boxing, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. Defends His Belt Against Top Challenger Oscar Escandon Saturday, May 20 From MGM National Harbor in Maryland & Live on SHOWTIME

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Tickets Now on Sale!

 

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. (April 7, 2017) – WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. will make the second defense of his title when he faces top challenger Oscar Escandon Saturday, May 20 in themain event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING from the recently opened MGM National Harbor in Maryland live on SHOWTIME.
The Maryland-native Russell Jr. (27-1, 16 KOs) and the WBC Interim Featherweight Champion Escandon (25-2, 17 KOs) will battle in one of boxing’s most talented divisions that continues to deliver exciting action fight after fight. A lineup of exciting co-featured attractions will be announced next week.
“I’m a gladiator getting ready for a tough battle,” said Russell Jr. “This is going to be a huge night for my family and I’m glad that the time is here. This will be the first time as pros that I get to fight on the same card as both of my little brothers, (unbeaten bantamweight) Gary Antonio and (2016 U.S. Olympian) Gary Antuanne, plus my brother Gary Allan will work all of our corners. We’re excited to get in the ring and show the fans what we’re capable of doing in the ring.”
“I’ve had to wait for this opportunity to face Gary Russell Jr. and I’m going to take full advantage of it,” said Escandon. “It’s going to be a great fight and I know the fans are going to get their money’s worth. I feel 100 percent healthy and now that the fight is here I am ready to knock him out.”
Tickets for the live event promoted by TGB Promotions are priced at $200, $150, $100 and $50, and are now on sale. To purchase tickets go tohttp://mgmnationalharbor.com/. The main event is co-promoted by Sampson Boxing. This bout was originally scheduled to take place on March 11 but was rescheduled after Escandon suffered a back injury in training camp. Fans who bought tickets for the March 11 show will have their tickets honored on May 20.
“This is going to be a great night of boxing,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “The featherweight division is very hot right now with the recent wins by Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares. There is something very special going on in the division and this will be another memorable fight. Escandon is a tough warrior who has proven time and again that he doesn’t care about going on the road or where he fights. There are great boxing fans in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region and they are in-store for an exciting night on May 20.”
A speedy and supremely talented boxer, Russell Jr., was impressive in his fourth-round stoppage of the battle-tested Jhonny Gonzalez that earned him the title in March 2015. The 2008 U.S. Olympian had scored important victories over Vyacheslav Gusev, Juan Ruiz and Miguel Tamayo before losing a majority decision to Vasyl Lomachenko for the WBO 126-pound title in June 2014. The southpaw, of Capitol Heights, Md., most recently scored a dominant second-round TKO victory over Patrick Hyland in his first title defense in April 2016.
Fighting out of Ibague, Colombia, Escandon turned pro in 2008 and was undefeated in his first 22 professional bouts. Escandon won an interim world title at super bantamweight in 2014 when he defeated Tyson Cave in his U.S. debut. He earned his shot at Russell Jr. last March when he survived an early knockdown to score a knockout victory over Robinson Castellanos in the seventh round of their showdown in Washington, D.C.
For more information, follow on Twitter @MrGaryRussellJr, @TGBPromotions, @MGMNatlHarbor and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/MGMNationalHarbor. The event is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

HALL OF FAME PROMOTER DON KING THOUGHT HE HAD SEEN IT ALL; TOP CONTENDER CHARLES HATLEY SUES KING BEFORE HIS TITLE SHOT

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Deerfield Beach, Fla. (April 7, 2017) – Hall of Fame boxing promoter Don King thought he had seen it all in this sport, but this is a first for the legendary sports figure.

 

King found himself being sued by his own fighter, super welterweight number one challenger Charles Hatley two weeks before his title shot on April 22 against the WBC Super Welterweight Champion Jermell Charlo.

 

“I don’t think this has ever happened to me in all the years I’ve been in boxing,” said King.  “Charles Hatley comes to me with his lawyer, manager and father and asks me to help him get a title shot.  He signs a promoter’s contract and I turn around and land him a mandatory championship fight against Charlo.

 

“Charles is the same fighter that couldn’t get a title shot from his previous promoter and I turn around after he comes to me to help him and I deliver a title shot in his first fight back.  Here’s a fighter who has won nine straight fights and has a great lifetime record of 26-1-1.  I deliver him a title shot and he delivers me papers.”

 

King made a deal with co-promoter/manager Al Haymon after Hatley signed a promotional agreement and then followed that up by signing bout agreement.

 

“This is the craziest thing I have ever seen.  Charles is getting ready for the fight and he changes lawyers and this guy has Charles sue me after all that I have done for him and his father.”

 

Said Hatley’s manager Lee Holliday of Holliday Boxing: “Don King has been very transparent in his negotiations with Charles Hatley. I was and am very disappointed, to say the least, regarding the lawsuit. This is an unprecedented situation two weeks before the fight. It’s certainly totally unfair to a promoter who has work very hard to get us this world title shot. It’s totally unfair to a fighter who should be thinking about nothing but the fight of his life.”

 

Hatley’s former attorney, La Coulton J. Walls, praised King as a legendary promoter. “Unfortunately, it is easy to get caught up in the caricature and not appreciate the greatness he has achieved,” Walls said. “The Hatleys are hardworking people who have a certain mistrust of boxing institutions.”

boxing, Fox Sports 1, Premier Boxing Champions

Cruiserweight World Champion Beibut Shumenov & Unbeaten Yunier Dorticos Face Off; Plus! Unbeaten Interim Featherweight Champion Carlos Zambrano Battles Once Beaten Contender Claudio Marrero

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 Saturday, April 29 in a Special Saturday Night Edition of
Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 & FOX Deportes
Live from Las Vegas
 
LAS VEGAS (April 7, 2017) – Cruiserweight world champion Beibut Shumenov (17-2, 11 KOs) will meet interim cruiserweight champion Yunier Dorticos (21-0, 20 KOs) in the main event and WBA Interim Featherweight Champion Carlos Zambrano (26-0, 11 KOs) defends his title against once-beaten contender Claudio Marrero (21-1, 15 KOs) in a special Saturday night edition of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes, April 29 from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas.
Televised coverage begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT as Shumenov and Dorticos will meet to unify their WBA titles in a long-awaited showdown between the former light heavyweight champion, Shumenov, and the unbeaten knockout artist, Dorticos.
“I’ve been in the gym working hard since my last fight,” said Shumenov. “I have been ready this entire time to defend my belt against anyone who is willing to step up. Denis Lebedev wanted to fight anyone but me and Dorticos disappeared after I signed the bout agreement to fight him February 11th in Miami. I am glad that, after many fight date changes, the fight is finally here on April 29. “
“I have been waiting a long time to reach this level and I’m very excited for this opportunity,” said Dorticos. “I want to thank my team at Caribe Promotions and Warriors Boxing for making this happen. I can’t wait for the whole world to see me in action. I’ve had a great training camp and my whole team has been working very hard. Shumenov is a great champion and I thank him for stepping in the ring with me. I can’t wait for that bell to ring so I can start fighting.”
“Training to defend my title has been intense,” said Zambrano. “We have a great team who put together a plan for me and I am giving everything I have to them. I have to get in the ring and show what I am capable of. There is only one result of this fight, I am going to win. Whether it’s by knockout or points, I will leave the ring a champion.”
“I think the fans have been wanting to see this fight for a while, and I am prepared to give the fans an exciting fight,” said Marrero. “I am focused and ready. I’ve been training hard with my team and I only see this fight going one way, and that’s me leaving with the win.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are priced at $75, $50 and $25, and are on sale Monday, April 10 at 12 p.m. PT. Tickets are available online at www.samstownlv.com/entertain.
“We can’t wait to bring another thrilling night of fights to the great fans in Las Vegas at Sam’s Town Live,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “This main event is going to be a scintillating cruiserweight title fight on FS1 and FOX Deportes and we are also looking forward to Carlos Zambrano making his Mayweather Promotions debut against a very tough challenger in Claudio Marrero. There will be an action packed undercard featuring a slew of Mayweather Promotions fighters, so you will want to get there early to enjoy the whole show!”
“This is a true boxing fans show,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “Beibut Shumenov and Yunier Dorticos are two of the best cruiserweights in the sport and they’re stepping into the ring to prove it. Carlos Zambrano and Claudio Marrero have been circling each other for a while now, which has heightened the anticipation of their finally meeting in the ring. The intensity in both matches means excitement for the fans.”
A native of Shymkent, Kazakhstan and fighting out of Las Vegas, Shumenov looks to build on a strong start to his campaign at cruiserweight after picking up a title against B.J. Flores in July 2015 and defending the belt with a TKO victory over Junior Wright last year. The 2004 Olympian for Kazakhstan won a world title at light heavyweight by defeating Gabriel Campillo in Las Vegas in 2010.
Fighting out of Miami by way of Havana, Cuba, Dorticos is unbeaten since turning pro in 2009 after a decorated amateur career. Dorticos won a regional cruiserweight title over previously unbeaten Hamilton Ventura in 2014 and continued his ascent to a world title with victories over Edison Miranda, Galen Brown and Fulgencio Zuniga. He won his interim title with a stoppage victory over Youri Kalenga in one of the most exciting fights of 2016.
An unbeaten fighter from Lima, Peru, Zambrano turned pro in 2008 and fought nine of his first 12 bouts in the U.S. He won a South American regional title in 2012 and began moving up the featherweight rankings with a knockout victory over Devis Perez in 2014. He picked up his interim title with a unanimous decision victory over Daniel Ramirez in 2015 and defended the belt successfully against Jose Sanmartin later that year.
A former title challenger who lost a narrow decision to Jesus Cuellar in 2013, Marrero has won seven-straight bouts since then. Most recently, the 28-year-old knocked down Luis Hinojosa four times before stopping him in the fourth round in August 2016. A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Marrero was an accomplished amateur who will be fighting in Las Vegas for the second time in his pro career.
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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage, www.foxdeportes.com.andwww.TGBPromotions.com Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportesand www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
Fight Network, mixed martial arts, MMA, UFC

Fight Network Presents KSW 38 & TKO 38 Live Doubleheader this Friday, April 7, Plus Live UFC® 210 Coverage on April 8

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TORONTO – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a thrilling live mixed martial arts doubleheader this Friday, April 7, beginning with KSW 38: Live in Studio from Warsaw, Poland at 3 p.m. ET followed by TKO 38: Ascensionfrom Montreal, Canada at 6 p.m. ET. Live fight coverage continues on Saturday, April 8 with the live PRE-FIGHT and POST-FIGHT shows for UFC® 210: CORMIER vs. JOHNSON 2.

KSW 38: Live in Studio will be televised live on Fight Network in Canada, the U.S. and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Meanwhile, TKO 38: Ascension airs live on Fight Network in Canada and streams globally on UFCFightPass.com.

Kicking off at 3 p.m. ET, a pair of top Polish featherweight stars will headline KSW 38: Live in Studio, asArtur Sowinski (17-8) collides with Lukasz Chlewicki (14-5-1). In the co-main event, Polish lightweightGrzegorz Szulakowski (7-1) welcomes Brazil’s Renato Gomes (20-9) into enemy territory. In other featured contests, Polish featherweight Roman Szymanski (9-3) meets Brazil’s Denilson Neves (11-4),Lukasz Rajewski (6-2) faces Sebastian Romanowski (11-7-1) in a battle of Polish featherweights, Kamil Selwa (10-5) tackles fellow Polish bantamweight prospect Anzor Azhiev (6-2), Antoni Chmiewlewski (32-15) and Lukasz Bienkowski (4-1) square off in a clash of Polish middleweights, plus Kamil Szymuszowski (15-4) and Grajcan Szadzinski (5-1) throw down in an all-Polish lightweight showdown.

TKO 38: Ascension gets underway at 6 p.m. ET and will be headlined by a massive lightweight matchup between Ontario’s Jesse Ronson (16-8) and Montreal’s Derek Gauthier (8-6). The bantamweight co-feature pits Michael Imperato (7-2) against Xavier Alaoui (7-1). In other marquee bouts, T.J. Laramie (5-1) takes on Alex Morgan (6-2) in a featherweight contest, Speedy Gym product Dimitri Waardenburg (12-7) meets American bantamweight David Sachs (10-3), once-beaten Canadian middleweight Marc-Andre Barriault (6-1) battles Frenchman Yacine Bandaoui (7-5), undefeated Canadian heavyweight Adam Dyczka (4-0) takes on debuting Bobby Sullivan (0-0), plus Tyler Wilson (1-0) faces Eric Daigneault (2-2) at 135 pounds, Charles Jourdain (3-0) faces Mathieu Morciano (3-2) at 145 pounds, Jeremie Capony (5-0) risks his perfect record against Kevin Genereux (2-2) at 155 pounds and highly touted flyweight prospect Tony Laramie (1-0) pursues his second professional triumph opposite undefeated Derek Falk (2-0).

In addition, Fight Network will deliver extensive coverage of UFC® 210: CORMIER vs. JOHNSON 2 on Saturday, April 8, starting at 1 p.m. ET with four hours of Fight Network’s original series UFC IN 60showcasing main event and co-main event stars Daniel Cormier, Anthony Johnson, Chris Weidman and Gegard Mousasi. At 5 p.m. ET, UFC 210 COUNTDOWN goes inside the lives and gyms of four athletes preparing for pivotal battles.

Fight Network will televise the live UFC® 210 PRE-FIGHT SHOW at 7 p.m. ET leading into live prelims on TSN2. The show features retired UFC contenders Kenny Florian and Yves Edwards working as desk analysts with host Karyn Bryant, along with reporter Megan Olivi conducting on-site fighter interviews.

At the conclusion of UFC® 210: CORMIER vs. JOHNSON 2, the live UFC® 210 POST-FIGHT SHOWfeatures highlights, analysis and post-fight interviews.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit www.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
boxing, ShoBox, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

UNDEFEATED WELTERWEIGHT PROSPECTS MALIK HAWKINS AND CARLOS SOTO MEET ON FRIDAY, APRIL 14 IN SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION CO-FEATURE

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Live on SHOWTIME® From The Theater at MGM National Harbor in Maryland 

 

NEW YORK (April 6, 2017) – Undefeated welterweight prospect Malik “Ice Man” Hawkins meets fellow unbeaten Carlos Soto in the eight-round co-feature of ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, April 14 live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m.ET/PT) from The Theater at MGM National Harbor, MD., just outside Washington, D.C.

 

Malik was originally scheduled to face Venezuelan amateur standout Juan Ruiz, but due to an injury in his right hand, Ruiz was forced to withdraw.

 

In the main event of the ShoBox tripleheader, former Russian amateur standout Dmitry Bivol defends his interim WBA Light Heavyweight belt against Samuel Clarkson and unbeaten Glenn Dezurn meets two-time national amateur champion Leroy Davila in an eight-round super bantamweight showdown.

 

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions and Banner Promotions in association with World of Boxing andUprising Promotions, are priced at $103, $73 and $48 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000.

 

Malik, (10-0, 7 KOs), of Baltimore, Md., amassed a 92-8 record in the amateurs and won the Bronze Medal in the 2012 Junior Olympics. He shares the same trainer –Calvin Ford– with stablemate and IBF Junior Lightweight Champion Gervonta Davis.

 

“I’m excited and eager to get in the ring,” said 21-year-old Hawkins, “My new opponent is another reason for me to stay focused and work ever harder.  There’s a lot at stake for me. This is the first step to give my child the life I never had.

 

“I don’t know anything about the dude,” he laughed, “But I never really look up at who I’m fighting anyway. Training is going great and I’m in the best shape I have ever been in my career. I can feel it; it’s going to be an epic night for me.”

 

With a new mouth to feed, just before the biggest fight of his career, Hawkins could be excused for feeling some extra pressure. “I’ve fought on TV before, but there’s no doubt this is a bigger stage. I can’t say how I will win, but let’s just say that by the end of the fight, you’ll all know I won.”

 

 

Soto, (13-0-2, 7 KOs), a seven-year pro from Torreon, Mexico is making his United States and television debut. He’s coming off of a third-round TKO over Alonso Martinez in February following a three-year hiatus due to issues with his promoter. He’s a licensed engineer and a full time, CrossFit-certified personal trainer and.

 

“I’ve been active in the gym and I’m very confident in my abilities,” said the 28-year-old.  “I’ve been training for about a year, and I’ve been in fighting shape for about a year. I also ran two marathons during that time.

 

“I see myself as a boxer-puncher. I can box on the outside, but I can also mix it up on the inside. I’m intelligent in the ring and aggressive – I can go forward – but I have the option to either box or punch. I can be effective either way, depending on how the fight goes.

 

“I’ve seen a couple of videos of Malik Hawkins. He’s tall, he’s got good distance. He’s fast and intelligent, but I haven’t seen him put together many punches. I see him more as a passive, tactical type fighter, not someone who’s going to be aggressive like me.

 

“I’m there to fight, I won’t ever quit on my stool. I’ve got a lot of heart and a lot of desire. I’m very proud of my undefeated record, and I’m very motivated to keep my winning streak alive.”

 

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Rich Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

 

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For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, and @GCPBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.facebook.com/GCPBoxing/ and www.facebook.com/BannerPromotions/.

 

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 68 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

boxing, UK Boxing

Petr Petrov to host Q and A, TOMORROW at 12 PMnoon Eastern time live on Twitter

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WBO World Lightweight Championship Bout streamed LIVE exclusively in the United States on Twitter this Saturday

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WBO number-two ranked lightweight in the world, Petr Petrov will be taking questions from boxing fans live on @BannerBoxing at 12 PM Eastern time on Friday.  Petrov will take on undefeated WBO world Lightweight champion Terry Flanagan on Saturday in a fight that can be streamed exclusively in the United States on Twitter.
Fans can ask Petrov questions on @BannerBoxing by using any of the following hashtags:
#Petrov
#Boxing
#AndNew
#FlanaganPetrov
#BannerPromotions

The live stream of Saturday’s Championship fight will be available for free to logged-in and logged-out users exclusively on Twitter and connected devices in the United States. Access to the live stream will be available Saturday night at boxing.twitter.com and on @BannerBoxing. Follow at @BannerBoxing to find out the exact timing of the live stream in the coming days.
Bellator, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

PHOTOS FROM TODAY’S BELLATOR 176 AND BELLATOR KICKBOXING 5 PRESS CONFERENCE

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EVENT SET TO TAKE PLACE SATURDAY IN TORINO, ITALY

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A44I0430

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS – CREDIT BELLATOR/LUCAS NOONAN

 

TORINO, ITALY – Fighters from both Bellator 176: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2 and Bellator Kickboxing 5 converged on the historic Comune di Torino for the official press conference for the events taking place at the Pala Alpitour in Torino, Italy. In addition to the fighters, Bellator President Scott Coker, along with Okatagon President Carlo DiBlasi and Torino Minister of Sport Roberto Finardi, all spoke about Saturday nights anticipated card.

 

Bellator 176: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2 airs this Saturday, April 8 on Spike at 3 p.m. ET and will be immediately followed by Bellator Kickboxing 5, which airs at 5 p.m. ET. Tickets for the event are available now at www.oktagon.it and include access to an Oktagon Kickboxing event in addition to both Bellator events.

 

Bellator 176 is headlined by a middleweight championship fight pitting Rafael Carvalho (13-1) against Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC) and also features  Russia’s Anastasia Yankova (4-0) versus Elina Kallionidou (5-1).

 

Bellator Kickboxing 5 will feature a lightweight bout between “The Doctor” Giorgio Petrosyan (83-2-2, 1NC), who takes on Romanian veteran Amansio Paraschiv (23-5-1) and Bellator Kickboxng Women’s Flyweight World Champion Denise Kielholtz (46-3), who is set to defend her belt for the first time against ISKA and WKU World Champion Martine Michieletto (34-12-5).

 

Updated Bellator 176: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2 Main Card:

Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (13-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC)

Women’s Catchweight Fight: Anastasia Yankova (4-0) vs. Elina Kallionidou (5-1)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Djamil Chan (12-3) vs. Valeriu Mircea (13-4)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Samba Coulibaly (11-4) vs. Mihail Nica (5-0)

 

Updated Bellator Kickboxing 5 Main Card:

Lightweight Feature Fight: Giorgio Petrosyan (83-2-2, 1NC) vs. Amansio Paraschiv (23-5-1)

Women’s Flyweight World Title Bout: Denise Kielholtz (46-3) vs. Martine Michieletto (34-12-5)

Catchweight Feature Fight: Nando Calzetta (45-9) vs. John Wayne Parr (95-32)

Welterweight Feature Fight: Mustapha Haida (45-5-2) vs. Enriko Kehl (45-11-1)

Featherweight Feature Fight: Gaston Bolanos (8-1) vs. Luca D’isanto (36-13-4)

 

Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS COMPLETES STACKED, 10-BOUT FIGHT CARD FOR TUCSON, ARIZONA

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LIVE ON AZTECA AMERICA AND ESPN LATIN AMERICA
ON THURSDAY, APRIL 20

Undefeated welterweights Daniel Rodriguez and Joel Champion face off

Unbeaten Alesha Zappitella faces Stephanie Alba
 in women’s atomweight matchup

Tickets for “Combate 13” on sale now
NEW YORK – April 6, 2017 – Combate Americas announced today the completion of a stacked, 10-fight lineup for its “Combate 13” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Ariz. on Thursday, April 20, live on Azteca America and ESPN Latin America (10 p.m. ET).

Among the matchups added to finalize the card are a welterweight (170 pounds) showdown between a pair of undefeated, rising stars in Daniel Rodriguez (3-0) and Joel Champion (4-0), neither of whom have been taken the distance of a fight yet, as well as a women’s atomweight (105 pounds) contest between unbeaten sensation Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella (2-0) and hard-nosed battler Stephanie “The Cyclone” Alba (3-1).

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) main event of “Combate 13,” accomplished veteran Roman “El Gallito” Salazar (10-5-1) of Scottsdale, Ariz. will collide with knockout artist Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (7-1) of Mission, Texas.

“We have a fantastic lineup of fights assembled, and we are excited about bringing the Combate Americas live television series to Arizona for the first time ever,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren.

Priced from $20, tickets for “Combate 13” are on sale at the Casino Del Sol box office (1-855-765-7829).

The 6-foot-1, 29-year-old Rodriguez, who recently signed an exclusive, multi-fight contract with Combate Americas, has notched all three of his professional wins to date inside of two rounds.  In his last effort on January 21, the Alhambra, Calif. resident scored a second round (3:55) TKO (punches) on Christian Gonzalez.

Also 6-foot-1 and 29 years of age, Champion of Tucson has not been pushed past the second round of a fight yet.  In his last start on October 1, 2016, he scored a first round (4:13) knockout on Chris Collins.

Zappitella is a 4-foot-11, 22-year-old resident of Brighton, Michigan and decorated amateur wrestler, who is coming off an extraordinary victory in Sanya, China on February 25 where she submitted Miao Ding with an arm-triangle choke in the second round of a matchup contested at flyweight (125 pounds), two weight classes above Zappitella’s natural fighting weight.

The 4-foot-11, 34-year-old Alba of Houston, Texas will look to return to the win column after suffering a split decision defeat at the hands of old rival Paulina “Firefox” Granados at “Combate 5” last May 9.  Prior to the loss, Alba had gone unbeaten in her campaign as a professional.

In other action, Victor “Kelevra” Reyna (8-3) will meet Andy “Golden Boy” Perez (7-3) at welterweight.

The 5-foot-11, 30-year-old Reyna of Dallas, Texas has earned six of his eight professional career wins by way of (T)KO or submission, while Perez of Tucson, a 5-foot-9, 28-year-old, is looking to record his second straight victory after notching a first round (2:16) submission (rear-naked choke) win over Anthony Wray on October 1, 2016.

Originally slated to face Irwin “The Beast” Rivera (5-2) of Palm Beach, Fla., Randy Steinke (17-10) of Payson, Ariz. will now square off with Urijah Faber-protégé Erick Sanchez (7-3) of Sacramento, Calif., while Rivera will do battle with unbeaten Kevin “Quicksand” Natividad (2-0) of Phoenix, Ariz.

The 5-foot-10, 26-year-old Sanchez is looking to bounce back quickly from a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Andres “The Bullet” Quintana at Combate 11 on February 16.  Prior to the loss, the Team Alpha Male member held an unblemished, 2-0 record in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage.

Originally from Hawaii, the 24-year-old Natividad owns two, first-round victories – a submission (rear-naked choke) of Josue Rodriguez at the 3:04 mark of the first frame in what was Natividad’s pro debut on November 19, 2016, and a TKO (punches) of Jesse Ortiz that came at the 2:52 mark of the opening round of action on January 28.

Natividad turned professional after amassing a perfect amateur record of 6-0.  Five of his amateur victories came by way of TKO or submission.

The “Combate 13” preliminary bout card will also feature two flyweight matchups – the first between Arturo Guzman (0-1) of Tucson and Robert Caspar (0-0) of Copperas Grove, Texas, and the second between Justin Rascon (2-1) of Tucson and Jose Palencia, Jr. (1-1) of Tempe, Ariz.

To location what station Azteca America airs on in your market, you can log onto the network’s channel finder.

In addition to Azteca America and ESPN Latin America, “Combate13” will air on TV Azteca in Mexico the following night, Friday, April 21, at 11 p.m. CT.  It will be distributed by UFC Fight Pass® as a video on demand.

Complete “Combate Americas: Combate 13” Fight Card

Bantamweight Main Event:
Roman Salazar vs. Ricky Palacios

Middleweight Co-Main Event:
Kobe Ortiz vs. Eddie Arizmendi

Bantamweight:  Irwin Rivera vs. Kevin Natividad
Welterweight: Benny Madrid vs. Chad Dietmeyer
Welterweight: Daniel Rodriguez vs. Joel Champion
Atomweight:  Alesha Zappitella vs. Stephanie Alba
Featherweight:  Erick Sanchez vs. Randy Steinke
Welterweight: Victor Reyna vs. Andy Perez
Flyweight:  Justin Rascon vs. Jose, Palencia, Jr.
Flyweight: Arturo Guzman vs. Robert Caspar
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boxing, UK Boxing

Terry Flanagan – Petr Petrov Press Conference Photos

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WBO World Lightweight Championship Bout LIVE on Twitter this Saturday
Below are images from Thursday’s Press conference featuring WBO Lightweight world champion Terry Flanagan and number-2 contender Petr Petrov.  Flanagan and Petrov will meet this Saturday, and the fight will be streamed in the United States Live on Twitter.

The live stream of Saturday’s Championship fight will be available for free to logged-in and logged-out users exclusively on Twitter and connected devices in the United States. Access to the live stream will be available Saturday night at boxing.twitter.com and on @BannerBoxing. Follow at @BannerBoxing to find out the exact timing of the live stream in the coming days.
(Click Pictures to enlarge)

Photos by Kyte Monroe
boxing

Ricky Burns meets Julius Indongo in an IBF/WBA 140 pound unification bout live on Saturday, April 15th, live on AWE & www.klowdtv.com 

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SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – April 5, 2017 – Ricky Burns and Julius Indongo will clash in a bout that will unify the WBA and IBF 140-pound world titles. The match-up takes place on Saturday, April 15th and will be featured live and exclusively on AWE, A Wealth of Entertainment and www.klowdtv.com in the United States.

Burns will have the home fan advantage. The bout originates from the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland. The undercard fights begin at 2:30 PM EST / 11:20 AM PT.

“We’re thrilled to bring this very exciting world unification fight to our fans,” stated Robert Herring, CEO of AWE.

Burns of Coatsbridge, Scotland has been a world champion in three weight-classes, and has been competing in world title bouts for seven years.

The 33 year-old has a record of 41-5-1 with 14 knockouts. He has taken part in 12 world title bouts with a record of 10-1-1 in those contests.

Burns has wins over Colin Bain (8-0), Graham Earl (22-0), Haider Ali (4-1), Osumanu Akaba (21-4-1), Yakuba Amidu (16-1-1), Michael Gomes (38-9) and Kevin O’Hara (16-4).

On September 4, 2010, Burns won the WBO Super Featherweight title with a 12 round unanimous decision over Michael Katsidis (28-4). He won the full title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Paulus Moses (28-1). Burns defended that title 3 times with wins over Kevin Mitchell (33-1) & Jose Gonzalez (22-0) and a draw with Raymundo Beltran (28-6), before dropping his title to Terence Crawford.

Burns became a 3-division champion with an 8th round stoppage over Michele Di Rocco on May 28, 2016. He has made one defense, which came on October 7th with a unanimous decision over Kiryl Relikh.

“When Julius Indongo knocked out Eduard Troyanovsky he was immediately an opponent I was interested in,” says Burns. “Indongo can clearly punch and that’s an impressive way to win a World title, especially in Russia. It was some shot he hit Troyanovsky with.

“It’s a huge fight in the division and the kind of fights I need to be involved in at this stage of my career. There were other names talked about but I wanted the toughest, most dangerous fight out there. Indongo with his two belts was that man.

“He is a big tall, rangy, southpaw but bring it on – I have no fear of anyone and it is only the massive fights for me now.

“Fighting in Glasgow is special for me, the crowd at the SSE Hydro has been electric the last two occasions and I expect it to be no different this time round.”

Indongo of Windhoek, Namibia has a perfect mark of 20-0 with 11 knockouts.

The 34 year-old is an eight-year professional, who was the WBO African Super Lightweight champion as he had wins over Zolani Marali (4-5), Ibrahim Class (12-1) and Ishmael Kuchocha (12-3).

On December 3, 2016, Indongo scored one of the biggest upsets of the year, when he scored a stunning and explosive 40 second knockout over classy and undefeated IBF Champion Eduard Troyanovsky (25-0) in the former champion’s backyard of Moscow, Russia.

Indongo added: “It’s an absolute honor for me to fight Ricky, who I regard as an accomplished champion. I respect what he has achieved so far but I’m going to Scotland to rob him of his belt. I know it won’t be easy but I’m comforted by the fact that I have a good team and passionate Namibian fans, and I have every intention of making them smile and unifying the division on April 15.”

(AWE’s promo for the fight may be downloaded at: https://vimeo.com/210975681)

About AWE LIVE BOXING

AWE LIVE Boxing features live world title championship and elimination bouts showcasing today’s most exciting fighters. Since the inception of AWE’s live boxing events in 2011, AWE has featured over 50 world title fights.

AWE has brought boxing fans some of the most exciting and controversial bouts, including the matchup of Ricky Burns against Ray Beltran for the world title. AWE featured live and exclusively the crowning of American Terence Crawford over Ricky Burns. AWE fans have witnessed the explosive power of undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury multiple times on the network, including Fury’s victory over Kevin Johnson.

In 2017, AWE was the exclusive United States television provider of the historic matchup between legendary British heavyweight David Haye and Tony Bellew.

About AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment

A Wealth of Entertainment (“AWE”) features a wide range of lifestyles and entertainment programming from exotic travel and outrageous homes to live world championship boxing. AWE is available on over a hundred cable systems, including AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD and Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD. For more information, please visit www.awetv.com.

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