MONTE CARLO, Monaco (March 14, 2016)- World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) President Vadim Finkelchtein, who founded the sanctioning organization in 2012, continues to lead WMMAA and the sport into a very bright future.
In four short years, WMMAA has alreadydeveloped into the strongest sanctioning body in the MMA world, hosting some of the sport’s most prestigious championships, as well as creating a highly respected culture in throughout sports worldwide.
Finkelchtein answered some pertinent questions below about WMMAA, its past and future, in addition to addressing the growth of mixed martial arts:
Can you tell us about you and your experience in Martial Arts?
VF: “I practiced judo when I was a kid. Back then there was no MMA whatsoever.” How did you first enter the world of MMA?
VF: “In 1995, I was offered an opportunity to sponsor an MMA event. That’s when I learned about and fell in love with no holds barred, or free-fight, as it was called then. In 1997, I organized my own event in Russia. The rest is history.” When did you first hear of MMA and what was your first impression? Did What is your function and main activities within WMMAA? How would you assess WMMAA’s progress during its three year existence?
VF: “WMMAA is still in its infancy. Yes, we lack experience and financing, and MMA is a new kind of sport in many regions. But I have to say that we’re growing and the last World Championship in Czech Republic proved it. Over 40 national teams flew to Prague with over 200 athletes. The level of competition evolved so much. The organizational level was also high and we are thankful to our Czech MMA Federation for its great work. This World Championship proved there is demand for MMA around the world.” What are the main goals of WMMAA and what are the main obstacles facing Were there any countries that stood out or surprised you?
VF: “China surprised me a lot. They joined WMMAA recently but since then they’ve shown solid results. Also, I enjoyed the performance of Latin American teams. It was their debut but one Colombian kid (Andrey Roa Ruiz Dumar) won a bronze medal and that was great. Once again, Russia won the majority of the medals due to amateur MMA there developing with extremely rapid strides ever since early 2012. Fedor Emelianenko is the main locomotive and driving force in Russia. The selection process there is just unbelievable. You can’t imagine how many steps one needs to make in order to become the champion of the Russian Federation. The City Championship, Oblast Championship, regional and national championship. Each of these events consists of at least three fights, which means that a Russian champion will probably have had at least won 15 fights under his belt by the time of the European or World Championships. Only truly the best get to the top. Imagine this: around 7,000 athletes participated in the aforementioned events in 2015.”
What are the 2016 mid-term goals for WMMAA? Can you describe what 2015 was like for WMMAA? What words of wisdom would you like to share with the members of WMMAA family?
VF: “I’d ask all WMMAA members to adhere to the agreements and decisions we reached collectively. It pertains to the set of rules, judging process, equipment, unified rules, and youth sports development.”
WMMAA keeps expanding, however, there are still multiple countries that are not yet WMMAA members. Why should any local Federation apply for WMMAA membership?
VF: “WMMAA is the strongest MMA organization there is. We plan to continuously hold regional and world championships and keep developing and evolving. Athletes’ ethical upbringing is also our target. We believe this sport can give so much to the world in various ways and we put a lot of effort into its development. We’ll gladly accept strong and worthy partners into our ranks.”
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LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHT AT NEF 22 WILL FEATURE TWO RETURNING ATHLETES
Lewiston, Maine (March 14, 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 an amateur lightweight bout to the MMA portion of the “NEF 22” fight card. Jeremy Tyler (4-3) will take on Corey Trial (1-2) at a fight weight of 150-pounds.
On April 23rd, it will be 19-months since Jeremy Tyler’s last appearance in the NEF MMA cage. In September of 2014, Tyler, a member of Team Irish in Brewer, Maine, lost to Matt Denning (2-1) via second-round submission. It was a fitting finish as all of Tyler’s seven previous bouts, whether wins or losses, have ended with a submission. Tyler’s last victory came in February of 2014 with a second-round arm triangle choke submission of Corey Hinkley (2-4). At “NEF 22,” Tyler will look to pick up his first win in over two years.
“I’m happy to have the opportunity to get back into the NEF cage,” said Tyler. “I have put in a lot of time into improving my skill set. I feel amazing going into this fight with Cory Trial. On April 23rd, everyone is going to see that I’m back.”
Like Tyler, Cory Trial’s most recent win in the NEF cage was over Corey Hinkley. It was a stunning first-round knockout (KO) that was a finalist in the voting for NEF’s “KO of the Year” in 2015. It was also the quickest victory ever in the NEF cage, clocking in at a mere seven-seconds. Trial has not competed since a September 2015 loss to Rafael Velado (3-0) as he has been nursing several injuries. Training out of Ruthless MMA & Boxing of Benton, Maine, Trial predicts another KO finish at “NEF 22.”
“First, I want to thank NEF for giving me this opportunity and thank Jeremy for taking the fight,” said Trial. “I’ve been dealing with a couple injuries the last few months and it’s given me time to reflect and get my game right and in this fight everybody will see that I’m back! I was dealing with a couple of injuries leading up to my last fight, but I showed up ’cause I love to fight. I’m healthy now, training with the best team around and you’ll see the best Cory you’ve seen. This fight won’t go to the judges – I’ll be coming for the knockout! This is a fight you won’t want to miss!”
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.”
WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING RETURNS TO SIN CITY WITH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER ON SATURDAY, APRIL 2, LIVE ON NBCSN
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Trainer Tommy Gallagher Ring 8 Guest Speaker Tuesday night
NEW YORK (March 12, 2016) – Veteran boxing trainer Tommy Gallagher will be Ring 8’s guest speaker at Tuesday night’s (Mar. 15) monthly meeting, starting at 7 p.m. ET, at O’Neill’s Restaurant, located at 64-21 53rd Drive in Maspeth, New York.
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, an Irish menu will feature Corn Beef & Cabbage, as well as Shepard’s Pie.
“Everybody’s Irish for St. Patrick’s Day,” Ring 8 president Bob Duffy said. “It’s only appropriate that our guest speaker is and Irishman, Tommy Gallagher. He’s done it all in boxing during the past 40 years. Tommy’s been a big part of Ring 8 for a longtime and he’s known as a good storyteller.”
Best known, perhaps, for his role in The Contenders reality television series, last year Gallagher was inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame, which is sponsored by Ring 8. In addition to being a trainer, he has been a promoter and gym owner/operator.
Gallagher has been involved in the careers of boxers such as Doug DeWitt, Vito Antuofermo, Donny Lalonde, Lou Savarese and Sergei Kobozev, among the more notables.
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An Open FU to UFC President Dana “Effing” White!
By: Rich Bergeron
Those who know me personally would all say I am a mellow individual, until you seriously cross me, like, for instance, if you become the subject of an investigative report I’m working on, or sue me for $25 million. Sometimes I may take things like that as a sign you might not want me to really find out who you are and what you do behind closed doors to screw hard working people over.
This week, a certain individual who won’t even let me follow him in Twitter (https://twitter.com/danawhite) pissed me off to the point where I could only think of one thing to do. Because I’m officially blacklisted in every possible way by the UFC brass, and have even had restraining orders placed against my directly contacting the Fertittas and ANY UFC fighter, my best option is to publish a drastic diatribe here I am just going to call my “OPEN FU” to Dana “Effing” White.
I’m sure Mr. White will not take my calls or subject himself to a one on one interview with me. So, I will have to settle for a written FU…and a multi-tiered and multi-purpose FU.
FU, Dana “Effing” White… for many, many reasons…too many for one small blog post to do justice, but let’s just say Most of all FU….
For what you THINK you know about Holly Holm…
Hey, Dana, you wanna talk about your “effing” reality show “Looking For a Fight????” I was actually looking for a fight when I watched that old reality “shit show” when you were supposed to box Tito Ortiz, but HE magically backed out at the last minute.
Now, you, DANA “EFFING” WHITE, are telling Holly Holm about a decision YOU think she didn’t think through enough??? And now you act like someone pissed in your Wheaties because you have two upset wins at UFC 196 to work around and figure out how to make sense of somehow.
Boo “effing” hoo, buddy.
Welcome to how things don’t go as planned sometimes in the fight business, you ungrateful prick.
Do you wanna be an “effing” Promoter, Dana “effing” White???
Holly Holm Was the Bantamweight Champion of the UFC when she allowed HER Manager (not Dana “effing” White) to negotiate the Tate fight on her behalf, and she knew (and her long-time manager knew, too) what she was doing and what she wanted. And guess “effing” what, Dana? She wanted to fight.
Sorry, Dana “Effing” White, but Holly didn’t want to sit on an “effing” sideline waiting for Ronda Rousey to finish her “effing” ROADHOUSE REMAKE!
Holly wanted to go to work… but unfortunately she has to work for a boss who has no idea what it’s like to step into HER office and handle HER daily workload with such tenacity, class, dignity and grace.
And I think maybe she looks back a bit differently than you do, Dana, with no “effing” regrets whatsoever for putting her absolute all into that fight and just plain getting caught in her one area of weakness in a battle where she likely would have won a three-round fight. Maybe if YOU were a fighter, Dana, you might get that whole concept. Maybe losing in this case only makes her better, stronger, and more durable as a career mixed martial artist. Who gives a damn if it makes her less marketable in your eyes? What do you really know, anyway?
UNLIKE YOU, Dana “Effing” White, Holly actually respects Miesha Tate and thought it would be a challenge to fight her. Yeah, she lost, but damn, she was absolutely correct about it being a challenge. I think the fight will go down as one of the greatest battles in female MMA history.
Now, why don’t you open your “effing” eyes, Dana, watch the fight again, and quit bitching about what should have happened in that cage you never fought in yourself.
Be grateful you have a champion you just paid $92,000 in fight pay (before bonuses) to take your organization’s belt from the girl you WANTED TO WIN (and paid $500,000 just to be there). It may not be what you expected, but the anxiety you feel about it is what you DESERVE to feel for being such a douchebag to the fighters who built the UFC.
My biggest questions on this subject for Dana are: Why are you such a biased, crooked asshole who can’t bother to give Miesha the time of day FOR ALL HER HARD WORK? Why can’t you give credit where it is due…on both sides of that fight? Why can’t you shut the “eff” up about what you think Holly or her management should have or could have waited for?
It’s not your place to look back with 20/20 hindsight and act like Holly and her manager should have gone all Nostradamus on this fight when you obviously didn’t see this shit coming, either, you dome-headed dimwit.
Fighters “effing” fight, Dana. That’s what they “effing” do, which you should know, since I am pretty sure you used to be an “effing” manager of MMA fighters yourself. Yes, that was many moons ago, but how could you forget?
Fighters don’t sit on their asses on corporate jets and stand at podiums in front of the press all day to earn the “effing” paltry paychecks your organization pays out to most of them. Most fighters simply cannot afford to wait around for shit to happen or for someone “worthy” enough in your eyes to step up and fight them.
Some fighters need to feed their kids. All of them need to pay their bills and for everything else involved with training camps, daily living expenses, travel and whatever costs medical insurance doesn’t cover when they have to address nagging injuries. Your shitty Reebok deal made it virtually impossible to get any other outside sponsors to help pay for anything like that stuff for many fighters, Dana.
Welcome to selling out and forgetting where you came from, Dana. You used to care more about fighters. Now you act like fighting in a cage is just like doing any other 9-5 job. It’s not. It’s “effing” hard work.
So, yeah, Holly chose to fight instead of waiting for Rousey to be ready for the rematch. And you think she needs your opinion now that everything didn’t work out as planned for you both?
FU, Dana.
She hurts a lot worse than you, and I can guaran-effing-tee that.
Oh…and…by the way…fighters are way more responsible for the growth and success of the UFC/Zuffa organization than you ever have been. And that’s real talk, you rich bitch with a stick up your ass because you were never good enough in your life to ever have your own official fight.
So, get over the God complex and learn to respect ALL of your fighters, not just the ones you want to see win because you might think you can work with them better or you think they will move the organization in a better direction. Respect the effort, the sacrifice and the pain ALL your fighters go through each and every day to get where they get. That belt you put on Miesha’s waist was EARNED, and don’t you ever think it is “effing” cool to call the fact that Holly Holm had the guts to face Miesha Tate “a mistake.”
It rings hollow, especially when I would consider that handing you a microphone to talk about MMA at all was THE greatest mistake the sport ever made, period! Anyone who would try to knock a former champion down a peg that way in his own organization does not deserve to be recognized as that organization’s president.
You have no clue what it’s really like to fight, and your criticism of Holly Holm tells me you can never possibly understand the mindset that led her to take the Tate fight and not wait an idle year for Ronda “effing” Rousey to be ready to appear at one of your precious shows.
So, FU Dana White for treating your former champ like she’s an idiot who doesn’t know how to control her own career without you butting your stupid, bald head into it. Holly’s fine without your advice, and she trusts her manager, which might be something you’re not familiar with, but for other people it is actually a reality of doing business with legitimate people.
FU, Dana for being a piss-poor ambassador for the sport, disrespecting fighters who bleed (and sometimes suffer lifelong injuries) for you and the sport, and totally underestimating and failing to grasp what it really takes to actually be a professional fighter who actually competes against other fighters…
Do you remember the days when you had to settle for being a lowly boxercise instructor because your boxing trainer Boston slapped you too hard in the ear once? You never had a single competitive fight in your life, Dana “effing” White, and that’s a DOCUMENTED FACT!
Do you ever even look back at those days before the silver-spoon-fed Fertittas helped you claw your greedy, selfish, egotistical ass into the position of OFFICIAL UFC MOUTHPIECE?
Do you remember those “hairy” days when you blew through $40 million of Fertitta funds to perpetrate the “Zuffa Myth” while claiming credit for the UFC brass singlehandedly legitimizing the sport and getting it regulated all by your “effing” selves? As if not a single FIGHTER nor any other industry professional who pioneered MMA before you dipped your greedy little paws into it had anything to do with it?
Your Mom remembers those “coulda been a contender” days, Dana..when you thought you might be able to have an actual fight with another human being. Your own mother remembers even though you and one of your sleazy friends tried to silence her, BASH HER ONLINE, and even blacklist her BOOK, too.
Do you remember the days when even Floyd Mayweather, Jr. thought you were cool, back when your daily driver was an “effing” Honda, Dana? Floyd Remembers. He knew you long before you could afford to blow a normal person’s yearly pay on a single hand of poker.
You’re in a different place now, Dana “effing” White, and it’s a delusional place. Like on the distant planet you live on, people actually believe YOU really, honestly, truly “effing” know what it’s ACTUALLY like to be an “effing” fighter? Do you actually believe YOU somehow could ever REALLY know that feeling?
REALLY?
You know what A FIGHTER is, don’t you, Dana? A fighter is a man or woman who has the courage to willingly step into unarmed combat against another actual man or woman instead of just criticizing up and down the guys and girls who do have the guts to actually stand across from another human being while knowing and internalizing that the accepted goal is to physically destroy each other.
A fighter, in more simple terms, is “one who fights.” And let’s be clear about one “effing” thing, Dana “effing” White, I know fighters, and YOU are no fighter.
You are nothing like a fighter, Dana “effing” White, and you never “effing” will be. You are too weak, both physically and mentally. Until we see you go through a six-week training camp and then get into the cage against someone and kick his ass, we shouldn’t have to listen to one damn “coulda,” “shoulda,” or “woulda” out of your cornfed mouth about what you think of any particular fighter’s performance or decision making process. Those people have the guts to do what you will NEVER do yourself, and you ought to respect that.
FU Dana White…For not recognizing Real Fighters Like Miesha Tate and Nate Diaz who keep at it no matter what and NEVER seem to earn your ULTIMATE RESPECT….
Nate Diaz stepped up to fight Conor McGregor for a reason. He had nothing to lose, and he wasn’t intimidated one bit. He famoulsy went on television with Fox Sports 1 on a split screen with Conor before that welterweight fight and quipped that his nemesis had already been choked out before, “by two lames.” Diaz also had the perfect instinct to add humourously that McGregor’s choke losses happened, “like a week ago.”
Diaz beat Conor in the shit-talk game long before he ever slapped him down and slipped that choke around his neck in the cage. The media created by that freakshow fight might have stopped the unchecked rise of your big, bold, six-headed dragon champion, but it created a new monster at the same time. And he’s a Reebok-hating, scowling, swearing, Stockton-slapping Mother-F$#king BEAST who doesn’t care what anyone else thinks about what he does or says.
You might think Diaz and his attitude are “bad for business,” but I think his victory was the best thing that could ever happen to all you smug punks running the UFC. It just proves once and for all that you do not control the MMA universe.
Nate Diaz went without respect and credit for being an MMA pioneer and a good UFC soldier for far too long. The bitterness brewed and boiled within him, and I loved every second of him letting it pour out in post-fight interviews after he choked the shit out of Conor until the Irish bloke tapped the “eff” out and left Dana White drooling in a stupor at the thought of having to congratulate a man who’s become more of a mortal enemy than a member of the big “team.”
More power to Nate and all the crazy, abrasive, in-your-face Diaz brother types out there in the UFC who will fight Dana “effing” White’s flamboyant fire with even more bravado and brash talk of their own. They can always say, “I learned it by watching you, Baldfather!”
As for Miesha Tate, she deserves true respect and admiration for being champ now after picking herself off the mat twice in the face of grueling losses to Rousey. Kudos to Tate for continuing her career and relentlessly focusing on getting by that Rousey armbar once and for all.
Though Miesha never did solve that Rousey submission dilemma, trying at all costs to get another crack at the belt paid dividends at UFC 196. Her never quit attitude led her to an opportunity of a lifetime, and she capitalized on it. Now, Dana, you actually have to pay this young lady what most of her fans would say she was worth a long time ago.
And now you simply have to treat Tate with a bit of reverence and appreciation for once in your ungrateful life, Dana “effing” White. I know it must pain you so much to give this young lady the credit she’s worked so incredibly hard for, because maybe she touched a nerve when she called you out in the past for being the true clueless and disrespectful prick you really are. She was right, and you were wrong about how great she really is at fighting. Then again, weren’t you also WRONG about women fighting in the cage, period?
So, you DON’T wanna be a fighter, Mr. White? Then step aside and let the people who DO wanna be fighters go to battle for you so you can ride around the world on your jet and act like you know what the “eff” you’re talking about when you stand in front of a microphone to describe the sport’s true athletes and what they do to make a living in mixed martial arts.
The line from Dana that most stands out to me as comblete BS in this whole debacle is this one:
“He’s an old boxing guy who thinks he’s smart and he isn’t,” White said of Fresquez [Holm’s Manager]. “I feel bad for Holly because I don’t know if she really knows what she lost.”
I have only two more “effing” questions for you Dana “effing” White…
1.) What makes you think you are really in any “effing” position to EVER know or understand what Holly Holm lost the other night? Aside from a few bad poker hands and tons of respect, the only thing you ever lost is your mind.
2.) Doesn’t your backhanded quote about Holm’s manager describe your own shitty character a whole lot better than that of Mr. Fresquez?
AND…just in case after reading all this anyone STILL needs yet another reason to have beef with the Baldfather:
GH3 Promotions signs Bantamweight LeRoy Davila
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NATIONAL BROADCAST DETAILS REVEALED FOR BELLATOR’S HISTORIC INTERNATIONAL EVENT FEATURING ‘BELLATOR 152: PITBULL VS. CAMPOS’ AND ‘BELLATOR KICKBOXING: TORINO
SANTA MONICA, CA. (March 11, 2016) – Broadcast details for Bellator’s groundbreaking, inaugural, international event have been finalized. “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Campos” and “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” will both emanate from the Pala Alpitour in Torino, Italy on April 16, but be broadcast separately.
“Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Campos” airs on SPIKE Saturday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, while the debut of “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” will be televised Friday, April 22 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following the broadcast of “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” on SPIKE.
For more information on the card, you can view the most recent event press release by clicking here, or visit Bellator.com.
Complete “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Campos” Fight Card:
Bellator MMA Lightweight Main Event: Patricky Freire (15-7) vs. Derek Campos (16-6)
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Alessio Sakara (17-11) vs. Brian Rogers (12-8)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (3-0) vs. Danilo Belluardo (5-1)
Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Anastasia Yankova (2-0) vs. Anjela Pink (Debut)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Daniele Miceli (2-0) vs. Daniele Scatizzi (6-2)
Updated “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” Fight Card:
Bellator Kickboxing Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (49-12) vs. Alexandru Negrea (8-2)
Bellator Kickboxing 165-Pound Feature Bout: Mustapha Haida (37-3-3) vs. Karim Ghajji (95-12)
Bellator Kickboxing Welterweight Feature Bout: Raymond Daniels (10-3) vs. TBA
Bellator Kickboxing Flyweight Feature Bout: Denise Kielholtz (43-2) vs. TBA
Bellator Kickboxing Bantamweight Feature Bout: Kevin Ross (30-9) vs. TBA
“KNOCKOUT NIGHT AT THE D” FIGHT CARD FOR MARCH 12 CANCELLED
LAS VEGAS – “Knockout Night at the D,” the boxing fight card to feature headliners Zab Judah vs. Josh Torres at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC), has been cancelled for Saturday, March 12.
Derek Stevens, CEO of the D Las Vegas and DLVEC, said, “Last night, I received multiple calls from the Nevada Athletic Commission regarding eligibility concerns. After our discussions, it became apparent the fight card could not move forward. Although I’m disappointed with the situation, I appreciate the phone calls and look forward to working with the Nevada Athletic Commission on future boxing events at the DLVEC.”
Last year, DLVEC launched several successful boxing events, with Stevens leading the charge to bring outdoor boxing back to Las Vegas.
All ticket purchases will be reimbursed. Credit card transactions will be automatically refunded and cash refunds will be issued at their point of purchase.
About Downtown Las Vegas Events Center
Located at the corner of Third St. and Carson Ave. across from the D Las Vegas, the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center can accommodate up to 11,000 guests and features state-of-the-art stage, sound and lighting. The open-air design is inviting to both tourists and locals and offers the perfect spot for concerts, conventions and other large-scale events. Embracing the uninhibited spirit of Downtown Las Vegas, the new venue plays host to a line-up of curated events including premier concerts, food festivals and more. The venue is also the first entertainment arena in Las Vegas to accept Bitcoin as currency. For more information, visit www.dlvec.com or follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @DLVEC.
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AMAZING SHOWTIME SPORTS® SPRING, 2016 BOXING LINEUP
Caption: L-R (back row): Bute; Martin, Jack, DeGale, Russell Jr., Mares, Selby, Provodnikov, Quellar, Pedraza.
L-R (front row): Joshua, Thurman, Wilder, Porter, Povetkin.
NEW YORK (March 11, 2016)—SHOWTIME Sports on Friday announced seven live boxing telecasts over a 12-week span, a stacked lineup featuring nine world championship fights and 14 overall matches in boxing’s deepest and most exciting divisions.
The full slate of programming is free to SHOWTIME subscribers, and the presentation on CBS is the first Prime Time boxing event on CBS television network in decades.
Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports, also announced a summer blockbuster in the making.
“This is an incredibly exciting time in boxing, a time for emerging stars to make their mark, and for established champions to break through to the next level,” Espinoza said.
“This schedule features high level matchups with champions taking on the highest-rated contenders available, and top-ranked challengers facing one another. We are thrilled and grateful to the promoters and the fighters themselves who have worked with us these last few weeks to put together such an impressive lineup for SHOWTIME Boxing. It has to be one of the best we’ve ever assembled.
“We have seven live telecasts over a 12-week span that runs the gamut of our SHOWTIME boxing series. It includes nine world title fights, and that doesn’t count a great fight that’s just coming together today, as both Leo Santa Cruz and Carl Frampton have now agreed to a championship matchup to be scheduled for late summer.
“All of these events are free to SHOWTIME subscribers, and the June 25 event is the first Prime Time boxing presentation on CBS television network in decades.
“Again, thanks to the fighters and promoters for not only making these great matches a reality, but for their cooperation in today’s major announcement.”
See below for details on the events that Espinoza, and the principals involved, are in the process of finalizing. Additional details on each individual event will be announced in the coming days.
Saturday, April 9 – SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL
Main Event: Charles Martin (23-0-1, 21 KOs) vs. Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15 KOs) – IBF Heavyweight World Title Championship
Co-feature: Lee Selby (22-1, 8 KOs) vs. Eric Hunter (21-3, 11 KOs) – IBF Featherweight Championship
Start Time: TBD
Venue: The O2 – London
Promoter: Warriors Boxing & Matchroom Sport
Friday, April 15 – ShoBox: The New Generation
Main Event: Nikolay Potapov (14-0, 6 KOs) vs. Stephon Young (14-0-2, 6 KOs) – 10-Rd Bantamweight Bout
Start Time: 10 p.m. ET/PT
Venue: Turning Stone Casino – Verona, NY
Promoter: Salita Promotions
- Four-fight telecast featuring at least six undefeated fighters.
Saturday, April 16 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Main Event: Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) vs. Patrick Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs) – WBC Featherweight World Championship
Co-Feature: Jose Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs) vs. Stephen Smith (23-1, 13 KOs) – IBF Super Featherweight World Championship
Start Time: 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT
Venue: Fox Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino
Promoter: DiBella Entertainment
- Featherweight world title fights in consecutive weeks.
- Gary Russell Jr. returns to make his first title defense
- Crucial Super Featherweight bout between defending champ Jose Pedraza and No. 1 challenger Stephen Smith.
Saturday, April 30 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Main Event: Badou Jack (20-1-1, 12 KOs) vs. Lucian Bute (32-3, 25 KOs) – WBC Super Middleweight Championship
Co-Feature: James DeGale (22-1, 14 KOs) vs. Rogelio Medina (35-6, 29 KOs) – IBF Super Middleweight World Championship
Start Time: 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Venue: TBD
Promoter: Mayweather Promotions
- Former champ Bute, fresh off a great fight against DeGale, steps in to replace the injured Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
- Medina is the IBF’s mandated challenger for DeGale.
- The winners will meet in an immediate unification.
Targeting May 2016 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING – PENDING CONFIRMATION
Main Event: Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) vs. Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs) – WBC Heavyweight World Championship
Start Time: TBD
Venue: TBD
Saturday, June 11 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Main Event: Ruslan Provodnikov (25-4, 18 KOs) vs. John Molina Jr. (28-6, 23 KOs) – 12-Rd Super Lightweight Bout
Start Time: 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
Venue: Turning Stone Casino – Verona, NY
Promoter: Banner Promotions
- Induction Weekend for International Boxing Hall of Fame.
- Main event features two fighters involved in Fights of Year
Saturday, June 25 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS Presented by PBC
Main Event: Keith Thurman (26-0, 1 ND, 22 KOs) vs. Shawn Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs) – WBA Welterweight World Championship
Co-Feature: Jesus Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs) vs. Abner Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs) – WBA (reg.) Featherweight World Championship
Start Time: TBD
Venue: TBD
Promoter: DiBella Entertainment
- Thurman cleared to resume training after minor injury
- Three-division world champ Mares to now face Jesus Cuellar for featherweight title
Late-Summer 2016 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Main Event: Leo Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs) vs. Carl Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs) – WBA (super) Featherweight World Championship
- Frampton the unified 122-pound titlist, will move up to face Santa Cruz for the WBA (super) Featherweight World Championship
Undefeated Prospect Mario Barrios Battles Mexico’s Erick Daniel Martinez & Unbeaten Sergiy Derevyanchenko Takes On Mike Guy On Tuesday, March 15 On PBC TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS On FS1 & BOXEO DE CAMPEONES On FOX Deportes
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