(ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT)

    •   Naoya Inoue 118 lbs vs. Michael Dasmarinas 117.4 lbs 
(Inoue’s WBA/IBF Bantamweight World Titles — 12 Rounds)
Judges: Tim Cheatham, Patricia Morse Jarman and Don Trella
Referee: Russell Mora

•     Mikaela Mayer 129.8 lbs vs. Erica Farias 128.2 lbs 
(Mayer’s WBO Junior Lightweight World Title— 10 Rounds)
Judges: Max De Luca, Eric Cheek and Lisa Giampa
Referee: Mike Ortega

•    Adam Lopez 126 lbs vs. Isaac Dogboe 125.4 lbs 
(Lopez’s NABF featherweight title— 10 Rounds)
Judges: Chris Migliore, Dave Moretti and Don Trella
Referee: Celestino Ruiz

(ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT)

•    Lindolfo Delgado 141.6 lbs vs. Salvador Briceno 141.2 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Eric Puente 136 lbs vs. Jose Antonio Meza  136.6
(Lightweight  — 6 Rounds)

   •   Omar Rosario 140.5 lbs vs. JJ Mariano 140
 (Junior Welterweight — 4 Rounds)

LAS VEGAS (June 17, 2021) — Naoya “Monster” Inoue is a man of few words, but his devastating knockouts, climb up the pound-for-pound rankings and cult hero status among combat sports fans have elevated the Japanese prodigy to main event status. Inoue will defend his WBA and IBF bantamweight world titles Saturday against Filipino mandatory challenger Michael “Hot and Spicy” Dasmarinas from The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Inoue, who also captured titles at light flyweight and junior bantamweight, is 15-0 in world title bouts and looks to continue his dominance against a man who has not tasted defeat since 2014.

In the co-feature, Mikaela Mayer will make the first defense of her WBO junior lightweight strap against former two-weight world champion Erica Farias. Mayer dethroned Ewa Brodnicka last October as the co-feature to the Inoue-Jason Moloney main event. Mayer has her sights on the top names in and around her weight class.

The 10-round featherweight televised opener will see the return of action star Adam Lopez, who will defend his NABF strap against former WBO junior featherweight world champion Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe. Lopez has won toe-to-toe battles against Louie Coria and Jason Sanchez since his valiant effort against Oscar Valdez, while Dogboe returned last July with a one-sided victory over Chris Avalos.

It was crowded dais Thursday, as Top Rank chairman Bob Arum and all six fighters participated in the final press conference. This is what they had to say.

Bob Arum

“Monster is back in the United States, and he’s fighting a tough Filipino. And I know from experience how tough Filipino fighters are. So this should be a very, very enjoyable fight. I can’t wait for Saturday night because the fists will be flying.”

Naoya Inoue

“Basically, {becoming undisputed champion} means I’m the best in that weight class, the bantamweight division. To prove that, that’s why I’m going after all four belts.” 

“I feel the expectations, and I want to answer those expectations, and I want to have a performance Saturday night to answer to those expectations.”

“I’m very happy that the nickname ‘Monster’ comes before Naoya Inoue. I’m very happy and honored, and I’ve taken it in myself as far as ‘Monster’ in the United States as my name.”

Michael Dasmarinas

“I did everything I am supposed to do in training, and I am prepared, and I will do whatever it takes to give a good fight to Naoya Inoue.”

“It was a long, hard wait {after winning the IBF title eliminator in March 2019}, but patience and perseverance allowed me to get here. I am thankful to everyone that I’ve been given the chance to fight a great fighter in Naoya Inoue.”

“America has to learn about my very hot and spicy punches!”

Mikaela Mayer

“We need to hear that promoters and networks want us to go those three-minute rounds and that they see the benefits it would have for women’s boxing. And if that’s what you want, I’ll give it to you, and if that’s what will grow women’s boxing, we will do it.”

“I don’t have anything bad to say about Erica Farias. She has been a champion for a long time. She fought at 140 and 147, and now she is coming down in weight. She has a ton of experience, but this is a new era in women’s boxing. The experience and the skill that I bring, even though I have less fights than her, is on another level thanks to the Olympics and for women being able to fight at the highest level in the amateurs. This will also be a test for her. I prepared very well and we studied her fights. We always go into fights with a good game plan. If she studied my last fight, it’s not going to really help her because every single fight we keep learning and building. I’m looking to become a better fighter every time I go out to the ring.”

Erica Farias

“I will take full advantage of this opportunity. I already became world champion in two divisions, and now I’m looking to become champion in the division that I debuted in a couple of years ago. I feel great at this weight.”

“I’m very calm. I’ve been working hard for seven months because I was going to get another opportunity in a higher weight class. That’s why we took this challenge. We were close to the division since I’ve been working very hard for the last couple of months.”

Adam Lopez

“This is the perfect name I need right now. Isaac is a great champion. He’s dedicated to the sport just like I am, and I’m excited to show you what I’ve been working on. Tune in. It’s going to be a great fight.”

“That fight alone {against Oscar Valdez} showed me that I got what it takes to be at the top. I took the fight on a day’s notice. I was going through a lot of management issues beforehand. I was in a shaky spot in my life. I was not 100 percent there mentally, physically, but it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. It was a fight I always wanted. The way it presented itself was something you never see happen. Nobody comes in 11 pounds heavy {like Valdez’s original opponent, Andres Gutierrez}. That’s unheard of, so I thought it was meant to be. I jumped on it. I did my thing. I think I showed the world what I got, and that was me on three weeks of training. Saturday night, I got a full camp, so I’m excited.” 

“I put everything into this camp. I know Isaac is a tough competitor, so you will see the best Adam Lopez Saturday night.”

Isaac Dogboe

“{You can expect} a firefight as usual. What can I say? I bring excitement. That’s exactly what they are expecting. They’re expecting Isaac Dogboe to come and fight, so I am going to come and fight. Obviously, the fans are looking forward to an exciting fight, and that’s why we’re here. At the end of the day, we just want to keep the excitement going. After the fight, they’ll be like, ‘Yeah, that’s Adam Lopez and Isaac Dogboe. That was the fight of the night.'”

“I love working with them, Barry {Hunter} and Boogie {Harris} and Brady. These guys, they are family. I feel great. At first, I was just supposed to pass through a couple of weeks. I ended up telling them, “You know what, I’m gonna stay.’ That’s how everything began. I feel great. The boys down there are really sharp. They’re motivating me. They keep me in shape. I’ve had a relaxed camp. I feel calm. Saturday, I’m ready to put everything on the line.”

“The best Adam Lopez can also be an undisciplined Adam Lopez. I know he is a great fighter. He’s gonna stick and move. But at the end of the day, sometimes Adam Lopez gets cute in the ring, so we’re looking to exploit that. When he gets a little cute, we’ll let him know that it’s not a time to get cute.”

SATURDAY, June 19, 2021

ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Naoya Inoue vs. Michael Dasmarinas, 12 rounds, Inoue’s WBA/IBF Bantamweight World Titles

Adam Lopez vs. Isaac Dogboe, 10 rounds, Lopez’s NABF featherweight title

ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT

Lindolfo Delgado vs. Salvador Briceno, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

Eric Puente vs. Jose Antonio Meza, 6 rounds, lightweight

Omar Rosario vs. JJ Mariano, 4 rounds, junior welterweight

LAS VEGAS (June 14, 2021) — One of Mexico’s standout young talents, 2016 Olympian Lindolfo Delgado, is ready for a pair of significant firsts. Delgado will make his Las Vegas and Top Rank debuts this Saturday, June 19 against Salvador Briceno in an eight-round junior welterweight bout at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
 
Delgado-Briceno will be among the undercard bouts streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 7:45 p.m. ET/4:45 p.m. PT. WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue against mandatory challenger Michael Dasmarinas, WBO female junior lightweight world champion Mikaela Mayer versus Erica Farias, and a 10-round featherweight showdown between Adam Lopez and Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $75 are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Etix.com.
 
Delgado (11-0, 11 KOs) emerged from the Rio Olympics as one of the sport’s most highly sought-after prospects, and he’s thus far lived up to the billing. He knocked out five of his first eight foes in three rounds or less, using a ferocious body attack to end many of his evenings early. Delgado has not fought since September 2019 on the Errol Spence Jr.-Shawn Porter undercard, when he battered Jesus Zazueta Anaya over six one-sided rounds. Briceno (17-6, 11 KOs), from Guadalajara, Mexico, is an eight-year pro who has not been knocked out in nearly four years. He’s gone the distance against top prospects Josue Vargas, Gabriel Flores, Jr. and Yomar Alamo.
 
In other undercard action on ESPN+:

• Heavyweight knockout artist Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (7-0-1, 7 KOs), a 2016 Italian Olympian, makes his return against Dante Stone (5-1, 3 KOs) in a bout scheduled for six or four rounds. Vianello hopes to bounce back from last October’s draw to Bubble fan-favorite Kingsley Ibeh. 
• Lightweight prospect Eric Puente (5-0), a San Diego product who is part of Robert Garcia’s loaded stable, will face an opponent to be named in a six-rounder.
• In a four-round battle of unbeaten junior welterweights, emerging Puerto Rican star Omar Rosario (3-0, 1 KO) will fight JJ Mariano (3-0, 2 KOs), a native of Reno, Nevada. Rosario shined Feb. 20 on the Oscar Valdez-Miguel Berchelt undercard and stopped Uriel Villanueva in two rounds.

About Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is a reimagined and re-conceptualized casino resort. The property is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. The integrated resort intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture and features three hotel towers totaling over 1,500 Chambers and suites; the 60,000 sq. ft. Mohegan Sun Casino, operated by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment; a five-acre desert pool oasis including a multi-functional event lawn; live music and entertainment theater with 4,500 capacity; 24 Oxford showroom accommodating 650 guests; an exclusive portfolio of twelve food and beverage venues including Todd English’s Olives, Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market, the legendary Nobu, Michael and David Morton’s One Steakhouse, Kassi Beach House from restauranteur Nick Mathers, Casa Calavera by global hospitality company Hakkasan Group, the sports entertainment, daylife and nightlife venue Money, Baby! from Justin Massei and Mikis Troyan of Clive Collective, famous Afters Ice Cream, Pizza Forte by the Ferraro Family and signature Virgin Hotels restaurants and bars including The Kitchen at Commons Club, The Bar at Commons Club, The Shag Room and Funny Library Coffee Shop. The property is owned by JC Hospitality, LLC, in partnership with Juniper Capital Partners, Virgin Group, LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, Dream and Orlando Development. The off-Strip playground is located at 4455 Paradise Road. For more information, visit www.virginhotelslv.com.
 
About Virgin Hotels
Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value, and a seamless, personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson’s global Virgin Group has pioneered for 50 years. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. Virgin Hotels Chicago – named the “#1 Hotel in the United States” in 2016 and “#1 Hotel in Chicago” in 2016, 2017, and 2020 by the Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards – Virgin Hotels Dallas – named the “#16 Hotel in Texas” – Virgin Hotels Nashville and Virgin Hotels Las Vegas are now open. Locations in New York, New Orleans, Miami, Edinburgh and Glasgow to follow. Virgin Hotels continues to explore hotel and office conversions and ground-up development in Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and London.
 
About Curio Collection by Hilton
Curio Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of nearly 100 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts. Curio Collection properties offer travelers authentic, curated experiences through distinctly local offerings and elevated amenities, while providing the benefits of Hilton and its award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors. Read the latest brand and hotel stories at newsroom.hilton.com/curio, and connect with Curio Collection on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
 
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 13.8 million subscribers.
 
Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $12.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $18.99/month (Hulu w/o ads). 
 
About ESPN
ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

LAS VEGAS (June 1, 2021) —Almost 16 months since Tyson Fury knocked out Deontay Wilder in front of a sold-out Las Vegas crowd, Top Rank, in accordance with Nevada regulations, returns to full capacity with June’s trio of events at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
 
The three-week run commences Saturday, June 12 with former featherweight world champion Shakur Stevenson (15-0, 8 KOs), who will fight Namibian contender Jeremiah Nakathila (21-1, 17 KOs) for the vacant WBO interim junior lightweight world title. In the 10-round junior welterweight co-feature, former two-weight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (28-3, 13 KOs) fights the undefeated Julian “Hammer Hands” Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs).

One week later, WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue (20-0, 17 KOs) defends his world titles against mandatory challenger Michael “Hot and Spicy” Dasmarinas (30-2-1, 20 KOs), Mikaela Mayer (14-0, 5 KOs) makes the first defense of her WBO female junior lightweight world title against Erica Farias (26-4, 10 KOs), and NABF featherweight champion Adam Lopez (15-2, 6 KOs) takes on former junior featherweight world champion Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe (21-2, 15 KOs) in a 10-rounder.

The action concludes June 26, as former pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko (14-2, 10 KOs) fights hard-charging Japanese contender Masayoshi Nakatani (19-1, 13 KOs) in a 12-round lightweight bout, and former middleweight world champion Rob “Bravo” Brant (26-2, 18 KOs) battles the unbeaten Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly (9-0, 5 KOs) in a 10-round showdown.
 
Tickets for all three events are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Etix.com.
 
About Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is a reimagined and re-conceptualized casino resort. The property is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. The integrated resort intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture and features three hotel towers totaling over 1,500 Chambers and suites; the 60,000 sq. ft. Mohegan Sun Casino, operated by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment; a five-acre desert pool oasis including a multi-functional event lawn; live music and entertainment theater with 4,500 capacity; 24 Oxford showroom accommodating 650 guests; an exclusive portfolio of twelve food and beverage venues including Todd English’s Olives, Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market, the legendary Nobu, Michael and David Morton’s One Steakhouse, Kassi Beach House from restauranteur Nick Mathers, Casa Calavera by global hospitality company Hakkasan Group, the sports entertainment, daylife and nightlife venue Money, Baby! from Justin Massei and Mikis Troyan of Clive Collective, famous Afters Ice Cream, Pizza Forte by the Ferraro Family and signature Virgin Hotels restaurants and bars including The Kitchen at Commons Club, The Bar at Commons Club, The Shag Room and Funny Library Coffee Shop. The property is owned by JC Hospitality, LLC, in partnership with Juniper Capital Partners, Virgin Group, LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, Dream and Orlando Development. The off-Strip playground is located at 4455 Paradise Road. For more information, visit www.virginhotelslv.com.
 
About Virgin Hotels
Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value, and a seamless, personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson’s global Virgin Group has pioneered for 50 years. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. Virgin Hotels Chicago – named the “#1 Hotel in the United States” in 2016 and “#1 Hotel in Chicago” in 2016, 2017, and 2020 by the Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards – Virgin Hotels Dallas – named the “#16 Hotel in Texas” – Virgin Hotels Nashville and Virgin Hotels Las Vegas are now open. Locations in New York, New Orleans, Miami, Edinburgh and Glasgow to follow. Virgin Hotels continues to explore hotel and office conversions and ground-up development in Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and London.
 
About Curio Collection by Hilton
Curio Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of nearly 100 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts. Curio Collection properties offer travelers authentic, curated experiences through distinctly local offerings and elevated amenities, while providing the benefits of Hilton and its award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors. Read the latest brand and hotel stories at newsroom.hilton.com/curio, and connect with Curio Collection on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
 
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 12.1 million subscribers.
  
Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $12.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $18.99/month (Hulu w/o ads). 

LAS VEGAS (May 26, 2021) — The 10-round featherweight showdown between NABF champion Adam “BluNose” Lopez and former junior featherweight world champion Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe will now open the ESPN telecast Saturday, June 19 from The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
 
The main event marks the return of undefeated WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion and pound-for-pound elite Naoya “Monster” Inoue against Michael “Hot and Spicy” Dasmarinas, while WBO female junior lightweight world champion Mikaela Mayer will make her first title defense in the co-feature versus former two-weight world champion Erica Farias.
 
Inoue-Dasmarinas, Mayer-Farias and Lopez-Dogboe will air live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets priced at $300, $200, $125 and $75 are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Etix.com.
 
Lopez (15-2, 6 KOs), from Glendale, California, is coming off decision victories over Jason Sanchez and Louie Coria, two of the best bouts to emanate from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble. He steps up against Dogboe (21-2, 15 KOs), who bounced back from a pair of title fight defeats against Emanuel Navarrete to knock out Chris Avalos.
 
About Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is a reimagined and re-conceptualized casino resort. The property is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. The integrated resort intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture and features three hotel towers totaling over 1,500 Chambers and suites; the 60,000 sq. ft. Mohegan Sun Casino, operated by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment; a five-acre desert pool oasis including a multi-functional event lawn; live music and entertainment theater with 4,500 capacity; 24 Oxford showroom accommodating 650 guests; an exclusive portfolio of twelve food and beverage venues including Todd English’s Olives, Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market, the legendary Nobu, Michael and David Morton’s One Steakhouse, Kassi Beach House from restauranteur Nick Mathers, Casa Calavera by global hospitality company Hakkasan Group, the sports entertainment, daylife and nightlife venue Money, Baby! from Justin Massei and Mikis Troyan of Clive Collective, famous Afters Ice Cream, Pizza Forte by the Ferraro Family and signature Virgin Hotels restaurants and bars including The Kitchen at Commons Club, The Bar at Commons Club, The Shag Room and Funny Library Coffee Shop. The property is owned by JC Hospitality, LLC, in partnership with Juniper Capital Partners, Virgin Group, LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, Dream and Orlando Development. The off-Strip playground is located at 4455 Paradise Road. For more information, visit www.virginhotelslv.com.
 
About Virgin Hotels
Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value, and a seamless, personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson’s global Virgin Group has pioneered for 50 years. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. Virgin Hotels Chicago – named the “#1 Hotel in the United States” in 2016 and “#1 Hotel in Chicago” in 2016, 2017, and 2020 by the Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards – Virgin Hotels Dallas – named the “#16 Hotel in Texas” – Virgin Hotels Nashville and Virgin Hotels Las Vegas are now open. Locations in New York, New Orleans, Miami, Edinburgh and Glasgow to follow. Virgin Hotels continues to explore hotel and office conversions and ground-up development in Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and London.
 
About Curio Collection by Hilton
Curio Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of nearly 100 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts. Curio Collection properties offer travelers authentic, curated experiences through distinctly local offerings and elevated amenities, while providing the benefits of Hilton and its award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors. Read the latest brand and hotel stories at newsroom.hilton.com/curio, and connect with Curio Collection on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

LAS VEGAS (May 5, 2021) — Top Rank on ESPN boxing returns for a quartet of fight nights at Las Vegas’ newest world-class casino resort, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, part of Curio Collection by Hilton, owned by JC Hospitality, LLC.  
 
The debut event, Saturday, May 22 inside The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, features the previously announced undisputed junior welterweight world championship showdown between WBC/WBO champion Jose Ramirez and Scotland’s native son, WBA/IBF champion Josh Taylor (ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT). In the 10-round junior welterweight co-feature, two-time world title challenger Jose “Chon” Zepeda will now face Philadelphia veteran “Hammerin” Hank Lundy.
 
The action continues three weeks later, Saturday, June 12, when undefeated former featherweight world champion Shakur Stevenson, from Newark, New Jersey, fights Namibian contender Jeremiah Nakathila for the WBO interim junior lightweight world title. On Saturday, June 19, undefeated Japanese knockout sensation Naoya “Monster” Inoue defends his IBF and WBA bantamweight world titles against Filipino IBF No. 1 contender Michael “Hot and Spicy” Dasmarinas.
 
The grand finale at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas showcases the comeback of living legend and former three-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, who seeks to get back on the winning track against Masayoshi Nakatani in the 12-round lightweight main event.
 
Fans will be permitted inside the venue for all four fight cards at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. A limited number of tickets for Ramirez-Taylor, priced at $300, $200, $100 and $50, go on sale TODAY, May 5 at 12 p.m. PT, and can be purchased by visiting Etix.com. Ticket information for the final three fight cards will be announced shortly.
 
“Las Vegas is synonymous with world championship boxing and we are proud to bring that excitement to Virgin Hotels Las Vegas through our partnership with celebrated Top Rank, offering our resort guests and boxing fans an unforgettable experience,” remarked Gary Scott, COO of JC Hospitality, LLC, owner of Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
 
“Top Rank is honored to debut boxing at the beautiful new Virgin Hotels Las Vegas with many of the sport’s biggest stars in sensational fights,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We begin May 22 with a genuine super fight, a precursor for the great action to come in June.”
 
June 12
Stevenson vs. Nakathila
ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist Stevenson (15-0, 8 KOs) will headline in Las Vegas for the third time as he seeks to capture a world title in a second weight class. One of the world’s top pound-for-pound talents, Stevenson is tasked with turning back Nakathila (21-1, 17 KOs), who has won 10 consecutive fights by knockout since the lone defeat of his career.
 
June 19
Inoue vs. Dasmarinas
ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Japanese star Inoue (20-0, 17 KOs) has already cemented his legacy as one of his nation’s great fighters, winning world titles in three weight classes and sporting a record of 15-0 with 13 knockouts in championship fights. He made his Las Vegas debut last October and knocked out Australian contender Jason Moloney with a straight right hand that became an instant viral highlight. Dasmarinas (30-2-1, 20 KOs) is 12-0-1 since the last defeat of his career, a run that includes a 2018 knockout over three-time European bantamweight champion Karim Guerfi.
 
June 26
Lomachenko vs. Nakatani
Streaming Exclusively on ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
“Loma” is back. The Ukrainian superstar and future Hall of Famer fights for the first time since last October’s showdown against Teofimo Lopez for the undisputed lightweight world title. Lomachenko’s return comes against Nakatani (19-1, 13 KOs), a longtime Japanese contender who most recently knocked out Felix Verdejo in one of the best fights of 2020. Lomachenko (14-2, 10 KOs) won a pair of Olympic gold medals before turning professional in 2013, and he then proceeded to win world titles in three weight classes in his first 12 fights. The “pound-for-pound Picasso” will be giving up roughly five inches in height and six inches in reach to the naturally bigger Nakatani.
 
About Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is a reimagined and re-conceptualized casino resort. The property is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. The integrated resort intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture and features three hotel towers totaling over 1,500 Chambers and suites; the 60,000 sq. ft. Mohegan Sun Casino, operated by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment; a five-acre desert pool oasis including a multi-functional event lawn; live music and entertainment theater with 4,500 capacity; 24 Oxford showroom accommodating 650 guests; an exclusive portfolio of twelve food and beverage venues including Todd English’s Olives, Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market, the legendary Nobu, Michael and David Morton’s One Steakhouse, Kassi Beach House from restauranteur Nick Mathers, Casa Calavera by global hospitality company Hakkasan Group, the sports entertainment, daylife and nightlife venue Money, Baby! from Justin Massei and Mikis Troyan of Clive Collective, famous Afters Ice Cream, Pizza Forte by the Ferraro Family and signature Virgin Hotels restaurants and bars including The Kitchen at Commons Club, The Bar at Commons Club, The Shag Room and Funny Library Coffee Shop. The property is owned by JC Hospitality, LLC, in partnership with Juniper Capital Partners, Virgin Group, LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, Dream and Orlando Development. The off-Strip playground is located at 4455 Paradise Road. For more information, visit www.virginhotelslv.com.
 
About Virgin Hotels
Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value, and a seamless, personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson’s global Virgin Group has pioneered for 50 years. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. Virgin Hotels Chicago – named the “#1 Hotel in the United States” in 2016 and “#1 Hotel in Chicago” in 2016, 2017, and 2020 by the Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards – Virgin Hotels Dallas – named the “#16 Hotel in Texas” – Virgin Hotels Nashville and Virgin Hotels Las Vegas are now open. Locations in New York, New Orleans, Miami, Edinburgh and Glasgow to follow. Virgin Hotels continues to explore hotel and office conversions and ground-up development in Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and London.
 
About Curio Collection by Hilton
Curio Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of nearly 100 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts. Curio Collection properties offer travelers authentic, curated experiences through distinctly local offerings and elevated amenities, while providing the benefits of Hilton and its award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors. Read the latest brand and hotel stories at newsroom.hilton.com/curio, and connect with Curio Collection on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
 
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 12.1 million subscribers.
  
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By Bart Barry-

Saturday in England in a heavyweight match broadcast by DAZN, Ukrainian cruiserweight prodigy Oleksandr Usyk worked alongside London’s Dereck Chisora to show what a bad idea Usyk’s migration to heavyweight was, winning a sloppy and close decision against a c-level fighter praised for trying hard, a couple hours before Japanese prodigy Naoya “Monster” Inoue origami-ed Australian bantamweight Jason Moloney in a match broadcast by ESPN+.

I looked forward mostly to Usyk, a fighter whom, until Chocolatito looked splendid the Saturday before, I’d’ve called my favorite among all actives, and quickly.  Had I forgotten about Inoue?  I suppose I had a bit, but for a good reason, for Inoue: I knew Monster was in fine promotional hands.

There’s an evangelical quality to writing a weekly column about a sport that isn’t a league and hasn’t a season.  However limited or vast one’s readership he’s given a chance to petition strangers on his favorite fighters’ behalves.  For many reasons, beginning with its unfortunate affiliation with Richard Schaefer, the World Boxing Super Series has maintained a cursed sort of feel here in the U.S., home of so many recent cursings.  I freely admit a personal favoritism for the WBSS, its participants and especially its champions.

I’m not oblivious as I feign of the fiscal goings-on of our beloved sport, but I don’t care about them either.  It’s not my role.  It’s not yours.  I watch prizefighting to see men perform heroic acts and transcend themselves.  Entering oneself in a single-elimination tourney like WBSS is a proper pathway to those ends.  WBSS has given us spectacular finishes and spectacular champions, Usyk and Inoue chief among them.

WBSS took more from Usyk than Inoue, evidently, as the quirky Ukrainian has not been the same since.  Saturday he was further from the same as he’s ever been.  Chisora was two things too much for Usyk: Wide and slow.  He was, in the final tally, not too powerful, as Usyk wagered Chisora would tire and did not lose the bet, despite getting made proper miserable for some 12 of their 36 minutes together.

No, what foiled Usyk, what made him nothing like the otherworldly cruiserweight we loved a few years back, was the way Chisora’s 55 1/2 extra pounds bent the geometry of Usyk’s attack.  There was no popping and stepping round Chisora; he was very much wider than Mairis Briedis, Murat Gassiev and Tony Bellew.  Far sloppier too.

It was a bit reminiscent of watching “Fast” Eddie Chambers’ 2010 tilt with Wlad Klitschko, a match in which Fast Eddie’s shoulders fit within the span of Klitschko’s chest.  No matter what lateral movement Chambers employed it was hopeless; he couldn’t get outside Wlad to spin him, with four steps and a hop.  At least Chambers was acclimated to heavyweight pace, which is glacial.

Usyk missed a number of the large number of punches he missed Saturday because he threw the second or third punch of a combination where his first punch should’ve sent Chisora, and did send Chisora, too, just a few seconds after Usyk expected Chisora to get there.  The bemused look on Usyk’s face said nothing so much as: “There’s boxing, and then there’s heavyweight boxing!”

Usyk is committed to finishing his career a heavyweight, though he could certainly return to cruiserweight (he’s fought twice in two years and gained merely 15 pounds, which is about the monthly American COVID-19-lockdown rate).  This is poor strategy.  There’s no telling if Usyk realizes this, as he’s too eccentric to read.  He’d have done much better cherrypicking a heavyweight beltholder, while continuing his cruiserweight reign, making a one-night-only spectacle of trying to outbox AJ, Gypsy King or Wilder & Wilder.  Instead he’s getting his tires balded and brain softened by men with a fraction his talent but unlimited size.

I’ll still watch him and tell fellow aficionados he’s one of my favorites, but my enthusiasm for him got beat out me Saturday.  About the opposite how I felt watching Inoue.

If Monster is not fully recovered from what he and Nonito Donaire did to one another a year ago this week, he is quite nearly so.  It feels good to watch a man be excellent at something, whatever that thing be, no?  Inoue is near as we have to a perfect offensive machine.  He is our sport’s apex predator and best fighter.  His attack is varied, educated, balanced, gorgeous.

He turned pro as a light flyweight, won a title there, defended it once, skipped a division and blasted in two rounds Omar Narvaez, a fabled Argentine making his eighth defense of that title.  In three years Inoue outgrew that division, moved to bantamweight and began winning title fights more easily and quickly than he’d done at either his two previous weightclasses.  Nobody does that.  Ask Chocolatito or Usyk.  Fighters gain weight on their chins, not their fists, which is what makes scaling divisions such a feat.

Excepting his fight-of-the-year ordeal with Donaire, Monster hasn’t been tested much in the 11 rounds of his other four bantamweight title fights; it’s not that he’s that much better than what softies he’s been matched with, it’s that he’s that much better than everyone.  We know this because it was a tourney doing his matchmaking in 2018 and 2019, not a promoter.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Naoya Inoue affirmed that he is one of the best fighters in the world as he took out Jason Moloney in round seven to retain the WBA/IBF Bantamweight title at the MGM Grand Bubble Conference Center in Las Vegas.

In Round six, Inoue scored a knockdown with a counter right.

In the final seconds of round seven, Inoue landed a brutal right hand that folded Moloney to the canvas. The fight was stopped after Moloney unsuccessfully tried to get up at 2:59.

Inoue, 117.7 lbs of Yokahama, JAP is 20-0 with 17 knockouts. Moloney, 117.9 lbs of Melbourne, AUS is 21-2.

Inoue said, ““The final punch, the finishing punch, I’m very happy and satisfied with that punch.

“Moloney has a great defense, and it was very difficult to get through. The two punches you mentioned are something we really practiced in Japan a lot, and I was able to perform well and use it, and I’m very happy with that.”

Added Bob Arum, Top Rank Chairman: “The Monster is a special fighter. I haven’t seen a young fighter like that in a long time. And credit to Jason Moloney for fighting like a warrior. He gave it his absolute best.”

Mayer Decisions Brodnicka; Wins WBO Jr. Lightweight Title

Mikaela Mayer won the WBO Junior Lightweight world title with an emphatic 10-round unanimous decision over Ewa Brodnicka.

Mayer dominated the fight on the inside, where Brodnick could only hold. Brodnicka was docked points in round six and seven for holding.

Mayer landed 160 of 529 punches; Brodnicka was 86 of 313.

Mayer, 129.8 lbs of Los Angeles won by scores of 100-88 twice and 99-89 is now 14-0. Brodnicka, who lost her belt at the scales on Friday as she was .1 pounds over the 130-lb. limit is now 19-1.

“I definitely want to unify this division. I don’t want to wait around. I don’t want to take a couple of years to do it. I want to do it right away. So, {WBC champion} Terri Harper told me to get a belt. Eddie Hearn told me to get a belt. I have the WBO belt now, so let’s make that fight happen. I want Terri Harper next.”

Robson Conceicao was dropped and docked two points, but some how was able to eek out a razor thin unanimous decision over Luis Coria in a junior lightweight fight.

In round two, Coria dropped Conceicao with a left hook. In Round four, Conceicao was deducted a point for a low blow. Conceicao was docked another point for a low blow. The fight was a toe-to-toe battle that both land hard shots with Conceicao getting the disputed win.

Conceicao, 128.8 lbs of Brazil won by scores of 95-92 twice and 94-93 and is now 15-0. Coria, 128.6 lbs of Moreno Valley, CA is 12-4.

Julian Rodriguez stopped Jose Lopez in round three of a scheduled 10-round junior welterweight bout.

Rodriguez dropped Lopez four times, and the fight was stopped at 2:10 of round three

Rodriguez, 142.6 lbs of Bergan County, NJ is 21-0 with 14 knockouts. Lopez, 142.3 lbs of Tormon, MN is 29-8-2.

Jared Anderson stopped Luis Eduardo Pena in round one of a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

Anderson landed a plethora of power punches to the head and body and Pena took a ferocious beating until the bout was stopped at 2:14.

Anderson, 246.1 lbs of Toledo, OH is 7-0 with seven knockouts. Pena, 229.6 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 6-2.

Andy Hiroka remained undefeated with a 4th round stoppage over Rickey Edwards in a scheduled eight-round junior welterweight bout.

Early in round three, Hiroka sent Edwards to the canvas with a right hook. It was another right hook that put Edwards down in the 4th. Later in the round, with Edwards hurt, a barrage of punches sent Edwards down again. A few seconds later, Hiroka landed a flurry that forced the stoppage at 2:20.

Hiroka, 140.9 lbs of Yokahama, JAP is 16-0 with 10 knockouts. Edwards, 140.7 lbs of Paterson, NJ is 12-5.

•     Naoya Inoue 117.7 lbs vs. Jason Moloney 117.9 lbs 
(Inoue’s WBA/IBF/Ring Magazine Bantamweight World Titles — 12 Rounds)
 Judges/Referee: Patricia Morse Jarman, Max De Luca and Tim Cheatham / Kenny Bayless

•    Ewa Brodnicka 130.1 lbs vs. Mikaela Mayer 129.8 lbs 
(WBO Female Junior Lightweight World Title — 10 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Steve Weisfeld, Dave Moretti and Lisa Giampa / Celestino Ruiz
* Brodnicka loses belt on the scale. Mayer is still eligible to win the world title

(ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)

•   Robson Conceição 128.8 lbs vs. Louie Coria 128.6 lbs 
(Junior Lightweight— 10 Rounds)

•    Julian Rodriguez 142.6 lbs vs. Jose “Piston” López 142.3 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•    Jared Anderson 246.1 lbs vs. Luis Eduardo Pena 229.6 lbs 
(Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

•    Andy Hiraoka 140.9 lbs vs. Rickey Edwards 140.7 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

LAS VEGAS (October 29, 2020) — Naoya “Monster” Inoue, the Japanese three-weight world champion and pound-for-pound talent, is two days away from his Las Vegas debut. He will defend his WBA/IBF/Ring Magazine bantamweight world titles against Australia’s Jason Moloney (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET), his first bout since his 2019 Fight of the Year victory last November against Nonito Donaire.

For as much noise as Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) makes inside the ring, he is quiet and measured behind the microphone. Inoue and Moloney (21-1, 18 KOs) met face-to-face for the first time Thursday at the final press conference, along with the co-main event featuring WBO female junior lightweight world champion Ewa Brodnicka (19-0, 2 KOs) and mandatory challenger Mikaela Mayer (13-0, 5 KOs). 

This is what they had to say.

Naoya Inoue

“This past year, my injuries have healed very well. With COVID-19, it’s has been tough training, but it has been the same for everyone else. We still have to go out there and perform at a high level. I see him as a high-level, all-around fighter.”

“There are a lot of expectations, and I want to meet those expectations. I take those big expectations, and I use them as motivation and power to keep getting better with every fight.”

Jason Moloney

“I think that everything happens for a reason, and that loss that I suffered against {Emmanuel} Rodriguez showed me how much I want this. I will not let myself lose again. On Saturday night, nothing will stop me, and I will become the best bantamweight in the world.”

“I know I can win this fight. I don’t care if some people think that I can’t win this fight. I believe, and I know that I can win it.”

“He has never faced a fighter as relentless as me. I’m going to take him to places he has never been before.”

“I can’t wait. There has been a lot of talk about ‘The Monster’ coming to Las Vegas, but people haven’t seen what I can do inside those ropes.”Mikaela Mayer

“I feel great. I feel like I’m deserving. I’ve been the No. 1 contender for a long time. This fight will put me a step {closer to} my goal.”

“I think that she is concerned. She has never been in the ring with someone like me.”

“This is a team effort. We have been together for a long time. It started 11 years ago with the Olympic trials. It will mean a lot to me to make {head trainer} Al {Mitchell} proud on Saturday night.” Ewa Brodnicka

“She is the No.1 contender, but I think this fight was going to happen anyway.”

“I brought my belt just to show it to you. Look at it. I didn’t bring this belt to give it to you. That’s not happening. For sure.”

“I have a lot of things against me. But I’m ready. I don’t care if she says that she doesn’t respect me. She makes a lot of mistakes, and I’m going to take advantage of all of them.”SATURDAY’S CARD

ESPN+, Approximately 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Naoya Inoue vs. Jason Moloney, 12 rounds, Inoue’s WBA/IBF/Ring Magazine bantamweight world titles

Ewa Brodnicka vs. Mikaela Mayer, 10 rounds, Brodnicka’s WBO female junior lightweight world title

ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT

Robson Conceição vs. Louie Coria, 10 rounds, junior lightweight

Andres Cortes vs. George Acosta, 8 rounds, junior lightweight

Julian Rodriguez vs. Jose “Piston” Lopez, 10 rounds, junior welterweight

Andy Hiraoka vs. Rickey Edwards, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

LAS VEGAS (October 28, 2020) — Australian contender Jason Moloney is going “monster hunting” Saturday evening (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET) when he faces WBA/IBF/Ring Magazine bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble.

In the co-feature, female boxing’s brightest star, 2016 U.S. Olympian Mikaela Mayer, will challenge WBO junior lightweight world champion Ewa Brodnicka. Mayer (13-0, 5 KOs), the betting favorite, will seek to dethrone a seasoned champion who has made five title defenses. Moloney (21-1, 18 KOs), meanwhile, is confident he can upset the odds and topple the three-division world champion and one of the sport’s most devastating punchers.

Moloney, Mayer and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum met the media for a fight week Zoom press conference. This is what they had to say.

Bob Arum

“When {Mikaela} came to Top Rank, the one thing she told us is she wanted to fight for a world championship. It took some time, but she was grounded in the professional ranks. She’s performed tremendously, and now on Oct. 31, she has the opportunity to win a world championship. And we believe she has the experience now, and the ability, to bring home to the United States a world championship.”

“When Mikaela gives the orders, you step to attention and try to get {the world title fight} done. We’re very proud of Mikaela. She’s comported herself tremendously, both in and out of the ring, and she’s going to be a great world champion and a great credit to women’s boxing.”

Mikaela Mayer

“I have been calling out the champs for a while. It’s been something I feel like I’ve been ready for for a few fights, but now in hindsight looking back, I think everything worked out perfectly. Like Bob Arum said, I’ve had some really great fights, and I’ve really been able to settle in to my pro style. I’m more ready than ever to take on these world champions. I feel like I’m the best in this division.”

“I am honored that Top Rank has really moved me in the way that they have. It’s not just me, but believing in women’s boxing. I think that they’ve moved me perfectly. I think that they’ve put me on some amazing cards, and it’s given me the platform I’ve wanted.”

“I’m peaking as an athlete. I’m really coming into my own. And so it’s really not about Ewa. It’s really about me. They always train me like I’m going up against somebody amazing, and I always have to be like, ‘You guys, don’t worry, relax. I got this.’ But that’s what good coaches do. They’re looking at everything Ewa Brodnicka does really well and then they’re acting as if she does it better than how she actually does it.”

“I think {Brodnicka} is hyping up the fight, talking a big game, but I don’t think she believes anything that she’s saying. I think she knows I’m a better fighter. She knows I’m fast. She knows I’m strong. She knows I’m more technically sound. She’s just playing into the hype.”

“I absolutely hope that after I get this belt from Brodnicka that Eddie Hearn and {WBC champion} Terri Harper will be willing to make this fight happen with me, so we can unify these belts. Because that’s what they told me: ‘Go get a belt, Mikaela, and then we’ll talk about it.’ So, Bob, hold them to their word when it comes to that.”

Jason Moloney

“Every fighter should want to fight the best. That’s why we’re in this sport. My dream and my goal is to be the best bantamweight in the world, and the only way to make that happen is to beat Inoue. I’ve been working towards this opportunity, and have wanted this opportunity, for a long time. It’s finally here. I’m completely confident, and I know I’ve got what it takes to beat him. Saturday night’s the opportunity to prove it. I can’t wait. I’m ready to go.”

“I love being the underdog, and I love proving people wrong and going out there and, as I’ve said before, shocking the world. I know a lot of people don’t give me a chance in this fight, and that just gives me extra motivation and extra fire in the belly to go out there and show people what can be done. People place some of these fighters like Inoue and Lomachenko on this pedestal and think that they’re unbeatable, but they’re not. We’re all human. We all got two arms and two legs, and everyone has weaknesses. Everybody can be beaten.”

“Me and {twin brother} Andrew walked into the boxing gym together for our first day 17 years ago. There’s been a lot of hard work and sacrifices, and we’ve grown together every step of the way, and rode the roller coaster together. A lot of ups and a lot of downs and a lot of hard work. A lot of blood, sweat and tears, and in three weeks’ time, we can get on a plane together with four world titles and go home to Australia and celebrate together with each other, but also with our friends and family and everyone who supported us since day one.”SATURDAY’S CARD

ESPN+, Approximately 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Naoya Inoue vs. Jason Moloney, 12 rounds, Inoue’s WBA/IBF/Ring Magazine bantamweight world titles

Ewa Brodnicka vs. Mikaela Mayer, 10 rounds, Brodnicka’s WBO female junior lightweight world title

ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT

Robson Conceição vs. Luis Coria, 10 rounds, junior lightweight

Andres Cortes vs. George Acosta, 8 rounds, junior lightweight

Julian Rodriguez vs. Jose Eduardo Lopez Rodriguez, 10 rounds, junior welterweight

Andy Hiraoka vs. Rickey Edwards, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 22, 2020) — Robson Conceição, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist for his native Brazil, seeks to notch the signature win of his unblemished professional career when he takes on Luis Coria in a 10-round junior lightweight fight Saturday, Oct. 31 from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble.

Conceição-Coria will serve as the chief support bout to the world championship doubleheader featuring unified bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue’s title defense against Jason Moloney and Mikaela Mayer challenging WBO female junior lightweight world champion Ewa Brodnicka.

The card will also feature Toledo’s 20-year-old heavyweight sensation, Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (6-0, 6 KOs), who will fight Luis Eduardo Pena (6-1, 6 KOs) in a six-rounder. Anderson has three knockout wins inside the Bubble and four first-round stoppages in his young career.

The entire Inoue-Moloney card will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET, with the co-feature (Brodnicka-Mayer) expected to start at approximately 10 p.m. ET.

Conceição (14-0, 7 KOs) turned pro under the Top Rank banner in 2016 after an amateur career that included the Olympic gold medal, more than 400 victories and two World Championship medals. He last fought in August in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and knocked out Eduardo Reis in the second round. Conceição takes a giant step up in class against Coria (12-3, 7 KOs), a Robert Garcia-trained fighter who is coming off a razor-thin majority decision loss in June against Adam Lopez in one of the year’s best back-and-forth brawls.

In other undercard bouts:

Julian Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) vs. TBA
10 Rounds, Junior Welterweight

“Hammer Hands” Rodriguez is 4-0 with three knockouts since returning from a nearly two-year layoff last July, re-establishing himself as one of the 140-pound division’s top prospects. He made his Bubble debut Aug. 22 and knocked out the previously undefeated Anthony Laureano in the first round. Rodriguez turned pro in 2013 as an 18-year-old, and at 25 years old, is approaching contender status.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (12-0, 8 KOs) vs. TBA
8 Rounds, Light Flyweight

Rodriguez, a 20-year-old southpaw prodigy from San Antonio, Texas, put forth a star-making performance inside the Bubble Sept. 5, knocking down the normally iron-chinned Janiel Rivera three times en route to a first-round stoppage. Trained by Robert Garcia and promoted by Teiken Promotions, Rodriguez has won four straight bouts by stoppage, and his sublime footwork reminds many boxing observers of Vasiliy Lomachenko. 

Andy Hiraoka (15-0, 10 KOs) vs. Rickey Edwards (12-4, 3 KOs)
8 Rounds, Junior Welterweight

Hiraoka, a stablemate of Inoue’s from Yokohama, Japan, made his U.S. debut last November and knocked out Rogelio Casarez in two rounds. A former high school distance-running star, the 24-year-old also bested former world title challenger Akihiro Kondo via 10-round decision in July 2019. Edwards, from Paterson, N.J., hopes to snap a two-bout losing skid and pick up his third victory over a previously undefeated prospect.

Andres Cortes (13-0, 7 KOs) vs. George Acosta (10-1, 1 KO)
8 Rounds, Junior Lightweight

Cortes returns for his second Bubble bout nearly four months removed from his July 7 slugfest against Alejandro Salinas. Cortes recovered from a fourth-round knockdown to earn an eight-round unanimous decision. As an amateur, he notched a pair of victories over undisputed lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez. Acosta, from Long Beach, Calif., has won three consecutive fights since a six-round decision defeat to Ruben Torres.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com,ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

LAS VEGAS (September 29, 2020) —Mikaela Mayer called on the junior lightweight world champions for a fight. One of them was mandated to answer.
 
WBO female junior lightweight world champion Ewa Brodnicka will make the sixth defense of her title in a 10-round showdown against mandatory challenger Mayer on Halloween evening, Saturday, Oct. 31 from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Conference Center. Brodnicka-Mayer will serve as the chief support bout to WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue’s title defense against Jason “Mayhem” Moloney.
 
Inoue-Moloney and Brodnicka-Mayer will headline an evening of boxing live and exclusively on ESPN+ beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
 
“After Mikaela’s last performance, I promised her a world title fight. She’s asked to fight the champions, and I am confident she will make a statement to the rest of the women in and around her weight class,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We’ve watched her progress since her pro debut, and she has turned into one of the premier fighters in female boxing. This WBO belt will be the first of many world titles for Mikaela.”

Frank Smith, CEO of Matchroom Boxing, Brodnicka’s co-promoter, said: “We’re happy to be working with our friends at Top Rank on another great fight. Ewa Brodnicka has proved herself to be one of the best 130-pound fighters on the planet with five defenses of her WBO world title, and I’m backing her to make it six successful defenses when she meets the undefeated Mikaela Mayer on Oct. 31. This is a top matchup at a time when women’s boxing grows from strength to strength.”
 
Brodnicka (19-0, 2 KOs), from Poland, has fought all of her pro bouts in her home country and has gone the 10-round distance on 10 occasions. She participated in the final world title bout before the COVID-19 pandemic March 7, winning a unanimous decision over Djemilla Gontaruk in Dzier?oniów, Poland. Before capturing world title honors at junior lightweight, Brodnicka reigned as European lightweight champion.
 
Brodnicka said, “I am excited that my title defense against Mikaela is happening in America, where I’ve always wanted to fight. I am more than ready for this opportunity, and I would like to thank my promoters, Eddie Hearn and Mariusz Grabowski, for helping make this fight a reality.”
 
Mayer (13-0, 5 KOs), from Los Angeles, turned pro under the Top Rank banner almost one year after representing the United States at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She made her pandemic return July 14 and bested two-time world title challenger Helen Joseph over 10 rounds. Matchroom Boxing announced it had signed Brodnicka to a promotional contract on Aug. 6, but later that day, the WBO ordered Brodnicka to defend her world title against Mayer. 
 
“I’ve made huge improvements to my boxing skills over the last 10 months. You saw some of it in my last fight against Helen Joseph, but I’ve reached a whole new level this fight camp,” Mayer said. “I’m more than prepared for this WBO world championship fight, and I will absolutely be going home with the belt. This fight will not go the distance. Ewa Brodnicka is not on my level, and her time is up. Tune in and watch me bring the championship belt to ESPN and Top Rank.”
 
Use the hashtags #InoueMoloney and #BrodnickaMayer to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing;twitter.com/ESPNRingside.
 

LAS VEGAS (September 8, 2020) — Four belts, one champion. A universally recognized lightweight king will be crowned Saturday, Oct. 17, live on ESPN from MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.  

WBO/WBA/WBC Franchise world champion Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko, the pound-for-pound “Boxing Baryshnikov” from Ukraine, will fight unbeaten IBF world champion Teofimo Lopez, the knockout artist from Brooklyn who has lobbed verbal haymakers at Lomachenko for more than two years. The two will fight from the MGM Grand Conference Center aka the “Las Vegas Bubble.”   Promoted by Top Rank, Lomachenko-Lopez (ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET) headlines a can’t-miss month of boxing on the ESPN family of networks, which also includes the long-awaited return of Japanese pound-for-pound superstar Naoya “Monster” Inoue, who will defend his WBA and IBF bantamweight world titles on Halloween evening, Saturday, Oct. 31, against Australian contender Jason “Mayhem” Moloney.  

“Lomachenko-Lopez is the best fight that can be made in boxing, and we are delighted that it will be available to fans for no extra charge live on ESPN,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Teofimo and Vasiliy demanded the fight, and we are glad we could make it happen. Vasiliy has never backed down from a challenge since he turned pro under the Top Rank banner, and Teofimo is a fearless young champion daring to be great. This has all the makings of a modern boxing classic.”  

Lomachenko said, “Teofimo Lopez can talk all he wants. He’s very good at talking. He has done nothing but say my name for the past two years. I am a fighter, and my goal is to win another world title. Good for Teofimo. When we fight in Las Vegas, he will eat my punches and his words. I will be the better man, and four world titles will come home with me to Ukraine.”

Egis Klimas, Lomachenko’s manager, stated, “Nobody has seen Lomachenko at 100 percent inside the ring. If Teofimo can push Loma to at least 80 percent, it means Teofimo is the best opponent Loma has faced.”  

Lopez said, “I will beat up Lomachenko and take his belts. Simple as that. I’m coming to Las Vegas to make history. I don’t like the guy, and I’m going to have fun as Lomachenko’s face is beaten and marked up by my hands. The Takeover is here, and the reign of Lomachenko, the little diva, is coming to an end.”  

Added Matt Kenny, Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions, ESPN: “Boxing has long been part of the fabric of our company and we could not be more excited for the October schedule on ESPN platforms, which includes the highly anticipated lightweight title bout between Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez on October 17. Top Rank was one of the very first organizations to safely stage live events during the pandemic and as the calendar turns to fall, ESPN will be home to fights that will excite boxing enthusiasts and capture the attention of casual fans.”  

Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) enters this bout coming off a scintillating decision win over British star Luke Campbell last August in front of a sold-out O2 Arena in London. A two-time Olympic gold medalist who went 396-1 in the amateur ranks, Lomachenko tied a boxing record by winning a world title in his third pro fight. He is a former featherweight and junior lightweight world champion who won the lightweight crown in May 2018 with a body shot knockout over Jorge Linares. In seven years as a pro, Lomachenko is 13-1 with 9 knockouts in world title fights and is ranked by many pundits as this generation’s most accomplished pugilist. From 2016-2017, he made four consecutive fighters quit on their stools, earning him the “No-Mas-chenko” moniker.   

Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs), the brash Brooklynite who initially gained attention because of his post-fight “Fortnite” dances and backflip celebrations, soon emerged as boxing’s most charismatic young superstar following his 2016 pro debut. He was the consensus 2018 Prospect of the Year, a campaign punctuated by a one-punch, first-round knockout over Mason Menard on the Lomachenko-Jose Pedraza undercard. Following the Menard knockout, he donned the jersey of Kyler Murray, who’d won the Heisman Trophy earlier that evening. Lopez climbed the rankings in 2019 with wins over Diego Magdaleno, Edis Tatli and Masayoshi Nakatani.  

Last December, Lopez knocked out Richard Commey in two rounds to win the IBF world title. Sitting ringside was Lomachenko, who entered the ring during the post-fight pandemonium. Arum waved him over to take a photo with the newly crowned champion. The stage had been set. #LomaLopez was going to happen.  

The lightweight unification battle is only the tip of the Top Rank on ESPN boxing iceberg. Here’s what else is in store in October.  

Saturday, October 3

Jose Zepeda (32-2, 2 NC, 25 KOs) vs. Ivan Baranchyk (20-1, 13 KOs)

MGM Grand Las Vegas

10 Rounds, Junior Welterweight

ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT  

Zepeda and Baranchyk were scheduled to meet inside the “Bubble” July 7, but a training injury to Baranchyk forced a postponement. Zepeda, a two-time world title challenger, instead fought Kendo Castaneda on July 7, cruising to a unanimous win. Baranchyk formerly held the IBF junior welterweight world title, defeating Anthony Yigit via seventh-round TKO to pick up the vacant title in October 2018. In May 2019, he was dethroned by current WBA/IBF world champion Josh Taylor in a competitive 12-round battle. He rebounded last October with a fourth-round stoppage over Gabriel Bracero at Madison Square Garden. The winner of this bout will be ranked No. 1 by the WBC at 140 pounds for the belt currently held by Jose Ramirez.  

Friday, October 9

Emanuel Navarrete (32-1, 28 KOs) vs. Ruben Villa (18-0, 5 KOs)

MGM Grand Las Vegas

12 Rounds, Vacant WBO Featherweight World Title

ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT  

After five defenses of his WBO junior featherweight world title, Navarrete is ready to conquer the featherweight division. The “Mexican Iron Man” and boxing’s most active world champion, Navarrete fought six world title bouts in just over 14 months (December 2018 to February 2020). He last fought a non-title bout against Uriel Lopez on June 20 in Mexico City, scoring a sixth-round TKO. The WBO No. 1 featherweight contender, Navarrete has won 27 consecutive bouts, including 14 of his last 15 by stoppage. Villa, from Salinas, Calif., has defeated contenders Alexei Collado, Jose Enrique Vivas and Luis Alberto Lopez in his last three bouts to earn the world title shot.  

Friday, October 23

Artur Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs) vs. Adam Deines (19-1-1, 10 KOs)

Moscow

12 Rounds, Beterbiev’s WBC/IBF Light Heavyweight World Titles

ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT

Undercard: ESPN+, 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT  

Boxing’s only world champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio, Beterbiev will fight for the first time since knocking out Oleksandr Gvozdyk in a highly anticipated world title unification bout last October. A two-time Russian Olympian, Beterbiev has never fought in his home nation as a professional and will do so against Deines, a fellow Russian who now calls Germany home. Deines has won two in a row since a decision loss to Meng Fanlong, while Beterbiev has made three world title defenses since winning the vacant IBF world title with a 12th-round stoppage over Enrico Koelling in November 2017.  

In the ESPN-televised co-feature, a WBO light heavyweight world title eliminator, No. 1-ranked contender Umar Salamov will face No. 2-ranked contender Maxim Vlasov, with the winner expected to fight Joe Smith Jr. for the vacant world title. Both Salamov and Vlasov recently signed promotional contracts with Top Rank.  

Saturday, October 31

Naoya Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) vs. Jason Moloney (21-1, 18 KOs)

MGM Grand Las Vegas

12 Rounds, Inoue’s IBF/WBA Bantamweight World Titles

ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT  

A three-division world champion and a consensus Top 5 pound-for-pound fighter, Inoue makes his Las Vegas debut and his fourth bantamweight world title defense against a man who is ranked in the Top 5 by every major sanctioning organization. Inoue is coming off a unanimous decision over Nonito Donaire last November, a fight named by many outlets as the Fight of the Year. Prior to the Donaire bout, Inoue knocked out four consecutive opponents in three rounds or less, including a second-round stoppage over Emmanuel Rodriguez to win the IBF world title. Inoue’s ring return was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he has a stiff test in Moloney, an Australian boxer-puncher who made his “Bubble” debut June 25 with a knockout over Leonardo Baez. Moloney has won four straight bouts, all by knockouts, since a controversial split decision loss to Rodriguez for the IBF world title.  

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 13, 2020) —A five-foot-five-inch, 118-pound Japanese monster is ready to take over the Las Vegas Strip. WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue, the three-weight world champion climbing the mythical pound-for-pound rankings, will make his Las Vegas debut Saturday, April 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in a unification bout against WBO bantamweight world champion and fellow three-weight kingpin Johnriel Casimero.

Inoue is coming off a memorable decision in the 2019 Ring Magazine and ESPN.com Fight of the Year against future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire. This will be Inoue’s first bout under his long-term promotional agreement with Top Rank.

Inoue-Casimero and the 10-round bantamweight tilt featuring WBO No. 1 contender Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer Jr. and WBO No. 2 contender Jason Moloney will stream LIVE on ESPN+ beginning at 9 p.m. ET. In the final undercard bout on the ESPN+ stream, former super featherweight world champion Andrew Cancio will take on Tyler McCreary in a 10-rounder.

The preliminary bouts will air live on ESPN2 (7 p.m. ET) and will include the return of former world title challenger Alex “El Cholo” Saucedo in a 10-round super lightweight bout.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Ohashi Promotions, MP Promotions, TGB Promotions and SGG Sports Promotions, tickets priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25 (not including applicable fees) go on sale Friday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased online at www.axs.com or by phone at 888-929-7849.

“The ‘Monster’ is coming to Las Vegas, and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He is a generational talent, a fierce competitor who is ready to take the United States by storm. Casimero is a seasoned champion, and Inoue knows he’s in for a firefight at Mandalay Bay.” 

Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs), 26, won his first title in only his sixth pro fight, knocking out Adrian Hernandez to win the WBC light flyweight crown. He is 14-0 with 12 knockouts in world title bouts, as he defended his light flyweight title once before moving up two weight classes to knock out long-time WBO junior bantamweight world champion Omar Narvaez in two rounds in December 2014. He defended that belt seven times before setting his sights on the bantamweight division. His first three bantamweight title bouts lasted a total of four rounds, as he catapulted up pound-for-pound lists with stoppages over Emmanuel Rodriguez and Juan Carlos Payano. The Donaire bout — the final of the World Boxing Super Series tournament — was the ultimate gut check, as he suffered a broken orbital bone before prevailing in an instant classic.

“It is a tremendous honor and a dream come true to headline a card in Las Vegas against a great fighter like Casimero,” Inoue said. “It is my goal to be the undisputed bantamweight king, and I am coming to America to put on a great fight for the fans. I would like to thank Mr. Bob Arum and MGM Resorts for making my Las Vegas dream a reality. Now, the work begins, and I will kick off my 2020 schedule at Mandalay Bay in devastating fashion.”

Casimero (29-4, 20 KOs), from Ormoc City, Philippines, is a newly minted bantamweight world champion who upset South African southpaw Zolani Tete via third-round TKO last November in Birmingham England. A world traveler, Casimero has won world title bouts in Mexico, England, China, Panama and the Philippines, in addition to interim world title bouts in Argentina, Nicaragua and the United States. He is on a five-bout winning streak and is in his physical prime at 29 years old. The Inoue-Casimero winner will be one belt shy of completely unifying the division, as WBC world champion Nordine Oubaali holds the final piece of the championship puzzle. 

“This is my dream fight. I have traveled the world and fought in 10 countries. I’ve won world titles at 108, 112 and 118 pounds,” Casimero said. “But ever since I saw my hero and fellow countryman, Senator Manny Pacquiao, fight in Las Vegas, that has been my dream. To everyone who thinks I am the underdog on April 25, I will shock the world and show the fans who the real ‘Monster’ is in the ring.”

Greer (22-1-1, 12 KOs) has won 19 fights in a row, but as he heads into the most significant bout of his career, he’s made a significant change. After seeing his seven-bout KO streak ended with a pair of close decisions over Nikolai Potapov and Antonio Nieves, Greer has moved his training base from Southern California to his hometown of Chicago. He has reunited with former trainer George Hernandez and is training at Garfield Boxing Gym, the place where he developed from amateur standout to promising professional. With a world title shot in his sights, Greer is not taking chances.

“I know what I’ve done before, and I know that I’m capable of,” Greer said. “George is the perfect man for the job. We have great chemistry. I love being back in the gym with him. This is what separates the boys from the men. I’m just ready to show the world who I am. At Garfield, the young kids keep me hungry. They don’t care about my ranking or that I’ve fought on ESPN. Chicago keeps me humble. Thanks to Moloney for taking the challenge, and I look forward to getting busy April 25.”

Moloney (20-1, 17 KOs), from Australia, will be fighting for the second time away from home as he seeks a second world title shot. He fought for the IBF bantamweight world title in October 2018 in Orlando, Fla., dropping a split decision to Emmanuel Rodriguez. Moloney has fought three times since, securing a trio of knockout wins during a successful 2019. In his last bout, he blitzed Dixon Flores in two rounds on an ESPN+-streamed card that also featured his twin brother, 115-pound interim world champion Andrew Moloney.

“I’m extremely grateful for this big opportunity. Fighting in Las Vegas has been a dream of mine for many years, and I’m looking forward to having a very impressive win over Joshua Greer Jr. and moving another step closer to becoming world champion,” Moloney said. “April 25 is a very important day for us in Australia and New Zealand called Anzac Day. It is a day of remembrance, where we pay our respects to all those who have served and died for our beautiful country. I will do whatever it takes to win this fight, and I will dedicate this victory to all those who have served for us.”

Cancio (21-5-2, 16 KOs) had a dream start to 2019 when he knocked out Alberto Machado in February to win the WBA super featherweight world title. He stopped Machado in three rounds four months later, but he was dethroned in November via seventh-round knockout by Nicaraguan veteran Rene Alvarado. McCreary (16-1-1, 7 KOs), from Toledo, Ohio, is looking to bounce back from a unanimous decision defeat last November to former two-weight world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton.

“I’m very excited to start my next chapter with Top Rank on April 25 against Tyler McCreary at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and on such an outstanding card,” Cancio said. “I know how formidable an opponent McCreary is, but I’ll be more than ready to be victorious and put on a great show for the fans when I return to battle.”

“It’s another big opportunity, something I couldn’t pass up,” McCreary said. “He’s a former world champion, but he’s no Carl Frampton. This is a steppingstone for bigger fights. I have to get past him to see the bigger names. I learned a lot from the Frampton fight, and that experience is the number one teacher for me.”

For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Use the hashtags #InoueCasimero and #GreerMoloney to join the conversation on social media.

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Queensberry Promotions today hosted the final press conference ahead of Saturday’s (November 30) huge Midlands Mayhem show at Arena Birmingham, live on BT Sport.

** Photography from today’s press conference is available on this link to use with credit to Round ‘N’ Bout Media **

**Head to head videos are available on this link to use with credit to Queensberry Promotions**

In a magnificent world title fight South Africa’s Zolani Tete (28-3, 21KOs) risks his WBO bantamweight title against Filipino interim champion John Riel Casimero (28-4, 19KOs) where the winner will be likely to face IBF and WBA title holder Naoya Inoue in 2020.

Lerrone Richards (12-0, 3KOs)  takes on Halesowen’s Lennox Clarke (19-0-1, 7KOs) for the Commonwealth and vacant British super-middleweight belt in a battle of unbeaten boxers.

Sam Bowen (15-0, 11KOs) defends his British super-featherweight championship against Anthony Cacace (17-1, 7KOs).

Swansea’s British and Commonwealth welterweight champion Chris Jenkins (22-3-2, 8KOs) makes a defence against Middleton’s Liam Taylor (21-1, 10KOs). 

Liverpool puncher Sam Maxwell (12-0 (10KOs) defends his WBO European super lightweight crown against unbeaten Connor Parker (12-0, 1KO) from Derbyshire.

Ilford prospect Hamzah Sheeraz (9-0, 5KOs) will fight for his first title against Ryan Kelly (14-2, 7KOs).

Here are a selection of quotes from today’s press conference

ZOLANI TETE

“I have been out injured because of shoulder tendonitis, but the way I have been training it shouldn’t bother me. I didn’t need surgery, but it took a couple of months to get it right.  Mentally and physically I am still there and the injury will not stand in my way.  It was frustrating getting injured in the World Boxing Super Series and pulling out, but Casimero is one of the best.

Hopefully after this defence my next fight will be Naoya Inoue. If I beat Casimero that fight is a step closer. It is possible to meet Inoue next year.

My promoter Mr Frank Warren will do his best to make the fight happen. My shoulder will not come off, but you will see punches bouncing off Casimero’s head. He is a good fighter though who can come forward and has power, but we will deal with those things.

JOHN RIEL CASIMERO

“This is a good fight and I will give a good performance. My advantage is power and stamina. My promoter Manny Pacquiao had told me that if I’ve worked hard I can win. This is my second time boxing here and in the first fight Charlie Edwards was beaten. I am a better fighter now. Zolani is a good boxer and tough, but second to me. I will do my best to knock him out.”

SEAN GIBBONS (President, Manny Pacquiao Promotions)

“To have Senator Manny Pacquiao behind you tells you how good Casimero is. The Senator can sign a lot of fighters, but only goes with good ones. Casimero has travelled the world and feels comfortable here. He is one of the top three or four fighters in the Philippines.”

LERRONE RICHARDS

“Lennox talks a little bit too much and is about to find out what Lerrone Richards is all about. There are more strings to my bow than just boxing. I work hard and I don’t want anyone to think I’m lazy.

“I was at York Hall watching my friend box and Lennox was there giving me screw faces from the other side, but no problem. This is strictly business. I have trained for a hard night, but I’m anticipating victory.”

LENNOX CLARKE

“I am not looking at my home advantage. Lerrone is very professional, but I have done the hard work. No matter how good his boxing ability is he has to be prepared to go where I am prepared to go.

“His boxing is boring. I am gonna bring excitement and fireworks. I believe it will be a 12 round fight and he will try and nick it because that is how he fights. I am going to be to relentless and cause him nightmares. I believe I will be British and Commonwealth champion on Saturday.”

SAM BOWEN

“I am sure Cacace fancies it, but I will show what I am about and win. He is a good rangy fighter, but I have to rough him up and hurt him which I will do.

“I have left my full-time job and I am a lot more refreshed. I don’t have the flu or cold like I normally before fights because I am drained from training and working. There are competitive British fights, but I want to push on with the WBO and get a world title fight.”

SAM MAXWELL

“People talk about the dramas of my last fight and some fighter learn from a loss, but I learnt from a win. I know I need to be switched on from the first bell.

“I will get to the top. I am feeling fresher and moved to Scotland for my camps. My Mum beat cancer and I have that strength in me as well to battle through. She never loses faith in me and its great to have someone like that.”

CONNOR PARKER

“Sam won his last fight, but it might have been an off night. I am just ready for the best Sam Maxwell. I know what I am capable of and confident of winning. The only way Sam beats me is to knock me out.”

HAMZAH SHEERAZ

“I don’t want to fight journeymen, build up a padded record and then fail when I fight for a big title. I feel this is the time and I am ready. I can bang on about how good training is but the proof is Saturday. Ryan is a solid step up and is someone who will get the best out of me.”

RYAN KELLY

“I am here to win. I am never just gonna be the opponent and I am the home fighter in Birmingham. Hamzah is a good talent, but he is stepping up through levels. I am looking forward to getting in there and going to work. I am looking forward to an exciting fight against a hungry fighter.

CHRIS JENKINS

“Liam has got a win over Tyrone Nurse and I lost to him even though I thought I won. He is tall, rangy and deserves his shot. This fight should have happened before.

“I have had some good sparring with Robbie Davies Jr who is rangy like Liam. Everything has been done and on Saturday I will win, simple as.

“I lost my best friend 12 months ago. I was getting cut and thought; ‘do I need this,’ but look where I am now? I could write a book on it.”

LIAM TAYLOR

“Chris is a very good fighter and I have seen a lot of him. I didn’t expect him to beat Johnny Garton to become British title holder, but that win proves he is a very worthy champion.

I have to do what I do best and box at range. It will be a good tactical fight, but I believe I am better in every department. I was mandatory challenger and deserve this shot.”

Tickets are available now from £40 via Ticketmaster and TheTicketFactory

Ticket Prices:
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By Bart Barry-

Thursday at Super Arena not far from Tokyo, Japan’s
Naoya “The Monster” Inoue decisioned “The Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire to win
WBSS’ bantamweight tournament in a fight that saw the loser dropped by a liver
shot and the winner later treated for a cracked face.

It was splendid, gorgeous, a Thanksgiving-month reminder
to be grateful.  One can leave
of-the-year superlatives to others and say this 2019 match is the one any
aficionado should rewatch first.  This
was the match to show kids who wonder if boxing retains qualities they’ve heard
grandfathers conspire about.

It had class, courage, class, drama, class,
suspense, class, blood, class, concussion, class, bonebreaking, class, violence,
class, violence and class.  It didn’t
make its predecessors or successors worth their suffering because it was an
island, a tribute unto itself of what prizefighting looks like at its very
best.  Notice: It wasn’t horrorflick gory
or WWE paced or Boardwalk Hall thunderstriking – it was proper prizefighting in
a way as recognizable to Benny Leonard as Floyd Mayweather.

Inoue sought and encountered his foil in a way
none of his peers has done.  We now know
he could’ve signed with Top Rank and fought ESPN prelims till 2021 but
self-entered a single-elimination tourney instead to test himself three
weightclasses higher than his debut scaling. 
That’s what a pursuit of greatness looks like.  No cherrypicking, no ask-my-managering, no thank-God-and-Al-Haymoning;
rather, I will fight whosoever draws me and I will annihilate him.

And at tourney start Nonito did not look that part,
as the bracket configuration appeared prohibitive to Filipino Flash.  Three rounds into WBSS’ first round Donaire
looked outclassed enough by Irishman Ryan Burnett to be involuntarily retired before
three, 120-108 scores got read in Scotland. 
Then Burnett suffered a freak back injury Donaire had nothing to do
with, and Nonito was on to the semifinals where he blasted an anonymous
shortnotice sub.  All the while Inoue
stomped to the finals in a series of exertions better captured by punches-needed
than minutes or rounds.

I was ringside for Inoue’s only American tilt, two
years ago, and I did not see anything to make me anticipate the ease with which
Inoue’d go through Juan Carlos Payano and Emmanuel Rodriguez.  This year I went from admiring Inoue’s
character for signing with WBSS to quietly ranking him above Bud, Hi-Tech and
Canelo.  I expected him to blitz Donaire
and bring a mercy stoppage early, definitely before the fight’s mid rounds.  Too fast, too strong, too technically sound
for a 37-year-old returned in 2018 to a division he outgrew in 2011.

But did I remember July 7, 2007, in my
assessment?  Damn right I did.

That extraordinary lefthook against an onrushing
and sadistic savant, Vic Darchinyan, who’d humiliated Nonito’s older brother, Glenn,
then put Victor Burgos in a coma in the two fights that preceded his intended
wasting of Nonito.  Darchinyan’s
signature charge embraced contemptuous entitlement more than strategy, fists not
just waistlow but cocked, when Nonito clipped him and changed both their careers.

True an eraser as exists in our beloved sport,
that Donaire lefthook.  It erased
everything we predicted on Thursday, no? 
It flew in round 1 but got outsped by Inoue’s own eraser, the same way
everything Donaire did most of the fight got outsped by what Inoue did, but in
round 2 it did something wicked.  It
gifted The Monster with a monstrous gash, concussion and facial fracture. 

We hadn’t before Thursday an inkling how Inoue
might react to such trauma and hadn’t much more of an inkling immediately after
it happened; Inoue’s composure revealed that his brow had been sliced, not that
his cheek had been cracked.  In
retrospect and upon review, what is most beautiful about the rounds that
followed is how close the men stood to one another without wasted motion.  No twitching, no hotfooting; Donaire and
Inoue stood inside their arms’ lengths and threw punches at one another.

Donaire knew how good Inoue was, and Donaire gave
him everything he had left.  Inoue did
not know how good Donaire’s chin was, none of us did, frankly, and went after
him imprudently on several occasions but none so predatorily as after blackmatting
Donaire with a precise buttonshot 90 seconds in the championship rounds.  Donaire circled desperately as any man with a
vital organ under direct attack.  Inoue
hunted him with punches fundamentally flawless and a defense that was not.

After 30 seconds of being a prey Donaire let sail
a lefthook that braked Inoue’s engine for their fight’s final four minutes.  If Inoue knew a man is never more dangerous
than when hurt he didn’t feel it till 1:54 of round 11 of the WBSS Final – a
punch he will not forget.  Done were
Inoue’s leads; nearly every punch he threw after that Donaire lefthook got
preceded by a jab, the way you learn your first week in a boxing gym.  If the match’s final round was anticlimactic
it was because the match climaxed four minutes before its closing bell when
both men realized they’d given enough of themselves and enough to one another.

I watched Thursday’s WBSS Final on short rest and 12
hours after an
unsettling adventure with stroboscopic LEDs, so I may be an unreliable narrator,
but Inoue-Donaire was complete a prizefight as I’ve seen in many years.  Bless them both.

*

Editor’s note: This column will return in December.

*

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue broke his orbital bone during his fight with Nonito Donaire, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Inoue said he would not require surgery to repair either fracture and that he will be reexamined by his doctor in a month to asses his progress.

“Then I will decide my training schedule thereafter,” Inoue said in translated remarks, adding that his plans for a spring fight in the United States would have to be delayed.

By Norm Frauenheim-

It was a defining fight for Naoya Inoue. It was also a reason for caution.

In watching Inoue’s courageous brilliance in a unanimous decision over Nonito Donaire early Thursday morning, it was hard not to be reminded that there is huge drama packed into boxing’s smallest weight classes.

From Ricardo Lopez to Michael Carbajal to Roman Gonzalez and now Inoue, there has always been this singular mastery of tactical skill, footwork, instinct and guts. All of those elements make them look bigger. But they’re not.

Inoue, a champion in all three flyweight classes, tested himself against an aging, yet bigger Donaire in a bantamweight bout. For 10-rounds, he fought with blood from a long, deep cut below his right eyebrow dripping into his eye and down his cheek like tears.

He said he suffered from double vision. Yet, he never lost sight of what he wanted. And wants.

“I’m not the greatest of all time, yet,’’ he said while standing in the middle of the ring in Saitama, Japan. “I think I have to go over the fight and get stronger. Next year and on, I’ll keeping fighting. I’ll be victorious.

“I want to be the strongest of all time.’’

Therein lurks the danger.

All-time, at least in this era, means moving up the scale. That’s what Canelo Alvarez was doing just a few days ago in his self-proclaimed pursuit of history in taking a fourth division title, light-heavyweight, in an 11^th-round stoppage of Sergey Kovalev.

For the smallest fighters in the business, moving up in weight is an even bigger hazard. Their smaller frames mean every single pound is a little bit bigger. Against Donaire, there were moments when that small difference in pounds was evident in multiples. Donaire, who has fought at featherweight, rocked him. Cut him.

Inoue fought through all of it, yet it was impossible not to think of an old line, as true now as ever.

To wit:

There are weight classes for a reason.

Now, the 26-year-old Inoue has a Top Rank contract and is expected to continue his career in the United States. Already, there’ s speculation of a fight with Mexican junior-featherweight Emanuel Navarrete, an emerging star after successive victories over Isaac Dogboe.

At 5-foot-7, the Top Rank-promoted Navarrete, 24, is more than two inches taller than Inoue, who is 5-5 ½. Navarrete’s reach is listed at 72 inches, five more than Inoue’s 67. He is rapidly growing into a full-fledged featherweight.

Would he fight Inoue? Of course. Inoue is really a flyweight, whose emerging stardom on different sides of the world is expected to generate heavyweight money.

Inoue might find himself in the same situation as Vasiliy Lomachenko, also a Top Rank fighter. Both are ranked among the top four pound-for-pound contenders in virtually every rating.

In the chase for bigger money and wider fame, Lomachenko has also been moving up the scale. He’s a featherweight campaigning at lightweight. He’s winning, but not without injuries that began with stoppage of Jorge Linares in May 2018. Lomachenko underweight shoulder surgery after that one.

Now, there’s talk that he wants to go back to his natural weight, 126 pounds.

“He wants to go down, because he’s getting touched up,’’ Gervonta Davis said last week while talking about his own move up to lightweight against Yuriorkis Gamboa on Dec. 28 in Atlanta.

Perhaps, that’s for any little guy in any era a lesson for any era. Inoue, the reigning Lord Of The Flies, doesn’t have to go anywhere, at least not in terms of weight.

Nonito Donaire spoke to his fans through his Twitter account, and as always was classy in defeat to Naoya Inoue on Thursday.

” First of all, I want to thank God for keeping me safe in that ring. My guardian angels for holding that shield up, that armor as strong as they could. To Ringstar Sports Richard Schaefer for believing me so much to get me into this tournament. You truly have had my back through this all and appreciate you. To Mr. Honda, Teiken, the hospitality you have shown to me, my family and team has been amazing. I could not thank you enough. To Kato’s Clinic, your support is unending. I can’t thank you enough for your belief in me. To Mizuno, thank you for suiting me up for such an epic fight. You have treated me like family here and always taken care of me. To Japan, thank you for allowing us the experience of your wonderful culture both in the ring and out. Team Donaire, we trained our asses off and we just shrugged off anyone who said I didn’t stand a chance. We kept grinding and that work showed. HATERS said I was out in 1 round but we showed em our heart, our determination. To my fans, the journey we are on! You guys have gone gone thru it all with me and the amount of energy and love you’ve given is insurmountable. Lastly, to my family, my heart. I am a warrior on my shield. I came to Japan to take the Muhammad Ali trophy. I promised my sons they would see it in the morning. And with tears in my eyes, I humbly asked Inoue to borrow it for a night, not for me but for my word. It’ll be a life lesson my boys will soon learn. That you do your best and you come short. You will win. You will lose. But in either aspect you will do so graciously. It’ll pain them to see my face. They’ll kiss my wounds. They’ll see a trophy we don’t get to take home and understand what it means to want to train harder. And I told about the battle I fought. That I’d rather put my life on that sheild than give up. And that we will ALWAYS fight. I’m going to take time with my friends and family that have traveled to support me for the coming weeks. I thank you for the outpour of love and support,” said Donaire

(Nov. 7, 2019) — WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue, a 5-foot-4½ three-weight world champion who has climbed the pound-for-pound rankings with devastating knockouts against normally iron-chinned foes, is coming to America.

Inoue has signed a multi-year promotional agreement with Top Rank, which will co-promote his bouts with Ohashi Promotions on the ESPN family of networks. His first fight under this new, landmark agreement will take place in the United States in early 2020.

The 26-year-old Inoue is coming off a thrilling unanimous decision over Nonito Donaire earlier today in the championship of the World Boxing Super Series.

“Naoya Inoue is a generational talent, the sort of fighter who comes around once a decade,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He is already a superstar in Japan, and he will be major star stateside in no time. You are looking at an all-time great who is entering the prime of what will be a historic career.”

“It is a tremendous honor to sign with Top Rank and to showcase my talents on ESPN,” Inoue said. “I look forward to 2020. I’ve fought in America once before, and I look forward to doing so again in the very near future.”

“I would like to thank Mr. Bob Arum and Mr. Todd duBoef,” said Hideyuki Ohashi, CEO of Ohashi Promotions. “ESPN is a tremendous platform for Naoya as he continues his career.”

Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs) born in Zama, Japan, compiled a reported 75-6 record in the amateur ranks before turning pro as a 19-year-old in October 2012. He won the WBC light flyweight world title in his sixth pro fight and defended that belt once before moving up two weight classes. Inoue knocked out longtime WBO junior bantamweight world champion Omar Narvaez in the second round and then defended that belt seven times before joining the bantamweight ranks. He is 14-0 with 12 knockouts in world title bouts and is one of six male boxers from Japan to capture world titles in three weight divisions. Before the Donaire fight, he had knocked out seven consecutive opponents who had never been stopped before. He is a consensus top five pound-for-pound boxer, and many experts rate him as the world’s best fighter.

A YouTube sensation, his one-punch knockout of Juan Carlos Payano last October was named by many outlets as the 2018 Knockout of the Year. In his fourth pro fight, he bested Ryoichi Taguchi over 10 rounds to win the Japanese light flyweight title. Taguchi went unbeaten for nearly five years after facing Inoue, unifying light flyweight world titles in the process.

A three-weight kingpin, Inoue has more weight classes to conquer. The legend of “The Monster” continues on ESPN in 2020.

Naoya Inoue unified the IBF and WBA Bantamweight titles as well as winning the World Boxing Super Series by winning a 12-round unanimous decision over former four-division champion Nonito Donaire in a terrific action fight in Tokyo, Japan.

The fight was ebb and flow throughout as both guys to establish themselves. In round two, Inoue was cut over his right eye from a punch. The cut bothered Inoue as Donaire was able to be more confident which translated into a good activity level. Inoue steadied himself in the middle rounds as he stunned Donaire several times.

Donaire showed his championship mettle by hurting Inoue very badly in round nine when he landed a hard right hand that had “The Monster” holding on. With the cut worsening, Imoue was able to get through the round. Donaire was not able to capitalize and then the fight was sewn up by Inoue has landed a ripping body shot that sent Donaire to the canvas. After weathering Inoue’s storm, Donaire was able to land one of his vaunted left hooks that stunned Inoue. That set up for a round 12 which both fighters stood toe to toe with Inoue getting the better of the action.

Inoue won by scores of 117-109, 116-111 and 114-113 to raise his mark to 19-0. Donaire is now 40-6.

Nordine Oubaali retained the WBC Bantamweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Takuma Inoue.

In round four, Oubaalui landed a right to the body that was followed by a huge left to the head that sent Inoue down for the 1st time in his career. Oubaali won most of the rounds with good counter punching. Inoue made one last effort in the final frame as he drove Oubaali into the ropes with a big left hand, but it was too little-too late as Oubaali won by scores of 120-107. 117-110 and 115-112.

Oubaali of France is now 17-0. Inoue of Japan is 13-1.

Shokichi Iwata stopped Alejandeo Cruz Valladares in round five of a scheduled six-round light flyweight bout.

In round five, Valladares began to bleed from his nostrils. Valladares continued to take big shots and was saved by the referee who stopped the bout at 2:10.

Iwata, 107 3/4 lbs of Tokyo, JAP is now 4-0 with three knockouts. Valladares, 106 3/4 lbs of Mexico City is 5-2.

ZOLANI TETE HAS thrown down the gauntlet to bantamweight rival Naoya Inoue, who is hot favourite to overcome Nonito Donaire in the final of the World Boxing Super Series this week.

Boxing fans across the world were hoping for a dream Tete-Inoue match-up in the final of the WBSS when the Queensberry Promotions-backed South African joined the strong field of 118-pounders in the eight-man tournament that also included then world champions Ryan Burnett and Emmanuel Rodriguez.

Tete, the WBO king, unfortunately had to withdraw from the competition ahead of the semi-final stage – where he was set to meet Donaire – after defeating Mikhail Aloyan in his quarter-final.

Veteran ring legend Donaire went on to beat the replacement Stephon Young – via a 6th round KO – in the semi-final and booked himself a meeting with the hot ticket of the division in Inoue, who made short work of his passage to the final by beating Juan Carlos Payano in 70 seconds and then Rodriguez courtesy of a 2nd round KO.

If Tete has his way, the fans won’t be denied the tantalising prospect of a showdown between himself and the 18-0 knockout-artist Inoue.

“Inoue knows he needs to see me if he wants to be bantamweight king,” he warned, ahead of his own return to the ring against mandatory challenger John Riel Casimero at Arena, Birmingham on November 30.

It is unfortunate I had to pull out of the tournament but I am now fit and healthy again.

“I have a tough fight against Casimero on November 30 but, God willing I come through, I definitely want to fight Inoue, added the man from Eastern Cape, who tips Inoue to prevail in his collision with the popular Filipino.

“I believe he will beat Donaire but he knows he must beat me before he can call himself the real king.”

WBO world bantamweight champion Zolani Tete defends his title against mandatory challenger John Riel Casimero features on a stacked night of title action at Arena, Birmingham on November 30. British and Commonwealth welterweight champion Chris Jenkins makes a defence against Liam Taylor, Lerrone Richards also takes on Lennox Clarke for the Commonwealth and vacant British super middleweight belt, while East Midlands favourite Sam Bowen makes a second defence of his British super featherweight title against mandatory challenger Anthony Cacace. Sam Maxwell defends his WBO European super lightweight title against the also unbeaten Connor Parker from Derbyshire.

Hamzah Sheeraz will fight for his first major title at super welterweight, with thrilling prospects Dennis McCann, Shabaz Masoud, Eithan James and George Davey also featuring on the bill, along with talents from the local region in Nathan Heaney and River Wilson-Bent.

Tickets are available now from £40 via TheTicketFactory and Ticketmaster

Ticket Prices:
£250 – Inner Ring Hospitality
£150 – Floor
£100 – Floor
£75 – Floor
£50 – Lower Tier
£40 – Upper Tier

By Bart Barry-

Saturday in Scotland the World Boxing Super Series held the final semifinals matches in its bantamweight and super lightweight divisions, and they went even better than hoped. Hometown southpaw Josh “Tartan Tornado” Taylor defanged Russian Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk, and Japan’s “Monster” Naoya Inoue proved exactly that against Puerto Rican Emmanuel Rodriguez. The fighters’ aggregate record Saturday morning was 69-0 (52 KOs).

This wonderful DAZN combination of excellent performances in authentic prizefights, the rare fusion of excellence and authenticity, is something WBSS, in only its second season, has given us more of than any of its rivals. Not peers, mind you – rivals. Peers would be doing their best to do what WBSS does, which is provide incentive enough to our beloved sport’s abundance of shortsighted agents to make them please both current consumers and would-be consumers (most of whom self-identify as former consumers).

To wit: across the digital spectrum Saturday a former giant in the prizefighting space – forget not, Showtime, when it was lean and innovative a decade ago, gave us the Super Six – appealed to the worst of its remaining viewership by promoting a mismatch with an a-side’s homicidal musings. Likely there’ll be more here about what Deontay Wilder did, in a few weeks, after Anthony Joshua fights, because unless those guys are fighting one another or Tyson Fury, neither of them nor their exploits merits more than half a column anymore.

It’s much easier to be cavalier about boxing’s flagship division the week after a Naoya Inoue fight, isn’t it? He is the very essence of what pound-for-pound was intended to measure when the concept got launched during Sugar Ray Robinson’s era. If you were able to make Inoue and Wilder and Joshua and Fury the same size and fight them in a round tournament the question is not whether Inoue would emerge as winner or even if Inoue would win every match by knockout but whether any of today’s best heavyweights could make it out the first minute with him. The gulf in craft, leverage and reflex is that great.

To attract casual fans, I know, we’re supposed to pretend this is not so, we’re supposed to squint to see something great about today’s heavyweights besides their mass, but it simply cannot be done during WBSS season, when prime world titlists fight one another, one after the other, showing each other respect before and after their confrontations while subjecting one another to relentless violence between the ropes. It makes farcical inauthentic much of the rest of the year’s fare.

Inoue is the world’s best prizefighter right now. Better than Bud, better than Hi-Tech, better than The Truth, better than Canelo. He is making highlight-reel showcase opponents out of world titlists in matches expected by experts to be competitive. I can’t name his promoter, I don’t know his training techniques, I don’t know if he was an Olympian, and if he’s a heartthrob in his native land I don’t know about that either. I don’t know, in other words, any of the flummery publicists pass our ways when it’s time to grow the brand and risking more than words is out of the question.

Here’s what happened Saturday in WBSS’s bantamweight semifinal: Emmanuel Rodriguez, a larger man making the third defense of a title he won on the road, went directly at Inoue the way a champion does when he thinks his challenger is a hypejob. He moved Inoue back, too, and chastened him with a few counters, and the first round was excellent and competitive, exactly as an aficionado, as distinct from a branding fanatic, should wish every round of every fight be. The second round was going competitively, too, until Rodriguez turned a touch too brazenly on a left hook and got spuncycled on the next. After that things got real academic real quick. Inoue went bodysnatching, not headhunting, as a man does when he wants his opponent’s submission more than he wants a YouTube clip, and Rodriguez collapsed for being caved-in.

It was decisive and quick, not sloppy or preordained. It was another chance to be euphoric at the spectacle of boxing done beautifully.

And it wasn’t even Saturday’s main. That came after a moment of mutual admiration between Inoue and his WBSS-finals opponent, Nonito Donaire, now enjoying a career resurrection complete as it is completely unexpected. Donaire’s winding transition from promoter-creation brat to international ambassador concluded prettily with his sincere congratulations to Inoue, a moment of affection and elegance enough to make you proud of your commitment to our sport, enough to make you wonder, however briefly, if Donaire, once considered a prodigy too, mightn’t have a last hook in him, a sink-all-coffins-to-one counter that he starts with Inoue’s a millisecond earlier and a millimeter shorter and makes all Japan inhale sharply.

It’s a farfetched scenario, indeed, though not farfetched as Donaire’s simple presence in the finals; “dear Lord, give me just one chance to throw the hook” – so went Nonito’s prayer at tournament’s start, and now he will have it. A more answerable prayer will have Josh Taylor who, after blackmatting Ivan Baranchyk a twotime in a prizefight proper brutal, looks forward to Regis Prograis in the finals.

There’s no reason to hold the decisive match on neutral ground, Super Six’s largest mistake; return to Glasgow and let Prograis try and stretch the Scotsman in his home gym, knowing if he lets European judges score one of their own he’ll have read to him by a kilted ring announcer three cards prefilled at Friday’s weighin. Same goes for Inoue-Donaire for that matter; let Nonito choose the venue – Inoue’s supporters have the means and willingness to travel wherever their man plies his craft.

O but the WBSS is so much better than everything else.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Naoya Inoue made his case as one of the top fighters in the world by destroying previously undefeated Emmanuel Rodriguez in two rounds to retain his WBA and win the IBF Bantamweight title. In the process, Inoue advances to the final of the World Boxing Super Series where he will meet Nonito Donaire.

Inoue dropped Rodriguez three times in the 2nd round. The 1st was a booming right, and the final two were body shots. Rodriguez got to his feet, but with a bloody nose, the referee wisely waved off the bout at 1:19.

Inoue of Japan is now 18-0 with 16 knockouts. Rodriguez of Puerto Rico is 19-1.

Former world champion Paul Butler stopped Salvador Hernandez Sanchez in round six of their scheduled eight-round bantamweight bout.

Butler dominated the fight and dropped Sanchez with a left hook to the body in the 6th round that put Hernandez down for the count at 2:52.

Butler of England is now 29-2 with 15 knockouts. Sanchez of Mexico is 14-9-1.

Zach Parker remained undefeated by stopping Steven Cramber in round four of their scheduled eight-round super middleweight bout.

The bout was stopped after a barrage of punches at 2:47 for Parker, who is now 18-0 with 12 knockouts. Crambert of France is 8-5.

Lee McGregor went the distance for the 1st but won an easy decision over Brett Fidoe in a bantamweight bout.

McGregor of Scotland won by 60-54 scores and is now 6-0. Fidoe of England is 13-51-5.

Reece McFadden won a four-round decision over Georgi Georgiev in a super bantamweight fight.

Scores were 40-36 for McFadden who is 3-0. Gerogiev is 7-15-1.

Just 4 days until the WBSS Super-Lightweight and Bantamweight Semi-Finals – Josh Taylor vs Ivan Baranchyk and Naoya Inoue vs Manny Rodriguez – at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, UK!

Tickets available from TicketMaster.co.uk here.

The magnificent doubleheader on Saturday, 18 May will conclude the semi-finals stage the World Boxing Super Series and the quest for the Muhammad Ali Trophy in the 140lb and 118lb editions of the tournament.

Josh Taylor goes for his first World title, in the same city he won his Commonwealth Gold medal, against IBF champ Ivan Baranchyk! The winner will fight Regis Prograis in the Super-Lightweight Ali Trophy final later this year.

In the other main event, Japanese pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue takes on Manny Rodriguez to find out who will face Nonito Donaire in the Bantamweight Final! The IBF World title and Ring Belt are on the line and both men have promised KO finishes… Blink and you’ll miss it!

Ticket Price Bands (Seating Plan below):
Cat.1 Ringside – £299
Cat.2 Ringside – £249
Cat.3 Floor – £109
Cat.4 Lower Tier 1 – £79
Cat.5 Lower Tier 2 – £59
Cat.6 Upper Tier 1 – £39
Cat.7 Upper Tier 2 – £29 – SOLD OUT

Tickets available from TicketMaster.co.uk here.

PUBLIC WEIGH-IN – 4pm Friday, 17 May (Main events on the scales 5pm)
Lomond Auditorium, SSE Hydro, Exhibition Way, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8YW

Make sure you attend the Weigh-In and cheer your fighter on when they hit the scales! It’s free entry, all welcome!

Join the Glasgow Semi-Finals event on Facebook here!

Tickets available from TicketMaster.co.uk here.

Visit WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com for more information or follow @WBSuperSeries on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

The Emmanuel Rodriguez – Naoya Inoue WBSS bout is set for May 18th in Glasgow, Scotland, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“My destiny is to win the prestigious (Muhammad) Ali Trophy and prove I am the best bantamweight in the world,” Inoue said. “I cannot wait to box in the United Kingdom in front of their loud fans and I will show them a ‘Monster’ performance.”

“I have been waiting for this moment my entire life,” Rodriguez said. “I always wanted to fight the best, and now I am fighting a boxer considered (one of) the best by the boxing reporters and fans. That’s great motivation for me, my team and Puerto Rico. We got this. I am going to get the victory. Puerto Rico will shine in Scotland and I am confident of going all the way and take home the Ali Trophy.”

Bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue has joined The World Boxing Super Series, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“We are thrilled to have Inoue on board for season two’s amazing bantamweight tournament,” said promoter Kalle Sauerland, the chief boxing officer of tournament organizer Comosa AG. “His stage name, ‘The Monster,’ has proved fitting. Inoue is an extremely exciting fighter and possesses absolutely extraordinary power. Inoue has become one of the biggest idols in his native Japan and now gets the chance to showcase his skills in the (Muhammad) Ali Trophy tournament, the greatest stage of all.”

“It is an honor to be able to participate and compete in such a great tournament,” Inoue said. “Of course, I will win and as the winner of the tournament, I will continue onto the next journey of my boxing career.”