defining win against Nonito Donaire (I was at a Natalie Merchant concert in Fort Worth, instead, and do not regret it a little) but was thrilled with the result, annoyed as I was by the hyperbole by then accrued to Donaire.

Since then I’ve been unimpressed by Rigondeaux as the rest of you. But he did do Saturday what we ask prizefighters to do once they’ve declared themselves too-feared to find opponents in their proper weightclasses. And the result was predictable. Fruity as his comportment often is, Lomachenko gives refreshingly honest postfight analyses, and his saying a corner quittage by an undersized man did not rate was my favorite thing Lomachenko did Saturday.

There’s no need to rehash the action because, over and again, it’s awfully easy to look sensational and do outlandish against a man once you know he can’t hurt you, which is why Canelo and GGG made none of the highlights against each other in September they make against smaller men.

Anyway it would be malpractice to commit any more space to that unexceptional and unsatisfying fare after a weekend when Miguel Roman retired Orlando Salido in a gorgeous attritioning of Salido’s noble spirit. Each man planned to retire if he lost, and neither man said so beforehand, which compares most favorably with the lucrative twofight sendoff HBO and Miguel Cotto just threw Miguel Cotto, no?

Roman probably won’t win his next fight without he barefoots another pathway of hot coals, which is fortunate for us and unfortunate for him. After what Roman just did to Salido at 130 pounds, with a different marketing team and promoter and momentum he might otherwise be allowed to make shortfilms about his reflexes and do otherworldly things against a bantamweight.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Last night’s fight between Vasiliy Lomachenko (10-1-0, 7 KO) vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-1-0, 11 KO) delivered big on ratings, making it the second highest-rated boxing telecast on cable in 2017, according to Nielsen overnight ratings. It was an electric, full house at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City that watched two of the top ten pound-for-pound fighters in the world, both two-time Olympic gold medal winners, battle it out for the WBO Junior Lightweight World Title. Lomachenko wowed with a sixth-round TKO.

Three additional fights rounded out Saturday’s cable television card with marquee appearances by rising stars Shakur Stevenson, Chris Diaz and Mick Conlan, all three placing in the top ten fights of the year.

With the Lomachenko vs. Rigondeaux results in, ESPN now has secured seven of the top ten rated fights of the year and the highest-rated fights on cable television since July 1. In just six months, since the Top Rank on ESPN debut, ESPN has generated impressive ratings results with its boxing events starting with its telecast of Pacquiao vs Horn, the #1 rated fight of the year.

2017 Top Ten Fights on Cable Television

DATE
NETWORK
FIGHT
MTRD MKT RTG
07/01/2017
ESPN
Manny Pacquiao vs Jeff Horn
2.4
12/09/2017
ESPN
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Guillermo Rigondeaux
1.5
12/09/2017
ESPN
Shakur Stevenson vs. Oscar Mendoza
1.1
12/09/2017
ESPN
Michael Conlon vs. Luis Molina
1.1
11/25/2017
HBO
Sergey Kovalev vs. Vyacheslav Shabranskyy
1.1
08/19/2017
ESPN
Terence Crawford vs Julius Indongo
1.0
11/11/2017
ESPN
Artur Beterbiev vs. Enrico Koelling
1.0
12/09/2017
ESPN
Chris Diaz vs. Bryant Cruz
1.0
11/25/2017
HBO
Sullivan Barrera vs. Felix Valera
1.0
Multiple tied at
0.9

Top Things to Know
· Last night’s Top Rank on ESPN telecast featuring Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux averaged a 1.3 metered market rating
· Based on overnight ratings, last night’s event alone also secured four of the year’s top ten rated boxing fights on cable
· Based on overnight ratings, this is the second highest-rated boxing telecast on cable in 2017 and the second highest-rated boxing telecast on ESPN since the start of 2016
· Las Vegas was the top local market, where the telecast averaged a 3.0 metered market rating, including a 4.5 rating during the main event

Top Local Markets
Las Vegas and Tulsa were the top two markets for the full telecast, with a 3.0 metered market rating.

Rank
Market
Metered Market Rating
1
Las Vegas
3.0
2
Tulsa
3.0
3
Oklahoma City
2.7
4
Knoxville
2.5
5
Norfolk-Portsmith-Newport
2.3

Next up on Top Rank on ESPN is the title fight between boxing’s Cinderella Man, Jeff “the Hornet” Horn and Gary “Hellraiser” Corcoran. The WBO Welterweight championship fight will air live from Brisbane, Australia Wednesday, December 13, at 6:30 a.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, and stream live on the ESPN App. Horn (17-0-1, 11 KOs) will be risking his newly-minted World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown against Top-10 contender Gary “Hellraiser” Corcoran (17-1, 7 KOs), of London. It will be the Brit’s first fight outside the United Kingdom. Horn vs. Corcoran will re-air the same day at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.