LAS VEGAS – May 6, 2024 – Two of boxing’s most exciting and popular superstars will share center stage as five-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and unbeaten two-time world champion David “El Monstruo” Benavídez compete in separate attractions Saturday, June 15 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The two fighters will headline a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video in what will be the historic 100^th championship fight night at the popular sports and entertainment venue.

The undefeated three-division champion Davis will defend his WBA Lightweight World Championship against unbeaten top contender Frank “The Ghost” Martin, while Benavídez is set to make his 175-pound debut against former light heavyweight world champion Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk in a matchup for the Interim WBC Light Heavyweight Title. This one-of-a-kind event will give viewers the unique opportunity to see two bona fide fan-favorites on the same night in high-stakes championship clashes.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena hosted its premiere boxing event in January 1994 and, over its 30-year history, the venue has become synonymous with the sport’s biggest fight nights. Fight fans have watched champions ranging from George Foreman and Julio Cesar Chavez to Roy Jones and Shane Mosley step in the ring and put on a championship display of skill. Epic battles including Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, De La Hoya vs. Mayweather, Holyfield vs. Tyson II, Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV, multiple Barrera vs. Morales title fights, and Mayweather vs. Canelo, among others led all boxers to want to fight at the legendary Grand Garden Arena. The June 15 event will mark a celebration of the venue’s storied history as boxing’s next chapter unfolds with these two high-stakes showdowns.

In addition to the PPV being available for purchase on Prime Video, regardless of Prime membership, fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets as well as PPV.com.

Tickets for the live event go on sale Wednesday, May 8 beginning at 10 a.m. PT and will be available through www.axs.com. 

Pre-sale tickets will be available TOMORROW, Tuesday, May 7 from 10 a.m. PT to 10 p.m. PT through www.axs.com with the code: BOXING

The event is promoted by GTD Promotions, Sampson Boxing, TGB Promotions and Man Down Promotions.

“Saturday, June 15 will be a spectacular night of boxing with two true superstars of the sport combining forces to deliver can’t-miss action,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Gervonta Davis has proven his star power again and again, and will return to defend his world title against another tough challenge in the undefeated Frank Martin. David Benavídez established himself as a pound-for-pound force last year, and will now seek out dominance in a new weight class against the powerful former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk. Make sure you tune into this PBC Pay-Per-View event or come out to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.”

“Oleksandr Gvozdyk is a very good fighter, but David Benavídez is forging a path to greatness,” said Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing. “I commend David for not wanting to wait for Canelo, and for making this bold move to a new division. One way or another, David will continue growing his legacy as a true champion.”

“Saturday, June 15 is going to be like a movie. Frank Martin has put a tremendous amount of work in to get to this point and now it’s time for him to reap the benefits,” said pound-for-pound star Errol Spence Jr., Martin’s promoter. “Gervonta Davis is a great champion, but on that night, he’s going to be matched against a young, hungry and explosive talent ready to shine on the biggest stage. I expect all the fight fans to tap into what will be the biggest event of the year.”

**GERVONTA DAVIS VS. FRANK MARTIN**

Headlining the event will be the return of undefeated boxing superstar Gervonta “Tank” Davis as he puts his WBA Lightweight World Championship on the line in a 12-round clash against consensus top-five lightweight contender Frank “The Ghost” Martin, who will vie for a world title for the first time in his career.

Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) has held the lightweight title since 2019 and has also won world titles at 130 and 140 pounds during his spectacular career. The Baltimore-native put an emphatic end to a years-long rivalry with Ryan Garcia last year in a crossover fight that gripped the sports world, dropping him in round two before ending the action with a vicious body shot in round seven.

Prior to that fight, he set a new gate record for Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. in January when he stopped the previously unbeaten super featherweight world champion Hector Luis Garcia in the ninth round. Before that triumph he added another highlight-reel KO to his resume, as he dispatched longtime rival Rolando Romero with a thudding left hand in February 2022, in another record-setting event at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The 29-year-old also owns the distinction as the only fighter to stop former three-division champion Leo Santa Cruz and former world champion and current interim welterweight champion Mario Barrios. Davis burst onto the scene with an explosive knockout of Jose Pedraza in 2017 to capture his first world title and won the lightweight strap he currently holds with a 12^th-round KO of former unified champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in 2019.

“I’m excited to be on a card with someone explosive like David Benavidez; this pay-per-view is definitely gonna be worth it,” said Davis. “I’m happy to be back in the ring. That’s where I’m comfortable at. I’m gonna go in there, be flawless, and do what I do best, which is give the fans the best boxing you’ll see. Come June 15, Frank Martin is gonna see there’s a different beast in front of him.”

The 29-year-old Martin (18-0, 12 KOs) most recently showed that his power can last through a 12-round fight as he dropped the previously unbeaten Artem Harutyunyan in the final frame to clinch a unanimous decision victory last July. His previous outing saw him stamp his status as one of the elite 135-pounders in the sport as he dropped and dominated the then-unbeaten Michel Rivera on his way to a unanimous decision in December 2022. 

Fighting under the Man Down Promotions banner ,led by top pound-for-pound fighter Errol Spence Jr., Martin’s initial ascent at 135-pounds saw him begin by stopping then unbeaten Jerry Perez in April 2021 before dispatching of tough contenders Jackson Marinez, Romero Duno and Ryan Kielczweski. Originally from Indianapolis, Ind., Martin now trains in the Dallas-area under the guidance of highly renowned trainer Derrick James.

“I’ve been locked in for a while now and having a really good training camp,” said Martin. “It’ll be an exciting fight on June 15. I expect to get the best version of ‘Tank’, and he’ll get the best version of me. We’ll have a solid game plan to come out with the win on fight night.”

**DAVID BENAVIDEZ VS. OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK**

Co-headlining the event will be the all-action star and two-time world champion David “El Monstruo” Benavídez as he makes his 175-pound debut in a 12-round duel against the power-punching former world champion Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk as they meet for the vacant Interim WBC Light Heavyweight Title.

The 27-year-old undefeated Benavídez (28-0, 24 KOs) makes his 2024 debut after a pair of impressive wins marked his standout 2023 campaign. He began the year by besting longtime rival Caleb Plant via unanimous decision in a slugfest from March and followed it up by stopping the previously unbeaten two-division champion Demetrius Andrade in six rounds in November. Benavídez became the youngest-ever 168-pound world champion at just 20-years-old when he defeated Ronald Gavril by split decision for the vacant WBC title in 2017. A Phoenix-native who now lives in Seattle and currently trains in Miami, Benavidez has stamped his place in the super middleweight division but will now look to carry his prodigious talents up to light heavyweight for this fight.

When he was 15 years old, Benavídez went from weighing 250 pounds to a boxing prodigy under the watchful eye of his father and trainer, Jose, Sr., and his brother and veteran contender Jose Jr., as he famously held his own in sparring against middleweight champions Gennady Golovkin and Peter Quillin as a teenager. Benavídez rode a string of six straight knockout victories heading into the bout against Plant, including KOs of former world champions Anthony Dirrell and David Lemieux.

“I’m very excited to be going to the light heavyweight division to compete against the best 175-pound fighters,” said Benavídez. “I’ve been eyeing that division for a long time, and now I feel like it’s my time. I’m going to go unify the division. I’ve watched Gvozdyk for a long time – I know exactly how he fights. I actually sparred him when I was 20 years old and I know he’s a really tough opponent, so I need to be 100%. This is a hard fight, but I’m going to make it look easy.”

After earning a bronze medal representing his native Ukraine at the 2012 Olympics, Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs) turned pro in 2014 and quickly set his sights on the top of the division. He dominated a slew of veteran contenders including Yunieski Gonzalez, Isaac Chilemba, Tommy Karpency and Nadjib Mohammedi on his way to becoming the WBC’s top rated mandatory challenger at 175-pounds. He went on to become WBC champion with an 11^th-round knockout of Adonis Stevenson and defended the title in 2019 by stopping Doudou Ngumbu in round five.

After losing the belt in a unification match against Artur Beterbiev, Gvozdyk returned in 2023 to score three straight victories. He bested Josue Obando in February before knocking out Ricards Bolotniks in May and Isaac Rodrigues in September. Now training and residing in California, Gvozdyk’s amateur career saw him compete in over 250 bouts, including three Ukrainian National Championships that led to his Olympic success.

“I’ve never avoided any challenges, and this is no exception,” said Gvozdyk. “Benavidez is a top caliber fighter and that’s exactly what motivates me to train hard each and every day. If you want to be the best, you have to fight the best. I’m ready to become a champion once again.”

#         #         #

For more information visit Amazon.com/PBC, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #DavisMartin & #BenavidezGvozdyk, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions

David Benavidez is moving up.

But not necessarily on.

Benavidez intends to move up the scale to light heavyweight, one division above the Canelo Alvarez-dominated super-middle division, for an interim 175-pound title against Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

“That’s the plan,’’ Benavidez father-and-trainer Jose Benavidez told 15 Rounds Thursday, confirming a social media announcement from World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman. “We came to an agreement yesterday (Wednesday).’’

Jose Benavidez did not eliminate the Canelo possibility. Speculation continues to swirl about Canelo’s projected May 4 date, the first of two this year. He’s also expected to fight on September 16. Benavidez continues to be a possibility for either date.

David Benavidez, who has been calling out Canelo for a couple of years, continues to be mentioned on a speculative list that spins faster than a dizzy roulette wheel. One day, it’s Jermall Charlo. The next day, Jaime Munguia. It could stop on Terence Crawford any day.

As of Thursday, it was still not clear what Canelo would do. Last week, the talk was that he’d fight Charlo. This week, it’s Munguia, the emerging Mexican who fought his way into the Canelo sweepstakes with a four-knockdown stoppage of John Ryder in Phoenix last month.

In a news conference a couple of weeks ago, Canelo teased that he’d be fighting an American in May. Charlo is American. So is Benavidez. Munguia is not. In any language, it’s chaos.

Translation: Who knows?

The ongoing uncertainty forces Benavidez, 27, to re-think his career, which has been defined by his pursuit of Canelo. He’d rather fight than wait. In 2024, that’s what he’ll do in an attempt to re-make himself on his own terms instead of Canelo’s.  When and where that begins, however, is still uncertain.

June is one possibility. June 15 has been mentioned. But so is May, Jose Benavidez said.

“if that other guy (Canelo) can’t decide on somebody for May, maybe we’ll move on to that date against Gvozdyk,’’ Jose Sr.  told 15 Rounds.

Whenever-wherever-whoever, it’s clear that Benavidez plans to fight at 175 pounds sometime over the next 10 months. His promoter/manager Sampson Lewkowicz confirmed as much Thursday on X, formerly Twitter.

“Boxing is unpredictable and can change multiple times in a day,’’ Lewkowicz posted. “Yes” PBC (Premier Boxing Champions) in coordination with Team Benavidez. …a guarantee of ($) 55 Million was offered to Team Canelo that would exceed 60 M by adding Azteca Sports PPV and more or We are moving to 175 Lbs.’’

That move has been inevitable since Benavidez lost the WBC title on the scale in August 2020. Then 23, he failed to make the 168-pound limit before blowing out Roamer Alexis Angulo. He hasn’t missed weight since, but it was clear then that light-heavyweight was just a matter of time.

Benavidez’ unfolding career is already notable. He’s a former, two-time super-middleweight champion, yet still unbeaten. He lost the WBC’s 168-pound belt for the first time because of a positive test for cocaine.

Now, he has a chance to become a current two-time, mandatory challenger. He’s already Canelo’s mandatory. However, it’s not clear what that means, especially in a bid to fight Canelo, the pay-per-view star who gets what he wants.

The WBC officially awarded Benavidez its super-middleweight mandatory in November, but the ruling body has yet to do anything to enforce it.

A victory over Gvozdyk would include an interim light-heavyweight title. Presumably, that would also include another mandatory, although Sulaiman’s post said only that the WBC would sanction the fight for the interim belt.

No mandatory mentioned for what could – should — be a shot at the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol winner of a fight for the undisputed 175-pound title on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.

NOTES: After Thursday’s news, Jose Benavidez left for Miami to train his son. David Benavidez, who began his boxing career in hometown Phoenix, recently bought a condo in Miami, his dad said. The Benavidez family, including older brother Jose Jr., have been living in Seattle. … Jose Benavidez Jr., a former junior welterweight and welterweight, is coming off a loss to middleweight Jermall Charlo, who blew off a contracted catch weight. Jose Jr. will continue to fight, his dad said.

LAS VEGAS –Welcome back, Canelo Alvarez.

A perceived slide was interrupted, if not halted altogether, Saturday night with Canelo’s thorough  victory over Jermell Charlo in front of a Showtime pay-per-view audience and a roaring crowd at T-Mobile Arena.

Other than a knockout, Canelo did it all. He didn’t  tire in the end. He reasserted his documented power, forcing Charlo to take a knee with a huge right hand in the seventh. He had Charlo and his doubters in retreat throughout 12 rounds.

For months, the argument was that Canelo’s 18-year career in the prize-fighting ring was over. It was as if somebody had jammed Canelo’s skillset into a barrel and shipped it to the dump. But there were signs throughout the last week that Canelo had redefined himself, his body and his career.

“Nobody is going to beat this Canelo,” he said .

The one-sided scores — 118-109, 119-108, 118-109 — were just one measure of how dominant Canelo (60-2-2, 39 KOs) was in his fight to stop the slide. Charlo (35-2-1, 15 KOs) simply had no chance.

“I don’t make excuses for myself,” Charlos said. “it is what is is.”

One question will linger. Charlo, an undisputed champion at junior-middleweight, was fighting for the first at super-middle, a division Canelo has long ruled.

Charlo jumped two weight classes. He was feeling super-middleweight power for the first time. The question will be there until Canelo faces a true super-middleweight. That might be David Benavidez, the unbeaten super-middleweight from Phoenix.

First, Benavidez has to beat Demetrius Andrade. 15 Rounds confirmed with promoter Tom Brown that Benavidez will fight Andrade on November 25 in San Antonio. The World Boxing Council aso is planning to address Canelo’s next mandatory defense at its convention in November in Uzbekistan, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman told 15 Rounds. The Benavidez-Andrade winner might get a mandatory shot at Canelo. 

But nothing is ever certain. Welterweight champion Terence Crawford, the undisputed pound-for-pound No. 1 after his blowout of Errol Spence, has talked about facing Canelo at a catchweight. Crawford was in the crowd Saturday.

“We can;t rule on what we don;t know,” Sulaiman said. “We can only deal with the facts.”

For now, here’s one:

Canelo is back.

Lubin wins unanimous decision for a fight that only earns boos

A firefight was the promise. But there was no fire. Not much of a fight, either. Instead there were boos.

A gathering crowd for the Canelo Alvarez-Jermell Charlo fight Saturday night turned into a storm of discontent at a bout that had been projected to be a significant junior-middleweight match.  

But the Erickson Lubin-Jesus Ramos bout was a dud in the final Showtime pay-per-view bout before Canelo-Charlo at T-Mobile Arena.

For 12 rounds, Ramos (20-1, 16 KOs) moved forward, chasing a backpedaling Lubin (26-2, 18 KOs). If it weren’t for ropes that kept him in the ring, Ramos would have been chasing Lubin down the Vegas Strip. Lubin would not engage.

But he did enough backpedaling to convince the judges. All three scored it in his favor. It was 115-113, 116-112 and 117-111. All for Lubin. The decision was unanimous. So was the crowd’s discontent.

Lubin looked surprised when the scores were announced.  Ramos, a 22-year-old Arizona fighter from Casa Grande, looked
stunned. After Lubin  stopped backpedaling enough to be interviewed in the ring, his answers couldn’t be heard above the roar of boos.

“I’m one of the top dogs,” he said after a dog fight.

Meanwhile, Ramos was left to deal with one of boxing’s lessons. Lousy decisions are like scars. Everybody has one.

“I’ll move on and deal with this loss,” said the young fighter who came into the ring  amid expectations that he had a chance to be one of boxing’s next great champions.

All he has now is a loss. And maybe a lesson. 

Barrios scores decision over a bloodied Ugas

In the end, it belonged to Mario Barrios, who scored a decision — unanimous and contentious — over Yordenis Ugas Saturday night on the Showtime pay-per-view telecast of the card featuring Canelo Alvarez-versus-Jermell Charlo at T-Mobile Arena

Barrios (28-3, 18 KOS), a San Antonio welterweight, scored two knockdowns of Ugas (27-6, 12 KOs), a Cuban best known for ending Manny Pacquiao’s legendary career.

A left jab put Ugas down in the second. He was down again in the twelfth. Twice, the ringside doctor looked at his bloodied eyes. Each time, the fight was allowed to continue. But there was never much of a chance that Ugas could win. By  A lucky punch? Maybe.

But Barrios had too much energy and more precision in his punches. Ugas was just hanging on for an end that would go against him. It did.  He lost on all three cards, 118-107, 117-108, 118-107..

Elijah Garcia delivers TKO victory in his “toughest” fight

There were questions in the beginning. Then, there were lessons, sharply delivered and still there to learn. In the end, there was some perfection.

For emerging middleweight Elijah Garcia, still a student of the game, it was a fight full of just about everything. From aspirations to possibilities, it was all there.

 Above all, Garcia (16-0, 13 KOs) stayed unbeaten and on track to accomplish an ambitious goal with an eighth-round TKO of Armando Resenediz Saturday in the first Showtime pay-per-view bout on the card featuring Canelo Alvarez-Jermell Charlo Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.

“It was really a hard fight,” said Garcia, a 20-year-old Arizona fighter who wants to be a 21-year-old middleweight champion. “It was my toughest, yeah 100 percent.”

They’ll get tougher. A lot tougher. There’s no other way to get to that middleweight title. But he’s still there, perhaps on the fast track, mostly because of what he continued to prove. His power is deadly and he sustains it. Without it, he might be dealing with his first defeat.

But it was alway there and always accurate enough  to stagger, stun and then wear out the gritty Resendiz (14-2, 10 KOs). 

The Phoenix born left-hander, who continues to wear 602 — the PHX area code — stitched onto the belt buckle of his trunks — set the tone in the opening round, buckling Resendiz at the knees with a big left hand.

But Resendiz, stubborn and brave, would not go away. For the next few rounds, Resendiz tirelessly moved forward and relentlessly threw straight-handed punches. They landed, again and again. The evidence was in the reddening skin around Garcia’s eyes. Garcia was dropping his hands, especially his left.  Sometimes, it was down at his hip. It was risky against Resendiz. Against a middleweight champion, it could be deadly. A lesson still to be learned.

For now, Garcia’s power prevails. Within Resendiz’ busy style, there was no counter for it . There was only an inevitable end and It came at about two minutes of the eighth round, delivered by a sequence of punches that were a thing of beauty. Garcia put together three punches, almost seamlessly. First, Gracia landed a left to Resendiz’s body. Then, he followed with a right to the body. Then, there was the finishing touch, a right to the head. It was all done with a certain rhythm that ended in Resendiz crashing to the canvas.

About 30 seconds later, referee Tony Weeks saw a dazed and defenseless Resendiz. Wisely, Weeks ended it at 2:33 of the eighth round of a fight that included a statement, punctuated by three perfectly delivered punches that summed up Garcia’s potential.   

Frank Sanchez wins fourth-round stoppage

Frank Sanchez has more than just heavyweight power. He’s a quick thinker.

He had to be against Scott Alexander Saturday night on the Caneo Alvarez-Jermell Charlo card Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Alexander (17-6-2, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles, quicky showed that he was more than just another opponent. He threw a head-rocking right hand, a wake-up call in the first round 

Sanchez’ response was immediate. The merging contender from Cuba countered with his own right, staggering Alexander with a blow that delivered a preview of what was to come. 

In the second round, Sanchez (23-0 16 KOs) knocked down Alexander. In the fourth, he did it again. But this one finished Alexander, who was slow to get up and wobbly when he did, a loser by TKO late in the fourth

Gausha wins majority decision

Terrell Gausha took another step  toward turning his loss to Tim Tszyu into a fading memory.

He beat KeAndrae Leatherwood.

But it wasn’t easy.

Gausha (24-3-1, 12 KOs) a middleweight from Cleveland, found himself caught up in a slow-paced bout with an awkward Leatherwood (39-1, 13 KOs), of Tuscaloosa AL, in an eight-round middleweight bout on the card featuring Canelo Alvarez-Jermell Charlo.

A cautious Leatherwood was content to hold , but never engage Gausha. That made the fight hard to score.

Gausha, an Olympian who lost a unanimous decision to Tszyu in March 2022, won a majority decision. He was a 78-74 winner on two cards. The third judge scored it a draw.

Oleksandr Gvozdyk back with quick KO

Former light-heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk says he’s ready for Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.

He won’t get an argument from Isaac Rodrigues.

In his third comeback fight this year, Gvozdyk (20-1, 15 KOs) continued to work on restoring his world-class skills with crushing second round knockout of Rodrigues (28-5, 22 KOs) in the the third fight on the Canelo-Charlo undercard, Gvozdyk, a Ukrainian, is working his way back after he retired following a punishing loss to Beterbiev in October 2019 in Philadelphia.

Rodrigues’ 22 stoppages suggested that he might be dangerous. He wasn’t. Midway through the second, Gvozdyk, who calls himself “The Nail”, hammered him with a couple of precise punches. Rodrigues, of Brazil, had to be helped out of the ring. Middleweights fight to forgettable draw

It was a draw. Dull,too

A crowd might been bored by a forgettable middleweight bout between Abilkhan Amankul (4-0-1, 4 KOs), of Kazakhstan, and Joeshen James (7-0-2, 4 KOs) , of Sacramento, in the second bout on the Canelo-Charlo card. But there was nobody at T-Mobile to bore.

One card favored Amankul, 39-37. On the other two, it  was, yawn 38-38.

First Bell: Canelo-Charlo card opens with crushing KO

Call it a power lunch.

Gabriel Valenzuela brought all the power, He opened the show about six hours before the Canelo Alvarez-Jermell Charlo main event Saturday. He dropped Yeis Gabriel Solano three times. Nobody noticed.That’s because nobody was there for the matinee opener to a 12 fight card at T-Mobile Arena.

It was over when Valenzuela (27-3-1, 17 KOs), of Mexico, sent Solano (15-3, 10 KOs), of Colombia, crashing onto the canvas, a knockout victim at 2:33 of the sixth round. An unconscious Solano remained on the canvas, surrounded by echoes, for several seconds until hs cornermen helped up and out of the ring.

LAS VEGAS – September 22, 2023 – Top heavyweight Frank “The Cuban Flash” Sanchez will highlight the stacked three-fight SHOWTIME PPV COUNTDOWN show as he takes on Scott Alexander in a 10-round matchup on Saturday, September 30 leading up to the Canelo Álvarez vs. Jermell Charlo SHOWTIME PPV event taking place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Canelo Promotions will present the Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view.

The lineup will also see former light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk battle Brazil’s Isaac Rodrigues in an eight-round duel, while 2012 U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha faces KeAndrae Leatherwood in an eight-round middleweight bout. The live stream will begin at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT and be available on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing^® Facebook page.

The show will be hosted by award-winning MORNING KOMBAT live digital talk show hosts Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell.

These fights lead into a four-fight pay-per-view telecast beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and headlined by Undisputed Super Middleweight World Champion Canelo Álvarez defending his titles against Undisputed Junior Middleweight World Champion Jermell Charlo in a historic battle of reigning undisputed champions.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Canelo Promotions and TGB Promotions, are available through AXS.com. 

An amateur standout from his native Cuba, Sánchez (22-0, 15 KOs) now trains in California with renowned trainer of Canelo Álvarez, Eddy Reynoso. The 31-year-old caught the heavyweight division’s attention when he scored a career-best win in October 2021, dropping the previously unbeaten Efe Ajagba on his way to a unanimous decision victory. Most recently he blasted out Daniel Martz in one round in April. He will be opposed by the 34-year-old Alexander (17-5-2, 9 KOs), who most recently knocked out Jaime Solorio in August 2022. The Los Angeles-native has challenged many contenders throughout his career, including Zhilei Zhang, Carlos Negron and Travis Kauffman.

After earning a bronze medal representing his native Ukraine at the 2012 Olympics, Gvozdyk (19-1, 15 KOs) turned pro in 2014, eventually defeating a slew of contenders to earn a light heavyweight title shot. He went on to become WBC champion with an 11^th-round knockout of Adonis Stevenson and defended the title in 2019 by stopping Doudou Ngumbu in round five. Since losing the belt in a unification match against Artur Beterbiev, Gvozdyk has picked up a pair of victories in 2023, besting Josue Obando in February and Ricards Bolotniks in May. He will take on Mocajuba, Para, Brazil’s Rodrigues (28-4, 22 KOs), who most recently dropped a decision to Richard Rivera in February. Rodrigues has also challenged contender Demond Nicholson in a career that dates back to 2005.

A member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, Gausha (23-3-1, 12 KOs) was born in Cleveland, Ohio but now fights out of Encino, Calif. The 36-year-old has faced tough competition throughout his career, having fought former champion Austin Trout to a draw in 2019 in addition to decision losses against former champion Erislandy Lara, top contender Erickson Lubin and interim champion Tim Tszyu. Gausha has shown impressive power in recent years, blasting out Jamontay Clark in two rounds in 2021 and most recently stopping Brandyn Lynch in round nine in March. He faces Tuscaloosa, Alabama’s Leatherwood (23-8-1, 13 KOs), who has faced numerous former champions and contenders including Caleb Truax, Andy Lee, Hugo Centeno Jr., John Jackson, Steve Rolls and Christian Mbilli.

The non-televised undercard will see 140-pound contender Gabriel Valenzuela (27-3-1, 16 KOs) duel Yeis Gabriel Solano (15-2, 10 KOs) in an eight-round attraction, amateur sensation Curmel Moton in his pro debut taking on Ezequiel Flores (4-0, 3 KOs) in a six-round super featherweight fight, and super featherweight prospect Justin Viloria (3-0, 3 KOs) stepping in for a six-round match against Chicago’s Angel Barrera (4-2).

Rounding out the lineup is a pair of unbeaten prospects from Kazakhstan as Bek Nurmaganbet (10-0, 8 KOs) squares off against Abimbola Osundairo (5-0, 3 KOs) in a six-round super middleweight tilt, while middleweight Abilkhan Amankul (4-0, 4 KOs) faces Joeshon James (7-0-1, 4 KOs) for six rounds of action.

#         #         #

ABOUT CANELO VS. CHARLO

Canelo vs. Charlo will see pound-for-pound great Canelo Álvarez defend his undisputed super middleweight world titles in a blockbuster showdown against hard-hitting undisputed junior middleweight world champion Jermell Charlo headlining a SHOWTIME PPV on September 30 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Canelo Promotions will present the Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view. 

The pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will see undefeated sensation Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. take on hard-hitting top contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin in the 12-round super welterweight co-main event. The pay-per-view also includes former world champions Yordenis Ugas and Mario “El Azteca” Barrios going toe-to-toe for the Interim WBC Welterweight Title. Opening up the action are rising middleweights Elijah Garcia and Armando Reséndiz squaring off in a 10-round attraction.

For more information visit SHOWTIME.com/ppv and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #CaneloCharlo, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former WBC Light Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk left Temple University Hospital following a two-night stay following is knockout defeat to Artur Beterbiev on Friday night.

“All is clear,” Teddy Atlas, Gvozdyk’s trainer, who accompanied him to the hospital, told ESPN on Sunday. “No [brain] bleed or anything. Thank God, just a minor concussion from the hits to the back of the head they said, but we needed to be sure.”

Following his stoppage defeat to Artur Beterbiev, former WBC Light Heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Gvozdyk remained hospitalized at Temple University hospital, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I’m still here with him,” trainer Teddy Atlas said. “I just brought him last night because he had pain behind his head from the punches he got hit there, so they did a scan and saw a possible small something and did another scan six hours later and [the doctor] wanted us to stay 24 hours to be safe. So we canceled his flight, and I will stay with him here another night, then [on Sunday] bring him to my home [in New York] — just again to be safe. Then Monday, he will fly home. He is OK.

“He’s fine, but we are still here just as precaution and will stay the night. [On Sunday] morning, if all is the same, they will discharge him.”

Oleksandr Gvozdyk 174.3 lbs vs. Artur Beterbiev 174.5 lbs
(WBC/IBF Light Heavyweight world titles – 12 Rounds)

        Luis Collazo 146.4 lbs vs. Kudratillo Abdukakhorov 147.1 lbs
(Welterweight  – 10 Rounds)

ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET)

          Sonny Conto 214.1 lbs vs. Steven Lyons 201.9 lbs
(Heavyweight – 4 Rounds)

Joseph Adorno 136.8 lbs vs. Damian Sosa 134.7 lbs
(Lightweight – 8 Rounds)

Jeremy Adorno 121.1 lbs vs. Misael Reyes 121.2 lbs
(Super Bantamweight – 4 Rounds)

       Josue Vargas 140.2 lbs vs. Johnny Rodriguez 140.5 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 8 Rounds)

       Michael Seals 174.6 lbs vs. Elio Heraldo Trosch 173.2 lbs
(Light Heavyweight – 8 Rounds)

SWING BOUT

 Julian Rodriguez 142.6 lbs vs. Leonardo Doronio 139 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 6 Rounds)
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets priced at $150, $90, $75 and $50 (not including applicable fees) can be purchased at the Liacouras Center Box Office, www.liacourascenter.com or charge by phone at 800-298-4200.     

Internationally, outside the US and Canada,  Gvozdyk-Beterbiev is
available on FITE, the number one combat sports digital platform. For
more information go to www.FITE.tv.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
Use the hashtag #BeterbievNail to join the conversation on social media.

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 16, 2019) — IBF light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev and WBC light heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk ended their fight promotion obligations Wednesday at the office of Hall of Fame promoter J Russell Peltz. They posed for pictures in front of the fight poster for the legendary 1962 light heavyweight championship fight between Doug Jones and Harold Johnson, which took place at the old Philadelphia Arena.

Beterbiev and Gvozdyk will add to the city’s light heavyweight legacy Friday evening at the Liacouras Center, a throwback battle befitting a storied fight city.

Before the two combatants posed for photos and faced off at Peltz’s office/museum, they participated in a media roundtable. This is what they had to say.

Oleksandr Gvozdyk

On working with Teddy Atlas

“Teddy demands a lot of his fighters, and I am fine with that. Training camp is supposed to be hard, and we worked together to come up with the necessary game plan to beat Beterbiev.”

“Teddy is very picky, very particular, and this is what you need. Sometimes, you cannot right yourself. Sometimes, you think you’re too tired, sometimes you want to work more, but Teddy knows exactly what you’re supposed to do. And there is no place for argument. First of all, he is a good person because when I met him, I realized that. Like I’ve said a lot of times before, this type of person is already under extinction, probably even non-existent anymore. From his professional qualities, besides his qualities as a human being, he’s very smart, he has over 40 years in this business, and he never loses any small details, which is really important.”

“First of all, my dream is to become undisputed champion. This is the first step, and this is the necessary step. And the second thing is, this is what fans like to see. They don’t want to see champions fight some opponents or journeymen. Tough fights, which fans like to see. For me, it’s a big challenge.”

“For now, only one challenge and one opponent exists for me. I’m not even thinking about any other opportunities. Everything is possible in the future. Maybe go up {in weight} or go down. I think it’s possible, maybe hard, but possible. But again, right now, I’m not even thinking about it.”
 
Teddy Atlas (Gvozdyk’s trainer)

“Camp couldn’t be better. We got to where we want to be. You gotta go in there Friday night and execute, but everything is in place. Couldn’t ask for more.”

On moving training camp to Philadelphia

First of all, we didn’t have to acclimate to the time difference because we’d be in the same time zone, and being that the weather would still be good, there was no problem with training here on the East Coast. Sometimes, you have to worry about bad weather with training on the East Coast. We didn’t have to worry about that. And not having to get on a plane and go across the country on the Sunday before the fight was a nice thing.”

On fighting a big puncher like Beterbiev

“It’s just, again, a reminder that there’s no room for mistakes, that there’s gotta be full concentration for 36 minutes. You have to fight one round at a time, one three-minute round at a time. Not two minutes and 59 seconds, no. Not when you’re in there with a puncher who can change everything in a moment with one punch, as {Adonis} Stevenson almost did in the 10th round. The reason why he’s a champion is because he was able to handle that and was able to survive that. That’s why he’s a champion. You could look at all the other rounds and say he’s a champion because of this, he’s a champion because of that, he gave angles, he used the jab, he punched at the right time. But he’s a champion because, when the moment came, he behaved like a champion.”

“If there are moments to take bigger bites in this fight, we’re going to take them at whatever time that is. If it’s early, it’s early. If it’s late, it’s late. If it’s middle, it’s middle. He’s got great judgment and instincts, and we’ve put that in place, and I know we can depend on that judgment and those instincts when it’s time to take a bite, small or big. We never want to get greedy. You never want to get greedy, especially with a puncher.”

“I think this fight’s a little different than maybe some people envision it. It’s not going to be exactly the same as the Stevenson fight because we have a guy where there’s going to have to be moments… put it this way, there’s going to have to be moments to take bigger bites with this guy. And that doesn’t mean getting sloppy or careless or greedy, but it means what it means.” 

Artur Beterbiev

On the amateur fight he won against Gvozdyk

“I think it was two rounds. But I don’t know, I heard Gvozdyk say I broke his nose. I don’t know that. He said that. It was only two rounds.”

Has Gvozdyk changed as a fighter since then?

“I think so. I changed. He changed. Everybody changed. His face changed, too. A little more hair.”

On starting to train in Russia before moving camp to Montreal

“I went to Russia just for vacation, but I wanted to be, like, active. I went to altitude. I used to {train} there when I was an amateur boxer. I had a good camp there. It was like preparation for our camp {in Canada} for eight weeks.”

On his past promotional difficulties and extended layoffs

“It was a difficult time, but I don’t want to talk about the past. I think the future is more happy. It’s hard when you have court and you have to train and be active. It’s hard, but I did that. Now, I have 100 percent time to focus on my fight and my career.”

Marc Ramsay (Beterbiev’s trainer)

“I’m not going to expose my tactics for Friday night today, but the thing is, when you go into a big fight like this, it’s important that you’re not surprised by anything. This is what we prepared for in the gym, technically, tactically, all aspects of boxing, like speed {and} power. We’re going to bring everything to the table on Friday.”

“We asked our management if we could have {unification} fights right away. This is what Artur wants, what I want as a trainer, and everybody wanted to go in this direction. I don’t know what happened behind the scenes, but I know it wasn’t very difficult looking back with this fight on the table. We said ‘yes’ right away, first day {it was offered}.”

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

Oleksandr Gvozdyk vs. Artur Beterbiev, 12 rounds, WBC/IBF light heavyweight world titles

Luis Collazo vs. Kudratillo Abdukakhorov, 10 rounds, welterweight

ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT

Michael Seals vs. Elio Trosch, 8 rounds, light heavyweight

Josue Vargas vs. Johnny Rodriguez, 8 rounds, super lightweight

John Bauza vs. Donald Ward, 8/6 rounds, super lightweight

Joseph Adorno vs. Damian Sosa 8 rounds, lightweight

Julian Rodriguez vs. Leonardo Doronio, 6 rounds, super lightweight

Jeremy Adorno vs. Misael Reyes, 4 rounds, super bantamweight

Sonny Conto vs. Steven Lyons, 4 rounds, heavyweight

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets priced at $150, $90, $75 and $50 (not including applicable fees) can be purchased at the Liacouras Center Box Office, www.liacourascenter.com or charge by phone at 800-298-4200.  

PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 24, 2019) — A high-stakes welterweight co-feature will set the stage for the can’t-miss light heavyweight unification bout between IBF champion Artur Beterbiev and WBC champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk Friday, October 18 at the Liacouras Center.

Former world champion Luis Collazo will take on IBF No. 1 contender Kudratillo “The Punisher” Abdukakhorov in a 10-rounder with potential world title implications.

Collazo-Abdukakhorov will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes immediately preceding Beterbiev-Gvozdyk at 10 p.m. ET, while the undercard will stream on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

“This is a fight that will deliver action and a top contender in the talent-rich welterweight division,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Collazo-Abdukakhorov is a great complement to Beterbiev-Gvozdyk, and it’s only fitting that a card like this is coming to the great fighting city of Philadelphia.”

“I’m just ready to go. The Jose Benavidez Jr. fight didn’t happen because he was hurt or whatever, but trust me, you are going to see an incredible performance that will steal the show on October 18,” Collazo said. “I’m coming for everything. It’s now or never. I can’t wait to show out in the great city of Philadelphia.”

 “I would like to thank Top Rank for giving me this opportunity to fight a great former champion,” Abdukakhorov said. “I am looking forward to showcasing my talent to the world. This will be a great fight, as Luis Collazo is someone who comes and gives 100 percent every fight and his aggressive style is adored by many fans. He has the heart of a true warrior. I do believe his age will be a factor, and I will try to capitalize on it. I am coming to this fight with every intention of beating him to cement my status as the mandatory for the IBF world title.” 

Collazo (39-7, 20 KOs), the 38-year-old Brooklyn native who held a piece of the welterweight title from 2005-2006, is seeking one last crack at the brass ring. He has won three in a row since a 2015 KO loss to Keith Thurman, whom he hurt with a body shot and nearly knocked down. He is closing in on two decades as a pro and holds victories over the likes of Jose Antonio Rivera and Victor Ortiz. Most recently, he earned a split decision verdict over Samuel Vargas. Abdukakhorov (16-0, 9 KOs) earned the IBF No 1 ranking with a unanimous decision over Keita Obara March 30 in Philadelphia. A road warrior who was born in Uzbekistan, Abdukakhorov has fought in Uzbekistan, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia and the U.S.

In other undercard action:

• Light heavyweight contender Michael Seals (23-2, 17 KOs), fresh off his one-punch Knockout of the Year contender over Christopher Brooker on June 8, will lock horns with Elio “La Maquina” Trosch (14-8-2, 7 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
   
• Undefeated knockout artist Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno (13-0, 11 KOs) will take on Argentinean veteran Damian “El Pana” Sosa (9-2, 7 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight contest. Sosa has never been knocked out as a pro, while Adorno has nine stoppages within the first two rounds.
   
• South Philadelphia-born heavyweight sensation Sonny “The Bronco” Conto (4-0, 3 KOs) will make his fourth pro appearance in his home city against Steven Lyons (5-5, 2 KOs) in a four-rounder. Conto has sparred the likes of lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and top contender Kubrat Pulev. He last fought August 10 at the Liacouras Center, winning a decision over Guillermo Del Rio.
   
• Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas (14-1, 9 KOs) will look to make it nine consecutive wins versus Denver native Johnny Rodriguez (9-4-1, 6 KOs) in an eight-rounder at super lightweight.
   
• John” El Terrible” Bauza (13-0, 5 KOs), a 21-year-old Puerto Rican super lightweight prospect, will fight the upset-minded veteran Donald “Bulldog” Ward (11-11-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
   
• Super bantamweight prospect Jeremy “Magic Hands” Adorno (2-0, 1 KO), Joseph Adorno’s younger brother, will face Misael Reyes (1-2, 0 KOs) in a four-rounder.
   
• Julian “Hammer Hands” Rodriguez (17-0, 11 KOs), who returned from a nearly two-year layoff with a first-round knockout on July 13, will face Leonardo Doronio (17-16-3, 11 KOs) in an eight-round super lightweight bout. 

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets priced at $150, $90, $75 and $50 (not including applicable fees) are on sale now and can be purchased at the Liacouras Center Box Office, www.liacourascenter.com or charge by phone at 800-298-4200.

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

Use the hashtag #BeterbievNail to join the conversation on social media.

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 13, 2019) — Three world title bouts and a highly anticipated light heavyweight unification fight are on the docket for Top Rank’s fall schedule, which will be unveiled TODAY at 12 p.m. PT at a special kickoff press conference at the MGM Grand’s KA Theatre. The press conference will feature all eight fighters, and it will be streamed live on @ESPN through the ESPN App, available to all viewers unauthenticated.

The fall schedule will kick off October 18 with the previously announced light heavyweight unification bout between IBF champion Artur Beterbiev and WBC champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia (ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET). The entire undercard will stream on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

“This is a tremendous lineup of fights that Top Rank is bringing to ESPN and ESPN+ in the fall,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “You have young superstars and established champions in the toughest fights of their careers. It doesn’t get better than that. When it’s all said and done, new superstars are going to emerge.”

October 26: Stevenson and Gonzalez to Battle for Featherweight World Title

Shakur Stevenson is only 22 years old and 12 fights into his pro career. For his first world title shot, he’ll return to the sight of many of his greatest amateur accomplishments. Stevenson will face Joet Gonzalez for the vacant WBO featherweight title Saturday, October 26 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada.

Stevenson and Gonzalez are the WBO’s top two contenders for the belt vacated by Oscar Valdez, who is now campaigning at 130 pounds.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Let’s Get It On Promotions and Golden Boy, Stevenson-Gonzalez and a co-feature will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The entire undercard will stream on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

“I have been working for this moment my entire life, and no one is going to stop me from becoming a world champion,” Stevenson said. “I had some of my biggest amateur moments in Reno, and I can’t wait to win my first world title there. This is my time to show the world that I am the best young fighter in boxing. The Shakur Stevenson era will officially begin on October 26.”

“It’s about time I got my world title shot,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve been asking for this opportunity for a long time. Thanks to my promoter and manager, it is finally here. Shakur Stevenson has done a lot of talking. But I’ll do my talking in the ring with my fists on October 26.”

Stevenson (12-0, 7 KOs), the fighting pride of Newark, New Jersey, turned pro in April 2017 following a standout amateur career that included a 2016 Olympic silver medal for the United States. He is familiar with Reno, having won four national titles in “The Biggest Little City in the World” from 2013-2015, including his triumph at the Olympic Trials. Stevenson returned to Reno as a pro, shutting out Juan Tapia over eight rounds in February 2018 to improve to 5-0. He has fought three times thus far in 2019, including a career-best performance April 20 against former world title challenger Christopher Diaz on the Terence Crawford-Amir Khan pay-per-view undercard. He followed up the unanimous decision over Diaz with a triumphant return to Newark, where more than 5,000 fans packed the Prudential Center for his third-round stoppage over Alberto Guevara.

Gonzalez (23-0, 14 KOs) is a seven-year pro who has the edge in experience, and at 25 years old, is three years older than Stevenson. Like Stevenson, he had a storied amateur career, nearly qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics and winning a U.S. Junior Olympics title. Gonzalez has won three consecutive bouts by knockout since a split decision victory over former world title challenger Rafael Rivera. He last fought July 13 in Carson, California, capturing the WBO Global and WBA Continental America featherweight titles with a sixth-round stoppage over Manuel Avila. Immediately following the Avila bout, he expressed interest in fighting in Stevenson, and the two have since been engaged in a social media back-and-forth. The talking will stop — and the fight will start — on October 26.

November 2: Miguel Berchelt Set to Defend Super Featherweight World Title Versus Jason Sosa

WBC super featherweight world champion Miguel Berchelt will defend his world title for the sixth time against former world champion Jason Sosa in a can’t-miss battle Saturday, November 2 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Berchelt, who has won four in a row by stoppage, is the division’s longest-reigning world champion and is ranked No. 1 by both ESPN.com and Ring Magazine.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions and Peltz Boxing, Berchelt-Sosa and a world title co-feature will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. The undercard will stream on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

“On November 2, there will be another classic war between a Mexican and a Puerto Rican warrior,” Berchelt said. “I will prove once again that I am the best and most spectacular super featherweight in the world. This title ain’t going anywhere.”

“I can’t express how happy and grateful I am to Top Rank and Russell Peltz for once again working together to give me another shot at becoming world champion,” Sosa said. “I am training harder than ever. I want this so bad, and I am not going to let anything stop what God has planned for me. We are incredibly focused knowing the importance of this fight. Berchelt is a strong opponent, and we are not taking his talents lightly. We both throw a lot of punches so expect an action-packed fight that will be the next chapter in the Mexico versus Puerto Rico rivalry. It’s a rivalry that’s been ongoing for years, and I plan on making my island very proud. On November 2, I plan on becoming a two-time world champion.”

Berchelt (36-1, 32 KOs) has reigned as WBC super featherweight king since January 28, 2017, the evening he dethroned Francisco Vargas via 11^th-round knockout in a Fight of the Year contender. He has maintained his reputation as an all-action star, besting Miguel Roman and Takashi Miura in dominant title defenses. He last fought May 11 in Tucson, Arizona, battering Vargas in their rematch until Vargas retired on his stool following the sixth round. A native of Cancun, Mexico, Berchelt has won 15 consecutive bouts and hopes a win over Sosa will move him closer to a world title unification bout.

Sosa (23-3-4, 16 KOs), from Camden, New Jersey, is in the midst of a career revitalization following a two-bout skid in 2017. Sosa has reeled off three consecutive wins since a controversial decision loss to Yuriorkis Gamboa in November 2017, and he is now ranked in the top 10 by two of the major sanctioning organizations. He last fought August 10 in Philadelphia, knocking out Lydell Rhodes in seven rounds to earn his shot at the title.

November 9: Jamel Herring Set for Ballpark Title Defense Versus Lamont Roach Jr. in Fresno

Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring, the U.S. Marine veteran who upset Masayuki Ito in on Memorial Day weekend to win the WBO junior lightweight title, is set to honor his comrades by returning on Veterans Day weekend.

Herring will make his first title defense against the undefeated Lamont Roach Jr. on Saturday, November 9 at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, home of the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies. This is a return engagement for Herring, who fought at Fresno’s Save Mart Center last September and had more than 1,000 active, retired and aspiring service members in the crowd cheering him on.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Golden Boy, Herring-Roach and a co-feature will stream live beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+. The undercard will stream on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

“Our camps have gone back and forth, and I’m just ready to get to work,” Herring said. “I have a great team, and Terence Crawford will also be in camp to make sure I’m at my best. Overall, the night means much more than trash-talking, since it’s the weekend of both Veterans Day and the Marine Corps birthday.

“I’m glad to be back in Fresno. I had a huge crowd supporting me last time I fought in the area. I know a victory here will lead to bigger and better things.”

“I know Jamel very well and he knows me,” Roach Jr. said. “I’m super excited, and I’ve been waiting for this moment my entire life. This victory will be only the beginning of my legacy. I’m here for a reason, and I can’t wait to show the world why! I will be the WBO junior lightweight world champion on November 9.”

Herring (20-2, 10 KOs) served two tours of duty with the Marines in Iraq and captained the 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team. His pro career stalled with a 1-2 skid from 2016-2017, but after signing with Top Rank and moving down to 130 pounds, he won three straight fights to earn the title shot against Ito. His September 2018 fight against John Vincent Moralde was a particularly special occasion, as dozens of Marines lined the Save Mart Center walkway as Herring made his entrance. He shut out Moralde as the ESPN-televised co-feature, and now he returns to California’s Central Valley ready to put on a clinic under the lights.

Roach (19-0-1, 7 KOs) is one of the best young fighters to emerge from the boxing hotbed of Washington, D.C. in recent years. His only hiccup as a pro — an April 2018 draw against Orlando Cruz in Cruz’s home country of Puerto Rico — was a minor speed bump in what has been an otherwise sterling run up the ranks. He is 3-0 since the Cruz fight, winning a pair of regional belts and putting forth his best performances on high-profile cards. He last fought May 4 on the Canelo Alvarez-Danny Jacobs undercard in Las Vegas, scoring a 10-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Jonathan Oquendo. Roach is trained by his father, Lamont Roach Sr., who has been the head man in his corner for his past five bouts.

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

Use the hashtags #BeterbievNail, #StevensonGonzalez, #BercheltSosa and #HerringRoach to join the conversation on social media. 

PHILADELPHIA (Aug. 17, 2019) — Two very bad men are set for an old-fashioned Philadelphia throwdown.

WBC light heavyweight world champion Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk and IBF light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev will fight in a highly anticipated title unification bout Friday, Oct. 18 at the Liacouras Center. 

Beterbiev and Gvozdyk enter this can’t-miss clash with a combined record of 31-0 with 28 knockouts.

Gvozdyk-Beterbiev will headline a special edition of Top Rank on ESPN beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

The undercard will stream live on ESPN+ — the industry-leading sports streaming service — beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets priced at $150, $90, $75 and $50 (not including applicable fees) go on sale Friday, Aug. 23 at 12 p.m. ET and can be purchased at the Liacouras Center Box Office, www.liacourascenter.com or charge by phone at 800-298-4200.

“This could very well be the fight of the year,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “These are two evenly matched, undefeated light heavyweight champions. There is nothing better in the sport of boxing.”

“My first goal was to win a light heavyweight world title. Now, I want to unify the belts, and that mission starts with Artur Beterbiev,” Gvozdyk said. “This is going to be a spectacular fight, one that the fans will enjoy. The fans asked for this fight, and we will deliver. One thing I know is that I will be the unified champion. I have the best trainer, Teddy Atlas, in my corner. This is our third fight together, and under his guidance, I will continue to get better.”

“I wish to thank Top Rank and my opponent, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, for making this unification bout possible and giving the fans around the world what they want,” Beterbiev said. “This will be a great fight between the two champions who aspire to become the undisputed light heavyweight world champion. I am looking forward to stepping into the ring on October 18.”

Gvozdyk (17-0, 14 KOs) will be making the second defense of the title he won from longtime champion Adonis Stevenson in a come-from-behind 11th-round KO last December in Quebec City, Canada. He followed up the Stevenson win with a dominant fifth-round TKO March 30 over Doudou Ngumbu in Philadelphia, where a large Ukrainian contingent showed up to cheer on their countryman. Gvozdyk captured a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, where he was teammates with current professional stablemate and pound-for-pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko. A five-year pro, Gvozdyk climbed the ranks with victories over established veterans like Isaac Chilemba, Yunieski Gonzalez and Nadjib Mohammedi.

Beterbiev (14-0, 14 KOs), a former Russian amateur star, has a come-forward, take-no-prisoners ring approach that has made him the only current world champion with a 100 percent KO ratio. He won the vacant IBF world title with a 12th-round TKO over Enrico Koelling, preserving his perfect KO record by stopping Koelling with 27 seconds left in the bout. His two title defenses have lasted a total of nine rounds, and most recently, he walked through longtime contender Radivoje “Hot Rod“ Kalajdzic in five rounds in the main event of the May 4 Top Rank on ESPN telecast.

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

Use the hashtag #BeterbievNail to join the conversation on social media.

PHILADELPHIA–Oleksandt Gvodyk retained the WBC Light Heavyweight title with a 5th round stoppage over Doudou Ngumbu after Ngumbu could not continue due to a leg cramp.

Gvozdyk controlled the distance trough the abbreviated contest, with the rare occasion of Ngumbu trying to dive in. In round five, Ngumbu started hopping around injured, and it was ruled he could not continue at the 58 second mark.

Gvozdyk, 174.7 lbs of Ukraine is now 17-0 with 14 knockouts. Ngumbu, 174.3 of Toulouse, FRA is 38-9.

“It wasn’t what I expected, but I did my best,” Gvozdyk said. “Sometimes this happens in the sport of boxing. It is what it is.

“My goal is to unify titles. I will wait to see what my team tells me to do next.”

Egidjust Kavaliauskas and ray Robinson battled to a ten-round draw in a welterweight bout.

It was a nip and tuck battle that each guy take turns pushing the action.

Robinson took a card 97-93 ans two cards read even at 95-95.

Kavaliauskas, 146.1 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 21-0-1. Robinson, 145.8 lbs of Philadelphia is 24-3-1.

“I won the fight, and I won it clearly,” Kavaliauskas said. “The judges did not agree, and I can’t control what fight they were watching. I still want to fight for a world title because I consider this fight a victory. I am still undefeated, and I know I can beat all of the champions in the welterweight division.”

“I think everyone in Philadelphia knows I won this fight,” Robinson said. “At the end of the night, I know I beat him. I’m the last person to beat Terence Crawford in the amateurs, and that’s the fight I want.”

Sonny Conto destroyed Omar Acosta in under a round of their scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.

Conto landed hard punches that backed Acosta into the corner, and then landed a wicked left hook that sent Acosta down. Acotsa got to his feet but wobbled, and the fight was stopped at 1:15.

Conto, 217.1 lbs of Philadelphia is 2-0 with two fist round knockouts. Acosta, 206.6 lbs of Hereford, TX is 1-6.

Jose Lopez stopped Askhat Ualikhanov after round six of their scheduled eight-round super lightweight bout.

Lopez landed hard shots throughout and had Ualikhanov in trouble several times before the fight was halted.

Lopez, 141.5 lbs Humacao, PR is now 12-1 with 10 knockouts. Ualikhanov, 141.3 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 4-2.

Joshafat Ortiz stopped James Thomas in round of their scheduled six-round super featherweight bout.

Ortiz dropped Thomas with a hard right, and the bout was stoped at 2:53.

Ortiz, 129.6 lbs of Reading, PA is 6-0 with four knockouts. Thomas, 130.3 lbs of Grand Rapids, MI is 6-5.

Juan Ruiz upset Frederick Lawson by scoring a 4th round stoppage in a scheduled eight-round super welterweight bout.

Ruiz seemed to have dropped Lawson in round four, but it was a ruled a slip. Lawson was groggy, and he took a flurry of punches on the ropes, and the bout was stopped at 1:16 of round four.

Ruiz, 149.5 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 22-4 with 14 knockouts. Lawson, 146.7 lbs of Accra, GHA is 27-2.

Christian Mbolli went the distance for the 1st time and pounded out a eight-round unanimous decision over Humberto Gutierrez in a super middleweight bout.

Mbilli, 163.3 lbs of Montreal won by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice, and is now 14-0. Gutierrez 165.5 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 33-8-2.

Kudratillo Abudukakhorov won a 12-round unanimous decision over Keita Obara in an IBF Welterweight elimination bout.

Abudukakhorov, 145.8 lbs of Kuala Lumpor, MAL won by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 115-113 and is now 16-0. Obara, 146.4 lbs of Tokyo, JPN is 20-4-1.

Cassius Chaney stopped Christian Mariscal in the 1st round of their scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

Chaney registered two knockdowns, and the fight was stopped at 2:16.

Chaney, 248.6 lbs of new London, CT is 15-0 with nine knockouts. Mariscal, 251.2 lbs of Tijuna, MX is 12-3.

Jeremy Adorno made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Sebastian Baltazar in a super bantamweight contest.

Adorno, 120.1 lbs of Allentown, PA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards, and is now 1-0. Baltazar, 120.3 lbs of Tacoma, WA is 1-4.

Donald Smith remained undefeated with a 4th round knockout over Jose Antonio Martinez in a scheduled six-round super featherweight bout.

Smith registered a knockdown in round one. In round four, Smith landed a perfect counter left that plummeted Martinez to the canvas. The back of Martinez head hit the canvas, and the bout was stopped at 2:01.

Smithm 126.4 lbs of Philadelphia is 9-0 with six knockouts. Jose Antonio Martinez, 127.5 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 11-18.

Oleksandr Gvozdyk 174.7 lbs vs. Doudou Ngumbu 174.3 lbs
(Gvozdyk’s WBC light heavyweight title- 12 Rounds)

Egidijus Kavaliauskas 146.1 lbs vs. Ray Robinson145.8 lbs
(Welterweight – 10 Rounds)

ESPN+ (6 p.m. ET)

Sonny Conto 217.1 lbs vs. Omar Acosta 206.6 lbs
(Heavyweight – 4 Rounds)

Askhat Ualikhanov 141.3 lbs vs. Jose Lopez 141.5 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 8 Rounds)

Joshafat Ortiz 129.6 lbs vs. James Thomas 130.3 lbs
(Super Featherweight – 6 Rounds)

Frederick Lawson 146.7 lbs vs. Juan Ruiz 149.6 lbs
(Super Welterweight – 8 Rounds)

Christian Mbilli 163.3 lbs vs. Humberto Gutierrez 165.5 lbs
(Super Middleweight – 8 Rounds)

Kudratillo Abdukakhorov 145.8 lbs vs. Keita Obara 146.4 lbs
(IBF Welterweight title eliminator – 12 Rounds)

Cassius Chaney 248.6 lbs vs. Christian Mariscal 251.2 lbs
(Heavyweight – 6 Rounds)

SWING BOUT 1
Jeremy Adorno 120.1 lbs vs. Sebastian Baltazar 120.3 lbs
(Super Bantamweight – 4 Rounds)

SWING BOUT 2
Donald Smith 126.4 lbs vs. Jose Antonio Martinez 127.6 lbs
(Super Featherweight – 6 Rounds)

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

Use the hashtags #TheNail and #MeanMachine to follow the action on social media.

###

PHILADELPHIA (Feb. 13, 2019) — The Nail and the Mean Machine are ready for their South Philly close-up.

WBC and lineal light heavyweight champion Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk will make the first defense of his world title against Doudou Ngumbu on Saturday, March 30 at the 2300 Arena. In the 10-round co-feature, Gvozdyk’s stablemate, top welterweight contender Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas, will take on Philadelphia native Ray Robinson.

Gvozdyk-Ngumbu and Kavaliauskas-Robinson will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The undercard, including the IBF welterweight title eliminator between Kudratillo “The Punisher” Abdukakhorov and Keita Obara and an appearance by Philadelphia-born heavyweight prospect Sonny Conto (1-0, 1 KO), will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets priced at $125, $75, and $50 go on sale Thursday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at 2300arena.com, the 2300 Arena box office at (267) 758-2173, or by calling Peltz Boxing at (215) 765-0922.

“It was a long journey for me to become a world champion, and I plan on showing everyone why I am the best light heavyweight in the world,” Gvozdyk said. “Ngumbu is a tough fighter who I cannot afford to overlook. My goal in 2019 is to unify with the other champions, but before I can do that, I have to take care of business on March 30.”

“It is a great opportunity to face arguably the best light heavyweight fighter in the world. After 12 years and 46 fights in my career with serious opposition, I get my first shot at a major world title,” Ngumbu said. “I have the utmost respect for Oleksandr Gvozdyk, a great champion who took the WBC title in a war against Adonis Stevenson. It is not going to be easy, but I believe I am much more experienced as a pro and I intend to use that to my advantage.”

Gvozdyk (16-0, 13 KOs) captured an Olympic bronze medal for his native Ukraine in 2012 as part of a national team that included two-time gold medalist and future promotional stablemate Vasiliy Lomachenko. He climbed the rankings with dominant wins over the likes of Nadjib Mohammedi and Yunieski Gonzalez and won the WBC interim light heavyweight title last March with a unanimous decision against Mehdi Amar. As the mandatory challenger, he traveled to Quebec City and, behind on two of the three judges’ scorecards, knocked out longtime champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson in the 11th round. Ngumbu (38-8, 14 KOs) is coming off perhaps the most significant win of his career, a 12-round majority decision over then-unbeaten Yoann Kongolo in May of last year. A native of the Democratic Republic of Congo who is now based in France, Ngumbu will be making his first attempt at a world title.

Kavaliauskas (21-0, 17 KOs) is universally regarded as one of the welterweight division’s top contenders, a massive puncher who rolled through then-beaten Roberto Arriaza in three rounds last November in Oklahoma City. He has knocked out five of his last six foes and is the WBO’s top contender for the belt currently held by pound-for-pound great Terence “Bud Crawford. Robinson (24-3, 12 KOs) is a rangy southpaw boxer who rebounded from back-to-back losses early in his career to Shawn Porter and Brad Solomon to win 13 in a row. In his last bout, Feb. 17, 2018 against Yordenis Ugas, he saw that winning streak come to an end when Ugas scored a seventh-round stoppage.

“I know a lot of Robinson’s fans will be in Philadelphia to cheer him on, but they will leave the 2300 Arena disappointed,” Kavaliauskas said. “This is the year that I fight for, and win, a welterweight world title. I am ready for anybody, including the Crawford-Khan winner. I will show everyone in Philadelphia and watching on ESPN what the ‘Mean Machine’ is all about.”

“I am always excited to come home and put on for my city,” Robinson said. “Every fight is a risk, but the higher the risk, the bigger the reward.”

Abdukakhorov (15-0, 9 KOs), a native of Uzbekistan who now lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, went 2-0 in 2018, including a convincing 12-round unanimous decision over Laszlo Toth in defense of his WBC silver welterweight belt. Obara (20-3-1, 18 KOs), who hails from Tokyo, is one of the division’s heaviest punchers. He knocked out Alvin Lagumbay in three rounds last August, a measure of revenge over the man who knocked him out in two rounds less than four months earlier.

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

Use the hashtags #TheNail and #MeanMachine to follow the action on social media.

To subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 per month, go to www.espnplus.com.

###

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHLgames, exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

Former light heavyweight champion, Adonis Stevnson has awaken from a medically induced coma due to head injuries he suffered in his December 1st fight with Olkesandr Govozdyk, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Despite recent reports being leaked to media, I wanted to clarify that Adonis is awake,” Simone “Sisi” God, Stevenson’s girlfriend and the mother of his daughter, said in a statement on Saturday. “He is healing from his injury in the private company of his family and his dedicated medical team. Adonis is a world champion in the ring and is exhibiting that same grit, strength and determination in his recovery.”

On behalf of Adonis and our family, I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who has taken the time to reach out, send prayers and post about Adonis’ injury,” God said. “We are so grateful for the outpour of messages, gifts and support that have come our way.

“‘Superman’ is a world champion and has demonstrated his strength in facing every obstacle he has ever faced. He is a legend in the eyes of his fans and a man that demonstrates to his family daily that inner strength and love can change and redeem even the greatest of hardships.”

“Adonis and our family are so thankful to you all for your love and support and respectfully ask to continue to grant Adonis and our family privacy as he heals from this accident,” she said. “With the holidays here, Adonis is spending time enjoying music and spending time with [daughter] Adonia and his family and sends his love and appreciation to you all.

“While our Superman Adonis recovers, I’ll be stepping in to deal with all business related to Adonis as the Superwoman he always tells me I am. We are truly blessed by God and all of you for your support.”

According to promoter Yvon Michel’s Twitter account, former light heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson is in critical condition following his title losing stoppage defeat to Olkesandr Gvozdyk in Quebec, Center.

Stevenson was dropped and stopped in the 11th frame.

news about the condition of Adonis
“The family of @ AdonisSuperman and the leaders of Groupe Yvon Michel are currently with Adonis Stevenson. They wish to inform friends and supporters that Adonis is currently in a critical condition in intensive care at the hospital, following his fight against Oleksander Gvozdyk. They appreciate the concern and support of all. There will be no other comments for the moment and they respectfully ask for your understanding in their desire to stay in private,” said Michel on the Twitter account.

QUEBEC CITY (November 30, 2018) – Boxing’s longest reigning world champion, Adonis Stevenson, and undefeated, mandatory challenger Oleksandr Gvozdyk made weight Friday just one day ahead of Stevenson’s 10th defense of his WBC Light Heavyweight Title in a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast Saturday, December 1 from Videotron Center in Quebec City.

SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION will air live on SHOWTIME and stream for free on the SHO Sports YouTube channel and the SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook Page beginning at 7:45 p.m. ET/4:45 p.m. PT, immediately preceding the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury SHOWTIME PPV. Wilder vs. Fury begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and also features unified 154-pound world champion Jarrett Hurd returning to take on Jason Welborn, Cuban heavyweight slugger Luis Ortiz facing off against Travis Kauffman and rising heavyweight Joe Joyce battling Joe Hanks.

FINAL WEIGHTS

WBC Light Heavyweight World Championship Bout – 12 Rounds

Adonis Stevenson – 174 ¼ pounds

Oleksandr Gvozdyk – 174 ½ pounds

Referee: Michael Griffin (Canada); Judges: Guido Cavalleri (Italy), Mike Ross (USA), Jack Woodburn (Canada)

FLASH QUOTES:

ADONIS STEVENSON:

“I know that Gvozdyk is a good boxer, he was a bronze medalist at the Olympics and he has a European style. His movement is good and he has good technique but there are definitely weaknesses that I plan to exploit.

“I don’t care at all that the bookmakers think I’m going to lose this fight. I’ve been the champion since 2013 and so many people have doubted me in all of my defenses. If I let that affect me, I would have lost my belt a long time ago.

“I’m very hungry. I want to win this fight by knockout. My hometown fans don’t come here to watch me fight 12 rounds, they want to see a body on the canvas. They’re always looking for the knockout and so am I. I know that all I have to do is touch him once and it’s check mate.”

OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK:

“I believe I’m ready physically to do what I have to do. I have to be quicker, smarter, more concentrated and always one step ahead of Stevenson. His left hand is the stronger one but I can’t forget about his right hand either.

“Working with Teddy [Atlas] has been a great experience. He’s been a mentor for me. He’s a very demanding guy who won’t let me get away with a single mistake. That’s exactly what I need. He can help me tactically and even physically, we rebuilt our regular training pattern and I believe it will pay off.

“Despite Stevenson’s age, he’s still a very strong fighter. I know what he’s going to try to do. Like he said at the press conference, he’s going to wait for me to make a mistake to try to catch me. I have to be patient and 100 percent concentrated the entire fight. No blinking.”

QUEBEC CITY (November 29, 2018) – Boxing’s longest reigning world champion, Adonis Stevenson, and undefeated, mandatory challenger Oleksandr Gvozdyk faced off Thursday at the final press conference ahead of Stevenson’s 10th defense of his WBC Light Heavyweight Title in a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast Saturday, December 1 from Videotron Center in Quebec City.

SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION will air live on SHOWTIME and stream for free on the SHO Sports YouTube channel and the SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook Page beginning at 7:45 p.m. ET/4:45 p.m. PT, immediately preceding the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury SHOWTIME PPV. Wilder vs. Fury begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and also features unified 154-pound world champion Jarrett Hurd returning to take on Jason Welborn, Cuban heavyweight slugger Luis Ortiz facing-off against Travis Kauffman and rising heavyweight Joe Joyce battling Joe Hanks.

Here is what Stevenson, Gvozdyk and their respective trainers had to say Thursday at Chateau Bonne Entente in Quebec City:

ADONIS STEVENSON:

“Saturday is a big fight. I’m not underestimating Gvozdyk. I know he’s a good fighter and he’s hungry. He’s trained very hard to get my title. But everybody who comes to my home in Canada always wants my title, but it’s never happened and it’s not going to happen now.

“I’m looking for the knockout. That’s just my mentality and the way that I train. Sugar [Hill Steward] trains me to think that way but I can also go 12 rounds, it’s not a problem. I know that if he makes a mistake, I’m going to catch him. He only has to slip up once in 12 rounds. One mistake, one punch. That’s all it’s going to take. I’m ready. I know I can punch and it’s 12 rounds. I just need one punch. Just one. I’m going to catch him and the night will be over.

“I’ve been pushing myself in training and I’m going to put on another great performance come Saturday and will defend my title once again. In the words of my old trainer, Emanuel Steward, ‘knockouts sell’ and that’s what I’m going for in this fight. I know I’m facing a good boxer who’s coming in very determined. He’ll be ready, but it won’t be enough. Superman is in the building!”

OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK:

“I’m glad to finally be here. I’m very excited. I want to thank Top Rank and GYM Promotions for finally making this happen. I respect Adonis Stevenson as a fighter, he’s a great champion. But I am ready to accept this challenge and on Saturday night there will be a new champion.

“I have one of the greatest trainers in the history of boxing so I’m very confident. We have a good strategy. We had an excellent training camp and I’m ready. Adonis is a great fighter. He’s a dangerous southpaw and this is a real step-up for me but it’s my time.

“People always ask about Stevenson’s age but George Foreman and Bernard Hopkins performed at a high level when they were 50-years-old. It really just depends on how you maintain your body, your living conditions, how you eat and how you train.

“I’m not worried about what the bookmakers say. It doesn’t mean anything that they think I am the favorite. I try to stay focused on the things that I need to be focused on, not what the bookmakers think. The further this fight goes, the better my chances are. My height, my movement and my patience will win me this fight.”

SUGAR HILL STEWARD, STEVENSON’S TRAINER

“I’m happy to be here once again. This is like a second home for Adonis. This fight is just going to be regular Adonis. Adonis wants to get a knockout. I love knockouts. This is how we train for every fight. It’s no disrespect to any fighter, but that’s just the mentality that we have. Adonis and I don’t believe in leaving it in the hands of the judges and that’s been working so far. We will continue to do what we’ve been doing.”

“Adonis has been training his whole life for something like this. This is a big world championship fight against a former Olympian. Welcome to big time boxing, this is what it’s all about. Come December 1, Adonis Stevenson is going to get another knockout.”

TEDDY ATLAS, GVOZDYK’S TRAINER

“We knew that this would be a very difficult fight but what we didn’t know was how difficult it would be to get here. That part of the fight is over, thankfully. We spent eight weeks in California preparing for this bout. Preparing for a tremendous champion. I don’t have to speak about how long he’s been a champion, his reign, his experience, how talented and dangerous he is as a puncher. I believe he’s the best or second-best puncher in boxing today. It’s either him or [Deontay] Wilder, whatever you choose.

“Stevenson has all of the qualities a great fighter needs. He has a great heart, he’s gotten off the canvas and showed tremendous heart late in the Badou Jack fight. This is quite a task that’s in front of us. We understand that. The good news is that we know exactly what we’re facing and we’ve prepared the last eight weeks for that. We have not overlooked anything. I have no doubt that although we have a very steep challenge in front of us, that on Saturday night we will have a new Light Heavyweight Champion of the World.”

MONTREAL (September 25, 2018) – Fans of boxing, prepare your agenda: World Boxing Council (WBC) and lineal light heavyweight world title fight between the champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (29-1-1, 24 KOs) and the mandatory challenger, Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk (15-0-0, 12 KOs), will be held December 1 at Videotron Center in Quebec City.

Tickets will be in presale Wednesday and Thursday and general admission go on sale this Friday at Gestev.com.

International Boxing Federation (IBF) super welterweight mandatory challenger Marie-Eve Dicaire (13-0-0, 0 KOs), North American Boxing Federation (NABF) heavyweight champion Oscar Rivas (24-0-0, 17 KOs), WBC International welterweight Mikael Zewski (31-1-0, 22 KOs) and fan-favorite Sébastien Bouchard (16-1-0, 6 KOs) will also take part in this gala event.

Tickets, starting at $50.50, taxes and service fees included, will be on sale at Gestev.com and Ticketmaster.ca, as well as at the Champions Boxing Club (514-376-0980), GYM (514-383-0666) or by calling 1-855-790-1245.

The “Mandatory” event will be broadcast in the United States on a major network and in Canada on pay-per-view via Indigo, Bell TV and Shaw TV. More details will be given Oct. 9 during a press conference in Quebec City, attended by all the participants of this exciting boxing card.

“We are very excited to be returning to the Videotron Center for this fifth Superman world championship defense in Quebec City, more than anyone else in the history of boxing,” GYM President Yvon Michel said. “The challenger is talented and seasoned. The danger is present, but the belt will remain with Quebecers! The challenge is colossal, but the show will be solid and the evening fantastic, an appointment not to be missed,”

“The clash between Adonis Stevenson and Oleksandr Govdzyk will be the third world championship fight in the young history of the Videotron Center and the second for champion Adonis Stevenson,” added Martin Tremblay, Chief Operating Officer of Quebecor Sports and Entertainment Group. “Fans from all over Quebec will appreciate the quality of this gala. The Videotron Center occupies an important place in combat sports with its sixth event in 2018,”

“I am very proud to be back in Quebec City for this mandatory title defense and offer the opportunity to American viewers and on the international scene to rediscover the beauties of Quebec City as well as the hospitality and the Latin passion of the Quebec boxing fans,” Stevenson commented. “I know many believe December would be the end of my reign against this young undefeated Olympic medalist. The message I am prepared to send with this fight is: I am still the No. 1 light heavyweight and I still have several chapters to add to my journey as world champion. December 1st at the Videotron Center is a personal invitation to Quebec fans. You will not be let down, I will win by KO!.”

“I am one of the best boxers in the light heavyweight division and the time has come for me to prove it to the rest of you,” Gyozdyk insisted. “The WBC gave me this opportunity and I am thankful for it. Adonis has been in this position too long. My time is now!”

“Oleksandr has been waiting for this opportunity for a very long time,” Gvozdyk noted. “He respects Adonis Stevenson as a fighter, but make no mistake, his time is now. ‘The Nail’ is going to leave Canada as the new WBC light heavyweight champion.”

“The WBC championship bout between Stevenson and Gvozdyk will be among the best fights of the year, proclaimed Top Rank CEO Bob Arum. “It’s a must-see for all boxing fans.”

ADONIS ”SUPERMAN” STEVENSON

Recognized as one of the most powerful punchers, pound-for-pound, in the boxing world, Stevenson will attempt to successfully defend his title for the 10th time on December 1st.

In his last outing on May 19 at the Air Canada Center in Toronto, he fought a draw with former WBA light heavyweight and WBC super middleweight world champion, Badou Jack, in a spectacular fight, while Floyd Mayweather Jr watched from ringside.

World champion since his violent knockout over the American Chad Dawson in 2013, “Superman” will try to hammer his mandatory aspirant nicknamed, at the Videotron Center.

OLEKSANDR ”THE NAIL” GVOZDYK

Bronze medalist at the London Olympics, Ukrainian-born Gvozdyk moved to Oxnard, California, to begin his professional career in 2014. He has marched forward ever since, racking up 15 wins in 15 bouts, 12 by knockout.

During his last appearance in the ring on March 17 at Madison Square Garden in New York, he defeated Frenchman Mehdi Amar by unanimous decision to become Stevenson’s mandatory challenger, winning the interim light heavyweight WBC title along the way.

Teammates of Vasyl Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk, Gvozdyk is a talented and dangerous boxer, as evidenced by his victories by referee stoppage over Yunieski Gonzalez, Isaac Chilemba and Tommy Karpency. In addition, he is now trained by the legendary American trainer and commentator Teddy Atlas.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, trainer Teddy Atlas will be back in the corner to train Oleksandr Gvozdyk for November 1st title opportunity against Adonis Stevenson on November 1st.

“They’ve been waiting for an answer for a couple of weeks,” said Atlas, a longtime ESPN boxing analyst.

“I wanted to meet him and his family. So I did. I met him, spent two days with him, we watched film, had lunch and dinner on the first day, and then we spent the second day in the gym working together,” Atlas said. “I met his family. He has three young children and a wife, and I trust Egis as a person. I told him that the first prerequisite to even entertaining the thought of coming back to training is if I thought they were good people. If I didn’t think that, I wouldn’t even entertain it.

“That is the first thing — do I want to spend time with this person? And I felt that I would want to be around a person like that. And then the next thing was can I help him and is he conducive to being trained? Will he allow himself to be coached? The answer was yes from what I could see, and they’re asking for my help, so can I help him? I feel I can help him.”

“I had to ask myself, ‘Am I ready to do this again?’ Are you emotionally ready to do this again? I’ve been training fighters since I was a kid, since I was 21 years old training [Hall of Famer] Wilfred Benitez. That took me a couple of weeks to decide,” Atlas said. “It’s not something to decide on in a couple of days. And after all these years training fighters, your neck hurts, your shoulder, the back.”

“Oleksandr was looking to step up and be trained by Teddy,” Klimas told ESPN. “I know Teddy for a long time. He’s not committing just because. He thought about this very deeply. It wasn’t an easy decision for him to make. When he spent time with Oleksandr, with his family and in the gym, it looks like they clicked. Teddy said he would think about it. I spoke to him three or four times after that and he wasn’t sure, but [on Monday] when we spoke, he said he will take the opportunity and that he would try to help Oleksandr as much as he can.”

“I’m already looking at film, and I’ve already got a few pages of notes and things that have to be worked on, things that need to be corrected,” Atlas said. “You’re fighting the second-hardest puncher in boxing [behind heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder]. You can’t make mistakes with a guy like this. You have to be technically solid, and you have to have a very definitive plan on how to go about winning this fight. We will work on that. There’s no real margin for error.

“[Gvozdyk] behaves like a fighter. He’s got good instincts. From a technical aspect, he just has to take it to the next level, but he has the right ideas. He has to expand on the ideas.”

Promoter Yvon Michel officially won the purse bid to stage the Adonis Stevenson – Oleksandr Gvozdyk light heavyweight title bout, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Michel told ESPN on Thursday that Bob Yalen, the WBC supervisor of the purse bid, called him and Arum to confirm that Michel had done nothing wrong related to the purse bid, and to confirm that his bid would stand as the winner.

“[Yalen] did add the WBC will tighten up its rules regarding a bid,” Michel said. “Top Rank reiterated their commitment to give us a close collaboration in every aspect of the organization of the fight.

“We lobbied for that result because I think that was the only fair thing,” Arum said. “Carl believed Yvon was taken by surprise by the other bid and Yvon outbid us, so he’s entitled to do the fight.

“My view of the ruling is, I support it completely and I advocated for it. But I would like the WBC to tighten up the rules to the extent that they exact a punishment from somebody like Haymon or Brown who did what they did — to put a bid in and then immediately withdraw it. I realize you can’t make the penalty retroactive but certainly going forward they can do something to prevent this from happening.”

“I told Yvon that we would be as cooperative and supportive to him as we could,” Arum said. “I told Yvon that if he had any problem with Showtime (which puts on Haymon’s major fights) buying the fight that I would arrange for ESPN to buy the fight.”

Yvon Michel’s GYM Promotions won the purse bid to stage the WBC Light Heavyweight title fight between Adonis Stevenson and Oleksandr Gvozdyk, according to Dan Rafael.

The Purse bid did not run smoothly though.

There were three bidders: attorney Phil Weiss on behalf of Tom Brown’s TGB Promotions, which offered $3.102 million; Stevenson promoter Yvon Michel, who bid $2.101 million; and Gvozdyk promoter Top Rank, represented by vice president Carl Moretti, which bid $1.675 million for a fight in which Stevenson is entitled to 65 percent of the winning bid and Gvozdyk 35 percent.

The issue arose when seconds after the bids were unsealed and TGB Promotions was declared the winner, Weiss withdrew the winning bid.

At that point, Michel was declared the winner and told Top Rank he would put the fight on Nov. 3 in Quebec City. However, Top Rank was not happy with how things went down, nor was the WBC supervisor of the purse bid, Bob Yalen. He reported what had occurred to WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman, who said the organization would rule on the situation by Thursday.

Top Rank believes Tom Brown and Michel were in cahoots on behalf of adviser Al Haymon.

“What happened was outrageous on Haymon’s part,” TOP Rank CEO Bob Arum told ESPN. “When Tom Brown wins and then he pulls his bid so Yvon gets it with the lower bid? That’s dirty pool. You win the purse bid and immediately say I’m passing? You can’t do that.”

Said Top Rank Vice-President Carl Moretti: “Yalen, who was supervising the purse bid, said, ‘You can’t do that.’ And then all hell breaks loose with everyone voicing an opinion. Yalen called Mauricio but they were not happy.

“The WBC said they would rule by Thursday on the outcome of the purse bid and I believe they will do the right thing.”

“I talked with Yvon and I told him we are prepared not only to go to Quebec City but to give him full and complete support in promoting the event because I think that’s a great fight and Quebec City is a lovely place,” Arum said. “I told him that if Showtime (which puts on most of Haymon’s major fights) doesn’t step up and do the fight we’ll talk to ESPN about doing the fight on one of our cards. But I talked to (Gvozdyk manager) Egis (Klimas) and we are not averse to fighting in Quebec City.”

“I learned only shortly before the bid Phil Weiss was there representing TGB,” Michel told ESPN. “I had never met him before the purse bid. I also had no idea how much he was going to bid.

“I spoke to Arum after and I was very happy and impressed by his cordiality, the collaboration he has offered, his personnel and his team’s participation, to make this event a huge success as the quality of the fight deserves. I am convinced the event has all the ingredients to be a blockbuster.”

“The WBC should make every promoter put up 10 percent of their purse bid and if they default then that money should go to the fighters in proportion to the purse split,” Arum said. “In this case, TGB should have had to put up $310,000 and then when they withdrew their bid that money goes to the fighters and they’re out of luck. They should make that a rule to prevent this s—. That said, Michel came up with a realistic bid and we’re all in.”

“We will wait until the official WBC ruling but since (Groupe Yvon Michel) has done nothing wrong, the promoters of the champion and the contender are ready to work in close collaboration,” Michel said. “Our bid has been logically calculated and is realistic in the current market so we should be allowed to proceed.”

Oleksandr Gvozdyk will meet Mehdi Amar for the Interim WBC Light Heavyweight title on March 17th at the Theater at Madison Square Garden and televised on ESPN, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“We are trading paperwork with Amar’s management, but the fight is agreed to,” Carl Moretti, vice president of Gvozdyk promoter Top Rank, told ESPN on Thursday. “Gvozdyk relishes the opportunity to fight for the interim belt and he’s more locked in than a CPA on April 14.”

“I can’t explain my excitement of how happy I am seeing some bright light at the end of tunnel,” he said. “It means I am getting one more step to a world title shot. Fighting for the interim title and mandatory position in the WBC will bring me in position to fight the champion, whoever it will be at that time. I would like to thank the WBC for giving me this opportunity, my promoter Top Rank, my manager, Egis Klimas, all my team who is working hard to get me in this position.

My dream is slowly coming true. I also am excited to fight in Madison Square Garden, New York, the mecca of boxing. As far as my opponent, I don’t know much about him, but I’ll be ready to find out on March 17th at MSG.”

Said Klimas, the 2016 and 2017 Boxing Writers Association of America manager of the year: “I’m very happy for Oleksandr, getting him into this WBC interim/mandatory position and getting in position in the next fight [after March 17] to fight a champion and to become one. He is a hard-working and smart boxer and he deserves to be where he is now.”

“This guy [Amar] has experience and he fought Stieglitz in a good fight,” Moretti said. “If Gvozdyk takes care of business, which we expect him to, he’ll fight the winner of a sensational fight between Adonis Stevenson and Badou Jack, which is a true 50-50 fight. We look forward to making that fight.”

Light Heavyweight Eleider Alvarez will not participate in a purse bid for a potential purse bid with Oleksandr Gvozduk, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“The WBC has received official notification from Alvarez in which he has withdrawn from the fight for the WBC interim title, consequently the purse bid scheduled for this Friday is now cancelled,” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman wrote to both camps on Wednesday. “The WBC will now take the matter back to the WBC board to review and make a ruling on the division.”

“Obviously, we’re disappointed that once again a fight disappeared for Gvozdyk after being ordered. We know Gvozdyk is a solid fighter, we just didn’t realize we have the second coming of Bob Foster,” Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti sarcastically told ESPN, referring to the all-time great former light heavyweight world champion and one of the biggest punchers in boxing history.

“He is the No. 1 WBC contender because he has earned it in the ring and we can see no logical reasons to fight a fourth final title eliminator,” Michel told ESPN, though the Gvozdyk fight would be for an interim title, which, with a win, would guarantee Alvarez a higher percentage of the money in the full title fight if it were to go to a purse bid. “His goal is to fight the champion.”

Light Heavyweight Oleksand Gvozdyk takes on Craig Baker on August 19th on the Terence Crawford – Julius Indong undercard in Lincoln. Nebraska according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Gvozdyk needs to sustain the momentum he has garnered over the last couple of fights,” Top Rank’s Carl Moretti said. “He can’t afford a letdown here on national TV.”

“Baker has bounced back nicely after his loss to Edwin Rodriguez with a win over undefeated Steve Lovett,” Moretti said.