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Tony Jeter explains Dusty Harrison situation
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MARIO BARRIOS RETURNS APRIL 16 AT BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN
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SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® CHARLES MARTIN vs. ANTHONY JOSHUA IBF HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TO AIR LIVE ON SHOWTIME® AT 5 P.M. ET/2 P.M. PT ONSATURDAY, APRIL 9 FROM THE O2 IN LONDON
Encore Presentation At 8 P.M. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME®
NEW YORK (March 29, 2016) – The SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL presentation of the IBF Heavyweight World Championship between undefeated American titlist Charles Martin and fellow unbeaten British Olympic Gold Medalist Anthony Joshua will air live on SHOWTIME at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT onSaturday, April 9 from The O2 in London.
An encore presentation will air later that evening on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
The SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL telecast will be hosted by Brian Custer with analysis from Al Bernstein and Paulie Malignaggi. Coverage of the event will be provided by Sky Sports with the play-by-play call from Nick Halling, analysis from Jim Watt and Carl Froch and post-fight interviews from Andy Scott.
The SHOWTIME telecast will include extensive highlights and analysis of the IBF Featherweight World Championship between defending titlist Lee Selby and American challenger Eric Hunter.
(EDITORS NOTE: Due to a change in the bout order at The O2 in London, SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL is unable to provide live coverage of this bout.)
Martin vs. Joshua is the third of four heavyweight title bouts in five months on SHOWTIME (see details below). The scheduled 12-round matchup is the toughest test to date for both Martin (23-0-1, 21 KOs) and Joshua (15-0, 15 KOs), two bombers who boast a combined 94 percent knockout ratio.
Selby (22-1, 8 KOs) vs. Hunter (21-3, 11 KOs) is the second of five scheduled featherweight title bouts in 2016 (details below), a lineup showcasing many of the world’s best 126-pounders aiming to unifying one of boxing’s deepest divisions.
“The heavyweight division is experiencing an incredible resurgence, and the featherweight division is rife with compelling matchups,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports. “Martin vs. Joshua is a can’t-miss showdown between a newly minted American champion and one of the sport’s fastest-rising stars. And Selby vs. Hunter has major implications in the talent-rich division. We are proud to work with Matchroom Sport to deliver these pivotal matchups to the U.S. audience.”
“I’m the Heavyweight Champion of the World, and that’s why I have no problem traveling to England for my first title defense,” Martin said. “I only want to fight the best, and I plan on knocking Anthony Joshua out and taking his fans and the belt back with me.”
“The O2 is going to be rocking on April 9 and the U.S. fans are in for a treat when they see Charles and I clash,” Joshua said. “Credit to him for coming over after calling me out, but he doesn’t know what he’s getting himself in for. I am going to show all my power, all my speed and all my accuracy to put on the best display of my life and become the Heavyweight Champion of the World by knocking him out. I’m delighted that fans in the U.S. will be able to witness it.”
“After a great experience in my first defense in Arizona against Fernando Montiel, it’s nice to be back in front of my home fans at The O2 in London,” Selby said. “It’s going to be a crazy atmosphere with a 20,000 person sold-out arena. Hunter has talked a lot of trash and I’m looking forward to showing him what it’s like at the world championship level. He’s in for a shock.”
“He’s got a belt I want, and that’s all I know about him,” Hunter said. “My team knows more about him than I do. It’s their job to come up with a game plan. My job is train and get ready to perform my best. I can adjust to anything in the ring. I’m just here at the gym working my butt off to get the job done. I’m going to be more focused than I ever have been for this fight.”
The 6-foot-5 Martin won the IBF championship on Jan. 16 when Vyacheslav Glazkov suffered a knee injury in the third round of their vacant world title fight. In capturing the IBF belt, Martin, of St. Louis, Mo., became just the sixth southpaw heavyweight champion in boxing history and the second current American heavyweight titlist.
While Martin has stopped his last 13 opponents and was the aggressor against Glazkov, the undefeated champ remains virtually untested. His first title defense and initial start outside the U.S., will take place at what is expected to be a pro-Joshua arena in London that sold out in just 90 seconds. The 29-year-old Martin, who is trained by U.S. Olympian Henry Tillman in Big Bear, Calif., will be Joshua’s first professional southpaw opponent.
Joshua had a standout amateur career that culminated with an Olympic Gold Medal at super heavyweight in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Since turning professional in July 2013, the 6-foot-6 Joshua has steadily climbed through the ranks.
One of boxing’s most promising prospects, Joshua is coming off consecutive victories over previously undefeated opponents. In his last bout, the 26-year-old was pushed past the third round for the first time in his career. Joshua defeated Dillian Whyte via seventh-round knockout on Dec. 12. Now, Joshua returns to The O2, the site of his professional debut and five of his 15 professional bouts, in a bid to join Tyson Fury as the second current reigning British heavyweight champion.
Joshua is also looking to become the sixth super heavyweight Olympic Gold Medalist to win a heavyweight world title. If successful, he will join an impressive group that includes George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Lennox Lewis andWladimir Klitschko.
Born in Barry, Wales, Selby won his world title with a dominant technical decision over previously undefeated Evgeny Gradovich in May 2015. The slick boxer made his first title defense in his U.S. debut last October, capturing a unanimous decision over former three-division champ Fernando Montiel.
The 29-year-old owns a slew of victories over previously unblemished fighters including Joel Brunker, Ryan Walsh, Viorel Simon, Corey McConnell andStephen Smith. He has won 18 straight since the lone blemish of his career, and six of his last eight victories came over previously undefeated opponents.
Hunter, who will take a four-fight win streak into his initial start outside the U.S., has always possessed an abundance of talent. Before turning pro, the Philadelphia native was an outstanding amateur and an alternate on the U.S. Olympic team.
The fast-handed 29-year-old has scored some solid victories as a pro, and his biggest enemy in a nine-year career has been himself – the switch-hitter doesn’t always keep his composure in check and allows his emotions get the best of him. Two of Hunter’s three losses came by disqualification, the last coming via DQ in 2013 against Mike Oliver for hitting at the break. The other came againstLuis Franco in 2010, when he had a point deducted in the second and was DQ’d in the eighth after repeated low blows.
If Hunter can keep his hot head from getting him in trouble, he’s confident he can upset Selby and join Leo Santa Cruz and Gary Russell Jr. as U.S.-born world champion at 126 pounds.
2016 Heavyweight Title Bouts (NOTE: all on SHOWTIME))
· Jan. 16 WBC Heavyweight World Championship Deontay Wilder vs. Artur Szpilka
· Jan. 16 IBF Heavyweight World Championship Charles Martin vs. Vyacheslav Glazkov
· April 9 IBF Heavyweight World Championship Charles Martin vs. Anthony Joshua
· May 21 WBC Heavyweight World Championship Deontay Wilder vs. Alexander Povetkin
2016 Featherweight Title Bouts (All on SHOWTIME with the exception ofJune 25 “SHOWTIME BOXING on CBS”)
· Feb. 27 WBA (Super) Featherweight World Championship Leo Santa Cruz vs. Kiko Martinez
· April 9 IBF Featherweight World Championship Lee Selby vs. Eric Hunter
· April 16 WBC Featherweight World Championship Gary Russell Jr. vs. Patrick Hyland
· June 25 WBA (Regular) Featherweight World Championship Jesus Cuellar vs. Abner Mares
· Summer 2016 WBA (Super) Featherweight World Championship Leo Santa Cruz vs. Carl Frampton
BELLATOR RETAINS THE SERVICES OF EXCITING FEATHERWEIGHT EMMANUEL SANCHEZ WITH CONTRACT EXTENSION
Above: Emmanuel Sanchez lands a shot on Daniel Pineda at “Bellator 149” on Feb. 19, 2016
SANTA MONICA (March 29, 2016) – Bellator MMA is proud to announce that it has retained the services of 25-year-old talent Emmanuel Sanchez (13-2), having re-signed the exciting fighter to a multi-year, multi-fight contract extension.
Sanchez boasts a 6-1 record under the Bellator banner, with his only loss coming in the form of a decision at the hands of former featherweight champion Pat Curran (21-7). The exciting product from the famed Roufusport Team earned his contract extension after winning three fights in a row against Henry Corrales (12-2), Justin Lawrence (8-3) and Daniel Pineda (21-12) all in under five months.
“El Matador’s” fight against Pineda kicked off action for the record breaking “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” event that was watched by over 3.5 million viewers. You can watch the enthralling action by clicking on the image below.
VIDEO: Click above to re-watch the epic battle from Bellator 149
Sanchez trains under the tutelage of highly regarded coach Duke Roufus alongside former WWE superstar CM Punk and other talented MMA fighters the likes of Ben Askren and Anthony Pettis. Earlier this month, Roufus shed light on a positive story involving an MMA fighter and a motor vehicle, when he announced that Sanchez had used his “Bellator 149” purse to buy a new car for his mother.
JAMES DEGALE LONDON MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS AHEAD OF IBF SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOWDOWN WITH ROGELIO MEDINA ON SATURDAY, APRIL 30, LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
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Salita Promotions Announces the Return of the ‘Detroit Brawl’ Professional Boxing Series on Saturday, May 14 at Masonic Temple
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WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING RETURNS TO FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO IN CONNECTICUT WITH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MEGA-EVENT ON FRIDAY, JUNE 17, LIVE ON NBCSN
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RISING UNDEFEATED PROSPECT MARIO BARRIOS & TOP 140-POUND CONTENDER LUCA GIACON HIGHLIGHT UNDERCARD ACTION ON SATURDAY, APRIL 16 FROM BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN
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BOXERS LOOK TO GET ON THE WINNING TRACK AT NEF 22
Lewiston, Maine (March 29, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE” on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a professional junior welterweight bout to the boxing portion of the “NEF 22” fight card. Josh Parker (0-2-1) is scheduled to face Evincii “Prize Fighter” Dixon (7-13-1, 2 KOs) in a four-round contest.
Josh Parker is the founder and head coach of Ruthless MMA & Boxing based in Benton, Maine. Prior to entering the boxing ranks, Parker was a regular in the NEF MMA cage. He boxed to a draw against fellow NEF MMA alum Elias Leland (0-0-1) last November in Lewiston. Most recently, Parker dropped a decision to undefeated Julio Perez (4-0) on a boxing card in Rhode Island. He is hungry for his first victory as a professional boxer.
“I want to thank NEF for another opportunity to fight,” said Parker. “I have a lot to prove. My skills have not been reflected in my past few performances. I’ve switched up some aspects of my training and I’m confident that I will finally be able to bring the real me to the ring. I will be facing an experienced opponent who will present some tough challenges for me – which is exactly what I wanted. The toughest opponent I’ve ever faced is myself, and now that I’ve figured him out, it doesn’t matter who’s standing in front of me.”
A veteran of more than twenty professional fights, Evincii Dixon has been one of the northeast’s most active boxers since his debut in the summer of 2013. Dixon, who calls Lancaster, Pennsylvania his home, often fights multiple times in a given month in places as far away as Texas, California and, most recently, Ohio. He made the 500-mile trek to Lewiston, Maine last month, picking up a win in the NEF ring against Antonio Chaves Fernandez (7-26-3). Dixon will be looking to get back in the win column at “NEF 22” after a loss last weekend.
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” takes place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”