Juan Francisco Estrada won the WBC Super Flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in a rematch at The Forum in Ingleoowd, California.

Estrada dominated as he was sharp by landing hard shots with both hands. Rungvisai landed some shots, but it was few and far between action led by by Estrada.

Rungvisai made a late-go of it, but Estrada was too far ahead on the cards, and won by tallies of 116-112 and 115-113 twice.

Estrada, 114.6 lbs of Hermosillo, MEX is 39-3. Rungvisai, 114.2 lbs lbs of Si Sa Ket, THA is 47-5-1.

Danny Roman used two knockdowns to unify his WBA and the IBF Super Bantamweight title with a 12-round majority decision over TJ Doheny.

In round two, Roman dropped Doheny with a left hook. In round four, Doheny began to bleed from his nose. In the next round, he had swelling from around his left eye.

In round seven, Doheny landed a series of power punches that hurt Roman. In round nine, a big left hook buckled Doheny. In round 11, Roman sent Doheny t a knee with a hard left hook to the body.

Roman, 121.2 lbs of Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 116-110 twice 113-113 and is now 27-2-1. Doheny, 121.8 lbs of Bondi Junction, AUS is 21-1.

“This is what it’s all about,” said Roman, who is promoted by Thompson Boxing and Matchroom Boxing. “I love challenges like these. TJ put up a great fight, but I was too much for him. I knocked him down early, late and roughed him up in the middle. It’s crazy now that I think about it. This is what I wanted, to unify the division. I’m looking forward to celebrating with my team and enjoying this for a while.”

In a battle of former world champion, Jessie Vargas stopped Humberto Soto in round six of their scheduled six-round junior middleweight bout.

In round two, Vargas was cut over his left eye from an accidental headbutt. There were several furious exchanges throughout the fight.

In round six, Vargas landed a perfect right hand that sent Soto to the canvas. Vargas finished the fight by landing several flush shots that snapped the head back of Soto, and the fight was stopped at 1:48.

Vargas, 150.4 lbs of Las Vegas is 29-2-2 with 11 knockouts. Soto, 150.4 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 69-10-2.

Anthony Sims Jr. won a 10-round unanimous decision over Vaughn Alexander in a super middelweight bout.

Sims, 168 lbs of Plainfield, IN won by scores of 98-92 and 96-94 twice and is now 19-0. Alexander, 166.6 lbs of St. Louis, MO is now 14-3.

Diego Pacheo remained undefeated with a vicious 1st round stoppage over Guillermo Maldsonado in a middleweight bout.

After landing several hard right hands that rocked the head of Maldonado, Pacheco landed a thunderous left hook that dropped Maldonado hard to the canvas, and the bout was stopped at 1:46.

Pacheco, 161.8 lbs of Los Angeles is 3-0 with two knockouts. Maldonado, 159 lbs of Seattle, WA is 1-1.

Shakhram Giysaov won a 10-round unanimous decision over Emanuel Taylor in a junior welterweight bout

In round one, Taylor hurt Giysov badly with a hard left hook to the chin. Taylor hurt Giyasov again in round four, but the judges barley gave Taylor any credit as two cards read 99-91 twice and 98-92 for Giyasov.

Giyasov, 139.6 lbs of Bukhara, UZB is 8-0. Taylor, 138.6 lbs of Edgewood Arsenal, MD is 20-6.

Austin Williams made a successful pro debut with a 1st round stoppage over Joel Guevara in a scheduled four round middleweight bout.

Williams dropped Guevara once and finished him with a hard flurry at 2:06

Williams, 159 lbs of Houston is 1-0 with one knockout. Guevara, 158 lbs of West Virginia is 3-5-1.

Two-weight World champions Jessie Vargas and Humberto Soto collide on Friday night at The Forum, Inglewood, and Vargas believes their clash will steal the show live on DAZN in the US and Sky Sports in the UK.

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**CLICK HERE FOR FULL JESSIE VARGAS INTERVIEW*

**CLICK HERE FOR JESSIE VARGAS PROMO**

Vargas (28-2-2 10 KOs) is targeting World title glory at 154lbs having ruled the World at Super-Lightweight and Welterweight, and the first step to landed a belt and becoming a three-weight champ starts against Mexican veteran Soto on Friday night.

Soto (69-9-2 37 KOs) enters the bout on the back of a spirited win over Brandon Rios in Tijuana, Mexico in February, claiming an incredible 69th victory in 81 pro fights against ‘Bam Bam’. The 38 year old can take a giant step to a World title shot with a 70th career victory against Vargas, and the Las Vegas man expects their styles to gel to create a classic.

“Humberto is one of those tough Mexican fighters that never stops coming forward,” said Vargas. “He fights to the end a lot like me, so we’ll put on a great fight on a brilliant card – it could be the fight of the night. His fight with Brandon was a good fight, one Humberto had control of and was able to get the win. He called me out straight after the win and I was happy to accept the fight.

“He’s a two-division World champion, he knows how to box and how to brawl. It’s about picking the right moments against a fighter like that. Knowing his tricks and what will work against a fighter of his caliber and with his experience, I know I need to be switched on for every second of the fight and that’s what we’re training hard for.

“He has speed in his favor as a fighter moving up but so am I, we’ve been working on speed too. I feel I’m the more powerful fighter and stronger fighter physically, I also think that I am faster than him – he is fast but I think that I am more explosive and sharper.

“I’m very intelligent in the ring and very versatile, it’s about me making sure I follow and execute the game plan and stay on my toes, as you cannot give Humberto any chances as he will take advantage.”

Vargas and Soto clash on a blockbuster night of action topped by two mouth-watering World title tussles as Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (47-4-1 41 KOs) puts his WBC and Ring Magazine Super-Flyweight titles on the line in a rematch with Juan Francisco Estrada (38-3 26 KOs) and WBA Super-Bantamweight champion Daniel Roman (26-2-1 10 KOs) and IBF king TJ Doheny (21-0 15 KOs) meet in a unification bout.

Unbeaten Anthony Sims Jr (18-0 17 KOs) targets Super-Middleweight belts this year and faces Vaughn Alexander (14-2 9 KOs) over ten rounds, hotly-tipped Uzbek standout Shakhram Giyasov (7-0 6 KOs) meets Baltimore’s Emanuel Taylor (20-5 14 KOs) in a ten-rounder and his fellow countryman Murodjon Akmadaliev (5-0 4 KOs) faces Mexican Carlos Carlson (23-5 14 KOs).

Two of Matchroom Boxing’s brightest talents showcase their skills as 18 year old Diego Pacheco (2-0 1 KO) fights on home soil against Guillermo Maldonado (1-0) and Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams makes his highly anticipated pro debut against Joe Guevara (3-4-1 2 KOs).

Two of Golden Boy Promotions stars feature on the card in important battles as Argentinian Olympian Alberto Melian (4-0 3 KOs) fights for the second time in 2019 and second time in the States against Isaac Zarate (16-4-3 2 KOs) and former World title challenger Ronnie Rios (29-3 13 KOs) looks to return to winning ways against Daniel Olea (13-7-2 5 KOs).

Tickets are on sale now prices from just $31 – to charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com, and also at the Forum Box Office.

Former two-weight World champions Jessie Vargas and Humberto Soto will clash in a vital showdown for their World title ambitions on a blockbuster bill at The Forum, Los Angeles on Friday April 26, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

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Vargas and Soto will meet at 151lbs as they both look to add a third weight class to their World title CVs later in the year at Super-Welterweight.

Vargas (28-2-2 10 KOs) kicked-off the live American shows on DAZN in an entertaining Welterweight showdown with Thomas Dulorme in Chicago in October, with the fight ending in a draw. The Las Vegas man has now identified World honors at 154lbs as his next target, with Mexican talent and WBO ruler Jaime Munguia top of the hitlist as he defends his title against Dennis Hogan two weeks before Vargas and Soto meet, live on DAZN.

Soto (69-9-2 37 KOs) breathed new life into his career with a great win over Brandon Rios in a tear-up in his hometown of Tijuana, Mexico in February. The 38 year old is chasing the 70th pro win of his remarkable career, and could force his way into a clash with fellow countryman Munguia.

“I’m excited for my return to the ring on April 26,” said Vargas. “Humberto Soto is the opponent and I’m preparing accordingly with my coaches to give my fans an entertaining fight as always.

“Soto is an experience World class fighter who challenged me immediately after his win over Brandon Rios. The challenge has been accepted and on April 26, I plan to come out victorious.”

“The odds were against me in my last fight against Brandon Rios and I know that this fight will not be any different,” said Soto. “This gives me extra motivation to prove everyone wrong again and to add a third loss to Vargas’ record.

“I am extremely happy for this new chapter in my career and I am not going to waste this great opportunity! Like I said before, this is a do or die fight!”

“Vargas vs. Soto completes a huge card in LA on April 26,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Soto was outstanding in defeating Brandon Rios a few weeks back in Mexico and goes into this fight full of confidence attempting to upset the odds again.

“Jessie will take this fight at 151lbs as he makes the transition to 154lbs and can’t afford an upset as he targets Jamie Munguia later this year. With Rungvisai vs Estrada, Roman vs. Doheny and now Vargas vs. Soto, this is a show fight fans do no not want to miss.”

Vargas’ clash with Soto is part of a huge night of action on Matchroom Boxing USA’s first show in Los Angeles, topped by two massive World title fights as Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (47-4-1 41KOs) and Juan Francisco Estrada (38-3 26KOs) meet in a rematch for Rungvisai’s WBC and Ring Magazine titles and WBA Bantamweight champion Daniel Roman and IBF king TJ Doheny meet in a unification battle.

It’s Vargas’ first fight under hall of fame trainer Freddie Roach, who will see his charge Scott Quigg (35-2-2 26KOs) continue his path to becoming a two-weight World champ.

Unbeaten Super-Middleweight talent Anthony Sims Jr is set for a breakout year and will fight for his first title on the bill. Sims (17-0 16 KOs), who is in action in Peterborough, England on Saturday night live on DAZN and Sky Sports, clocked three stoppage wins in the second half of 2018, and will look to convert that momentum in style in first the UK and then in LA.

Shakhram Giyasov (7-0 6KOs) and Diego Pacheco (2-0 1KO) landed wins in Tijuana, Mexico this weekend and will fight on the bill, while Eddie Hearn’s latest addition to his blossoming stable of young USA talents, Houston’s Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams, will make his pro debut on the card.

Tickets are on sale now prices from just $25 – to charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com, and also at the Forum Box Office.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday on DAZN in a prizefight between formerly good lightweights matched 15 pounds and nearly so many years past their primes Mexican Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto decisioned American Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios by wide Mexican scorecards in Tijuana. Probably the cards were unfair to the American’s activity and ineffective aggressiveness, yes, but they were precise reflections of the difference the men shared in class. A blessing on such uncommon precision.

What surprised mostly, for being unobstructed by either man’s reflexes, was how markedly better Soto was than Rios, better in a way which caused one’s mind to race backwards and color his memories with doubt’s shadow. Whosoever won the match on an honest card wasn’t relevant to nary a spectator; that sort of determination required a calculus of activity and generalship and sundry other considerations properly dispensed of by any aficionado who knows knockouts matter more than the aggregate value of every other outcome. Perhaps Rios did enough to unsteal some of the rounds Soto otherwise stole, and perhaps it means naught either way.

What mattered Saturday was the clarity of the disparity, as it were, the entire levels, much less details, which separated the combatants’ skillsets. Rios shone as an object lesson in what a toughguy can do in a region and sport whose every participant is not a toughguy and how much it helps, too, if you speak English and once used it to give premium broadcasters juicy soundbites. Soto, conversely, showed how strikingly competent a prizefighter had to be to come out Mexico when he did.

Soto, one can be forgiven for not realizing, lost his first world title challenge – getting nearly shut-out by Joan Guzman in their WBO super featherweight tilt – the same year Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez fought for the WBC’s title in the same weightclass. Soto was 10 years and 52 scraps into his prizefighting career without so much as a ticket for the Pacquiao-Marquez-Barrera-Morales lottery.

Soto didn’t get out Mexico without he lost a fourtime. There’s an element of craftbuilding there, though, American prizefighters, even a generation before today’s, rarely endured. Early losses on American resumes were a blemish cursed for getting a fighter blacklisted from television. In Mexico, though, where an undefeated record courted suspicion much as it evinced prospective greatness, fighters like Soto realized the only chance to make a fortune in prizefighting was as a world champion, and if you deserved to be such a thing there were avenues enough to attain it, and if you didn’t deserve it then you didn’t deserve it and the only way to know was to fight and fight.

Little in the Soto dossier looks like a wellmanaged prospect cherrypicking a madefortelevision title. Meanwhile, one border and 16 pounds away Andre Berto was saturating HBO’s airwaves with a six-defense run as the WBC’s welterweight titlist, even while sympathetic pundits agreed he probably wasn’t ready to fight other titlists in his same weightclass. You got onthejob training, in other words, as an American prospect, complete with generous cable contracts and inflated rankings, even while your fanbase couldn’t fill a Tijuana cinema much less a bullring.

Onto this scene exploded Brandon Rios with his 2011 stoppage of Miguel Acosta. Four months later Rios was on HBO obliterating Urbano Antillon, a oncepromising prospect ruined by SoCal gymwars, and five months after that, in December, Rios was back on HBO missing weight and fighting someone named John Murray, a man who’d qualified for his title shot by getting knockedout that July. Seriously. By now there was little limit to the silly things experts were saying and scribes were penning about Rios’ otherworldly feats of chin and fist.

Then came the Richar Abril debacle on HBO. Rios missed weight again and got outclassed in every sense of the word – and only Adalaide Byrd happened to notice. Rios got his toughman matchup after that, making a trilogy with Mike Alvarado, and a lot more money from HBO, interrupted only briefly by his being heavybagged in China by a rehabbing Manny Pacquiao who dropped to Rios a total of perhaps 30 nonconsecutive seconds of the 2,160 the men spent together.

All the while somehow persisted the myth Rios was a prodigious infighter, a man who knew well how to mill on the inside, which he did not. I recall distinctly a gaggle of smug South Texas doofuses (a doofusi?) helping me understand how badly I misunderstood my own eyes during Rios-Abril, a match wherein Rios routinely set his head behind Abril’s left shoulder and winchcranked a lefthanded lob (to replicate the power of this shot, raise your left hand, make a fist, and flex your left bicep, then pull your fist into your cheek). Because every Mexican is a tough infighter.

Except Rios is a Mexican-American infighter, which, as Soto showed so ably, is a lesser breed. The opening rounds of Saturday’s match looked like a YouTube video of a fat American partyanimal picking on the wrong Mexican abuelito in a bordertown cantina. Rios had nothing but the rude force of (relative) youth; there wasn’t a single element of fighting Rios did well as Soto, and if Soto’s cultural norms precluded clowning he nevertheless appeared surprised by how easy Rios was to hit and make miss. Exhausted a minute into the fight Soto still managed to hit Rios whenever and however he wished for the 35 that followed. Rios’ generally overrated, if likable, trainer, Robert Garcia, beseeched Rios stop allowing Soto to win every round with merely 10 seconds of exertion, but Garcia must’ve known what Rios didn’t bother telling him which was the difference in class be so vast Soto probably didn’t need more than five seconds of roundly exerting to do it.

The evening’s biggest losers were its oddsmakers, pros who usually know better, for having installed Rios as a wide favorite fighting a Mexican in Mexico. Guess lots of folks believed those HBO press releases way back when.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Brandon Rios says his clash with Humberto Soto is the final hurdle between him and a fourth World title fight as they clash at the Auditorio Municipal Fausto Gutierrez in Tijuana, Mexico on Saturday February 23, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW PRICED FROM $165 (MEXICAN PESOS) HERE

Rios returned to action in stunning fashion in Kansas in November, stopping Ramon Alvarez in the ninth round of a pulsating contest live on DAZN.

‘Bam Bam’s’ return to the ring has been inspired by a promise made to his daughter to become a World champion once again, and a big all-Mexican clash with Soto is just the type of fight that will light a fire under him to produce a performance to land a huge fight next.

“It feels nice to fight back in Mexico,” said Rios. “Especially right now with everything that’s going on, all the politics. Not only that, but it’s good to give the Mexican fans a great show, they get see me live which is awesome.

“I’m fighting a guy that lives in Tijuana. He’s from Mexico, so I’m pretty sure the crowd’s going to be on his side, 100 per cent, but it feels good to be back out in front of Mexican fans. I’m ready to go and show the world that I’m ready to get back to the top again.

“I have some fans from LA going over the border to watch the fight, but I’m pretty sure he’s going to have more support. Anything can happen though, at the end of the day it’s not about who has what, it’s about me and him in the ring.

“The main decision for me to come back was when I was watching a fight on TV and I told my wife ‘Baby, that can still be me. I can still do that shit. I know I can still do that shit.’ I just had bad camp, bad habits. She told me ‘I’m going to let you do what you want to do, you’re a grown man. But if you come back, you’ve got to promise me you do it right.’ None of the half-assed shit, with the dieting, and all that. So, I thought about it for about a day or two, and I had the urge for it.

“I got my first fight and it was great, and the second one with Danny Garcia which wasn’t all that – shit happens in boxing. And then I got to meet Eddie Hearn who gave me a three-fight deal thanks to him.

“Nobody was really paying attention to me anymore, and Eddie gave me an opportunity, and I really appreciate that. I’m fighting my second fight with him, and I can’t wait to go again.

“My main target is to get a title shot. Not only the reason why, is because I promised my little girl. She does karate. I told her, if you become a black belt, you give me that title. When I become a champion again, I give you my belt.

“We made that promise, and I don’t want to break her heart, so that’s why I want to be a champion again before I retire. I keep my word. Every day, I kid you not, she says ‘Dad, remember you promised me?’ Every day. I come to the gym today, she’s asking me if I’m bringing back a title. That’s 100 per cent my drive.

“You know what, it could be soon. It could be my next fight, who knows with Eddie Hearn. For now I’m just concentrating on this guy. I’m ready for whatever falls next.

“Soto is a veteran, he’s 30 years old. he knows some tricks, he’s a former three-time World champion, so we’ve got to be ready for whatever he brings. That’s why I’m working so hard to correct the mistakes.

“Working with Matchroom Boxing and being on DAZN, they’ve giving me fights back-to-back which is great. I haven’t got that wasted time, rested time, they’re giving me fights right away. I’m grateful and happy to be a part of the team. I’m ready to get back to the top.

“It’s going to be a great fight. You’ve got a three-division former champion Soto comes to fight, very talented and very skillful, he’s a big counter puncher. Then you’ve got myself, Bam Bam, who comes to brawl and always gives the fans a good show, but what always makes a perfect fight is a counter and brawler. There’s always going to be punches thrown, always something going to happen.”

Rios and Humberto clash in an all-Mexican affair, in association with Zanfer and Paco Presents, on a huge night of action in Tijuana.

There’s a stacked undercard in support of the main event, led by the rematch between Jose ‘Gallito’ Quiniro (20-2-3 9KOs) and Joel Cordoba (7-4-2 1KO). The Mexicans shared a draw in a Christmas cracker in December and will return to the same venue as that clash to find a winner this time.

Alexis Espino makes his professional debut on the card, with the 19 year old Las Vegas native and decorated amateur itching to get life in the pro game underway on a proud night for his Mexican family. Diego Pacheco (1-0 1KOs) made his debut in this arena in December with a stoppage win, and the talented teen fights for the second time in the pros on Saturday.

A trio of unbeaten Mexicans complete the current line-up in the shape of 2016 Olympian Joselito Velasquez (7-0 6KOs), Omar ‘Pollo’ Aguilar (11-0 10KOs) and Sulem Urbina (8-0 1KO).

Matchroom Boxing USA will promote its first show in Mexico as Brandon Rios and Humberto Soto will clash in an all-Mexican affair at the Municipal Auditorium Fausto Gutierrez Moreno in Tijuana on Saturday February 23, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW PRICED FROM $165 (MEXICAN PESOS) HERE

Rios vs. Soto is in association with Zanfer and Paco presents.

Former World Lightweight king Rios (35-4-1 26KOs) returned to winning ways in style in November, stopping Ramon Alvarez in the ninth round of their high octane clash in Mulvane, near KS, pocketing a 26th win inside the distance in his 40th pro fight.

‘Bam Bam’ will look to further his claims for title shots in 2019, and the American-Mexican believes the love from the fans will roar him to victory and onto his goal of regaining his World title stats as he boxes in Mexico for the first time since September 2009.

Former two-weight World ruler Soto (68-9-2 37KOs) has other ideas though, with the Mexican hero heading into the bout on the back of two wins on his return to the ring in 2018. Soto, Los Mochis born but whom now calls Tijuana home, admits his glittering career is on the line on February 23, and that means ‘La Zorrita’ will put everything on the line against Rios.

“I’m grateful to Eddie Hearn for getting me on a card early in the year,” said Rios. “I want to stay active so I can get closer to my goal and becoming a Champion once again.

“Man, I’m excited to fight in Mexico, I haven’t fought there in ten years. The Mexican fanbase has supported me since day one and everything I give in the ring is for my family and my fans, who have never let me down.

“I’ve been staying busy in the gym, so I’m ready to give the fans a great fight. The fights the fans love to see!”

“I cannot wait for February 23,” said Soto. “I am so excited for this great opportunity in a city that feels like my second home.

“I know that this fight is a ‘do or die,’ that is why I am very motivated and training really hard. We know that we have a tough opponent in Brandon Rios, a true warrior, but so am I. This will be a war and I will be ready to win!”

There’s a stacked undercard in support of the main event, led by the rematch between Jose ‘Gallito’ Quiniro (20-2-3 9KOs) and Joel Cordoba (7-4-2 1KO). The Mexicans shared a draw in a Christmas cracker in December and will return to the same venue as that clash to find a winner this time.

It’s a huge night for two youngsters making their first strides in the paid ranks. Alexis Espino makes his professional debut on the card, with the 19 year old Las Vegas native and decorated amateur itching to get life in the pro game underway on a proud night for his Mexican family.

Rangy teenage sensation Diego Pacheco fights for the second time in the pros after a first round KO win on his debut in Tijuana in December. Pacheco cleaned up in the amateur ranks as an eight-time national champion and number one ranked Middleweight in both America and Mexico, and the 17 year old turned over on the back of recent stand out victories in the 2017 National Junior Golden Gloves and the 2018 USA Junior Olympic Nationals.

A trio of unbeaten Mexicans complete the current line-up in the shape of 2016 Olympian Joselito Velasquez (7-0 6KOs), Omar ‘Pollo’ Aguilar (11-0 10KOs) and Sulem Urbina (8-0 1KO), with more to action be added.

“I’m excited to be in Tijuana on March 23 for our first Mexican show with a real old school shoot-out between Brandon Rios and Humberto Soto,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Brandon stole the show in Kansas recently on DAZN against Ramon Alvarez and there should be real fireworks in this one.

“It’s a stacked card with a tasty rematch between Jose Quiniro and Joel Cordoba, unbeaten Mexicans in Olympian Joselito Velasquez, Omar Aguilar and Sulem Urbina, and the return of our 17 year old star Diego Pacheco along with Robert Garcia trained Alexis Espino who will also make his debut on the card.”

Josh Taylor will now face Winston Campos on March 3rd after Humberto Soto had to with draw due to a cut, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“It came as a bit of a shock, but these things happen in boxing,” said Taylor, a 2012 Olympian who did not turn pro until 2015. “I wish Humberto Soto all the best in his recovery, but now I’m 100 percent focused on defending my [regional] title against Winston Campos. I’d like to thank my team for finding a replacement at this late stage, and although Campos represents a different challenge, being a rangy southpaw, I’m very confident that I can put on a career-best performance next weekend at the SSE Hydro.”

“I’m delighted to get this opportunity,” Campos said. “I was in training for another fight when I got the call. I’m coming to Glasgow to shock the world. [Taylor] is talented, no doubt, but I’m cut from a different cloth. I’m from the streets of Managua! I have the style to give him nightmares, and I’m very confident that I can rip that [regional] title from him on March 3.”

Viktor Postol captured the WBC Super Lightweight title with a 10th round stoppage over Lucas Matthysse at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Postol dominated the action with his length as he made it difficult for Matthysse to generate consistent offense. In round ten, Postol landed a short right to the chin that sent Matthysse to the canvas. Matthysse sat on one knee until the fight was stopped at 2:58 after referee Jack Reiss reached the 10-count.

Postol, 139 1/2 lbs of Kiev, UKR is 28-0 with 12 knockouts. Matthysse, 139 1/2 lbs of Argentina is 37-4-1.

Atonio Orozco remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over former world champion Humberto Soto in a Jr. Welterweright bout.

Orozco was docked a point in round nine for a low blow.

Orozco, 140 1/2 lbs of San Diego, CA won by scores of 98-91 and 97-92 twice and is now 23-0. Soto, 140 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is 65-9-2-1.

Orozco landed 187 of 624. Soto was 184 of 529.

LOS ANGELES (September 30, 2015) Just days ahead of his October 3 battle against Viktor “The Iceman” Postol (27-0, 11 KOs) for the vacant WBC World Super Lightweight Championship, Lucas “La Máquina” Matthysse (37-3, 34 KOs) hosted a Los Angeles media workout at The Rock Gym in Carson, Calif. on Wednesday, Sept. 30. He was joined by his promoter, the Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya along with co-main event fighter and former three-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto (65-8-2, 35 KOs) of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico; and fighters featured on the non-televised undercard including former Lightweight World Title contender Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (28-1-2, 16 KOs) and Los Angeles fan-favorite Nick Arce (4-0, 4 KOs).

In the co-main event on Oct. 3, Soto will take on undefeated contender Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (22-0, 15 KOs) of San Diego, Calif. in a career defining 10-round super lightweight showdown.

Also on Oct. 3, undercard fighter Arce is scheduled to fight in a six-round featherweight bout against Juan “Juanito” Hernandez (3-0) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. In addition,Gesta will face three-time world title challenger Martin “El Brochas” Honorio (32-9-1, 16 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico, in a classic Philippines vs. Mexico 10-round lightweight bout.

Here is what the fighters and their promoter had mmto say about their upcoming fights on Oct. 3 just days before the big event:

Lucas “La Máquina” Matthysse, Former Interim WBC Super Lightweight World Champion:

“My inspiration is to be a world champion, to fight the best fights. That’s inspiration for me.

“I have wanted to be a world champion since I was a little boy and Saturday night I will have the chance to make this dream come true.

“I am very happy to be fighting in the Los Angeles area for this fight. It is a great honor for me to have the support of the Latin people here in the United States, coming all the way from Argentina.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:

“Viktor Postol is a lanky, tall fighter with some great knock outs under his belt and is being trained by Freddie Roach, which I know will get him in great shape. Matthysse with have his hands full with Postol.

“After the 3rd, 4th round, I can see it being a brawl. I can see Lucas Matthysse having to chase down Postol and do some damage. When have you ever seen a boring Lucas Matthysse fight? It’s going to be a fun, action-packed fight.”

HUMBERTO “LA ZORRITA” SOTO, Former Three-Division World Champion:

“It’s going to be a good fight, youth against experience. I think the people who see this fight are going to be the real winners.

“Nothing personal against Antonio Orozco, but I do believe experience will beat youth on Saturday.

“This fight will steal the show because when you put two Mexicans in a ring, they come to fight.”

MERCITO “NO MERCY” GESTA, Former World Title Contender:

“Right now, I know I’m in good shape and 100 percent healthy, so expect a really good fight because Martin Honorio pushes hard and has good form. It’s going to be a good fight.

“I’m training hard for Saturday night and am really proud to represent my country of the Philippines.”

NICK ARCE, Top Featherweight Prospect:

“I’m staying focused, staying on my weight, ready for Friday and ultimately give a great show on Saturday at the StubHub Center.

“There’s a lot of great featherweights out there, and we’re just focusing on our careers. Slowly but surely so when we get to the top, we’ll see who’s there and take them out later on. Golden Boy is one of the great promotional businesses out here right now, and I’m honored to be on the team.”

Tickets for Matthysse vs. Postol are priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, and on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849), and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, call 877-234-8425.

Matthysse vs. Postol is a 12-round bout for the vacant WBC World Super Lightweight Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions, Top Rank, Inc. and ELITE Boxing Promotion and is sponsored by Corona and Mexico – Live it To Believe It!. Doors open at 2:00pm PT and fight times will be announced soon. The HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins at 10:15 p.m. live ET/tape-delayed PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.elitboxclub.com, www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.stubhubcenter.com; follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @TRBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @StubHubCenter, @MatthysseLucas, @ViktorPostol, @PuroOrozco; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/StubHubCenter; and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOBoxing. Follow the conversation using #MatthyssePostol.

HBO Boxing kicks off the fall with an all-action showdown featuring one of the most exciting fighters in the sport when HBO BOXING AFTER DARK: LUCAS MATTHYSSE VS. VIKTOR POSTOL AND HUMBERTO SOTO VS. ANTONIO OROZCO is seen SATURDAY, OCT. 3 at 10:15 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from StubHub Center in Carson, Cal., exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will be ringside for all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: Oct. 4 (9:00 a.m.) and 6 (11:15 p.m.)

The doubleheader will also be available on the HBO NOW and HBO GO platforms.

In the headline event, Lucas Matthysse (37-3, 34 KOs) of Trelew, Chubut, Argentina and Viktor Postol (27-0, 11 KOs) of Kiev, Ukraine, compete for a vacant 140-pound title belt in a 12-round super lightweight fight.

Matthysse, celebrating his 33rd birthday this week, fought the rugged and relentless Ruslan Provodnikov last April, scoring a thrilling triumph in a contest many ringside observers view as the leading candidate for fight of the year honors. The undefeated Postol is a skilled 31-year-old who is embracing the challenge of meeting one of the sport’s most devastating punchers at a venue known for eye-opening outcomes.

Opening the evening is a ten-round super lightweight bout featuring Humberto Soto (65-8-2, 35 KOs) and Antonio Orozco (22-0, 15 KOs). Soto, 35, of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, is a skilled veteran with three division world titles on his resume and more than three times the professional experience of his opponent. Orozco, a 27-year-old Mexican native who currently hails from San Diego, is seeking national recognition in a highly competitive division.

The Oct. 3 doubleheader kicks off an impressive fall lineup on multiple HBO Boxing platforms. HBO Pay-Per-View® will present blockbuster middleweight bouts featuring Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux (Oct. 17) and Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez (Nov. 21), while a “World Championship Boxing®” card will showcase the 2014 BWAA “Fighter of the Year” Terence Crawford in prime time on Oct. 24 vs. Dierry Jean. Welterweights stars Timothy Bradley Jr. and Brandon Rios collide in an intriguing 147-pound showdown two weeks later in Las Vegas (Nov. 7).

Immediately following the live doubleheader from Carson, HBO will premiere “Road To Golovkin/Lemieux,” a special previewing the upcoming middleweight unification bout between Gennady Golovkin and David Lemieux that will air live on HBO Pay-Per-View®.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is Rick Bernstein; producer, Dave Harmon; director, Johnathan Evans.

® HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 3, 2015) – Former three-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto (65-8-2, 35 KOs) of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico will take on undefeated contender Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (22-0, 15 KOs) of San Diego, Calif. in a career defining 10-round super lightweight showdown as the co-main event for Lucas Matthysse vs. Viktor Postol on Saturday, Oct. 3 from StubHub Center televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.

In the main event on Oct. 3, Lucas “La Máquina” Matthysse (37-3, 34 KOs) will battle undefeated Viktor “The Iceman” Postol (27-0, 11 KOs) for the vacant WBC Super Lightweight World Championship. Matthysse vs. Postol is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions, Top Rank, Inc. and ELITE Boxing Promotion.

Tickets for Matthysse vs. Postol are priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849), and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, call 877-234-8425.

“I feel very excited for my next fight; they always say third time is the charm and after two cancelled fights I’m getting anxious for my return to the ring,” said Humberto Soto. “I’m used to fighting often, but now it’s been almost a year without fighting and as everyone knows, I couldn’t fight in Houston [on May 9] since my opponent was overweight. Then, the opportunity to fight for a new world title and an issue with my knee forced me to decline the fight. I’ve felt frustrated because I had been training really hard.”

Soto continued, “Now, we have Antonio Orozco. I haven’t seen much of his fights, but from what I’ve heard I know he’s very dedicated and holds a winning mentality. Orozco is young, undefeated, and he has to show everyone how far he wants to get in this sport. I’m his test, but I have the experience, and I have to make a statement as to why I’ve been a three-time world champion. I’ll show that I’m ready for this opportunity and for another world title.”

“I’m excited for the fight on October 3 against Humberto Soto,” said Antonio Orozco. “When you put two fighters of Mexican descent at StubHub Center in Southern California you know there will be a great fight. Thanks to Frank Espinoza, Oscar De La Hoya, Golden Boy Promotions and HBO for providing me with this platform. This will be a fan friendly fight.”

“This fight is a career defining event for both Soto and Orozco,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Both fighters have a lot to gain on Oct. 3, Soto is facing a young a ‘relentless’ fighter in Orozco, defeating him will prove that he still has what it takes in the world title game. This is also the toughest test to date for Orozco, going up against a three-division world champion like Soto could set him up for a shot at a world title. Both fighters have a lot on the line, which means Soto and Orozco are sure to make it an all-out war in the ring at the SubHub Center.”

A respected boxer from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto (65-8-2, 35 KOs) has seen and done it all in the ring in his 18-year professional career. A former three-division world champion, Soto is a dangerous and hungry contender set on adding another title belt in his trophy case. Soto has won tough fights against Juan Carlos Abreu, giving Abreu his first loss, and hard-hitting contender John Molina Jr. Undefeated since 2012, Soto is ranked number seven in the world by the WBC and ninth by the IBF. The 35-year-old is on track for glory once more when he faces Antonio Orozco on Oct. 3.

The undefeated Orozco is a native of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico who fights out of San Diego, and has won seven of his last nine bouts by knockout. Impressive victories over former world champion Stevie Forbes and seasoned fighters Martin Honorio, Ivan Hernandez and Miguel Huerta have propelled Orozco to number seven in the IBF junior welterweight world ratings. Most recently Orozco defeated fellow up and comer Emmanuel Taylor in May of 2015, setting the stage for his the toughest showdown of his career against the former three division world champion Humberto Soto on October 3.

Matthysse vs. Postol is a 12-round bout for the vacant WBC World Super Lightweight Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions, Top Rank, Inc. and ELITE Boxing Promotion and is sponsored by Corona and Mexico – Live it To Believe It!. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. on Oct. 3 and fight times will be announced soon.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.elitboxclub.com, www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.stubhubcenter.com; follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @TRBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @StubHubCenter, @MatthysseLucas, @ViktorPostol, @PuroOrozco; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/StubHubCenter; and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOBoxing. Follow the conversation using #MatthyssePostol.

Just a day after getting Jose Felix as a replacement foe for Ray Beltran. Humberto Soto injured his knee and his June 27 fight on the Timothy Bradley – Jessie Vargas undercard is off, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Soto is not going to fight,” said Golden Boy Promotions Eric Gomez. “He messed up his knee jogging on Tuesday. He was training. He got X-rays and he has strained knee ligaments, and the doctor told him he needs to rest it for a month.”

“It’s shocking. This guy can’t catch a break,” Eric Gomez said of Soto. “First, there was the Frankie Gomez situation, then Ray Beltran and now this. When bad news happens, it comes in threes. It was like 1-2-3 strikes, you’re out.”

Ray Beltran tested positive for a banned substance after his May 1 knockout win over Takahiro Ao and his June 27 bout with Humberto Soto is off, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Just disappointed. I’m disappointed for Beltran and I’m disappointed for us, but eventually fighters are going to learn not to try to cheat the system,” Carl Moretti, vice president of Top Rank, Beltran’s promoter, told ESPN.com. “I feel worse about it that it happened to [Ao promoter] Mr. [Akihiko] Honda and our friends from Teiken Boxing and that their fighter, Ao, was hurt by all this.”

“I talked to Ray and he doesn’t think he took anything illegal,” Cameron Dunkin, Beltran’s manager, told ESPN.com. “I asked him if he had been taking any pills and he said he took some supplements he was given by his guys, but he didn’t think they had anything [illegal] in them. I’m getting a list of what he was taking.

“He’s devastated about the Soto fight. Who wouldn’t be? He feels betrayed by somebody who was working with him, but he doesn’t know by who. He has three different guys who work with him but somebody really let him down. Someone didn’t look out for him. This is terrible. There’s nothing else to say.”

BoxingScene first reported the positive test

Moretti said one possible opponent is Jose Felix Jr. (29-1-1, 24 KOs), 23, of Mexico, a Top Rank boxer who is training for a June 13 UniMas-televised bout, but has no opponent yet.

HBO said it plans to keep Soto on the telecast. It is the second fight in a month that has been canceled on Soto, through no fault of his own. The reason HBO found a spot for him on June 27 was because his fight against Frankie Gomez on May 9 at Minute Maid Park in Houston — the co-feature of Canelo Alvarez-James Kirkland — was canceled the day before the bout because Gomez was 6½ pounds overweight at the weigh-in, which cost Soto a low six-figure payday.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former world champions Ray Beltran and Humberto Soto will meet on June 27 as part of the Timothy Bradley – Jessie Vargas undercard at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

“Adding this slugfest to the much anticipated slugfest between Bradley and Vargas just ensures another memorable night of prizefighting at the highest level at the StubHub Center,” Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti told ESPN.com. “Those in attendance and watching at home on HBO are in for a special night with major implications for those combatants.”

“We’re excited about the fight. It should be a fun fight. Both guys are exciting fighters,” said Golden Boy vice president Eric Gomez, who negotiated the bout with Moretti. “Peter Nelson took it upon himself to tell Soto they would have him back on after what happened with Frankie. We really appreciate it. He kept his word. He is doing the right thing here. Peter stepped up and said he’d get him back on the network, and he did it with what we think is going to be a great fight. Humberto Soto is going to make a war.”

In one of the most-anticipated events on the action-packed HBO Boxing calendar, the brightest, fastest-rising star in the sport meets one of his toughest challenges to date when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: CANELO ALVAREZ VS. JAMES KIRKLAND AND HUMBERTO SOTO VS. FRANKIE GOMEZ is seen SATURDAY, MAY 9 at 9:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from Minute Maid Park in Houston, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will be ringside to call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: May 10 (10:30 a.m.) and 11 (11:45 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: May 10 (3:00 p.m.) and 12 (11:30 p.m.)

Canelo Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KOs) of Jalisco, Mexico and James Kirkland (32-1, 28 KOs) of Austin, Tex. will compete in a scheduled 12-round super welterweight fight. Both men are known for an aggressive, come-forward style, which should produce an all-action affair.

Following an impressive 2014 campaign that included victories over fierce brawler Alfredo Angulo and crafty southpaw Erislandy Lara, Alvarez, 24, makes his 2015 debut looking for another dominant performance in his return to Texas, where a fervent fan base will provide a hometown feel for the Mexican slugger.

With just two fights over the last three years, including a stunning knockout of Glen Tapia in 2013, Kirkland, 31, returns rested and primed for battle. The Texas native boasts remarkable knockout power, having not allowed any opponent to reach the final bell since 2007. The winner will be in line for a super welterweight title fight later this year.

A scheduled ten-round super lightweight fight opens the evening, with seasoned veteran Humberto Soto (65-8-2, 35 KOs) squaring off against undefeated Frankie Gomez (18-0, 13 KOs). Soto, 34, is a former three-division champion coming off a decisive victory last September over John Molina, Jr., while unbeaten prospect Gomez, 23, continues to rise in the ranks.

Leading off the telecast will be the replay of the May 2nd blockbuster pay-per-view event from Las Vegas in which Floyd Mayweather met Manny Pacquiao in a much anticipated welterweight unification title bout.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jon Crystal; director, Johnathan Evans.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

LOS ANGELES (May 6) – Former three-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto (65-8-2, 35 KOs) of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, and super lightweight top contender Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (18-0, 13 KOs) hosted a media conference call on Tuesday, May 5 to discuss their upcoming super lightweight 10-round bout on May 9 at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Soto vs. Gomez will be the televised co-main event for Canelo vs. Kirkland live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Soto and Gomez were joined by Freddie Roach, International Boxing Hall of Fame Trainer and trainer to Frankie Gomez and Eric Gomez, Senior Vice President of Golden Boy Promotions. Below is what they had to say:

HUMBERTO “LA ZORRITA” SOTO, Former Three-Division World Champion:

“Everything is really good and I am ready to go. I am relaxing right now. I am focusing on making weight.

“Every fight is an opportunity and I want to keep moving up the ladder to get to a world title fight.

“It is a matter of sitting with my team, but if there is a world champion out there willing to give me the opportunity, then I would like to fight for the title.

“The important thing is your mind and mentality and to condition your mind to win. We will both have that – physically and mentality. But the real winners will be the fans. This will be a good fight.

“Talk is cheap. What really matters is the hard work and effort you put in the gym. I have worked really hard for this fight and I think that will be what makes the difference.

“I can adjust against anything that Frankie throws at me. I think I will be victorious.

“I want to let the fans know that I appreciate them and thank you for the support. It will be a great fight and a great night of boxing. It is an important fight and I am just appreciative of all the support.”

FRANKIE “PITBULL” GOMEZ, Super Lightweight Top Contender:

“Thank you Golden Boy Promotions, HBO, my manager, and everyone for this opportunity.

“On May 9, there is going to be some good fights. I have been training hard and on Saturday we will se seeing good results.

“Soto has a lot of experience. He has been through a lot of fights. I have a lot of experience from my amateur career. I am not concerned and I am ready for this fight.

“Freddie has been there every day for training. It was a very good training camp and I am ready to show fans what I can do.

“I will fight anybody. It is up to my promoters, matchmakers, and team. I am not afraid of anybody.

“Fight against someone with more experience is a lot of pressure but I like working under it. It motivates me more to do better in the fight.

“I will fight anybody. They gave me Soto. I know he has more experience but I think I am ready and I have trained hard. I think I can win.

“I am planning to go all 10 rounds. I am not going to look for the knock out. He has a lot of experience with combinations, but I think I can handle him. I think my youth and power will help me overcome him.

“Don’t miss Saturday. It will be a good fight. Make sure to tune in.”

FREDDIE ROACH, International Boxing Hall of Fame Trainer and Trainer to Frankie Gomez:

“Frankie Gomez is one of the best fighters in the world today. He has potential to be a world champion. He is really going to shine here and it will open a lot of doors for him.

“Gomez is one of the best fighters in the world and spars at the best in our gym, like Manny Pacquiao and all of those guys.

“There are a lot of names of future opponents for Frankie and we want them all. He is ready for Amir Khan now. We will go against anybody. He is one of my top guys and people should be afraid. If you go against Frankie Gomez, you will get beat. I promise.

“It will be a great fight for Frankie and good step up in the right direction. He will be champion really soon. I guarantee that.”

ERIC GOMEZ, Senior Vice President of Golden Boy Promotions:

“This is a big opportunity for Frankie Gomez to shine. He is developed, and with such a developed prospect, there is no one better than Freddie Roach to train him. A victory over Soto will put him in a great place. This is his coming-out party.

“Frankie has the speed and the power. You can’t help but see him go to another level when he teamed up with Freddie. Freddie has really brought the best out of him, helping him get stronger and stronger. Every fight is a step in the next direction. He needs these kinds of fights to define himself and he is definitely becoming his own person.

“Soto is a dangerous fighter with lots of experience.. It will be a great fight. It is one of those fights will that could be a main event at any other show. With Canelo and Kirkland, it will be a huge night.”

Tickets for May 9 Canelo vs. Kirkland are priced at $350, $150, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable fees and service charges, are available for purchase at Astros.com/boxing, the Minute Maid Park Box Office (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, online at www.ticketmaster.com. There is a 19-ticket limit per household.

Canelo Alvarez vs. James Kirkland is a 12-round super welterweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions, SMS Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions. The fight will take place Saturday, May 9 at Minute Maid Park in Houston and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Mexico – Live it to Believe it!, Fred Loya Insurance and O’Reilly Auto Parts. Doors open at 11:00 a.m. CT and first bout starts at 11:10 a.m. CT, the HBO World Championship Boxing telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

An all-new edition of 24/7 Alvarez/Kirkland debuts Tuesday, May 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.canelopromotions.com.mx, www.smsboxing.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.astros.com/boxing, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @SMS_Boxing, @HBOBoxing, @Canelo, @KOKirkland, @Astros @LeijaBattahPR become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/SMSBoxing, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing or www.facebook.com/astros and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @smsboxing and @HBOboxing, @Canelopower, @Kirklandsworld. Follow the conversation using #CaneloKirkland.

LOS ANGELES (April 6) – Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez hosted a special roundtable on Thursday, April 2 at The Belasco Theater, with members of the media to discuss his upcoming bout against Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto, which will serve as the co-main event for Canelo Alvarez vs. James Kirkland on May 9 at Minute Maid Park, Houston. Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions and Peter Nelson, HBO Sports Vice President of Programming were also in attendance.

Below is what they had to say at the roundtable:

FRANKIE GOMEZ, Super Lightweight Contender:

“I would like to thank Golden Boy Promotions and HBO for giving me the opportunity to show the world what I can do in the ring. I plan to conquer the 140 weight class and May 9 is a great way to show the fans my strengths as a fighter.

“Soto has a lot of experience, he is a former world champion, and I know our fight will be exciting. I like the pressure of this fight. It motivates me to train harder.

“I am training at 100 percent to make sure I am ready for May 9. This is not going to be an easy fight. I will plan to go 10 rounds against Soto.

“After Soto, the next step is take on world champions. I am ready and I know I have to train with the best and be disciplined. By the end of this year, I think I will be ready for someone like Danny Garcia, but it also depends on the plans that my manager and Golden Boy Promotions have for me.

“I have trained with both Lucas Matthysse and Ruslan Provodnikov, and I can’t decide who will win the fight on April 18. They are both great, aggressive fighters. Ruslan keeps coming at you, he is relentless and Lucas is a fast, hard puncher. It’s going to be a tough fight.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions:

“We are announcing the return of Frankie Gomez; we are all excited to see a young fighter with so much talent take on a tough fighter like Humberto Soto on May 9. Soto is a dangerous fighter who is undefeated since 2012 and beat John Molina last year.

“We are happy and grateful to HBO for the opportunity to show this tremendous, action-packed fight. HBO is about bringing the best fights to the fans, everything else is just boxing.

“140-147 pounds is the weight class for Frankie. It’s an exciting weight class that is full of talented fights and world champions. The weight class has young and veterans fighters and Frankie will challenge the very best. We believe in Frankie and support him 100 percent..

“Canelo vs. Kirkland is the perfect spot to showcase the next generation, the next world champion, and Frankie is the future. He will be fighting in front of 40,000 roaring fans and it’s the perfect launching pad for Frankie. We know he is ready and we know he wants this.

“The audience will be watching a young fighter who is the whole package. He is smart, aggressive, fast and has explosive punching power. People will love him. May 9is just the beginning for Frankie.

“Frankie has a hunger, humility and passion that are missing in a lot of fighters today. I have seen him in the ring during his fights and during his training and I can see that there is passion and fire in his style. There is something special about Frankie and it’s just a matter of bringing it out. We need to guide him towards his goal to becoming a world champion.

“Freddie Roach is a genius. He knows how to bring out the best in a fighter. He is an aggressive trainer that will get you in great shape but at the same time Freddie is smart and teaches a fighter to be smart. I think he is the perfect trainer for Frankie. I know he will guide him in the right direction.”

PETER NELSON, HBO Sports Vice President of Programing:

“We are privileged to have him on the network against the great Humberto Soto. This will be one of the best shows on May 9, in Houston, Texas. We know this is a major step in his career.

“We believe that Frankie has the potential to carve a name for himself in the sport. He comes from a great amateur pedigree.

“I saw him sparring with Ruslan Provodnikov at Wild Card Boxing Gym, and he was impressive.”

A stellar amateur who won the 2009 United States Championship and earned a silver medal in the 2009 World Championships, East Los Angeles’ Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (18-0, 13 KOs) has impressed every step of the way since then. Owner of 12 knockouts in three rounds or less, Gomez can also box when he wants to, as shown in his near-shutout victory over longtime contender Vernon Paris last July. Gomez is ranked eighth in the world by the IBF. On May 9 as the co-main event for Canelo Alvarez vs. James Kirkland at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, Gomez will attempt to make the move into the title picture with a victory over Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto. Gomez is under the tutelage of multiple winner “Trainer of the Year” and International Boxing Hall of Famer Freddie Roach.

Tickets for May 9 Canelo vs. Kirkland are priced at $350, $150, $100, $50, $25 and $10, plus applicable fees and service charges, and are on sale now and available for purchase at Astros.com/boxing, the Minute Maid Park Box Office (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, online at www.ticketmaster.com. There is a 19-ticket limit per household.

Canelo Alvarez vs. James Kirkland is a 12-round super welterweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions, SMS Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions. The fight will take place Saturday, May 9 at Minute Maid Park in Houston Texas and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Mexico – Live it to Believe it!, Fred Loya Insurance and O’Reilly Auto Parts. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. CT and first bout starts at 2:10 p.m. CT, the HBO World Championship Boxing telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

An all-new edition of 24/7 Alvarez/Kirkland debuts Tuesday, May 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.canelopromotions.com.mx, www.smsboxing.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.astros.com/boxing, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @SMS_Boxing, @HBOBoxing, @Canelo, @KOKirkland, @Astros @LeijaBattahPR become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/SMSBoxing, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing or www.facebook.com/astros and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @smsboxing and @HBOboxing, @Canelopower, @Kirklandsworld. Follow the conversation using #CaneloKirkland.

LOS ANGELES (April 2) – On Saturday, May 9 former three-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, will take on one of boxing’s most prized prospects, East Los Angeles native, Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez as the televised co-main event of the highly anticipated Canelo vs. Kirkland at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.The super lightweight 10-round bout will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

“The addition of Frankie ‘Pitbull’ Gomez and Humberto ‘La Zorrita’ Soto as the co-main event for Canelo vs. Kirkland further adds to the excitement and fireworks we are going to see in the ring on May 9 at Minute Maid Park in Houston,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions. “The undefeated Gomez will be put to the test May 9 against the seasoned Soto, and I’m sure the fans won’t forget this war in the ring.”

“This fight is a classic tale between an experienced fighter and a young fighter,” said Humberto Soto. “Gomez, is a young hungry fighter with a future ahead of him. He comes into the fight full of energy and the desire to create his own legacy in the world of boxing and this makes him dangerous. I understand because I used to be in that position dreaming of one day becoming a world champion. Now, it’s my turn to be the fighter with the experience and maturity and I am prepared to take on a fighter like Gomez, a fight that will be exciting and explosive and one that I would like to dedicate to all the fans in Mexico!”

“I’m grateful to Golden Boy Promotions and HBO for giving me the opportunity to fight on the best network for boxing,” said Frankie Gomez. “It’s an honor to be chosen as the co-main event on the Canelo-Kirkland televised card. I know it’s going to be a tough fight against Humberto Soto, he is a ranked former world champion and is always prepared to fight. Come fight night, I will be at my best and will prove that I am a feared contender in the division.”

A respected boxer from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto (65-8-2, 35 KOs) has seen and done it all in the ring in his 18-year professional career. A former three-division world champion, Soto is a dangerous and hungry contender set on adding another title belt in his trophy case. Soto has won tough fights against Juan Carlos Abreu, giving Abreu his first loss, and hard-hitting contender John Molina Jr. Undefeated since 2012, Soto is ranked number six in the world by the WBC, fifth by the IBF and seventh by the WBO. The 34-year-old is on track for glory once more when he faces Frankie Gomez on May 9.

A stellar amateur who won the 2009 United States Championship and earned a silver medal in the 2009 World Championships, East Los Angeles’ Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (18-0, 13 KOs) has impressed every step of the way since then. Owner of 12 knockouts in three rounds or less, Gomez can also box when he wants to, as shown in his near-shutout victory over longtime contender Vernon Paris last July. Now stepping up for his biggest challenge yet, Gomez, who is ranked eighth in the world by the IBF, knows that he can make the move into the title picture with a victory over Humberto Soto. Gomez is under the tutelage of multiple winner “Trainer of the Year” and International Boxing Hall of Famer, Freddie Roach.

Tickets priced at $350, $150, $100, $50, $25 and $10, plus applicable fees and service charges, and are on sale now and available for purchase at the Minute Maid Park Box Office (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, online at www.ticketmaster.com. There is a 19-ticket limit per household.

Canelo Alvarez vs. James Kirkland is a 12-round super welterweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions, SMS Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions. The fight will take place Saturday, May 9 at Minute Maid Park in Houston Texas and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Mexico – Live it to Believe it!, Fred Loya Insurance and O’Reilly Auto Parts. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. CT and first bout starts at 2:10 p.m. CT, the HBO World Championship Boxing telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

An all-new edition of 24/7 Alvarez/Kirkland debuts Tuesday, May 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.canelopromotions.com.mx, www.smsboxing.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.astros.com/boxing, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @SMS_Boxing, @HBOBoxing, @Canelo, @KOKirkland, @Astros @LeijaBattahPR become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/SMSBoxing, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing or www.facebook.com/astros and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @smsboxing and @HBOboxing, @Canelopower, @Kirklandsworld. Follow the conversation using #CaneloKirkland.

LAS VEGAS — Floyd Mayweather Jr. kept alive his pursuit of an unbeaten legacy. Kept his fingers, too.

In a rematch full of some unusual twists and Marcos Maidana’s mouth full of more than a mouthpiece, the result Saturday night at the MGM Grand was predictable.

Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) shook off some heavy punches from the wild-swinging Maidana (35-5, 31 KOs) in the early rounds, began to exert control midway through the fourth round and landed with precision throughout the rest of the fight for a 116-111, 115-112, 116-111 decision. On the 15 Rounds card, it was 115-113 for Mayweather.

Only a knockout eluded Mayweather in the rematch of his majority decision over Maidana in May. A KO was his goal, he said several times before opening bell.

“I give myself a C, C-minus,” Mayweather said after the fourth fight in a Showtime deal for a possible six fights and a potential $250 million.

A chance at a stoppage for an A might have been eliminated in the eighth round. That’s when Mayweather said Maidana bit him on his gloved left hand.

No, Maidana said. How could he bite anybody with a plastic guard on his teeth? Video of the mount appeared to
inclusive. But Mayweather walked over toward the press section, leaned over the ropes and yelled that Maidana bit him.

“After the eighth round, my fingers were numb,” Mayweather said. “I couldn’t use my left hand.”

His right was more than enough against Maidana, who appeared to grow increasingly wild with each round. In the 10th, Maidana was penalized a point for pushing Mayweather onto the canvas. It almost looked as if Maidana was about to walk over Myyweather like a fallen pedestrian about to get trampled. In the 11th, Mayweather was warned for a low blow. Maidana was given time to recover. Mayweather impatiently waved at him, urging to continue the fight. It was as if Mayweather wanted to finish the business at hand and move on to the next fight.

When it was time to address what was next, he was asked the inevitable. He was asked about Manny Pacquiao. When isn’t he? Pacquiao-Mayweather has been the subject of futile talks and rumors for years. It won’t die. The surprise was that Mayweather kept it alive this time around. He usually dismisses it.

“Manny Pacquiao, if that fight presents itself, let’s make it happen,” he said.

There wasn’t much doubt and Leo Santa Cruz made sure of it with a devastating one-punch demolition of Manuel Roman that strengthened his claim on being one of the world’s best junior-featherweights.

“I want to fight Guillermo Rigondeaux,” Santa Cruz said of the Cuban who is considered to be No. 1 in the competitive weight class.

Roman (17-3-3, 6 KOs) was just an impressive work out for Santa Cruz, who stayed unbeaten (28-0-1, 16 KOs) and retained the WBC version of the 122-pound title. In the second round, Santa Cruz grazed Roman, his former sparring partner and a 50-to-1 underdog at the sports book, with a jab. He followed with a straight right that landed on the soft tissue behind a Roman ear. Roman collapsed. As he tried to get up, referee Robert Byrd ended it at 5 seconds of the round.

It wouldn’t be a fight card without a wild card. It came in Mickey Bey’s split decision over Miguel Vazquez for the IBF’s lightweight title. It was deadly dull, which means it could have been a draw. After the boos, the first two scores were announced. A draw sounded likely. Judge Julie Lederman had it 115-113 for the Mayweather-promoted Bey (21-1-1, 10 KOs) of Cleveland. Adalaide Byrd scored it 115-113 for Vazquez (34-4, 13 KOs) of Mexico. But it was Robert Hoyle who dealt the wild card, 119-109 for Bey, who bloodied Vazquez early, yet was never dominant enough to win by a double-digit margin.

James De La Rosa of San Benito, Tex., celebrated with a back-flip. When he landed, he stumbled. But he didn’t fall. Nothing could knock De La Rosa (23-2, 13 KOs) off his feet. Alfredo Angulo (224, 18 KOs), of Mexicali, tried in a furious finish to a 10-round middleweight bout in the first pay-pr-view fight on the Floyd-Mayweather Jr.-Marcos Maidana card. Angulo landed a couple of wicked left hooks and followed with successive rights, but De La Rosa survived to win a unanimous decision over a bloodied Angulo, who lost the first eight rounds, suffered a knockdown in the second and was penalized one point in the seventh for a low blow.

In a foul-fest, Mexican junior-welterweight Humberto Soto suffered two low-blows and was penalized for throwing one of his own, yet survived to win by unanimous decision over John Molina Jr. of Covina, Ca., in a Showtime telecast before the first pay-per-view fight.

Molina (27-5, 22 KOs), who appeared to throw punches after the bell in the early rounds, was penalized for low-blows in the sixth and seventh. Soto (65-8, 35 KOs) retaliated and it cost him a one-point penalty in the tenth. In the end, however Soto was the stronger fighter and a 95-92, 96-91, 95-92 winner on the cards.

Las Vegas cruiserweight Andrew Tabiti, who promises to take the snoozer out of cruiser, continued to display power and promise, pushing his record to 8-0, all by stoppage, with a sixth-round TKO of Caleb Grummet (3-2, 3 KOs) of Lake Odessa, Mich. Tabiti dominated Grummet for five-plus rounds before Vic Drakulich stopped it at 2:01 of the sixth.

Armando Lopes scored the undercard’s first upset, beating junior-welterweight prospect Damian Sosa of Argentina in the third bout on the card’s non-televised portion. Sosa (8-1, 6 KOs), a Robert Gracia-trained fighter, suffered a knockdown in the second round and never really recovered, losing a unanimous decision to Lopes (5-3, 1 KOs) of Nogales, Mexico.

In the second bout on the non-televised portion of the card, welterweight Fabian Maidana (3-0, 2 KO) got things warned up for brother Marcos with a first-round stoppage of Jared Teer (2-3), an Illinois fighter was knocked twice in the opening moments.

Super-middleweight Kevin Newman and Azamat Umarzoda opened the show two hours after high noon and about five hours before the Floyd Mayweather Jr.- Marcos Maidana Saturday at the MGM Grand. Seats were empty. But there wasn’t much to see, anyway. Newman (0-0-1), of Mayweather Promotions, and Umarzoda (0-5-2) of Tajikistan, fought to a draw through an uneventful four rounds.

Follow all the action live as Floyd Mayweather defends two Welterweight world titles plus a Jr. Middleweight world title in a rematch against former world champion Marcos Maidana. The actions off at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT with a 4 fight undercard featuring Leo Santa Cruz defending his Super Bantamweight title against Manuel Roman. Miguel Vazquez defends his Lightweight title against Mickey Bey. Alfredo Angulo takes on James De La Rosa in a Middleweight bout and the action kicks off with a Jr. Welterweight tussle between John Molina Jr. and former world champion Humberto Soto.

12 ROUNDS WBA/WBC WELTERWEIGHT & WBC SUPER WELTERWEIGHT TITLE–FLOYD MAYWEATHER (46-0, 26 KO’S) VS MARCOS MAIDANA (35-4, 31 KO’S)

Round 1 Mayweather jabbing to the body..Maidana lands a right to the head..Mayweather lands a left..Mayweather moving all over the ring…10-9 Mayweather

Round 2 Maidana throws a 3 punch combo..Mayweather jabbing to the body..Jab from Maidana..Mayweather lands a right and a left hook..lead right..20-18 Mayweather

Round 3 Maidana coming with a combo..Mayweather lands a counter right..counter right..2 more rights..hard right..another hard counter right..Maidana lands a right..jab..Hard right from Mayweather…Maidana lands a hard right at the bell…30-27 Mayweather

Round 4 Maidana is crowding and hitting Mayweather..Right from Mayweather..right…counter right..double jab from Maidana…39-37 Mayweather

Round 5 Jab – right from Mayweather..Counter right from Mayweather..counter right from Maidana…Short left from Mayweather...49-46 Mayweather

Round 6 Counter left from Mayweather..right..59-55 Mayweather…mayweather outlanding Maidana 97-64

Round 7 Maidana lands a right to the body..Mayweather lands a right to the body…body shot..Double jab from Maidana..Mayweather lands 2 rights..69-64 Mayweather

Round 8 Mayweather counters with a right and intiates a clinch as he has been doing for a lot of the fight…Maidana lands a jab and overhand right…Good right from Maywather..Overhand right from Maidana…Good right..Mayweather lands a lead left..Mayweather is claiming he got bit on his hand…Counter left from Mayweather…79-73 Mayweather

Round 9 Counter right from Maidana…Good hook from Mayweather…Counter left hook..Maidana gets in a couple of rights..Jab and right from Mayweather..left,…89-82 Mayweather

Round 10 Right from Maidana..Combination from Mayweather..Maidana throws Mayweather down and MAIDANA IS DOCKED A POINT…Maidana chasing Mayweather in corner…counter right from Mayweather..uppercut..jab..999-90 Mayweather

Round 11 Sharp left from Mayweather…Left to the body..Mayweather lands a low blow..Mayweather lands 2 lefts (Body/head)…Good right to the head..left hook to body and a right…Maidna lands a jab…109-99 Mayweather

Round 12 Mayweather dancing around the ring..Maidana traps Mayweather in corner…118-109 Mayweather

Mayweather 166-326 Maidana 128-572

115-112….116-111….116-111 Floyd Mayweather

12 ROUNDS–WBC SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE–LEO SANTA CRUZ (27-0-1, 15 KO’S) VS MANUEL ROMAN (17-2-3, 6 KO’S)

ROUND 1 Santa Cruz lands right to the body..Left hook to the body...Santa Cruz 10-9

Round 2 BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ROMAN…ROMAN GETS UP AND 8 BUT ROBERT BYRD STOPS THE FIGHT

12 ROUNDS–IBF LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE–MIGUEL VAZQUEZ (34-3, 13 KO’S) VS MICKEY BEY (20-1-1, 10 KO’S)

Round 1 Sharp left from Vazquez..jab…10-9 Vazquez

Round 2 double jab from Bey…19-19

Round 3 Counter right from Bey..stiff jab..29-28 Bey…Vazquez cut on the right side of his head

Round 4 Counter jab from Bey…Vazquez lands a jab..left..Bey landing on the inside..39-38 Bey

Round 5 Vazquez lands a chopping right//counter left from Bey…49-48 Bey

Round 6 Double jab from Bey…59-57 Bey

Round 7 69-67 Bey

Round 8 Vazquez lands a jab..left from Vazquez..right..78-77 Bey

Round 9 Bey lands a jab..Vazquez lands a left hook..87-87

Round 10 Vazquez lands a jab..97-96 Vazquez

Round 11 107-106 Vazquez

Round 12 Bey lands a left hook..Combination..116-116

Vazquez 89-404 Bey 81-394

115-113 Bey…..115-113 Vazquez….119-109 Bey….Bey the New IBF Lightweight champion

10 ROUNDS–MIDDLEWEIGHTS–ALFREDO ANGULO (22-4, 18 KO’S) VS JAMES DE LA ROSA (22-2, 13 KOS)

ROUND 1 Angulo lands a jab…Body shot…double jab from De la Rosa..Body from Angulo..jab to body..10-9 Angulo

Round 2 Overhand right from De La Rosa..Jab..BIG LEFT AND DROPS ANGULO ON THE ROPES RULED A KNOCKDOWN..19-18 De La Rosa

Round 3 De La Rosa lands a combination..straight left.right…Body, hook and uppercut from Angulo..Counter overhand right from De la Rosa..29-27 De La Rosa

Round 4 1-2 from De La Rosa…Angulo lands a body shot..left to body..left hook..left hook from De La Risa..Right to body from Angulo..left and right…38 37 De la Rosa

Round 5 Combination from De La Rosa..Angulo lands a body shot..4 punch combo from De La Rosa..ANgulo lands a left to the body..nice right..48-46 De La Rosa

Round 6 Combination from De La Rosa..Angulo bleeding around the right eye..De La Rosa lands a combination…2 rights from Angulo…58-55 De La Rosa

Round 7 De la rosa landa an uppercut..Uppercut from Angulo..straight left from de La Rosa..nice right..ANGULO DEDUCTED 1 POINT FOR A LOW BLOW..68-63 De La Rosa

Round 8 De La Rosa landing combination..Angulo lands a counter left hook and straight right..short uppercut..Good right..combination..77-73 De La Rosa

Round 9 Left hook from Angulo..De La Rosa is hurt…86-83 De La Rosa

Round 10 Right from Angulo…Right from De La Rosa..3 punch combo from Angulo..Right and left..left hook..Angulo coming on strong…De La Rosa lands a left..Angulo trying to make 1 last stand…95-93 De La Rosa

98-90, 96-92, 99-89 FOR JAMES DE LA ROSA

10 ROUNDS–JR WELTERWEIGHTS–HUMBERTO SOTO (64-8-2, 35 KO’S) VS JOHN MOLINA JR. (27-4, 22 KO’S)

Round 1 Exchanging hooks..Big right from Soto..left hook..4 punch combination…10-9 Soto

Round 2 Right from Molina…overhand right..good right..right..Molina landing the right from distance..Left hook from Soto..another left hook..Left hook from Molina…good toe to toe action..Soto lands a 1-2..Molina lands a right…19-19

Round 3 Left hook from Soto….2 rights from Molina..Right from Distance..Right from Soto..Bih exchange AFTER the bell…29-29 Molina

Round 4 Molina lands a right..right hand..right..Soto comes back with a left uppercut..Soto backing Molina up..Uppercut from Soto..Body shot..Soto goes down from a Low Blow…38-38

Round 5 Molina lands a right…jab from Molina..Jab from Soto..right….Molina lands an uppercut to the body..Left hook by Soto..Combination…48-47 Soto

Round 6 MOLINA DEDUCTED A POINT FOR A LOW BLOW…2 hooks from Soto..Right from Molina..3 punch combo from Soto..Right from Molina..Hook from Molina..Uppercut from Soto…58-55 Soto

Round 7 Right from Molina..2 right hooks from Soto..Counter right from Molina..Left from Soto..Another Low blow from Molina and Soto goes down…Soto down on canvas in pain AND ANOTHER POINT DEDUCTION..right from Molina..67-64 Soto

Round 8 Left hook from Molina..Jab to body from Soto..right from Molina…3 punch combo from Soto..Left hook from body from Molina…Right to Molina and he goes down from a Low Blow…Big exchange at end of round..77-73 Soto

Round 9 Soto lands a left hook that goes low..Right and left from Soto..Soto lands a left that Molina complains that its low..Left from Molina off the ropes..uppercuts…1-2 from Soto..87-82 Soto

Round 10 Right from Molina..Soto lands a low blow…SOTO IS NOW DEDUCTED A POINT FOR A LOW BLOW..1-2 from Soto..4 punch combo…left hook from Molina…96-91 Soto

Punch stats…Soto 245-587 Molina 181-51

96-91, 95-92 on two cards for Humberto Soto

LAS VEGAS (August 14, 2014) – In keeping with Mexican Independence Day tradition, Mayweather Promotions has assembled a stellar undercard featuring some of this era’s most exciting boxers to co-feature on “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” on Saturday,September 13 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena live on SHOWTIME PPV.

Featured on the four-fight pay-per-view telecast, fan favorite Leo “Terremoto”
Santa Cruz will put his WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship on the line in a 12-round championship bout against Mexican contender Manuel “Suavecito” Roman, plus Tijuana-Baja’s pride Miguel “Títere” Vazquez defends his IBF Lightweight World Championship against Mayweather Promotions’ rising star Mickey “The Spirit” Bey. In the opening bout on pay per view, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo returns to the ring against James De La Rosa in a 10-round bout.

Rounding out a sensational night of televised fights, SHOWTIME will present a live 10-round Jr. welterweight bout between John Molina Jr. and Humberto “La Zorrita”
Soto on “COUNTDOWN LIVE” (SHO, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) immediately preceding the SHOWTIME PPV telecast.

“This is my second time fighting on a Floyd Mayweather pay-per-view undercard and I know that there is no bigger stage than this,” said Santa Cruz. “Manuel Roman is a tough customer. I know he’s going to come prepared and try to take my title. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain, but I plan on leaving the ring with my hand raised.”

“Leo Santa Cruz is one of the top guys not only in the super bantamweight division, but in all of boxing,” said Roman. “I’ve never been intimidated in the ring before and I don’t plan on starting on September 13. Santa Cruz better be ready because I know I will be.”

“I’m looking forward to fighting at MGM Grand again and on this amazing Floyd Mayweather card,” said Vazquez. “It’s time to get to business and get in the best shape ever so I’m ready to put on a show. I respect Mickey Bey, but I plan on winning convincingly to show that I’m one of the best in the lightweight division.

“I want to thank God for helping me persevere through the tough times and helping me overcome obstacles in my life,” said Bey. “I also want to thank my team for believing in me and helping me get to this opportunity. I plan on seizing the moment and becoming a world champion on September 13.”

“I’ve been anxious to get back in the ring ever since the end of the Canelo fight,” said Angulo. “I’m ready to get back on the winning track and this is a great opportunity for me to do that in front of the world on Mexican Independence Day weekend. This fight could not be more critical for my future in this sport and I want to put on a great show for the fans.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for me to make my name on a huge stage against a fellow Mexican-warrior in Alfredo Angulo,” said De La Rosa. “On September 13 I’m going to teach an old dog some new tricks.”

“Floyd always wants to ensure the paying fans get their monies worth by delivering a strong night of boxing action through compelling televised undercard bouts,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO Mayweather Promotions. “This fight night will be no different from the rest as Leo Santa Cruz and Miguel Vazquez will defend their world titles valiantly, electrifying Mickey Bey will seek to win that title from Vazquez and fan favorite Alfredo Angulo will look to revitalize his career in what will amount to a sensational night of boxing.”

“From top to bottom, the September 13th fight card is going to get fans out of their seats whether they are among the thousands in attendance at MGM Grand or hundreds of thousands watching from home,” said Oscar De La Hoya, president and founder of Golden Boy Promotions. “Golden Boy is proud to promote the most crowd-pleasing fighters in the sport and with Marcos Maidana, Leo Santa Cruz and Alfredo Angulo, all in action under the same roof, it’s sure to be a night that no one will forget.”

One of the most successful and exciting fighters in the sport, Leo Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KOs) is on the cusp of superstardom. Widely recognized as one of the highest volume punchers in the game, the 25-year-old, two-division world champion who fights out of Los Angeles by way of Huetamo, Michoacan de Ocampo, Mexico will be making his third defense of the WBC 122-pound title he won last August. His exciting work rate and significant power have made Santa Cruz a mainstay on SHOWTIME as he prepares for his second consecutive PPV bout after defeating Cristian Mijares in March on the “TOE TO TOE: Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo” PPV card.

Tijuana-Baja, Mexico native fighting out of Paramount, Calif., Manuel Roman (17-2, 6 KOs) is ready for the spotlight. The hard-hitting 26-year-old is coming off of a two-fight winning streak. An underdog ready to upset bantamweight favorite on the biggest stage of his career could pull off the upset of the year.

A respected veteran and the current IBF Lightweight World Champion, Miguel Vazquez (34-3, 13 KOs) looks to make himself a household name on September 13 when he puts his title on the line against Mickey Bey. The 27-year-old from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico is riding an impressive 13-fight win streak dating all the way back to a 2008 loss against Canelo Alvarez. Vazquez won his lightweight world title in 2010 against Ji-Hoon Kim and has gone on to defeat undefeated fighters Leonardo Zappavigna, Mercito Gesta and, most recently, Denis Shafikov this past Feb. 22.

His opponent, Mickey Bey (20-1-1, 10 KOs) is one of the top rising stars in the Mayweather Promotions’ stable. The 31-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio was an amateur standout who defeated Brandon Rios at the 2004 Olympic Trials but was forced to miss the Olympics because of a bout with pneumonia. Since then, Bey has put together an exceptional professional career, with only one loss at the hands of John Molina Jr. last July, and has risen to contender status in the lightweight division. The winner of his last two fights, including a dominating decision victory against Alan Herrera in his last fight, Bey is ready to fight on the biggest stage of his career.

Despite losing his last two fights, Alfredo Angulo (22-4, 18 KOs) remains a popular and extremely dangerous fighter, who is no doubt looking to take out his recent frustrations on his next opponent. The 31-year-old from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico always produces exciting fights, as evidenced by knockouts of Gabriel Rosado, Joel Julio and Joachim Alcine, as well as his classic 2011 showdown with James Kirkland. Angulo’s last two defeats came at the hands of the top fighters in the 154-pound division in Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara. Both fighters controversially stopped Angulo in the 10th round, but on Sept. 13 it is Angulo who plans on inflicting pain and walking out victorious.

Angulo’s opponent, James De La Rosa (22-2, 13 KOs) is looking to make his name in the sport with an explosive win on September 13. The 26-year-old Mexican fighting out of San Benito, Texas is fresh off of an August 2 technical knockout victory over Fabian Reyes. This win adds to a list of solid triumphs that includes Tyrone Brunson, Lenin Arroyo and Tim Coleman. Now he looks for his biggest victory and to be able to say he has arrived as one of the sport’s elite.

The two fighters kicking off the night on Mayweather vs. Maidana 2: COUNTDOWN LIVE are sure to make sparks fly in the ring as both look to rise in their divisional rankings. John Molina Jr. (27-4, 22 KOs) from Covina, Calif., is looking to bounce back from his loss to Lucas Matthysse in a fight that immediately jumped to the top of the Fight of the Year list. The 31-year-old owns an impressive knockout victory over Mickey Bey that proved you can never count the powerful puncher out of a fight.

Humberto Soto (64-8-2, 35 KOs) is riding a six-fight winning streak since a 2012 loss to Matthysse. A former titlist in three divisions, the 34-year-old from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico looks to stay hot and earn himself another shot at a world title with a big televised victory on Sept. 13.

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s 147-pound world titles takes place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts and “The Equalizer” in theaters September 26. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and are priced at $1,600, $1,200, $850, $600 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $350 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information visit www.mayhemfight.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com, and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @chinomaidana, @mayweatherpromo, @goldenboyboxing, @ShoSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #Mayhem and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/chinomaidanaoficial, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

In what was on paper a formality before a September 15th Pay Per View showdown with Saul Alvarez, Victor Ortiz was supposed to walk through late replacement and blown up Jr. Welterweight Josesito Lopez.

But one problem, Lopez did not receive the memo as the upstart from Riverside, California pulled off a shocking stoppage victory after round nine of their twelve round Welterweight bout at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Lopez, who fought through a shut right eye, took the bout on short notice after a failed drug test to Andre Berto.

The fight was a terrific back and forth brawl that saw many ebbs and flows and drama throughout the fight.

The action started early for which Lopez through wide and looping shots that crunched off the face of Ortiz. Ortiz landed some hard lefts and drove Lopez back to the ropes and even tried roughhouse tactics. In round five, Ortiz landed a hard left hand to the back of the head of Lopez that was an illegal blow and Lopez took several minutes to get himself together.

The action continued at a furious pace as both landed tremendous shots and the fight seemed to be close heading down the stretch.

Towards the end of round nine, Lopez landed a wide left hand that slammed off the side of the face of Ortiz. Ortiz sat in his stool and announced to referee Jack Reiss that he could not continue due to a possible broken jaw.

With those action, Ortiz loses a potential seven figure pay day with the WBC Super Welterweight champion Alvarez and Lopez great performance announces him as a player in the 140 & 147 pound divisions.

Lopez, 144 1/2 lbs of Riverside, CA is now 30-4 with eighteen knockouts. Ortiz, 146 1/2 lbs of Ventura, CA is now 29-4-2.

All Lucas Matthysse needed was one big right hand and he landed it just before the end of round five and he stopped former world champion Humberto Soto after round five of their scheduled ten round Jr. Welterweight bout.

It was Soto who boxed well over the first two rounds as he used some quick combinations. Matthysse started getting his power shots going, particularly to the body in round three. Soto rebounded to get back to boxing in round three. Matthysse started revving up the heavy artillery at the end of round as started landing power shots to the head and body. Matthysse landed a heavy right hand that sent Soto stumbling back to the ropes. Soto’s momentum off the ropes pushed him right into a huge right and dropped Soto for the first time in his career just seconds before the bell rang to signify the end of the round. When Soto got to his corner, the team waved off the fight at end of round five.

Matthysse of Argentina is now 31-2 with twenty nine knockouts. Soto of Los Mochis, MX is now 58-8-2.

Good looking Jr. Middleweight prospect Jermell Charlo scored an impressive fifth round stoppage over Denis Douglin in a scheduled ten round bout.

Charlo looked good over the first couple of rounds as he landed right hands by mixing them up between leads and working behind the hab. Douglin had a good round three as he found success working the body. That was short lived as Charlo got back to the right hand in round four and landed a booming right that sent Douglin flat on his back in round five. Douglin got to his feet but stumbled and referee Wayne Hedgepath stopped the bout at 1:12 of round round five.

Charlo, 153 3/4 lbs of Houston, TX is now 18-0 with nine knockouts. Douglin, 154 lbs of Marlboro, NJ is now 14-2.

Good looking Lightweight prospect Omar Figueroa made short work of Alain Hernandez by scoring a first rouns stoppage in a bout scheduled for eight rounds.

Figueroa jumped all over the smaller Hernandez and landed some hard shots. Figueroa then worked the body that pushed Hernandez back to the ropes. An ensuing flurry forced referee Jose Cobian to stop the bout just ninety-four seconds into the contest.

Figueroa, 137 lbs of Weslaco, TX is now 18-0-1 with fifteen knockouts. Hernandez, 137 lbs is now 18-11-1.

Follow all the action LIVE as it happens as former Welterweight champion Victor Ortiz takes on Josesito Lopez. The card will have a four fight undercard beginning at 7pm ET / 4 PM PT featuring Former world champion Humberto Soto battling Lucas Matthysse in an important Jr. Welterweight affair. A pair of Jr. Middleweight prospects will square off as undefeated Jermall Charlo takes on Denis Douglin. There will also be an appearance by undefeated Lightweight Omar Figueroa.

12 Rounds–Welterweights–Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO’s) vs Josesito Lopez (29-4, 17 KO’s)

Round 1: Ortiz good body shot…Lopez lands a combination…Righthand..Double left from Ortiz…Lopez lands a left…10-9 Lopez

Round 2 Ortiz lands a jab,,,Lopez lands 2 lefts to the body…Ortiz lands a left and right that hurts Lopez…Hard left..Hard shots from both guys…Hard right from Lopez…2 lefts to the body..right hand…Ortiz lands a straight left….19-19

Round 3 Straight left from Ortiz..Lopez lands a hard right..and left and another right…looping right…29-28 Lopez

Round 4 Ortiz lands a combination…Left hook from Lopez…Ortiz lands at the bell 38-38

Round 5 Lopez lands a right and left/body…Ortiz lands a uppercut…Ortiz hits Lopez in back of head…Left from Lopez..left hook..good right..48-47 Lopez

Round 6 Lopez landing nice combinations…Ortiz answers with a left..Uppercut..Good combination..57-57

Round 7 Lopez lands an overhand right…Counter from Ortiz..Lopez lands a uppercut…Ortiz gets in a straight left..They are warring on the ropes..3 big shots from Lopez..67-66 Lopez

Round 8 Uppercut from Lopez..another uppercut lands..left hook..short right and a body shot…Ortiz lands a right hook…77-75 Lopez

Round 9 Nice left from Ortiz…Straight left..Left hook from Lopez…right…great exchange..Lopez chasing Ortiz at the end of the round…87-85 Lopez

Round 10

10 round Jr. Welterweights–Humberto Soto (58-7-2, 34 KO’s) vs Lucas Matthysse (30-2, 28 KO’s)

Round 1 Soto busier…good combination…Matthysse left hook…10-9 Soto

Round 2 Soto lands an uppercut…Landing combinations..Right backs up Matthysse..Leads right from Matthysse..20-18 Soto

Round 3 Matthysse lands a body shot…Hard right to the chin..Uppercut/Left hook..Straight right..Soto fighting back…Nice left hook…Right /Left …Soto lands a 3 punch combination…29-28 Soto

Round 4 Soto lands a left to the body…Matthysse lands an uppercut..Soto lands a jab…Matthysse lands a left…right from Soto..Right makes Soto stumble..Soto lands a jab that backs Matthysse up…39-37 Soto

Round 5 Soto lands a combination…Matthysse lands a right..Uppercut and hook to the body..Hard left hook..Left hook..leooping right,…BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES SOTO JUST BEFORE THE END OF THE ROUND...47-47 SOTO’S CORNER STOPS THE FIGHT

Round 6

10 Rounds–Jr. Middleweights–Jermell Charlo (17-0, 8 KO’s) vs Denis Douglin (14-1, 8 KO’s)

Round 1: Charlo lands a right and a jab….Douglin lands a left..Combination from Charlo..Double Jab/Right Hand..Nice combination (Jab/Right Hand)…10-9 Charlo

Round 2 Charlo reaches with the right…Good right…Good right behind a double jab..Good right wobbles Douglin…20-18 Charlo

Round 3 Douglin works the body..Another body shot..Left..left to the body…29-28 Charlo

Round 4 Right from Charlo..Good right…Left/Right..3 punch combination..39-37 Charlo

Round 5HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES DOUGLIN..HE GETS TO HIS FEET…STMBLES AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

8 Rounds–Lightweights–Omar Figueroa (17-0-1, 14 KO’s) vs Alain Hernandez (18-10-2, 10 KO’s)

Round 1 Figueroa lands a combination…Nice left from Hernadez…Good right from Figueroa..Good body shot..Another body shot…Figueroa LANDS A COMBINATION AND REFEREE JOSE COBIAN STOPS THE FIGHT

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LOS ANGELES (June 19, 2012) – Former Three-Time World Champion Humberto “Zorrita” Soto will seek to join rare company among active fighters with 60 wins as he pursues his 60th professional victory when he faces the always-dangerous and hard-hitting Lucas Matthysse in a battle of world-ranked super lightweights in the co-featured fight on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday, June 23 live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

Soto (59-7-2, 34 KO’s), of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, will battle Matthysse for the vacant WBC Continental Americas super lightweight title and look to extend his current 15-fight winning streak. He’ll also look to push himself higher in the world ratings where he is already rated number two by the World Boxing Council (WBC), number three by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and number seven by the World Boxing Organization (WBO).

Matthysse (30-2, 28 KO’s), whose concussive power led him to scored nine knockdowns in a fight against former World Champion DeMarcus Corley, has won his last two fights and will be making his fifth start in the United States on Saturday night. Matthysse’s only losses came via controversial split decisions to former World Champions Devon Alexander and Zab Judah in a pair of fights that many ringside observers felt Matthysse won. A native of Trelew, Argentina, Matthysse is rated number four in the world by the WBC, number six by the WBA and number eleven by the WBO.

Soto and Matthysse’s 12-round fight will immediately precede what should be an exciting 12-round main event between former World Champion, Kansas native Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO’s) who now resides in Ventura, Calif., and contender Josesito Lopez (29-4, 17 KO’s) of Riverside, Calif.

Tickets priced at $250, $150, $100 and $50 are available online at www.staplescenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800)745-3000 or at STAPLES Center box office.

If triumphant, Soto at 32 years old, will join a handful of active fighters with 60 or more wins, including James Toney, Jorge Arce, Jose Luis Castillo, Luis Ramon “Yori Boy” Campos and Pongsaklek Wonjongkam.

“Winning 60 fights would be great, but winning another world title is what I really want,” said Soto who turned professional at 17 years old in September of 1997. “I’ve always worked very hard in training trying to learn different things. I’ve always been very dedicated in the gym. Matthysse is a great fighter with a very respectful power punch. I’m going to fight a very intelligent fight. I’m going to follow my corner’s directions and go in there and outbox him and be the smarter fighter.”

A terrific counter-puncher with good overall skills and movement, the crowd-pleasing 5-foot-7 ½-inch Soto has fought excellent opposition throughout his career, including former World Champions David Diaz, Jesus Chavez, Joan Guzman, Jorge Solis and Kevin Kelley.

Soto captured the WBC super featherweight title in December 2008 and the WBC Lightweight World crown in March 2010. He made three successful defenses of the 130-pound belt and successfully retained the 135-pound crown on four occasions.

One of his most memorable title defenses came in a close, unanimous 12-round decision win over the brave and determined Urbano Antillon in a spectacular, fast-paced, give-and-take slugfest on Dec. 4, 2010 in Anaheim, Calif.

“I thought I won more clearly than the judges had it (115-112, 114-113 twice), but without a doubt it was the toughest fight of my career,” Soto said. “There were a lot of rough tactics from him (Antillon threw Soto to the canvas three times), but I expected that which is why I never became frustrated by it.”

Four of Soto’s defeats and both of his draws came during his first three years as a professional. Soto’s last loss came via a controversial fourth-round disqualification in June 2008. He is coming off of a unanimous 10-round decision over Claudinei Lacerda last April 7 in Cancun, Mexico.

Matthysse, a solid amateur before turning professional in June 2004, will look to turn what Soto hopes will be a boxing match into a brawl. The Argentine, who is well known for his thudding power, would be undefeated if only he’d received the benefit of the doubt in two very controversial and questionable points losses to Judah and Alexander (in which he knocked both of them down) in what amounted to home games for them.

The younger brother of retired former welterweight world title challenger Walter Matthysse, Lucas is comingoff of two knockout wins in his native Argentina. In his lone outing this year, he scored a dominant sixth-round technical knockout win over Angel Martinez on Feb. 10. Prior to that, on Dec. 9 the 5-foot-9, 29-year-old knocked out Sergio Priotti in the fourth round.

Before that, Matthysse fought three left-handed former world champions in a row – Judah on Nov. 6, 2010, Corley on Jan. 21, 2011 and Alexander on June 25, 2011.

A two-fisted slugger who tends to start slowly, Matthysse spotted Alexander an early lead but rallied to drop him with a right hand in the fourth. He rocked Alexander in the seventh, eighth and tenth rounds, but it wasn’t enough as he lost by one point on one of the scorecards (95-94), by three on another (96-93) while winning by three (96-93) on the third card.

“I was robbed,” Matthysse said. “I gave it my all and it was a tough fight, but I thought I won. He’s lucky he won the fight.”

The aggressive-minded Matthysse obliterated Corley in a fight in Argentina, flooring him twice in the fifth round, once in the sixth, three times in the seventh and three times in the eighth. The referee finally halted the slaughter at 2:00 of the eighth.

Against Judah, Matthysse also overcame an early deficit before coming on strong in the late rounds, registering a knockdown in the tenth round and dominating the 11th and 12th stanzas. However, he came up on the wrong end of a split decision by the scores of 114-113 twice and 113-114.

“In Argentina, I win this fight,” Matthysse said. “Around the world, I win this fight, but he got the home decision. Zab never hurt me. I fought my fight and pressured him the whole time and I closed the championship rounds. I clearly won.”

Regarding his upcoming assignment against Soto, Matthysse, a tattoo artist in his spare time outside the ring, said, “It’s very simple, I need to go to war. I need to put a lot of pressure on him and I need to work hard and win every round. That’s the gameplan – go to war. I’m going to leave it all in the ring.”

“Ortiz vs. Lopez,” a 12-round fight for the vacant WBC Silver Welterweight Championship taking place Saturday, June 23, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif., is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T. The co-feature will see former Three-Division World Champion Humberto “Zorrita” Soto battle Argentinean knockout artist Lucas Matthysse in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight title which is presented in association with Baja Boxing Promotions and Arano Box Promotions. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader begins live at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) with preliminary fights airing on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.goossentutor.com, www.thompsonboxing.com, www.staplescenter.com, http://Sports.SHO.com, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @VICIOUSOrtiz, @josesitolopez, @goossentutor,@thompsonboxing,@SHOsports, @STAPLESCenterLA; or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,www.facebook.com/goossentutor, www.facebook.com/ThompsonBoxing or www.facebook.com/ShoBoxing.

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that the much anticipated rematch between WBC Lightweight champion Humberto Soto and Urbano Antillon scheduled for the May 7 Pacquiao – Mosley undercard will not happen sue to Soto’s unhappiness and impending exit from Top Rank

“We are no longer with Top Rank and he is not fighting Antillon for sure,” said Fight attorney Michael Miller. “We’ll go out and find out if any other promoter is interested in signing him. We’ll start on that next week and see if Gary [Shaw], Lou [DiBella], Golden Boy, and anyone else, might be interested in making a bid for the guy. And then we have to see if we will seek legal action against Top Rank for the lost purses, which we certainly will. I don’t know why we wouldn’t.”

Miller said Soto and co-manager Antonio Lozada have been unhappy with his promotional agreement for some time and hired him last week as a co-manager and as an attorney to look at his contract.

Miller said there were several issues, including that Soto had been told the contract expired in October, even though Miller said he believed the deal had expired in 2009.

Miller said another serious issue was that even though the promotional contract was with Bob Arum’s Top Rank, he was being paid — and shorted — by Zanfer Promotions’ Fernando Beltran, who works closely with Top Rank on numerous fighters.

“Soto’s contract was with Top Rank and he was getting checks from Beltran and they were 40, 50, 60 percent of what they should be,” Miller said.

Miller said Soto was due a minimum purse of $200,000 to fight for a world title and $300,000 to defend the title.

“He was never paid $300,000 and Top Rank rarely even showed up at his fights,” Miller said. “[Soto and Lozada] would complain to Beltran about the money and he would promise to make it up. He never did. Our quick and dirty numbers are that they are $1.285 million short to Humberto compared to the minimums they owed him for something like 10 or 11 fights. He would complain. He was pissed. He was told they would make it up. And because he was shorted, that means Lozada is owed about $425,000.”

Miller said Soto continued to fight because he needed the money he was getting and because he was hopeful that he would receive what he was owed.

“I wrote Top Rank a letter [Wednesday] advising that he has been grossly underpaid and we need some answers,” Miller said. “Why was Beltran involved since Soto never signed a contract with Beltran?”

Miller said besides being underpaid on his minimum purses, Beltran sometimes paid him in installments — sometimes using cash — on the money he did receive, and another time his check bounced.

“I’m trying to get as much information as possible,” said Top Rank President Todd DeBeouf. “I’m reaching out to them. All I hear is stuff from other people. Right now, our primary issue is is the Soto-Antillon rematch happening? There is a high probability that it is not. If that’s the case, we will make adjustments.”

“Obviously, the supporting cast is fantastic with the return of [former middleweight champ] Kelly Pavlik and with the Wilfredo Vazquez-[Jorge] Arce [junior featherweight] title fight. We’d like to add something sensational.”

DuBoef said that without a rematch against Soto, Antillon likely would challenge Brandon Rios, another of the lightweight titleholders whom Top Rank promotes, on July 9 on Showtime.

“I’d like to do that fight,” duBoef said.

WBC Lightweight champion Humberto Soto cruised to a ten round unanimous decision win over Fidel Monterrosa in a ten round Jr. Welterweight bout in Tepic, Mexico.

Soto scored a knockdown in round one with a big left hook and dominated the action the rest of the way and won by scores of 100-88; 100-90 and 98-92.

This was a rematch of a bout that Soto won last September 18th that was contested for his world championship.

Soto, 139 1/2 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is now 55-7-2 and will now face Urbano Antillon on the May 7th Manny Pacquiao – Shane Mosley undercard. That fight is also a rematch of a fight that many thought could have been the 2010 fight of the year that was won by Soto on December 4th.

Monterrosa, 139 1/2 lbs of Monteria, Colombia is now 25-3

Juan Carlos Vargas scored a second round stoppage over Alexis Gonzalez in round two of a scheduled six round bantamweight bout.

Vargas dropped Gonzalez with a vicious uppercut-left hook combination and The time of the stoppage was 2:59 of round two for Vargas, 118 lbs of Lagos De Moreno, MX and is now 7-3-1 with six knockouts. Gonzalez 118 lbs of Tepic, MX is now 1-8

Manuel Beltran Jr. scored a fourth round stoppage over Roberto Tamayo in a scheduled eight round Super Featherweight bout

Beltran landed a huge right that dropped Tamayo with a big right hand for that sent him down fir the ten count at 1:50 of round four.

Beltran 135 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is now 24-1 with seventeen knockouts. Tamayo, 135 lbs of Ciudad, MX is now 11-8-1.

Rodolfo Quantanilla scored a four round unanimous decision over Fidel Lopez in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Quananilla, who is now 9-1-2. Lopez of Novajoa, MX is now 0-3

Having gone taken part in one of the fights of 2010 Urbano Antillon earned a well deserved break over Christmas having gone life an death with Humberto Soto for Soto’s WBC Lightweight crown. Despite the punish nature of the fight with Soto, Antillon has recovered well from the cuts and other stresses that the fight took out of him and is already back in the gym and keeping himself fit. It’s widely thought that Antillon 28-2(20) will get a rematch that will be chief support to Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley on 7 May live on HBO PPV. That is the sort of platform the rematch deserves where it will be seen by a full house at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas plus millions around the world. It’s just what Antillon wants and he hopes that this time he can achieve his objective and become a world champion.

Hello Urbano, welcome back to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – You recently took part in one of the fights of the years against Humberto Soto, what are your thoughts looking back on that fight?

Urbano Antillon – Immediately after the fight before the decision was announced, I was very satisfied with my performance. Although it would have been great to have won, I gave this fight my all and that’s all one can ask of himself. Of course, there are a few things I would change yet, I won’t beat myself up about it and will continue working on improving.

Anson Wainwright – From your point of view, as the fight was unfolding did you realise you were taking part in such a great fight?

Urbano Antillon – Not during the fight. But I did know that it was a close fight and I had to continue pushing.

Anson Wainwright – How have your injury’s cleared up since that fight? How much time will you rest until you get back to training after such a tough last fight?

Urbano Antillon – I’m blessed to have the ability to recover fast however, eyebrow cuts usually take a few weeks to heal. I can’t stay out of the gym completely, I try to go twice a week and have a very light workout. I also try to run every once in a while.

Anson Wainwright – It has been rumoured that you will fight on 7 May as part of the Pacquiao-Mosley card. Can you tell us if this is true and your thoughts on the rematch with Soto?

Urbano Antillon – That’s the rumour and we are eager to train hard for it. Looking back at some of the great fights of the past like Barrera vs Marquez, Marquez vs Vasquez, this fight can be among the ones named. I am so much looking forward to the rematch and its great that it would be on the big stage shared with Manny Pacquiao.

Anson Wainwright – What do you think you’d do for a living if you weren’t a Boxer?

Urbano Antillon – I really have no idea, I’d probably be in a job field that requires taking major risk and saving lives. I enjoy intensity and challenges. As far as I can recall boxing was it, I never worried about doing anything else. I am truly living a dream!

Anson Wainwright – What are the best and worst parts about being a pro Boxer?

Urbano Antillon – There are so many positives but to name a few… Travelling, meeting great people (some famous, some not), and the flexibility of my schedule. The only negative that I can think about at this time is the intense dieting.

Anson Wainwright – How did you first become interested in Boxing? Did you have much of an amateur career? If so what titles did you win and who did you fight that is now in the pro’s? Also what was your final record?

Urbano Antillon – It was something that my older brother German wanted to do and several circumstances led to my brother and I joining a boxing gym. I had about 35 amateur fights, I won the 2000 National Golden gloves and then turned pro right after. Fighters that I can recall are Paul Malignaggi, Panchito Bojado & Timothy Bradley. My final record was something like 20 wins and 15 losses.

Anson Wainwright – You have fought both Miguel Acosta and Humberto Soto who are currently champions, how do you compare them? Who do you think is the better of the two and would win if they met?

Urbano Antillon – Soto and Acosta are both good boxers. It’s hard to say who is the better one of the two because their both great in different ways. It’s a very hard choice but if they were to meet, I would probably choose Soto.

Anson Wainwright – Speaking of Acosta, he is one of the guys who is quite under the radar at 135, can you tell us a bit about his style and what he does well & what you think are his weaknesses?

Urbano Antillon – Acosta is a good boxer with good head movement. I can’t point out his weaknesses today because I’ve never seen him fight outside of our fight and I wasn’t able to really expose him.

Anson Wainwright – His next fight will be against Brandon Rios on 26 February in Las Vegas, what do you think of that fight and how do you see I going?

Urbano Antillon – It’s going to be a very interesting fight. With Brandon putting on the pressure, will he be too big and possibly strong for Acosta? Guess that’s to be determined.

I think it’s not going to be like the Brandon vs Peterson fight where Brandon is going to run over Acosta. Acosta has what it takes to come out on top.

Anson Wainwright – There are two champions we haven’t mentioned Juan Manuel Marquez & Miguel Vazquez what do you think of those guys? Do you know them?

Urbano Antillon – Yes, I do know them both and I’ve actually sparred with both. Nothing to be said about Marquez, he is one of best in boxing period. Vazquez is a fighter that will throw over 100 punches a round, very difficult style. Their both very good champs.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?

Urbano Antillon – Wishing everybody a great new year!! May this year be filled with plenty of happiness, love, health and over all wealth!!!

Thanks for your time Urbano.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Weekend thoughts – Seems like Darren Barker & Matthew Macklin aren’t destined to meet at all. First they were scheduled to fight last Septmeber before Barker had to pull out because of continuing probllems with his hip that was opperated on a couple of months previous. It was hoped they would fight in December but that never worked out. Then a couple of weeks back Barker’s promoter Mick Hennessy won purse bids for them to fight for Macklin’s European title. At the start of the week team Barker were hoping to get a date worked out for the fight only for Macklin to decide to go in another direction and sign with Golden Boy & accept a fight with a comebacking Winky Wright. As much as it’s a shame we wont see Macklin-Barker fight until at least the second part of the year, it’s understandable why Macklin decided to go stateside with Golden Boy, if he wins against Wright who’s still a name his next fight would most likely be for a version of a Middleweight title. Here’s to hoping that these two can settle there differences in the ring…Talks are continuing between Giovani Segura and Ivan Calderon, the main stumbling block appears the weight of the contest. Sehura struggles to make 108 and wants it a few pounds heavier. In the first fight Segura agreed to everything team Calderon asked. How about this for a compromise Segura takes the fight at 108 and Calderon comes to Mexico…The IBF Lightweight title fight between Miguel Vazquez & Lenny Zappavigna has received little attention on the 12 March Cotto-Mayorga bill but should be pretty good. Vazquez is probably one of the least known champions in the game and it’s a great chance for him to have a coming out party while Australian Zappavigna is an all action fighter who makes for action fights looked brilliant last time out blasting out the normally durable Ji Hoon Kim in one round in a title eliminator. Vazquez won the vacant title against Kim, though the fight went the distance Vazquez won a near shut out.

The night was supposed to belong to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., but instead it was a Humberto Soto victory over Urbano Antillon that fittingly and deservedly took center stage as the main event Saturday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Soto (54-7-2, 32 KOs) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico managed to hold onto his WBC Lightweight title by engaging enough and avoiding just enough over twelve rounds with the hard-charging Antillon (28-2, 20 KOs) of Maywood, California by way of Namiquipa, Chihuahua, Mexico.

Antillon, 135, took the fight to Soto, 134¾, at the outset and the defending champion obliged. The tone of the fight was set right then, and very rarely deviated from a toe-to-toe battle. Antillon, the WBC #6 ranked lightweight, was the aggressor throughout the entire fight and had Soto in trouble at times, but it was the champion’s ability to box when needed that won him the fight. Soto was also the busier and more effective puncher, which helped give him the edge.

In the end, it was a sixth-round point deduction by referee Ray Corona from Antillon for low blows that cost the challenger a draw. Incredibly there were no knockdowns in the fight, as both men were hurt and in trouble several times. The final scores read 115-112 and 114-113 twice, all for Soto to give him the unanimous decision win.

The original plan as outlined by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum would have had the Soto-Antillon winner take on lightweight prospect Brandon Rios in February. However, the nature of tonight’s fight would seem to preclude Soto from competing that soon, something Arum acknowledged after the fight. During the post-fight interviews, Arum suggested that Antillon take on reigning IBF Lightweight Champion Miguel Vazquez on the same card as Soto-Rios, whenever that does take place, and that the winners eventually meet.

In the co-main event, former two-division titleholder Nonito Donaire Jr. (25-1, 17 KOs) of San Carlos, California announced his presence at 118-pounds with a comprehensive four-round destruction of former WBA Bantamweight Champion Wladimir Sidorenko (22-3-2, 7 KOs) of Kiev, Ukraine.

Donaire, 118, was too much for Sidorenko, 117 ½, from round one. Donaire displayed both speed and power against a fighter that looked much smaller than him, even though he had been a bantamweight for most of his career. Donaire scored knockdowns in the first, third and fourth. Sidorenko was bloodied early on and had his nose completely busted by the right hand that put him down for the final time. Official time of the stoppage was 1:48 of round four.

With the victory, Donaire claimed the WBC Continental Americas Bantamweight title and more importantly stayed on track for a clash with unified 118-pound belt holder Fernando Montiel, scheduled to take place on February 19th on HBO. Montiel must first get past unheralded Eduardo Garcia next Saturday in Mexico.

IBF #1 ranked featherweight Miguel Angel Garcia (24-0, 20 KOs) of Oxnard, California maintained his standing amongst the upper echelon at 126-pounds with a fifth-round knockout over Olivier Lontchi (18-2-2, 8 KOs) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Garcia, 123¼, downed a hurt Lontchi, 125 ½, with a right hand in the fifth. Lontchi sat on the seat of his trunks, seemingly debating his participation in the remainder of the bout. After getting up, Lontchi was downed again by a Garcia flurry. Referee Jerry Cantu counted Lontchi out as the Canadian shook his head to signal that he had had enough. Official time of the stoppage was 1:30. With the win, Garcia remains in line for an eventual shot at IBF/WBA Featherweight Champion Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Pawel Wolak (28-1, 18 KOs) of Mount Arlington, New Jersey by way of Debica, Poland overcame a terrible start to score a seventh-round stoppage over Jose Pinzon (18-2-1, 12 KOs) of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.

Wolak, 161 ½, was downed in the second and nearly out, before turning around the round and the fight before the three minutes were up. Pinzon, 159, seemed drained by the end of the second and never found himself in control again. The much shorter Wolak, who had been signed for tonight’s main event against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., pressed the fight from the third round on. Finally the fifth, Pinzon was stopped on his feet while taking a serious barrage of unanswered punches. Official time of the bout was 2:24 of the seventh.

Undefeated Jessie Roman (5-0, 3 KOs) of Santa Ana, California turned back the tough challenge of Johnny Frazier (2-4-3, 2 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada via four-round unanimous decision. Despite lopsided final tallies, Frazier, 132 ½, was very much in the fight. However it was Roman, 133 ½, that won over the judges with his aggression. In the end, Roman took all three cards by the scores of 39-37 and 40-36 twice.

Photos by Chris Farina/Top Rank

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.

Humberto Soto carries the WBC laurels at 130 but last time out fought up at Lightweight. He hasn’t decided yet if he’s going to 135 full time yet. I suspect he’ll flit back and for until either he gets one of the top guys at Lightweight or can’t make 130 anymore. Nobody except possibly Robert Guerrero is capable of being Soto at Super Featherweight. Guerrero will be impressive in the coming year fighting 3 times one being against Mzonke Fana. Such wins along with Soto abdicating his thrown could see Guerrero becoming top dog here.

Roman Martinez has to defend his WBO crown against mandatory Ricky Burns. That fight is at purse bids currently and while Burns is a good fighter it’s unlikely he’ll unseat Martinez. Juan Carlos Salgado burst into the limelight with a huge KO over Jorge Linares he’ll make his first defense against Takashi Uchiyama. That should let us know where Salgado is. I suspect Salgado will stop Uchiyama and then fight in America & Mexico before the years out. Linares will use 2010 as a rebuilding exercise fighting on a few Golden Boy undercards.

When Chris John came onto the world scene in 2003 he wasn’t very well known but slowly year after year he’s chipped away and got the begrudging respect of his peers and fans alike. The first sign that he maybe more than just a belt holder came in March 06 when he surprised everyone beating Juan Manuel Marquez. Unfortunetely he wasn’t able to capitalise on that, taking nearly 3 years to get a big fight. Then he made his much anticipated American debut when he fought Rocky Juarez only to be awarded a draw, 7 months later righted that wrong again in America. He’ll not fight until April/May as he has been ill with no obvious opponent. Yordan will fight Ponce De Leon in January if Ponce De Leon wins that will be one foe though look for Yordan to go a different way is he’s victorious. Elio “Kid” Rojas went to Japan and performed very well to snare the WBC crown and he’ll be back on the road this time to Mexico where he’ll meet veteran former champ Guty Espades who he should stop. Hopefully Rojas will be busier than most Don King fighters and fight a few times though he may have to be a road warrior to do so. JuanMa Lopez will break down Steve Luevano for an 8th round stoppage. On the same show Cuban Dynamo Yuriorkis Gamboa will fair better with Rogers Mtagwa than Lopez did and score a late KO. Both guys have been on a collision course for months before finally getting down to business in June. That looks like a bombs away fight that will see someone’s star assend even higher. I see it ending inside 5 rounds possibly with both guys hitting the canvas, though i’ll go with Lopez to get the win. After a few months off to recuperate Lopez gets back to action against Mario Santiago after Santiago beat Bernabe Concepcion. Expect a big year from Mikee Garcia who’s currently 18-0(15) at 22 he’s mature for his age physically. He’ll be let off the leash starting against another young gun Joksan Hernandez in January. All being well look for Garcia to be moved onto bigger promotions and into the publics eye in the coming year. He’s well backed with Cameron Dunkin as his manager, Robert Garcia his elder brother as his trainer and promoted by Top Rank.

In 2009 the Super Bantamweight division was pretty packed but over the coarse of the year some of the top dogs have moved up to Featherweight. Israel Vazquez took most of the year off but when he did comeback in October it was up at 126 the same can be said for his dance partner Rafael Marquez who fought in May before being involved in a road accident. When a deal couldn’t be worked out for them to fight in the fall of 09 it was pushed back until 22 May 10. After that fight hopefully with them both making a well deserved fortune they’ll decide to enjoy there money and retire though don’t bank on it a title fight at Featherweight would loom for the winner. JuanMa Lopez looks likely to be next. The vacant title will be contested between Wilfredo Vazquez Jnr who’s father of the same name won world titles in 3 weight classes and the emerging Marvin Sonsona who is jumping from 115 to 122. There are many intangibles in this fight but i’ll take Vazquez who’s gotten better and better in 09 to take the title with a late stoppage, however id Sonsona does win it’ll be his second world title before he’s 20. Look for the winner to stick around a while. Top dog will be Celestino Caballero who owns the WBA & IBF crowns, he’ll turn 34 in 2010 so doesn’t have time to waste. Caballero is the 122 version of Paul Williams at 147 at 5’11’ he’s a tough night for anyone and he’ll continue this trend with 2 defence’s, most likely on the road. It would be interesting to see Caballero tangle with Poonsawat Kratchingdaengym who went to Ireland and demolished Bernard Dunne. The battle hardened WBC holder is Toshiaki Nishioka who may have to face Hozumi Hasegawa if Hasegawa goes through with his wish to move up from Bantamweight. If that happens look for Hasegawa to win the title either via late stoppage or on points then fight the winner of Rendall Munroe-Victor Terrazas which again Hasegawa will win. Hopefully some combination of Caballero, Poonsawat & Hasegawa will happen in 2010. The best of the rest will be Ricardo Cordoba who’ll remain busy, Antonio Escalante who will have a good year but wont be good enough to beat any of the afore mentioned quartet at the top of the division and in Europe Zsolt Bedak will continue to develop.

With Hasegawa moving up to 122 Abner Mares will win the vacant title maybe as soon as the end of January when he may get a chance to fight Simpiwe Vetyeka. He’ll grow with the title and defend on a few big bills and become the first home grown talent Golden Boy has taken from the amateurs to a professional world title. The WBA champion Anselmo Moreno will fight the ridiculous interim champion Nehomar Cermeno in the first half of the year in what looks a 50-50 the winner would have a justifiable claim to be the top man with Hasegawa at 122. Look for Moreno to eke out an close decision in Panama. He’ll follow that with another defence or two. Look for one of them to possibly be against former 115 champion Alexander Munoz. Yonnhy Perez won a barnstormer in October when he took the title from Joseph Agbeko look for Perez to fight twice with one of them a rematch with Agbeko on Showtime. Fernando Montiel didn’t look so good last time out and escaped with a no contest he’ll fight Ciso Morales in February 13, Montiel will be expected to retain his title before fighting the winner of Eric Morel-Gerry Penalosa in the summer. Either should be interesting, i’ll look for Montiel to keep the title again possible fighting Nonito Donaire late in the year. If so, Donaire will win a chess match over the distance. The best of the new breed is 20 year old Californian Chris Avalos 14-0(11) look for him to step upto 10 rounder’s against increasingly tough opposition.