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King’s Promotions announces 14 dates for 2018
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Selina Barrios vs. Lisa Porter NABF Lightweight Title On The Line
SAN ANTONIO, TX (December 18, 2017) – The two most avoided female boxers’ in the country are about to face each other, in what looks to be an all-out war, when undefeated sensation, lightweight Selina “Aztec Queen” Barrios, takes on the dangerous “Lovely” Lisa Porter.
On the line will be the NABF lightweight title, as both fighters were granted by the NABF committee to fight for this respected belt. The 10-round bout will take place at the Rapides Parish Coliseum on December 29, 2017, in Alexandria, LA. The only other female pro to fight for a major title this quickly is 2-time gold medalist Clarissa Shields.
When everyone in the lightweight division has refused to fight Barrios or Porter, the two agreed to fight each other. Barrios is a winner of four Ringside World Amateur Titles to go along with her many national championships. Porter was a decorated amateur herself, winning three National PAL championships, US Golden Gloves, and was a US National Silver medalist. Both fighters are coming in with undefeated records.
To put things in perspective, Barrios’ last opponent Jasmine Clarkson, was world champion Katie Taylor’s sixth opponent, before Taylor fought for the WBA world title. In Porter’s case, she fought to a draw with Katonya Fisher, who defeated Jessica McCaskill, who is just went the distance with Taylor for WBA world title.
“I’m very excited to be fighting for the NABF title,” said Selina Barrios. “All I want is an opportunity to win a world title, and winning the NABF belt will get me closer to my dream of becoming a world champion. I know I’m going to be facing a dangerous opponent in Lisa Porter, but nothing comes easy in boxing. With that being said, I’m willing to fight anyone they put in front of me. I’m confident I can win this fight. I just want to fight the best and prove I’m elite.”
“I’m glad Selina Barrios and I have come to an agreement to make this fight happen, especially for the NABF title,” stated Lisa Porter. “It’s been tough getting opponents to step in the ring with me, so this is truly a blessing. I’m very grateful to the folks at the NABF for sanctioning this fight. Selina Barrios is going to be a tough test, but one I believe I can pass. The fans are going to see a great fight.”
“With Selina being the most avoided female fighter in boxing, I had to do my part on getting her ranked by the NABF,” said advisor Kerry Daigle. “It’s not going to be an easy road to the top. There’s a lot of good fighters out there with a lot of experience that she’s going to have to fight. That will be the case when Selina steps in the ring with Lisa Porter, who has a plethora of amateur experience. She, also is one of the most avoided fighters in the lightweight division. This will be a battle of two fighters who are putting everything on the line to advance their career to the next level.
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Demetrius Andrade to be Ringside at Saunders – Lemieux Tonight on HBO World Championship Boxing®
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Former Welterweight World Champion Jessie Vargas Drops Aaron Herrera on His Way to Unanimous Decision Victory in the Main Event of a Special Friday Night Edition of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 &BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes from Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, Calif.
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MCDONALD & LETOURNEAU IMPRESS IN BELLATOR DEBUTS, CAPPING OFF FINAL EVENT ON SPIKE
Complete Bellator 191: McDonald vs. Ligier Fight Card Results:
Michael McDonald (18-4) defeated Peter Ligier (8-2-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8acndyoa13mtgs7/AABOlDgJCtycBa-bPH8L1e8Qa?dl=0
McDonald Quote: “I was happy with the performance. He ate some heavy punches. I hit him hard enough to break my right hand again, so he’s very durable and I expected that from him. I’ve seen him get put down and keep coming. He was very impressive, I’m honored to have fought him and he really stepped up to the occasion. I think that I have some pretty high accolades for a bantamweight, but I really have no idea how that stacks up to the other guys in my division. We will let this hand heal up and find out soon.”
Valerie Letourneau (9-6) defeated Kate Jackson (9-3-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xv8mhtcx9eku5p9/AAB94OCwYqOCIUbHyTcU3chUa?dl=0
Letourneau Quote: “I never feel like I’m doing enough. That’s the first thing I ask my coach: ‘Was it a good fight?’ I think experience has taught me to be patient in the fight and to fight smart. You always want to put on a show, but sometimes it can cost you the fight. In my last fight, I didn’t do enough because I was too careful. I wanted to bring all that experience together and make the best of it.”
“This was a very important fight for me. I’m 34, my daughter’s a teenager now. I’ve sacrificed a lot of things for my career. But I want this Bellator belt so bad. It was really hard for me to watch Ilima Macfarlane and Emily Ducote fight for it first. I have so much respect for both of them, but I wanted to be the first one to fight for the title. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen but to me that’s the only thing I have on my mind right now. Ilima knows I want to fight her and she had a really good performance in her last fight. When it happens, I think it’s going to be a really good matchup. It’s going to be an exciting fight.”
Mohammad Yahya (4-1) defeated Ash Griffiths (4-5) via TKO at 3:26 of round one
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/62fh9s38lo1de3x/AAAF5NCgKybT6v1HG9qYJOaHa?dl=0
Yahya Quote: “This is what we trained for and we executed exactly as we planned. I was very confident in the opening round. I said that I was going to win in the first round by TKO and I did just that. It’s confidence, but this is also a product of hard work. I was training very hard for this and I executed. I knew that I had the best team in the world and we’re on to the next one now.”
Philip De Fries (14-6, 1 NC) def. James Thompson (20-17, 1 NC) via submission (guillotine) at 1:33 of round one
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/efcurjmp6k10j2q/AADd556tK8j6Lg-T7Te54Z_ma?dl=0
De Fries Quote: “I feel great, the less damage the better. I’m not getting any prettier. Hats off to James, he’s a legend. It’s a shame it was over so quick, it could have been a barn burner. But I’m happy. I want to climb the ladder here in Bellator. If there is an opening in this tournament, I’ll gladly step in. I feel great at the moment. Fighting is 90 percent mental and the first half of my career, I didn’t have the head for it. But now I’m putting everything together, I feel great and I’m performing. I’m ready, I’ll fight anybody.
Jeremy Petley (12-8) def. Lewis Monarch (9-3) via split decision (29-28 x2, 27-30)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q1gw2zn80ujf2ps/AABweE-l4KMFb00-hvR7CExDa?dl=0
Petley Quote: “I was prepared to do the job and really demonstrate my skills. He put up a tough fight and made me work for it. I was prepared for a war, and that’s what he gave me so I had to dig deep. Lewis was a good opponent but I knew no matter what the situation or adversity, that I have a big heart, I have work ethic, a good skillset and a good corner behind me. I knew that no matter what happened, I would come out with the victory.”
“This is a fraction of my potential. I want the big fights, I want the Bellator title. I want to move up, I want to move forward and fight late in the night. I have what it takes, so I’ll take anybody. This was not the most convincing win, but no matter who I face, I can win. I don’t care who it is up against me, I can always find a way. I find a way to win. That’s what I do.”
GH3 Promotions CEO Vito Mielnicki excited for Antoine Douglas opportunity this Saturday against Gary O’Sullivan on HBO World Championship Boxing®
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FNU Combat Sports Show: Quitters Never Win
This broadcast of the FNU Combat Sports Show starts off with one of the most controversial stories of the week. Many sports pundits are quick to ridicule Guillermo Rigondeaux for bowing out of his blockbuster boxing match with Vasyl Lomachenko last Saturday. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith wasted no time during the broadcast, ripping into the Cuban boxer for refusing to come out for the seventh round of the one-sided fight. Teddy Atlas, exiled from his ringside reporting duties thanks to his outspoken views on boxing corruption and his abrasive treatment of lesser-experienced commentators, came to Rigo’s defense. Atlas argued with Smith from his own home studio, basically explaining that everyone is human. Tom, Tony and Rich all offer their own takes on the situation and their thoughts on the “fight.”
We also track the latest news in combat sports, recap the past week’s events and preview competing UFC and Bellator events this Saturday. We even touch on the multiple story lines involving Floyd Mayweather Jr. that are making the rounds in the sports media this week. “Money” claims he can make up to a billion dollars if he goes into the UFC for a three or four fight deal. Well, good luck, Floyd. I hear CM Punk wants another fight.
Listen to the two part broadcast below.
Part 1:
Part 2:
SHOWTIME Sports Confirms Aug. 26 SHOWTIME PPV® Presentation Of Mayweather vs. McGregor Second Biggest Pay-Per-View Of All Time
Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME
SHOWTIME SPORTS confirmed today that the SHOWTIME PPV presentation of Mayweather vs. McGregor on August 26, 2017 generated 4.3 million pay-per-view buys in North America. This includes traditional television distribution and online portals such as the new SHOWTIME PPV app and SHOWTIMEPPV.com as well as UFC.TV in U.S. and Canada.
Mayweather vs. McGregor, a four-fight SHOWTIME PPV boxing event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, officially stands as the second largest pay-per-view event of all time behind Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, which set the North American pay-per-view mark at 4.6 million buys in 2015. The SHOWTIME PPV totals for Mayweather vs. McGregor far exceed the now third best event in history—nearly doubling the 2.48 million buys for Oscar De La Hoya vs. Mayweather in 2007.
The total global revenue from the event including ticket sales, sponsorship and international distribution exceeds $600 million, which—along with Mayweather vs. Pacquiao— is among the largest for a single-day sporting event of all time. Mayweather and SHOWTIME PPV now account for the three highest grossing pay-per-view events in television history with the third-ranked event Mayweather vs. Canelo from 2013.
Three-Division World Champion Mikey Garcia Seeks Title in a Fourth Weight Class When He Challenges Unbeaten 140-pound Champion Sergey Lipinets Saturday, Feb. 10 Live on SHOWTIME® at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas & Presented by Premier Boxing Champions
Undefeated Two-Time World Champion Rances Barthelemy to Rematch Kiryl Relikh for Vacant 140-Pound Title In Co-Main Event
Tickets on Sale Next Week!
SAN ANTONIO (December 14, 2017) – Undefeated three-division world champion Mikey Garcia will attempt to win a world title in a fourth weight class when he challenges unbeaten IBF 140-pound world champion Sergey Lipinets on Saturday, February 10 live on SHOWTIME. The matchup of top-5 ranked junior welterweights will take place at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas and is presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
Two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy will face Kiryl Relikh in a rematch of their May showdown on SHOWTIME, this time for the vacant WBA 140-pound world title. The doubleheader of title bouts in the wide-open 140-pound division sets the stage for a potential unification match.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are priced at $250, $75, $50 and $20. Tickets will go on sale next week and will be available at Ticketmaster.com.
The 29-year-old Garcia (37-0, 30 KOs), emphatically returned to pound-for-pound lists in 2017 by scoring a highlight reel knockout of Dejan Zlaticanin to win the WBC Lightweight World Championship in January and then dominating four-division champion Adrien Broner on his way to a unanimous decision in July. Garcia is a member of a renowned boxing family, and is noted for his sportsmanship and his commanding presence in the ring, honed by his brother and acclaimed trainer Robert Garcia.
Garcia, of Moreno Valley by way of Oxnard, Calif., returned to the ring after a two-and-half-year layoff in July 2016 without missing a beat by stopping former champion Elio Rojas. Garcia, who has held world titles at 126, 130 and 135 pounds, has stopped 19 of his last 22 opponents including Roman “Rocky” Martinez, Juan Manuel Lopez and Orlando Salido.
“It is a dream to have the opportunity to become a four-division worldchampion,” Garcia said. “San Antonio has some of the greatest boxing fans in the country, including some key supporters of my Robert Garcia Boxing Academy family. Since my last fight, I have stayed in the gym. I can’t wait to give the fans in Texas and those watching at home on SHOWTIME another great performance.”
The unbeaten Lipinets (13-0, 10 KOs) captured a super lightweight world title in just his 13th pro fight by defeating Akihiro Kondo via a unanimous decision on November 4 on SHOWTIME. He is originally from Kazakhstan but moved to Russia when he was six years old. He currently lives in Beverly Hills, California, Lipinets and is trained by Buddy McGirt.
The 28-year-old moved up the 140-pound rankings with victories over then unbeaten Haskell Rhodes, Levan Ghvamichava and Walter Castillo before knocking out Leonardo Zappavigna in a world title eliminator last December. Lipinets will look to stamp his place as an elite fighter when he takes on the accomplished and dangerous Garcia on February 10.
“Getting the title is one thing, but keeping the title is a more difficult task,” said Lipinets. “I’m not about to give it away to anybody. No disrespect to Mikey Garcia or anybody else out there, but I’m keeping my title. Beating Mikey Garcia will put me in the elite of boxing where I believe I belong. I’m happy my team was able to put this great fight together. I can promise you this won’t be a snoozer. It’s going to be an action-packed fight for sure.”
“We’re going to call it’ ‘Undefeated.’ That pretty much sums it up. Two undefeated fighters, champion versus champion,” said Richard Schaefer, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports. “It’s a big challenge for Mikey Garcia to win a championship belt in his fourth weight class. Lipinets never backs down and he’s out to show that’s he one of the biggest punchers in the division. A win for Lipinets is a game-changer for his family and his career. A win for Mikey is another feather in his cap and will help him be recognized as pound-for-pound best in the world. I’m happy to be back in San Antonio at the Alamodome. I’ve promoted some big fights there. San Antonio fight fans are in for a real treat seeing two of the best fighting each other. I’m sure the fans will embrace this fight.”
“We have another intriguing matchup of two young, hungry undefeated fighters who lay it on the line every time they step into the ring,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “As talented as Mikey is, you can’t count Lipinets out. He’s one of the hardest hitters in the 140-pound division. He’s a tough competitor and there’s a reason why he’s a world champion. He knows this is a career-defining fight and he’s going to do everything he can to spoil the party for Garcia in San Antonio on Feb. 10.”
“In three consecutive fights on SHOWTIME since his return to the sport, Mikey Garcia has solidified his position on boxing’s pound-for-pound lists,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “Mikey has proven he’s willing to take on the most avoided opponents in any division as he seeks out the biggest possible matchups in the sport. He’ll face yet another dangerous opponent in Sergey Lipinets, an undefeated champion in his own right, as he seeks to become a four-division world champion. On the heels of Errol Spence vs. Lamont Peterson on January 20, a matchup of consensus top-10 welterweights, we’re proud to deliver this main event of top-5 ranked fighters to build on the momentum.”
Barthelemy (26-0, 13 KOs), who was born in Arroyo Naranjo, Cuba and now lives in Las Vegas, has won world titles at 130 and 135 pounds. He defeated Relikh by unanimous decision in his debut at 140 pound in his last fight on May 20. If he defeats Relikh again, he will become the first Cuban boxer to win world championships in three different weight classes. He defeated Argenis Mendez by unanimous decision to win the 130-pound world title in 2014 and a year later scored a unanimous decision over Denis Shafikov for the 135-pound world title. Barthelemy, 31, has two brothers, Yan and Leduan, who are professional boxers who he trains alongside with under the tutelage of Ismael Salas.
Relikh (21-2, 19 KOs) believes that he won the first match with Barthelemy and that the scorecards did not reflect the competitive nature of the fight. The 28-year-old nearly had Barthelemy out after landing a barrage of punches that penned Barthelemy on the ropes, but he was only awarded a knockdown. In the eighth round, Barthelemy came back to drop Relikh with a body shot. Shortly after the May 20 title eliminator, the WBA ordered a rematch, this time to be contested for the vacant 140-pound title. This will be Relikh’s second world title shot after the fighter from Minsk, Belarus lost a unanimous decision to Ricky Burns in Glasgow, Scotland on Oct. 7, 2016.
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