INDIO, CALIF. (Sept. 29, 2020) – Golden Boy is delighted to present two highly competitive matchups featuring some of its best in-house talent on the stacked undercard of Munguia vs. Johnson. In the co-main event, Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis (22-0, 14 KOs) will face Alexis “Lex” Rocha (16-0, 10 KOs) in a 10-round bout for the vacant WBC International Silver Welterweight Title. The night will also feature an explosive matchup between standout contenders Marlen Esparza and Sulem Urbina in a world title eliminator.

The action takes place on Friday, October 30 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN. The event will be closed to the public and media.

“Boxing fans want to see competitive matchups, and that’s exactly what we are delivering,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “Rashidi Ellis and Alexis Rocha have spent the past few years climbing up the rankings on many of our shows. But now, they will risk their undefeated records against each other for a chance to get one step closer to a world title. That same night, we’ll also be presenting another historic matchup for women’s boxing as Olympic Bronze medalist Marlen Esparza takes on standout contender Sulem Urbina. We can’t wait to host this stacked night of action.”

At 27 years of age, Ellis is ready for the very best that the welterweight division has to offer. The native of Lynn, Mass. has never tasted defeat since making his professional debut in 2017, and he’s fought in Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic as well is in many different cities in the United States. Ellis has held the IBF North American Welterweight Title and the WBA Continental Americas Welterweight Title, the latter of which he earned via unanimous decision in his rematch against Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez. Now, Ellis will look to earn the most impressive victory of his career so finally earn his shot at a world title.

“I’m finally back in the ring on October 30,” said Rashidi Ellis. “And I’m happy that it will be at my favorite place, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. This is going to be a very exciting night for boxing fans. How often do you get to see two young, undefeated contenders face each in their prime? Alexis Rocha is a tough fighter, but I need to show the world that I’m ready for a title shot. Make sure you stay tuned!”

Rocha is a 23-year-old southpaw of Santa Ana, California who is widely considered as one of the best rising contenders of the welterweight division. Since making his debut in 2016, Rocha has steadily climbed the rankings by fighting some of the biggest cards that Southern California has hosted in recent years. After defending his regional title against the likes of Berlin Abreu and Roberto Valenzuela Jr., Rocha will look to pass the toughest test of his career when he takes on a fellow unbeaten contender in Ellis.

“What people don’t know is I wanted this fight a year ago, but Rashidi and his team turned it down,” said Alexis Rocha. “There’s been a lot of talk about the future of boxing and upcoming stars, and I’ve felt slighted because I haven’t been in that conversation. Rashidi said something about how he’s just fighting another name. I can promise you I’m not just another name. And when this is over, Rashidi and the entire world of boxing are going to know more than my name: they are going to know that I’m ready to carry the sport forward into a new generation of champions.”

As mentioned above, Golden Boy will feature yet another historic matchup between two of its female competitors as Marlen Esparza (7-1, 1 KO) of Houston, Texas and Sulem Urbina (12-0, 2 KOs) of Phoenix, Arizona will clash in an eight-round WBC Flyweight World Title Eliminator bout.

“I’m excited,” said Marlen Esparza. “I want to offer my thanks and appreciation to the WBC for the opportunity to fight for the shot at the world title. It’s been a dream and vision of mine to fight representing the WBC. I want people to see another great fight. I’m proud to be on the stage again with a great fighter, and I know there are a limited amount of major women’s fights, so I’m honored to have this opportunity. I’ve fought Sulem Urbina multiple times and look forward to doing it again. Game on.”

“As soon as I got the call about this fight, I instantly took it because I know it’s a big opportunity for me,” said Sulem Urbina. “We are both with Golden Boy, and they want to give the best fights possible. Marlen and I have some history. When I first saw her fight in 2008, I became a fan of hers, until the time arrived in which I became a rival of hers. I feel that Marlen has a lot to owe to Seniesa [Estrada] because that loss opened her eyes and showed her that she’s not done yet. I know she’ll come back stronger. I’ll be ready for the best version of Esparza. In the midst of a pandemic and during a time of such uncertainty, I know that this fight, despite not having people attend, will have a huge audience through DAZN because it is a fight that everyone wants to see.”

Hard-hitting Elwin “La Pulga” Soto (17-1, 12 KOs), the pride of Mexicali, Mexico, will defend his WBO Light Flyweight World Title against Carlos Buitrago (32-4-1, 18 KOs) of Managua, Nicaragua in a 12-round fight presented in association with Zanfer Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions.

Uzbekistani wrecking ball Bektemir “Bull” Melikuziev (5-0, 4 KOs) will continue his rapid rise up the 168-pound rankings when faces Alan Campa (17-5, 11 KOs) of Sonora, Mexico in a 10-round clash for the NABO Super Middleweight Title.

Lamont Roach Jr. (19-1-1, 7 KOs) of Washington, D.C. will fight in a 10-round super featherweight fight. This will be Roach Jr’s first fight after challenging for the WBO Junior Lightweight World Title in November 2019

Tristan “Sweet T” Kalkreuth (5-0, 4 KOs) of Duncanville, Texas will open the night in a six-round cruiserweight fight.

Opponents for Roach Jr. and Kalkreuth will be announced shortly.

Munguia vs. Johnson is a 12-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Friday, October 30 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

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/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #MunguiaJohnson

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

NEW YORK (July 28, 2020) – Surging middleweight contender Christopher Pearson is ready for a breakthrough performance against any of the top names at 160 or 168 divisions.

Pearson of Trotwood, Ohio, is managed by Split-T Management, and he recently moved to San Antonio, Texas, has a record of 17-2, and is riding a three-fight winning streak which includes a win over former Olympic Bronze Medal winner and undefeated Yamaguchi Falcao.

Pearson, who trains in Los Angeles under world-championship trainer Manny Robles, has already begun preparations for his next assignment.

“I started training down here in San Antonio at Jesse James Leija’s gym. I just moved down here, and it took a minute to find a gym, but once the gym opened, this is a great place to be. I will go to Los Angeles on July 30th and start with Manny,” said Pearson.

Pearson, who began his career with 13 consecutive victories, feels that he is a stern challenge for anybody at middleweight or super middleweight.

“I am looking to fight the best in those two divisions,and solidify myself as the best in the sport. I feel that that the 2nd half of my career is proving that I am the best.”

The Falcao fight proved that Pearson can fight anyone in those divisions, and despite getting a late call for the fight, he performed at a high-level to come home with the emphatic unanimous decision victory.

“I took that fight on four weeks notice. I am not short on confidence, and I know what I am capable of doing.

Recently Pearson had his named mentioned for a showdown with Canelo Alvarez, and he believes that Canelo’s handlers were not too keen in a fight with the 29 year-old Pearson.

“I know that I am one of four or five guys from Golden Boy Promotions that was offered that fight. Out of all of those guys, they must of looked at me as a high-risk, low-reward fight. Fighting me is dangerous. They know me, because I have sparred with him, and he knows what I am capable of.”

“Canelo is a counter-puncher, but he is not better then me in the department. He has more power, but he is not as capable as me. Once we get in the ring, anything can happen..especially at 168 pounds.”

“Another fight that I would like to get is with Jaime Munguia. He is at 160 pounds now. I can outclass him. I don’t see anything special about him. If it takes beating other fighters like David Lemieux or Taureano Johnson to get those fights, then bring them on. Right now I am ready to take on anyone.”

Pearson is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

Joseph Diaz, Jr. won a 10-round unanimous decision over Charles Huerta in a super featherweight bout.

Diaz, 129.8 lbs of South El Monte, CA won by scores of 99-91 on all cards, and is now 28-1.  Huerta, 130 lbs of Paramount, CA is 20-6.

Adrian Estrella won a 10-round split decision over previously undefeated Oscar Duarte in a lightweight bout.

Estrella was cut over the right eye in round six.

Estrella won two cards by scores of 98-92 and 96-94. Duarte won a card 97-93.

Estrella, 135 lbs of Nuevo Leon, MEX is now 29-3. Duarte, 135 lbs of Parral, MEX is 15-1-1.

Taureano Johnson and Fernando Castaneda battled to an eight-round draw in a middleweight contest.

Each fighter won a card 77-75 and a 3rd card read even at 76-76.

Jihnson, 163,2 lbs of Nassau, BAH is now 20-2-1.  Catstaneda, 164 lbs of Aguascalientes, MEX is 26-13-1.

Former world title challenger Azat Hovhannisyan stopped Lolito Sonson in round five of a scheduled ten-round super bantamweight bout.

In round one, Hovhannisyan was deducted a point for a low blow. In round five, Hovhannisyan dropped Sonsona with a right to the body. Hovhannisyan sent Sonsona down again with a follow up flurry, and the bout was stopped at 2:23.

Hovhannisyan, 121.8 lbs of Los Angeles, is 16-3 with 13 knockouts. Sonsona, 122 lbs of General Santos City, PHL is 22-3-4.

NEW YORK CITY (Nov. 15, 2018): Middleweight knockout sensation David Lemieux (40-4, 34 KOs) will look to make a second potential Knockout of the Year performance before 2018 ends as he takes on Tureano Johnson (20-2, 14 KOs) in the scheduled 12-round co-main event of Canelo vs. Rocky. The card will also feature the return of Sadam “World Kid” Ali and will showcase some of Golden Boy Promotions’ best rising stars. The event will take place Saturday, December 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will be streamed live on DAZN–which, at just $9.99 per month after a one-month free trial, means new subscribers to DAZN will enjoy the entire Canelo vs. Rocky fight night for free.

“Golden Boy Promotions will give fans early Christmas gifts this year as we offer yet another great card to close 2018 on a very high note,” said Oscar De La Hoya, CEO and Chairman of Golden Boy Promotions. “David Lemieux still has his eyes set on Canelo, and that night they will be in the same arena. Lemieux knows that if he loses against Tureano Johnson, he can forget about any shot with Canelo. Also, each of these undercard fights, even the ones featuring Sadam Ali, Ryan Garcia, Vergil Ortiz and Lamont Roach, Jr., could easily be the main attraction of any other event, so fans should not miss out on this great night of action – especially when it’s free for new DAZN subscribers.”

Lemieux is a 29-year-old puncher coming off a spectacular first-round knockout victory against Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan on the televised pay-per-view undercard of Canelo vs. GGG2. The native of Montreal, Canada will look to earn another shot at the middleweight crown in this bout against Johnson.

“I’m extremely ready and looking forward to my next fight against [Tureano] Johnson,” said David Lemieux. “I didn’t take a break since my last fight because I thought that I would be facing Canelo. Training camp has been great. Johnson is a solid opponent. I’m ready for an explosive performance and a great victory to end the year in a great way.”

Johnson is a 34-year-old contender who hopes to fight for a world title despite some setbacks. Johnson’s only losses were against Curtis “The Cerebral Assassin” Stevens and Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko. If the native of Nassau, Bahamas can get past Lemieux, he will join a short list of fighters who are worthy of a middleweight title shot.

“David Lemieux is a former world champion, so he’s the kind of guy I’ll have to defeat if I want a shot at the title,” said Tureano Johnson. “I’ve had some setbacks in my career, but I’m feeling better than I ever have before. I’m excited to be part of this platform and will take advantage of this opportunity with a victory against Lemieux this December.”

“We are happy to have David Lemieux fight on December 15 in the Mecca of boxing,” said Camille Estephan, President of Eye of the Tiger Management. “He is having a great training camp and is getting ready to bring two sledgehammers to the ring, one in his left hand and one in his right. He’s healthy and ready to go.”

Former WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion Sadam “World Kid” Ali (26-2, 14 KOs) of Brooklyn, N.Y. will make his welterweight return against the rugged and experienced Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (24-7, 7 KOs) of Riverside, Calif. in a 10-round battle.

Ryan “Kingry” Garcia (16-0, 13 KOs) of Victorville, Calif. will fight for the first time under the tutelage of Eddy Reynoso, head trainer of Canelo Alvarez, in a 10-round lightweight battle.

Yves Ulysse Jr. (16-1, 9 KOs) of Montreal, Canada will return in a 10-round super lightweight fight.

Super lightweight knockout artist Vergil Ortiz (11-0, 11 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will return in a clash scheduled for 10 rounds. Opponents for Garcia, Ulysses and Ortiz will be announced shortly.

Lamont Roach Jr. (17-0-1, 7 KOs) of Washington, D.C. will defend his WBO International Super Featherweight Title against Alberto Mercardo (15-1-1, 3 KOs) of Humacao, Puerto Rico in a 10-round fight.

Bilal Akkawy (18-0-1, 14 KOs) of Sidney, Australia will take on Victor Fonseca (17-8-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-round super middleweight battle

Additional information on this card will be announced shortly.

Canelo vs. Rocky is a 12-round fight for the WBA Super Middleweight World
Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Matchroom Boxing. Lemieux vs. Johnson is a 12-round middleweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of The Tiger Management.The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, December 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Tickets for Canelo vs. Rocky are on sale and are priced at $1,000, $500, $300, $200, $150, $100, $75 and $50 plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges. 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,
http://www.matchroomboxing.com, and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @Rocky87Fielding, @MatchRoomBoxing, and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/SaulCaneloAlvarez, www.facebook.com/MatchroomBoxing
and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @Rocky_Fielding, @MatchroomBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #CaneloRocky.

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

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 set to become a must-have service for fight fans, with 100+ fight nights already lined up from Matchroom Boxing, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series, Combate Americas and the newly announced Golden Boy Promotions.

Sergiy Derevyanchenko stopped Taureano Johnson in the final round of their scheduled twelve round IBF Middleweight Elimination bout in Miami, Oklahoma.

The fight had some solid two-way action in spots with Derevyanchenko getting the better of the exchanges. In round twelve, Derevyanchenko landed a left hook that sent the broken down Johnson to the canvas. The fight was stopped 40 seconds into the final stanza.

Derevyanchenko, 159 lbs of Brooklyn, NY now waits the winner of the September 16 Gennady Golovkin – Canelo Alvarez bout with a record of 11-0 with nine knockouts. Johnson, 159. lbs of Atlanta, GA is now 20-2.

“I’m very happy with my performance,” said Derevyanchenko. “I did exactly what we worked on in training and broke him down to get the knockout.”

“I’m very disappointed,” said Johnson. “But I give a lot of credit to Derevyanchenko and congratulate him on his performance tonight.”

“He was very tough and took a lot of punches,” said Derevyanchenko. “Maybe the fight could have been stopped earlier but I was always ready to go the distance.”

“I’m ready to fight the winner of Golovkin vs. Canelo for the title,” said Derevyanchenko. “I think that Golovkin will win and I look forward to fighting him next.”

Hugo Centeno, Jr scored a spectacular third round stoppage over Immanuwel Aleem in round three of their scheduled ten-round middleweight bout.

Centeno landed a perfect left hook that sent Aleem plummeting to the canvas, and the back of his head bounced off the mat and the bout was stopped at 2:27.

Centeno, 158.8 lbs of Oxnard, CA is now 26-1 with 14 knockouts. Aleem, 158.8 lbs of Richmond, VA is 17-1-1.

Austin Dulay remained undefeated by stopping Carlos Padilla after three rounds of their scheduled eight round lightweight bout.

In round three, Dulay dropped Padilla from a combination on the ropes.  After the round, the corner of Padilla waved off the contest.

Dulay, 132.8 lbs of Nashville, TN is 11-0 with eight knockouts.  Padilla, 131.2 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is 16-6-1.

MIAMI, OK. (August 2, 2017) – Powerful middleweights Sergiy Derevyanchenko (10-0, 8 KOs) and Tureano Johnson (20-1, 14 KOs) will square-off in a middleweight world title eliminator that headlines a special Friday night edition of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes on August 25from Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma.

“This is a very important fight for me,” said Derevyanchenko. “A victory in this fight brings me closer to my dream of becoming a world champion. I’m training hard for this challenge and I know that Johnson will be prepared. I’m going to show that I’m ready for anybody in the middleweight division.”

“I fight to provide for my family, to bring pride to my country and because I know I have done the work necessary and am destined to become a world champion,” said Johnson. “I have a great respect for my opponent and expect a great fight, but he is my way toward the championship, so I will defeat him.”

In an action packed co-main event, unbeaten Immanuwel Aleem (17-0-1, 10 KOs) takes on once-beaten Hugo Centeno (25-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight attraction. Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS telecast will be preceded by the live weigh-in for Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor and all four episodes of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. McGregor on FS1.

“This is a great fight for me against a very good opponent,” said Aleem. “I want to build off my last performance and show even more dimensions to my game. Training camp is going well and I’m planning to execute my game plan on fight night. I’m trying to be a world champion and prove that I’m a force in this division.”

“I’m very excited to get back in the ring and I’ve been training hard since my last fight in December,” said Centeno. “I feel like I’m in great shape and I’m definitely looking forward to this fight. I know a win of this quality will put me into another echelon in the division. It’s very motivating to be training at Wild Card Boxing with so many great champions as I prepare for this fight.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $25 and are on sale Friday, August 4 at 12 p.m. CT. Tickets can be purchased by visiting BuffaloRun.com or by calling 918-542-7140.

“Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Tureano Johnson are two of the top middleweights in the world,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “This is a great opportunity on a big forum for Derevyanchenko to prove that he belongs with the elite fighters at 160 pounds. The co-featured bout between middleweights Immanuwel Aleem and Hugo Centeno also figures to be a barnburner. This will be a terrific event.”

A highly decorated amateur who represented his native Ukraine in the 2008 Olympics, Derevyanchenko now lives and trains in Brooklyn and most recently stopped previously unbeaten Kemahl Russell in April. His 2016 saw him earn a TKO victory over Mike Guy in March before stopping former champion Sam Soliman in the second round of a world title eliminator in July. The unbeaten fighter defeated a slew of experienced contenders in 2015 with wins over Elvin Ayala, Alan Campa, Vladine Biosse and a third-round stoppage of Jessie Nicklow.

A 2008 Olympian for his native Bahamas, Johnson enters this bout the winner of his last six contests, including a fifth round stoppage of once-beaten Alex Theran and a 12-round decision over once-beaten Eamonn O’Kane in 2015. The 33-year-old turned pro in 2010 and won his first 2014 before suffering his first defeat in the final round against Curtis Stevens.

Born in East Meadow, New York and fighting out of Richmond, Virginia, Aleem was introduced to boxing at a young age by his parents. Since turning pro in 2012 at age 18, the 23-year-old has wiped out all of the competition in front of him. In January he defeated then unbeaten Ievgen Khytrov in a memorable back and forth battle that saw Aleem emerge victorious with a sixth-round TKO win. Aleem had previously defeated once-beaten Jonathan Cepeda and fought to a majority draw with Demond Nicholson in 2016.

The 26-year-old Centeno bounced back from his first defeat with a stoppage of Ronald Montes after three rounds in December 2016. Centeno won his first 24 pro fights after amassing a 90-8 amateur record including a highlight reel knockout of James De La Rosa and a decision over then unbeaten Gerardo Ibarra. The fighter out of Oxnard, California will fight in Las Vegas for the first time since a no contest against Julian Williams in 2013 that was called because of an accidental head butt.

# # #

Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @FS1, @FOXDeportes, @LouDiBella and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportesand www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

DiBella Entertainment has won the purse bid to stage the IBF Middleweight elimination bout, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

DiBella Entertainment, which co-promotes Sergiy Derevyanchenko, won a purse bid for the eliminator between 160-pound contenders Derevyanchenko and Tureano Johnson. Alex Dombroff, promoter Lou DiBella’s attorney, bid $121,100.02 at the purse bid at IBF headquarters in Springfield, New Jersey, to gain promotional control of the bout.

Golden Boy Promotions, which represents Johnson, was the only other bidder and offered $62,000.

Middleweight’s Taureano Johnson and Sergiy Derevyanchenko will meet in an IBF Middleweight elimination bout later this year, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

LOS ANGELES (March 8, 2017) The first card for the Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN series just got even bigger with undefeated former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Randy “El Matador” Caballero (23-0, 14 KOs) now set to compete against Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz (35-7-5, 24 KOs) of Nogales, Mexico in a 10-round bout for the vacant NABF Super Bantamweight title. Caballero will find a strong challenge in the battle-tested contender Ruiz who has squared off with the likes of world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz and Diego De La Hoya.

Caballero vs. Ruiz will serve as the chief support to the highly anticipated main event between Irish amateur standout and middleweight contender Jason “El Animal” Quigley (12-0, 10 KOs) and the hard-punching Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia (23-3, 15 KOs), airing live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California starting at 10:00 p.m. EST/7:00 p.m. PST.

Opening up the televised portion of the night, 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist and highly decorated amateur Marlen Esparza of Houston, TX will make pro debut against Rachel Sazoff (0-2) of Hamilton Township, New Jersey.

Two additional undercard fights will be live streamed on ESPN3 and will be available in English and in Spanish. Golden Boy Promotions has added A-list prospect Hector “El Finito” Tanajara, Jr. (7-0, 4 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas to face off against Daniel Perales (7-6-1, 5 KOs) of Monterey, Mexico for over six rounds in the lightweight division.

The undercard will also feature IBF #1 middleweight contender Tureano Johnson (19-1, 13 KOs) against a soon to be announced fighter, in addition to previously announced fights featuring Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-7, 7 KOs) of Riverside, Calif. for an eight-round welterweight bout against Tijuana, Mexico’s Hector “Charro Negro” Velasquez (57-28-3, 39 KOs); and Azat “Attack” Hovhannisyan (10-2, 9 KOs) in an eight-round super bantamweight bout.

Additionally, renowned ring announcer and television personality Michael Buffer will serve as the VIP guest for the action-packed card on March 23 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. As the VIP guest of the night, Buffer will be in attendance for the fights and will be on hand to meet fans, sign autographs and take pictures inside the Fantasy Springs Special Events Center before the ESPN broadcast begins. The meet-and-greet is open to the public with the purchase of a ticket to the event.

Tickets for the event are on sale now, start at $25 and are available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.FantasySprings.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya; become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing; and follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @OscarDeLaHoya. Follow the conversation using #GBPonESPN.

The event is sponsored by Tecate “Born BOLD.” Doors open at 4:00 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 4:00 p.m. PT. The ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes transmission begins live from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

LOS ANGELES (January 23, 2017) – As the boxing world prepares to witness the epic WBC Super Featherweight clash between Mexican warriors Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (23-0-2, 17 KOs) and Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt (30-1, 27 KOs), Golden Boy Promotions has announced a stacked undercard of fan favorite all-stars coming back in to action on Saturday, January 28 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and live streamed by Ring TV.

“This undercard has the makings of everything the SoCal boxing fans are looking for in an exciting fight-from a world title on the line to some of the desert’s fan favorites,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO and Chairman Oscar De La Hoya. “We also have some intense Mexico vs. California matchups, which I am confident will give the fans a night of knockouts.”

Topping the non-televised portion of the card that will be live streamed and making his first return to the ring since defeating Eamonn O’Kane on the undercard of Golovkin vs. Lemieux at Madison Square Garden in 2015, #1 IBF middleweight Tureano Johnson (19-1, 13 KOs) of Nassau, Bahamas will meet Tijuana, Mexico’s Antonio “La Joya” Gutierrez (21-2-1, 9 KOs) in the ring for a 10-round bout.

Fighting for the first time in 2017 since a unanimous decision victory on the undercard of Canelo vs. Smith at AT&T Stadium, the pride of Brooklyn, NY, welterweight contender Sadam “World Kid” Ali (23-1, 13 KOs) is putting the gloves back on to face tough Tijuana, Mexico’s Jorge “Pantera” Silva (21-12-2, 17 KOs) for a 10 round welterweight clash.

Indio, CA crowd pleaser Luis Coria (2-0, 2 KOs) will fight under the Golden Boy banner for the third time in a four round featherweight bout against Chihuahua, Mexican fighter Gerardo Molina (1-3, 1 KO).

In the biggest fight of his career thus far, Washington, D.C. slugger Lamont Roach, Jr. (12-0, 4 KOs) will put everything on the line as he fights in a scheduled eight round bout for the vacant WBC Youth Super Featherweight title against seasoned fighter Alex Valdez (26-8-2, 20 KOs) of Obregon, Mexico.

Hailing from Dallas, rising prospect and highly decorated amateur all-star Vergil Ortiz, Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs) is looking to make a huge entrance into 2017 by fighting Mexico City’s Israel Villela (5-3, 2 KOs) for a four round super lightweight fight.

In the swing bout of the night, Tijuana brawler Vicente “Suavecito” Portillo (5-0, 3 KOs) will make his U.S. debut when he takes on Los Angeles local Mike Melikyan (1-1) for a four round lightweight fight.

Opening up the night and live stream, Palmdale, CA’s Cesar Diaz (3-0, 3 KOs) is sure to start the evening with a bang when he takes on Joel Cano (1-4) of Sonora, Mexico in a super bantamweight bout scheduled for 4 rounds.

Vargas vs. Berchelt, a 12-round fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Zanfer Promotions. Miura vs. Roman is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and Promociones del Pueblo. The event is sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila. Doors open at 3:00 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 3:00 p.m. PT and will take place on Saturday, January 28 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. The RingTV live stream begins at 3:00 p.m. PT and the HBO Boxing After Dark® telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets are on sale and priced at $35, $45, $55, $75 and $105. They are available for purchase at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

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

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.hbo com/boxing, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/HBOboxing, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing and follow the conversation using #VargasBerchelt.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, IBF Middleweight mandatory contender injured his shoulder and will not be available for a potential bout with world Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.

“Tureano will come to the States for a second opinion,” said Eric Gomez of Golden Boy Promotions. “But for the time being the fight with GGG is off. We will not allow him to fight until he is 100 percent medically cleared.”

Golovkin’s promoter Tom Loeffler would like a fight with Canelo Alvarez in May, but that apparently will not happen.

“GGG and Canelo fighting in May would make a lot of sense,” Loeffler said, “but it would be up to the Canelo/Golden Boy side to do it.”

Gennady Golovkin continued to make his case as boxing’s number one fighter and attraction as he scored an 8th round one-sided beatdown of David Lemieux to retain his WBA and WBC Interim and win the IBF Middleweight title at a sold-out Madison Square Garden

Golovkin dominated the action and did as he wanted as he set the tone with a piston like jab in round one.  In round five, he sent Lemiux to the canvas from a short right hand.  Golovkin continues the assault with thunderous punches that started to bloody the face of the Canadian.  Finally in round 8, Golovkin landed a big flurry of punches that forced referee Steve Willis to mercifully stop the bout at 1:32 of round eight.

Said Golovkin, “I feel great, it was a great fight”

“I felt his power, but I was strong tonight
and my punches hurt him.”

“He is a great champion and I’m glad to beat him.”

“I want all the belts, now I have two. The winner of Cotto/Canelo
for sure.”

“I’m not sure who will win that fight, but I want to fight the winner next.”

“I’m staying at 160 until I have all the belts.”

Said Lemieux, “I feel like the referee called the fight too early. I am fine. When he stopped it I wasn’t event on the mat, I can keep going.

“I have a lot of respect for Golovkin as a fighter. We prepared well for this fight but I feel like I waited too long to take some shots tonight and that really hurt me.”

“I want another chance at Golovkin and I will take advantage of it.

said referee Steve Willis, “I had to do something”

“David is very competitive fighter and as long as he was able to throw punches he was going to keep on trying but his chances of winning were decreasing as the fight went on”

“Against a guy(golovkin) like that he was going to get really hurt and I’m here to protect the fighters health and that’s my top priority ”

“I couldn’t let him continue to receive punishment ”

“I gave him every chance I could and i still hesitated too much. It was over.”

Said Lemieux manager Camile Estephan, Camille:
“It was too early to stop the fight. That punch that Golovkin threw didnt even bring David to the mat. David fought valiantly, he showed a lot of heart and skills. But Golovkin’s defense was great, I think that his defense is underestimated.

Said Bernard Hopkins, “Today was a great night of boxing. David did a great job and put on a great performance. But today Golovkin was better and proved that he deserves to be the unified middleweight champion.

Roman Gonzalez remained perfect with a 9th round stoppage to retain the WBC Flyweight title over Brian Viloria.

In round three, Gonzalez sent Viloria to the deck with a perfect counter right.

Gonzalez dominated the fight as Viloria did well to the body bit Gonzalez’s furious punching battered the face of Gonzalez.  In round nine, Gonzalez landed a right to the head that backed Viloria up to the ropes and then landed a hard flurry of punches until the bout was stopped at 2:53 of round nine.

Gonzalez, 111.4 lbs of Managua, NIC is 44-0 with 38 knockouts.  Viloria, 111.4 lbs of Waipahu, Hi is now 36-5.

Said Viloria, “Roman is a tremendous fighter. I have nothing but respect for him. I had prepared for a different Roman and he surprised me with his defense and his speed. I do feel like the fight was stopped prematurely, I feel good and can keep going. If I had an opportunity to take him on again I would. I feel like I learned a lot today and would use that for the next time around.”

Heavyweight Luis Ortiz annihilated Matias Ariel Vidondo in round three of their scheduled 12-round WBA Interim Heavyweight title bout.

Ortiz dropped Vidondo in round two from a left and ended things in round three when he landed a crushing left that made Vidondo land face first at 17 seconds of round three.

Ortiz, 237.8 lbs of Miami, FL is 23-0 with 20 knockouts.  Vidondo, 261 lbs of Rosario, ARG is now 20-2-1.

Said Ortiz, “I deserve this win and deserve to fight the best. Vidondo did hit hard but he wasn’t good enough to face me. Everyone can see that I dominated the fight. I want to fight the best and I want Golden Boy Promotions to keep its promise and get me the best. I am ready for Klitschko, I know he is running from me. I am going to come after him. I am just ready to become the heavyweight champion of the world.

Taureano Johnson won a 12-round unanimous decision over Eamonn O’Kane on a Middleweight elimination bout.

It looked like it was going to be an early night as Johnson dropped O’Kane twice in round one.  First from a double right hook and again from a sweeping right hook.

Johnson was able to grind out the tough rounds in close and win by scores of 119-107, 118-108 and 117-109.

Johnson, 159.4 lbs of Nassau, BAH is 19-1.  O’Kane, 160 lbs og Belfast. IRE is 17-2-1.

Said Johnson, “This is my first time going 12-round and man does it feel good. It was a tough fight, no matter how many times O’kane went down he kept coming at me. I have respect for him as a fighter. Winning this title eliminator really makes everything for me come full circle and legitimizes me as a true threat in the middleweight division. You know this was a great fight that everyone enjoyed a true brawl, very Mexican Style. This is the beginning for me, the sky is the limit.”

Ruslan Madiyev won a 4-round unanimous decision over Sean Gee in a Welterweight bout.

Madiyev scored a knockdown in round two from a right hand.

Madiyev, 139.6 lbs of Karagabda, KAZ won by scores of 40-35 twice and 39-36 and is now 6-1. Gee, 142.6 lbs of Chicago, IL is now 2-3.

Said Madiyev, “I’m very happy with my performance, it was an honor to
fight on such a big card here at Madison Square Garden.”

“He was a little awkward but I was able to figure him and
win the fight.”‘

“Thanks very much to Gennady for having me on his card. I look
forward to fighting again as soon as possible.”

Lamont Roach Jr. won a 6-round unanimous decision over Jose Bustos in a Lightweight bout.

Scores were 59-55 on all cards for Roach, 131.4 lbs of Washington, DC who is now 9-0. Bustos, 130.4 lbs of Ciudad, MX is now 7-6-3.

Said Roach, “Bustos came to fight. He was not backing down throughout the fight but I did not feel threatened by him. I feel like I dominated the fight and was giving him my all. I wanted to end the fight impressively via knock out but he has a strong jaw. This is my last six-rounder and will move up to eight rounds in my next fight, very excited to go there.”

Maurice Hooker won a split decision over Ghislain Maduma in a 10-round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Hooker dropped Maduma in round three with a left hook. Maduma came to back in round six to rock Hooker several times on the ropes before Hooker spit out his mouthpiece.

Hooker, 139.4 lbs of Dallas, TX won by scores of 95-94, 95-93 and Maduma took a card 95-93.

Hooker is now 19-0-2. Maduma, 139.2 lbs of Montreal is 17-2.

Said Hooker, “I think the fight went a good pace and Maduma was a good fighter. He came prepared to fight. I knew I had him from the first round when I hit him with my left. By the fourth round, I grew confident that I was in the lead once I dropped him. But I grew too confident I think and that is when he caught me by surprise in the sixth round. I wasn’t as focused as I should have been so I made sure to listen to my corner and keep him at a distance with my jab for the remaining rounds. I feel that I am ready for a bigger fight and feel confident I can make a statement at 140 pounds. I would love a shot at Broner or any Golden Boy Promotions fighter at 140 pounds, like Antonio Orozco, I can take him.”

Follow all the action as Gennaady Golovkin takes on David Lemieix battle for the WBA/WBC Interim and IBF Middleweight titles.  The action kicks off at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with a 3 fight undercard featuring Roman Gonzalez defending the WBC Flyweight title against Brian Viloria; Luis Ortiz and Matias Vidondo for the WBA Interim Heavyweight title as well as Taureano Johnson taking on Eamonn O’Kane in an IBF Middleweight elimination bout.

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Round 1 Golovkin controlling with the jab..Hard right over the top..

Round 2 Hard left hook and right from GGG….Right..Hard jab..Big right…Hard combination staggers Lemieux..

Round 3 GGG lands a jab..Right from Lemieux..Bg left hook from GGG…Body head combo..

Round 4 Double jab from Lemieux…Huge left from GGG rocks Lemieux…Big flurry on the ropes..

round 5  Lemieux lands a nice combo…BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES LEMIUEX

Round 6 Hard right from GGG..Left hook from Lemiuex…GGG landing some hard power shots…Big left from Lenieux…GGG lands an uppercut

Round 7 Lemieux face becoming bloody..Doctor checking bloody nose..2 hard rights from GGG…he is dominating

Round 8 Hard left to the bODY RIGHT TO THE HEAD…2 MORE PUNCHES AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED…TKO FOR GENNADY GOLOVKIN

Round 1 Right from Viloria…uppercut from Gonzalez..Right from Viloria..Hard uppercut and right from Gonzalez

Round 2 Right to body from Viloria..Left to body from Gonzalez…Uppercut from Viloria..Double left hook

Round 3 COUNTER RIGHT AND DOWN GOES VILORIA..Wicked 5 punch combo…4 more shots to the head..2 left to the body from Viloria…4 hard shots rock Viloria..

Round 4 Good right from Viloria…Hard straight from Gonzalez..5 punch combination..Viloria answers with combo…Trading left hooks

Round 5 Right from Gonzalez…Right over the top..Right inside..left to body from Viloria…Left from Gonzalez…Viloria working body..Right from Gonzalez

Round 6 Right from Gonzalez..right to body from Viloria..Body shot…Gonzalez nice body head combo..uppercuts on the inside…3 more flush uppercuts..

Round 7 bodyshot/uppercut combo from Gonzalez..right over the top 3 more rights..

Round 8 Right to body from Viloria..2 left hooks..hard uppercut on inside from Gonzalez..Viloria’s face is swelling bad..2 lefts and right…Viloria backpeddling…Nice 3 punch combo from Viloria..

Round 9 Left to body from Viloria..3 rights to th head from Gonzalez..Body combo THAT SETS OFF A BIG FLURRY ON THE ROPES AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED…TKO GONZALEZ

Round 1 Ortiz stalkin

Round 2 BIG LEFT AND DOWN GOES VIDONDO

ROUND 3 HARD LEFT AND DOWN GOES VIDONDO FACE FIRST AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

Round 1 Fight starts in close..Johnson lands to the body..Hard left buckles O’Kane..DOUBLE RIGHT HOOK AND DOWN GOES O’Kane..aNOTHER RIGHT HOOK AND DOWN GOES O’KANE…

ROUND 2 Johnson rips O’Kane with 3 hard rights…Inside left..2 chopping rights….right

Round 3 Left from O’Kane..right from Johnson..Hard left from O’Kane..Combo to the head…trading rights…Left to body from Johnson…Hard uppercut from Johnson…Double right from Johnson..left to body…solid right

Round 4 Left to the body from Johnson…straight left..double right from Johnson..Uppercut…

Round 5 3 punch comb from O’Kane..right to the body

Round 6 Right from O’Kane..O’Kane trying to work inside…uppercut and left from Johnson..Body shot

Round 7 Johnson rocks O’Kane with several rights

Round 8 Right from O’Kane..O’Kane bleeding from the forehead…

Round 9 Left from Johnson..O’Kane lands 2 shots…Right from Johnson

Round 10 Right from Johnson

Round 11 3 rights from O’Kane…

Round 12 O’Kane pressing…right from O’Kane…

Johnson wins 119-107, 118-108 and 117-109

Gennady Golovkin 159.4 – David Lemieux 159.8
(WBA/WBC Interim/IBF Middleweight title
Roman Gonzalez 111.4 – Brian Viloria 111.4
(WBC Flyweight title)
Luis Ortiz 237.8 – Matias Ariel Vidondo 261
(WBA Interim Heavyweight Title)
Eamonn O’Kane 160 – Taureano Johnson 159.4
(IBF Middleweight Eliminator)

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 22, 2015) – On Saturday, Oct. 17, the “Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden, will host two additional stellar world title matchups as undefeated Cuban heavyweight Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (22-0, 19 KOs) takes on Matias Ariel “El Matador” Vidondo (20-1-1, 18 KOs) for the Interim WBA Heavyweight World Title and middleweight standout Tureano Johnson (18-1, 13 KOs) is set to face Eamonn “King Kane” O’Kane (14-1-1, 5 KOs) in an IBF Middleweight World Title Eliminator. Both bouts, scheduled for 12-rounds, will be featured on the televised undercard of the Middleweight World Championship Title Unification bout between WBC, IBO and WBC “Interim” Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and IBF Middleweight Champion David Lemieux. The championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

The winner of the Johnson-O’Kane bout will become the mandatory challenger for the IBF Middleweight Championship being contested in the main event between Golovkin and Lemieux.

Previously announced, in the co-featured bout of the Pay-Per-View telecast, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez will defend his WBC Flyweight Championship against two-time former world champion Brian Viloria.

“Luis Ortiz is the real deal – not only does he have tremendous power, but he moves extremely well for a man of his size,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “If he gets past Vidondo, and captures his first heavyweight title, fights against anyone in the division – including Wladimir Klitschko – will be on the table.”

“The only way to be the best is to beat the best and taking on Matias and fighting for the Interim WBA Heavyweight World Title is a big step to proving that I am the best,” said Luis Ortiz. “But I am more than ready, I am too fast and too strong for Vidondo and I will prove that on October 17. My dream has always been to become the heavyweight champion of the world and this fight is a big step closer to that dream.”

“Making my U.S. debut while fighting for the interim WBA Heavyweight World Title is a big opportunity for me,” said Matias Ariel Vidondo. “I will get to showcase my power in front of a national stage on HBO Pay-Per-View and on the undercard of one of the biggest nights in boxing this year. I promise my fans and Argentina that I will not let them down. I will be victorious on October 17 and bring home a title.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity that has been awarded to me, to be able to fight in the IBF Middleweight Title Eliminator,” said Tureano Johnson. “It was long awaited, I feel like I am halfway there on the path to accomplishing my goal to becoming a world champion and with Golden Boy Promotions at my side I know it’s inevitable. HBO Pay-Per-View is a major platform and I’m excited to have been chosen and featured as one of their televised fights. I know that the fans have high expectations and they will not be disappointed.”

“I am looking forward to proving I am the next great middleweight champion on October 17,” said Eamonn O’Kane. “I have been waiting for this opportunity my whole career and now that it is finally here I am glad it will be at the ‘Mecca of Boxing,’ Madison Square Garden.”

Fans in attendance will also see a trio of impressive non-televised undercard matchups featuring top prospects from around the globe. In a 10-round lightweight bout, Montreal’s Ghislain Maduma (17-1, 11 KOs) makes his United States debut against the undefeated Maurice Hooker (18-0-2, 14 KOs) of Dallas, TX. Another 135-pounder drawing rave reviews is Washington, D.C. native Lamont Roach Jr. (8-0, 3 KOs) who is scheduled for a six-round lightweight bout. Opening up the night, undefeated super lightweight fighter Ruslan Madiev (5-0, 3 KOs) will fight in a four-round fight. Opponents for Roach and Madiev will be announced shortly.

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

Cuban amateur great, Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz had amassed nearly 350 wins before making his way to the United States to chase championship gold as a professional. Unbeaten in 24 bouts, the 36-year-old southpaw holds a knockout win over Monte Barrett, and in his most recent bout in June, he needed less than a round to dispatch Byron Polley. Looking to regain the interim WBA title, Ortiz is more motivated than ever to call himself a “World Champion.”

Currently sporting a 10-fight winning streak, Rosario, Argentina’s Matias Ariel Vidondo is nicknamed “El Matador,” but he has played the bull in knocking out his opponent in 18 of his 20 wins. A professional since 2010, the Argentinean heavyweight champion will fight for the first time outside of his home country on October 17, but the 38-year-old is eager to return with a world heavyweight championship belt in his suitcase.

A native of Nassau in the Bahamas, 31-year-old Tureano Johnson proudly represented his nation in the 2008 Olympics, making it to the quarterfinals in Beijing. In 2010, he turned professional and soared up the middleweight ladder before a controversial 2014 loss to Curtis Stevens. Undeterred, Johnson has since won four fights, three by knockout, and as the newest member of the Golden Boy Promotions roster, he knows that if he keeps winning, he will earn a shot at the title in one of boxing’s most storied divisions.

One of Northern Ireland’s most accomplished amateur fighters, Belfast’s Eamonn “King Kane” O’Kane won a gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and defeated the likes of George Groves and Anthony Ogogo before making his professional debut in 2011. Since then, the 33-year-old has gone unbeaten in all but one of his bouts. He heads into New York City having put together a 6-0-1 record in his last seven, a stretch that includes a 12-round win over previously unbeaten Lewis Taylor in defense of his IBF Intercontinental title in May.

A native of Kinshasa, the 30-year-old Maduma was a five-time Quebec champion as an amateur, and after a second-round technical knockout over Michele Focosi in June, he wants to keep the momentum going.

Lamont Roach Jr. has impressed fans since turning professional in 2014, and on October 17, he will enter the hallowed ring at Madison Square Garden for the first time in a six-round bout. Winner of three bouts thus far in 2015, Roach’s wins over Herbert Quartey, Jose Miguel Castro and Christian Santibanez have shown him to be a young boxer getting better with each fight.

Kazakhstan native Ruslan Madiev has made short work of his professional career having won more than half of those fights by knockout. Most recently the 22-year-old Madiev scored a second round knockout of Julio Sanchez on May 16 on the undercard of the Gennady Golovkin/Willie Monroe sold-out event at the Forum in Los Angeles.

Madiev is also trained by the renowned Abel Sanchez alongside Golovkin in Big Bear, California.

Golovkin vs. Lemieux is presented by K2 Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with GGG Promotions and Eye of the Tiger Management. The event will take place Saturday, October 17 from Madison Square Garden and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. ET and first fight begins at 7:00 p.m. ET.

For more information visit, www.k2promos.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.gggboxing.com, www.eottm.com, www.thegarden.com, www.hboboxing.com, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @TomLoeffler1, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @GGGBoxing, @LemieuxBoxing, @ChocolatitoBox, @BrianViloria and @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/GGGBoxing, www.facebook.com/EyeofTheTigerManagement and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and join the conversation using #GolovkinLemieux.