Gennadiy Golovkin unified his IBF and won the WBA Middleweight titles with a ninth round stoppage over Ryota Murata in Tokyo, Japan.

Murata started fast and was able to Golovkin over the first four-rounds. Golovkin started it on in round six, as he started his patterned pressure with hard power shots. Golovkin, who celebrated his 40th birthday yesterday looked spry and young as the fight progressed. In that round six, Golovkin landed a hard right that knocked the mouthpiece of Murata out. That seemed to let the air out of Murata as Golovkin began to dominate the fight. Golovkin was all over Murata and hurt him several times in in the pivotal ninth round and landed a hard right that put Murata on the canvas just as the towel was thrown in.

Golovkin now is set up to face Canelo Alvarez in a trilogy fight in September.

Golovkin of Kazakhstan is 42-1-1 with 37 knockouts. Murata of Japan is 16-3.

Nakatani Defends Flyweight Title with stoppage over Yamauchi

Junto Nakatani defended his WBO Flyweight title with an eighth-round stoppage over Ryoya Yamauchi.

Nakatani dominated the action, and in round eight, landed a big barrage of punches that led to a battering on the ropes, and the fight was stopped.

Nakatani is now 23-0 with 18 knockouts. Yamauchi is 8-2.

Yoshino Defeats Ito by Technical Decision

Shuichiro Yoshino won a technical decision over former world champion Masayuki Ito in a lightweight bout.

In round two, Ito began to bleed from his nose.

In round eight, Ito was cut underneath his left eye. In round 10, the doctor looked at the cut. In round 11, the two banged heads which caused more damage around the left eye of Ito and they went to the scorecards.

Yoshiro got the decision by scores of 107 twice and 106-103, and is now 15-0. Ito is 27-4-1.

Follow all the action as Gennady Golovkin and Ryota Murtata in a IBF/WBA Middleweight Title Elimination bout.  The card begins at 5:10 am ET and 6:10 PM in Tokyo with an undercard that will feature the WBO Flyweight bout between Junto Nakatani and Ryota Yamauchi

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 4: Body shot from Golovkin.  Good left hook..Uppercut

ROUND 6 Hard right from Golovkin knocks the mouthpiece out..Good right…2 hard jabs…Good counter right

ROUND 7 Good lft hook from Golovkin…Uppercut..Big left hook…Good right from Murata

ROUND 8 Jab from Golovkin…Hard rights and lefts…Big right from Murata…Good right…Left hook from Golovkin

ROUND 9 Big Right hurts Murata..Hard flurry…Murata looks done…Muata lands a left…HARD RIGHT DOWN GOES MURATA…TOWEL COMES IN FIGHT OVER

Round 4 Good body work from Nakatani…2 hard lefts and an uppercut

ROUND 5 Good combination from Yamauchi..Good left hook…Left hook to the body..Flurry on inside from Nakatani

ROUND 6 Double left and 1-2 from Nakatani..Left hook to body from Yamauchi…

ROUND 7 Big left from Nakatani…  Another hard left

ROUND 8 Good right from Yamauchi…left hook…BIG BARRAGE FROM NAKATANI..YAMAUCHI IS HURT AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 Yoshino lands a jab..Ito lands a right to the body..Right from Yoshino…Jab from Ito..Left hook to the body from Yoshino
Round 2 Jab from Yoshino..Good overhand right and uppercut..Chopping right on the inside..Blood from nose of Ito..Hard body shots from Yoshino…2 Rights..Good right from Ito..Good 3 punch combination..Uppercut on inside from Yoshino
Round 3 Hard right from Yoshino..Left hook from Ito..Right..Right from Yoshino..Quick combination from Ito…Right..Body shot from Yoshino
Round 4 Left hook from Yoshino..Good rights from each guy..Counter from Ito..Jab from Yoshino..Left hook to body…Good right from Ito
Round 5 Hard right from Yoshino..Good body work…Chopping right…Ito lands 2 uppercuts..Right from Yoshino..Hard right..Big left hook..Hard right
Round 6 Ito working on the inside…Nice right..Right and uppercut..Right..Uppercut…Good body shot from Yoshino..Another..Right from Ito…Good action…hard right from Ito
Round 7 Trading hard shots..Good body work from Yoshino…
Round 8 Good right from Yoshino on the inside…Combination from Ito..Good jab from Yoshino and a left hook..Ito cut underneath his left eye
Round 9 Ito lands a left hook and right hand..Good right and jab..Trading rights…Hard right from Yoshino
Round 10 Uppercut on Inside from Ito..Doctor looking at Ito’s cut..Good left hook from Yoshino..Right from Ito…
Round 11 Good right from both fighters..Lead right from Yoshino and a good body shot..Headbutt and another cut on Ito’s left eye,  THE FIGHT IS STOPPED…GOES TO SCORE CARDS

YOSHINO WINS 107-102 twice and 106-103

By Norm Frauenheim-

The odds suggest that Gennadiy Golovkin is in Japan to celebrate a birthday. He’ll blow out 40 candles Friday. Then, he’ll blow out Ryota Murata.

It’s not that simple, of course. It might not be that one-sided either. The guess here is that Golovkin wins. But the real question is in the margins. How does he win?

It’s no secret that the middleweight bout Saturday (DAZN, 5:10 am ET/2:10 am PT) is projected to be a steppingstone to a fight that fans have wanted for three-and-half years. A long-awaited Canelo Alvarez-GGG 3 looms. It’s supposed to be next.

It’s believed that a third leg to the contentious rivalry will answer, once and for all, questions left in the unresolved wake of a draw in the first bout and Canelo’s majority decision over GGG in the second.

But a chance at finality doesn’t last long. It’s up to GGG to prove that it’s still there. He’ll be 40 at opening bell in Saitama, north of Tokyo. He’s at an age that’s hard to judge. Milestone or millstone?

It’s a question complicated by a long stretch out of the ring. It’s been about 16 months since GGG’s last fight, a seventh-round stoppage of Kamil Szeremeta in December 2020.

A fighter stuck in idle during his prime is one thing. Rust is temporary.  An idle fighter a few years beyond his prime is a question. Erosion is permanent.

GGG is in Japan, perhaps amid some uncertainty about how his legs and reflexes will respond. He’s also there aware of the country’s unique boxing history. One of history’s defining upsets happened in Japan. Buster Douglas upset Mike Tyson in 1990.

“Japan is the land of surprises, at least when it comes to boxing,’’ GGG (41-1-1, 36 KOs) said. “I remember what happened in the Tyson-Douglas fight. It has been in the back of mind throughout training camp.’’

The danger of history repeating itself, however, seems remote. Murata (16-2, 13 KOs), whose spotty record includes losses to Hassan N’Dam and Rob Brant, is listed as a 4-to-1 underdog. He’s also not exactly young. He’s 36. He’ll be 37 in January. He’s also been idle longer than GGG has. Murat hasn’t fought in about two-and-half years. He last answered an opening bell in December 2019, scoring a fifth-round stoppage of Steven Butler, an unknown Canadian.

GGG’s biggest concern might be recent history. His birthday Friday makes me think about Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao’s legendary career ended last August in a scorecard loss to Yordenis Ugas, then a late-stand-in for Errol Spence Jr., who withdrew because of an eye injury.

Pacquiao was a huge favorite. He was the Pacquiao everybody remembered and not the 42-year-old fighting for the first time in two years. He was coming off a split decision over Keith Thurman in 2019. He was 40 then. Two years later, he was just too old.

GGG is a couple of years younger. He also appears to be facing an opponent, Murata, who isn’t the threat that Ugas turned out to be. Still, some of the questions are familiar, all brought on by a 40^th birthday.

A dramatic GGG knockout of Murata would set the stage for a third fight with Canelo, who has to take care of his own business on May 7 against light-heavyweight Dmitry Bivol. A big KO, a resurrection of GGG’s Big Drama Show, is promoter Eddie Hearn’s hope. Make that bet. It would sell the pay-per-view.

But a narrow decision – or, worse, a controversial one — would only leave further questions. It might be unfair to expect GGG to still be the force he was four, five years ago. If he isn’t, however, a third fight with Canelo won’t prove anything other than to say it is past due. 

TOKYO (April 6, 2022) — Fight week is in full swing and throughout Japan, Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin is being hailed as the biggest name to enter a ring in Japan since heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.   Tyson was knocked out by 40-1 underdog James “Buster” Douglas on February 11, 1990 — arguably the biggest sports upset of the 20th century — a fact not lost on Golovkin.  Boxing’s most dominant middleweight of his era, Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs), from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, is finally in Japan, after several postponements caused by the pandemic, enjoying his first fight week since December 2020.  He has brought the Big Drama Show and his IBF and IBO world title belts to face two-time WBA middleweight champion and Japan’s national hero Ry?ta Murata (16-2, 13 KOs) in a long-awaited world title unification fight.  Promoted by Teiken Promotions, in association with GGG promotions, Golovkin vs. Murata will take place this Saturday, April 9, and will be streamed live from Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, just north of Murata’s hometown of Tokyo, to over 200 countries and territories, including the U.S., exclusively on DAZN (excluding Japan and Kazakhstan), beginning at 5:10 a.m. EDT / 2:10 a.m. PDT, with the main event scheduled to start at approximately 8:00 a.m. EDT / 5:00 p.m. PDT.  Golovkin and Murata boast a combined record of 57-3-1, 49 KOs — a winning percentage of over 93% — with 86% of their victories coming by way of knockout. 

Golovkin’s Big Drama Show has packed iconic arenas around the world, selling out Madison Square Garden, The O2 in London, the Fabulous Forum and StubHub Center in Los Angeles, and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  Saitama Super Arena is expected to join that illustrious list.  He has been a middleweight world champion every year since 2010, a testament to his discipline, drive, and talent.  GGG’s résumé includes a division-record 21 title defenses, 20 of them consecutively, also a division record.       

Here’s what Golvkin had to say about Murata, training, fighting in Japan, turning 40 on weigh-in day, and other things.

“Japan is the land of surprises, at least when it comes to boxing.  I remember what happened in the Tyson-Douglas fight.  It has been in the back of mind throughout training camp.  I already had a lot of respect for Ry?ta Murata, but Tyson-Douglas is a reminder to never  give less than 110% every day in training camp.  The last time I fought in Japan was over 20 years ago.  It was in the East Asian Games in Osaka.  I had a great time.    

“I have been in my Florida training camp — off and on — since October because of postponements.  First the fight was going to be last December, than there was a chance of it happening in February, and finally this Saturday.  I chose to train in south Florida because of the warmer weather and it was easier to get good sparring partners.  A lot of the fighters get sick in the cold climate of Big Bear in the late fall and winter months.  I really enjoyed training in Florida.  The biggest obstacle in these postponements, other than the frustration of not fighting, is peaking before the December and February dates and then pulling back and building up again.  It wasn’t easy, but every time I would break camp and go home, I would stay in shape by doing light conditioning and speaking with my trainer Johnathon Banks daily.  Johnathon would remind me every day, ‘Go steady.  Do not go heavy.’  between training camps. He was right.  I always returned to training camp energized and ready to go.  This last training camp resumed in early February.

“It is a challenge when fighting in a different country, especially if that country happens to be my opponent’s homeland.  But it spurs me on even more in training camp.  Now that I am in Japan, the adrenaline is starting to pump.  I am really excited to be here and to fight in front of the fans in Japan.  They really love and appreciate good boxing.

“Murata is a good, solid fighter.  There is a reason he has been an Olympic gold medalist and is a two-time WBA world champion.  He came to my training camp in Big Bear many years ago.  We sparred a little.  He was a very serious fighter.  He worked very hard in everything he did in camp, inside and outside the ring.  We got along very well.

“I am going to be 40 on Friday but I feel good.  I will continue fighting as long as I feel good and can train hard to fight at the level I have come to expect of myself.  Living a healthy lifestyle keeps me feeling good, strong.

“Murata is the most important fight.  Period.  I do not look ahead.  I have been fully invested in training for the fight I have in front of me.  I have too much respect for Murata and his body of work.  My focus is on him and winning his title.  That is why I am in Japan.  I look forward to fighting in a packed arena.  I have missed that energy.  It is going to be exciting because we both have similar styles of fighting.  We are both power punchers, we are aggressive and we come forward.  Diamonds cut diamonds and on Saturday, there will be two diamonds in the ring.  It will be a boxing gift to the fans  I expect it to be the fight of the year.

“Yes, I have been told by several reporters that Canelo wants to fight me again and that this time ‘it is personal.’  If it is so ‘personal,’ why has it taken him four years since our last fight?  He pretends it is personal.  I find it puzzling he would make such a claim.”                  

Hot From GGG – Murata Media Central

Fight Week Wednesday Edition

·         Nearly 40, Gennadiy Golovkin’s clock is tick, tick, ticking for Canelo Alvarez | Jerry Izenberg – nj.com

·         ‘Age gives me additional edge’ – Gennadiy Golovkin all set for unification fight | Press Association

·         Golovkin’s blockbuster Canelo trilogy at stake in Murata showdown (Agence France-Presse)

·         Boxing betting: Gennadiy Golovkin favored to win by knockout (yahoo.com)

TOKYO (April 4, 2022) — Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs), from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, boxing’s most dominant middleweight of his era, has brought the Big Drama Show and his IBF and IBO world titles to Japan last week.  Golovkin has crossed the U.S. and the Pacific Ocean to face two-time WBA middleweight champion and Japan’s national hero Ry?ta Murata (16-2, 13 KOs) in a long-awaited world title unification fight.  Promoted by Teiken Promotions, in association with GGG promotions, Golovkin vs. Murata will take place this Saturday, April 4, and will be streamed live from Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, which borders Murata’s hometown of Tokyo, to over 200 countries and territories, including the U.S., exclusively on DAZN (excluding Japan and Kazakhstan).  The DAZN stream start time will be announced shortly.  Golovkin and Murata boast a combined record of 57-3-1, 49 KOs — a winning percentage of over 93% — with 86% of their victories coming by way of knockout. 

Golovkin’s Big Drama Show has packed iconic arenas around the world, selling out Madison Square Garden, The O2 in London, the Fabulous Forum and StubHub Center in Los Angeles, and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  Saitama Super Arena is expected to join that illustrious list. Golovkin has been a middleweight world champion every year since 2010, a testament to his discipline, drive, and talent.  His résumé includes a division-record 21 title defenses, 20 of them consecutively, also a division record.       

Here’s what Golovkin trainer Johnathon Banks had to say about Murata, training, and fighting in enemy territory.

“Murata is a winner.  He has proven that as an Olympian, winning the gold medal, and as a professional, winning the WBA title twice.  We know we are in for a tough fight on Saturday.  And while the boxing fans of Japan are some of the best in the world, they will be rooting for their national hero Ry?ta Murata, as they should. 

“For some fighters a home game is a bonus.  When working with Detroit-based fighters at Kronk, I’ve seen them do things in a local fight that shocked me, fighting way above their usual level.  They get a charge from the hometown crowd.  It’s as if a power comes up from the ground under them and gives them an extra boost.  And while that may benefit Murata, Gennadiy will not be intimidated by it.  He’s been fighting on the road for most of his career.  I remember seeing Michael Jordan drop 50-60 points at The Garden.  Playing an away game didn’t seem to bother him.   Gennadiy is the same way.  He knows boxing is also a business and some deals can only get done if they are conducted in someone else’s office.  But Gennadiy never gets distracted.  He is so focused on reunifying the middleweight title belts around his waist. Gennadiy is really looking forward to fighting before this sellout crowd on Saturday.   

“This is our fourth fight together.  We have been building on what Gennadiy has learned while incorporating what made him so special as an amateur, working on the basics –timing, rhythm, and speed.  In boxing, to remain at the elite level, you either evolve or die.  He’s not depending solely on power punching.  I still remember sitting with Emanuel Steward at amateur tournaments and both of us marveling at Gennadiy’s all-round abilities inside the ring.  He was an extraordinary power-punching boxer.  He could do anything he wanted.  He will be forty and a day when he enters the ring on Saturday, and he still approaches training like he’s a young and hungry top-rated contender.  He’s really enjoying himself in the gym and it shows in his work ethic and the results.  Gennadiy’s an athlete’s athlete.”         

Hot From GGG – Murata Media Central

Fight Week Monday Edition

·         GGG interview w/ Teddy Atlas – Murata fight, Canelo, Legacy, and More – YouTube

·         Gennady Golovkin responds to Canelo Álvarez: ‘What have you been waiting for?’ – YouTube

·         Episode 209 – GGG – Walking The Floor

·         Gennadiy Golovkin 1-on-1 with Kevin Iole (yahoo.com)

·         Gennadiy Golovkin: Rivalry with Canelo Alvarez Doesn’t Define My Career (bleacherreport.com)

·         Golovkin ‘Bewildered’ By Fact Canelo Says Third Fight Personal To Him; It’s Cheap, Kind Of Low – Boxing News (boxingscene.com)

·         Golovkin says he’s not looking past Murata to Canelo trilogy | Reuters

·         Gennady Golovkin has ‘no bad blood’ with Canelo Alvarez but slams ‘unprofessional’ rival for claiming feud was personal (thesun.co.uk)

·         GGG Responds to Canelo: His ‘Behavior Is Indecent’ (espn.com.ar)

·         Gennadiy Golovkin expects an “action-packed fight” with Murata, is ready (not desperate) for Canelo – YouTube

·         Golovkin ‘Feels Great At My Age,’ But Admits Fighting At 40 ‘Might Be One Of My Issues’ – Boxing News (boxingscene.com) 

·         Gennady Golovkin, 39, shows off ripped physique as coach says Canelo ‘waited for him to get old’ before agreeing trilogy (thesun.co.uk)

·         Gennady Golovkin open to UK boxing return but admits US is still No1 fight destination amid Canelo Alvarez trilogy talk (thesun.co.uk)

·         5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce – Josh Warrington and Triple G – BBC Sounds

·         Gennady Golovkin open to UK boxing return but admits US is still No1 fight destination amid Canelo Alvarez trilogy talk (thesun.co.uk)

·         Gennadiy Golovkin can fight ‘into his early 40s’: promoter (msn.com)

 NEW YORK (March 2, 2022) — The fight is back on!  Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs), from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, boxing’s most dominant middleweight of his era, is bringing the Big Drama Show and his IBF and IBO world title belts to his opponent’s backyard, Japan, where he will rumble with two-time WBA middleweight kingpin Ry?ta Murata (16-2, 13 KOs), in a long-awaited title unification fight.  Promoted by Teiken Promotions Inc., in association with GGG Promotions, Golovkin vs. Murata takes place Saturday, April 9 (it had been originally scheduled for December 29 before being postponed because of the Omicron outbreak), and will be streamed live from Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, which border’s Murata’s hometown of Tokyo, to over 200 countries and territories, including the U.S., exclusively on DAZN (excluding Japan and Kazakhstan).  In a battle of two-time world champions and Olympic medalists, Golovkin and Murata will be looking to put their stamp on, arguably, boxing’s most storied weight class. They boast a combined record of 57-3-1, 49 KOs — a winning percentage of over 93% — with 86% of their victories coming by way of  knockout. 

            “I am glad that the date has finally been set.  I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers from Japan for their hard work and full support of the upcoming unification fight,” said Golovkin.  “Ry?ta Murata is an outstanding champion.  I believe that boxing fans from this beautiful country and around the world will see an exciting event.  I look forward to getting back in the ring and bringing the Big Drama Show to Japan.”

            “It is an honor to share the ring with the great champion Gennadiy Golovkin,” said Murata.  “I am extremely pleased to be part of this historic middleweight title unification fight here in Japan.  On April 9th, victory will be mine and Japan will have a unified World Middleweight Champion.”   

            “We cannot wait to have Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin back on DAZN, facing off against Ry?ta Murata for the WBA, IBF, and IBO Middleweight World Titles,” said Ed Breeze, EVP Rights at DAZN.  “Murata takes a big step up against the middleweight king GGG, who looks to continue his reign in the division after dismantling Szeremeta last time out.  This is set to be a brilliant fight, and we’re thrilled to have it live on DAZN on April 9^th.”

            Golovkin, who has worn a world championship belt every year since 2010, will be looking to build on his division-record of successful title defenses, which currently stands at 21.  He returns to the ring in the midst of his second reign as a middleweight world champion.  Golovkin regained the IBF and IBO middleweight titles in 2019 with a unanimous decision victory over top-rated contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko, a three-time world title challenger.  It was a hellacious toe-to-toe slugfest that had the frenzied crowd at Madison Square Garden on its feet for the entire 12 rounds.  Many considered it the Fight of the Year.  In his last fight, on December 18, 2020, Golovkin scored four knockdowns against undefeated mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta, en route to a seventh-round stoppage and a record 21st successful middleweight title defense.  Golovkin’s Big Drama Show has packed iconic arenas around the world, selling out Madison Square Garden, The O2 in London, the Fabulous Forum and StubHub Center in Los Angeles, and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  This will be his first time fighting in Japan.  His 11-year rampage on the middleweight division has also attracted millions of viewers who have watched him on premium cable, pay-per-view, and DAZN.  He earned an Olympic silver medal as a middleweight in the 2004 summer games in Athens.       

            Murata’s two world title reigns have begun with stoppage victories in immediate  rematches that avenged losses.  After losing a split decision to Hassan N’Dam on May 20, 2017, for the vacant WBA middleweight title, he dethroned N’Dam in the seventh round five months later, on October 22, 2017.  After a successful title defense — an eighth-round TKO of Emanuele Blandamura on April 15, 2018 — Murata lost his title to Rob Brant via a unanimous decision on October 20, 2018.  Nine months later, on July 12, 2019, Murata stopped Brant in the second round to reclaim the WBA middleweight title.  In his last fight, before the pandemic, Murata successfully defended his title with a fifth-round TKO of once-beaten Steven Butler.  The six-foot Murata, one of Japan’s most popular athletes, first came to the world’s attention when he captured the Olympic gold medal in the middleweight division at the 2012 Olympics held in London.  It was the first gold medal won by a Japanese boxer since Takao Sakurai in 1964, and also Japan’s first-ever boxing medal in a weight class other than bantamweight or flyweight.  Murata also became the 100th gold medalist in Japanese Olympic history.  Murata’s last eight victories have come by way of stoppage.

NEW YORK (Dec. 3, 2021) — The global spread of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 has forced the postponement of the middleweight title unification fight between IBF/IBO champion Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin and WBA champion Ry?ta Murata, scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 29, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.  Promoted by Teiken Promotions Inc., in association with GGG promotions, the eagerly-awaited battle between the two-time world champions Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs), from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, and Murata (16-2, 13 KOs), from Tokyo, was to have been streamed live to over 200 countries and territories, including the U.S., exclusively on DAZN (excluding Japan and Kazakhstan).  A new date for the fight is being actively explored.

            “I am deeply disappointed that this fight has been postponed but the health and safety of the public must always be the priority,” said Golovkin.  “I look forward to returning to the ring against Ry?ta as soon as possible.”

NEW YORK (November 11, 2021) — Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs), from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, boxing’s most dominant middleweight of his era, is bringing the Big Drama Show and his IBF and IBO world title belts to his opponent’s backyard, Japan, where he will rumble with two-time WBA middleweight kingpin Ry?ta Murata (16-2, 13 KOs), in a long-awaited title unification fight.  Promoted by Teiken Promotions Inc., in association with GGG Promotions, Golovkin vs. Murata takes place Wednesday, December 29, and will be streamed live from Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, which border’s Murata’s hometown of Tokyo, to over 200 countries and territories, including the U.S., exclusively on DAZN (excluding Japan and Kazakhstan).In a battle of two-time world champions and Olympic medalists, Golovkin and Murata will be looking to put their stamp on, arguably, boxing’s most storied weight class. They boast a combined record of 57-3-1, 49 KOs — a winning percentage of over 93% — with 86% of their victories coming by way of  knockout. 

            “I am really excited to be bringing the Big Drama Show to Japan, a country where boxing is very popular,” said Golovkin.  “Ry?ta Murata has been an outstanding champion.  It is going to be a special night when we meet in the ring to unify our titles.  We are going to give the fans a great fight.”    

            “I feel that my entire amateur and professional boxing career has been a preparation for this fight against Gennadiy Golovkin.  This fight will determine my place in the middleweight division and boxing history,” said Murata.  “Gennadiy Golovkin has long been the standard-bearer of the middleweight division.  To me, he is still undefeated. I have the highest respect for him.  It has been almost two years since my last fight, because of the pandemic, but I have put that time to good use, working very hard with my trainers on improving my physical conditioning and adding more power to my punches.  I am so proud Japan is hosting this fight.  It is a great honor for me.”

            “What a way to close out a fantastic 2021 of boxing, with one of the best to ever step in the ring Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin facing off against Ry?ta Murata for the WBA, IBF, and IBO Middleweight World Titles,” said Ed Breeze, EVP Rights at DAZN.  “Ry?ta Murata takes a big step up against the middleweight king GGG, who looks to continue his reign in the division after dismantling Szeremeta last time out.  This is set to be a middleweight war, and we’re thrilled to have the fight live on DAZN on December 29.”

            Golovkin, who has worn a world championship belt every year since 2010, will be looking to build on his division-record of successful title defenses, which currently stands at 21.  He returns to the ring in the midst of his second reign as a middleweight world champion.  Golovkin regained the IBF and IBO middleweight titles in 2019 with a unanimous decision victory over top-rated contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko, a three-time world title challenger.  It was a hellacious toe-to-toe slugfest that had the frenzied crowd at Madison Square Garden on its feet for the entire 12 rounds.  Many considered it the Fight of the Year.  In his last fight, on December 18, 2020, Golovkin scored four knockdowns against undefeated mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta, en route to a seventh-round stoppage and a record 21st successful middleweight title defense.  Golovkin’s Big Drama Show has packed iconic arenas around the world, selling out Madison Square Garden, The O2 in London, the Fabulous Forum and StubHub Center in Los Angeles, and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  This will be his first time fighting in Japan.  His 11-year rampage on the middleweight division has also attracted millions of viewers who have watched him on premium cable, pay-per-view, and DAZN.  He earned an Olympic silver medal as a middleweight in the 2004 summer games in Athens.       

            Murata’s two world title reigns have begun with stoppage victories in immediate  rematches that avenged losses.  After losing a split decision to Hassan N’Dam on May 20, 2017, for the vacant WBA middleweight title, he dethroned N’Dam in the seventh round five months later, on October 22, 2017.  After a successful title defense — an eighth-round TKO of Emanuele Blandamura on April 15, 2018 — Murata lost his title to Rob Brant via a unanimous decision on October 20, 2018.  Nine months later, on July 12, 2019, Murata stopped Brant in the second round to reclaim the WBA middleweight title.  In his last fight, before the pandemic, Murata successfully defended his title with a fifth-round TKO of once-beaten Steven Butler.  The six-foot Murata, one of Japan’s most popular athletes, first came to the world’s attention when he captured the Olympic gold medal in the middleweight division at the 2012 Olympics held in London.  It was the first gold medal won by a Japanese boxer since Takao Sakurai in 1964, and also Japan’s first-ever boxing medal in a weight class other than bantamweight or flyweight.  Murata also became the 100th gold medalist in Japanese Olympic history.  Murata’s last eight victories have come by way of stoppage.

Cleveland, Ohio – Willie Nelson (27-3-1) is looking to make a big impact in 2021. Like many fighters, Nelson’s 2020 campaign was aborted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Nelson has been a top contender in the super welterweight division the past several years but will campaign as a full fledged middleweight when he returns to the ring.  The middleweight division has produced some of the biggest fights in boxing in recent years and there are several fighters who interest Nelson.

“I just want to get in the mix. (Gennadiy) Golovkin is a guy I want to fight.  I think his style and mine would produce the type of fight that the fans would love.  I also am looking at guys like Rob Brant, Jaime Munguia, Ryota Murata, and Jermall Charlo.  I want to fight the top guys in the division. If I can’t get a champion right away get me a top contender that would put me in position to fight for a title,” Nelson explained.

The 33 year old has never backed down from a challenge and is no stranger to big fights having fought on HBO, Showtime and ESPN throughout his career.  He holds a big knockout victory over former champion Tony Harrison and also handed top prospects Yudel Johnson and John Jackson their first professional losses.  Nelson has also faced WBO middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade and former title challenger Vanes Martirosyan.

“I feel a lot stronger at 160.  The last couple fights was a struggle to get down in weight.  I haven’t taken much punishment and feel like I am in the prime of my career. I can’t wait to begin this next chapter of my career. I just need to get a chance with one of these big names to remind everyone what I am capable of,” said Nelson.

(Dec. 20, 2019) — Two days before Christmas, American fight fans will be treated to a special fistic stocking stuffer, a world championship tripleheader plus the return of the former pound-for-pound king and future Hall of Famer, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez.

In the main event, from Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, 2012 Japanese Olympic gold medalist Ryota Murata will defend his WBA middleweight world title against Canadian challenger Steven Butler. The co-feature will pit IBF flyweight world champion Moruti Mthalane against former three-weight world champion Akira Yaegashi.

World title bout number three will see Kenshiro “The Amazing Boy” Teraji defend his WBC light flyweight world title for the seventh time against former interim world champion Randy Petalcorin.

Former four-division world champion Gonzalez, on the comeback trail, will fight Filipino underdog Diomel Diocos in an eight-rounder at junior bantamweight.

This special, early-morning edition of “Breakfast and Boxing” will stream live Monday on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 3:55 a.m. ET/12:55 a.m. PT.

Murata (15-2, 12 KOs) vs. Butler (28-1-1, 24 KOs)

Murata regained the WBA middleweight world title in July from Rob Brant, the man who defeated him last October via unanimous decision in a shocking upset. Murata first won the belt in October 2017 with a knockout over Hassan N’Dam, then defended the belt the following April over Emanuele Blandamura. He stopped Brant in two rounds in their rematch, reversing the tide and setting himself up for potential superfights should he win. Butler, from Montreal, is 10-0 with nine knockouts since the lone defeat of his career. This will be only his second bout outside of Canada.

Mthalane (38-2, 25 KOs) vs. Yaegashi (28-6, 16 KOs)

Mthalane, South Africa’s only current world champion, is one of the most accomplished boxers in his nation’s history. A two-time IBF flyweight world champion who first held the title from 2009-2014, he regained the title last July with a decision over the then-unbeaten Muhammad Waseem on the Manny Pacquiao-Lucas Matthysse undercard in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He last fought May 13 in Tokyo, outlasting hometown favorite Masayuki Kuroda over 12 rounds. The 36-year-old Yaegashi, who has won world titles at minimumweight, light flyweight and flyweight, is a noted action star who defended the lineal flyweight crown three times and was the victor in the 2011 ESPN.com of the Year against Pornsawan Porpramook. He has won three in a row since losing his IBF light flyweight title via shocking first-round stoppage loss to Milan Melindo.

Teraji (16-0, 9 KOs) vs. Petalcorin (31-3-1, 23 KOs)

Teraji was a Japanese amateur standout who won the title he currently holds in just his 10^th pro fight. Apart from a majority decision over Pedro Guevara in his first title defense, he has been a dominant champion, notching four KOs in his last five defenses. Petalcorin has won two in a row since a spirited effort in a failed October 2018 title challenge against IBF light flyweight world champion Felix Alvarado, who was signed to fight Teraji in a title unification tilt before pulling out with a reported lung illness.

Gonzalez (47-2, 39 KOs)vs. Diocos (14-5-3, 4 KOs)

Gonzalez, one of the greatest lighter-weight fighters in boxing history, was atop many pound-for-pound rankings before losing a highly controversial decision to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in March 2017. He was knocked out in their rematch less than six months later, but he rebounded with a fifth-round knockout over Moises Fuentes in September 2018. He won his first world title at 105 pounds in 2008 and rolled through the competition in four weight classes with wins over the likes of Juan Francisco Estrada, Brian Viloria, Carlos Cuadras, Edgar Sosa and Yaegashi. Diocos, a Filipino veteran, has only been stopped once as a pro.

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

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April, 2018, ESPN+ has grown quickly to 3.5 million subscribers in 18 months, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, thousands of college sports events (including football and basketball) from more than a dozen sports at 20 conferences, hundreds of MLB and NHL games, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, Bundesliga – beginning in 2020, EFL Championship and Carabao Cup, Eredivisie), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com or ESPNplus.com.  It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ ­— all for just $12.99/month.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBA Middleweight champion Ryota Murata will defend his title against Steven Butler on December 23rd in Yokahama, Japan.

The card will include a junior flyweight word title unification fight between Ken Shiro (16-0, 9 KOs), 27, of Japan, and Felix Alvarado (35-2, 30 KOs), 30, of Nicaragua.

The third world title bout on the card will see flyweight titlist Moruti Mthalane (38-2, 25 KOs), 37, of South Africa, defend his 112-pound belt against former three-division world titlist and noted all-action fighter Akira Yaegashi (28-6, 16 KOs), 36, who is from Yokohama.

Ryota Murata regained the WBA Middleweight title with a 2nd round stoppage over the man who beat him Rob Brant in Osaka, Japan.

In round two, Murata hurt Brant with a body shot. The Japanese challenger jumped on Brant and landed a hard barrage of punches that put Brant on the canvas. With Brant clearly hurt, Murata landed a series of hard head shots as well as some body blows that forced referee Luis Pabon to stop the bout at 2:34.

Murata of Japan regained the title that he lost to Brant last October, and now ups his record to 15-2 with 12 knockouts. Brant of Minnesota is 25-2,

(July 10, 2019) — Before hometown hero and WBO No. 1 featherweight contender Shakur Stevenson headlines against Alberto Guevara at Newark’s Prudential Center on Saturday evening (ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10:30 p.m. ET), boxing fans will be treated to a trio of world-class cards exclusively on ESPN+, the industry-leading sports streaming service.

Set your alarm clocks and smartphone alerts and get ready for a weekend fistic extravaganza.
FRIDAY (7 a.m. ET on ESPN+)
“Breakfast and Boxing” returns with one of the year’s most highly anticipated rematches, as Rob Brant will make the second defense of his WBA middleweight world title against the man he defeated to win the belt, Ryota Murata, at EDION Arena Osaka in Osaka, Japan.

Brant (25-1, 17 KOs) upset Murata last October in Las Vegas, snatching the belt in a thrilling performance that saw him throw 1,262 punches, the second-most ever recorded by CompuBox in a middleweight bout. Murata (14-2, 11 KOs), who became a sporting hero in Japan after capturing Olympic gold at the 2012 London Olympics, has not fought since. Brant, meanwhile, defended his belt in February on his home turf with an ESPN-televised 11th-round TKO over the previously undefeated Khasan Baysangurov in Hinckley, Minnesota.

In the co-feature, Ken “The Amazing Boy” Shiro will make the sixth defense of his WBC light flyweight title against Filipino challenger Jonathan Taconing.

Shiro (15-0, 8 KOs), Japan’s longest-reigning current world champion, won the title May 20, 2017, with a majority decision over Ganigan Lopez. He went 3-0 in 2018, including a second-round knockout over Lopez in May on a card that streamed on ESPN+. In his last fight, Dec. 30 in Tokyo, he won a near-shutout decision over Saul Juarez. Taconing (28-3-1, 22 KOs) will be making his third attempt at the WBC light flyweight title. He lost a technical decision to Kompayak Porpramook in 2012 and a unanimous decision to Ganigan Lopez in 2016.
FRIDAY (3 p.m. ET on ESPN+)
#MTKFightNight returns from Liverpool Olympia, as former world title challenger James “Jazza” Dickens will battle Australian contender Nathaniel May in a 10-rounder for the vacant IBF European featherweight title.

Dickens (26-3, 11 KOs) has won four in a row since back-to-back losses to Guillermo Rigondeaux and Thomas Patrick Ward. May (21-1, 12 KOs) has won 17 consecutive bouts and is coming off a first-round stoppage over Jose Miguel Tamayo on June 14 in Tijuana, Mexico.

In other streaming action, former middleweight and super middleweight world title challenger Martin Murray (37-5-1, 17 KOs) will face Rui Manuel Pavanito (10-8-1, 5 KOs) in a 10-round super middleweight bout; former British amateur standout Natasha Jones (7-1, 5 KOs) will take on Bec Connolly (2-5, 0 KOs) in a six-rounder at lightweight; and former lightweight world champion Terry Flanagan (33-2, 13 KOs) will look to halt a two-bout skid against Jonas Segu (19-8-2, 6 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout.
SATURDAY (2:45 p.m. ET on ESPN+)
Queensberry Promotions presents a can’t-miss heavyweight doubleheader from the famed O2 Arena in London.

In the main event battle of unbeatens, Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois will fight Nathan Gorman in a scheduled 12-rounder for the vacant British title. Dubois (11-0, 10 KOs) has seven stoppages in two rounds or less and is coming off a spectacular fourth-round knockout April 27 over Richard Lartey on a card that streamed on ESPN+. Gorman (16-0, 11 KOs) has defeated former world title challengers in his last two bouts (Kevin Johnson and Razvan Cojanu) and is confident that he’ll pull off the upset.

In the 12-round co-feature, 2016 Olympic silver medalist Joe Joyce (9-0, 9 KOs) will take a seismic step up in class versus former world title challenger Bryant Jennings (24-3, 14 KOs). Joyce has extended his perfect KO record with knockout wins this year over former world title challenger Alexander Ustinov and former world champion Bermane Stiverne, while Jennings is hoping to rebound from a shocking January TKO loss to the undefeated Oscar Rivas. The winner will be in prime position to challenge for a world title in the near future..

About ESPN+

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

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

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

(April 24, 2019) — Rob “Bravo” Brant and Ryota Murata have a painful shared history. They waged a toe-to-toe battle last October in Las Vegas that saw Brant wrest the WBA middleweight title away from Murata via unanimous decision.

It’s time for the rematch.

Brant will make the second defense of that title against Murata Friday, July 12 at Edion Arena Osaka in Osaka, Japan. Murata, who captured a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, is one of his nation’s most revered sporting heroes and will look to gain vengeance in front of his home fans.

Promoted by Teiken Promotions, in association with Top Rank, Greg Cohen Promotions and Rapacz Boxing, U.S. broadcast information for this world championship event will be announced soon.

“I am very excited to be defending my title in Japan against Ryota Murata. Ever since I beat him for the belt, I have always known this fight was on the horizon,” Brant said. “I feel Murata is only at his full potential while in front of his people. This fight is me showing the world that I can bring my full potential with me wherever I go.”

“Rob Brant beat me fair and square, but I am ready to get revenge,” Murata said. “I want to show everyone the real Ryota Murata and regain my world title in spectacular fashion. I took some time off after my last fight, but I never lost my fighting desire. In fact, I am more motivated than ever.”

“There is no doubt that the rematch with Murata will be a terrific fight filled with tension, excitement and anticipation in front of the supportive Japanese crowd,” Cohen said. “We expect Rob to perform even better the second time around and look forward to another impressive performance. It certainly won’t be easy, but we are confident that the cream will once again rise to the top.”

Brant (25-1, 17 KOs), a native of St. Paul, Minnesota, is unbeaten when fighting as a middleweight. He entered the first Murata fight as a sizable underdog, but his activity told the story. Brant threw 1,262 punches — the second-most ever recorded by CompuBox in a middleweight fight — to overwhelm Murata. For his first title defense, in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minnesota, Brant knocked out the previously unbeaten Khasan Baysangurov in the 11th round.

Murata (14-2, 11 KOs) had a fast rise through the pro ranks after turning pro in August 2013. He won the first 12 bouts of his career before losing a highly controversial split decision to Hassan N’Dam in May 2017 for the vacant WBA middleweight title. He exacted revenge five months later, stopping N’Dam in seven rounds to win the title. Murata made one successful title defense before running into the Brant buzzsaw last October.

Use the hashtag #BrantMurata2 to join the conversation on social media.

Rob Brant won the WBA Middleweight championship with a 12-round unanimous decision over reigning champion Ryota Murata at the Park Theatre in Las Vegas.

In round one, Murata had swelling around the left eye. Brant out worked and Murata and continued to bust Murata up with hard combinations. Murata fought back, but it seemed every time Murata would land two shots, Brant would coe back with four. Brant took just about every round as he took the fight 119-109 twice and 118-110.

Brant, 158.4 lbs of St. Paul, MN is 24-1. Murata, 159.2 lbs of Nura, JAP is 14-2.

“This is one of the best moments of my life,” Brant said. “I wasn’t thinking about punch output. I was thinking about winning,

“This was a great middleweight championship fight,” said Top Rank CEO Bob Arum. “Both fighters showed tremendous heart. Congratulations to the new champion. He deserved the win.”

Maxim Dadashev won a 10-round unanimous decision over former world champion Antonio DeMarco in a junior welterweight bout.

Dadashev, 138.6 lbs of Oxnard, CA won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94, and is now 12-0. DeMarco, 139.6 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 33-7-1.

“This was a great learning experience for me,” Dadashev said. “DeMarco is a true champion, and he fought with great heart and determination.”

Esquiva Falcao remained perfect by winning a 10 round unanimous decision over Guido Pitto in a middleweight bout.

Falcao, 160.4 lbs of Vitoria, BRA won by scores of 100-90 on all cards, and is now 22-0. Pitto, 158.6 lbs of Buenos Aires, ARG is 25-6-2.

Michael Conlan stopped Nicola Cipoletta in round seven of a scheduled eight-round featherweight bout.

Conland landed a flurry of punches, and the bout was stopped at 1:55.

Conlan, 126.4 lbs of Dublin, IRE is 7-0 with six knockouts. Cipoletta, 125.4 lbs of Napoli, ITA is 14-7-2.

“When you fight a guy who is negative and trying to survive, those guys are the hardest guys to look good against,” Conlan said. “He was just negative. Now, I want real opponents. I want top 10, top 15 opponents. These are the guys who are going to make me look good. These are the guys who are going to bring out the best of my technical ability. When you see guys trying to survive, it’s a lot easier to survive than fight it out.”

Vladimir Nikitin won a six-round unanimous decision over Clay Burns in a featherweight bout.

Scores were 59-55 on all cards for Nikitin, 126.6 lbs of Oxnard, CA and is now 2-0. Burns, 1256 lbs of Alexandra, LA is 5-5-2.

Good looking prospect Joseph Adorno won a six-round unanimous decision over Kevin Cruz in a lightweight bout.

Adorno scored a knockdown with a left hand in the final round, and he went on to win by scores of 59-53 twice and 58-54.

Adorno, 132.8 lbs of Allentown, PA went the distance for the 1st time and is 10-0. Cruz, 132.2 lbs of Waterloo, IA is 8-1.

Adorno said: “I felt great going the distance for the first time. I wasn’t tired at all and got the job done. I am very happy with my performance.”

Adam Lopez stopped Hector Ambriz in the eighth and final round of their featherweight bout.

The time of the finish was 1:29 for Lopez, 126.4 lbs of Glendale, CA who is now 11-1 with five knockouts. Ambriz, 126.4 lbs of Mexico is 12-8-2.

David Kaminsky stopped Noah LaCoste in round two of their scheduled four-round middleweight bout.

Kaminsky dropped LaCoste in each round, and referee Kenny Bayless stopped the bout 40 seconds into round two.

Kaminsky, 159 lbs of Los Angles, CA is 3-0 with two knockouts. LaCoste, 158.5 lbs of Houma, LA is 2-1.

* Kaminsky scored knockdown with uppercut in round 1. LaCoste stopped on his feet in the second.

• Ryota Murata 159.2 lbs vs. Rob Brant 158.4 lbs
(Murata’s WBA Middleweight world title – 12 Rounds)

• Maxim Dadashev 138.6 lbs vs. Antonio DeMarco 139.6 lbs
(Dadashev’s NABF Super Lightweight title – 10 Rounds)

ESPN+ (7 p.m. ET)

• Esquiva Falcao 160.4 lbs vs. Guido Pitto 158.6 lbs
(Middleweight – 10 Rounds)

• Michael Conlan 126.4 lbs vs. Nicola Cipolletta 125.4 lbs
(Featherweight – 8 Rounds)

• Fazliddin Gaibnazarov 139.8 lbs vs. Wilberth Lopez 138.2 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 8 Rounds)

• Joseph Adorno 132.8 lbs vs. Kevin Cruz 132.2 lbs
(Lightweight – 6 Rounds)

• Vladimir Nikitin 126.6. lbs vs. Clay Burns 125.6 lbs
(Featherweight- 6 Rounds)

• Adam Lopez 126.4 lbs vs. Hector Ambriz 126.4 lbs
(Featherweight – 8 Rounds)

• David Kaminsky 159 lbs vs. Noah LaCoste 158.5 lbs
(Middleweight – 4 Rounds)

Tickets are priced at $204, $104, $54 and $29, not including taxes and handling fees, and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets or online at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets also can be purchased through the MGM Resorts International Call Center at 877-795-2564.

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International (DTCI) segment in conjunction with ESPN. ESPN+ offers fans two exclusives, original boxing programs The Boxing Beat with Dan Rafael (Tuesdays, weekly) and In This Corner (twice monthly). In addition to exclusive Top Rank boxing content, programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports from more than 15 conferences), UFC (beginning in 2019), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby, cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 18, 2018) – There has been a lot of talk about future big-name opponents for WBA middleweight champion Ryota Murata. For now, he’s focused on the task at hand, Saturday’s title defense against Rob “Bravo” Brant at MGM’s Park Theater in Las Vegas.

In the co-feature, Maxim “Mad Max” Dadashev will defend the NABF super lightweight belt against former world champion Antonio DeMarco.

This is what the fighters had to say about Saturday’s card during the final press conference.

Ryota Murata

About potential fights with GGG or Canelo Alvarez

“Everything will happen after the result of this fight, so I’m not thinking ahead. I am looking forward to getting the victory on Saturday.”

“I had a great training camp, and I am going to put everything out in the ring that I trained with. I am very prepared and very confident.”

“I am very thankful for this opportunity, especially to Bob Arum and everyone at Top Rank and the team over at Teiken Promotions.”

Rob Brant

“We knew that Murata would be the challenge of a lifetime being an Olympic gold medalist as well as being a world champion. I knew I’d have to be here early working with {trainer} Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. We’re training specifically for Murata. I feel good. I feel confident.”

On fighting at 160 after fighting at 168 for a brief period

“I feel like this is my natural weight. I feel a lot better at 160 pounds. I did my entire amateur career at 178 pounds at light heavyweight. Then I decided I had to lay off the McDonald’s a little bit and actually train. My body is actually very comfortable at 160, and that’s where I am going to stay at. And it’s where I am going to win my titles.”

Maxim Dadashev

“My opponent is a former WBC champion. Of course, he has really good experience and is a smart fighter. That’s it. But I’m also strong.”

“I am working hard in the gym and am prepared for this fight. I had a good camp and {would like to fight for a world title} as soon as possible.”

Antonio DeMarco

“I’ve been through this before and I’ve seen this before. It’s truly a pleasure to be here.”

“I want to thank Maxim and his management team for taking this fight. I feel good about it. I’m at peace. I’m very comfortable, and I want to become a world champion again.”

Michael Conlan

“It’s my fourth fight of the year, and I plan to have another one after this. It’s a pleasure to be here in Las Vegas. It’s my first time fighting in probably the fight capital of the world at the minute.”

On training with Adam Booth

“It’s been fantastic with Adam. I think now the pen has finally dropped. Everything seems to be falling into place. I know fighters say it all the time, and I get sick of hearing it myself, but it’s definitely the best training camp I’ve had. I feel like I’m becoming more of a complete fighter, and that’s what I want to show on Saturday night. I want to show how advanced my style is now.”

On Olympic nemesis Vladimir Nikitin being on the card

“It would be fantastic to face Vladimir in the professional ranks. I have no ill feelings towards Vladimir. I know it wasn’t his fault, but revenge is something that I want. I have no anger towards him, but I will {fight} him with enjoyment, and I do believe I’ll get the victory when we face each other.”

Joseph Adorno

“They say that this will be the toughest challenge of my career because I will be facing an undefeated fighter and he has a lot of knockouts, just like myself. I am ready for the challenge and I want the bell to sound to continue representing Puerto Rico with a lot of pride.”

ESPN+, 10:30 p.m. ET

Ryota Murata vs. Rob Brant, 12 rounds, WBA Middleweight World Championship

Maxim Dadshev vs. Antonio DeMarco, 10 rounds, NABF Super Lightweight Title

ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET

Esquiva Falcao vs. Guido Pitto, 10 rounds, Middleweight

Michael Conlan vs. Nicola Cipolletta, 8 rounds, Featherweight

Fazliddin Gaibnazarov vs. Wilberth Lopez , 8 rounds, Super Lightweight

Adam Lopez vs. Hector Ambriz, 8 rounds, Featherweight

Joseph Adorno vs. Kevin Cruz, 6 rounds, Lightweight

Vladimir Nikitin vs. Clay Burns, 6 rounds, Featherweight

David Kaminsky vs. Noah LaCoste, 4 rounds, Middleweight

Murata-Brant and Dadashev-DeMarco will stream live in the United States beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+ —the new multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

Tickets are priced at $204, $104, $54 and $29, not including taxes and handling fees, and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets or online at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets also can be purchased through the MGM Resorts International Call Center at 877-795-2564.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 17, 2018) – Ryota Murata, one of Japan’s most revered sporting heroes, is ready to make his debut as a Las Vegas headliner.

Murata (14-1, 11 KOs), a 2012 Olympic gold medalist, will defend his WBA middleweight title against Rob “Bravo” Brant (23-1, 16 KOs), Saturday at MGM’s Park Theater. In the co-feature, Maxim “Mad Max” Dadashev (11-0, 10 KOs) will defend the NABF super lightweight belt in a 10-rounder versus former world champion Antonio DeMarco (33-6-1, 24 KOs).

Murata-Brant and Dadashev-DeMarco will stream live in the United States beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+ —the new multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

The entire undercard will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 7 p.m. ET and includes the return of Michael “Mick” Conlan (8-0, 5 KOs), the Irish sensation who will face Nicola Cipolletta (14-6-2, 4 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout. Also on the card is Conlan’s 2016 Olympic nemesis Vladimir Nikitin (1-0), who will take on Clay Burns (5-4-2, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder at featherweight. It was Nikitin who won a controversial decision over Conlan in the 2016 Olympic quarterfinals.

Tickets are priced at $204, $104, $54 and $29, not including taxes and handling fees, and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets or online at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets also can be purchased through the MGM Resorts International Call Center at 877-795-2564.

Murata and Brant worked out Wednesday at the Top Rank Gym in front of a large contingent of Japanese and American media, This is what they had to say.

Ryota Murata

“I am honored to be here in Las Vegas. I want to show everyone a great fight. Brant is a great fighter, and beating him would mean a lot for my career.”

“I want everyone to watch on ESPN+ to see a great fight. I’m going to take what I learned in the gym and show it in the ring.”

“I am happy to be a headliner, but there is more to come. I think there are bigger and better fights for me. This is just a start.”

“I would like to fight Canelo Alvarez, but without the Mexican beef!”

On a potential Gennady Golovkin fight if he beats Brant

“It would be nice if it happens. It would be especially nice because it would be good for boxing.”

“Yes, I think it would be a war. I think it would be a real exciting fight.”

Rob Brant

“I have worked so hard for this opportunity. It’s a dream come true to fight for a world title, and it’s in the Mecca of Boxing, Las Vegas. It doesn’t get better than that.”

“I have the utmost respect for Murata as a fighter, but this is my time to shine.”

“This is definitely the best I’ve ever felt. I’ve been in Las Vegas for eight weeks preparing for this fight. Murata is a champion and an Olympic gold medalist, so I know I will have to be at my best.”

“We are prepared for everything because we know anything can happen when you fight a great champion like Murata. It will be a good battle, and I am going in there with bad intentions.”
About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International (DTCI) segment in conjunction with ESPN. ESPN+ offers fans two exclusives, original boxing programs The Boxing Beat with Dan Rafael (Tuesdays, weekly) and In This Corner (twice monthly). In addition to exclusive Top Rank boxing content, programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports from more than 15 conferences), UFC (beginning in 2019), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby, cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 4, 2018) – The Conlan Revolution has hit New York City, Australia, Arizona, Chicago, and Northern Ireland. Now, Michael “Mick” Conlan is set to conquer the Las Vegas Strip. Conlan, the talk of the 2016 Summer Olympics, will take on Nicola Cipolletta (14-6-2, 4 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout Saturday, Oct. 20 at Park Theater at Park MGM on the undercard of Ryota Murata’s WBA middleweight title defense against Rob Brant (10:30 p.m. ET).

Conlan vs. Cipolletta will be the featured attraction on the undercard broadcast, which will begin at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+ — the new multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

“It has always been a dream of mine to fight in Las Vegas, and that’s becoming a reality thanks to Top Rank,” Conlan said. “The Conlan Revolution is rolling into Sin City and ready to turn it green!”

Also appearing on the undercard will be Conlan’s Olympic nemesis, Vladimir Nikitin (1-0), who turned pro in July with a six-round decision victory against Edward Kakembo. Nikitin won a highly disputed decision over Conlan in the Olympic quarterfinals, sparking Conlan to lash out against the AIBA-appointed judges with his memorable middle finger salute. Nikitin will face Clay Burns (5-4-2, 0 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight contest.

As for Conlan (8-0, 5 KOs), he has been active since making his professional debut in front of a sold-out Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden crowd on St. Patrick’s Day in 2017. In his last bout, June 30 in his hometown of Belfast, he dominated former world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos via eight-round decision. Cipolletta, from Naples, Italy, is a former Italian featherweight champion who is coming off a second-round TKO victory against Jozsef Ajtai.

The undercard broadcast will also include:
Top middleweight contender and 2012 Olympic silver medalist Esquiva Falcao (21-0, 15 KOs) will clash with Guido Pitto (25-5-2, 8 KOs) in a 10-rounder.

Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (5-0, 2 KOs), a 2016 Olympic gold medalist, will face Wilberth Lopez (23-9, 15 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight bout.

Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno (9-0, 9 KOs) will take on Kevin Cruz (8-0, 5 KOs) in a six-round lightweight fight. Adorno has seven first-round knockouts on his ledger.

In an eight-rounder, featherweight prospect Adam Lopez (10-1, 4 KOs) will fight Hector Ambriz (12-7-2, 6 KOs).

David Kaminsky (2-0, 1 KO) looks to make it three in a row against Noah LaCoste (2-0, 2 KOs) in a four-rounder at middleweight.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Teiken Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions, tickets are sale on now. Priced at $204, $104, $54 and $29, not including taxes and handling fees, tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets or online at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets also can be purchased through the MGM Resorts International Call Center at 877-795-2564.

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit plus.espn.com.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International (DTCI) segment in conjunction with ESPN. ESPN+ offers fans two exclusive, original boxing programs The Boxing Beat with Dan Rafael (Tuesdays, weekly) and In This Corner (twice monthly). In addition to exclusive Top Rank boxing content, programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports from more than 15 conferences), UFC (beginning in 2019), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby, cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

About Park Theater
The 5,200-seat Park Theater, with its cutting-edge audio and visual technology, provides artists of diverse talents with a dynamic space to create one-of-a-kind productions where every seat allows guests to feel up close and personal. From comedy shows and live concerts, to sporting events and award shows, the theater is specially designed to transform seamlessly for any occasion. For more Park Theater show and ticket information, visit ParkTheaterLV.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Park MGM
Park MGM is the newest destination on the Las Vegas Strip, offering an intimate resort experience on a grand scale.?A partnership between MGM Resorts International and New York-based Sydell Group, Park MGM features 2,700 guest rooms and suites, casually elegant design and a remarkable culinary program including Hogsalt Hospitality’s renowned Bavette’s Steakhouse; Juniper Cocktail Lounge; and South-of-France inspired restaurant Primrose. Park Theater, the resort’s entertainment destination, is a 5,200-seat venue home to special engagements by Bruno Mars, Cher and Lady Gaga, making her debut at the end of 2018. Park MGM is located in the heart of The Strip, next to the entertainment and dining neighborhood created by The Park and the 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena. Additional developments at Park MGM will be announced as the resort experience unfolds throughout 2018. Park MGM is owned by MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information and reservations, visit ParkMGM.com, call toll-free at 888-529-4828 or follow on Facebook or Twitter.