In a battle of undefeated lightweights. Frank Martin needed a late rally and 12th round knockdown to eek 12-round unanimous decision over Artem Harutyunyan at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

It was a close fight early with Harutyunyan landing some sneaky combinations. It took Martin a few rounds to get going.

In round six, Martin picked up the pace and landed a barrage of punches that opened up a cut on the forehead of Harutyunyan.

In round 12, Martin was applying serious pressure and Harutyunyan had to take a knee. It turns out that Martin won the last four rounds on the judges cards and won by scores of 115-112 twice and 114-113.

Martin landed 167 of 539 punches. Harutyunyan was 117 of 442.

Martin, 135 lbs of Indianapolis is now 18-0. Harutyunyan, 134.6 lbs of Hamburg, GER is 12-1.

“I just knew I wasn’t active enough as I normally am,” said Martin, who won his second fight at The Chelsea in eight months. “I just think my reaction time just wasn’t on point tonight. He definitely was a tough opponent. I wouldn’t say that it was too difficult, it was just my reaction time wasn’t working like it normally does for me. I couldn’t tell you know, just my timing seemed a little off tonight. He was definitely tough. I hit him with some big shots. He stood up, he bounced around in the ring like a ping pong, but he stood tall. I take my hat off to him because he took some big shots.

“I don’t agree,” Harutyunyan said of the decision. “If it’s possible I will fight him again, but if it’s not, not a problem. He’s just a fighter. He’s not Errol Spence. I’m a big fan of Errol Spence. My plan is to be become a world champion, or at least fight for the world title, maybe against Devin Haney or Gervonta Davis. I can go up one weight class, it’s not a problem for me. But I’m so happy to be here and I want to come back.”

On Harutyunyan taking the knee, Martin said, “No, I wasn’t surprised. You know after a while, after I’ve landed so many body shots, I can get to wearing guys down. I didn’t land as many body shots as I normally do, so, you know, he stood in there.”

“He’s a good fighter. But I saw every punch on him,” Harutyunyan said. “The last one my eye got hurt very bad, so that was the point where I had to take a few seconds to recover [on the knockdown]. I think this round was the only round that decided it and gave it to him.”

Elvis Rordiguez Stops Victor Postal in 7

Elvis Rodriguez stopped former world champion Viktor Postal in round seven of their 10-round super lightweight fight.

In round six, Postal began to bleed from his nose. Late in the round, Rodriguez landed a vicious right hook to the head that sent Postal to a knee. Postal was hurt to begin round seven, and Rodriguez sensed it and landed another right hook that sent Postal wobbling to the ropes and the fight was waved off by Celestino Ruiz at 23 seconds.

Rodriguez, 141.8 lbs of Las Angeles is 15-1-1 with 13 knockouts. Postal, 141.6 lbs of Marina del Rey, CA is 31-5.

“For every fight we always have a plan,” Rodriguez said. “Today, maybe it helped a little bit that Freddie trained Postol, but it’s always a plan for a different fighter. This all started in the fifth round. When I hit him, I thought I fractured his nose, then I gave him a nice look in the fifth. So, in the sixth I was going for the kill. I felt I had him from the beginning in the seventh round. I gave him a hook and I saw that he was in trouble. And then the referee stopped the fight. So we knew we had won. I’m ready. I’m ready for a world title. I’ve worked too hard so far. Thank you.”

Freudis Rojas Jr. Stops Diego Sanchez in 7

Freudis Rojas Jr. remained undefeated by stopping Diego Sanchez in round seven of their 10-round welterweight bout.

Rojas dominated the fight and the corner of Sanchez ended the fight at 58 seconds of round seven.

Rojas, 146 lbs of Las Vegas is 11-0 with 11 knockouts. Sanchez, 146.6 lbs of San Diego is 19-3.

“You know this guy was a tough guy. We knew that he was gonna keep putting pressure on,” said Rojas, who was extended past the fourth round for the first time. “I’m glad I got the rounds in because that’s what we need in the pros. The more rounds the better, and I know the fans like that. This was the biggest blessing. Like I said at the press conference, when I found that the news [I would fight on the telecast] I was jumping around like a little girl like with some pom poms, man ‘cause it’s such a blessing. I think this is gonna open a lot more doors for me.”

LAS VEGAS – June 16, 2023 – Undefeated top contender Frank “The Ghost” Martin will take on undefeated Olympic bronze medalist Artem Harutyunyan in a WBC Lightweight Title Eliminator topping action live on SHOWTIME from The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will see future Hall of Famer and Filipino star Nonito Donaire battle Mexican contender Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC Bantamweight World Championship in the co-main event, plus top super lightweight contender Elvis Rodriguez meets former world champion Viktor Postol in a 10-round showdown opening the telecast.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com.

“Every time Frank Martin gets in the ring, he shows why he’s a future world champion and one of the most talented fighters in the sport,” said unified welterweight world champion Errol Spence Jr., Martin’s promoter. “I’ve been seeing him up close day after day in the gym, and I know he’s gonna look spectacular on July 15. Don’t miss this one, because you’re going to be seeing a special fighter at the top of his game.”

“Frank Martin has established himself in the top-tier of fighters in the star-studded lightweight division and can take another big step toward earning his world title shot against the tough Olympic bronze medalist Artem Harutyunyan on July 15 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “With a world championship on the line between all-time great Nonito Donaire and Mexico’s Alexandro Santiago in the co-main event, and a high-level crossroads fight between Elvis Rodriguez and Viktor Postol in the telecast opener, this card sets up to deliver memorable clashes throughout the night.”

The 28-year-old Martin (17-0, 12 KOs) stamped his status as one of the elite 135-pounders in the sport last December at The Cosmopolitan as he dropped the previously unbeaten Michel Rivera on his way to a dominant unanimous decision . Martin’s initial ascent at 135-pounds saw him begin by stopping then unbeaten Jerry Perez in April 2021 before dispatching of tough contenders Jackson Marinez, Romero Duno and Ryan Kielczweski. Originally from Indianapolis, Ind., Martin now trains in the Dallas-area under the guidance of highly renowned trainer Derrick James and alongside his promoter and unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.

“Anyone who doesn’t know about me, I want to wake them up to who I am with a great performance on July 15,” said Martin. “I’m locked in and I have a lot of momentum on my side. There’s a great energy in our gym and I’m ready to show everybody what I’ve been working on. I know he’s undefeated too and coming in there to try and upset me, but we’ll be prepared for whatever he brings. I’m ready to make a statement. I’m definitely not looking past Harutyunyan, but I’m ready for the best fighters and this performance will show everyone how ready I am.”

Harutyunyan (12-0, 7 KOs) earned a Bronze medal representing Germany at the 2016 Olympics before turning pro in late 2017. Born in Armenia and now fighting out of Hamburg, Germany, Harutyunyan scored a career-best victory by knocking out then unbeaten Samuel Molina in five rounds in September 2021 and most recently defeated Humberto Galindo by unanimous decision last June. The 32-year-old will make his U.S. debut on July 15 after fighting in Germany for his first 12 outings.

“I respect all of my opponents, but Frank Martin is just my next step toward reaching my dream of becoming world champion,” said Harutyunyan. “I’m very happy to be making my U.S. debut in Las Vegas and I know that the crowd is going to love me. I’ve been training in Germany and working hard for months now. All of this is going to lead to an extraordinary win over Frank Martin.”

One of the sport’s most accomplished active fighters, Donaire (42-7, 28 KOs) has captured titles at flyweight, bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight. He will look to make another run at bantamweight after capturing the title with a May 2021 knockout of Nordine Oubaali and eventually a defeat to Naoya Inoue in their June 2022 rematch. Representing his native Talibon, Bohol, Philippines, Donaire’s previous campaign at bantamweight began in 2018 by upsetting then unbeaten champion Ryan Burnett in his hometown to capture a title once again, before eventually dropping the belt in the 2019 Fight of the Year in his first matchup against Inoue.

“I’m coming to the ring on July 15 to take that belt home and there’s no second option for me,” said Donaire. “I’m thankful to my team for this opportunity and I’ve been training hard to make the most of it. I’ve brought in some really fast fighters who have helped me prepare, and my team has really focused on giving me some defensive pointers. I’m ahead of schedule right now and I can’t wait to get in there.”

A native of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, Santiago (27-3-5, 14 KOs) will compete for a bantamweight crown for the first time in his career on July 15, as he enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak since a majority decision loss to Gary Antonio Russell in November 2021. The 27-year-old had previously fought for a 115-pound championship in September 2018, battling Jerwin Ancajas to a split-draw. Santiago most recently avenged one of the draws on his record, as he stopped Antonio Nieves in seven rounds last October.

“I would like to thank my whole team for this amazing opportunity,” said Santiago. “It has been a long time coming. I have been waiting for another world title opportunity since my draw with Ancajas. Camp has been great and I’m working extremely hard. It is also a great honor to be able to share the ring with one of the greatest of my generation, Nonito Donaire. However, this is my time to shine.”

Rodríguez (14-1-1, 12 KOs) has bounced back from his first career defeat, a majority decision loss to Kenneth Sims Jr., to defeat three-straight opponents. His most recent fight came in February on SHOWTIME as he defeated Joseph Adorno by decision to follow up stoppages of Juan Pablo Romero and Juan Jose Velasco. The 27-year-old burst onto the scene with knockout victories in 10 of his first 11 fights and totaled an impressive five wins in 2020. Originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Rodríguez now lives and trains in Los Angeles, Calif.

“I’m very motivated to be back in the ring,” said Rodriguez. “Viktor Postol is a great fighter and warrior and has fought the best in this division. This will be an action-packed fight that no one should miss. I’m coming to prove that I deserve a title shot after this fight. Beating Postol in spectacular fashion is a statement that earns me that shot. I have a duty to myself, my family and my country to win on July 15. This is the most important fight of my career.“

A feared contender in the 140-pound division, Postol (31-4, 12 KOs) returns to the ring after a defeat to top contender Gary Antuanne Russell at The Cosmo in February 2022. Fighting out of California and originally from Ukraine, Postol, knocked out Lucas Matthysse in 2015 to capture a super lightweight world title before losing a unification showdown against Terence Crawford. Postol had won three of his previous five fights before facing Russell, with the only defeats in that stretch coming against the then-unified champion Jose Ramirez and the former undisputed champion Josh Taylor, both by decision.

“I’m very happy to be back in the ring fighting in the U.S. against a strong contender,” said Postol. “I know my opponent very well. We’ve both trained in the same with Freddie Roach and we’ve sparred together. Now we get to fight for real and prove who is better on July 15.”

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LAS VEGAS – January 24, 2022 – Undefeated rising star Chris “Primetime” Colbert, whose mix of speed and power have quickly made him a fan favorite, will seek his first world title when he takes on WBA Super Featherweight Champion Roger “The Kid” Gutierrez in the SHOWTIME main event Saturday, February 26 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast kicks off at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will feature another unbeaten young phenom in the co-main event. Gary Antuanne Russell, a 2016 U.S. Olympian, faces former world champion Viktor Postol in a 10-round super lightweight bout, while IBF Junior Bantamweight World Champion Jerwin Ancajas defends his title against unbeaten Argentine Fernando Martinez in the televised opener of the loaded tripleheader.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now, and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com.

“We’ve had the pleasure of watching Chris Colbert develop from a prospect to a contender on SHOWTIME, so it’s only fitting that he will get a chance to take yet another step in his progression with a title shot against Roger Gutierrez on our network,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “Gary Antuanne Russell is following a similar recipe for stardom. If he can turn back the tough-as-nails Viktor Postol, it will be another signal that his time in the spotlight may soon be at hand. We’ve seen the destructive talents of Jerwin Ancajas on SHOWTIME before. His title defense against Fernando Martinez should be a barnburner and the perfect start to a fantastic night of boxing.”

Representing his native Brooklyn, N.Y., Colbert (16-0, 6 KOs) has quickly shot up the 130-pound rankings, taking on high-level competition in his first 16 pro fights. Already established as a fighter with dazzling boxing skills, Colbert showcased his ability to fight toe-to-toe with an 11th-round stoppage of Jaime Arboleda in December 2020 before most recently besting Tugstsogt Nyambayar in July 2021. The 25-year-old turned pro in 2015 and defeated three unbeaten fighters in his first eight contests. Prior to the Arboleda fight, Colbert scored a highlight-reel first-round knockout against Miguel Beltran Jr. in September 2019 and a dominant 12-round decision victory over former champion Jezzreel Corrales in January 2020.

“I’m super ready for my title shot,” said Colbert. “This has been a long time coming, but it’s no shocker to me. This was always the expectation. I know Gutierrez will come to fight. He’s a champion for a reason. So he’s not coming to lay down. But I plan to put him down and I’m willing to do whatever I have to do on February 26 to make that happen. I know a lot of people have been waiting to see when I get this title shot and now it’s time.”

The 26-year-old Gutierrez (26-3-1, 20 KOs) captured his world title with a unanimous decision victory over Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado in January 2021, in a fight that saw him drop his opponent three times. Gutierrez followed up that performance by defending his world championship and defeating Alvarado a second time in August 2021, again earning a unanimous decision. Fighting out of his native Maracaibo, Venezuela, Gutierrez is unbeaten in his last seven outings, including four knockouts.

“First of all, I want to thank God, my mother, my team, my promoter and the WBA for this opportunity,” said Gutierrez. “It cost me a lot of effort to win the world championship, this is my second title defense and I am ready to give it my all to retain it. On February 26, I am going to show the world that I am the best at 130 pounds.”

Russell (14-0, 14 KOs) has yet to allow an opponent to make it the distance against him since turning pro in 2017 following his run representing the U.S. at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. Russell added five more stoppage victories in 2019 before knocking out Jose Marrufo in the first round in February 2020. The 25-year-old most recently dominated Jovanie Santiago in May on SHOWTIME, on his way to a sixth-round stoppage. Russell belongs to one of the sport’s preeminent fighting families and trains alongside his older brothers, former WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Jr. and bantamweight contender Gary Antonio.

“I’m going to make sure I’m prepared mentally and ready to perform at a high-level for this fight,” said Russell. “These fights come down to who’s more mentally stable, and that’s a matter of training. I train my mental as much as I do physically. I’ve watched Postol fight before and I know that he’s a rangy fighter with a European style. He likes to stay at a distance and that works best for him. He leans on his strengths. Every fight I come in planning to make a statement. My prediction, I’m ending this fight in round five.”

A feared contender in the 140-pound division, Postol (31-3, 12 KOs) returns to the ring after losing a narrow majority decision to then unified champion Jose Ramirez in August 2020. Fighting out of California and originally from Ukraine, Postol, knocked out Lucas Matthysse in 2015 to capture a super lightweight world title before losing a unification showdown against Terence Crawford. Postol has won three of his last five fights, with the only defeats in that stretch coming against Ramirez and current undisputed champion Josh Taylor, both by decision.

“I accepted this fight as soon as it was offered,” said Postol. “I haven’t fought in a while and I wanted to get back in the ring as soon as I could. I’m especially excited that I’m going to have the opportunity to face a good young opponent on February 26.”

Representing the Philippines, Ancajas (33-1-2, 22 KOs) was only 15 years old when he was spotted by boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. The young fighter blossomed with Pacquiao’s guidance, becoming the first world champion under Pacquiao’s promotional banner when he outpointed McJoe Arroyo for the IBF title in September 2016. The 30-year-old southpaw hasn’t lost since and will be making the tenth defense of his title, following an April 2021 unanimous decision over Jonathan Rodriguez.

“I am thrilled to be back on SHOWTIME defending my world title on February 26,” said Ancajas. “It’s very exciting to be making my tenth world title defense in the first Las Vegas fight of my career. I want to thank my whole team for giving me this great opportunity to fight on this PBC event on SHOWTIME.”

A resident of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Martinez (13-0, 8 KOs) most recently knocked out Gonzalo Duran in the fourth round of their August 2021 showdown and will be making his U.S. debut on February 26. The 30-year-old rose up the rankings by stopping Athenkosi Dumezweni in his home country of South Africa in 2019, following that up with a decision over Angel Aquino in December 2020. Martinez turned pro in 2017 and owns an amateur victory over former title challenger and super flyweight contender Andrew Moloney.

“I’m excited to have this great chance to show my skills on the big stage in Las Vegas,” said Martinez. “I’m going to leave it all in the ring on February 26 and give all the fans watching an exciting fight. My goal is to become world champion and this is the night for me to prove myself.”

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Johnny Schulz

By Bart Barry-

Saturday on ESPN+ in Las Vegas undefeated American junior welterweight titlist Jose Ramirez went 12 successful rounds with Ukrainian technician Viktor Postol in Ramirez’s tryout to become champion Josh Taylor’s next mandatory challenger.  The scores were split.  One judge saw the match a 6-6 affair, another saw it 7-5 and a third saw it 8-4.  Ramirez did enough to win, and Postol did enough to have others complain on his behalf.

I tried to remember if I cared about Postol during his ringwalk.  It’s an important inventory, I find, now that a pandemic has turned everything upsidedown.  Promoters, after all, lie to us constantly, boldly and badly.

This gimmick about wanting to crown the first-ever unified champion, of Latin descent, in the four-belt era – the dream of every immigrant’s son in California’s Central Valley – is threadnaked, even by boxing standards, even in a pandemic.  Suffering through it began my Postol inventory.  I made no progress.  I was excited by Ramirez’s beating Maurice Hooker last year, I recalled when the highlights rolled, and promoter Top Rank is the best at making competitive matches when it wishes to be, and I’ll watch most anyone who might make a future match with a WBSS winner – so complete is my fealty to DAZN’s roundrobin concept.  I was engrossed enough in the fight a few rounds later to cease my inventory; I recalled Postol making a yawner with Bud Crawford, the first time Top Rank tried to market Bud like a pay-per-view attraction, and reminded often Postol lost a decision to WBSS winner and division champion Josh Taylor.  That was enough.

The next morning I discovered Lucas Matthysse was the reason I cared about Postol.  Six months after Matthysse executed his MAD-pact with Ruslan Provodnikov he got himself dissuaded emphatically by Postol, who just isn’t my kind of fighter.  Postol has natural gifts of size and skill and uses them to lose narrowly to his division’s best men.  He’s a light favorite of our beloved sport’s malcontents, though Saturday, blessedly enough, those guys were busy on the other end of the dial, where their patron saint, Erislandy Lara, played keepaway with a 15-1 underdog from Wakefield, Mass., where there’s plenty of fighting and very little of it good. 

Top Rank has done a fine job with Ramirez.  Spotting his limitations early Top Rank made Ramirez about biography and the genuine need his neighbors feel for a champion, fighting Ramirez in Fresno over and over and showing the promotional outfit’s adaptability.  Ramirez has done his part, too, tying himself to his community and offering the sort of autobiographical vulnerability ESPN types adore.

Obviously the network has a rooting interest in Ramirez it doesn’t have in Postol, though I caught myself wondering why there wasn’t something that might be done with Postol’s life in Ukraine, something headier than glib graphics about how many miles Postol’s flown for cancelled matches.  Disclaimer: Maybe there was a 45-minute segment on Postol’s grandfather running potato-mash moonshine out Kiev in a lowered Tatra 603 and how his scofflaw bearing subverted the relationship his grandson, Viktor, would someday have with his father, the moonshine runner’s son, before the Ramirez biopic aired on ESPN+, which apparently the poshest among us now call The Plus, but if it happened while Alfredo “Perro” Angulo made his match down the dial, I missed it.

I thought of Angulo halfway through The Plus’ mainevent, wondering how much different Ramirez was from Angulo, really, as a fighter (all indications are that, far as character goes, they’re quite different, though I spent an hour on the phone with Angulo once and found him a fragile sort with a highpitched giggle and not the psychopath American immigration officials claimed he be); both were Olympians, both are heavyhanded pressure guys, both believe in their chins’ durability much more than their opponents’.  How likely is it I’d’ve made this association were Angulo and Ramirez not fighting a few minutes apart?  Way unlikely.  This is a pandemic, though, and everyone is upsidedown right now, especially those trying hardest to pretend nothing is changed, which might be read as further cover for what a dull mainevent Saturday’s much-anticipated tilt was.

I didn’t anticipate it at all.  I included much-anticipated because Tess and Dre told me to, being, as it was, part of the road to a unification ESPN and Top Rank and Ramirez need far more than Josh Taylor does.  Taylor’s the unified champion, after all, for having unbuttoned the undefeated Russian Ivan Baranchyk in May 2019 and then unstrapped the undefeated American Regis Prograis five months later.

Taylor is the world’s best 140-pound prizefighter until someone proves otherwise.  There’s no controversy.  Would Ramirez be the world’s best 140-pound prizefighter had his handlers allowed him participate in WBSS?  Maybe.  Probably not.  Nothing Ramirez showed Saturday indicated he’d have undone Prograis, much less Taylor, and Top Rank’s evident concern about losing a ticketseller to a roundrobin format, last year, speaks to the promoter’s handicapping savvy.  The risk did not justify the reward.  At least not when there were tickets to sell, eh guys?

I don’t think I know much more about Josh Taylor than: He is from Scotland, and he won his championship the right way.  That’s plenty.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Jose Ramirez won a 12-round majority decision over mandatory challenger Viktor Postol via majority decision to retain the WBC/WBO Junior Welterweight World Titles at The MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.

Postol had success early on as he worked behind his long jab. Ramirez pushed the action and hurt Postol. Ramirez continued to push the action and landed some hard power shots in a battle that was nip and tuck for much of the fight. Ramirez outlanded Postol 156 to 147, and won by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114.

Ramirez, 139.8 lbs of Avenal, CA is 26-0. Postol, 139.7 lbs of Ukraine is 31-3.

Said Ramirez, “I went in there a little too cold, you know? I impressed myself. I’m much stronger than most guys think. I just gotta not lose confidence in myself and stick to what I do best and box, let my hands go and not hesitate too much. I think there was a little bit of hesitation throughout the fight.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the ring. There have been a lot of things that have happened in my personal life. It’s been such a long training camp. I think {I went} through the routine instead of, ‘Let’s fight.’
 
“I felt like I was just in a sparring session. I think I could’ve made the fight a lot easier in my favor, but we live and we learn. This was an amazing experience. I’m just happy I got the win.”

Said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, “It was a good fight, but both men were impacted by going through three training camps and the whole situation with COVID-19. That being said, I thought Jose clearly won the fight.”

Barboza Decisions Luis

Arnold Barboza Jr. won a 10-round unanimous decision over Tony Luis in a junior welterweight bout.

In round six, Barboza was deducted a point. Other than that, it was all Barboza.

Barboza landed 225 of 69 punches; Luis was 135 of 577.

Barboza, 139.2 lbs of South El Monte, CA won by scores of 99-90 on all cards and is now 24-0. Luis, 139.4 lbs of Cornwall, CAN is 29-3.

Said Barboza, “To be honest, I haven’t fought since last November. I haven’t gone 10 rounds in a while. He was a tough guy. I needed the rounds. I showed a little bit of what I’ve been working on in the corner, going southpaw and all that. I give my performance a ‘B.’ I wasn’t really satisfied because I didn’t get the stoppage. It happens.
 
“I want {Alex} Saucedo. I think me and him would be a great fight. I know he wants it. I want it, so we could probably get it on soon. If he’s ready, I’ll be ready.”

Rodriguez stops Wilson in 3

Elvis Rodriguez kept his perfect knockout streak in-tact as he stopped Cody Wilson in round three of their scheduled six-round welterweight bout.

In round one, Rodriguez dropped Wilson with a straight left to the chin. In round three, Rodriguez sized Wilson wit a jab and landed a booming left to the head that made Wilson plummet in the corner and the fight was stopped at 1:03.

Rodriguez, 143.9 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 9-0 with nine knockouts. Wilson, 142.9 lbs of Farimony, NY is 9-3.

Said Rodriguez, “We knew it was going to be a tough fight because I’m a 140-pound fighter, but this fight took place at 144 pounds. I knew I had to be patient, but I knew that I could set up that knockout.

“When someone like Freddie Roach, a Hall of Famer, a legendary trainer, says that about someone like me, wow, that’s amazing. It’s also bringing some pressure because I have to perform. I know that under him, I’m going to continue to develop my skills, my talent, and I’m not going to let anyone down.”

Raymond Muratalla remained undefeated as he stopped Cesar Valenzuela in round seven of a scheduled eight-round lightweight bout,

In round one, Muratalla dropped Valenzuela with a straight right to the head. In round two, Valenzuela got even as he dropped Muratalla with a right to the head.

After that, Muratalla started to and continued to beat up Valenzuela until the fight was stopped at 2:24 of round seven.

Muratalla, 135.4 lbs of Fontana, CA is 10-0 with eight knockouts. Valenzuela is 134.9 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 15-7-1.

In a battle of undefeated bantamweights, Gabriel Muratalla won a four-round unanimous decision over Justice Bland.

In round one, Bland seemed to have dropped Muratalla, but he hit him while he was down, and then docked a point.

Muratalla, 119.6 lbs of Fontana, CA won by scores of 38-36 on all cards, and is now 5-0. Bland, 118.7 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 2-1.

Javier Martinez remained undefeated by pounding out a six-round unanimous decision over Rance Ward in a middleweight bout.

Martinez, 159.5 lbs of Milwaukee, WI won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 2-0. Ward, 162.9 lbs of Houma, LA is 4-2-1.

  •     Jose Ramirez 139.8 lbs vs. Viktor Postol 139.7 lbs 
(Ramirez’s WBC/WBO Junior Welterweight World Titles — 12 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Tim Cheatham, Dave Moretti and Steve Weisfeld/Russell Mora

•    Arnold Barboza Jr. 139.2 lbs vs. Tony Luis 139.4 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•    Elvis Rodriguez 143.9 lbs vs. Cody Wilson 142.9 lbs 
(Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

•      Raymond Muratalla 135.4 lbs vs. Cesar Valenzuela 134.9 lbs 
(Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

•     Gabriel Muratalla 119.6 lbs vs. Justice Bland 118.7 lbs 
(Bantamweight — 4 Rounds)

•    Javier Martinez 159.5 lbs vs. Rance Ward 162.9 lbs 
(Middleweight— 6 Rounds)About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

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

LAS VEGAS (August 27, 2020) —  Finally! After a pair of fight dates fell by the wayside, WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez and former world champion Viktor Postol are set to fight Saturday evening from the MGM Grand “Bubble” (ESPN+ coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET). They were scheduled to fight Feb. 2 in China and May 9 in Fresno, Calif., but the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled those plans.

In other action Saturday evening, junior welterweight contender Arnold Barboza Jr. will fight Canadian veteran Tony Luis, and Dominican knockout artist Elvis Rodriguez will look to extend his knockout streak to seven against Cody Wilson in a six-rounder at welterweight.

This is what Ramirez and Postol had to say at Thursday’s press conference.

Jose Ramirez

 “After the big win against Hooker, I am ready to go and continue my journey to become undisputed champion. I know Viktor Postol stands in the way of that, and he is a very experienced fighter. I have been training very, very hard for this fight.

“Due to the pandemic, the fight got rescheduled, but I stayed at the gym. I remained composed and patient. I have a great team and my family behind me. I’m a man of faith. I believe everything happens for a reason, and now that I’m here, I can’t wait to showcase my talent on August 29. I want to show the world how much I have grown and matured as a unified champion. My goal is to become {undisputed} world champion.

“For the first date for this fight, I did a full training camp. The fight got rescheduled the same day I was supposed to depart, but luckily, I didn’t get to the airport. For the second date, I was in camp for five weeks before I got the call that the fight was going to get canceled again. Now, this is another nine-week camp that I’ve been on. My last fight was 13 months ago, but it feels like it was yesterday because I’ve been in the gym the whole year and with this fight on my mind the whole time.”

Viktor Postol

“The first training camp was tough because I came to the U.S. two months before the fight and we actually departed to China for the first fight date. It was a long flight. This camp has also been very long. I came three months before the fight date, but I feel good. I feel ready to fight.

“Jose is a good fighter. He is a good champion, but I know I have a good chance to win this fight. I have the motivation because this fight is for two belts. I’ll be ready.”

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

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

(August 27, 2020) — Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois, the heavyweight division’s most feared young knockout artist, will defend his WBO International belt Saturday against Dutch upstart Ricardo Snijders in a scheduled 12-rounder from BT Sport Studio in London.
 
Dubois-Snijders headlines a scheduled six-bout card on ESPN+ beginning at 2 p.m. ET, which kicks off a boxing marathon exclusively on the streaming service. Later that day, WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez will defend his world titles against former world champion Viktor Postol (7:30 p.m. ET).
 
The 22-year-old Dubois (14-0, 13 KOs) went 5-0 with 5 knockouts in 2020, including a fifth-round demolition over the previously unbeaten Nathan Gorman. He won the British and Commonwealth titles to rise to the top of the domestic heavyweight crop and closed out the year last December with a second-round stoppage over Kyotaro Fujimoto. Dubois is well known to ESPN+ viewers, as his last seven bouts have streamed live on the platform. As he awaits a potential showdown with unbeaten countryman Joe Joyce, he must defeat Snijders (18-1, 8 KOs), who has fought all but one of his pro bouts in his home country.
 
In other streaming action on the Dubois-Snijders card:

• Junior bantamweight contender Sunny Edwards (14-0, 4 KOs) will defend his IBF International strap in a 12-rounder against noted spoiler Thomas Essomba (10-5, 4 KOs). Edwards recently captured the British title with a points win over Marcel Braithwaite, while Essomba has defeated unbeaten prospects in his last two bouts.
   
• WBO European junior welterweight champion Sam Maxwell (13-0, 11 KOs) will make the second defense of his belt in a 10-rounder against Joe Hughes (17-5-1, 7 KOs), a former English and European champion looking to break a two-bout losing skid.
   
• Light heavyweight prospect Willy Hutchinson (11-0, 7 KOs) will fight Ben Thomas (2-2-3, 1 KO) in a 10-rounder.
   
• Lightweight prospect Sam Noakes (3-0, 3 KOs) and rising heavyweight David Adeleye (2-0, 2 KOs) will also see action.
   

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 
 
Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

LAS VEGAS (August 19, 2020) — The Dominican Republic’s most feared southpaw slugger since David Ortiz, Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez, returns on the Jose Ramirez-Viktor Postol/Arnold Barboza Jr.-Tony Luis undercard Saturday, Aug. 29 for his third appearance inside the MGM Grand “Bubble.” Rodriguez will fight Cody Wilson in a six-round welterweight bout as part of the exclusive undercard stream on ESPN+ (7:30 p.m. ET).
 
“I like staying active and putting on a show for the fans,” said Rodriguez, who is trained by the legendary Freddie Roach. “You’ve seen two big knockouts from me inside the ‘Bubble,’ and I don’t see my third fight being any different.”
 
Rodriguez (8-0-1, 8 KOs), like many of his nation’s sporting heroes, started on the baseball diamond. He soon found out he enjoyed fighting more than pitching and hitting, and thus began his ring journey. Following a successful amateur career in his homeland, he turned pro in November 2018 and signed with Top Rank early the following year. Apart from a headbutt-induced technical draw, Rodriguez has knocked out every opponent he’s faced. He made his “Bubble” debut July 2 and knocked out Danny Murray with a power jab in the opening round. Nineteen days later, he stopped Dennis Okoth with a left cross in the second round. Wilson (9-2, 6 KOs), from Fairmont, W.V., has won four fights in a row and has yet to be knocked out as a pro.
 
The Ramirez-Postol undercard also features:

• Unbeaten 20-year-old junior lightweight prospect Chris Zavala (6-0, 3 KOs) returns to the ring for the first time since last September and will fight Anthony Chavez (8-1, 3 KOs) in a six-rounder. Zavala, from Long Beach, Calif., turned pro under the Top Rank banner in June 2018 after going 136-9 as an amateur.
   
• Bantamweight prospect Gabriel Muratalla (4-0, 3 KOs), the fighting preschool teacher who is 2-0 inside the “Bubble,” will face fellow unbeaten Justice Bland (2-0) in a four-rounder. Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (9-0, 7 KOs), Gabriel’s younger brother, will fight the battle-tested Cesar Valenzuela (15-6-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder at lightweight.
   
• Milwaukee-born southpaw Javier Martinez (1-0), who now trains with Robert Garcia, will fight Rance Ward (4-1-1, 2 KOs) in a four-round middleweight bout. Martinez made his pro debut inside the “Bubble” July 14.
   
• Ernesto Mercardo, an amateur standout who was recently the lightweight runner-up at the U.S. Olympic Trials, will make his professional debut in a four-round lightweight bout against an opponent to be named.
   

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

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 
 
Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

LAS VEGAS (August 6, 2020) — Ramirez-Postol, Take 3! The long-awaited showdown between WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez and former world champion and WBC mandatory challenger Viktor “The Iceman” Postol will take place at the MGM Grand Conference Center Saturday, Aug. 29.
 
Ramirez and Postol were set to fight February 2 in China and May 9 in Fresno, Calif., but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both were subsequently canceled. This time, they will enter the “Bubble.
 
In the 10-round junior welterweight co-feature, unbeaten contender Arnold Barboza Jr., from South El Monte, Calif., will fight Canadian veteran Tony “Lightning” Luis in his toughest test to date. Ramirez-Postol and Barboza-Luis will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 10 p.m ET, with undercard action to stream live at 7:30 p.m. ET.
 
“Jose has stayed in the gym with his great trainer, Robert Garcia, throughout the pandemic,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “I have no doubt we will see the best version of Jose Ramirez, a wonderful young man and one of the world’s best fighters. He will need to be on his game because Postol is a worthy contender who has proven himself at the world-class level.”
 
Ramirez (25-0, 17 KOs) enters the fight coming off a career-high 13-month layoff. Last July, he knocked out Maurice Hooker to unify the WBC and WBO titles and stake his claim as the world’s best 140-pounder. Since winning the vacant WBC title against Amir Imam in March 2018, Ramirez defeated the previously undefeated Antonio Orozco, top contender Jose Zepeda and Hooker. The Orozco and Zepeda title defenses took place in front of more than 10,000 fans at Fresno’s Save Mart Center, a short drive from his hometown of Avenal.
 
During the early stages of the pandemic, Ramirez teamed up with Central Valley community leaders to assist the region’s agricultural workers. With Ramirez leading the way, they donated essential supplies and more than 1,000 wellness boxes, which included N95 masks, paper towels, toilet paper, rice, masa, beans and hand sanitizer. Ramirez now turns his focus to Postol (31-2, 12 KOs), a former WBC world champion whose only two losses have come against current IBF/WBA junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor and pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford. Postol has won two bouts since the Taylor defeat, most recently topping Mohamed Mimoune via decision last April in Las Vegas.
 
“I’m excited to finally be back. It’s always an honor stepping into the ring, fighting a guy like Postol and defending my belts,” Ramirez said. “God knows that my goal is to become the undisputed champion, and this gets me one step closer to my goal.”
 
Postol said, “I’m just looking forward to fighting. I’m coming to win those world titles. I have been training since this fight was first announced, so I’m focused and ready to go.”
 
Barboza Jr. (23-0, 10 KOs) makes his 2020 debut following a 2019 campaign that saw him climb the world rankings with three statement-making wins. He knocked out former world champion Mike Alvarado on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Anthony Crolla undercard at Staples Center, stopped veteran Ricky Sismundo in four rounds at Banc of California Stadium, and scored a body shot knockout over William Silva last November in Las Vegas. Barboza is currently ranked eighth by the WBC and 10th by the WBO at 140 pounds. 
 
“Tony Luis is as tough as they come. He won’t lay down for me. He sees this as a big opportunity, and I can’t let him take it,” Barboza said. “To be honest, the whole no fans thing, I’m more curious than anything. I’ve fought in front of limited fans deep on undercards before. Once you’re in the ring, there’s no difference. I am happy to be part of this ‘Bubble’ experience because it will go down in history.”
 
Luis (29-3, 10 KOs), from Cornwall, Canada, is a volume puncher with a knack for upsetting undefeated fighters. Since 2014, he has taken the ‘0’ from three then-unbeaten prospects, including a nationally televised decision over Karl Dargan in January 2015. Luis has won 10 consecutive fights since an April 2015 decision loss to Derry Matthews for an interim lightweight world title in Matthews’ hometown of Liverpool, England.
 
Luis said, “I want to thank Top Rank and my promoter, Liveco Boxing, for this amazing opportunity. I’m proud of myself for not giving up throughout all the uncertainty over the past several months. I knew this pandemic would be a test of character, and I forced myself to stay dedicated, knowing that if an opportunity arose, I’d be ready to strike. I have not lost in over five years, I’m in the best shape in my life, and I feel that Arnold Barboza Jr. is the perfect opponent to showcase my skills and take my career to the next level. Everyone dreams of fighting in Las Vegas. On August 29, my dream will come true, and I plan to make the most of this opportunity. For a small-town kid, we proved a lot of people wrong. Let’s get it on.”
 
Use the hashtag #RamirezPostol to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

(April 13, 2020) — WBC/WBO super lightweight world champion Jose Ramirez is staying ready. The 2012 U.S. Olympian has not fought since knocking out Maurice Hooker last July in a title unification bout. He was supposed to fight Viktor Postol Feb. 2 in China (Feb. 1 prime time in the U.S.), but it became the first major bout to be impacted by COVID-19. The May 9 makeup date in Fresno also fell by the wayside. 
 
Ramirez is self-quarantining with his family in California’s Central Valley, but he is awaiting the call for the third — and hopefully final — Postol fight date.
 
He recently spoke with Top Rank’s Crystina Poncher. This is what he had to say.
 
CP: How have you dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic?
 
JR: “Obviously it’s the second time my fight gets postponed. There’s a lot of frustration there because of the sacrifices we go through. I’ve been training for the same fight since November. I trained through the holidays, which is always difficult.
 
“Me having my boy, I want to spend as much time with him now that he’s getting older by the second. It’s hard. I had a plan for 2020, just like any other fighter. I had a plan to fight three times. I was happy that I was going to start early and hopefully move to the {welterweight} division next year. It throws me off. It sets me back. Everything happens for a reason, I believe. Right now, we just have to stay safe. We have to go through this crisis.”
 
CP: How do you keep yourself from feeling defeated after going through two training camps {without a fight}?
 
JR: “I’m just staying focused. I’m staying optimistic with everything, with doctors, with everyone, the first responders. I think everyone is working hard to get together to go through this fast and get everything back to normal. Right now, I believe this is something that requires everyone to be on the same page, to really practice {self-isolation} so we can stop the spread of this virus.
 
“I do know that my fight will be one of the first fights back when all this is over.”
 
CP: Once the Postol fight is rescheduled, would you like to try and stay at 140 pounds and get more belts or is a move up to 147 imminent?
 
JR: “I owe it to myself to fight for all the belts just because if I were to go up to the next weight class, people will still doubt who the best 140-pounder is, just because there is another guy with two belts (WBA/IBF world champion Josh Taylor}. There are some other fighters that I didn’t get to face at 140. I really want to prove a lot of people wrong. I want to do it for myself. I know I can be the best 140 in the world. I know I can see myself with all four belts. It’s just a matter of time, and once I do that, I think that’s going to put my name more out there worldwide. It’s going to definitely make a stronger impact when I do move to 147 knowing that the undisputed champion at 140 is moving up to 147. I think that’s going to make more noise.”
 
CP: Any interest in WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford?
 
JR: “I’ll take any route that leads me to fight for a world title. Crawford is an excellent fighter, so yeah, I would definitely be honored to share the ring with him. I think I’ll show him something new. I think I’ll bring something out of him. By the time I do make that decision to move to 147 and put that extra muscle on me, on my body, I’ll be a much stronger Jose Ramirez. I can see myself developing into a better welterweight than super lightweight. I do have the height. I do have the body frame. I think once I put the extra seven pounds on, it’s going to be a huge difference in a very positive way.
 
“After Crawford, I plan to stay in the welterweight division for quite a while, definitely fight all the top names out there and see how I do. I think I have what it takes to stay at this level of competition for a long time.”
 
CP: Would you ever be up for a fight with Regis Prograis down the line?
 
JR: “Definitely. I think if the fight with Regis takes place, it might take place at 147, though, because I have (super lightweight} fights lined up. I really want to move up after that.”

(March 31, 2020) — Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WBC/WBO super lightweight world champion Jose Ramirez’s scheduled May 9 title defense against Viktor Postol at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., has been postponed.

The rescheduled bout will take place at Save Mart Center, and tickets for the May 9 event will be valid for the rescheduled date. Ramirez and Postol were originally scheduled to fight Feb. 2 in China (Feb. 1 in the U.S), but when COVID-19 escalated in China, the bout was moved stateside.

“I feel terribly for Jose and Viktor, who have entered two training camps, only to see the fight postponed both times,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “They are consummate professionals, and they will give the great Fresno fans a memorable fight whenever it occurs. We owe it to Jose and Viktor to make this fight happen as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

Said Ramirez: “I’m focused and will stay training and ready. Our nation’s safety must come first. We will all get through this.”

FRESNO, Calif. (March. 9, 2020) — It took a little longer than expected, but WBC/WBO super lightweight world champion Jose Ramirez, the pride of California’s Central Valley, is set to return. Ramirez will defend his titles against mandatory challenger and former world champion Viktor “The Iceman” Postol Saturday, May 9 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, a short drive from Ramirez’s hometown of Avenal. Ramirez and Postol were set to fight Feb. 1 in China, but the bout was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Ramirez-Postol and a 10-round super lightweight battle between former two-weight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza and surging 2008 U.S. Olympian Javier “El Intocable” Molina will be televised LIVE on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 10 p.m. ET, with the undercard bouts scheduled to stream in English and Spanish on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with TGB Promotions, tickets priced at $206, $131, $96, $66 and $31 go on sale Tuesday, March 10 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at the Save Mart Center box office, Ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.

“We are pleased that Ramirez and Postol will finally fight May 9 from the great city of Fresno,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Viktor is a worthy mandatory challenger who earned his title shot, and Jose will be fully prepared to make a statement. And for Jose, this could be his last fight in Fresno for a long time, so I expect the Central Valley faithful to fill up the Save Mart Center for a special evening.”

Ramirez (25-0, 17 KOs) is one of two unified junior welterweight champions. He won the WBC world title in March 2018, prevailing via 12-round shootout against Amir Imam in New York City. He defended that belt twice before stepping up to fight Maurice Hooker in a highly anticipated title unification bout. In one of the best fights of 2019, Ramirez knocked out Hooker in six rounds. A 2012 U.S. Olympian, Ramirez has headlined at Save Mart Center five times previously and has drawn a total of 65,794 fans through the arena’s turnstiles. Last time he fought at Save Mart Center — February 2019 against Jose Zepeda — he drew a career-high turnout of 14,034.

“It is always a blessing to fight at Save Mart Center in front of my loyal fans,” Ramirez said. “I prepared for Postol once, and I will be in top form May 9. My trainer, Robert Garcia, will have me ready for whatever he brings to the table. He is a former world champion who I cannot underestimate.” 

Postol (31-2, 12 KOs) has spent the majority of his 12-year career as a super lightweight and nearly a decade at, or near, the top of the division. He stunned the boxing world in October 2015 when he dethroned Lucas Matthysse via 10th-round KO to win the WBC world title. In his next fight, he was blunted over 12 rounds by Terence Crawford in a unification bout. He is 3-1 since the Crawford defeat, dropping a 2018 decision to Josh Taylor, who is now the division’s other unified champion. He earned the WBC’s mandatory shot at Ramirez in April with a unanimous decision over Mohamed Mimoune.

“I am glad the new fight date is set. I’m already in gym, and camp is going really well,” Postol said. “I was ready to fight on Feb. 1 and now I’m focused on May 9. The fight is taking place in his hometown, but that does not bother me because I have the experience to fight on away soil. I am looking forward to become a champion again.”

Pedraza (26-3, 13 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, held the IBF junior lightweight world title from 2015-2017 and then upset Ray Beltran in August 2018 to capture the WBO lightweight world title. He came up short in a valiant effort against Vasiliy Lomachenko in a toe-to-toe unification bout in December 2018 before knocking out Antonio Lozada Jr. in nine rounds the following May. Pedraza then moved up to 140 pounds last September and was outboxed by southpaw spoiler Jose Zepeda. He’s taking another shot as a super lightweight, this time against Molina (22-2, 9 KOs), a native of Norwalk, Calif. Molina, winner of five in a row, is coming off a pair of signature victories.

Last November, he knocked out Japanese veteran Hiroki Okada in just 65 seconds in an ESPN-televised co-feature. He followed that up with gritty eight-round decision over Imam on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder II undercard.

“This May 9 fight against Javier Molina will be crucial for my career. This is a crossroads fight, and I will do everything in my power to return to the winning route against a world-class opponent,” Pedraza said. “I know Molina very well. I saw him fight while we were at the 2008 Olympics in China. He is coming off a couple of big wins and is looking for a world title shot at 140. I’m also looking for a world title shot at super lightweight, and that makes this fight a significant and interesting one. I’m working extremely hard because I know that to get a world title opportunity, I can’t have another loss on my record. I will get a big win against Javier Molina on May 9, and after that, the ‘Sniper’ will aim for a world title at 140.”

“I’m happy to get right back in the ring with another tough opponent. With a win over Pedraza, I feel like it should definitely set me up for a title shot next,” Molina said. “I’m excited to be on ESPN once again and continue to get that exposure. I’m just ready to go. 2020 will be my year.”

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

(Jan. 23, 2020) — Jose Ramirez’s WBC/WBO junior welterweight world title defense against former world champion Viktor “The Iceman” Postol — originally scheduled to be broadcast live on ESPN from Mission Hills Haikou in Hainan, China on Saturday, Feb. 1 — has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak in China.
 
 The Ramirez-Postol bout will be contested at a date and venue to be determined.
 
 “The health and safety of our fighters and everyone working on the event is the most important thing,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We hope the situation is brought under control soon. We look forward to staging events at Mission Hills Haikou in the very near future.”

HAINAN, China (Jan. 22, 2020) — Undefeated Brazilian middleweight contender Esquiva “La Pantera” Falcao will look to turn back Chinese contender Ainiwaer Yilixiati in a 10-round middleweight fight Saturday, Feb. 1 at Mission Hills Haikou in Haikou, Hainan, China. Falcao-Yilixiati will serve as the co-feature to the highly anticipated bout between WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez and former world champion Viktor “The Iceman” Postol (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

The undercard will stream on ESPN+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

“We’ve promoted Falcao since the beginning of his career, and this is his opportunity to showcase his tremendous ability in front of a large audience on ESPN,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.

“2020 is the year I challenge for a world title, but my journey continues in China against a very tough opponent,” Falcao said. “This is a chance to show I can compete with all the middleweights, and at 30 years of age, I am in the prime of my career. My amateur career took me all over the world, and I can’t wait to travel to Haikou to put on a show for the Chinese people, my fans back home in Brazil and everyone watching on ESPN.”

Falcao (25-0, 17 KOs), a 2012 Olympic silver medalist, turned pro following a stellar 215-15 amateur run that also included a bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships and a gold medal in 2012 at the prestigious Cheo Aponte Tournament. He turned pro under the Top Rank banner in 2014 and is now ranked in the top 15 by three of the four major sanctioning organizations. A southpaw boxer-puncher, Falcao went 3-0 in 2019 with knockout wins over Manny Woods and Jesus Antonio Gutierrez, in addition to a decision win in Brazil against Jorge Daniel Miranda. Yilixiati (17-1, 12 KOs) has won seven in a row, including a pair of victories since moving down to the middleweight ranks.

In live action on the ESPN+ undercard stream:

• Unbeaten Chinese prospect Yongqiang Yang (13-0, 10 KOs) will face Filipino veteran Jhon “The Disaster” Gemino (21-12-1, 11 KOs) in a 12-rounder for the WBO International 130-pound belt. In July 2018, Yang knocked out the big-punching Harmonito Dela Torre in two rounds on the Manny Pacquiao-Lucas Matthysse undercard, and he most recently stopped JR Magboo in two rounds to win the WBO Global lightweight title.
   
• Rising Chinese lightweight Jianhao Diao (2-0, 2 KOs) will take on Eduardo “The Nightmare” Mancito (18-10-2, 9 KOs) in a six-rounder.
   
• Korean super middleweight prospect Sung Jae Jo (11-0, 8 KOs) will fight Zulipikaer Maimaitiali (12-2-1, 8 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific title.

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

Use the hashtags #RamirezPostol and #FalcaoYilixiati to join the conversation on social media.

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.

HAIKOU, China (Nov. 21, 2019) — WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez, the pride of California’s Central Valley, will cross an ocean to defend his belts. Ramirez will face former WBC world champion Viktor “The Iceman” Postol Saturday, Feb. 1 at Mission Hills Haikou in Haikou, Hainan, China.

Ramirez unified world titles in July with a sixth-round knockout over Maurice Hooker in a Fight of the Year contender. Ramirez-Postol will be the first Top Rank on ESPN event to be contested on Chinese soil.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with SECA and TGB Promotions, Ramirez-Postol and a co-feature will be televised live by ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m ET/7 p.m. PT (Sunday, Feb. 2 local time), with undercard action slated for ESPN+ beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  

“Boxing is a global sport, and it is with great pleasure that we bring one of the sport’s great champions, Jose Ramirez, to the beautiful Mission Hills Haikou,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Jose is coming off a career-best victory, but he can’t afford to overlook Postol, who is a tremendous former world champion.”

“I am excited to defend my belts against Viktor Postol to kick off my 2020 schedule,” Ramirez said. “I am a world champion, so it is my honor to defend my titles in front of the great fans in China. It is going to be a great experience, and I am glad that my fans back home will be able to watch me live on ESPN. As a unified champion, I am hungrier than ever.”

“I would like to thank the WBC, WBO, Tom Brown and TGB Promotions, Top Rank and everyone involved for making this fight happen,” Postol said. “It’s a big opportunity for me and a big honor to share the ring with one of the best fighters in my division. I know Ramirez, as we sparred together in the past. I’m looking forward to a great fight in China.”

Ramirez (25-0, 17 KOs), from Avenal, Calif., is one of two unified junior welterweight champions. He won the WBC world title in March 2018, prevailing via 12-round shootout against Amir Imam in New York City. He defended that belt twice at the Save Mart Center in Fresno before stepping up to fight Hooker. His return was slightly delayed, as recovered from surgery on his left hand to repair an ongoing injury. A 2012 U.S. Olympian, Ramirez fought in China in 2015 at Cotai Arena in Macau, improving to 15-0 with a third-round stoppage over Ryusei Yoshida.

Postol (31-2, 12 KOs) has spent the majority of his 12-year career as a super lightweight and nearly a decade at, or near, the top of the division. He stunned the boxing world in October 2015 when he dethroned Lucas Matthysse via 10th-round KO to win the WBC world title. In his next fight, he was blunted over 12 rounds by Terence Crawford in a unification bout. He is 3-1 since the Crawford defeat, dropping a 2018 decision to Josh Taylor, who is now the division’s other unified champion. He earned the WBC’s mandatory shot at Ramirez in April with a unanimous decision over Mohamed Mimoune.

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WBC Junior Welterweight champion Jose Ramirez and Viktor Postol have agreed to fight after an agreement was made between the two camps, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

Open communication between all parties, especially [WBC president] Mauricio [Sulaiman] and the WBC, was the key to making the deal,” Top Rank’s Carl Moretti told ESPN. “Dealing with Tom was easy. We understood each other’s needs. Hopefully, it will lead to making more fights down the road. We both know a thing or two about a thing or two.”

“Postol will not be an easy mandatory for Jose, especially being trained by Freddie [Roach] and his team,” Moretti said. “But we believe Jose is getting better, bigger and stronger with each outing, and is the best in the 140-pound division.”

Robert Easter Jr. and Rances Barthelemy fought to a split draw in a largely uneventful fight for the WBA Lightweight title at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Neither guy engaged as evidenced by Easter landing only 54 of 415 punches and Barthelemy was 52 of 326.

Each guy won a card 115-113 and a 3rd card was even at 114-114.

Easter, 133 3/4 lbs of Toledo, OH is 21-1-1. Barthelemy, 135 lbs of Las Vegas is 27-1-1-1.

“I feel I did enough to win this fight but the judges saw it differently,” said Easter, who was fighting for the first time since losing to pound-for-pound great Mikey Garcia in a unification last summer. “They saw it a different way. Rances is a crafty fighter, an elusive fighter. I tried to take the fight to him but he wouldn’t take it. It was hard to land my shots.”

“Robert was absent in the ring tonight,” Barthelemy said. “I wanted him to land his right and he didn’t. I wanted him to come forward and he didn’t. We were prepared for a different Robert Easter – the one that attacks – but he didn’t show up so I couldn’t deliver my strategy.

“I landed the cleaner and more accurate shots. I feel I threw more punches. I was the busier fighter. I won the fight. I think this was a missed opportunity for me. I really feel I won this fight.”

Former world champion Viktor Postol won a 10-round unanimous decision over Mohamed Mimoune in a super lightweight bout.

Postol, 139 1/2 lbs of Kiev, UKR won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 99-91,and is now 31-2. Mimoune, 138 1/2 lbs of Toulouse, FRA is 21-3.

Postol landed 149-587 punches. Mimoune landed 73-306.

“I always try to be disciplined,” Postol said. “I did well tonight. My opponent’s style was a little awkward, but I did okay. If I could fight a guy like (Terence) Crawford, I can handle Mimoune. And I did.”

After the fight, Postol, who’s only losses came against top fighters Terence Crawford and Josh Taylor, promised to chase the elite of the 140-pound class.

“I want the next big fight,” Postol said. “Doesn’t matter who – WBC Champion Jose Ramirez would be a great choice. I was away for two years so I was a little bit worried before, but now I feel like I’m back. I’m 100 percent back and ready for the next test.”

Efe Ajagba stopped Michael Wallisch in the 2nd round of their scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout.

Wallisch was cut under the left eye in the opening frame. In round two, Ajagba dropped Wallisch with a hard combination. While on his knee, Wallisch was hit by an Ajagba right hand. Wallisch was able to continue, but he only ate more unanswered power shots for which referee Tony Weeks stopped the bout at 1:40.

Ajagba, 241 lbs of Stafford, TX is 10-0 with nine knockouts. Wallisch, 242 1/2 lbs of Germany is 19-2.

“I took my time in there, I used my jab a lot and it worked,” said Agjaba, who landed 43 percent of his power shots. “When I shot my right hand and he took it, I decided to keep unloading. I kept throwing combinations and I knew I was hurting him so I kept doing it.

“I’m happy to be training with Ronnie (Shields). He is one of the best trainers in the world. He helped me with my jab and he’s helping me develop as a fighter.”

Said trainer Ronnie Shields: “I think we still have a lot to learn. You saw he’s a busy guy and for a big guy to throw 93 punches in the first round, it’s a lot. He may be about a year away to becoming a contender. He will get there.”

LAS VEGAS – (March 29, 2019) – Former lightweight world champion Robert Easter Jr. and former two-division champion Rances Barthelemy will meet for the vacant WBA Lightweight Title on Saturday, April 27 live on SHOWTIME from The Chelsea inside of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING coverage begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will also feature former super lightweight champion Viktor Postol taking on France’s Mohamed Mimoune in a WBC super lightweight title eliminator, while rising heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba looks to remain unbeaten against once-beaten German Michael Wallisch in a 10-round heavyweight attraction.

Easter vs. Barthelemy pits two highly skilled and explosive former 135-pound champions against each other as they look to grab a title and vault themselves back into the top echelon of the lightweight division.

Easter will return to the ring for the first time since losing his IBF title in a unification showdown with WBC Champion and pound-for-pound great Mikey Garcia last July on SHOWTIME. Barthelemy is undefeated at 135 pounds and returns to the lightweight division for his second fight since losing a 140-pound title rematch to Kiryl Relikh last March on SHOWTIME.

“Two former champions looking to reclaim their championship status speaks for itself in terms of the action and will to win that Easter and Barthelemy will bring on April 27,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Both guys have already proven that they have what it takes to take care of business at this level. The eliminator bout, with Postol bringing his experience and Mohamed looking to take advantage of the opportunity, is a great lead-in to the main event attraction. Plus, Efe Ajagba will bring his A+ game in pursuit of a victory over Michael Wallisch. The fans in attendance at the Cosmopolitan here in Las Vegas, and tuning in on SHOWTIME, are in for a treat.”

“Easter vs. Barthelemy is a true 50-50 fight that will end with one of these fighters leaving the ring with one of the top spots in the lightweight division,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Both are former world champions at lightweight and possess the styles and attributes that should make this an action-packed match. Combined with a very competitive title eliminator between Viktor Postol and Mohamed Mimoune, plus the can’t-miss punching power of Efe Ajagba, this is going to be a dramatic night on SHOWTIME and at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions in association with About Billions Promotions, go on sale Monday, April 1, and can be purchased at www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com or through Ticketmaster.

The 28-year-old Easter (21-1, 14 KOs) won the IBF Lightweight Championship in 2016 by edging an exciting split-decision against then-unbeaten and current IBF titleholder Richard Commey. After two successful title defenses in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio, Easter defeated former champion Javier Fortuna by decision in a January 2018 fight in SHOWTIME.

That victory set up a unification with WBC champion Mikey Garcia, in which Easter survived an early knockdown to push Garcia the full 12 rounds before coming up short on the scorecards. At 5-foot-11, Easter has continued to show the combination of size, skill and athleticism that made him a highly regarded prospect following an amateur career that featured a spot as an alternate on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team.

“I’ve wanted to fight Barthelemy since he had the lightweight title and vacated it, and now I have the chance,” said Easter. “He has an awkward style and I’m up for that challenge. I am still coming in as the taller fighter with a reach advantage and I’ll use it to make this fight go how I want it to. He is a former world champion and he is coming to bring it just like I am.”

A decorated Cuban amateur who hails from a boxing family that includes his older brother, Olympic Gold Medalist Yan, and younger brother, unbeaten featherweight Leduan, Rances Barthelemy (27-1, 14 KOs) will return to lightweight to vie against one of the best fighters in the division. The 32-year-old now trains in Las Vegas and previously captured a 135-pound belt by defeating Denis Shafikov in December 2015.

Barthelemy won a 130-pound championship by defeating Argenis Mendez in 2014 and attempted to become the first Cuban three-division champion when he moved up to 140-pounds for his first fight against Relikh, a title eliminator that he won by decision. After dropping the rematch to Relikh in a vacant title fight on SHOWTIME, Barthelemy returned to the ring in December and stopped Robert Frankel.

“I’m looking forward to a great fight against Robert Easter Jr,” said Barthelemy. “I know I have what it takes to beat him and capture another title and become a three-time world champ. My best performances have come at 135 pounds. Both of us are former world champions who are hungry and will give the fans a sensational night of boxing. I’ve never lost at lightweight and that will continue on April 27. Don’t miss this fight on SHOWTIME. It’s now or never!”

Originally from Ukraine, but now fighting out of Los Angeles, Postol (30-2, 12 KOs) previously earned a 140-pound world title by knocking out Lucas Matthysse in 2015. The 35-year-old dropped the title in a unification showdown with Terence Crawford in 2016 before bouncing back by defeating then unbeaten Jamshidbek Najmiddinov. Last June he dropped a decision to unbeaten contender Josh Taylor and most recently he defeated Siar Ozgul in November.

The 31-year-old Mimoune (21-2, 2 KOs) has fought professionally since 2010 and will be making his U.S. debut against Postol on April 27. Representing Haute-Garonne, France, he is unbeaten in his last 10 fights dating back to 2014. His last five victories have come in 12-round decisions, including two last year over then unbeaten Emiliano Dominguez and most recently against Franck Petitjean.

Nigeria’s Ajagba (9-0, 8 KOs) gained notoriety last August 24 when his opponent, Curtis Harper, walked out of the ring after touching gloves to start the first round. The 24-year-old, 2016 Nigerian Olympian won the fight without throwing a punch as Harper was disqualified. In his last fight Ajagba, who lives in Stafford, Texas and trains with Ronnie Shields, defeated his toughest competition to date by stopping longtime contender Amir Mansour after two rounds.

Fighting out of Munich, Germany, Wallisch (19-1, 12 KOs) won his first 19 pro fights after turning pro in 2010, including a German heavyweight title-winning performance in 2013 against Alexander Kahl. The 33-year-old fought three times last year, picking up two knockout victories before losing to Christian Hammer in December.

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NEW YORK (Feb. 12, 2018) – Undefeated 140-pound contender Regis Prograis will now face former unified world champion Julius Indongo for the vacant Interim WBC Super Lightweight World Championship on Friday, March 9, in the 12-round main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT from Deadwood Mountain Grand in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Indongo replaces the previously announced Viktor Postol, who was forced to withdraw from the bout with a hand injury.

Born in Namibia and now fighting out of Omaha, NE, Indongo (22-1, 11 KOs) is a former unified champion who held the IBF and WBA 140-pound titles.

In 2016, Indongo traveled to Moscow, Russia, to dethrone IBF Junior Welterweight Champion Eduard Troyanovsky with a stunning first-round knockout. In his first defense as champion, Indongo traveled to Glasgow, Scotland, for a unification bout with WBA Champion Ricky Burns. The 35-year-old won a 12-round unanimous decision to become unified champion.

In his first bout as a unified titleholder, Indongo made his U.S. debut against fellow undefeated and unified champion Terence Crawford in a showdown to determine the undisputed champion of the 140-pound division. It was the first championship bout with all four major world titles at stake since Jermain Taylor dethroned Bernard Hopkins in 2005. Indongo lost to Crawford, suffering the only defeat of his professional career.

“I’m very excited to fight Regis Prograis on March 9,” said Indongo. “This is a great opportunity for me toward becoming a world champion again. I know how good Prograis is, but come March 9, I’ll be victorious.”

“While it’s unfortunate that Viktor Postol suffered this training injury, we’re thrilled that Julius Indongo jumped right at the opportunity to face Regis Prograis for the interim WBC title,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Regis wanted to prove himself against the best, and he will still be afforded that opportunity when he meets former champion Indongo in what promises to be a sensational clash of styles.”

Prograis (20-0, 17 KOs), of Houston by way of New Orleans, has scored knockouts in 13 of his last 14 fights and is a rising star in the wide-open 140-pound division. Indongo represents the toughest challenge of his career with his lone loss to one of the top fighters in boxing, Terence Crawford.

In the 12-round co-feature, undefeated 140-pound contenders Ivan Baranchyk (17-0, 10 KOs) and Anthony Yigit (21-0-1, 7 KOs) will square off in a Junior Welterweight World Title Eliminator to become the mandatory challenger for IBF champion Sergey Lipinets. Lipinets will defend his belt the following day, March 10, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® against undefeated three-division champion Mikey Garcia.

The event is presented by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Elite Boxing, Fight Promotions Inc., Holden Productions and Sauerland Promotions. Tickets, priced at $200, $80 and $60, are on sale now and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com or by calling (877) 907-4726.

The doors open and first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. More information on Deadwood Mountain Grand can be found on their website at www.DeadwoodMountainGrand.com.

NEW YORK (Feb. 6, 2018) – Undefeated 140-pound contender Regis Prograis and former world champion Viktor Postol will face off for the vacant WBC Super Lightweight World Championship on Friday, March 9 in the 12-round main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT from Deadwood Mountain Grand in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Prograis (20-0, 17 KOs), of Houston by way of New Orleans, has scored knockouts in 13 of his last 14 fights and is a rising star in the wide-open 140-pound division. The aggressive-minded southpaw will face the toughest test of his career in Postol (29-1, 12 KOs), a former WBC Super Lightweight World Champion with only one loss on his record.

In the 12-round co-feature, undefeated 140-pound contenders Ivan Baranchyk (17-0, 10 KOs) and Anthony Yigit (21-0-1, 7 KOs) will square off in a Junior Welterweight World Title Eliminator to become the mandatory challenger for IBF champion Sergey Lipinets. Lipinets will defend his belt the following day, March 10, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® against undefeated three-division champion Mikey Garcia.

The event is presented by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Elite Boxing, Fight Promotions Inc., Holden Productions and Sauerland Promotions. Tickets, priced at $200, $80 and $60, go on sale Friday, Feb. 9, and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com or by calling (877) 907-4726.

“I feel I’m one of the best junior welterweights in the world and this is my chance to display my belief in myself,” Prograis said. “I’m very excited to be fighting Viktor Postol – he’s a very experienced fighter that previously held the WBC world title. I want to become a world champion this year, and I know Viktor Postol wants to reclaim his title, but we have to go through each other first. This is a great fight for boxing because you have two hungry fighters. It’s a can’t-miss fight.”

“My goal is to become a world champion again and I know a win over Regis Prograis will bring me one step closer,” Postol said. “I have been training hard for the past couple of months and I’m very excited for the opportunity to face Prograis on March 9.”

“My next fight is very important for my career and I am preparing for it very seriously,” Baranchyk said. “A few months ago, I moved to Miami, Fla., where I am now being trained by Pedro Diaz. I have strict discipline for everything in my training. I’m working on improving my skills, tactics for the fight, my skill set and physical strength. I’m also maintaining a much stricter diet and eating very healthy. I want every fighter to know if I am in the boxing ring you will never have an easy fight with me.”

“My dream is to become a world champion and I need to defeat Baranchyk to continue on my path,” Yigit said. “This will be my first time fighting in the United States but I’m ready to show the boxing fans that I have what it takes to become a world champion. From Stockholm, Sweden to Deadwood, South Dakota, onward my journey continues.”

“Two excellent super lightweight matchups highlight this SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION on March 9. At the Deadwood Mountain Grand in South Dakota, the rising young gun will duel the seasoned ex-champion,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Regis ‘Rougarou’ Prograis can earn a world championship by beating his toughest foe, the respected and formidable Viktor Postol, with the interim WBC title at stake. Undefeated puncher Ivan Baranchyk is truly ‘The Beast’ in the ring and is determined to blaze a path toward a world title shot in his IBF eliminator, taking on Sweden’s European Champion, former Olympian, Anthony ‘Can You Dig It?’ Yigit.”

“Prograis and Baranchyk have appeared a combined nine times on ShoBox: The New Generation and it’s fulfilling to see their development from talented prospects to legitimate contenders,” said Gordon Hall, ShoBox Executive Producer and SVP Production, SHOWTIME Sports. “We view this progression as a validation for the ShoBox series, and we’re thrilled to see their hard work pay off with these potentially career-changing opportunities. These are two tough fights that will determine who is ready to take the next step in this exciting division.”

“We are thrilled that DiBella Entertainment is bringing big time boxing back to South Dakota,” said Susan Kightlinger, General Manager at Deadwood Mountain Grand. “Deadwood is renowned for its rough and tumble past and professional boxing fits that mold perfectly. It’s an amazing card, great fighters and SHOWTIME is the ultimate name in boxing. It’s a perfect fit!”

A consensus top-10 ranked fighter at 140 pounds, the 29-year-old Prograis has beaten three previously undefeated fighters on the SHOWTIME developmental series ShoBox: The New Generation. Prograis stamped his arrival as a legitimate contender in the 140-pound division on June 9 scoring four knockdowns of previously undefeated Joel Diaz Jr., en route to a second-round TKO. Following the fight, Prograis called out the top players in the 140-pound division, including Terence Crawford and Adrien Broner, and on March 9, he’ll get his first chance to prove he’s ready to face the division’s elite.

Prograis’ nickname “Rougarou” originates from Louisiana folklore and is defined as a werewolf-like creature. Originally from New Orleans, Prograis relocated to Houston following Hurricane Katrina.

Postol won the vacant WBC 140-pound World Championship with a stunning and dominating 10th round knockout of Lucas Matthysse in 2015. The 34-year-old Ukrainian attempted to unify the division in his first defense, losing via unanimous decision to then-WBO champion Terence Crawford in 2016. He has since bounced back with a win over previously unbeaten Jamshidbek Najmiddinov last September in his native Ukraine. A win would move him one step closer to earning back the coveted WBC title he lost.

The co-feature also pits two of the top prospects in the 140-pound division, each with an opportunity to score the biggest win of their respective careers.

The aggressive-minded Baranchyk is a former amateur standout that packs power in both hands. The 25-year-old native of Belarus is currently ranked No. 4 in the IBF at 140 pounds and owns seven wins over previously undefeated fighters. He’s gone the 10-round distance three times and is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over then-undefeated Keenan Smith last July on ShoBox in his adopted hometown of Miami, Okla.

The 26-year-old Yigit competed in the 2012 Olympics for Sweden, advancing to the second round before losing a very narrow decision to eventual Silver Medalist Denys Berinchyk. The Stockholm native has tallied 21 victories in just four years following the Olympics while campaigning in Europe. The southpaw will make his U.S. debut against Baranchyk as he looks to prove he’s ready to contend on the world stage.

The doors open and first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. More information on the Deadwood Mountain Grand can be found on their website at www.DeadwoodMountainGrand.com.

Regis Prograis will meet former champion Viktor Postal on March 9th for the vacant Interim WBC Junior Lightweight title, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“It’s a terrific opportunity for Regis because Postol has a big name,” Prograis promoter Lou DiBella said. “Postol is a step up for Regis and a stepping stone to bigger things if he can win that interim belt, but more important is beating a fighter of Postol’s quality. For Postol, the fight is an opportunity that with one fight he can be back in the picture at the top of the junior welterweight division. But Regis is hungry. Postol has tasted that championship level and money. Regis hasn’t and that’s what he wants.”

DiBella said the March 9 Showtime card will also feature a junior welterweight world title elimination bout between Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk (17-0, 10 KOs), 24, a Russia native fighting out of Miami, Oklahoma, and Anthony Yigit (21-0-1, 7 KOs), 26, of Sweden. DiBella, who co-promotes Baranchyk with Tony Holden, made a deal with Yigit promoter Team Sauerland earlier this week and avoided a purse bid on that fight.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday at a half-full MGM Grand Garden Arena undefeated American junior welterweight Terence “Bud” Crawford dully decisioned Ukrainian Viktor “The Iceman” Postol on pay-per-view to become the lineal and HBO and non-PBC 140-pound champion of the world. A half-full arena was about right and Crawford is almost certainly the world’s best junior welterweight but this thing had no worldly business being on pay-per-view.

If Bud thinks there’s any appetite remaining for a talented American boxer who safely decisions limited opponents Saturday’s pay-per-view receipts should disabuse him and his promoter and their distributor of it. No good whatever came of Mayweather-Pacquiao 1 including the likelihood of fooling consumers with handspeed and defense in lieu of knockouts for another decade. If you are able to dominate a man in the boxing ring you should snatch his consciousness in a half-hour of trying or you’re not trying hard enough for today’s chastened pay-per-viewer. To box Postol the way Crawford did and satisfy disgruntled consumers Postol would need to be big as Golovkin and feared as Kovalev.

Instead Postol was a rangy counterpuncher with a single speed and dimension who last year caught a once-feared Argentine at the end of a witheringly violent career then bounced enthusiastically round the ring with Crawford for 36 deeply unsatisfying minutes. Postol was a C student Saturday who hoped to score a B- by being early to class and trying real hard. Making Postol look ordinary was not a function of Crawford’s greatness so much as making Postol look remarkable was a function of Lucas Matthysse’s October bankruptcy.

Crawford switches stances often in every match and switched early from orthodox to southpaw Saturday and th’t it seemed to unravel every facet of Postol’s training camp at Coach Freddie Academy does not speak well of preparations done by The Iceman or his trainer. Crawford’s choice to screw with Postol’s lead hand for most of the match was tactically sound but hardly ingenious. One imagines the first three or four times Crawford successfully slapped Postol’s left knuckles with his right palm then rolled his fist forward into a jab Crawford thought: “Sweet! Didn’t think that’d work but let’s do it a few more times until this guy adjusts.” If Crawford wasn’t surprised Postol had no cure all night for such a rudimentary poison he certainly ought to have been.

Rounds 6, 7 and 8 were nigh unwatchable and Crawford deserves the blame for it. He learned everything there was to know about Postol in the fifth round and instead of walking him down and putting the Ukrainian’s lights out Crawford decided to show us a defensive prowess not 50,000 people in a world of 7 billion still wish to see. Crawford was able to keep Postol out of position by changing directions and angles continually and if that was genuinely compelling for a full minute that minute passed in the match’s opening rounds and was no longer welcomed. If Postol was still dangerous – even after Bud clipped him and despite Postol’s negligible KO record – all the better: In history aficionados have been willing to spend more than $50 to see only one man remain undefeated forever and Crawford will not be the second.

Not one financially disinterested person is clamoring for Floyd Mayweather’s return to boxing anyway; whatever one feels about watching a skilled practitioner master a lesser man can be felt in a minute or at most a round of boxing; no one needs to see it done 12 times over. It’s not suspenseful like a tightrope walk unless the lesser man is frighteningly larger or at least frightening in some way. Viktor Postol had 12 knockouts in 28 prizefights.

This was a tryout of sorts, we’ll soon learn, for a chance to welcome Senator Manny Pacquiao back from a retirement he didn’t dignify even with skipping a fight. Is Crawford-Pacquiao a compelling match? Actually yes. But decisioning Viktor Postol anticipates the outcome of Crawford’s match with Pacquiao like a clever Facebook post anticipates a Man Booker Prize. Friday night we didn’t know how Crawford might fare in a match with Pacquiao and Sunday morning we still didn’t know.

What plagues boxing now and will do so for at least a generation is its lack of depth. Chris Algieri decisioned a puncher? Put him in with Pacquiao! Viktor Postol attritioned a puncher? Get him to Crawford! It’s not merely that men with Algieri’s and Postol’s records were prematurely fed to far superior practitioners but worse than that there were few opponents with which to build them properly before cashing them out; Postol and Algieri were sacrificed early because they were not going to become more than sacrifices and at least were marketable.

Empty gyms round the country will not remedy this and neither will USA Boxing’s inevitably poor showing next month in Brazil. We can stop the search for our sport’s next savior, in other words, because even if he crash-landed on the Vegas Strip in a spaceship we wouldn’t know what to do with him – though PBC would offer him an advisory contract and shot at “Son of the Legend” Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Once more: Order leads to increasing returns which bring chaos that leads to decreasing returns which bring order and so on forever and ever. We’re in the decreasing-returns part of the cycle now and it behooves none of us to deny it. Paying $60 for Crawford-Postol is denying it worse than charging $60 for Crawford-Postol.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Follow all the action as Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol fight in a WBC/WBO Super Lightweight unification bout.  The action, from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with a 3-fight undercard with a Featherweight world title bout between Oscar Valdez and Mattias Rueda.  Also on the card will be weltweights Jose Benavidez Jr and Francisco Santana.  The action kicks off at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with a Light Heavyweight tussle between Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Tommy Karpency.

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Round 1: Crawford gets in a right inside..Right from Postol

Round 2: Right to to body from Postol..Bidy shot from Crawford..left to body.left to body..Left

Round 3 G.ood right from Postol..right to body…right,,Left from Crawford..2 rights and  jab from Postol..right to the chest

Round 4 Hard left from Crawford…2 more hard lefts..right to body from Postol..right..Right from Crawford..

Round 5 LEFT AND DOWN GOES POSTAL..HARD LEFT AND POSTOL’S GLOVE HITS CANVAS…

Round 6 Postol lands a right..

Round 7 Right hook from Crawford..hard body shot..left

Round 8 Left rocks Postol..

Round 9 Good left hurts Postol..

Round 10 2 straight lefts from Crawford..

Round 11 2 nice counters for Crawford..Body shot from Postol..Right from Crawford…Counter..POSTOL DEDUCTED A POINT FOR HITTING BEHIND THE HEAD

Round 12: 2 shots from Postol..Good right..Hard shots from both guys…

118-107 twice 117-108 FOR TERENCE CRAWFORD

Round 1 Jab from Valdez…2 more left hooks and right..Huge right…Jab

Round 2 Blood from nose of Rueda..Good Jab..ripping right…BODY SHOT AND DOWN GOES RUEDA…BIG COMBINATION AND DOWN GOES RUEDA…FIGHT STOPPED

Round 1 Santana working on the ropes..Body shot by Benavidez..Body…Good uppercut..Santana lands a left hook..hard combination rocks Santana..Hard combination

Round 2 Combination to the head..Hard uppercut from Benavidez snaps Santana’s head..Ripping head..

Round 3 Santana gets in a combination on the ropes..Terrific in fighting on the ropes..Right on ropes from Sanatana..Great round

Round 4 hard work on the ropes from Santana…

Round 5 Body shot from Benavidez…Combination to the head..

Round 6 Hard right from Benavidez..

Round 7 Benavidez countering and landing some hard shots from distance

Round 8 Good right uppercut from Benavidez..Good left from Santana…Right rocks Santana..Santana rallies at the bell

Round 9 Right from Santana…Santana looking exhausted…Benavidez pot shotting …Good combination

Round 10 2 good shots from Santana..

100-90, 96-94, and 98-92 FOR BENAVIDEZ

Round 1 Karpency lands a left…KARPENCY DROPS GVOZDNYK WITH A RIGHT..Gvozdyk lands a left..Left from Karpenct

Round 2 Right from Karpency..Body shot

Round 3 Gvozdyk lands a body shot

Round 4 Gvozdnyk out working Karpency..Good right

Round 5 Karpency bleeding from the bridge of his nose..Left from Karpency

Round 6 Body shot from Gvzdnyk…BODY SHOT DROPS KARPENCY…FIGHT IS OVER