LOS ANGELES (March 17, 2022) – Undefeated Los Angeles bantamweight prospect John “Scrappy” Ramirez (8-0, 7 KOs) returns to the ring this Saturday (Mar. 19) to take on Roberto “Escorpion” Pucheta (10-20-3, 10 KOs), of Mexico, in a 6-round bout on the Blair Cobbs-Alexis Rocha card (replacing Vergil Ortiz, Jr.-Michael McKinson), presented by Golden Boy Promotions.
The main card will be streamed live on DAZN from USC Galen Center in Los Angeles; go to Golden Boy’s YouTube page to watch the Ramirez vs. Pucheta live stream.
Ramirez is an LA inner-city sports legend. His journey started on the gridiron, not in a ring, when he was a key member of the Lincoln High football team, profiled in a 2015 documentary, “ESPN 60: Letterman.” The players were from a crime-ridden section of Hollywood riddled with drugs and guns. Ramirez was a 5’ 4”, 160-pound running back on a team that, starting in Pop Warner competition, and advanced to Lincoln High, which hadn’t experienced success in football. Lincoln High went on to become a 3-time league champion, highlighted by its semi-final playoff appearance in his senior year, which eventually led “Scrappy” to a roster spot on the Los Angeles Valley College’s football team.
“The venue is only a five-minute drive from my home,” an excited Ramirez said. “I literally drive by it every day. I grew up around USC and played football there. Now, I’m fighting in the inner-city where I grew up. That’s pretty dope! My dream is to fight at Staples Center, which is only a three-minute drive for me. I’m getting closer.
“Things like this don’t happen by accident. On March 18th, I’ll showcase my skills in front of my people. LA is the City of Champions, but we haven’t had a world boxing champion since Oscar de la Hoya, who grew up in East LA. My goal is to be the next LA champ.”
“Scrappy,” who was one of the most active fighters in 2021 with seven bouts, successfully transitioned from football to boxing, albeit a relatively short amateur boxing career with only 25 amateur matches. He did garner top honors in the Sugar Bert National Championships, as well as in the regional Golden Gloves and SoCal tournaments.
“I last fought on December 18th, took a week off, and went right back to training camp at Brickhouse Boxing Club (N. Hollywood),” the 26-year-old Ramirez added. “I’m getting better and that’s super exciting for me. I’ve been with my strength-and-conditioning coach, running, and working on my boxing skills. My training hasn’t stopped, it’s going full force.”
Pucheta has been stopped only once in 33 pro fights, back in 2016 by Emanuel Navarrete, the current World Boxing Organization (WBO) Super Bantamweight Champion, who sports a 35-1 (29 KOs) pro record.
“He’s a tough, durable opponent,” Ramirez noted, “who has been in the ring with a lot of good prospects. This is a great opportunity for me to make a statement by becoming only the second to knock him out.”
Ramirez’ accelerated pace and development continues this Saturday, when it’ll be “Scrappy Time” once again, only this time at home.
“I want to be at the top and will,” he concluded. “Every fight elevates me. My goal is to be No. 1 in my weight class, and I’ll get there because of my hard work and dedication.”
LOS ANGELES – It was officially announced at tonight’s BELLATOR 272: Pettis vs. Horiguchi event that next year’s prestigious BELLATOR World Grand Prix will take place in the promotion’s incredibly stacked bantamweight division. The winner of tonight’s 135-Pound World Championship fight between Sergio Pettis and Kyoji Horiguchi will defend their title next year in the Bantamweight World Grand Prix featuring a gauntlet of the eight best athletes the weight class has to offer.
In addition to both Pettis and Horiguchi, the Bantamweight World Grand Prix is set to feature former divisional champion Juan Archuleta, No. 2 ranked-Raufeon Stots, No. 3 ranked-Patchy Mix, No. 4 ranked-Magomed Magomedov, No. 5 ranked-Leandro Higo, and No. 6 ranked-James Gallagher, who will all vie for the right to be named the next BELLATOR Bantamweight World Champion and take home a grand prize of one-million-dollars.
First-round matchups and additional details such as dates, locations and tournament alternates will be revealed soon.
All tournament bouts will be five-round contests and will be telecast in the United States exclusively on SHOWTIME.
Former BELLATOR Bantamweight World Champion Kyoji Horiguchi enters tonight’s contest unranked due to inactivity within the promotion. Official BELLATOR Rankings will be updated and distributed on Monday, Dec. 6.
Champion – Sergio Pettis (21-5):
Fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc., Sergio Pettis captured the BELLATOR bantamweight crown in May 2021 by outpointing former champion Juan Archuleta in a fast-paced contest at BELLATOR 258. During a nearly six-year, 14-fight UFC stint, the Roufusport-product competed in both the flyweight and bantamweight classes, collecting nine victories and a pair of “Fight of the Night” honors against Alex Caceres and Matt Hobar in 2014. Prior to his UFC tenure, Pettis, the younger brother of former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, earned world titles in Resurrection Fighting Alliance’s flyweight division and North American Fighting Championship’s 135-pound class. Following a trio of impressive triumphs over some of the division’s elite, BELLATOR’s bantamweight champion is set to protect his belt and an unblemished 3-0 promotional mark entering the tournament.
Former BELLATOR Bantamweight Champion – Kyoji Horiguchi (29-3):
Hailing from Takasaki, Japan, the 31-year-old Kyoji Horiguchi is the reigning RIZIN bantamweight champion who notoriously became a simultaneous, two-promotion champion in 2019 after taking down and upsetting then-BELLATOR champion Darrion Caldwell at Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, an injury would force Horiguchi to relinquish his BELLATOR title in 2019, and he now looks to reclaim his belt in a main event clash with current champion Sergio Pettis at BELLATOR 272. While with RIZIN, the American Top Team-product amassed an impressive 10-1 promotional mark, highlighted by eight finishes and five first-round knockouts. Additionally, more than half of Horiguchi’s career victories have come via knockout. Now, after reclaiming his RIZIN bantamweight strap and avenging only his third loss in 32 outings with a highlight-reel, opening-round knockout over Kai Asakura on New Year’s Eve 2020, the Japanese sensation fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla., aims to get his hands back on BELLATOR’s title
No. 1 Ranked Bantamweight – Juan Archuleta (25-3):
With the Bantamweight World Grand Prix set, former BELLATOR World Champion and No. 1-ranked Juan Archuleta sees a clear path toward regaining the 135-pound crown. Armed with 25 professional victories, including 12 by way of K.O. or submission, the “Spaniard” has no issues stopping opponents inside the BELLATOR cage. The former four-division King of the Cage world champion, who holds victories over Patchy Mix, Henry Corrales, and Ricky Bandejas, strives to keep that trend going throughout the Grand Prix.
No. 2 Ranked Bantamweight – Raufeon Stots (17-1):
Considered one of the world’s best 135-pound fighters, Raufeon “Supa” Stots has been in the title conversation since his 2019 BELLATOR debut. Currently riding a nine-fight winning streak, the No. 2-ranked bantamweight has defeated some of BELLATOR’s finest, including Magomed Magomedov and Josh Hill, by smothering opponents with top-tier grappling ability. Sporting a near-perfect 17-1 record, the Roufusport product and two-time NCAA Division II Champion now has an opportunity to compete for a long-awaited crown.
No. 3 Ranked Bantamweight – Patchy Mix (15-1):
Set to make his sixth promotional appearance under the BELLATOR umbrella, the pride of Angola, N.Y., has collected two-first round submission victories while compiling a 4-1 record with the Scott Coker-led promotion. The 28-year-old Buffalo, N.Y. native looks to build off his most recent win at BELLATOR 270 over James Gallagher in his opponent’s hometown of Dublin, Ireland, last month. Prior to his time with BELLATOR, Mix dominated the competition while on the regional scene by collecting nine of his 15 professional victories, including five first-round finishes. Now, the submission specialist will face the toughest challenge of his career, a shot at the tournament’s $1 million prize and BELLATOR’s 135-pound strap.
After capturing belts in different organizations, Dagestani phenom Magomed Magomedov hopes to add to his collection by taking home BELLATOR gold. Amassing an impressive 18-2 career record with 12 via finish, “Tiger” has made a swift impact on the BELLATOR 135-pound division since his December 2020 promotional debut by climbing to No. 4 in the rankings. Possessing both a blistering pace and superior grappling, Magomedov has the potential to be a nightmare matchup for anyone in the BELLATOR Bantamweight World Grand Prix.
No. 5 Ranked Bantamweight – Leandro Higo (21-5):
After dropping in weight to 135-pounds, Leandro Higo has been on a tear by winning three consecutive fights and putting the entire bantamweight division on notice. Under the tutelage of the famed Pitbull Brothers camp, the Brazilian is coming off a hard-fought, split-decision victory over former Bantamweight World Champion Darrion Caldwellat BELLATOR 259 in May 2021. As 12 of Higo’s 21 pro victories have come by submission, the entire bracket knows that the No. 5-ranked bantamweight will not be an easy out.
No. 6 Ranked Bantamweight – James Gallagher (11-2):
Hailing from Strabane, Ireland, one of MMA’s brightest young fighters strives to notch his 12th career victory in a tournament stacked with 135-pound talent. Following a finish over Anthony Taylor at BELLATOR 169 in December 2016 and a pair of first-round submissions the following year, “The Strabanimal” has tallied four victories over his past six contests, including three first-round finishes and a highlight reel 35-second win at BELLATOR 227. Poised for the biggest test of his young career, the former SBG Ireland-product aims to shed the shadow of former training partner, Conor McGregor, and add to his own legacy with a shot at BELLATOR bantamweight gold.
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
CARSON, CALIF. (November 2, 2021) – WBC Bantamweight World Champion and future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire will defend his title against undefeated Interim WBC Bantamweight Champion and fellow Filipino countryman Reymart Gaballo headlining action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, December 11 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Tennis Stadium in Carson, Calif. Tickets for the live event go on sale November 2 at 12 p.m. PT and can be purchased at AXS.com. # # #
(June 28, 2021) WBO #3, IBF #7, WBC #14 bantamweight Nikolai Potapov continued his “Hunt for The Monster” on Sunday morning (June 27) by scoring an eight-round unanimous decision over Tanzania’s Oscar Richard.
Fighting in the main event of a 14-fight event at the Soviet Wings Sport Palace in Moscow, Russia and live on Russian TV and Salita Promotions’ YOUTUBE CHANNEL, Potapov (23-2-1, 11 KOs) showed off his world-class skills by dominating the game Richard (7-4-1, 2 KOs) throughout.
Potapov, of Podolsk, Russia, was happy to stay busy with the victory and hopes it continues to propel him to the fight he wants: a shot at three-weight world champion and current unified bantamweight world champion Naoya “The Monster” Inoue of Japan.
“I commend my opponent,” said Potapov, post-fight, “he had no fear in him. It felt good to get in eight good rounds after six months. I am sharp and ready to slay ‘The Monster’ as soon as I get him in a ring.”
Potapov, who had over 180 amateur fights and won numerous national and international tournaments, says the vaunted Inoue is nothing he hasn’t seen before.
“I’ve beaten hard punchers like him before,” said Potapov of Inoue. “I know his style inside and out and beating him will not be a problem. Bring me ‘The Monster!’”
Potapov’s long-time promoter, Dmitriy Salita, says that Potapov’s focus has been on Inoue for a long time.
“Since the first time he saw Inoue fight he’s been saying he knows how to beat him,” said Salita. “All his experience fighting around the world, he says he knows exactly how to nullify a fighter who relies on his power like that.”
Salita, who presented the event on his popular YOUTUBE CHANNEL says he’s happy with the large viewership who were allowed to watch several exciting overseas prospects before their North American debuts.
“I am delighted that we were able to provide boxing fans with an opportunity to watch free live boxing featuring some of the best contenders and prospects from Russia,” said Salita. “Thousands of fans tuned in, participated in a live chat and talked boxing. OurYOUTUBE CHANNEL has been a phenomenal platform to give needed exposure to talent from around the world and connect them with the boxing community. There is much more to come in the coming months!”
# # #
About Salita Promotions Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.
Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.
Reaffirming its committed support of professional boxing around the world, Brains Bioceutical Corp., a leading manufacturer of THC-free cannabidiol (CBD) products, proudly announces the addition of one of the UK’s most promising young prospects, undefeated super bantamweight Shabaz “The Maverick” Masoud (7-0, 1 KO), to its growing stable of athletic brand ambassadors.
With the foot-speed of a laser pointer, an awkward but virtually impregnable defense, and blazingly fast hands that seldom miss the mark, the 25-year-old British Pakistani native of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, in the UK often bears an uncanny stylistic resemblance to his superstar idol, former featherweight showman Prince Naseem Hamed.
Undefeated in his young professional career, the formidable Masoud is yet to lose even a single round on any judge’s scorecard. Masoud will proudly adorn his trunks with Brains Pure CBD branding on Friday, March 19, when he faces countryman Louis Norman at Bolton Whites Hotel in Bolton, Lancashire, UK and streaming live on ESPN+at 1:00 pm EST/10:00 am PST. The IFL TV broadcast of the card is expected to start at 7:30 pm (GTM).
“We are in the hurt business,” said Masoud, “and bumps and bruises and even nagging injuries are just part of the game. Brains Pure CBD really helps with the wear-and-tear my body goes though in training camp everyday. Not only does it help to speed my recovery time from minor injuries, but it also helps me get to sleep at night, so I’m always my best in the gym. And it’s not full of mystery chemicals that might get you in trouble with the boxing commissions.
“Brains is all-natural, plant-based product with zero prohibited THC. That’s clinically researched and tested by leading sports authorities. Like with any opponent, I did my research and have found that not all CBDs are created equally. Brains is the only CBD I trust. I’m very happy to be partnering with them on a product I very much believe in for my run to the world championship.”
Brains Bioceutical, who have sponsored several recent boxing events worldwide, have also joined forces with 18-0 welterweight standout Custio Clayton of Canada, MTK’s recent “The Golden Contract” Light Heavyweight tournament and world-renowned UK-based trainer of champions, Ben Davison’s state-of-the-art Performance Centre, located outside London, England.
Incidentally, Davison, who has worked with a long list of boxing luminaries including Josh Taylor and Billy Joe Saunders, as well as heavyweight king Tyson Fury previously, has given Masoud an important seal of approval by signing on as his trainer.
“Masoud has the potential of a pound-for-pound-level fighter,” said Davison. “I believe he can achieve that. He’s like Naz was in his prime and he has all the same swagger and showmanship. He’s also a good kid who works hard in the gym to reach his goals. That’s why I was happy to find out he had been acquired by the Brains Bioceutical people who are innovating CBD’s countless benefits for an athletes’ rest and recovery.”
Brains will also have a presence on the ring canvas at the Hotel Plaza in Quebec City, Canada, on Tuesday, March 16, for promoter Yvon Michel’s upcoming event “The Homecoming,” his first in 16 months. The $29.99 PPV card is headlined by a rematch featuring WBC #1 bridgerweight Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (26-1, 18 KOs) and Sylvera “Sly” Louis (8-5, 4 KOs) in the eight-round main event.
“Shabaz Masoud is a welcome addition to our worldwide team of athlete ambassadors,” said Ricky Brar, CEO & Chairman, Brains Bioceutical Corp. He has the skills and the personality to become boxing’s newest superstar and Brains Pure CBD will be right by his side.”
“As the makers of one of the world’s purest CBD products, tested by a World Anti-Doping Agency approved lab, Brains Pure CBD is ideal for fighters,” Brar continued. We’re proud of our roles in the lives of some of the bravest competitors in all of sport.”
“The Homecoming” will be livestreamed by FITE worldwide on the FITE mobile app, all major OTT apps and website (FITE.tv), starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, for USD $29.99 (available in English or French). It will also be available in Canada via Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV and YOOP for $39.99 CDN.
You can follow Shabaz Masoud’s journey on his social media accounts. Twitter: @ShabazMasoud Instagram: shabaz_maverick_masoud ABOUT BRAINS BIOCEUTICAL CORP Brains Bioceutical Corp is a leader in certified production of naturally sourced active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. Brains Bioceutical is one of the only cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers in production today and is involved in academic and clinical trials across the globe.
For more information, visit: www.brainspure.com or Instagram: @brainspure
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Orono, Maine (February 20, 2020) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine’s flagship Orono campus. The event, titled “NEF 43: Rampage,” will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2020, with a bell-time of 7 pm EDT. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional bantamweight bout to the card. Fred Lear (0-1) will take on Jason Rine (1-7) at a fight weight of 135 pounds.
Fred Lear, who wrestled and played football for John Bapst Memorial High School in nearby Bangor, Maine, had one of the most successful amateur careers in NEF history. Lear finished his amateur career in 2019 with a record of 6-2-1 and an NEF Amateur Bantamweight Title to his credit. He entered the professional ranks last April in Portland, Maine, losing his debut to Bryant Bullock (2-1) via second-round submission. Lear experienced a disappointing setback when an opponent pulled out on him the night before weigh-ins at “NEF 40” last September. The Young’s MMA product will now look for the first win of his professional career on April 18 against Rine.
“2019 and the September fight card were difficult for me, but I wasn’t going to let it get in the way of supporting my team,” said Lear. “I feel as though people have forgotten who I am and what I’m here to do. Jason Rine is a Bellator vet and a consummate professional. I’m here, I’m hungry, and April 18th I’m making the walk and leaving my mark.”
Jason Rine is indeed a Bellator veteran, having competed on the Bellator 215 card last year. Based out of Fredericktown, Ohio, Rine has become well-known throughout the New England region in recent years, traveling in to fight on many area events. While his record may appear on the surface to be that of a journeyman, Rine has taken nothing but tough bouts throughout his professional career, always showing up to fight. April 18 will see him make his debut with NEF.
“I’m very excited to come to Maine and fight for NEF against a game opponent in Fred Lear,” stated Rine when reached for comment. “I’m ready to test myself in a new promotion in a new state. Time for a fresh start and a new beginning.”
New England Fights’ next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 43: Rampage,” will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2020, at the Collins Center for the Arts at UMaine Orono. Tickets will be on sale this week at www.CollinsCenterfortheArts.com.
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
WBO #9 and IBF #11 Bantamweight Nikolai Potapov returned to action Thursday night in Moscow with an impressive fifth-round TKO over Tanzanian veteran Nasibu Ramadhani.
Fighting in the 10-round main event of a card presented by Shamo Boxing at the Korston Club Hotel, Potapov (21-2-1, 12 KOs), of Podolsk, Russia, worked past a head-butt induced cut left eye to put his world-class skills on full display. He wobbled the aggressive Ramadhani (29-14-2, 16 KOs) in the second round with a three-punch combination and continued to dominate until the stoppage.
“I am glad to get the work and the win,” said the victorious Potapov. “I would like to come back to the US and get another opportunity to fight for the world title.”
The fight was Potapov’s first since his highly controversial decision loss to fellow contender Joshua Greer last July. Potapov’s promoter, Dmitriy Salita, says the capable Russian is gearing up for another assault on the division’s best.
“I am glad Nikolai got some work in and was able to score an impressive TKO victory. The bantamweight division is heating up and he is up there with the best in the weight class. I look forward to a great 2020 for Nikolai!”
Yordenis Ugas Tops Omar Figueroa by Unanimous Decision; Sergey Lipinets Stops Jayar Inson in Two Rounds & Luis Nery Knocks Out Juan Carlos Payano in Ninth Round in Pay-Per-View Undercard
CALEB PLANT RETAINS SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE WITH THIRD-ROUND KNOCKOUT OF MIKE LEE IN FOX PBC FIGHT NIGHT MAIN EVENT PRIOR TO PAY-PER-VIEW
Efe Ajagba Defeats Ali Eren Demirezen by Unanimous Decision in Clash of Unbeaten Heavyweights on FOX
Click HERE for Photos from Stewart Cook/FOX Sports Password: f0xb0x
Click HERE for Pacquiao vs. Thurman & HERE for Plant vs. Lee Photos from Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions
Click HERE for Photos from Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions
Click HERE for Photos from Sean Michael Ham/Mayweather Promotions
LAS VEGAS (July 21, 2019) – Boxing’s only eight-division world champion, Senator Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao dropped Keith “One Time” Thurman in round one and won a close split decision to earn a welterweight world title in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event Saturday night from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“It was fun,” said Pacquiao. “My opponent is a good fighter and boxer. He was strong. I’m not that kind of boxer who talks a lot; we were just promoting the fight. I think he did his best, and I did my best. I think we made the fans happy tonight because it was a good fight.”
The sell-out crowd of 14,356 got treated to great action from the start, as an exciting first round was capped off by Pacquiao dropping Thurman for the first time in his career with a straight right hand late in the round.
“I knew it was too close,” said Thurman. “He got the knockdown so he had momentum in round one.”
Thurman made it into the second round but continued to have trouble with Pacquiao’s right hand, as the future Hall of Famer threw it successfully as a jab and a power punch throughout the fight. Thurman adjusted in the middle rounds and began to try to smother Pacquiao and walk him down, having success when he was able to get his combinations off before his opponent.
Despite blood pouring from his nose from round four on, Thurman was able to land powerful combinations on Pacquiao for much of the second half of the fight, but was never able to hurt Pacquiao or score a knockdown of his own.
“I wish I had a little bit more output to go toe to toe,” said Thurman. “I felt like he was getting a little bit tired, but he did have experience in the ring. My conditioning and my output was just behind Manny Pacquiao’s. I would love the rematch.”
In round 10, Pacquiao’s landed a strong left hook to the body that clearly hurt Thurman and forced him to spend much of the remainder of the round backpedaling. The CompuBox scores were indicative of the close nature of the fight, with Thurman out landing Pacquiao 210 to 195, while Pacquiao was busier throwing 686 punches to 571 from Thurman.
“I really love the fans,” said Pacquiao. “Thank you so much for coming here and witnessing the fight. I’m sure they were happy tonight because they saw a good fight. Even though Thurman lost, he did his best. He’s not an easy opponent. He’s a good boxer and he’s strong. I was just blessed tonight.”
Pacquiao had a large advantage in jabs landed, connecting on 82 to Thurman’s 18. The 192 power punches landed by Thurman was the most in 43 Pacquiao fights that CompuBox has tracked. Round-by-round, the two fighters were only separated by more than five landed punches in rounds two, seven and nine.
After 12 rounds, the judges reached a split decision, with one judge scoring the fight 114-113 for Thurman, overruled by two judges scoring it 115-112 for Pacquiao, who captured the WBA Welterweight World Championship at 40-years-old.
“You get blessings and lessons,” said Thurman. “Tonight was a blessing and a lesson. Thank you everybody, and thank you Manny Pacquiao.”
“I think (I will fight) next year,” said Pacquiao. “I will go back to the Philippines and work and then make a decision. I do hope to be at the (Errol) Spence vs. (Shawn) Porter fight on September 28.”
The co-main event of the pay-per-view saw top contender Yordenis Ugas (24-4, 11 KOs) drop previously unbeaten Omar Figueroa (28-1-1, 19 KOs) on his way to a unanimous decision in their WBC welterweight title eliminator.
Ugas got off to a strong start, connecting on a straight right hand that sent Figueroa into the ropes, which he held onto so he didn’t hit the canvas, but enough that referee Russell Mora ruled it a knockdown.
“The fight played out how I thought it would,” said Ugas. “I came out strong and Figueroa was tough as well. This was similar to the fight everyone expected. I came out on top.”
Figueroa recovered and was able to make it to round two, where he continued his strategy of coming forward to try to hurt Ugas on the inside. Ugas was able to control that action on the inside, landing numerous uppercuts to stun Figueroa. However, the inside fighting led to Ugas being deducted a point by the referee in round five for holding.
“Ugas fought a smart fight,” said Figueroa. “He was smothering me on the inside and holding. I thought the scores were too wide. I was following him and working the whole time. I felt like he only worked the last 30 seconds of the round, but I guess that was all it took.
“I didn’t have any problems with his size. I thought I was able to do my thing, but when he was holding me I couldn’t get my offense going.”
Despite that, and being warned later in the fight for delivering low blows, Ugas dominated the fight according to CompuBox, out landing Figueroa 229 to 131 and connecting with 28% of his punches, to Figueroa’s 22%.
“I knew Figueroa was a tough guy, so I didn’t want to waste my energy trying to take him out early,” said Ugas. “I was ready to go 12 rounds.”
After 12 rounds, all three judges scored the fight the same, 119-107 in favor of Ugas, who became the mandatory for the winner of the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Shawn Porter welterweight title unification.
“I’m extremely happy to be in this position to fight for the WBC title again,” said Ugas. “I will be ready for the winner of Errol Spence Jr. vs. Shawn Porter.”
Additional action saw former world champion Sergey Lipinets (16-1, 12 KOs) score a highlight-reel knockout against Jayar Inson (18-3, 12 KOs) in the second round of their welterweight matchup.
Lipinets was originally scheduled to fight John Molina Jr., before Molina pulled out of the fight Friday morning due to a back injury. Inson, who was scheduled to fight on the non-televised undercard, stepped up to the challenge.
“When I first heard the news about Molina, I knew that I wanted to still fight on a show of this magnitude,” said Lipinets. “As far as fighting a southpaw, I’ve had so many amateur fights in my kickboxing career that I had no problem adjusting. It was just a matter of time. I also have sparred with great southpaws like Victor Ortiz throughout my career, so I was comfortable with the change in fighter.”
In an exchange early in the second round, Lipinets landed a clean left hook to Inson’s head, which sent the Filipino-fighter to the canvas. Although Inson got to his feet, referee Jay Nady waved off the bout 57 seconds into the round.
“I got hit and I slipped, that made it look worse,” said Inson. “When I stood up I thought I was fine and tried to raise my hands and show the referee.”
“Joe Goossen is an exceptional trainer and he just told me to work from a different direction facing a southpaw,” said Lipinets. “I just made sure to block his punches with my elbows. That was the only adjustment I had to make and it ended up working just fine.”
The opening pay-per-view bout saw undefeated former champion Luis Nery (30-0, 24 KOs) deliver a ninth-round knockout of former bantamweight champion Juan Carlos Payano (21-3, 9 KOs).
“I wasn’t really paying attention to how long the fight was going, I was just getting into a rhythm as it went on,” said Nery. “I had to work hard to get to him because he’s a good boxer. The longer it went, the better I felt. I put my punches together well once I got going.”
In a fast-paced duel of former champions, Payano had success early boxing the aggressive Nery, moving back to avoid his attack and landing his own offense against the knockout artist. Payano out landed or was even in punches landed for each of the first six rounds of the bout.
“I’m a warrior and I wanted to keep going and fight back every time he came forward,” said Payano. “My coach wanted me to stay behind my jab a little more.”
As the fight grew into the middle rounds, Nery began to increase the offense and was able to land power shots that slowed Payano’s ability to box from the outside. Nery hurt Payano early in round seven, eventually dominating the round, out landing his opponent 22 to 7.
“He was a very complicated fighter at the beginning, he’s a veteran, so I had to try to adapt to his style to see how I could get in,” said Nery. “In the fifth or sixth round I started gaining control of the fight and then that left hook came to the body which was devastating.”
“During the exchanges it was Nery’s second shot that was getting in,” said Payano. “We corrected the issue but then that body shot came in from nowhere and hit me in a rib that I had broken years ago against Raushee Warren.”
Round eight saw Nery continue to break Payano down, most notably landing a big left hand midway through the round that caused blood to pour from Payano’s nose. During an exchange in the ninth-round, Payano landed a devastating left hook to the ribs that put Payano down. He was unable to recover and referee Vic Drakulich halted the bout 1:43 into the round.
“I wanted to get him out early,” said Nery. “But this showed that I do have the experience to go into the later rounds and still take out my opponent. I showed that I have good defense and can make adjustments.”
The FOX PBC Fight Night main event on FOX and FOX Deportes saw IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant (19-0, 11 KOs) retain his title with a dominant third-round knockout over previously unbeaten Mike Lee (21-1, 11 KOs).
“It went exactly how I planned it would go,” said Plant. “Absolutely. I’ve been telling you all week it wasn’t going to go 12 rounds and I stuck to my word and I tried to do that. I hope you guys had a good time.”
Plant got off to a fast-start, dropping Lee with a left hook late in the first round. The unbeaten challenger was able to recover and survive the round, but was hard-pressed to make up for the hand speed advantage of Plant.
“I think I have a high boxing IQ and I do this at a really high level,” said Plant. “So it was just about making adjustments. He’s a big, strong guy and he just came in here to give it his all.”
Lee looked to charge in hard against Plant and use his size and power to land a big shot and change the momentum of the fight. Plant was sharp and avoided the looping right hands that Lee was attacking with.
“The speed was the difference, he’s fast and very accurate,” said Lee. “I had some success with my right hands but wasn’t able to be consistent with it.”
In round three, Plant landed a vicious right hook early in the round that put Lee down for the second time. After a left hook appeared to connect and send Lee down a second time, referee Robert Byrd ruled it had come from a push and continued the fight once Lee got to his feet.
Plant had his opponent hurt and continued to press forward, eventually landing another left hook that put Lee down, this time forcing the referee to wave off the bout 1:29 into the round.
“I had no issue with the stoppage, that’s the referee’s job and I respect it,” said Lee.
After the fight, Benavidez was asked about a possible unification fight against the winner of the just announced Anthony Dirrell vs. David Benavidez WBC Super Middleweight Championship fight.
“Oh yeah, we can definitely unify,” said Plant. “I ain’t hard to get a hold of. I ain’t hard to make a fight with. Come see me. You know my advisor.”
The opening bout on FOX and FOX Deportes saw Efe Ajagba (11-0, 9 KOs) score a unanimous decision over Ali Eren Demirezen (11-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-round battle of undefeated heavyweights. It was the first time that two unbeaten fighters from the 2016 Olympics faced off as pros.
Ajagba used his jab and height effectively throughout the fight, landing 10 of 45 jabs per round, doubling the heavyweight average. However, an elbow injury and the accurate punching of Demirezen forced Ajagba to go the distance for the first time as a pro.
“This was the first fighter to take me the distance,” said Ajagba. “He was strong and could take my punches. My trainer just told me to keep using my jab and stay in the middle of the ring.
“I hurt my elbow early on, so I couldn’t shoot my right hand like I wanted. But I won’t use that as an excuse. As a tall man I had to use the jab and if it went the distance, that was my best way to win.”
Demirezen thought the scorecards should have been closer and believed that his performance should have garnered him more than the decision loss. Demirezen was actually the more accurate puncher, landing 26% of his punches to 22% from Ajagba.
“I don’t agree with the scores, especially 99-91” said Demirezen. “It was much closer. I feel that at minimum, it was a draw. I knew I had to knock him out and that a knockout might be easier than winning by points. I thought it was a good performance but I can do better. I’d like to fight in the U.S. again.”
Ajagba’s activity from start to finish was impressive, as he threw 877 total punches, landing 191. While Demirezen was not far behind with 149 punches landed, he only out landed Ajagba in three rounds.
After 10 rounds of action all three judges scored the fight in favor of Ajagba, by scores of 99-91 twice and 97-93.
Pacquiao vs. Thurman Headlines Premier Boxing Champions FOX Sports Pay-Per-View Event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
“You’re going to see a world class performance on July 20 that has me standing alone on top of the division.” – Thurman
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. (July 8, 2019) – Keith “One Time” Thurman’s victories have always been the center of conversation. Even with nine championship fights and eight title defenses already under his belt, his Saturday, July 20 fight against Manny Pacquaio could prove to be the most significant, as he steps onto boxing’s biggest stage looking to capture a momentous victory.
Pacquiao vs. Thurman will pit the undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Thurman against boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The FOX pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.
Coming off a majority decision over Josesito Lopez that ended a 22-month ring absence in January, Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), 30, had won a close unanimous decision over former title holder “Showtime” Shawn Porter in June 2016 and a split-decision over two-division title winner Danny “Swift” Garcia in March 2017, adding Garcia’s WBC crown to his WBA version, before he vacated the WBC title due to injury.
Thurman broke down all of his title performances in anticipation of the fight that could cement his place amongst boxing’s best of this era.
KO 10 Diego Chaves, July 27, 2013, AT&T Center, San Antonio: The 24-year-old Thurman came off a near-shutout unanimous decision over former champion Jan Zaveck in March 2013 and faced an unbeaten Argentine interim WBA champion who was after his fifth consecutive stoppage win and had knocked out 18 of 22 opponents.
Thurman traded early power shots, controlled tempo with his athleticism and boxing ability and floored Chaves with a ninth round left hook to the liver before dropping him for the final time with a right hand in the 10th round. Chaves failed to beat the count as Thurman became a 147-pound titleholder.
“The Diego Chaves fight was the biggest fight of my career, elevating me to the WBA interim champion,” said Thurman. “I broke him down round by round and landed a beautiful body shot in the ninth round and after that it was a matter of time. That was a fight that earned me worldwide respect and was the start of everything for me.”
TKO 9 Jesus Soto Karass, December 14, 2013, Alamodome, San Antonio:Soto Karass’ previous victory was a 12th-round stoppage of two-time belt holder Andre Berto in a fight that saw him rise from an 11th-round knockdown. Hurt by a hard right in the first round, Thurman recovered, flooring Soto Karass with a left uppercut in the fifth and again from a powerful combination in the ninth as the referee ended matters.
“Soto Karass was coming off a victory over Andre Berto which made it an important measuring stick fight for me,” said Thurman, “He did open the fight by tagging me in the first round, but I dropped him in the fifth and again in the ninth and was able to finish him off for my first title defense.”
RTD 3 Julio Diaz, April 26, 2014, StubHub Center, Carson, Calif: In a one-sided beat-down, former champion Diaz took a knee from a left to the temple the second round and retired prior to the fourth from a body shot that caused rib damage. Diaz never fought again.
“That was a tremendous fight for me as the headliner in my first main event,” said Thurman. “Diaz was coming off of good showings against Shawn Porter, fighting Porter to a draw once, and Amir Khan, whom he dropped in their fight. I also had the opportunity to make a statement. I did that by stopping him in only three rounds.”
UD 12 Leonard Bundu, December 13, 2014, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas: A previously unbeaten 40-year-old switch-hitting veteran, Bundu (31-1-2, 11 KO) was dropped by a first-round right hand in a shutout victory (120-107 three times) for Thurman who ended an eight-month ring absence and was recovering from an injured left shoulder.
“Bundu was a switch-hitting awkward fighter. I switched [to southpaw] on him in the first round and dropped him with a right hand,” said Thurman. “I out boxed him and really gave the world a taste of how good of a boxer I am. It was an easy blowout.”
UD 12 Robert Guerrero, March 7, 2015, the MGM Grand Grand Garden Arena: Thurman entered this bout after having been elevated to the full champion before facing Guerrero (32-3-1, 18 KOs), a two-division title winner. He overcame a grotesque hematoma above his left eye from an accidental clash of heads, dropped “The Ghost” in the ninth-round, and lost a combined four rounds in PBC’s first ever main event.
“Guerrero had fought Floyd Mayweather and I was happy to have a common opponent with Floyd, so that I could prove to the world that I deserved a shot at Mayweather,” said Thurman. “I had to overcome that adversity of having that hematoma by knocking him down in the ninth round. That fight really raised my stock to another level.”
RTD 7 Luis Collazo, July 11, 2015, USF Sundome, Tampa: Thurman overcame a crippling left hand to the liver in the fifth round to become only the man to stop Collazo, a former champion who had gone the distance in losses to Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Andre Berto and Amir Khan. In a homecoming fight, Thurman opened a deep gash over Collazo’s right eye with his own left hook, eventually resulting in the southpaw’s retiring on his stool after the seventh round.
“I was able to survive that body shot to perform in the next round. The fight was taking its toll on him though. I was becoming more comfortable and accurate as I physically broke him down,” said Thurman. “The arena was electric, and the love was amazing. It was a great homecoming to defend my world title near where I grew up in Clearwater, Florida.”
UD 12 Shawn Porter, June 25, 2016, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York:Thurman overcame a bullish former champion in Porter (26-2-1, 16 KOs) before an electric crowd, winning a give-and-take, blood-and-guts brawl by scores of 115-113, on all three judges’ cards. Highlights were Thurman’s clean right hand-left hook combination that buckled Porter’s knees late in the third round, a 10th-round left hook that did the same, and an even more vicious head-swiveling hook in Round 11 of a Fight of The Year standout from 2016.
“Our fight was tough, back and forth, but by no means was Shawn Porter going to take my title,” said Thurman. “I pushed myself over the final rounds to make sure I’d be victorious in what was one of the ‘Fight of The Year’ contenders that year. That fight proved to everyone that I can win any type of fight, against any type of fighter.”
SD 12 Danny Garcia, March 4, 2017, Barclays Center: Thurman won a clash of 28-year-olds over the then unbeaten Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs), along with the WBC’s crown in just the 10th title unification in division history and only the third between a pair of unbeaten fighters. The crowd of 16,533 represented the highest attended boxing match at Barclays Center to date. Thurman’s movement disrupted the timing of Garcia, a Philadelphia-based fighter who was a unified champion at 140-pounds.
“This was two undefeated welterweights going toe-to-toe in the prime of their careers. Danny Garcia’s a sharp puncher who won the WBC’s vacant title that Floyd Mayweather gave up for retirement,” said Thurman. “But after beating Shawn Porter, I knew Danny would be an easy fight. This was my first chance to beat an undefeated world champion, and I came out swinging on him in round one to make a statement that his world title was about to be mine.”
MD 12 Josesito Lopez, January 26, 2019, Barclays Center: Thurman ended an injury-hampered 22-month ring absence against Lopez (36-8, 19 KOs), scoring a second-round knockdown with a left hook, being hurt by a right hand in the seventh, and using his mobility and athleticism down the stretch for the victory.
“I was really nervous about making weight after walking around at 182 for the past two years,” said Thurman. “But even though I got hit and hurt in the seventh round, I knew my boxing ability would get me through. It was a relief to make it through that fight feeling strong and healthy and I’ve taken those feelings right into this training camp.”
Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), July 20, 2019, the MGM Grand Garden Arena: The 40-year-old Pacquiao has earned back-to-back victories over former champions by seventh-round TKO over Lucas Matthysse (July 2018) and unanimous decision Adrien Broner (January).
“Does Manny belong in the ring with a fighter in his prime? Is Keith Thurman still Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman after some vulnerability against Josesito Lopez?” said Thurman, rhetorically speaking. “Of course, I’d like to get the knockout or TKO, but either way, you’re going to see a world class performance that has me standing alone on top of a division that has so many great fighters. I’m trying to be that great, devastating champion once again, and come July 20, I will prove that I am.”
# # # Pacquiao vs. Thurman Headlines Premier Boxing Champions FOX Sports Pay-Per-View Event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
“You’re going to see a world class performance on July 20 that has me standing alone on top of the division.” – Thurman
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. (July 8, 2019) – Keith “One Time” Thurman’s victories have always been the center of conversation. Even with nine championship fights and eight title defenses already under his belt, his Saturday, July 20 fight against Manny Pacquaio could prove to be the most significant, as he steps onto boxing’s biggest stage looking to capture a momentous victory.
Pacquiao vs. Thurman will pit the undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Thurman against boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The FOX pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.
Coming off a majority decision over Josesito Lopez that ended a 22-month ring absence in January, Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), 30, had won a close unanimous decision over former title holder “Showtime” Shawn Porter in June 2016 and a split-decision over two-division title winner Danny “Swift” Garcia in March 2017, adding Garcia’s WBC crown to his WBA version, before he vacated the WBC title due to injury.
Thurman broke down all of his title performances in anticipation of the fight that could cement his place amongst boxing’s best of this era.
KO 10 Diego Chaves, July 27, 2013, AT&T Center, San Antonio: The 24-year-old Thurman came off a near-shutout unanimous decision over former champion Jan Zaveck in March 2013 and faced an unbeaten Argentine interim WBA champion who was after his fifth consecutive stoppage win and had knocked out 18 of 22 opponents.
Thurman traded early power shots, controlled tempo with his athleticism and boxing ability and floored Chaves with a ninth round left hook to the liver before dropping him for the final time with a right hand in the 10th round. Chaves failed to beat the count as Thurman became a 147-pound titleholder.
“The Diego Chaves fight was the biggest fight of my career, elevating me to the WBA interim champion,” said Thurman. “I broke him down round by round and landed a beautiful body shot in the ninth round and after that it was a matter of time. That was a fight that earned me worldwide respect and was the start of everything for me.”
TKO 9 Jesus Soto Karass, December 14, 2013, Alamodome, San Antonio:Soto Karass’ previous victory was a 12th-round stoppage of two-time belt holder Andre Berto in a fight that saw him rise from an 11th-round knockdown. Hurt by a hard right in the first round, Thurman recovered, flooring Soto Karass with a left uppercut in the fifth and again from a powerful combination in the ninth as the referee ended matters.
“Soto Karass was coming off a victory over Andre Berto which made it an important measuring stick fight for me,” said Thurman, “He did open the fight by tagging me in the first round, but I dropped him in the fifth and again in the ninth and was able to finish him off for my first title defense.”
RTD 3 Julio Diaz, April 26, 2014, StubHub Center, Carson, Calif: In a one-sided beat-down, former champion Diaz took a knee from a left to the temple the second round and retired prior to the fourth from a body shot that caused rib damage. Diaz never fought again.
“That was a tremendous fight for me as the headliner in my first main event,” said Thurman. “Diaz was coming off of good showings against Shawn Porter, fighting Porter to a draw once, and Amir Khan, whom he dropped in their fight. I also had the opportunity to make a statement. I did that by stopping him in only three rounds.”
UD 12 Leonard Bundu, December 13, 2014, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas: A previously unbeaten 40-year-old switch-hitting veteran, Bundu (31-1-2, 11 KO) was dropped by a first-round right hand in a shutout victory (120-107 three times) for Thurman who ended an eight-month ring absence and was recovering from an injured left shoulder.
“Bundu was a switch-hitting awkward fighter. I switched [to southpaw] on him in the first round and dropped him with a right hand,” said Thurman. “I out boxed him and really gave the world a taste of how good of a boxer I am. It was an easy blowout.”
UD 12 Robert Guerrero, March 7, 2015, the MGM Grand Grand Garden Arena: Thurman entered this bout after having been elevated to the full champion before facing Guerrero (32-3-1, 18 KOs), a two-division title winner. He overcame a grotesque hematoma above his left eye from an accidental clash of heads, dropped “The Ghost” in the ninth-round, and lost a combined four rounds in PBC’s first ever main event.
“Guerrero had fought Floyd Mayweather and I was happy to have a common opponent with Floyd, so that I could prove to the world that I deserved a shot at Mayweather,” said Thurman. “I had to overcome that adversity of having that hematoma by knocking him down in the ninth round. That fight really raised my stock to another level.”
RTD 7 Luis Collazo, July 11, 2015, USF Sundome, Tampa: Thurman overcame a crippling left hand to the liver in the fifth round to become only the man to stop Collazo, a former champion who had gone the distance in losses to Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Andre Berto and Amir Khan. In a homecoming fight, Thurman opened a deep gash over Collazo’s right eye with his own left hook, eventually resulting in the southpaw’s retiring on his stool after the seventh round.
“I was able to survive that body shot to perform in the next round. The fight was taking its toll on him though. I was becoming more comfortable and accurate as I physically broke him down,” said Thurman. “The arena was electric, and the love was amazing. It was a great homecoming to defend my world title near where I grew up in Clearwater, Florida.”
UD 12 Shawn Porter, June 25, 2016, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York:Thurman overcame a bullish former champion in Porter (26-2-1, 16 KOs) before an electric crowd, winning a give-and-take, blood-and-guts brawl by scores of 115-113, on all three judges’ cards. Highlights were Thurman’s clean right hand-left hook combination that buckled Porter’s knees late in the third round, a 10th-round left hook that did the same, and an even more vicious head-swiveling hook in Round 11 of a Fight of The Year standout from 2016.
“Our fight was tough, back and forth, but by no means was Shawn Porter going to take my title,” said Thurman. “I pushed myself over the final rounds to make sure I’d be victorious in what was one of the ‘Fight of The Year’ contenders that year. That fight proved to everyone that I can win any type of fight, against any type of fighter.”
SD 12 Danny Garcia, March 4, 2017, Barclays Center: Thurman won a clash of 28-year-olds over the then unbeaten Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs), along with the WBC’s crown in just the 10th title unification in division history and only the third between a pair of unbeaten fighters. The crowd of 16,533 represented the highest attended boxing match at Barclays Center to date. Thurman’s movement disrupted the timing of Garcia, a Philadelphia-based fighter who was a unified champion at 140-pounds.
“This was two undefeated welterweights going toe-to-toe in the prime of their careers. Danny Garcia’s a sharp puncher who won the WBC’s vacant title that Floyd Mayweather gave up for retirement,” said Thurman. “But after beating Shawn Porter, I knew Danny would be an easy fight. This was my first chance to beat an undefeated world champion, and I came out swinging on him in round one to make a statement that his world title was about to be mine.”
MD 12 Josesito Lopez, January 26, 2019, Barclays Center: Thurman ended an injury-hampered 22-month ring absence against Lopez (36-8, 19 KOs), scoring a second-round knockdown with a left hook, being hurt by a right hand in the seventh, and using his mobility and athleticism down the stretch for the victory.
“I was really nervous about making weight after walking around at 182 for the past two years,” said Thurman. “But even though I got hit and hurt in the seventh round, I knew my boxing ability would get me through. It was a relief to make it through that fight feeling strong and healthy and I’ve taken those feelings right into this training camp.”
Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), July 20, 2019, the MGM Grand Garden Arena: The 40-year-old Pacquiao has earned back-to-back victories over former champions by seventh-round TKO over Lucas Matthysse (July 2018) and unanimous decision Adrien Broner (January).
“Does Manny belong in the ring with a fighter in his prime? Is Keith Thurman still Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman after some vulnerability against Josesito Lopez?” said Thurman, rhetorically speaking. “Of course, I’d like to get the knockout or TKO, but either way, you’re going to see a world class performance that has me standing alone on top of a division that has so many great fighters. I’m trying to be that great, devastating champion once again, and come July 20, I will prove that I am.”
# # # Pacquiao vs. Thurman Headlines Premier Boxing Champions FOX Sports Pay-Per-View Event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
“You’re going to see a world class performance on July 20 that has me standing alone on top of the division.” – Thurman
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. (July 8, 2019) – Keith “One Time” Thurman’s victories have always been the center of conversation. Even with nine championship fights and eight title defenses already under his belt, his Saturday, July 20 fight against Manny Pacquaio could prove to be the most significant, as he steps onto boxing’s biggest stage looking to capture a momentous victory.
Pacquiao vs. Thurman will pit the undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Thurman against boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The FOX pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.
Coming off a majority decision over Josesito Lopez that ended a 22-month ring absence in January, Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), 30, had won a close unanimous decision over former title holder “Showtime” Shawn Porter in June 2016 and a split-decision over two-division title winner Danny “Swift” Garcia in March 2017, adding Garcia’s WBC crown to his WBA version, before he vacated the WBC title due to injury.
Thurman broke down all of his title performances in anticipation of the fight that could cement his place amongst boxing’s best of this era.
KO 10 Diego Chaves, July 27, 2013, AT&T Center, San Antonio: The 24-year-old Thurman came off a near-shutout unanimous decision over former champion Jan Zaveck in March 2013 and faced an unbeaten Argentine interim WBA champion who was after his fifth consecutive stoppage win and had knocked out 18 of 22 opponents.
Thurman traded early power shots, controlled tempo with his athleticism and boxing ability and floored Chaves with a ninth round left hook to the liver before dropping him for the final time with a right hand in the 10th round. Chaves failed to beat the count as Thurman became a 147-pound titleholder.
“The Diego Chaves fight was the biggest fight of my career, elevating me to the WBA interim champion,” said Thurman. “I broke him down round by round and landed a beautiful body shot in the ninth round and after that it was a matter of time. That was a fight that earned me worldwide respect and was the start of everything for me.”
TKO 9 Jesus Soto Karass, December 14, 2013, Alamodome, San Antonio:Soto Karass’ previous victory was a 12th-round stoppage of two-time belt holder Andre Berto in a fight that saw him rise from an 11th-round knockdown. Hurt by a hard right in the first round, Thurman recovered, flooring Soto Karass with a left uppercut in the fifth and again from a powerful combination in the ninth as the referee ended matters.
“Soto Karass was coming off a victory over Andre Berto which made it an important measuring stick fight for me,” said Thurman, “He did open the fight by tagging me in the first round, but I dropped him in the fifth and again in the ninth and was able to finish him off for my first title defense.”
RTD 3 Julio Diaz, April 26, 2014, StubHub Center, Carson, Calif: In a one-sided beat-down, former champion Diaz took a knee from a left to the temple the second round and retired prior to the fourth from a body shot that caused rib damage. Diaz never fought again.
“That was a tremendous fight for me as the headliner in my first main event,” said Thurman. “Diaz was coming off of good showings against Shawn Porter, fighting Porter to a draw once, and Amir Khan, whom he dropped in their fight. I also had the opportunity to make a statement. I did that by stopping him in only three rounds.”
UD 12 Leonard Bundu, December 13, 2014, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas: A previously unbeaten 40-year-old switch-hitting veteran, Bundu (31-1-2, 11 KO) was dropped by a first-round right hand in a shutout victory (120-107 three times) for Thurman who ended an eight-month ring absence and was recovering from an injured left shoulder.
“Bundu was a switch-hitting awkward fighter. I switched [to southpaw] on him in the first round and dropped him with a right hand,” said Thurman. “I out boxed him and really gave the world a taste of how good of a boxer I am. It was an easy blowout.”
UD 12 Robert Guerrero, March 7, 2015, the MGM Grand Grand Garden Arena: Thurman entered this bout after having been elevated to the full champion before facing Guerrero (32-3-1, 18 KOs), a two-division title winner. He overcame a grotesque hematoma above his left eye from an accidental clash of heads, dropped “The Ghost” in the ninth-round, and lost a combined four rounds in PBC’s first ever main event.
“Guerrero had fought Floyd Mayweather and I was happy to have a common opponent with Floyd, so that I could prove to the world that I deserved a shot at Mayweather,” said Thurman. “I had to overcome that adversity of having that hematoma by knocking him down in the ninth round. That fight really raised my stock to another level.”
RTD 7 Luis Collazo, July 11, 2015, USF Sundome, Tampa: Thurman overcame a crippling left hand to the liver in the fifth round to become only the man to stop Collazo, a former champion who had gone the distance in losses to Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Andre Berto and Amir Khan. In a homecoming fight, Thurman opened a deep gash over Collazo’s right eye with his own left hook, eventually resulting in the southpaw’s retiring on his stool after the seventh round.
“I was able to survive that body shot to perform in the next round. The fight was taking its toll on him though. I was becoming more comfortable and accurate as I physically broke him down,” said Thurman. “The arena was electric, and the love was amazing. It was a great homecoming to defend my world title near where I grew up in Clearwater, Florida.”
UD 12 Shawn Porter, June 25, 2016, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York:Thurman overcame a bullish former champion in Porter (26-2-1, 16 KOs) before an electric crowd, winning a give-and-take, blood-and-guts brawl by scores of 115-113, on all three judges’ cards. Highlights were Thurman’s clean right hand-left hook combination that buckled Porter’s knees late in the third round, a 10th-round left hook that did the same, and an even more vicious head-swiveling hook in Round 11 of a Fight of The Year standout from 2016.
“Our fight was tough, back and forth, but by no means was Shawn Porter going to take my title,” said Thurman. “I pushed myself over the final rounds to make sure I’d be victorious in what was one of the ‘Fight of The Year’ contenders that year. That fight proved to everyone that I can win any type of fight, against any type of fighter.”
SD 12 Danny Garcia, March 4, 2017, Barclays Center: Thurman won a clash of 28-year-olds over the then unbeaten Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs), along with the WBC’s crown in just the 10th title unification in division history and only the third between a pair of unbeaten fighters. The crowd of 16,533 represented the highest attended boxing match at Barclays Center to date. Thurman’s movement disrupted the timing of Garcia, a Philadelphia-based fighter who was a unified champion at 140-pounds.
“This was two undefeated welterweights going toe-to-toe in the prime of their careers. Danny Garcia’s a sharp puncher who won the WBC’s vacant title that Floyd Mayweather gave up for retirement,” said Thurman. “But after beating Shawn Porter, I knew Danny would be an easy fight. This was my first chance to beat an undefeated world champion, and I came out swinging on him in round one to make a statement that his world title was about to be mine.”
MD 12 Josesito Lopez, January 26, 2019, Barclays Center: Thurman ended an injury-hampered 22-month ring absence against Lopez (36-8, 19 KOs), scoring a second-round knockdown with a left hook, being hurt by a right hand in the seventh, and using his mobility and athleticism down the stretch for the victory.
“I was really nervous about making weight after walking around at 182 for the past two years,” said Thurman. “But even though I got hit and hurt in the seventh round, I knew my boxing ability would get me through. It was a relief to make it through that fight feeling strong and healthy and I’ve taken those feelings right into this training camp.”
Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), July 20, 2019, the MGM Grand Garden Arena: The 40-year-old Pacquiao has earned back-to-back victories over former champions by seventh-round TKO over Lucas Matthysse (July 2018) and unanimous decision Adrien Broner (January).
“Does Manny belong in the ring with a fighter in his prime? Is Keith Thurman still Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman after some vulnerability against Josesito Lopez?” said Thurman, rhetorically speaking. “Of course, I’d like to get the knockout or TKO, but either way, you’re going to see a world class performance that has me standing alone on top of a division that has so many great fighters. I’m trying to be that great, devastating champion once again, and come July 20, I will prove that I am.”
# # # Pacquiao vs. Thurman Headlines Premier Boxing Champions FOX Sports Pay-Per-View Event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
“You’re going to see a world class performance on July 20 that has me standing alone on top of the division.” – Thurman
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. (July 8, 2019) – Keith “One Time” Thurman’s victories have always been the center of conversation. Even with nine championship fights and eight title defenses already under his belt, his Saturday, July 20 fight against Manny Pacquaio could prove to be the most significant, as he steps onto boxing’s biggest stage looking to capture a momentous victory.
Pacquiao vs. Thurman will pit the undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Thurman against boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The FOX pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.
Coming off a majority decision over Josesito Lopez that ended a 22-month ring absence in January, Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), 30, had won a close unanimous decision over former title holder “Showtime” Shawn Porter in June 2016 and a split-decision over two-division title winner Danny “Swift” Garcia in March 2017, adding Garcia’s WBC crown to his WBA version, before he vacated the WBC title due to injury.
Thurman broke down all of his title performances in anticipation of the fight that could cement his place amongst boxing’s best of this era.
KO 10 Diego Chaves, July 27, 2013, AT&T Center, San Antonio: The 24-year-old Thurman came off a near-shutout unanimous decision over former champion Jan Zaveck in March 2013 and faced an unbeaten Argentine interim WBA champion who was after his fifth consecutive stoppage win and had knocked out 18 of 22 opponents.
Thurman traded early power shots, controlled tempo with his athleticism and boxing ability and floored Chaves with a ninth round left hook to the liver before dropping him for the final time with a right hand in the 10th round. Chaves failed to beat the count as Thurman became a 147-pound titleholder.
“The Diego Chaves fight was the biggest fight of my career, elevating me to the WBA interim champion,” said Thurman. “I broke him down round by round and landed a beautiful body shot in the ninth round and after that it was a matter of time. That was a fight that earned me worldwide respect and was the start of everything for me.”
TKO 9 Jesus Soto Karass, December 14, 2013, Alamodome, San Antonio:Soto Karass’ previous victory was a 12th-round stoppage of two-time belt holder Andre Berto in a fight that saw him rise from an 11th-round knockdown. Hurt by a hard right in the first round, Thurman recovered, flooring Soto Karass with a left uppercut in the fifth and again from a powerful combination in the ninth as the referee ended matters.
“Soto Karass was coming off a victory over Andre Berto which made it an important measuring stick fight for me,” said Thurman, “He did open the fight by tagging me in the first round, but I dropped him in the fifth and again in the ninth and was able to finish him off for my first title defense.”
RTD 3 Julio Diaz, April 26, 2014, StubHub Center, Carson, Calif: In a one-sided beat-down, former champion Diaz took a knee from a left to the temple the second round and retired prior to the fourth from a body shot that caused rib damage. Diaz never fought again.
“That was a tremendous fight for me as the headliner in my first main event,” said Thurman. “Diaz was coming off of good showings against Shawn Porter, fighting Porter to a draw once, and Amir Khan, whom he dropped in their fight. I also had the opportunity to make a statement. I did that by stopping him in only three rounds.”
UD 12 Leonard Bundu, December 13, 2014, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas: A previously unbeaten 40-year-old switch-hitting veteran, Bundu (31-1-2, 11 KO) was dropped by a first-round right hand in a shutout victory (120-107 three times) for Thurman who ended an eight-month ring absence and was recovering from an injured left shoulder.
“Bundu was a switch-hitting awkward fighter. I switched [to southpaw] on him in the first round and dropped him with a right hand,” said Thurman. “I out boxed him and really gave the world a taste of how good of a boxer I am. It was an easy blowout.”
UD 12 Robert Guerrero, March 7, 2015, the MGM Grand Grand Garden Arena: Thurman entered this bout after having been elevated to the full champion before facing Guerrero (32-3-1, 18 KOs), a two-division title winner. He overcame a grotesque hematoma above his left eye from an accidental clash of heads, dropped “The Ghost” in the ninth-round, and lost a combined four rounds in PBC’s first ever main event.
“Guerrero had fought Floyd Mayweather and I was happy to have a common opponent with Floyd, so that I could prove to the world that I deserved a shot at Mayweather,” said Thurman. “I had to overcome that adversity of having that hematoma by knocking him down in the ninth round. That fight really raised my stock to another level.”
RTD 7 Luis Collazo, July 11, 2015, USF Sundome, Tampa: Thurman overcame a crippling left hand to the liver in the fifth round to become only the man to stop Collazo, a former champion who had gone the distance in losses to Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Andre Berto and Amir Khan. In a homecoming fight, Thurman opened a deep gash over Collazo’s right eye with his own left hook, eventually resulting in the southpaw’s retiring on his stool after the seventh round.
“I was able to survive that body shot to perform in the next round. The fight was taking its toll on him though. I was becoming more comfortable and accurate as I physically broke him down,” said Thurman. “The arena was electric, and the love was amazing. It was a great homecoming to defend my world title near where I grew up in Clearwater, Florida.”
UD 12 Shawn Porter, June 25, 2016, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York:Thurman overcame a bullish former champion in Porter (26-2-1, 16 KOs) before an electric crowd, winning a give-and-take, blood-and-guts brawl by scores of 115-113, on all three judges’ cards. Highlights were Thurman’s clean right hand-left hook combination that buckled Porter’s knees late in the third round, a 10th-round left hook that did the same, and an even more vicious head-swiveling hook in Round 11 of a Fight of The Year standout from 2016.
“Our fight was tough, back and forth, but by no means was Shawn Porter going to take my title,” said Thurman. “I pushed myself over the final rounds to make sure I’d be victorious in what was one of the ‘Fight of The Year’ contenders that year. That fight proved to everyone that I can win any type of fight, against any type of fighter.”
SD 12 Danny Garcia, March 4, 2017, Barclays Center: Thurman won a clash of 28-year-olds over the then unbeaten Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs), along with the WBC’s crown in just the 10th title unification in division history and only the third between a pair of unbeaten fighters. The crowd of 16,533 represented the highest attended boxing match at Barclays Center to date. Thurman’s movement disrupted the timing of Garcia, a Philadelphia-based fighter who was a unified champion at 140-pounds.
“This was two undefeated welterweights going toe-to-toe in the prime of their careers. Danny Garcia’s a sharp puncher who won the WBC’s vacant title that Floyd Mayweather gave up for retirement,” said Thurman. “But after beating Shawn Porter, I knew Danny would be an easy fight. This was my first chance to beat an undefeated world champion, and I came out swinging on him in round one to make a statement that his world title was about to be mine.”
MD 12 Josesito Lopez, January 26, 2019, Barclays Center: Thurman ended an injury-hampered 22-month ring absence against Lopez (36-8, 19 KOs), scoring a second-round knockdown with a left hook, being hurt by a right hand in the seventh, and using his mobility and athleticism down the stretch for the victory.
“I was really nervous about making weight after walking around at 182 for the past two years,” said Thurman. “But even though I got hit and hurt in the seventh round, I knew my boxing ability would get me through. It was a relief to make it through that fight feeling strong and healthy and I’ve taken those feelings right into this training camp.”
Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), July 20, 2019, the MGM Grand Garden Arena: The 40-year-old Pacquiao has earned back-to-back victories over former champions by seventh-round TKO over Lucas Matthysse (July 2018) and unanimous decision Adrien Broner (January).
“Does Manny belong in the ring with a fighter in his prime? Is Keith Thurman still Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman after some vulnerability against Josesito Lopez?” said Thurman, rhetorically speaking. “Of course, I’d like to get the knockout or TKO, but either way, you’re going to see a world class performance that has me standing alone on top of a division that has so many great fighters. I’m trying to be that great, devastating champion once again, and come July 20, I will prove that I am.”
STACKED CARD SUPPORTS MANNY PACQUIAO VS. KEITH THURMAN SHOWDOWN THAT HEADLINES PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON FOX SPORTS PAY-PER-VIEW EVENT SATURDAY, JULY 20 FROM THE MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA IN LAS VEGAS
Unbeaten Former Champion Omar Figueroa Jr. Tangles withTop Contender Yordenis Ugás in WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator
Hard-Hitting Former Champion Sergey Lipinets Clashes Against Rugged Veteran John Molina Jr. in Welterweight Duel
Former Champions Collide When Unbeaten Brawler Luis Nery Battles Crafty Juan Carlo Payano in Bantamweight ShowdownAt 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
LAS VEGAS (June 6, 2019) – Undefeated former world champion Omar “El Panterita” Figueroa Jr. takes on Yordenis Ugás in a 12-round WBC welterweight title eliminator highlighting a loaded undercard in support of the Manny Pacquaio vs. Keith Thurman battle for welterweight supremacy that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View on Saturday, July 20 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The action also features hard-hitting former world champion Sergey Lipinets going toe-to-toe against rugged veteran John “The Gladiator” Molina, Jr. in a 10-round welterweight match. The show opens with former world champions squaring-off as undefeated power-puncher Luis “Pantera” Nery takes on slick-boxing Juan Carlos Payano in a 12-round bantamweight bout at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
The stacked card is the perfect accompaniment for the summer’s biggest fight, which will pit boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao against undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman in a powerhouse 147-pound showdown in the main event. This high-stakes match will firmly give the winner a claim for the top spot in one of boxing’s deepest and most talented divisions.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.
“MP Promotions is proud to be co-presenting this all-action undercard with PBC and FOX Sports,” said Sean Gibbons, President of MP Promotions. “It will be a historic night of boxing, spanning many platforms and this is the type of PPV undercard that is jam packed with top-flight boxers. When you look at the fighters involved in supporting what is the best biggest fight of the year – Pacquiao vs. Thurman – you can be assured that the night will be filled with non-stop action.”
Figueroa (28-0-1, 19 KOs) is a come forward boxer-puncher who’s yet to meet an opponent who could slow down his relentless style. The 29-year-old from Weslaco, Texas, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over John Molina Jr. in February on FOX. A former lightweight world champion, Figueroa owns victories over former world champions including Robert Guerrero, Ricky Burns and Antonio DeMarco.
“I’m excited for this fight against a talented Olympian who’s very skilled,” said Figueroa. “I know he will be moving around the ring a lot, so I’m going to have to move with him and chase him all night. I’m going to have to be in really good shape and work hard on my conditioning. This fight has definitely raised the stakes for me, so I know I have to be ready. I’m going to have a good camp and come in with excellent preparation for July 20.”
The 32-year-old Ugás (23-4, 11 KOs) has been one of the busiest welterweight contenders in boxing the last two years, fighting three times in both 2017 and 2018. Ugás, who is from Santiago, Cuba and now lives in Miami, Florida, was on an eight-fight win streak before losing a narrow split-decision to Shawn Porter in a world title fight on FOX in March.
“I’m very excited to be on the biggest card of the year,” said Ugás. “Omar Figueroa Jr. is a tremendous fighter, and that’s the style I like to face. I’m an all-action fighter and the fans are going to be in for a full course meal before the actual main event. That I can promise. You don’t want to miss this event and you don’t want to miss this war. I’m grateful to FOX Sports and PBC for including me in an event of this magnitude.”
The 30-year-old Lipinets (15-1, 11 KOs) made a successful debut at 147-pounds in March with a TKO victory over former two-division champion Lamont Peterson in a PBC on FS1 fight that is an early Fight of the Year frontrunner. Lipinets, who was born in Kazakhstan, grew up in Russia and now lives in Los Angeles, has only one loss on his record. He lost his 140-pound belt in a 2018 showdown against four-division champion Mikey Garcia.
“There’s no slowing down in my march to get that welterweight championship belt,” said Lipinets. “As always, I’m fighting a guy that is very dangerous and tough to the last bell. My title shot is right around the corner. I’m very excited to be part of a show like this and I’m grateful for these opportunities in my career and I promise that I’ll earn my keep. I’m looking forward to becoming a two-time world champion.”
Molina (30-8, 24 KOs) is coming off a close unanimous decision loss to Omar Figueroa Jr. in February. A tough veteran brawler, Molina, of West Covina, California, has been in the ring with some of the top boxers at lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight. Over his 13-year career he’s been involved in multiple Fight of the Year contenders while picking up victories over Ruslan Provodnikov, Mickey Bey, Hank Lundy and Ivan Redkach.
“It’s going to be another barnburner like every one of my fights,” said Molina. “My opponent is tough and durable, so I know it is going to be another exciting fight for my fans. There’s no surprises at this stage of the game for me. This is going to be a huge night from top to bottom and I can’t wait.”
Nery (29-0, 23 KOs) is a power puncher and has stopped his last 10 opponents and 14 of his last 15. He scored a TKO victory over Shinsuke Yamanaka for the world bantamweight title in 2018. The 24-year-old southpaw from Tijuana, Mexico is coming off a dominant stoppage victory over McJoe Arroyo on the March PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View.
“I am thrilled to be back on a PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event and to be fighting on a card with my friend, Senator Manny Pacquiao,” said Nery. “To fight in Las Vegas has been a dream of mine since I turned professional. All the great Mexican fighters have fought in the fight capital of the world. My fight against Juan Carlos Payano is the last step to me getting my shot at the WBC championship and getting my belt back. Viva Mexico!”
Payano (21-2, 9 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision victory over then-unbeaten Damien Vazquez in October on FS1. It was a bounce back victory from his loss to Naoya Inoue in a world title match last October. The only other loss in the career of the 35-year-old from La Vega, Dominican Republic came in another world title match, when he dropped a majority decision to Rau’shee Warren in 2016, after previously beating Warren for the title in 2015.
“Manny Pacquiao has been my favorite fighter since I’ve been a pro and I’m very excited to be fighting on this pay-per-view,” said Payano. “I even nicknamed myself ‘Baby Pacquiao,’ so this is a special honor. Fighting Luis Nery is also a great opportunity for me. Luis is a very hungry, strong fighter looking to regain his championship status. Unfortunately, he is not going to do that with me. I’m sure he will be ready and come for war, and so will I.”
