All posts by FNU47

Four-Division Champion Adrien Broner to Face Former Champion Jessie Vargas in Main Event of SHOWTIME Tripleheader Saturday, April 21 From Barclays Center in Brooklyn & Presented by Premier Boxing Champions

 

 

Vargas Replaces Injured Omar Figueroa for Broner Showdown

 

Undefeated Former Champion Jermall Charlo Battles

Once-Beaten Hugo Centeno Jr. for Interim

160-Pound World Championship

&

Former Champions Gervonta Davis and Jesus Cuellar

Square-Off in a 130-Pound World Championship Bout

 

Tickets on Sale Wednesday, March 7 at 10 a.m. ET!

 

 

 

 

BROOKLYN (March 5, 2018) – Four-division champion Adrien Broner will battle former welterweight world champion Jessie Vargas in the 12-round main event of a SHOWTIME tripleheader on Saturday, April 21 in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Former champion Omar Figueroa suffered a shoulder injury in training that forced him to withdraw from his previously scheduled showdown against Broner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Undefeated former world champion Jermall Charlo clashes with once-beaten Hugo Centeno, Jr. for the interim 160-pound world title in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature. Also featured on the telecast, which begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, are former champions Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Jesus Cuellar as they square off for the WBA 130-pound Super World Championship.

 

 

 

 

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, DiBella Entertainment and TGB Promotions, start at at $50, go on sale Wednesday, March 7 at 10 a.m. ET, and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center starting Thursday, March 8 at noon. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The April 21 card features Adrien Broner, Jermall Charlo and Gervonta Davis – three of boxing’s “must-see” attractions – in highly competitive matchups against top contenders,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.  “Adrien Broner is once again proving that he’s willing to take on the toughest available opponent in consensus top-10 welterweight Jessie Vargas. Hugo Centeno Jr. represents another tough challenge for knockout artist Jermall Charlo as he continues his quest to become a two-division champion. Gervonta Davis vs. Jesus Cuellar is another great matchup, with two power-punchers facing off for the 130-pound world title.”

 

 

 

 

 

Broner (33-3, 24 KOs) is one of the most gifted boxers in the sport, having won world titles in four different weight classes by the age of 28. The Cincinnati, Ohio native has won championships at 130, 135, 140 and 147 pounds while facing top competition across the various divisions. In his last fight, Broner lost a unanimous decision to Mikey Garcia on July 29 at Barclays Center after previously defeating Adrian Granados earlier last year.

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m feeling really good and I’m excited that this is an even bigger fight than Figueroa,” said Broner. “I had to switch up some sparring partners but everything is going great in camp. We’re fighting at 144 pounds, so he’ll have a slight weight advantage, but it won’t matter. I’m going to be in great shape for this fight. Coach Kevin Cunningham is my head coach for this camp, but I did not fire Mike Stafford. I just added to my camp, because I needed the help. I know what I have to do at the end of the day to get back on top where I belong.”

 

 

 

 

 

Vargas (28-2, 10 KOs), a 28-year-old former welterweight champion who was born in Los Angeles and now lives in Las Vegas, is always up for a challenge. His only two losses have come in welterweight title matches against pound-for-pound greats. He lost a controversial fight to Timothy Bradley, Jr. and dropped a unanimous decision Manny Pacquiao in a world title defense. Vargas won the welterweight title with a TKO victory over Sadam Ali in 2016 prior to the Pacquiao fight. Vargas is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Aaron Herrera in December as he works toward another world title opportunity.

 

 

 

 

 

“This is a fight that should garner a lot of attention from boxing fans and they deserve a fight like this,” said Vargas. “We are two entertaining fighters who come in and give it their all. This is a fight that will have a lot of fireworks. I respect Broner and his skills, but he’s very beatable. The fight was presented to me and I didn’t think twice about taking it.. We as fighters and entertainers have to give the fans what they want. We had a fantastic fight on Saturday in Brooklyn and we’ll have another one in April. I will have my hand raised and let everyone know I’m still a danger to anyone I face.”

 

 

 

 

 

Charlo (26-0, 20 KOs) won his super welterweight title with a dominant knockout of Cornelius Bundrage in 2015 and eventually achieved the distinction of holding a world title in the same weight class (154 pounds) as his twin brother after Jermell won a title in 2016. After successfully defending his 154-pound title three times, Charlo of Houston, Texas, made the move to 160 pounds with the goal of becoming a d-division world champion. In his debut at 160-pounds, the 27-year-old scored a TKO victory over Jorge Sebastian Heiland at Barclays Center on July 29. Charlo vs. Centeno was originally scheduled for March 3 before being rescheduled due to a rib injury suffered by Centeno.

 

 

 

 

 

“I really love fighting in Brooklyn and at Barclays Center,” said Charlo. “The fans in Brooklyn always show me a lot of love. Since my last fight I’ve had a chance to work on my patience and work on improvements to my game. Before the injury to Centeno, I was having the best camp of my life. I’ve got the same feeling that I had before I won my first world title. I want to be a champion at 160 more than I did the first time at 154. Centeno is a tough fighter. He’ll be a hard test but he’s someone who isn’t at my level. I’m not taking anything away from him. But he’s just another fighter that’s in my way.”

 

 

 

 

 

The 26-year-old Centeno (26-1, 14 KOs) caught everyone’s attention when he scored a stunning knockout of Immanuwel Aleem in his last fight on Aug. 25. It was enough to springboard Centeno into middleweight title contention. Centeno of Oxnard, Calif., successfully rebounded from a tough TKO loss to Maiej Sulecki on June 18, 2016 with a victory over Ronald Montes before his match against Aleem. Centeno expects to be 100 percent healed and ready for the challenge by fight night.

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m excited for the opportunity,” said Centeno. “I was really devastated when we had to reschedule the fight, but I know I have to be 100 percent for this challenge. I think my last outing had a lot to do with me getting this fight. It helped to put me in this position. Charlo is a great fighter with a lot of talent. I feel like we have similar statures. It’s going to be an interesting fight. I think it’s going to come down to who is the smarter fighter that night and who has more left in the tank toward the end. This is a life-changing, career-changing fight for me that could lead to bigger and better things. I’m coming to win.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Davis (19-0, 18 KOs) is a proof that dynamite can come in a 130-pound package. The 23-year-old, of Baltimore, fought three times last year and ended all of his fights by stoppage. He won the 130-pound world title with a TKO victory over Jose Pedraza in a star-making performance at Barclays Center on Jan. 14, 2017. He traveled to London for his first title defense and stopped Liam Walsh by TKO on his home turf to retain the title on May 21, and most recently scored a knockout victory over Francisco Fonseca on Aug. 26 on the Mayweather vs. McGregor PPV undercard. Davis look to recapture a title in the 130-pound division after failing to make weight prior to the Fonseca fight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m the most exciting and skilled fighter on television and in 2018 I plan to show it,” said Davis. “On April 21 I’ll be back in the ring, live on SHOWTIME. Jesus Cuellar is arguably my toughest opponent to date. He is rough and tough, but I’m looking forward to the challenge. I’m more than happy to be fighting at Barclays Center where I won my first world title. Brooklyn is very close to Baltimore, so all of my people will be there to witness me become a world champion again.”

 

 

 

 

 

Cuellar (28-2, 21 KOs) is seeking to win a world title in a second weight class when he takes on Davis. A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, the 31-year-old Cuellar won a featherweight world title with a TKO victory against Vic Darchinyan on June 6, 2015. Six months later he made a successful defense by winning a unanimous decision against Jonathan Oquendo before losing the belt to Abner Mares by split decision on December 10, 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

“The time I’ve had off since the Mares fight has refreshed me for this new opportunity,” said Cuellar. “It took a lot out of my body to make 126 pounds for all of those years. Now I feel fresher and hungrier than ever before. I’ve been offered fights against lesser opponents in the last year but I’ve preferred to wait a little longer so that I can get a chance to fight the best. Gervonta Davis is one of the best in the world, so he’s the one I want to face and beat. Davis has never faced a fighter like me and he will see me at my very best on April 21.”

 

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MikeyGarcia, @AdrienBroner, @MayweatherPromo, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing, ,  www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

GH3 Promotions signs Undefeated Junior Middleweight Joey Alday

Nutley, NJ (March 5, 2018)–GH3 Promotions has signed undefeated junior middleweight prospect Joey Alday.
Alday, 23 years-old of Odessa, Texas has a perfect mark of 6-0 with all of his wins coming via knockout.
Alday began boxing at the age of eight years-old, and has his 1st amateur fight a year later.  Alday’s family has been involved in boxing as his father and grandfather both competed.  Alday started taking boxing seriously around the age of 12, and the sport became a passion.
Alday had a distinguished amateur career that saw him go 225-23 with many tournament wins which includes the 2013 U.S. National title.  Alday competed in the 2014 and 2015 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.  Alday was a 2013 Silver Medal winner in the Continental championships, and he placed 8th in the World Games.
Alday turned professional on June 25, 2016 with a 2nd round stoppage over Justin Henderson in Dallas, Texas.  he is coming off a 1st round knockout over Michael Sanchez on November 4, 2017 in Hobbs, Texas.
Alday is a boxer-puncher with power in both hands.  At 6’2″ he is a tall junior middleweight, and Alday likes to use his height and reach advantages.
“I am grateful for this opportunity.  I had a lot of offers to sign with promoters, but this is the situation that fit me best,” said Alday .  “I know GH3 will keep me busy, and get me those television bouts on Showtime.  I am ready to get my career on the road.”
“I am also inspired by my 4-year old son.  I believe in my faith, and I will be a world champion.”
Said GH3 Promotions CEO Vito Mielnicki, “I am very pleased to add Joey to our stable.  He has a lot of ability and his amateur pedigree fits into the types of fighters that we have signed.  He has shown power early in his career, but he has terrific boxing skills to go with it.  We will move him the same way that we have moved the rest of our fighters, and within four or five fights, I expect to have him featured on national television.”
“We are really excited to be managing Joey,” said Lyle Green of Shear Sports.  “He is a very talented kid, and has high character. If he wasn’t boxing, he would be successful in anything he did.  We are very comfortable with GH3 Promotions.  We know Vito can move Joey, and keep him active.  He will be put in tough, which will get him ready to move up the ranks.”
Alday is trained by his father Joe Alday.

Boxing Stars Management Group LLC signs 2016 Olympic Gold Medal winner Daniyar Yeleussinov to a managerial contract

Kazakhstan (March 5, 2018) – Boxing Stars Management Group LLC is proud to announce the signing of 2016 Olympic Gold Medal winner, Daniyar Yeleussinov to an exclusive managerial contract.
As an amateur, Daniyar, was the dominant world amateur welterweight for the last 4 years.
Daniyar was also the 2013 world amateur champion

Going into the 2016 Olympics, the captain of the Kazakhstan Boxing Team was the favorite of the division, and proved his worth by winning all of his bouts via dominant 3-0 decisions including a win over undefeated top British prospect, Josh Kelly in the 2nd round.

His style has been compared to Vasyl Lomachenko and Floyd Mayweather as he has outstanding hand and foot speed, he works off angles, has an impeccable defense and has tremendous power in both hands.

Yeleussinov has continued his countries’ domination in one of boxing’s glamour divisions as he is the 4th straight Kazakhstan boxer to win Gold in the welterweight division, and he is the 1st of those Olympic champions to turn professional.

“When I was coming up, I looked up to the welterweights who won Gold medals before me. Bakhtiyar Artayev, Bakhyt Sarsekbayev, and Serik Sapiyev were my idols,” said Yeleussinov. “I know if they ever turned professional, all three of them would have been world champion, as well as pound for pound one of the best. By signing with my management team, I know they will lead me to the pros properly, and give me the opportunity to show that Kazakhstan not only produces the best welterweights in the amateurs but also the best welterweights in the professional ranks!”

“I want to thank the Kazakhstan Federation Boxing for they have been very supportive to both Daniyar and us with the decision to turn professional,” said Ziya Aliyev, Managing Director of Boxing Stars Management Group LLC.  “Kazakhstan is among the elite amateur programs in the world as they have won the most medals in the past several Olympics. With that said, we are honored to have a fighter like Daniyar in our stable as he is not only a great Olympic boxer but also a great person out of the ring.”

“Daniyar is a talent that comes around once every 20 years, who is capable to win a world title in two years and then rule the division for years to come!”

“Many of the top boxing promoters and managers were trying to sign Daniyar because they see what we see, a future superstar in boxing.”
Details on Yeleussinov’s pro debut will be announced shortly

Christian Carto remains undefeated with unanimous decision over James Smith at SugarHouse Casino

  
Wins by Brooker, Mercado, Vazquez and Hale
Miner and Hunter battle to a majority draw
Philadelphia, Penn. (March 5, 2018)–Despite a driving snowstorm, fans packed a sold-out SugarHouse Casino to watch the continued rise of bantamweight Christian Carto, as the 21 year-old remained perfect with a eight-round unanimous decision over James Smith.
The show, which took place this past Friday night was promoted by King’s Promotions.
Carto was very sharp with his punches, and controlled the action against a willing opponent in Smith.
Carto used his full arsenal, as he was pinpoint with his jab, accurate with his books and worked the body effectively throughout the contest.
Carto thrilled his throngs of supporters as he constantly was on the offensive, and showed his dominance by cruising to the victory by scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73.
Carto of Philadelphia is now 14-0.  Smith of Detroit is now 12-2.
Christian Carto Post fight Inteview
Christian Carto Post fight Inteview
In the co-feature, Christopher Brooker wrestled the WBF Americas Super Middleweight title with a hard fought eight-round unanimous decision over Jamaal Davis in a battle of Philadelphia-based super middleweights.
Most of the fight was contested at close quarters with Brooker using his size on the inside to get the better of the action.  Davis had moments using his uppercut, but it was Brooker’s uppercut and body work that was the difference in the battle.
Brooker won by scores 79-73 twice and 77-75 to raise his mark to 13-5.  Davis 16-13-1.
Anthony Mercardo stopped previously undefeated Tyrone Crawley after Crawley could not continue due to a hand injury after round three of their scheduled eight-round super lightweight bout.
Mercado of Arecibo, PR is now 11-3 with 10 knockouts.  Crawley of Philadelphia is 7-1.
Ronny Hale spoiled the professional debut of Dominique Mayfield by scoring a 1st round knockout in the scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.
Hale went right after Mayfield and scored three knockdowns in just 100 seconds.
Hale of Austin TX is 4-11 with all of his coming by knockout.
Victor Vazquez needed just one round to stop David Gonzales in their scheduled eight-round super lightweight bout.
Vazquez scored one knockdown before the bout was halted at 1:56.
Vazquez of Yonkers, NY is 10-3 with 4 knockouts.  Gonzales of Philadelphia falls to 8-3-2.
Despite scoring two knockdowns, Jerrod Miner had to settle for a majority draw with Rondarrious Hunter in their four-round super flyweight bout.
Miner took a card 39-35, while two cards read even at 37-37.
Miner of Philadelphia is 1-1-1.  Hunter of Atlanta is 1-2-1.

Claressa Shields and Mary J Blige Appear as Superheroes in Commercial Aired During Sunday’s Oscars Broadcast

WBC and IBF World Super Middleweight Champion, and two-time US Olympic gold-medal winner, Claressa Shields, appeared with music legend and fellow female superstar Mary J. Blige in a special 60-second short film that aired during Sunday’s worldwide  broadcast of the 90th Academy Awards.
Directed by Dee Rees and sponsored by Walmart, the film was inspired by Walmart delivery boxes and featured Shields and Blige as superheroes.

A world-famous singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress, Blige is a nine-time Grammy Award winner, a three-time Golden Globe nominee and the first woman to receive multiple Academy Award nominations in the same year (for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song). She has sold 75 million records worldwide.
In addition to being the current unified WBC and IBF World Super Middleweight Champion, Flint, Michigan’s Shields won gold at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, becoming the first American boxer-female or male-to win consecutive medals. In just her first full year as a professional, Shields was named USA Today: Female Fighter of the Year, Yahoo Sports: Female Fighter of the Year, WBAN: Hottest Rising Star and WBAN: Most Inspirational.
Shields (5-0, 2 KOs) is currently hard at work, preparing for her next fight in April on SHOWTIME.

HEAVYWEIGHT CLASH FEATURING MIRKO CRO COP AND ROY NELSON SLATED FOR BELLATOR 200 IN LONDON ON MAY 25

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW

 

 

LOS ANGELES – An exciting battle between heavyweight fan-favorites Mirko Cro Cop (36-11-2, 1 NC) and Roy Nelson (23-15) has been added to historic Bellator 200 at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London on Friday, May 25.

 

The two renowned fighters join a stacked card that already includes a Bellator middleweight title matchup pitting current champ Rafael Carvalho (15-1) against Gegard Mousasi(43-6-2), while former titleholder Phil Davis (18-4) takes on Linton Vassell (18-6) in a light heavyweight matchup and undefeated British striker Michael “Venom” Page (12-0) meets David “The Caveman” Rickels (19-4, 2 NC) at welterweight.

 

Tickets for the event are on sale now at The SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office (0844 815 0815), Ticketmaster.com, ssearena.co.uk and axs.com. Bellator 200 will be broadcast on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional contests will be announced in coming weeks.

 

The man synonymous with head kick knockouts, Mirko Cro Cop makes his way to Bellator in the midst of an eight-fight win streak that includes TKO victories over “King Mo” Lawal, Gabriel Gonzaga and Satoshi Ishii. The proud Croatian famously won the PRIDE 2006 Openweight Grand Prix championship, as well as the RIZIN World Grand Prix 2016 title and K-1 World Grand Prix 2012 Final in kickboxing. One of the most feared strikers in MMA history, Cro Cop owns additional career wins over Wanderlei Silva, Josh Barnett (x3), Pat Barry, Mark Coleman and Kevin Randleman.

 

Fighting out of Las Vegas, Roy Nelson made his Bellator debut at Bellator 183 in September with a hard-fought victory over Javy Ayala following an eight-year, 19-fight run with UFC that saw him earn wins over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, “Bigfoot” Silva, Cheick Kongo and Mirko Cro Cop. “Big Country” also memorably defeated the late Kimbo Sliceand later went on to win season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter. Having recently fought Matt Mitrione in the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix, Nelson is looking for a big win over one of the sport’s true legends.

 

Updated Bellator 200 Fight Card:

Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (15-1) vs. Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Mirko Cro Cop (36-11-2, 1 NC) vs. Roy Nelson (23-15)

Light Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Phil Davis (18-4) vs. Linton Vassell (18-6)

Welterweight Main Card Bout: Michael Page (12-0) vs. David Rickels (19-4, 2 NC)

 

*Card subject to change

 

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

 

  DEONTAY WILDER RETAINS WBC HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE WITH THRILLING 10 TH ROUND TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT OF LUIS ORTIZ SATURDAY ON SHOWTIME ® FROM BARCLAYS CENTER

Jose Uzcategui Stops Andre Dirrell to Become Interim IBF Super Middleweight World Champion in SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® Co-Feature
 
Don’t Miss The Replay Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME
Click HERE for Photos from SHOWTIME
Click HERE for Photos from Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
 
Click HERE for Photos from Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions
 
Watch the Wilder KO : http://s.sho.com/2I0JWJB
BROOKLYN (March 4, 2018) – Undefeated heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder retained his WBC title in his seventh defense with a tenth round knockout over unbeaten challenger Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz in a thrilling back-and-forth SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event Saturday night from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING®.
Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) not only survived the toughest test of his career but also finished the job in spectacular fashion by unleashing a ferocious 10th round assault on Ortiz (28-1, 24 KOs). Wilder floored the Cuban challenger twice in the round, forcing referee David Fields to stop the fight at2:05 of the round. Watch the knockout video HERE.
Oritz looked like he would dethrone Wilder in the seventh round, countering with a strong right hand that hurt the WBC heavyweight champion. Ortiz unleashed a barrage of punches against a stunned Wilder, who somehow managed to stay on his feet to close the round before being saved by the bell. Ortiz continued his assault on Wilder into the eighth round, who again managed to make it through the round.
In the ninth round, Wilder began to rebound as he knocked Ortiz off-balance with a straight right hand. America’s only reigning heavyweight champion was firmly back in the fight as he landed a strong combination on Ortiz to close the round, completely changing the momentum of the fight.
Both fighters came out strong at the start of the tenth round, landing simultaneous blows that made each fighter temporarily wobbly. But it was Wilder who capitalized on the moment, as the Alabama-native pounced on Ortiz, sending his opponent to the canvas for the second time of the night with a flurry of overhand right hands. A dazed Ortiz returned to his feet, but was unable to withstand a follow-up assault from a confident Wilder, who landed an uppercut that sent Ortiz to the canvas for the third and final time.
Following his third successful title defense at Barclays Center, an emotional Wilder spoke to SHOWTIME Sports reporter Jim Gray about the most difficult fight of his career.
“A true champion always finds a way to come back and that’s what I did tonight,” said Wilder. “Luis Ortiz is definitely a crafty guy.  He put up a great fight. We knew we had to wear him down.  I showed everyone I can take a punch.
“He was hitting me with those furious punches but they didn’t have sting on them.  He was throwing combos that knocked me off balance. I just had to get my range back and my fundamentals back. And I was able to do that.  I showed I was a true champion tonight.”
A proud but disappointed Ortiz, who was on the brink of a sensational seventh round stoppage of Wilder before the bell rang, also spoke to Gray following the fight.
“It was a great fight and I performed well,” Ortiz said. “I thought I was up on the scorecard going into the tenth round, but it’s heavyweight boxing and you never know what’s going to happen.
“I almost had him and I think I would’ve if there were a few more seconds in the round.”
Wilder out landed Ortiz 98-87, although Ortiz held a slight advantage in landed power punches, 63-60.
In the co-featured event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, Jose Uzcategui (27-2, 23 KOs) defeated Andre Dirrell  (26-3, 16 KOs) via TKO two seconds into round nine, upon the request of Dirrell’s trainer, Virgil Hunter. The win, which makes Uzcategui the interim IBF Super Middleweight World Champion, puts the hard-hitting Venezuelan in position to fight for the super middleweight title that Caleb Truax earned via a majority decision over James DeGale in December.
Saturday night’s fight was a rematch of the hotly contested May 2017 bout, in which Uzcategui was disqualified for landing a punch after the bell sounded to end the eighth round. In the rematch, Uzcategui dominated the action from start to finish, using his powerful right hand to set the stage for the withering assault which led to Dirrell’s corner stopping the fight two seconds into round nine. Uzcategui out landed Dirrell 169-141 in total punches, including a huge 112-51 discrepancy in power punches landed.
“I was a little surprised they stopped it in the ninth,” said Uzcategui. “I had said it would be the third round that I would knock him out.  It took a little longer, but it finally came.
“I think it was very clear in the first fight that I did my job. In the second fight I showed even more, so there’s going to be a lot of Uzcategui from now on.”
Dirrell, a native of Flint, Michigan, found Uzcategui’s length and aggression difficult to deal with.
“I’ve been in there with long fighters before, but he was especially long,” said Dirrell. “I think I was a little heavier than I wanted to be tonight, but that’s no excuse. Uzcategui did a great job.
“We knew we needed a knockout. The way it was going I needed to at least pick it up. I felt a little sluggish and he hit all the right shots. None of them really hurt, but he hit me where he was supposed to.”
In a world title fight featured on the undercard, Long Island’s Alicia Napoleon (9-1, 5 KOs) won the Vacant Women’s WBA Super Middleweight world title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Femke Hermans (6-1, 3 KOs).
“It’s hard to find words to describe this right now,” said Napoleon. “It’s so surreal it’s almost like a dream. I’m just glad I did it. This is one down, but there’s many more to go. The goal is to get all the belts.”
Napoleon controlled the action with her power and superior athletic prowess and wobbled Hermans in the final round before earning the decision by scores of 99-91 and 98-92 twice.
“I think this means a lot for women’s boxing, not just that I won the belt, but where I was placed on this great card,” said Napoleon. “People are going to continue to see and hear more and more from women boxers.”
Saturday’s telecast will replay on, Sunday, March 4 at 8 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME and Monday, March 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and will be available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. This event was sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina and promoted by DiBella Entertainment and TGB Promotions.
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For more information visit www.sho.com/sports , www.premierboxingchampions.com,
follow us on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, @BarclaysCenter, @Brooklyn_Boxing and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter,
and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

BELLATOR 195 RESULTS & PHOTOS

 

 

Full Event Photos Here

 

Darrion Caldwell (12-1) defeated Leandro Higo (18-4) via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:36 of round one

 

Joe Taimanglo (24-8) defeated Joe Warren (15-7) via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)

 

Kristina Williams (2-0) defeated Emily Ducote (6-4) via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)

 

Juan Archuleta (19-1) defeated William Joplin (17-15) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-24, 30-23)

 

Aaron Webb (2-0) defeated Thomas Lopez (1-4) via TKO (punches) at 3:11 of round one

 

Kevin Holland (12-3) defeated Teagan Dooley (6-3) via submission (triangle choke) at 2:59 of round one

 

Daniel Carey (4-2) defeated Cris Williams (4-1) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

 

Romero Cotton (2-0) defeated Justin Reeser (1-2) via submission (rear-naked choke) 4:35 of round two

 

Fernando Gonzalez (3-0) defeated Armando Servin (4-6) via submission (arm-bar) at 2:24 of round one

 

Justin Patterson (10-4) defeated Brian Grinnell (10-8) via TKO (knee to body) at 4:49 of round one

 

Ky Bennett (1-1) defeated Morgan Solis (2-1) via submission (Americana) at 3:37 of round two

DEONTAY WILDER vs. LUIS ORTIZ FINAL WEIGHTS, QUOTES, PHOTOS & COMMISSION OFFICIALS FOR WBC HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY ON SHOWTIME®

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® Live At 9 P.M. ET/6 P.M. PT From Barclays Center In Brooklyn

Click HERE for Photos from Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

 

WBC Heavyweight World Championship

 

 

 

Deontay Wilder – 214 ¾ pounds

 

 

 

Luis Ortiz – 241 ¼ pounds

 

 

 

Referee: David Fields; Judges: Glenn Feldman (Conn.), Kevin Morgan (N.Y.), Carlos Ortiz (N.Y.)

Interim IBF Super Middleweight World Championship

 

 

Andre Dirrell – 167 ¾ pounds

 

 

Jose Uzcategui – 166 pounds

 

 

Referee: Ricky Gonzalez; Judges: Bernard Bruni (Penn.), Tony Paolillo (N.Y.), Robin Taylor (N.Y.)

FLASH QUOTES

DEONTAY WILDER:

“I’m going to let the world know that the weight don’t mean a thing; it’s all mental at the end of the day. Like I’ve said, I’d rather be the part than look the part. I’ve said many a time that I put these guys on their ass, and that’s what I come to do Saturday night. Over and over again all my guys have out-weighed me. So that’s nothing compared to where I came from, and nothing compared to where I’m going come Saturday night. You’re all in for a treat and I can’t wait.

 

“On paper he’s looked good against the opposition he’s faced, but he’s never faced a Bronze Bomber; he’s never faced a guy who has more killer instinct than him. He’s never faced a guy who wants to just rip his head off, and I do mean rip his head off!

 

“I am the best and I’m ready to show on Saturday night that I’m the best in the world.”

 

LUIS ORTIZ:

 

 

“Our training camp was prepared for whatever Deontay Wilder was going to bring into the ring, whether it was a runner, or a puncher – whatever he wants to do we have trained for it so there’s no problem.

 

 

“You have to adapt and make changes come fight night, and I’m prepared to do that and I’m experienced to do that. I’ve been waiting my whole career to do this as a pro and as an amateur this is something I never dreamed I would do, and I’m not losing tomorrow.“

 

 

ANDRE DIRRELL:

 

 

“I just saw a piece of meat, and I’m hungry.

 

 

“The IBF demanded this. There were two wrongs from the last fight and I was hit after the bell, and he was hit after the bell. The IBF wanted to right that wrong and this is the only way to do so. He deserves this shot and I deserve this shot. It’s going to be a better fight this time around.

 

 

“It’s all about what [new trainer] Virgil [Hunter] has done with my mind. The ability is there, as we all know. We’ve perfected that. And we’ve changed the mind this time, as well.

 

 

“We all know that Jose Uzcategui is a fighter in full; that boy can throw, but that’s just not going to be enough come fight night.”

 

 

JOSE UZCATEGUI:

 

 

“The ref will not have to intervene; I’ll knock him out quicker this time.”

 

 

“Maybe if Virgil Hunter gets in the ring too because that’s the only way they’re going to win is if the corner gets in the rings. Because that’s the only way they will get the win.”

# # #

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and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Ivan Buchinger vs. Andrey Krasnikov Tops solid M-1 Challenge 89 main card

Mar. 10 in Saint Petersburg at new M-1 Arena
SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (March 2, 2018) – Former M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan “Buki” Buchinger hopes to bounce back strong from his title-losing loss against M-1 Global-debuting Andrey Krasnikov, March 10 in the M-1 Challenge 89 main event, at the new M-1 Arena in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
M-1 Challenge 89 will be live-streamed from Russia in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets. M-1 Challenge 89 is available onwww.FITE.TV (preliminary card is free, $7.99 for the main card)
Buchinger (32-6-0, M-1: 7-2-0), fighting out of Slovakia, captured the M-1 Challenge featherweight title on October 17, 2014, stopping Tural Ragimov on punches in the fourth round, in the M-1 Challenge 52 Fight of the Night. Buchinger retained his title for more than three years, losing his title belt last November 24 at M-1 Challenge 86, when he was knockout by punches in the opening round by Khamzat Dalgiev.
“I did not suffer any injuries,” Buchinger reflected on his loss to Dalgiev. “Physically I felt good, but I was extremely disappointed because my opponent was so lucky to deliver a nice punch. It was just a lucky punch that knocked me out. Everything went as planned up until that moment, when I made a single fatal mistake. He was lucky that night, bit I don’t want to belittle Khamzat’s skills. He’s an excellent fighter and a great person.
“Would I win a rematch? I don’t want to make any predictions but, if we fight for the second time, we will see who is going to be the winner. But I am sure that I am a better fighter than him. Real champions do not care about who they fight, so I will fight any opponent to get my belt back. Everybody knows who the true champion is, so, as soon as I have an opportunity to win the title, I’ll do it.”
The road back to the top for Buchinger will not be easy. His opponent, Krasnikov (14-3-0, M-1: 0-0-0), plans to make a big splash in his first M-1 Global competition, positioning himself for a future M-1 Challenge title shot. The well-balanced Ukrainian, who has won 13 of his last 14 pro fights, is equally adept on his feet or ground.
“He is a young, strong opponent,” Buchinger spoke about his next opponent, “who is always ready to go until the end. I take all my fights seriously and the next one won’t be an exception. My coaches and team have watched some of my opponent’s fights and helped me to understand what I need to do in the fight, what I need to avoid. I am sure that I can get my strap back and this fight should become my first step. This time I feel a little bit different because I don’t feel any pressure, which I used to feel as champion.
“I am happy to fight in Saint Petersburg at the new M-1 Arena. I love Russian fans because they really understand MMA and are always very hospitable. I am going to make a huge comeback and win in style!”
Russian kickboxing specialist Viktor Kolesnik (11-3-1, M-1: 2-1-1) takes on M-1 Global first-time fighter David “Davi Boxer” Silva de Souza (7-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0) in an intriguing match-up of contrasting styles of fighting.
Former UFC and Bellator fighter, Canadian flyweight Chris “The Greek Assassin” Kelades (12-3-0, M-1: 1-0-0) may have found a new home in M-1 Global, but he faces a tough challenger, Vitaliy Branchuk (23-7-0, M-1: 2-3-0), of Ukraine.
The always popular heavyweights will also be in the spotlight as Zaur Hajibabayev (6-1-0, M-1: 4-0-0), Azerbaijan, attempts to extend his M-1 Global win streak to five against always dangerous Anton Vyazigin (8-2-0, M-1: 3-1-0), of Russia.
Rounding out the highly competitive main card is a lightweight match between another former UFC combatant, Frenchman Mickael “Ragnar” Lebout (16-8-2, 1 NC, M-1: 0-0-0) in his long-awaited M-1 Global debut, against veteran Sergey Faley (20-10-0, M-1: 4-1-0).
All fighters and fights are subject to change.
INFORMATION:
Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@Vadim_finkelchtein
@M1Global
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
Mar. 10 – M-1 Challenge 89: Buchinger-Krasnikov, M-1 Arena, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Mar. 30 – M-1 Challenge 90: Kunchenko-Butenko, M-1 Arena, Saint Petersburg, Russia