LOS ANGELES (July 11, 2019): WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Rey Vargas (33-0, 22 KOs) and No. 1 Contender and former world champion Tomoki “El Mexicanito” Kameda (36-2, 20 KOs) hosted their final press conference today at the DoubleTree By Hilton in Carson, Calif. ahead of their 12-round fight. The event will take place Saturday, July 13 at Dignity Health Sports Park and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s press conference:

REY VARGAS, WBC Super Bantamweight Champion:

“I’m happy to be here once again in the United States and Los Angeles where the beautiful people here always receive us well. I’m thankful for being a world champion. I’ve always categorized myself as someone who’s not a talker – I show it in the ring. We’re ready for war. We know the Japanese people are always willing to die in the line of fire, but Mexicans, we’re warrior too. And if you want, we can start the fight right here so bring the scale and let’s get the party started.”

TOMOKI KAMEDA, No 1. Contender for the WBC Super Bantamweight Championship:

“I’m super excited and happy to be fighting here in the United States but most of all in Los Angeles, where there are a lot of Mexican and Japanese people. We are ready, we did a very good preparation, more than four months of training and I promise to give a good show because I prepared really well. I respect all opponents, Vargas too. The only thing I want to tell Vargas is – Champ, are you a champion, are you Mexican? Then this fight, fight like a Mexican. Let’s give a good fight. This Saturday, my story will begin.”

DIEGO DE LA HOYA, NABF Super Bantamweight Champion:

“We had a really good preparation. Thank you to my promoter Golden Boy, my manager, my trainers, all of them for believing in me. This fight is very important. It’s one more step towards a world title. And this Saturday, Ronny Rios and I are going to steal the show. It’s going to be a great fight, it’s going to be a big war.”

RONNY RIOS, Super Bantamweight Contender:

“First and foremost, I want to thank DAZN and Golden Boy for giving me such a great opportunity and putting me on such a great card. I especially want to thank Robert Diaz for always confiding in me and my team. I want to thank my team for always being there for me through thick and thin. It’s been a tough, challenging year but we’re back to where we want to and we’re here to make the best of it. I just want to let everybody know that I don’t see myself as a stepping stone. I’m here to give it my best shot and Diego and I are going to give the fight fans a great fight on Saturday.”

JOET GONZALEZ, Featherweight Contender:

“I want to thank Golden Boy and DAZN for giving me the opportunity to show my boxing this Saturday. And my team, my dad who’s my trainer, my manager Frank Espinoza, and my brothers. I had a good camp. I’m ready for Saturday night, and I just can’t wait.”

MANUEL AVILA, Featherweight Contender:

“I’d like to thank God for this opportunity, Golden Boy, DAZN, my dad as my manager. I trained hard for this fight. I tell people it’s just another fight. I’m ready for the fight to be here. I’m just excited to be here.”

ROCKY HERNANDEZ, Super Featherweight Contender:

“I’m very happy to be here. It’s going to be a very good card and I believe I’ll be walking away with my hands raised because I trained very hard. I want to thank Golden Boy, Promociones del Pueblo, all the people who support me, my family, friends, everyone in Mexico who has been sending me messages, and I want to thank Victor Flores for all the support that he’s been giving me.”

ROGER GUTIURREZ, Super Featherweight Contender:

“It’s a pleasure being here on such an important card. I’m grateful to Golden Boy for all the support and the fact that they believe in me and that they’ve given me another opportunity. I’m also grateful to Gilberto Mendoza, the president of the WBA, who has never stopped believing me and has always supported me.”

Vargas vs. Kameda is a 12-round fight for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Promociones del Pueblo and TGB Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, July 13 at Dignity Health Sports Park and will be streamed live on DAZN.

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

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow
on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/.
Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #VargasKameda

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting
the link: http://bit.ly/VargasKameda. into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.

LOS ANGELES (July 10, 2019): WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Rey Vargas (33-0, 22 KOs) and No 1. Contender Tomoki “El Mexicanito” Kameda (36-2, 20 KOs) hosted a media workout today at Westside Boxing Club in Los Angeles ahead of their 12-round battle. The event will take place on Saturday, July 13 at Dignity Health Sports Park and will be streamed live on DAZN

Fighters from the undercard, including Diego De La Hoya (21-0, 10 KOs), Ronny Rios (30-3, 14 KO), Joet Gonzalez (22-0, 13 KOs), Rocky Hernandez (28-0, 25 KOs), Alexis Rocha (13-0, 8 KOs) and Jousce Gonzalez (8-0-1, 8 KOs), also participated in the workout.

Below is what today’s participants had to say:

REY VARGAS, WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion:

“I’m happy with how camp went. Kameda is a good rival. We fought a long time ago but that doesn’t count. Right now, it’s a new story. I’m very calm and have been working hard. It’s going to be a different fight in terms of style and quality. We’ve both improved. I can promise you it’s going to be a good fight. Whatever kind of tune he dances to, I’ll dance to that as well. He’s a strong, quick fighter but he won’t be better than me. I won’t underestimate him, but you have to complete these things, not just say it. That’s why I train hard and I’m a world champion. The fights in Los Angeles are always good and are very special for me, I want to thank all my fans that have been supporting me. This Saturday will be a spectacular fight.”

TOMOKI KAMEDA, No. 1 Contender for the WBC Super Bantamweight Championship:

“I feel prepared. I did great preparation in Osaka, Japan and I feel confident. Vargas and I were amateurs together, and I know his style. He’s very technical and a tall fighter but we have a good strategy and I’m going to show it in the ring. When we fought as amateurs, I had only fought 10 fights when he had 100 fights. I have more experience now and have fought around the country against different rivals including Mexican, Pilipino and Thai so I can say I have more experience than him. This fight will be a really good fight, we both have good styles. I have a Japanese Mexican style, and he has a Mexican style. Mexican fighters are warriors. I have a lot of Mexican and Japanese fans and I hope this Saturday, both fans can see the kind of boxing I bring. It’s going to be a good fight and I’m going to do everything possible to make sure it’s a great night.”

DIEGO DE LA HOYA, NABF Super Bantamweight Champion:

“I feel really proud to be a part of this bout. My rival, Rios, is a really good fighter so this is a good opportunity for me. I’m happy that my fans have followed me along my journey and I want to show them that I’m ready to take the title. I’m proud to return to the ring and give the type of fight where fans will say Diego De La Hoya has returned. I know it’s a hard fight and that’s why I took it, to show that I’m back. It’ll be a good fight, especially for the fans.”

RONNY RIOS, Super Bantamweight Contender:

“I’m more excited now than I’ve ever been before. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got. I want people to know that I’m not here for easy challenges. I’m 33 but I’ve fought a lot of fighters and I haven’t shied away from a fight. I’m here to be the best, to fight the best, and to keep fighting the best. I have one focus right now, which is July 13, and I plan on putting the pressure in the ring. I plan on focusing on my positive and not negatives. I’m prepared to do what I need to do and I’m ready physically and mentally. I had the best camp, my weight’s been good so I’m ready to go out there and show myself.”

JOET GONZALEZ, Featherweight Champion:

“I’ve been dedicated since day one. I’m ready for the weigh in and Saturday night, I’ll come out ready. There are some challenges in Avila, he’s a good boxer. I know what he brings to the table and I know his strengths and weaknesses. On Saturday, I plan to exploit his weaknesses. It’s going to be a great fight. It’ll be an exciting card because my brother is fighting on the same card. It’s going to be the second time we’re fighting on the same card and we’re excited. I get nervous for him and he gets nervous for me but we know we’re ready. We’ll show what all that training has done. I’ve waited long enough. I want the world title shot after this fight and I believe my team will make this happen.”

ROCKY HERNANDEZ, Super Featherweight Contender:

“This is going to be a strong fight. My work will speak for itself. To all my fans, you won’t want to miss this Saturday and especially this fight. We’re going to come out and give it our all and show what we’ve learned. I’m very happy and grateful for this opportunity and I’m ready to show why I deserve to win. My family is my motivation and I’m going to be a world champion.”

ALEXIS ROCHA, Welterweight Prospect:

“Everything’s been going very well. I feel ready. I want to thank Golden Boy for putting me on this great card. Abreu is a good rival but I’m ready for Saturday. Outside of the ring I’m very friendly and shy but inside the ring, I’m aggressive. I have a good technique. My dream is to be a world champion and I want to get more titles. After my last fight I learned that I need to take my time and be patient. I’ve well trained and I’ve trained very hard. I’m fighting with my brother on the card so I’m excited. I hope you all tune into for my fight, it’s going to be a firework action show.”

JOUSCE GONZALEZ, Lightweight Prospect:
“I’ve had a long training camp and I’m excited for this fight. I had a long time off but I’m ready to go. During my time off, I learned that I should take my health into consideration and be smarter with the decisions I make. I had knee surgery and rushed back to it too soon, I let my pride get to me. I should be smarter as it pertains to my health and I want to give it my 100 percent and get more experience in the ring. I’m very excited to be fighting on the same card as my brother. It’s motivating to see him work hard, it makes me work harder. I learn from him and my dad the most. It’s really cool to see the support from the fans too.”

Vargas vs. Kameda is a 12-round fight for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Promociones del Pueblo and TGB Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, July 13 at Dignity Health Sports Park and will be streamed live on DAZN.

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

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow
on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/.
Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #VargasKameda

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting
the link: http://bit.ly/VargasKameda. into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.

CARSON, CALIF. (June 6, 2019): A thoroughly stacked night of Golden Boy action heads to the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. as Rey Vargas (33-0, 22 KOs) defends his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title in the 12-round main event against No. 1 Contender and former world champion Tomoki “El Mexicanito” Kameda (36-2, 20 KOs). The card will also feature the return of Diego De La Hoya, Joet Gonzalez, Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez, Alexis “Lex” Rocka and Jousce “Tito” Gonzalez. The fights will take place on Saturday, July 13 and will be streamed live on DAZN.

“Golden Boy is no stranger to big events with stacked undercards, and much less when it comes to having them at the Dignity Health Sports Park,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “Not only is this place the home of the LA Galaxy, it has also become a battlefield for some of the most exciting wars this sport has ever seen. July 13 will not disappoint as the best 122-pounder in the world in Rey Vargas defends his world title against an explosive challenger. Most importantly, however, this stacked card will also demonstrate what we have been doing at the Golden Boy for many years: producing stars and making the best fights possible.”

Vargas is a 28-year-old world champion who brings a considerable height and reach advantage to every fight, which he has used to defeat all of his previous opponents. In February 2017, Vargas traveled to the United Kingdom to defeat Gavin McDonnell for the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight Title. For that fight, Vargas enlisted the help of Hall of Fame trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, who has been training him ever since. Vargas then defended the title against Ronny Rios, Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete, Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannyan and Franklin Manzanilla. The native of Mexico City, Mexico will look to make the fifth defense of his title in his first main event fight in the United States.

“This is going to be a hard and complicated fight,” said Rey Vargas. “Kameda is a difficult opponent who has been a world champion. Above all, however, he has a thorn in his side that he’ll want to take out because I beat him in the amateurs several years ago. This is an interesting fight. He is a quick fighter and he’ll look to take advantage of that, but thanks to God and my corner we are already working to counteract the strategy of this Japanese fighter. God willing, we will walk away with our hand in victory.”

Kameda is a 27-year-old native of Tokyo, Japan who traveled to Mexico when he was only 15 years old to learn from and compete with its fighters, earning the nickname “Mexicanito” in the process. Since then, Kameda has developed into a complete fighter utilizing styles from both countries. In 2013, Kameda became a world champion by defeating Paulus Ambunda for the WBO Bantamweight World Title, defending it three times. He also challenged for a world title on two occasions by facing Jamie McDonnell for the WBA Bantamweight World Championship. Kameda then moved up to 122 pounds where he plans to become a two-division world champion.

“This is going to be a great battle,” said Tomoki Kameda. “I know Rey Vargas very well. We fought in the amateurs during my time in Mexico. I look forward to getting my revenge against him and becoming a two-division world champion. I know Vargas is a tall fighter with long arms, but the Mexican style that I possess will give him a lot of trouble and make for a great fight for the fans!”

“This is a great fight where the two best super bantamweights in the world will meet,” said Oswaldo Kuchle, President of Promociones del Pueblo. “Rey Vargas will prove that he is invincible, and that’s why he has the belt with the highest ranking-the WBC belt.”

“A former world champion who’s fought on the big stage in Japan, Mexico and the U.S., Tomoki Kameda is more than ready for this opportunity to become a champion again on July 13,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “At just 27-years-old, Kameda is still in his prime after already accomplishing a tremendous amount as a pro. He’s going to bring a challenge that Rey Vargas has never seen before and deliver a memorable night for his fans all over the world.”

In the co-main event, Diego De La Hoya (21-0, 13 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico will take on hometown favorite Ronny Rios (30-3, 14 KOs) of Santa Ana, Calif. in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBA Gold Super Bantamweight Title.

“I’m excited for this great opportunity to showcase my skills at the Dignity Health Sports Park,” said Diego De La Hoya. “This is another step closer to a world title challenge, and I promise to give my fans a night to remember. Ronny Rios is a tough fighter, but these types of challenges motivate me to perform at my best. I won’t be denied a victory come July 13!”

“First and foremost, I would like to thank Golden Boy and DAZN for giving me this opportunity,” said Ronny Rios. “Secondly, I would like to thank my team for helping me stay prepared, motivated and focused. I would also like to thank Diego De La Hoya and his camp for accepting this fight.”

Joet Gonzalez (22-0, 10 KOs) of Glendora, Calif. will fight for the vacant WBO Global Featherweight Title in a 10-round fight against Manuel “Tino” Avila (23-1-1, 8 KOs) of Fairfield, Calif. This fight will feature two high-level Golden Boy contenders who are centimeters away from a world title shot.

Mexican rising star Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez(28-0, 25 KOs) will return in a 10-round super featherweight fight. This will be Rocky’s second fight after signing a co-promotional deal between Promociones del Pueblo and Golden Boy.

Welterweight prospect Alexis “Lex” Rocha (13-0, 8 KOs) of Santa Ana, Calif. will defend his WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Title in a 10-round bout against Berlin Abreu (14-2, 11 KOs) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republican.

Jousce “Tito” Gonzalez (8-0-1, 8 KOs) of Glendora, Calif. will return in a six-round lightweight fight.

Jonathan Esquivel (10-0, 9 KOs) of Anaheim, Calif. will battle in a six-round super middleweight fight.

Adrian Benton (1-0) of Cincinnati, Ohio will participate in a four-round super lightweight fight.

The opponents for this undercard will be announced shortly.

Vargas vs. Kameda is a 12-round fight for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Promociones del Pueblo and TGB Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, July 13 at Dignity Health Sports Park and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Tickets for Vargas vs. Kameda go on sale Thursday, June 6 at 10:00 a.m. PT. Tickets are priced at $75, $50, $25 and $10, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges. Tickets can be purchased at goldenboytickets.com, AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849), and at the Dignity Health Sports Park Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, call 877-234-8425.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow
on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/.
Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #VargasKameda

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting
the link: http://bit.ly/VargasKameda. into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.

Andrew Cancio won the WBA Super Featherweight title with a stunning 4th round stoppage over previously undefeated champion Alberto Machado at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California.

In round one, Machado dropped Cancio with a hard three punch combination that was punctuated by a left uppercut. In round four, Cancio dropped Machado with a hard right to the body. Cancio jumped on Machado and scored a 2nd knockdown after a flurry of body punches. With Machado clearly hurt, Cancio finished the fight with a couple more flush body shots that put Machado down for a 3rd and final time at 2:16.

Cancio, 129 3/4 lbs of Blyth, CA is 20-4-2 with 15 knockouts. Machado, 130 lbs of San Juan, PR is 21-1.

Rey Vargas survived a hard 2nd round knockdown and three cuts but he retained the WBC Super Bantamweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Franklin Manzanilla

In round two, Manzanilla dropped Vargas with a hard left hook.

In round seven, was deducted a point for hitting on the break. Seconds later a cut was opened up over the right eye of Vargas after an accidental headbutt. In round eight, Manzanilla was docked another point for pushing Vargas’s head down. In round nine, Vargas was cut both above and below his left eye.

Vargas, 121 1/2 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 117-108 on all cards and is now 33-0. Manzanilla, 122 lbs of Venezuela is 18-5

Joseph Diaz Jr. won a 10-round unanimous decision over Charles Huerta in a junior lightweight bout.

Diaz won by scores of 99-91 on all cards and is now 28-1.

INDIO, CALIF. (Jan. 4, 2019): Two world title fights will head to the Coachella Valley in February as Golden Boy Promotions presents another exciting night of boxing on DAZN. In the main event, Alberto “Explosivo” Machado (21-0, 17 KOs) will defend his WBA Super Featherweight World Title against Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (19-4-2, 14 KOs) in a 12-round clash. In the co-main event, Rey Vargas (32-0, 22 KOs) will put his WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship on the line against Franklin Manzanilla (18-4, 17 KOs) in a 12-round battle. The event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and will be streamed live on DAZN – which is just $9.99 per month after a one-month free trial.

“Golden Boy Promotions has promised to bring exciting fights every month on DAZN,”
said Oscar De La Hoya, CEO and Chairman of Golden Boy Promotions. “We’re keeping our promise by bringing two world title fights featuring a world champion from Puerto Rico in Alberto Machado and one from Mexico in Rey Vargas. The best talent from these two countries, which have a rich history in the sport of boxing, will be on display for fans to watch at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino or from home on DAZN.”

Machado, a 28-year-old of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a big man for his division and boasts explosive power in both hands. After unifying two regional titles with a dominant unanimous decision victory against Carlos “The Solution” Morales, Machado defeated Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales by way of eighth-round knockout to capture WBA Super Featherweight World Title in Oct. 2017. The hard-hitting southpaw has retained his title against the likes of Rafael “Sweet Pea” Mensah and Yuandale “Money Shot” Evans and will look to make a third defense against Cancio.

“I am very hungry to go to Los Angeles and start camp for Andrew Cancio,” said
Alberto Machado.”Cancio is a great warrior with good experience and will come very hungry, but I will prepare myself responsibly as he is a great challenge for my career. A victory over him will take me further to what I want to achieve in this sport. This will be the third defense of my title, and now I am going in with more experience. I look forward to retaining my championship and returning to Puerto Rico as a world champion.”

Cancio is a 30-year-old contender who recently re-signed with Golden Boy Promotions after scoring a sensational technical knockout victory against then-undefeated prospect
Aida Sharibayev. The native of Blythe, Calif. has victories against the likes of
Rocky Juarez, Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes and Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado, and he’s also been in tough fights against Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. and
Ronny Rios in a professional career that started over 12 years ago. Needless to say, Cancio has worked hard for his title shot.

“I’m very excited and grateful for this opportunity to fight for a world title,” said
Andrew Cancio. “Thanks very much to my manager Ray Chaparro and the Golden Boy Promotions Team, along with DAZN. I’ve watched many of Alberto Machado’s fights and know how great of a fighter he is. However, I’ve already started training and will be well prepared on February 9 to win the world title in front of my fans at Fantasy Springs who have always been so very supportive.”

“We are excited to start 2019 with a great fight for Alberto Machado on DAZN,” said
Miguel Cotto, President of Miguel Cotto Promotions.”We are committed together with Golden Boy Promotions to bringing the best fights with the best fighters in the world. We know what Machado he is capable of doing. He will enter the ring as a champion and leave the ring as a champion on February 9.”

As mentioned above, Rey Vargas will defend his 122-pound title against Franklin Manzanilla in the 12-round co-main event. Vargas is a 28-year-old world champion who brings a considerable height and reach advantage to every fight, which he has used to defend his titles against the likes of Ronny Rios, Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete and Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan.

“Franklin Manzanilla is a complete fighter,” said Rey Vargas. “He’s tough and goes forward, but he also knows how to box. He’s a strong fighter, and he showed that by defeating Julio Ceja in four rounds to earn the right to fight for a world title. Manzanilla also hits hard. I’ve seen this, and his record indicates that as well. However, I also believe he has some deficiencies in his defense, and that’s what we’re going to try to take advantage of in this fight. Lastly, I invite all the people to watch this fight because it’s going to be a war, and God willing I will walk away with my hand raised high.”

Manzanilla is a 30-year-old native of Caracas, Venezuela who will fight in the United States for the first time. Manzanilla is coming off a victory against Julio Ceja for the WBC Silver Super Bantamweight Title, earning him a shot at Vargas in February.

“I’m training very hard to be well prepared,” said Franklin Manznilla. “However, we still haven’t even begun the hard stages of preparation that will have us in excellent condition to give everything in the ring. Rey Vargas is a great fighter who is always well prepared for his fights. He throws a lot of punches, which means we have to be double prepared for this bout. It’s going to be a great fight, and I invite everyone to watch it because they will witness a great upset and will get to know Franklin Manzanilla, a fighter who is preparing physically and mentally to become the new world champion.”

“Rey Vargas is the best super bantamweight in the world,” said Oswaldo Kuchle, President of Promociones del Pueblo. “He will put on a great show on Feb. 9 with his excellent boxing skills. Without a doubt, I think it will be a great and explosive fight that will delight fans in the arena.”

The undercard of this event will be filled with contenders and prospects from the exclusive Golden Boy Promotions stable.

Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. (27-1, 14 KOs) of South El Monte, Calif. will return in a 10-round super featherweight battle against Charles Huerta (20-5, 12 KOs) of Paramount, Calif.

Genaro “El Conde” Gamez (8-0, 5 KOs) will battle against Ivan “Striker” Delgado (13-1-2, 6 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight battle between a current Golden Boy prospect and an ex-Golden Boy fighter.

Oscar Duarte (15-0-1, 10 KOs) of Parral, Mexico will participate in a 10-round fight in the lightweight division.

Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (15-3, 12 KOs) of Los Angeles, Calif. will compete in a 10-round super bantamweight fight.

Ferdinand “Lucky Boy” Kerobyan (11-0, 6 KOs) of North Hollywood, Calif. will return in an eight-round super welterweight battle.

Hometown hero Rommel Caballero (4-0, 3 KOs) of Coachella, Calif. will open the night of action in a six-round super featherweight battle.

Opponents for the undercard fighters will be announced shortly.

Machado vs. Cancio is a 12-round fight for the WBA Super Featherweight World Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. Vargas vs. Manzanilla is a 12-round battle for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and will be streamed live on DAZN.

About DAZN:
Globally, DAZN is a live and on-demand sports streaming service created by fans, for fans, that is leading the charge to provide access to sports anytime, anywhere. DAZN guarantees no long-term contract, no bundles, just one affordable price for access to all the service’s sports on connected devices including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. DAZN is currently available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, Canada, Italy and now the U.S. at just $9.99 per month after a one-month free trial – where it is becoming a must-have service for sports fans, with a daily show featuring live look-ins to Major League Baseball games beginning in 2019 and more than 100 fight nights already lined up from Matchroom Boxing, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series, Combate Americas and the recently announced Golden Boy Promotions.

Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, Jan. 4, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. PT and are priced at $35, $45 and $55. Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Media interested in attending Golden Boy Boxing: Machado vs. Cancio must request credentials by emailing clavoie@fantasysprings.net by 5:00 p.m. PT on Friday, Feb. 1.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #MachadoCancio and #VargasManzanilla.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying
and pasting the link http://bit.ly/February9DAZN into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy Promotions for any photo and/or video usage.

HBO Sports presents another WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING card from the Empire State, this time visiting Verona, for SADAM ALI VS. JAIME MUNGUIA AND REY VARGAS VS. AZAT HOVHANNISYAN, to be seen SATURDAY, MAY 12 at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from Turning Stone Resort Casino, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

The main event is a junior middleweight title showdown, as Brooklyn’s Sadam Ali (26-1, 14 KOs) defends his crown against rising challenger Jaime Munguia (28-0, 24 KOs) from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, in a scheduled 12-round bout. The 29-year-old Ali played spoiler at boxing legend Miguel Cotto’s retirement fight last December, and now looks to build his own legacy.

Munguia jumped at the chance to compete for a 154-pound title belt when Liam Smith withdrew due to illness. Though just 21, the undefeated fighter has started to make noise in the deep, talented junior middleweight division.

The opening bout features undefeated Rey Vargas (31-0, 22 KOs) from Otumba, Mexico taking on Azat Hovhannisyan (14-2, 11 KOs) from Yerevan, Armenia, now living in Los Angeles, in a scheduled 12-round super bantamweight title fight.

The undefeated Vargas boasts a 71% knockout-to-win ratio and will be making the third defense of his 122-pound belt. He recorded three wins in 2017, most recently besting the previously undefeated Oscar Negrete on HBO. Hoyhannisyan, who has a 70% knockout-to-win ratio, is on an eight-bout winning streak after a majority decision loss in 2014; his only other loss came in his four-round pro debut in 2011. Known as “Crazy A,” he won all three of his bouts last year, and scored a sixth-round knockout of Ronny Rios on March 9.

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

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

The executive producer of HBO Sports is Rick Bernstein; producer, Thomas Odelfelt; director, Johnathan Evans.

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

VERONA, N.Y. (April 30, 2018): Jaime Munguia (28-0, 24 KOs), the dangerous undefeated 154-pound contender of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, will step in to challenge Sadam “World Kid” Ali (26-1, 14 KOs) of Brooklyn, N.Y. in a 12-round battle for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Title on May 12 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y. The co-main event will feature Rey Vargas (31-0, 22 KOs) and Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (14-2, 11 KOs) in a 12-round clash for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Title.The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Munguia will replace Liam “Beefy” Smith, who was forced to pull out of the fight against Ali due to an illness. This dangerous 21-year-old puncher has ended 24 of his fights by stunning knockout and will look to take advantage of his first world title opportunity as he returns to the United States for only the second time in his career.

“I want to thank everyone involved, but above all I thank Sadam Ali for the opportunity,” said Jaime Munguia. “Though all the criticisms made about me have motivated me to be where I am, I will show that they were all wrong. I will crown myself as world champion on May 12.”

Ali, a 2008 U.S. Olympian, was unfazed by the change. The 29-year-old champion silenced all doubters by defeating Miguel Cotto via unanimous decision in Dec. 2017 to win the title he currently holds. Ali will look to defend his title in a dangerous battle against a young contender.

“I’m determined to defend my title for the first time on May 12,” said Sadam Ali. “It doesn’t matter who, and it doesn’t matter how. Jaime Munguia will have the opportunity of a lifetime when he fights me, but I’m walking away with my hand up in victory and the belt around my waist.”

Ali vs. Munguia is a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Zanfer Promotions. Vargas vs. Hovhannisyan is a 12-round battle for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event takes place Saturday, May 12 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. ET, and the first fight begins at 6:30 p.m. ET. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Host of the May 12 event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier venue for fight-of-the-year level boxing. The May event will mark Turning Stone’s 25th nationally-televised boxing event, cementing the resort as a leading destination for nationally-televised combat sports. Turning Stone features world-class amenities including four hotels, more than 20 signature restaurants and dining options, two spas, an all-new 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, a cabaret-style Showroom, a 5,000-seat arena, five golf courses, several bars, cocktail lounges and nightlife venues with live entertainment every weekend.

Tickets for this highly anticipated matchup are on sale and are available from $95 and $75 for ringside seats and all others priced at $55 and $45, plus any applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office in person or by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

Professional media requesting credentials for Ali vs. Smith must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at kelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/AliMunguia into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.hbo.com/boxing
and www.turningstone.com. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing @TurningStone. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/hboboxing and www.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @TurningStone. Follow the conversation using #AliMunguia.

LOS ANGELES (April 26, 2018): Ryan “The Flash” Garcia (14-0, 13 KO) hosted a media workout today at Legendz Boxing Gym in Norwalk, Calif. ahead of a very special May 4 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. Garcia will kick off the Cinco de Mayo festivities as he faces seasoned Puerto Rican contender Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez (26-4-1, 18 KOs) in the 10-round main event in the super featherweight division. ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT, and stream live on ESPN3 starting at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Undercard fighters of the Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN show were also in attendance. Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (12-0, 2 KOs), who will return in an eight-round flyweight fight. Marvin Cabrera (7-0, 5 KOs) will participate in an eight-round super welterweight clash. Garden City, Kansas’ Richard “Kansas Kid” Acevedo (1-0, 1 KO) will fight in a four-round super welterweight battle.

Here’s what today’s participants had to say at the media workout:

RYAN “THE FLASH” GARCIA, Current Junior NABF Super
Featherweight Champion:

“This is going to be an amazing event. This will be another step in my legacy, and I look forward to a world-changing fight. It doesn’t matter how much experience Jayson Velez has. I’m going to fight the way I fight, whether he fought for a world title or not. I’m going to see how he fights, and I’ll know what to do.”

“I’ve noticed that he drops his hand a lot, so I’m going to feint to the body and catch him with my left hook. This fight is going to end in the fourth round. I may end it early, but I say it’ll end in the fourth round. The knockout doesn’t have to be with one punch because I also know how to end fights with a barrage and force the referee to end it. These two belts [NABF and NABO Super Featherweight Titles] will be on the line, and I know the the next fight will be for a world title.”

SENIESA “SUPER BAD” ESTRADA, Super Flyweight Prospect:

“I train how I always do, no matter who my opponent is. Of course, it is helpful to know who I am fighting from the beginning, but either way I’m going to be very much prepared. It feels great to have young girls following me. When I grew up, I didn’t have many girls in boxing to look up to. I looked up to Roy Jones, Jr. So I’m happy girls are looking up to me.”

MARVIN CABRERA, Super Welterweight Prospect:

“I know this is an experienced opponent. We’re going to take advantage of this opportunity to fight at StubHub, and we’ll do what we love, which is fighting. Hopefully by the end of the year I can have my first 10-round fight.”

RICHARD “KANSAS KID” ACEVEDO, Welterweight Prospect:

“I’m happy to be working with my new trainers, the Saucedo Brothers, at Westside Boxing Club. We’re great friends outside the gym, but in the gym, they are my coaches and there is a lot of respect. I’m excited about fighting on a Golden Boy card. I’ll be going in with everything, and if the knockout comes, it comes.”

(ABOVE: Azat Hovhannisyan talks to the media ahead of his fight against Rey Vargas for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Title on May 12 and televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing)

Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (14-2, 11 KOs) also participated in the media workout today. Hovhannisyan will challenge Rey Vargas (31-0, 22 KOs) for the WBC Super Bantamweight Title in the co-main event of spectacular card at Turning Stone Resort Casino on Saturday, May 12. The event is chief support to the 12-round co-main event to Sadam “World Kid” Ali andLiam “Beefy” Smith for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

AZAT “CRAZY A” HOVHANNISYAN, WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight Champion:

“Ever since I was a kid in Armenia, I was trained to fight with an exciting style. I had over 200 amateur fights, and that gave me a lot of experience. I lost my professional debut, but I knew I was better than that.”

“Rey Vargas is a dangerous opponent. He’s very tall and long, but beside that I don’t see anything else. I’ve sparred with a lot of tall opponents, so I know how they fight, and I’ll be more than ready to beat him. A win over Vargas would not only mean a lot for me and my family, but also for my entire country.”

# # #

Garcia vs. Velez is a 10-round super featherweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle.” The fights will take place on Friday, May 4, 2018 at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT, and the first fight begins at 5:30 p.m. PT. ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT, and stream live on ESPN3 starting at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Ali vs. Smith is a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren. Vargas vs. Hovhannisyanis a 12-round battle for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions inassociation with Promociones del Pueblo.The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Casa Mexico Tequila. The doubleheader takes place Saturday, May 12 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

GBP on ESPN on May 4:
Tickets for Garcia vs. Velez are on sale now, and are priced at $75, $50, $25 and $10, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges. Tickets can be purchased at goldenboytickets.com, AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849), and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, call 877-234-8425.

HBO World Championship Boxing on May 12:
Tickets for this highly anticipated matchup are on sale and are available from $95 and $75 for ringside seats and all others priced at $55 and $45, plus any applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office in person or by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

GBP on ESPN on May 4:
For more information,
visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and http://www.espn.com/boxing/; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPN, and @ESPNBoxeo; become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing; and follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @OscarDeLaHoya. Follow the conversation using #GBPonESPN.

HBO World Championship Boxing on May 12:
For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,
www.hbo.com/boxing and www.turningstone.com.
Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing @TurningStone.
Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/hboboxing and www.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @TurningStone.
Follow the conversation using #AliSmith.

GBP on ESPN on May 4:
Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting link: http://bit.ly/GarciaVelez into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

HBO World Championship Boxing on May 12:
Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/SadamAliLiamSmith into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (April 25, 2018): Rey Vargas (31-0, 22 KOs), the undefeated world champion of Mexico City, Mexico, discussed his training camp ahead of the third defense of his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title against Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (14-2, 11 KOs) in the 12-round co-main event to Sadam “World Kid” Ali and Liam “Beefy” Smith for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship on Saturday, May 12 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

The 27-year-old champion is currently in the strongest stage of sparring at the famed Romanza Gym in Mexico City, Mexico, under the supervision of Hall of Fame Trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristaín, along with Oscar Ortiz and Fabian and Emilio Ramirez.When he is not sparring or doing his daily conditioning training, Vargas trains out of his home gym in Otumba, Mexico, working offensive and defensive strategies according to the fight plan in mind.

Vargas had the following to say regarding his training camp and his future in the sport of boxing:

“Like always, we’re working on being better for the next fight. We’re also working on power and movement, but also on technique and strategy. Nevertheless, everything will be determined in the ring. He can study me all he wants. He could have the better corner, or I could have the better corner. At the end of the day, it will just be me and him, so the one who has prepared the best and has the better strategy will win.”

“We are just days away from this great fight against a great fighter [Hovhannisyan] who knows how to brawl and move about the ring. He can fight from both stances, so he’s not just any kind of fighter. We have to really take into account of who is stepping into the ring with us.”

“I know that Hovhannisyan has some experience fighting against Mexicans, but not all of us are the same. I know how to box and brawl. It’s going to be an interesting fight because he’s a brawler who knows how to move when he decides to. We also can’t take away the fact that he has a lot of power. It’s interesting that we have fought a similar opponent [Ronny Rios]. He knocked him out in six rounds, while I defeated him by unanimous decision. Because of that there may be some doubts, but I’ll make things clear May 12.”

“This fight is my first priority, and I hope to walk out of this fight well and with my hand raised in victory. I want the people to be happy from a great performance. But of course, I’m also thinking about possible unification fights in the future. I would love to unify titles with the current IBF champion Ryosuke Iwase, an opponent who really has caught my attention because he earned his title by knockout in foreign territory.”

Ali vs. Smith is a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren. Vargas vs. Hovhannisyan is a 12-round battle for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event takes place Saturday, May 12 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. ET, and the first fight begins at 6:30 p.m. ET. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Host of the May 12 event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier venue for fight-of-the-year level boxing. The May event will mark Turning Stone’s 25th nationally-televised boxing event, cementing the resort as a leading destination for nationally-televised combat sports. Turning Stone features world-class amenities including four hotels, more than 20 signature restaurants and dining options, two spas, an all-new 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, a cabaret-style Showroom, a 5,000-seat arena, five golf courses, several bars, cocktail lounges and nightlife venues with live entertainment every weekend.

Tickets for this highly anticipated matchup are on sale and are available from $95 and $75 for ringside seats and all others priced at $55 and $45, plus any applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office in person or by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

Professional media requesting credentials for Ali vs. Smith must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at kelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/SadamAliLiamSmith into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.hbo.com/boxing
and www.turningstone.com. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing @TurningStone. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/hboboxing and www.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @TurningStone. Follow the conversation using #AliSmith.

VERONA, NY. (April 5, 2018): Rey Vargas (31-0, 22 KOs), the undefeated world champion of Mexico City, Mexico, will make the third defense of his WBC Super Bantamweight World title against explosive Armenian contender Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (14-2, 11 KOs) in the 12-round co-main event to Sadam “World Kid” Ali and Liam “Beefy” Smith for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship on Saturday, May 12 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Vargas is a 27-year-old world champion who brings a considerable height and reach advantage to every fight, which he has used to defeat all of his previous opponents. In February 2017, Vargas traveled to the United Kingdom to defeat Gavin McDonnell for the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight Title. For that fight, Vargas enlisted the help of Hall of Fame trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, who has been training him ever since. Vargas then defended the title against Ronny Rios and Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete, and he’ll look to make his third defense against yet another tough contender in Hovhannisyan.

“I’m ready to make the third defense of my world title in what will be the next step of a historic career,” said Rey Vargas. “I’ve faced the best contenders since becoming world champion, and May 12 will not be the exception. Hovhannisyan is explosive and fast, but I will be prepared to win in exciting fashion to show that I’m the best super bantamweight in the world.”

Hovhannisyan is a fiery contender who has worked hard for his title opportunity. In September 2017, the 29-year-old fought with an injured right hand across 10 rounds of grueling action to win the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight Title on the undercard of Linares vs. Campbell. Hovhannisyan then returned in March for his most impressive victory yet, a sixth-round technical knockout win against former world title challenger Ronny Rios. After defeating a common opponent of Vargas via a more impressive manner, Hovhannisyan will look to use his quick and aggressive style to earn his first world title.

“This is the most important fight of my career,” said Azat Hovhannisyan. “I’ve prepared for this fight my entire life. Vargas is a great champion and this will be a hard fight, but I will do anything it takes to win this title.”

“Both of these world championship fights on May 12 will provide action from the opening bell,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya. “Rey Vargas is the man to beat in the 122-pound division, and Azat Hovhanniysan has put in the work to potentially dethrone him.”

“Promociones del Pueblo and Golden Boy Promotions are dedicated to making great fights like this one,” said Oswaldo Kuchle, President of Promociones del Pueblo. “Rey Vargas has all the tools to walk away with the victory and will remove all doubts regarding his position as the best fighter in the 122-pound division.”

Ali vs. Smith is a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren. Vargas vs. Hovhannisyan is a 12-round battle for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Casa Mexico Tequila. The doubleheader takes place Saturday, May 12 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Host of the May 12 event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier venue for fight-of-the-year level boxing. The May event will mark Turning Stone’s 25th nationally-televised boxing event, cementing the resort as a leading destination for nationally-televised combat sports. Turning Stone features world-class amenities including four hotels, more than 20 signature restaurants and dining options, two spas, an all-new 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, a cabaret-style Showroom, a 5,000-seat arena, five golf courses, several bars, cocktail lounges and nightlife venues with live entertainment every weekend.

Tickets for this highly anticipated matchup are on sale and are available from $95 and $75 for ringside seats and all others priced at $55 and $45, plus any applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office in person or by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

Professional media requesting credentials for Ali vs. Smith must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at kelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/SadamAliLiamSmith into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.hbo.com/boxing
and www.turningstone.com. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing @TurningStone. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/hboboxing and www.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @TurningStone. Follow the conversation using #AliSmith.

NEW YORK–Sadam Ali scored the biggest win of his career as he won the WBO Super Welterweight world title by taking a 12-round unanimous decision over Miguel Cotto in front of 12,391 fans at Madison Square Garden in a bout that Cotto announced would be his last.

The bout was an exciting fight as Ali came out looking to land power punches. He did so in round two by rocking the legendary fighter from Puerto Rico with a left hook in round two that made Cotto’s legs buckle. Cotto got himself together and was effective in the middle rounds by applying pressure and working his left hook.

With the momentum in Cotto’s favor, Ali started stemming the tide, and rocked Cotto several more times over the last three rounds. At the end of round eleven, Ali landed a perfect left hook that sent the mouthpiece of Cotto flying out of his mouth. Ali took the final stanza by landing some quick combinations, and won by scores of 116-112 and 115-113 twice.

Ali, 153 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 26-1. Cotto, 151.6 lbs end his illustrious career with a record of 41-6.

“I worked hard for it.” Said Sadam Ali. “I took advantage of this fight, and I made sure to make it count. I want to Thank God, and also thank team Cotto, They could have taken an easier fight if they wanted too. ”

“I had him hurt here or there in the first couple of rounds. I knew I had to do something, or he would have dug in. By the 11th, I thought the fight was close. Whatever GBP has next, I’ll take it. Good things happen to good people. I have been training since I was 8 years old, and I am glad I got this win at MSG, in my hometow

“Feeling good. Feeling good with the performance. Something happened to my left bicep, seventh round. I don’t want to make excuses, Sadam won the fight. It is my last fight. I am good, and I want to be happy in my home with my family.

“Thank you for all the fans, I am proud to call MSG my second home. I had the opportunity to provide the best for my family because of the sport.”

Rey Vargas defended the WBC Super Bantamweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Oscar Negrete in a battle of undefeated fighters.

Vargas dominated the action by using he height and advantage and he featured some vicious body punching.

In round seven, Vargas suffered a cut over his right eye.  In round eight, it was the left eye that started to bleed on Vargas.

Vargas, 121.4 lbs of Mexico City won by scores of 120-108 and 119-109 twice to raise his perfect mark to 21-0.  Negrete, 121.2 lbs of Los Angeles is 17-1.

“I am glad that we got the win, and I continue being unbeaten with my belt,” said Rey Vargas. “It was difficult finding my rhythm at the beginning of the fight, and the cuts did not help. I have the humility to say that I made my share of mistakes, but I feel that Negrete fought very dirty, and was not a very good boxer.”

Angel Acosta won the WBO  Junior Flyweight title with a 10th round stoppage over Juan Alejo.

Acosta landed a big right that dropped Alejo in the 10th frame and the fight was stopeed at 1:33.

Alejo, 108 lbs of San Juan, PR is now 17-1 with 17 knockouts.  Alejo, 107.8 lbs of Nuevo Leon, MX is 25-5-1.

“It’s taken me 5 years to get here, and I’m cherishing this moment for me and for Puerto Rico,” said Acosta. “I’ve learned a lot since my last fight for a world title against Kosei Tanaka, and this fight proves that I learned and fixed all I needed to win a world championship. My next steps will be up to my promoters, but I know I am in good hands.”

Former world title challenger Ronny Rios took a ten round unanimous decision over Deivis Julio in a featherweight bout.

Rios, 125.2 lbs of Santa Ana, CA won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 97-93, and is now 29-2.  Julio, 125.8 lbs of Monteria, COL is 19-4.

“It was an ugly win, but we got to accomplish it on the undercard of Miguel Cotto,” said Ronny Rios. “He was a southpaw, with an awkward style. He was also a veteran, so he had his little tricks. Overall, this was a huge motivation, and I’m just glad to get back in my groove.”

Zachary Ochoa won a six-round unanimous decision over Erick Martinez in a welterweight bout.

Ochoa, 144.4 lbs of Brooklyn won by shutout margins of 60-54 on all cards and is now 18-1. Martinez, 145 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 14-10-1.

“This puts me in a great spot in my career,” said Zacary Ochoa. “I was shaking off a lot of dust since I haven’t been able to fight consistently, but this proves to me that I’m still worthy of the sport. I still have work to do, but when I was able to land my shots I was able to connect them crisp and effectively. I hope that I’ll be able to fight a lot more this year.”

Follow all the action as Miguel Cotto rides off into the sunset as he defends the WBO Super Welterweight title against Sadam Ali.  The action begins at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with two more world title bouts as Angel Acosta takes on Juan Alejo for the Interim WBO Jr. Flyweight title and Rey Vargas defends the WBC Super Bantamweight title against Oscar Negrete.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Cotto going to the body..Right to body from Ali…Jab from Cotto..Right from Ali..Jab from Cotto..Jab and left hook

Round 2 Left from Cotto..Right from Ali..Left from Coto…Big right buckles Cotto..Left hook..Jab from Cotto..Right..ALi gets in a right..Left from Cotto

Round 3 left hook from Ali..Right..Right…Right from Cotto..Left from Ali

Round 4 Left hook buckles Cotto..Left from Cotto..Hard combination from Ali..Jab from Cotto..Counter right..

Round 5 Right from Cotto..Jab…Double jab,,Right from Ali

Round 6 Cotto lands a right to the body…Left hook to head..Left..Right drives Ali back..Combination to body..Hard combination in corner..

Round 7   Ali lands a right from the outside..Smacking left hook..Double jab from Cotto..Left on ropes..Hard left to body..

Round 8   Cotto working on the ropes..right from Ali..Jab from Cotto..left hook.another left hook grazed the head..

Round 9 Right and left from Cotto..

Round 10 Ali lands a hard right…Right over the top..Left hook from Cotto..Jab..Left hook from Ali..Another good left hook..Counter left hook

Round 11 Left hook from Ali..Right from Cotto..left hook from Ali..Thunderous left hook knockos out Cotto’s Mouthpiece..

Round 12  Lead right from Ali….Good right…3 punch combination..Left hook

115-113; 116-112; 115-113 FOR SADAM ALI

Round 1  Vargas working the body

Round 2  Vargas continues to work the body with both hands

Round 3..Wicked right to headc from Vargas…Follows up with a left and right

Round  Vargas continues to dictate tghe pace with his height

Round 5 Right from Vargas

Round 6 Trading combinations..Left upper cut from Vargas..Combination..Right from Negrete..Left from Vargas..Left to side of head

Round 7  Left to body from Vargas..Negrete lands a left…Hard right..Vargas cut over right eye

Round 8 Right from Vargas..Hard left to the body…Doctor checking the cut over left eye now..Negrete going after Vargas swinging wildly..3 punch combo from Vargas..Right from Negrete..Left to body from Vargas..

Round 9  Doctor checks left eye again..Big left rocks Negrete,,,Hard rights from Vargas..3 punch combination

Round 10 Vargas jabbing..Uppercut on the inside..Left hook from outside..Right from Negrete..Uppercut from Vargas..Left to body

Round 11 Right to body from Vargas..

Round 12 Right from Negrete..Left to body from Negrete..Left to body..Straught right from Negrete,,Vargas lands left to the body

120-108 and 119-109 twice FOR REY VARGAS

Round 1: Alejo lands a right to body..Jab from Acosta..2 left to the body..Left to body from Acosta…

Round 2 Right and left uppercut from Acosta..Right over top from Alejo..Hard body shot on ropes from Acosta..Straight right

Round 3  Hard right and jab from Acosta

Round 4 Straight right from Acosta..Right..Right..Acosta working body on ropes..Big right from Alejo..Left..

Round 5 Acosta lands hard body shots on the ropes..Counter straight right..Acosta gets in a left

Round 6 Left from Alejo…Acosta jabs to the body..Hard right to the body..Big flurry on the ropes..

Round 10 ACOST LANDS A HARD RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ALEJO..THE FIGHT IS OVER AT 1:33

A superstar enters the ring for the final time when HBO Sports presents WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: MIGUEL COTTO VS. SADAM ALI AND REY VARGAS VS. OSCAR NEGRETE on SATURDAY, DEC. 2 at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from Madison Square Garden in New York City, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

The fights will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

Fighting for the 24th time on HBO, ring legend and certain Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto (41-5, 33 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, will take on one last challenger in a 12-round junior middleweight championship showdown before hanging up his gloves after 17 years. The 37-year-old has fought nine times at the Garden before a combined crowd of 140,000 fans, registering an 8-1 record. A four-division, six-time world champion, Cotto has held titles in the super lightweight, welterweight, junior middleweight and middleweight divisions.

Brooklyn-born Sadam Ali (25-1, 14 KOs), 29, looks to spoil Cotto’s retirement celebration and take his 154-pound title. Starting to box at age eight, he’s a two-time New York Golden Gloves winner (2006, 2007) and represented the U.S. in the 2008 Olympic Games before turning pro, going on to win his first 22 fights. Following his only ring loss, in 2016, Ali is on three-bout win streak; defeating Cotto would establish him as a central player in the talented junior middleweight division.

The opening bout is a battle of undefeated boxers, as Rey Vargas (30-0, 22 KOs) from Mexico City takes on Oscar Negrete (17-0, 7 KOs), originally of Tierra Alta, Colombia, in a scheduled 12-round super bantamweight contest. Vargas, 26, who will defend his title for the second time, was last seen on HBO in August with a dominant victory over Ronny Rios. Negrete, 30, who turned pro in 2013, has been on a fast track to a title shot and will be moving up in weight to take on Vargas.

HBO revisits Cotto’s celebrated career with a half-hour retrospective that is available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO ON DEMAND and affiliate portals. Click Here to watch Full Show

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

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

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Dave Harmon; director, Johnathan Evans.
® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 27, 2017) Rey Vargas (30-0, 22 KOs), the undefeated 122-pound champion from Mexico City, Mexico, will make the second defense of his WBC World Super Bantamweight Title against NABF Bantamweight Champion Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (17-0, 7 KOs) of Tierraalta, Colombia in the 12-round co-main event of the showdown between Miguel Cotto and Sadam “World Kid” Ali for the WBO World Junior Middleweight Title on Saturday, Dec. 2 at Madison Square Garden. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Vargas is a 26-year-old champion who brings a considerable height and reach advantage in every fight, which he has used to nullify all of his previous opposition. In February 2017, Vargas traveled to the United Kingdom to defeat Gavin McDonnell for the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight Title. For this fight, Vargas enlisted the help of Hall of Fame trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, who has been training him ever since. In August, Vargas defended his title for the first time against longtime super bantamweight contender Ronny Rios via a decisive unanimous decision, and will look to defend again in his Madison Square Garden debut on Dec 2.

“I feel privileged to be fighting at an arena where some of history’s best fighters have fought,” said Vargas. “I know that Oscar Negrete is a brawler and that this is a fight between two undefeated fighters. Negrete is a young man who pushes forward hard, and his 17-0 record and his place in the rankings demonstrate that he’s a great rival. Also, it will be an honor to share the card with Miguel Cotto, and I know that the arena will be filled with a lot of emotion for his last fight. And, just as a star is making a grand exit, I hope that a new star is born, and his name is Rey Vargas.”

Negrete, a 30-year-old native of Tierraalta, Colombia, has been a staple of Golden Boy events on the west coast after making his United States debut in June 2014. Since then, he has appeared over ten times in the California, steadily defeating tough opponents in both the bantamweight and super bantamweight divisions. In his last outing, Negrete moved down to 118 pounds to defeat Sergio Frias for the NABF Bantamweight Title in the main event of the June 30 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN. Negrete, who will debut on the east coast at Madison Square Garden, will move up again to take on the toughest test of his career.

“I am super happy for this opportunity,” said Negrete. “I am not only seeing one dream come, true but two dreams. It’s been a dream of mine to fight for a world title and a dream to fight at Madison Square Garden, and on December 2, I’ll be doing both. I know Rey Vargas is a great fighter, but I’ve always wanted to fight the best. If I’m going to fight for a world title, it has to be with a great rival who is worth it and whom I can be proud to fight.”

“Vargas and Negrete are both undefeated Golden Boy Promotions fighters who will bring a tremendous fight to Madison Square Garden on Dec. 2,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Both are coming off tough fights earlier this year and will risk their undefeated records in a co-main event that will look to steal the show.”

“Vargas is a young champion with a huge physical advantage over his opponents,” said Oswaldo Kuchle, President of Promociones del Pueblo. “Vargas is way too much for his division. Vargas also possess extraordinary qualities, but most of all a seek-and-destroy mentality in the ring. With a win over Negrete, Vargas could solidify his status as the best fighter in his division.”

Cotto vs. Ali, a 12-round fight for the Cotto’s WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. Vargas vs. Negrete is a 12-round fight for Vargas’ WBC World Super Bantamweight Title and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle”, and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will take place Saturday, December 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Cotto vs. Ali are priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50 and are on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.goldenboytickets.com or www.MSG.com.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, and www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, and www.hbo.com/boxing. Follow on Twitter at @cottopromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, and @hboboxing, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/realmiguelacotto. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @realmiguelacotto and follow the conversation using #CottoAli.

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 24, 2017): Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs), the only four-division world champion in Puerto Rico’s rich boxing history, and Japanese 154-pound contender Yoshihiro “El Maestrito” Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs) hosted their final press conference today ahead of their 12-round fight for the vacant WBO World Junior Middleweight title in the main event of an exciting action-packed card this Saturday, August 26 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

In the co-main event of the HBO telecast, WBC Super Bantamweight champion Rey Vargas (29-0, 22 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico will make the first defense of his title against Santa Ana, California’s Ronny Rios (28-1, 13 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round fight. The card is fully stacked with Golden Boy talent, including Emilio Sanchez, Joet Gonzalez, Tenochtitlan “T-Dog” Nava, Alexis Rocha, among others.

Below is what participants of HBO World Championship Boxing® had to say.

MIGUEL COTTO, Four-Division World Champion:
“It’s a pleasure for me to be here. We’ve been enjoying every session at the gym. I’ve been doing my work as hard as I can. We’re ready. We are ready for the fight, and I’m happy to be back. Thank you everyone for being here. We’re going to do our best this Saturday, and the winners will be fans all over the world.”

FREDDIE ROACH, Trainer of Miguel Cotto:
“We had a really good training camp, a little longer than usual. He [Cotto] had a little bit of layoff previously, but camp went well. We watched a lot of film on our opponent [Kamegai]. We have a really great strategy, and it will be an action packed fight. Miguel is 100 percent ready. It was the best training camp we’ve had yet. We’ll see you Saturday. Thank you.”

YOSHIHIRO “MAESTRITO” KAMEGAI, Junior Middleweight Contender:
“Hello everyone I’m Yoshihiro Kamegai from Japan. I want to thank HBO, Golden Boy, Teiken Promotions, the WBO, Miguel Promotions-everyone who made this event possible. I’m extremely pleased to be back at StubHub, where a lot of legendary battles have been fought. I’m looking forward to it. I’m extremely pleased to be fighting for the WBO title belt held by great champions like Oscar De La Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera, and I’m looking forward to fighting a great legendary champion like Miguel Cotto.”

SENDAI TANAKA, Trainer to Yoshihiro Kamegai:
“I want to thank HBO, Golden Boy Promotions, and Teiken Promotions. Thank you especially to Miguel Cotto for accepting Kamegai as an opponent. Cotto is a legendary fighter, very complete, worldwide one of the best. Kamegai is very excited and happy to step into the ring with a fighter like Miguel Cotto. And you know his style. He likes to train, to punch and take punches. And he’s very excited to get in there and give you guys a great fight. That’s why he’ll throw punches until victory comes, always.

REY VARGAS, WBC Super Bantamweight Champion:
“One of the biggest fights that I got was when I got to go to England to win the title. For me, it was double the effort since I had to go over there to get it [the WBC title]. I got it. I won it. And now I’m defending it against a great fighter. I like great fights. I like great challenges, and I will prove that I am a great champion. I’m ready to fight the big fights in the big leagues, and I will do it against a great fighter.”

“That makes us happy and motivates us more because we’re at the big leagues and we want to show that we are champions. I’m happy to be on this card. I’d like to thank HBO for the opportunity to prove to people that I’m a good champion. I’m sure that you’re going to watch an exciting fight this Saturday, so please don’t miss it.”

RONNY RIOS, Super Bantamweight Contender:
“I want to thank Golden Boy for putting this event together. It means a great deal. I want to say something because everyone is bringing up the topic of real fights. I want to thank HBO for putting up a real card. If you want to watch real fights, tune in to HBO. Thank you to Rey Vargas for accepting this fight. I want to thank my coach, who has been there through thick and thin. We’re here and we’ll make the most of our opportunity. We’re ready for this. Tune in on Saturday night for a great night and a great night of boxing.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, CEO & Chairman of Golden Boy Promotions:
“We are extremely happy and thrilled that Miguel Cotto will fighting for the WBO world title at the StubHub Center. Cotto has been and is an amazing champion in the sport of boxing. He is Puerto Rico’s first four-division champion. He will be fighting against someone who is exciting to watch and has been in several Fight of the Year candidates, one against Jesus Soto Karass.

“This fight has the makings to be another candidate for Fight of the Year. I want to thank our co-promoters, Miguel Cotto Promotions. It’s always a pleasure to be working with this team. We are on a vision to bring boxing back to Puerto Rico, so there is a tremendous opportunity for Miguel Cotto to crown himself the only world champion in Puerto Rico today, so this is obviously a huge deal.

“This is obviously a big deal for Yoshihiro Kamegai, who will be fighting for a world title against a legend like Miguel Cotto. It’s a great motivation for him, so I know that he’s in tremendous shape and ready to go, and we know for a fact that this main event will be one that you do not want to miss.

“We also have a tremendous co-main event which will be a 12-round fight for the WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship. It’s Rey Vargas, who will be up against Ronny Rios, who is a tremendous fighter. We really are looking forward to this fight. It is a very important fight for not only Mexico, but also for here in the greater Los Angeles area.

“I want to also thank Teiken Promotions. Mr. Honda has been incredible working with us. It’s always a pleasure working with Teiken Promotions, where we do have several up and coming and ex world champions and current world champions that we have working with Honda. Also, Promociones Del Pueblo. Thank you for the opportunity. They are one of the best promoters in Mexico. I also want to thank HBO. They are the best in televising the bets boxing events. HBO has been a tremendous partner.”

TONY WALKER, Vice President at HBO Sports:
“We really appreciate you being here and talking about boxing, and really about what we are going to have Saturday night. Cotto will make his 23
rd appearance on HBO, and through his combination of skill and style he’s done well in every broadcast he’s been on. But Saturday night he’ll have to bring all those skills because Kamegai has put in his own work and has his own career aspirations.”

MARTHA SHEN-URQUIDEZ from California State Athletic Commission:
“I was so happy when I heard that this fight was scheduled for August 26 at StubHub, one of the great venues for boxing in California. It was a pleasure to hear that it was going to be this fight on this particular day, so that boxing aficionados and lovers like me have a great boxing match, a great undercard, and great main event to watch on Saturday, August 26.

“I have seen Miguel Cotto and Yoshihiro Kamegai fight on separate occasions, and it is always a pleasure to see them fight, and it will be an even bigger pleasure to see the fight against each other. I am very grateful for Golden Boy, for Mr. Honda, for StubHub Center and for HBO for bringing this an event of this caliber to Southern California again. I’m always grateful for Eric Gomez, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and his team. We wish everyone a safe and successful event.”

FRANCISCO VALCARCEL, President of the World Boxing Organization (WBO):
“It’s a great pleasure for me to be here. I remember when Oscar told me that he wanted to be the WBO 160-pound champion. Oscar was given the opportunity to be a champion in three different divisions, and now we will give Cotto the same opportunity, who won the WBO belts in the 140 and 147 divisions. Good luck to everybody. Congratulations to Oscar De La Hoy and his team. Con-gratulations on a big show.”

BOB YALEN, Technical Director at the World Boxing Council (WBC)
“Thank you everybody for coming today. One thing that hasn’t been said yet is that this is a fight fans’ fight card. This is real fight card. You’ve got a future hall of famer against one of the best fighters that Japan has ever produced. You’re going to have a WBC title fight that I think will steal the fight card.”

“You’ve got Rey Vargas against an undefeated challenger against a once-defeated challenger, and you’re going to see a great, great fighter for a WBC title. I want to thank Golden Boy, StubHub, and HBO. It will be a great night of boxing. Everyone is in store for a treat. Keep an eye on this fight card.”

BRENDAN HANNAN, Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Digital for Stub-Hub Center:
“We are thrilled on Saturday to welcome the Cotto-Kamegai fight. We are thrilled to work with HBO and Golden Boy Promotions to bring this fight to you. We truly believe that StubHub is the premiere outdoor boxing venue in the United States. Like Oscar said, we have very few tickets remaining. We look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday. Enjoy the fights this Saturday.”

Cotto vs. Kamegai, a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and sponsored by Tecate “BORN BOLD” and Casa Mexico Tequila. Rey Vargas vs. Ronny Rios is a 12-round world championship fight for the WBC Super Bantamweight Title, and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event will take place Saturday, August 26 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. The livestream portion will begin at approximately 4:45 p.m. ET/1:45 p.m. PT through approximately 9:45 p.m. ET/ 6:45 p.m. PT on RingTV.com.

Tickets for Cotto vs. Kamegai are on sale and priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849), and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, call 877-234-8425.

Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CottoKamegai into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, and www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter at @cottopromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, and @hboboxing, and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/realmiguelacotto. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @realmiguelacotto and follow the conversation using #CottoKamegai.

Summer sizzles when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: MIGUEL COTTO VS. YOSHIHIRO KAMEGAI AND REY VARGAS VS RONNY RIOS is seen SATURDAY, AUG. 26 at 9:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from StubHub Center in Carson, Cal., exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

The doubleheader will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

The main event features boxing legend and future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) of Caguas, Puerto Rico taking on Tokyo’s Yoshihiro Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round junior middleweight title contest. Making his 23rd appearance on HBO, Cotto has been a dominant force in the sport for more than a decade, and is seeking his sixth world title spanning four weight classes. Though he hasn’t fought since Nov. 2015, Cotto’s return opens up intriguing possibilities at 154 and 160 pounds.

Known for his brawling style, Kamegai brings high energy into the ring and boasts a 75% knockout-to-win ratio. His last bout was a TKO victory over Jesus Soto Karass that followed their previous meeting, which ended in a split-decision draw when Kamegai suffered a cut over his right eye in the second round from an accidental head butt.

The opening bout features undefeated Rey Vargas (29-0, 22 KOs), from Otumba, México, taking on top contender Ronny Rios (28-1, 13 KOs) from Santa Ana, Cal. in a scheduled 12-round super bantamweight title contest. Defending his title for the first time since defeating Gavin McDonnell, Vargas will be fighting in the U.S. for the third time, and fighting outside Mexico for the fourth time. Making his first world title challenge, Rios is on a five-bout win streak following his only professional loss.

The doubleheader will be followed by the debut of the two-part behind-the-scenes series “24/7 Canelo/Golovkin,” which previews the Sept. 16 middleweight championship pay-per-view bout in Las Vegas. (Click here to Watch Preview)

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

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

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

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 16, 2017) Former four-division world champion Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) hosted a media workout today at the Wild Card Boxing Gym ahead of his 12-round fight against Yoshihiro “El Maestrito” Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs) for the WBO World Junior Middleweight title that will take place on Saturday, Aug. 26 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Also participating in the workout was the highly talented 122-pound contender Ronny Rios (28-1, 13 KOs), who will take on Rey Vargas (29-0, 22 KOs) in a 12-round co-main event for Vargas’ WBC Super Bantamweight time.

The workout also featured many fan favorites from the Aug. 26 undercard. Here is what the fighters had to say regarding their respective bouts at today’s workout:

MIGUEL COTTO, Former Four-Division World Champion:

“Every time that I get fit for a fight, I just find that I work hard. It was not our plan to have 24 months off, but the time off just gave me time to use the opportunity to spend with my family. I don’t think the time off prolonged my career. I’m going to be here until December 21. After this fight, I’m going to rest. Then were going to see what we have.”

RONNY RIOS, Super Bantamweight Contender:

“Training camp is the same as always, relaxed, and I’m enjoying it, having fun as I go. But, I’ve been training hard. I expect Rey Vargas to be coming forward the first couple rounds, and I expect a full attempt to fight.”

“I know they’re going to prepare for my jab and body work. The biggest challenge is the last week of the fight. You just want to be in there, when you’re in the ring, everything slows down, everything feels like it’s moving in slow motion.You want to fight the best and get to a certain level. It was a big surprise learning we were going for a title. I gotta go out there and make a statement. I don’t want to just go out there and fight; I want to make a statement.”

JOET GONZALEZ, Featherweight Prospect:

“I’m just training hard. This is my last week to train hard. I’m eating good, eating clean. It’s easy to make weight. I gotta be smart. I know he’s [Deivis Bassa] a veteran as he’s got a lot of experience. I know I’ve got to be ready. I want to prove who I am, who Joet Gonzalez is. I’ve got a great team behind me, and I’m excited.”

EMILIO SANCHEZ, Featherweight Prospect:

“Camp is going great. I’m working on my defense and offense, and my diet’s going well. I try eating healthy, but it’s hard sometimes. I’m sharpening my defense, those are the skills I’m working on. It motivates me that my family and friends are there cheering me on. After this fight, I’m hoping to be the main event at the Belasco and fight better opponents.”

TENOCHTITLAN “T-DOG” NAVA, Featherweight Prospect:

“Training has been going great. Lots of cardio. What’s different is I’m having more fun. I’ve been sparring a lot with the other fighters. This fight is going to be super exciting.”

ALEXIS ROCHA, Welterweight Prospect:

“I’m fighting six rounds already which is very fast for my age. I thank Golden Boy for everything they’re doing for me. We’re just staying sharp, mentally, physically-I feel ready.

“My job is just to go in there and break the body down. I’m strict on my diet right now. Overall, I’m just focusing on what I’m going to do. My brother [Ronny Rios] and I train together. It’s definitely easy to train together. After this fight, I want to prove I’m one of the best prospects coming up.”

JAVIER PADILLA, Bantamweight Prospect:

“I know nothing about my opponent [Ricardo Arias]. I just do my training. I listen to my coaches and do what they say. I’m hoping to prove I’m a worthy fighter from this fight.”

RUBEN RODRIGUEZ, Super Lightweight Prospect:

“I’m very excited. It’s a great opportunity for me to show what I can do. It is really great being on such a great card. It’s a great experience for me. I’m just seeing what I can do, just trying to show I’m on top.”

Cotto vs. Kamegai, a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and sponsored by Tecate “BORN BOLD,” Casa Mexico Tequila and Fred Loya Insurance. Rey Vargas vs. Ronny Rios
is a 12-round world championship fight for the WBC Super Bantamweight Title, and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event will take place Saturday, Aug. 26 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Cotto vs. Kamegai are on sale and priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849), and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, call 877-234-8425.

Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CottoKamegai into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

For information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter at @cottopromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, and @hboboxing, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/realmiguelacotto. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @realmiguelacotto and follow the conversation using #CottoKamegai.

Summer sizzles when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: MIGUEL COTTO VS. YOSHIHIRO KAMEGAI AND REY VARGAS VS RONNY RIOS is seen SATURDAY, AUG. 26 at 9:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from StubHub Center in Carson, Cal., exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

The doubleheader will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

The main event features boxing legend and future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) of Caguas, Puerto Rico taking on Tokyo’s Yoshihiro Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round junior middleweight title contest. Making his 23rd appearance on HBO, Cotto has been a dominant force in the sport for more than a decade, and is seeking his sixth world title spanning four weight classes. Though he hasn’t fought since Nov. 2015, Cotto’s return opens up intriguing possibilities at 154 and 160 pounds.

Known for his brawling style, Kamegai brings high energy into the ring and boasts a 75% knockout-to-win ration. His last bout was a TKO victory over Jesus Soto Karass that followed their previous meeting, which ended in a split-decision draw when Kamegai suffered a cut over his right eye in the second round from an accidental head butt.

The opening bout features undefeated Rey Vargas (29-0, 22 KOs), from Otumba, México, taking on top contender Ronny Rios (28-1, 13 KOs) from Santa Ana, Cal. in a scheduled 12-round super bantamweight title contest. Defending his title for the first time since defeating Gavin McDonnell, Vargas will be fighting in the U.S. for the third time, and fighting outside Mexico for the fourth time. Making his first world title challenge, Rios is on a five-bout win streak following his only professional loss.

The doubleheader will be followed by the debut of the two-part behind-the-scenes series “24/7 Canelo/Golovkin,” which previews the Sept. 16 middleweight championship pay-per-view bout in Las Vegas.

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

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

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

LOS ANGELES (June 28, 2017): StubHub Center in Carson, California will play host to two world championship fights on the evening of Saturday, August 26 when WBC World Super Bantamweight Champion Rey Vargas (29-0, 22 KOs) will take on highly touted contender Ronny Rios (28-1, 13 KOs) in a scheduled 12 round bout. The championship event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Vargas, coming off a majority decision victory over previously undefeated Gavin McDonnell to secure the world championship after racking up scores of wins against top-flight competition, has also signed a multi-year deal with Golden Boy Promotions.

“I am thrilled to defend my world championship for the first time on such a special night at StubHub Center,” said Vargas, who went on the road from his native Otumba, Mexico to Yorkshire, England to secure his world title. “I know Ronny Rios is an extremely tough challenger, but he has never tasted power like mine, and I am confident I will come away with the victory.”

Rios, a former NABF and WBC Silver Featherweight Champion, gets his first world title shot after rolling through prospects and contenders over a 29-fight career with just a single blemish on his record.

“This is a dream come true for any boxer. Now that it’s here, I’m ready to capitalize on the journey me and my coach have been on for several years,” said Ronny Rios. “Vargas will provide us with a tough game plan but I’ve been working my whole life for this opportunity. He has good power and a very good coach with Nacho, but I have a great team as well. I am thankful that GBP has gotten this fight for me – and I expect a tough, tough war from Rey.”

The 12-round scrap between Vargas and Rios will be the first of two championship fights, as legendary four-division world champion Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) looks to win an incredible sixth world title as he takes on Yoshihiro “El Maestrito” Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs) in the 12-round main event of the evening.

“People who want to see real fights, for real world championships, are in for a real treat on August 26th,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “For the last many summers, StubHub Center has played host to the highest action fights in our sport. That tradition will continue at the end of August.”

Cotto vs. Kamegai, a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and sponsored by Tecate “BORN BOLD” and Casa Mexico Tequila. Rey Vargas vs. Rios is a 12-round world championship fight for the WBC Super Bantamweight Title, and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo. The event will take place Saturday, August 26 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Cotto vs. Kamegai are on sale and priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849), and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, call 877-234-8425.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, and www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter at @cottopromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, and @hboboxing, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/realmiguelacotto. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @realmiguelacotto and follow the conversation using #CottoKamegai.