Tag Archives: boxing

GYM returns for first time since 2019 with “the homecoming: rivas vs. louis 2”

March 15, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

MONTREAL (March 9, 2021) – Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) will organize its first event in 16 months – “The Homecoming: Rivas vs. Louis 2” — Tuesday night, March 16 at Hotel Plaza Quebec in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

“The Homecoming,” presented in co-promotion with New Era Fighting & Promotion and in collaboration of Lee Baxter Promotions is headlined by a rematch featuring Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (26-1, 18 KOs) and Sylvera “Sly” Louis (8-5, 4 KOs) in the 8-round main event. Rivas defeated Louis by 4-round majority decision back in 2012.

A representative of his native Colombia at the 2008 Olympics, Rivas is coming off a controversial loss July 20, 2019, by way of a 12-round decision to Dillian Whyte (25-1) in the United Kingdom for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Interim heavyweight title.

A maximum of 120 fans for a total of 250 peoples will be allowed to attend “The Homecoming.” Boxers and trainers had to have quarantined for 14 days prior to the event, and they must carefully check any Covid potential symptoms during 10 days after the fights.

Rivas is rated No. 1 in the WBC’s new weight class, Bridgerweight (200 to 224 lbs.), and he and Louis will participate in the Bridgerweight’s inaugural fight.

“It was not easy to put all the parts in place, to have our sanitary protocol accepted and to obtain all the required authorizations while Quebec City was in the worst of the Covid pandemic time and declared a red zone,” GYM president Yvon Michel said. “It has been tireless teamwork for several months and full collaboration from the participants. It is an expensive but important adventure for the relaunch of our activities and the restarting of the careers of our boxers. This gala will allow several boxers to regain hope and WBC # 1 aspirant Oscar Rivas to restart the machine for whom we have very ambitious plans this year.”

“The Homecoming” will be streamed live by FITE worldwide on the FITE mobile apps, all major OTT apps and website (www.FITE.tv), starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, for $29.99 USD (available in English or French). It will also be available in Canada via Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV and YOOP.

In the co-featured event, Canadian favorite Sebastian Bouchard (18-2, 8 KOs) takes on welterweight Mario Perez (20-7-5, 12 KOs) in a 6-tound bout. It will be the first fight for Bouchard since he was injured in the ring in November 2019.

Former NBA and NABO middleweight champion Patrice Volny (25-1, 18 KOs) squares off against former Canada middleweight titlist Janko Trotter (10-5-2) in a super middleweight clash of Canadians. This is a very important fight for IBF #6 ranked Volny who has been appointed to box Polish Patrick Wojcicki, IBF #3, for the mandatory position to challenge world champion Gennady Golovkin in May.

Former Canadian amateur champion and member of the Canadian National Team, Alexis Barrière, will make is long awaited pro debut when he meets Colin Sangster (2-0, 2 KOs) in a 4-round fight between Canadian heavyweight prospects.

There matches showcasing cruiserweights are also on tap on the undercard: Popular Yan “Wild Thing” Pellerin (10-1, 4 KOs) vs. Marco Parente (1-4-3) in a 6-rounder, plus a pair of 4-round fights betweenFrancis Charbonneau (2-1, 2 KOs) vs. Alexandre Roberge (1-0, 0 KOs), and Alexander Beaule (1-0l 1 KO) vs. Nick “Big Mac” Naccarato (0-0-1).

Card subject to change.

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  @groupeyvonmichel
  @yvonmichelGYM

#GroupeYM
#RivasLouis2

ABOUT THE YVON MICHEL GROUP (GYM): Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) was founded in 2004 by Yvon Michel and his associates. The organization’s mission is the development of high-level boxers through support in management and especially by management in competition. In order to achieve its objectives, GYM is active in talent recruitment and event organization, having developed major partnerships with Gestev, Videotron, TVA Sports, Mise-O-Jeu, Loto-Québec, Montreal Casinos and Lac Leamy, RNC Media and 91.9 Sports, & CO, Bel Printing & Lapointe Dental Center, Rival in addition to cooperating closely with Rixa Promotions. The entire GYM team is actively working with the Yvon Michel Foundation to help fight breast cancer. GYM President Yvon Michel was inducted into the Boxing Canada Hall of Fame in April 2017. GYM has contributed to the development of many world champions, including Marie-Ève Dicaire (IBF), Adonis Stevenson (WBC), Eleider Alvarez (WBO) and Artur Beterbiev (IBF), Jean Pascal (WBC) and Joachim Alcine (WBA), the most ever by a Canadian promoter in history.

boxing, FITETV, mixed martial arts

Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta To Host Triller Fight Club’s 2021 Kickoff Event on April 17, the PPV Boxing Card Headlined by Jake Paul and Ben Askren

March 15, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

iNDemand is Exclusive North American Cable, Satellite & Telco Pay-Per-View Distributor; FITE to Handle Live Global Digital Streaming and Power TrillerFightClub.com

Atlanta and Los Angeles, March 8, 2021 – Triller Fight Club today announced that Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, will be the home for TFC’s inaugural event of 2021, the April 17 boxing Pay-Per-View card headlined by Jake Paul and Ben Askren. This will be the first-ever fighting event at one of the most dynamic venues in the world, which was the home of Super Bowl LIII.

iNDemand, the leading transactional video-on-demand and PPV programming provider in North America, will serve as the exclusive U.S. and Canadian cable, satellite, and telco PPV provider for the event. Fans will be able to order the event on PPV through their existing cable, satellite and telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, DirecTV, AT&T TV, Dish, Fios, and Optimum (U.S.), as well as Rogers, Bell, Shaw, Videotron, and Sasktel (Canada). FITE, the premier PPV digital platform will handle worldwide live pay-per-view streaming distribution online, and via FITE mobile and Smart TV apps, game controllers and all major OTT devices as well as power TrillerFightClub.com.

The suggested PPV retail price for the event is $49.99 (U.S. & Canada). Fans outside North America can check the FITE link at https://www.fite.tv/watch/jake-paul-vs-ben-askren/2p8y0/ for international pricing.

The four-hour show, which will kick off at 8pm ET with the live PPV main card starting at 9pm ET, will also feature an exciting undercard of fights that will be announced shortly. Triller Fight Club is a partnership between Triller and Snoop Dogg and is spearheaded by Ryan Kavanaugh.

“Our vision of big fights, big entertainment and world class events can only fit into a world class venue, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium fits that vision,” said Kavanaugh. “April 17th will have an element of surprise and action for everyone, from music fans to the casual and diehard fight fan. The way we will present the night in this state-of-the-art venue will continue to redefine consumer engagement for a global consumer, with world class partners like iNDemand and FITE joining us not just for this event, but for the others we will have in 2021 and beyond.”

“Mercedes-Benz Stadium will continue to be the place where sports and entertainment’s biggest events are held, and we welcome Triller Fight Club for this special event,” said Tim Zulawski, Chief Revenue Officer for AMB Sports and Entertainment. “We look forward to showcasing our stadium to the global audience that Ryan and his team are building, and are proud to be a part of this historic night of boxing and entertainment.”

Mercedes-Benz Stadium serves as the home stadium of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta United of Major League Soccer (MLS). One of the most acclaimed venues in the world, the Stadium has hosted the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2018, MLS All-Star Game and some of the biggest music and entertainment events in addition to its NFL and MLS tenants. There will be no public sale of tickets for the event. A very limited number of fans and guests will be selected to join in the live event, with details to be announced in the coming weeks, and everything will be subject to stringent local, state and federal protocols due to COVID 19.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Triller again after the incredible success of our Tyson vs. Jones Jr. PPV event last November—it was one of the best-selling PPV events of all time,” said Mark Boccardi, iNDemand’s SVP, Programming & Marketing. “2021 is going to be a great year for the Pay-Per-View event category, and we know that Jake Paul and Ben Askren will put on an exciting main event on April 17th.”

“Triller Fight Club has already reinvented the fight sport presentation genre, and we are excited to be a part of bringing this event to a global audience,” said Michael Weber, COO of FITE. “Triller and FITE are the perfect pair to deliver a flawless, no-filler fan experience worthy of this moment.”

The April 17th card will be Triller Fight Club’s first in a series of 2021 special events, following the debut record setting Tyson vs. Jones Jr. PPV fight in 2020, which shattered all digital fight PPV records and became the eighth most successful fight PPV in history. This event will feature Jake Paul taking on former Bellator and ONE Championship champion Ben Askren in the headline matchup of the night. Paul, whose boxing debut against former professional athlete Nate Robinson set all kinds of records for fan engagement, will face Askren, who transitions to boxing after an MMA record of nineteen wins and two losses, six knockouts and six submissions. Askren made his professional MMA debut in 2009 against Josh Flowers where he won by TKO in the first round. As a former Bellator Champion, ONE Championship Champion, PAN American Champion in freestyle wrestling, two-time NCAA wrestling champion for Missouri and two-time winner of The Dan Hodge Trophy, Askren joins Triller’s Fight Club with a significant amount of experience in the ring.

In addition to being a co-owner, Snoop also provides strategic counsel to Triller Fight Club, helping to select fighters and musical acts for the show-stopping events. An entertainment expert who has successfully maneuvered through a range of projects in a variety of different fields, Snoop secured his spot as a fan favorite during Triller’s first sporting event, Tyson vs. Jones.

**HOW TO WATCH THE APRIL 17, 2021, TRILLER FIGHT CLUB PPV EVENT**

TV: Cable, satellite & telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, DirecTV, AT&T TV, Dish, Fios, and Optimum (U.S.), as well as Rogers, Bell, Shaw, Videotron, and Sasktel (Canada).

Worldwide Streaming: FITE.TV and all FITE mobile, Smart TV, game controller and OTT apps as well as the event microsite hub: TrillerFightClub.

boxing, Olympics, USA Boxing

Syracuse’s Amir Anderson Goes from underdog to top dog

March 15, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

2020 USA National Boxing Championships

Mar. 25-Apr. 4, in Shreveport, Louisiana

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 8, 2021) – In the 2019 USA National Boxing Championships, Amir Anderson was a relatively unknown competitor from Syracuse (N.Y.), but this year he believes he’s one of the “top dogs” in the 165-pound decision.

Anderson will be competing in the youth division at the 2020 USA Boxing National Championships, postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic from last December to March 25 April 3, in Shreveport, La.

Anderson’s goal at these championships is simple: he wants to win to lock down a slot on the USA Boxing Youth Team, which will give him a leg up in terms of qualifying for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

“The winner in each weight class qualifies for the USA Boxing Youth Team,” he explained. “Runner-ups are alternates and can make the team if the winner can’t for whatever reason. I want to win!

“Last time I had nothing to lose at Nationals. Now, I have everything to lose. I do my research and breakdown other fighters in my weight class. I’ll be more focused this time because I was an underdog then and now, I’m the top dog in my division.”

The 17-year-old Anderson has already tasted success, capturing top honors at the 2019 Junior Open and 2019 Eastern Regional Open, in addition to finishing in the runner-up position at the 2018 & 2019 National Junior Olympics.

Still a high school senior, Amir describes himself as an all-around boxer with a unique style in which he can box or bang, hit the angles and throw a lot of punches.

Like every amateur boxer, last year was a tremendous challenge to train, due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. “I trained six hours a day in my basement to get in really good workouts,” Anderson said. “And I ran my miles, too. When my gym opened-up last July 2^nd, it was limited so I had to still workout in my basement. It was hard to stay focused, but I knew how.

“I really planned to win a lot of regional and national tournaments to get national recognition. I wanted to fight in Bulgaria with the junior team, but that was canceled, too. The pandemic was a setback for me, but we’ll see what’s in store for 2021.”

The National Championships is the first trip towards Amir Anderson’s Parisian goal for 2024 at the Olympics.

INFORMATION:

www.usaboxing.org

Twitter: @USABoxing, @USABoxingAlumni

Instagram: @USABoxing

Facebook: /USABoxing

ABOUT USA BOXING: The mission of USA Boxing shall be to enable United States’ athletes and coaches to achieve sustained competitive excellence, develop character, support the sport of boxing, and promote and grow Olympic style boxing in the United States. The responsibility of USA Boxing is not only to produce Olympic gold, but also oversee and govern every aspect of amateur boxing in the United States.

boxing, ShoBox, Showtime, Showtime Boxing, women's boxing

CLARESSA SHIELDS DOMINATES MARIE-EVE DICAIRE, MAKES HISTORY AS THE FIRST BOXER TO BE CROWNED UNDISPUTED CHAMP IN A SECOND WEIGHT DIVISION

March 6, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

**UNDEFEATED STAR CITES JUNE IN LAS VEGAS FOR HER MMA DEBUT; CALLS OUT KATIE TAYLOR AND SAVANNAH MARSHALL IN POST-FIGHT INTERVIEW**

(Friday, March 5, 2021 – Flint, MI) Women’s superstar **Claressa Shields** furthered her claim as boxing’s “GWOAT” Friday night and became the unified WBC, WBO, IBF & WBA Super Junior Middleweight World Champion, by scoring a one-sided 10-round unanimous decision over **Marie-Eve Dicaire** of St-Eustache, Quebec, Canada, in the 10-round main event of the historic all-women’s “**SUPERWOMEN: SHIELDS VS. DICAIRE** event at the Dort Financial Center and live on pay-per-view in Shields’ hometown of Flint, Michigan.

Shields (11-0, 2 KOs) also became the first boxer in the four-belt era to become an undisputed world champion in two weight divisions by virtue of her shutout victory (100-90 by all three judges) over now former champion Dicaire (17-1).

Uncharacteristically, the 25-year-old Shields turned counterpuncher early in this fight, to offset Dicaire’s attempts to bounce in and out of range. Relying on her reflexes to punish any attempt at aggression by Dicaire, Shields shut the Canadian down and then turned back to her customary forward aggression later in the bout.

Dicaire landed a quality southpaw left on Shields in round four, possibly her only significant blow of the fight, and Shields simply shook it off to no effect.

I can’t be mad about my performance,” said Shields after the bout. “She just kept elbowing and headbutting me. I tried for the knockout and I almost had it a couple times, but we’ve got two minutes and the ref not breaking it up when she’s holding me and elbowing me. I’m happy but I still wanted the knockout. I just didn’t have enough time. At the end of the day, I am the new undisputed champ at 154 and the first boxer to be undisputed champ twice.”

Shields said she was happy to have accomplished her latest piece of history in front of her family and friends in Flint, even if the pandemic meant a lot fewer fans in attendance.

“With Covid, we couldn’t have a full capacity. There are 300 here and that’s the capacity of the day, so we have a full house. We couldn’t have full capacity, but I know if we could have, we would have had 6000 people in here. I’m happy to have been able to do it here (in Flint). I started boxing here at Berston Fieldhouse at 11 years old. Never in a million years did I think I’d be on pay-per-view and fighting for an undisputed title and be one of the biggest stars in boxing. I just wanted to win an Olympic Gold medal. God has given me two Olympic medals. I have 12 championship belts now. It doesn’t feel real to say undisputed twice.”

When asked about two of her remaining rivals in boxing, fellow superstar Katie Taylor of Ireland and her one-time conqueror in the amateurs, Savannah Marshall of the UK, Shields brimmed with confidence.

“Katie Taylor is not the worry. 147 pounds is. They’d have to pay me a lot to lose my butt and go down to 147. At the end of the day, I’m a woman. I don’t have big breasts, but I got a nice butt, so come with that dough and I’ll be there. At least a million and I’ll be there.

“Savannah Marshall can’t f*** with me. Let’s keep it real. Savannah Marshall, you won a lucky decision when we were kids. Also London was hosting the Olympics. If you want to gloat about beating me 14 points to 8… come on now. And then I went on to become world champion in three different division and she broke. She knows she cannot and will not ever be able to f*** with me. She can come to America. I will go to the UK. We can go to Mexico. We can go anywhere, and I will f*** her up. She knows that. She’s scared of me. Savannah Marshall can get it. Tell Eddie Hearn, he came that whack-ass 250K. Tell him to come with 500K… 750K if he wants me to go to the UK and smoke his girl. Pay me.”

Dicaire continued her graciousness in post-fight questioning and promised not to let the loss dampen her future in the sport.

“I think Claressa did a good job tonight,” said Dicaire. “Tonight, she was the best. Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn. Tonight, I learned. I think this is just going to allow me to grow stronger. I don’t box to protect my record or keep my record at 0 losses. I box to beat champions. Tonight, I had the chance to fight the real champion. She won this time but count on me to go back to the gym and work hard and be world champion again for sure.

Shields, who says her much-publicized MMA debut will likely be in Las Vegas in June, threw 409 punches in the fight and landed 128 including 34.9% of her power punches. Dicaire threw 263 punches in return but landed just 31.

“Flint Michigan got the baddest boxer in the world!” said Shields to her fans. “We two-time undisputed. Pacquiao who? Canelo who? When someone else does what I did let me know.”

In the night’s co-main event, Houston’s undefeated **Danielle Perkins** (3-0, 1 KO) showed marked improvement and had a much easier time in her rematch against Georgia’s **Monika “Lay Em Down” Harrison** (2-2, 1 KO), scoring a dominant eight-round unanimous decision while picking up the WBC Silver Heavyweight Championship in the process.

The former amateur world champion Perkins used every bit of her superior athleticism, 6’ height and 72-inch reach to move around the ring and keep the 5’ 10” Harrison at bay with a punishing southpaw right jab and a steady diet of strong left hands to the head and body. At times, Referee Michael Griffin appeared to be considering a stoppage, but the durable Harrison kept coming forward and swinging for the fences for all eight rounds, despite the firepower coming her way.

The scores were 80-72 from all three judges.

“I apologize for not getting a knockout. I swear next time I’ll come back and give it to you, Flint,” said Perkins, post-fight. “Monika made some adjustments this time. I hit her with some solid hammers and that girl stayed on her feet so kudos to her.”

Perkins threw 353 punches in the fight and landed 121 including 40.9% of her power shots. Harrison threw 273 shots, but only found a home for 21 of them.

“I want to be the undisputed female heavyweight champion of the world,” continued Perkins. “I want to be the best you’ve ever seen.”

Undefeated bantamweight **Jamie “The Miracle” Mitchell** (6-0-2, 43 KOs) of Pacific Grove, California, looked impressive in battering and stopping more-experienced veteran **Noemi “La Rebelde / No-No” Bosques** (12-16-3, 2 KOs) in five one-sided rounds.

With the two-fisted punishment from Mitchell steadily increasing with every passing round, Referee Gerard White decided the stumbling and retreating Bosques had had enough and mercifully waved the fight off at 1:49 of the fifth.

“I was just zoned out. I was doing whatever fit the moment,” said Mitchell, post-fight. “That’s how I got the knockout. Thanks to my coaches and thanks to Claressa Shields for putting me on this card. This is an unforgettable moment for women.”

Prior to scoring the technical knockout, Mitchell landed 48% (80/167) of her power punches, and 40% (94/234) of her total punches. Noemi Bosques only landed 24 of 153 punches.

“I like to pick on myself to do better,” said Mitchell of her performance. “There were certain things I wanted to do, but they don’t call this girl a gatekeeper for nothing. I wish I had gotten her out of there quicker and been crisper with my jab. She was a bit tricky.”

In the opening bout of the broadcast, 2012 Olympic bronze medalist **Marlen Esparza**(9-1, 1 KO) stayed busy ahead of her scheduled challenge of WBC Flyweight Champion Ibeth Zamora in April with a dominant six-round unanimous decision over Canada’sShelly Barnett (now 4-4-2, 2 KO).

Barnett tried to be aggressive, but Esparza’s skills allowed her to pot shot her bigger opponent, nearly at will, especially as the fight wore on. “We knew she was tough and bigger,” said Esparza. “I wanted someone with more weight because I never fight above 112 lbs. and I think I handled it well. I’m happy about the way everything played out. I’m happy to have been part of this event and to be working with Claressa again.”

Esparza threw 352 punches in the fight, landing 126, including 26 body shots and 38.4% of her power shots. Barnett threw 291 and landed 49. The judges’ scores were 60-54, 6-53 x 2.

On the free pre-show portion of the pay-per-view, middleweight Timur Kerefov stayed undefeated (11-0, 6 KOs) with a TKO 3 over Saint Petersburg, Florida veteran Manny Woods (now 16-11-1, 6 KOs). Woods left eye couldn’t hold up under the onslaught of punches from the Russian former amateur star. The time was 1:06. Kerefov, Detroit via Shalushka, Russia and now training at Kronk Gym, threw 190 punches in the abbreviated encounter, landing 80, including 24 body shots. Woods threw 122 and landed just 17.

**SUPERWOMEN: SHIELDS VS. DICAIRE** was presented by **Salita Promotions** in association with **Groupe Yvon Michel**, dedicated to this year’s International Women’s Day (Monday, March 8, 2021) and proudly sponsored by online gambling titansBetonline.net and plant-based online marketplace Vejii.
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boxing, UFC

John Vera stops Cleotis Pendarvis in opening round

March 6, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

RJJ Boxing Official Results

BILOXI, Miss. (March 5, 2021) – Fort Worth (TX) middleweight John “The Phenom” Vera stopped Cleotis Pendarvis in the opening round of last night’s RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS main event at Biloxi Conference Center in Biloxi, Mexico.

RJJ Boxing was streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS^®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.

Vera vs. Pendarvis suddenly and surprisingly ended midway through the opening round, when Pendarvis (21-8-2, 9 KOs), a former USBA champion, stopped throwing punches and went to his knees. He was counted out with what is believed to be a hand injury.

“Well,” Vera (20-1, 12 KOs) said after the fight, “the way my fight ended was anticlimactic. I was feeling really good and calm in there. I was just finding my range, establishing my jab and calculating. He threw a jab to the body and I blocked it with my elbow. I felt his knuckle hit my elbow. Sucked ut ended that way, but what can you do?”

Vera has now won his last two fight since suffering his only loss as a professional back in 2018, when he traveled to France as a world rated fighter to take on Michel Soro (31-2-1) for the WBA Interim junior middleweight title, in which Vera lost a 12-round unanimous decision.

In Vera’s previous fight this past in August, “The Phenom” won a 6-round unanimous decision in Las Vegas over Ravshan Hudaynazarov (17-2), a former world-rated fighter from Uzbekistan.

“I would like to get in the ring as soon as possible,” Vera added. “I wanted rounds, so it’s time to get right back in there. I’m unscathed and in shape.”

In the co-featured event, ABF West super lightweight champion Christon Edwards (12-2, 6 KOs) won a 6-round unanimous decision from Texas welterweight Jonathan Steele (9-7-1, 6 KOs) in a non-title fight.

Eridson Garcia (11-0, 7 KOs), of Houston by way of the Dominican Republic, won a split decision against Jose Miguel Diaz Valenzuela (6-1, 1 KO), of Phoenix, in a battle of undefeated super featherweights. Scoring, though, was odd as Garcia won 60-54 and 59-55, but the third judge scored it a draw, 57-57.

Tennessee super lightweight Tyler “Short Fuse” Tomlin remained undefeated, improving to 10-0 (6 KOs) with a quick stoppage of overmatched Venezuelan veteran Ricardo Ocampo (12-11, 7 KOs), who was knocked out at the 53-seconds mark of round one.

Official results below:

OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAIN EVENT – WELTERWEIGHTS

John Vera (20-1, 12 KOs), Fort Worth, Texas

WKO1 (1:38)

Cleotis Pendarvis (21-8-2, 9 KOs), Lancaster, California

CO-FEATURE – WELTERWEIGHTS

Christon Edwards (12-2, 6 KOs), Houston, Texas

WDEC6 (59-55, 58-56, 58-56)

Jonathan Steele (9-7-1, 6 KOs), Duncanville, Texas

SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS

Eridson Garcia (11-0, 7 KOs), Houston, Texas

WDEC6 (60-54, 59-55, 57-57)

Jose Miguel Diaz Valenzuala (6-1, 1 KO), Phoenix, Arizona

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS

Tyler Tomlin (10-0, 6 KOs), Ashland, Tennessee

WTKO1 (0:55)

Ricardo Ocampo (12-11, 7 KOs), Curuzu Cuatia, Valenzuela

INFORMATION:

Websites: http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com, www.ufcfightpass.com

Facebook: /UFCFightPass, /KeithVeltre

Twitter: @UFCFightPass, @Keith_Veltre, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial

Instagram: @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

boxing

BRANDON ADAMS SCORES SENSATIONAL UPSET, STOPS UNDEFEATED SERHII BOHACHUK IN THURSDAY’S RING CITY USA MAIN EVENT

March 6, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

Bryan Chevalier Scores Impressive Third-Round Knockout in Co-Main Event,

Danielito Zorrilla Earns Technical Decision in Telecast Opener

Credit: Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos/Ring City USA

Click Here for Photos from Tonight’s Ring City Event

Click Here to Watch Adams TKO Victory

San Juan, PUERTO RICO – March 4, 2021 – Former world title challenger Brandon Adams scored the biggest win of his career with a stunning eighth-round technical knockout to upset blue-chip rising star Serhii Bohachuk in the main event of Ring City USA’s inaugural 2021 event from Felix Pagan Pintor Gym in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, and live on NBC Sports Network.

Despite flashing athleticism and quick hands throughout the fight, Adams (23-3, 15 KOs) was down on all three scorecards (68-64 x2, 69-63) at the time of the stoppage. The 31-year-old lost all three rounds heading into the eighth frame when he unleashed a perfectly placed counterpunch that hurt Bohachuk which set up the opportunity to land a sensational left hook that sent Bohachuk to the canvas for the first time in his professional career.

“He was a tough guy,” said Adams. “He brought another side out of me that I knew was inside. I had to dig in deep tonight and use all the strength that I had to connect with one of those punches from the cannon.”

Adams, who hails from Watts, California, is the first fighter to return to the Ring City USA series on NBC Sports Network since its inception in November 2020. In two outings on the Thursday night boxing series, he has scored two emphatic knockouts in main event performances. Adams’ matchup with Bohachuck was originally scheduled for December but his opponent was forced to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19. Adams went on to stop Sonny Duversonne in the second round of that event at Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles.

“It was real tough fighting in there tonight,” continued Adams. “The ring was wet; the ref was against me tonight. It was an uphill battle. I am an explosive fighter and I couldn’t take advantage of that because I didn’t have my legs under me because the ring was wet. But even though I was irritated, the show must go on. I am a pro. I have to figure out how to get the W and that’s what I had to do. I am grateful for the win. I loved Puerto Rico, everyone out here embraced me with love.”

Bohachuk, who is originally from Vinitza, Ukraine, and now resides in Los Angeles, entered the fight with a pristine professional record, highlighted by his 100% knockout percentage through 18 fights. The 25-year-old dropped the first round on all three score cards but went on to control the pace against the veteran Adams for most of the fight by cutting off the ring and exhibiting steady body work.

“I thought he was dominating the fight,” said Bohachuk’s head trainer Manny Robles. “I told him to watch out for that left hook. I told him if he took away that left hook then he would control the fight. It takes a couple of rounds for Serhii to get warmed up, but he looked good and his defense was actually really improving until that knockout.”

In the co-main event of the evening, super featherweight prospect Bryan Chevalier (15-1-1, 12 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, scored an impressive third-round knockout against Carlos Zambrano (26-2, 11 KOs). Chevalier, 26, returned to the ring following a 15-month layoff yet showed no signs of ring rust as he scored a quick knockdown in the first round. In the third round, he scored back-to-back knockdowns, highlighted by a thudding left hand to the midsection that sent Peru’s Zambrano to the canvas and unable to beat the count.

“I had the height and youth advantage tonight, but he had the experience,” said Chevalier. “I had to figure out what he was going to bring and adapt in order to get the victory. I am very happy with my performance. I am the best 126-pounder in all of Puerto Rico.”

Opening the telecast on NBC Sports Network, Puerto Rico’s Danielito Zorrilla (15-0, 11 KOs) and Kazakhstan’s Ruslan Madiyev (13-2, 5 KOs) engaged in an exciting back-and-forth battle. The 28-year-old Madiyev brought the fight to Zorilla with relentless pressure while the tactical Zorilla countered well. In the fifth round, Madiyev was docked a point for a punch behind the head and at 1:16 of the eighth round, referee Janny Gomez called a halt to the bout due to another punch behind the head, which was deemed an accidental foul. The 27-year-old Zorrilla earned a technical decision victory as two of the scorecards favored the Puerto Rican (77-75, 77-74) while the third was tallied in favor of Madiyev (76-73). Ring City’s unofficial scorer Steve Smoger saw the fight 76-75 in favor of Zorrilla.

“Ruslan was just getting his groove,” said head trainer Joel Diaz after the fight. “He was getting stronger after the fifth round and Zorrilla was getting tired. He kept hugging Ruslan during most of the fight. Personally, I think Zorrilla wanted out of the fight.”

Madiyev exited the ring quickly upon the decision being announced but Diaz voiced his opinion about the end of the bout.

“He wasn’t hurt, he’s a good actor,” continued Diaz. “Zorrilla should be a telenovela actor. We were winning that fight, and this isn’t fair for my fighter because he put in the work. But what can you do? We gotta keep moving forward.”

Danielito Zorrilla is currently in stable condition and was taken to the hospital following the bout to receive routine tests.

Earlier in the evening, live in the U.S. and around the world on Twitch, Ring City USA presented three four-round fights. In the main event of the Twitch undercard, Fernando Vargas, Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) earned his second professional win in impressive fashion, scoring a first-round technical knockout against El Salvador’s Salome Flores Torres (0-3). The 24-year-old Vargas, Jr., under the tutelage of his father – two-time super welterweight world champion Fernando Vargas, Sr., sent Torres to the canvas twice before the fight was waved off.

“With every fight, I will continue to grow and listen to my father,” said Vargas, Jr. “This was just my second pro fight. We were looking for the knockout, but the TKO is OK. I was establishing my jab to get my distance and then unleashed my left hand.”

In his hometown of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Harold Laguna (2-0, 2 KO) worked the body early and often en route to a first-round knockout victory over Darwin Alvarez (0-1). In the first fight of the evening, Puerto Rican prospect Jorge Diaz (1-0, 1 KO) picked up his first professional victory against Felipe Munoz (0-1) via second-round knockout.

Calling all the action ringside in Puerto Rico was former two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter joined by NBC Sports blow-by-blow commentator Bob Papa. Brian Campbell served as fight night analyst with Curran Bhatia reporting from ringside. The executive producers of tonight’s presentation of Bohachuk vs. Adams on NBC Sports Network were Eric Weinberger, Jeff Huggins & Frank Samuel. The telecast was produced by David Gibson and directed by Matt Celli.

Tonight’s full three-fight telecast will be available to watch on-demand on the NBC Sports App with authenticated sign-in.

Ring City USA returns to NBC Sports Network on March 18 with back-to-back weeks of Thursday night boxing from Puerto Rico. In two weeks, the next chapter in the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico ring rivalry will take center stage when former super featherweight world titlist Alberto Machado (22-2, 18 KOs) faces undefeated rising prospect Hector Tanajara (19-0, 5 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight main event. On March 25, Ring City will highlight one of the biggest fights in women’s boxing between seven-division world champion and future Boxing Hall of Famer Amanda Serrano and current two-division titlist Daniela Bermudez for Serrano’s WBO and WBC featherweight world titles.

Follow Ring City USA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates or visit www.ringcityusa.com for more information.

About Ring City USA

Ring City, which launched in 2020, is boxing’s newest sports media platform. Working in tandem with a variety of promoters and talent, its new boxing series places an emphasis on competitive matchups that genuinely test the fighters and excite the fight fans. Ring City provides great fights in the ring and compelling shoulder programming outside of the ring. Ring City is the proving ground where up-and-coming talent can earn their stripes and launch themselves into the upper echelon of boxing stardom.

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boxing

Jimmy Williams finally gets his “world title fight”

March 6, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

BOSTON (March 2, 2021) – New Haven (CT) super welterweight boxer Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams will finally get what he calls “his world title fight” tonight against former world champion Yuri Foreman in an 8-round bout for the vacant American Boxing Federation USA super welterweight championship, at the Kentucky Center for African Americans in Louisville, Kentucky.

Foreman (35-3, 10 KOs), fighting out of Brooklyn, captured the World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight World title in 2009, when he won a unanimous 12-round decision versus defending champion Daniel Santos (32-3-1).

“We sparred back when I was a kid when I trained at the Joe Grier Boxing Academy in Patterson, New Jersey,” Williams explained. “Joe was the one who gave me my nickname, ‘Quiet Storm.’ Yuri is a true world champion. I basically have come from nowhere to share the ring with a world champion. What we’re doing is what boxing is all about. It’s not about age; he’s 40 and I’m 34. Age doesn’t mean anything. I’m not a top dog, which is probably why they offered me the fight, but I’m a real fighter who will be in with a world champ. This is my world title fight! Win, lose, or draw, I’ll be fighting a world champion. I’m not scared of anybody. It’s not about money, it’s who I am, and I always step up to the challenge. This is going to be a great fight.”

Williams (16-5-2, 5 KOs) is proud to be one of the rare football players who has succeeded in boxing. He was a standout cornerback at Southern Connecticut State University and invited to several NFL tryout camps. He came close to making the cut with the then-Oakland Raiders.

“I’ve always been a boxer at heart,” Williams said, “so football was easy for me. It was great getting calls from NFL scouts. I walked away from football for boxing. I’m a former Division 2 college football player fighting a world champion. I knew when it was time to leave football, but I’m not ready to leave boxing yet. I don’t need to box. I’m educated, work in the community, and I’m a father. I’m blessed to be boxing and I’ll know when it’s time to hang up my gloves.”

Williams didn’t box until after his mother, Belinda, was murdered in 2008 and her case remains unsolved. He lost his father to cancer.

“This fight for Jimmy is by far the biggest of his career,” Williams manager Ryan Roach (Fighter Locker) remarked. “It’s a must win to get him back on track. He knows what he has to do. He made a move to Veloz Boxing in Rhode Island and he’s a different fighter from what he was in his last two fights. Just being around ‘Boo Boo’ (world champion Demetrious Andrade) and those guys there has Jimmy where he needs to be for this fight.”

Williams has been promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES) since he turned pro in 2013.

“We have a close relationship,” Burchfield commented. “I turned him pro, got him on national television a few times, and even attended his wedding. I’m very proud of him. He’s been tremendously loyal to CES as we have to him. This is a great opportunity. He didn’t hesitate a minute to take this fight. He has a new trainer, Brian Johnson, and Jimmy has been driving bad and forth from New Haven to Providence to train. I think he’s in the top shape of his life, because he knows the importance of this fight. He deserves to have this opportunity.

Something special about his fight tonight against Foreman for Williams, an African American, is fighting at this venue (Kentucky Center for African Americans) in the hometown of his hero,Muhammad Ali.

“I’m paying homage to all people who’ve lived my dream,” Williams remarked. “It is what I represent. We’ve lost a lot of people in the last year. Fighting in Louisville is big for me because it’s the home of ‘The Greatest,’ Muhammad Ali. I look at Ali more for his character and what he stood for than his boxing. He stood for something and lost the prime of his career because of it. I try to be like him in terms of who I am. He gave me the confidence be who I want to be in life. I’ve read every book about him. I refuse to give up like Ali. I’m a throwback fighter.”

Fighter Locker’s growing stable of gifted boxers includes California super flyweight Rocco “So Cal Kid” Santomauro (20-1, 6 KOs), Troy, NY ABF American West super lightweight Ray Jay “The Destroyer” Bermudez (12-0, 9 KOs), super middleweight “The Amazing” Shawn McCalman (6-0, 4 KOs), U.S. Army super bantamweight Daniel Bailey, Jr. (2-0, 1 KO), lightweight Leonel de los Santos (2-0, 2 KOs), a 2-time Dominican Republic Olympian, pro-debuting Boston featherweight Troy Anderson, Jr., pro-debuting Dominican Republic welterweight Juan Solano, and Salt Lake City, Utah brothers, super lightweightIgnacio Chairez (7-0-1, 4 KOs) and lightweight Gabriel Chairez (3-0, 2 KOs).

INFORMATION:

WEBSITE: fighterlocker.com, punch4parkinsons.com

FACEBOOK: /fighterlocker

TWITTER: @RoachRyan

INSTAGRAM: @RyanRoach82

ABOUT FIGHTER LOCKER: Established in 2019, Fighter Locker is a comprehensive sports agency that manages professional boxers. Fighter Locker also helps to brand boxers by finding their voice with a 100-percent customized service. Fighter Locker does not really believe in working models. It believes in partnership optimization models in motion.

Fighter Locker uses four creative steps because it believes in “the foundation is everything”: 1. wisely conceived, 2. creatively restrained, 3. Proudly judged, 4. sharply targeted.

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boxing

Oscar De La Hoya’s strong support primary reason Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez signed with Golden Boy

March 2, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

LAS VEGAS (March 1, 2021) – Undefeated world light heavyweight contender and former world super middleweight champion, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (41-0, 27 KOs), recently signed an exclusive promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions, primarily because of the strong support he will receive from Oscar De Lay Hoya and his team.

“Ultimately,” the 29-year-old Ramirez explained, “Golden Boy understood the goals and agendas I set for myself and I felt the strong support from Oscar and his team. It’s a multi-fight deal with potential for something longer pending this first experience. From all the conversations my team and I have had with Golden Boy, I felt comfortable with them and the future opportunities that will arise from our relationship.

“Oscar is a great guy and it’s been nothing but a pleasure dealing with him and his team. As my relationship with Golden Boy continues to grow, I’m sure we (Oscar) will become closer. He’s a champion and one of the greatest to ever lace up the gloves. I look forward to working to him closely.”

Ramirez’ goal is to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion world, something he will have a better shot of accomplishing with Golden Boy in his corner.

“(WBA Super light heavyweight World champion Dmitry) Bivol (17-0, 11 KOs) is someone who has always been on the radar and I have full faith in (Golden Boy matchmaker) Robert Diaz to put together the best fights for me,” Ramirez added. “Unification has always been the goal. I know I’m the best in the division and hope to make this happens for the history books in the near future.”

This past December, Ramirez launched his own promotional company, Zurdo Promotions, which will remain active.

“Zurdo Promotions will continue and stay active,” Ramirez said. “Going forward, all my fights with Golden Boy will be in association with Zurdo Promotions. I will host fights in Mexico to be a bridge between Latin America and the United States. There’s tremendous talent in that region and I hope to use my platform to help and support the underserved fighters in Mexico.”

Ramirez, who is tentatively slated to return to the ring in May, is currently ranked No. 1 by the WBC, as well as No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, by the WBA and WBO.

INFORMATION:

Website: www.ZurdoPromotions.com

Instagram: @zurdoramirez, @zurdopromotions

Twitter: @ZurdoPromotions, @GilbertoZurdoRamirez

About Zurdo Promotions: Zurdo Promotions is the premier combat sports/event promoter with HQ in the United States and Mexico. Led by the undefeated World Champion, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. Zurdo Promotions strives to be the best in all areas to set the new standard in boxing. Visit us at www.ZurdoPromotions.com.

boxing, ShoBox, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

RISING SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT PROSPECT BRANDUN LEE FACES SAMUEL TEAH ON THE NEXT EDITION OF SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION® WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

March 2, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

ShoBox Continues Celebrating 20^th Anniversary Year With Telecast Featuring Eight Prospects With Total Record of 102-4-2

NEW YORK – March 1, 2021 – One of boxing’s fastest-rising prospects Brandun Lee will return to the “Fight Sphere” at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., for the third time when he takes on Samuel Teah Wednesday, March 10 live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT in the super lightweight main event of a ShoBox: The New Generation telecast.

Lee vs. Teah headlines a four-fight card featuring eight promising prospects with a combined record of 102-4-2.

The 21-year-old knockout artist Lee (21-0, 19 KOs) of La Quinta, Calif., will look to extend his impressive KO streak to 13 when he faces ShoBox veteran Samuel Teah (17-3-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight bout. The co-main event will see undefeated super featherweight prospect Misael Lopez (11-0, 5 KOs) battle once-beaten Jordan White (10-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-round bout and two tough undefeated prospects will clash in the second fight of the night as Philadelphia’s Steven Ortiz (11-0, 3 KOs) faces Jeremy Hill (14-0, 9 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout. In the telecast opener, 22-year-old power-punching prospect Victor Padilla (8-0, 7 KOs) makes his ShoBox debut against another unbeaten Philadelphia native, Thomas Velasquez (10-0-1, 6 KOs), in an eight-round super featherweight contest.

The four-fight telecast is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and D&D Boxing.

“Our March 10 ShoBox event, from top to bottom, perfectly represents the philosophy that the series has set forth to accomplish during our 20 years in boxing,” said Gordon Hall, executive producer for ShoBox: The New Generation. “The full spectrum of prospects will be on display in this event from coming-of-age newcomers to a fighter at the doorstep of a world championship fight. In the opening bout we have a three-time amateur National Champion in Victor Padilla, who is in the infancy of his promising professional career at 8-0, making his ShoBox debut, while atop the bill is Brandun Lee, one of the most promising prospects in boxing, taking on his toughest challenge against a ShoBox veteran Samuel Teah. ShoBox is the ultimate proving ground for prospects and we will learn a lot about all of these fighters March 10 on SHOWTIME.”

“All eight fighters competing on March 10 at Mohegan Sun will be tested, and that is exactly what the ShoBox series is all about. I’m proud to promote such an evenly matched event from top to bottom,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Puerto Rican lightweight Victor Padilla is a knockout artist with blazing fast hands and he’ll be facing unbeaten Philadelphian Thomas Velasquez. Junior lightweight Misael Lopez returns to ShoBox following his series debut, an upset over touted favorite James Wilkins, now taking on heavy-hitter Jordan White. Philadelphia lightweight Steven Ortiz also returns to the series, after debuting with a win against unbeaten Wesley Ferrer, competing against undefeated New Orleans prospect Jeremy Hill. In the main event, towering power-puncher Brandun Lee squares off against crafty veteran Samuel Teah, in his biggest test to date.”

Lee vs. Teah – 10-Round Super Lightweight Main Event Bout

The highly regarded Lee made quick work of the previous two opponents he faced at Mohegan Sun Arena in 2020, scoring a highlight-reel first-round KO of Jimmy Williams on ShoBox in October and a third-round stoppage of Dakota Linger in December. Lee has knocked out all but two of his professional opponents and owns 12 first-round knockouts. Trained by his father Bobby, Lee fought four times in 2020, including a third-round TKO over Camilo Prieto in one of the final live sporting events to take place before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the sports world for several months in March.

Lee had a decorated amateur career with an estimated record of 196-5. He was the 2015 U.S. Junior National Champion, taking home the gold medal at 145 pounds. With lightning quick hands that pack power, the exciting Lee has sparred with the likes of Mikey Garcia, Devin Haney, Mauricio Herrera, Timothy Bradley Jr., and Thomas Dulorme.

“I’ve just been training in La Quinta, staying safe and healthy and focusing on what I need to do in order to have another impressive performance,” said Lee. “I see that Teah is a good inside puncher and he has good speed. He’s a volume puncher but other than that, I don’t see much that I shouldn’t be able to handle. I’m super excited to be returning to ShoBox in the main event so that my fans can see me live on TV, because the fans want to see knockouts so that’s what I’m going to give them.”

Teah, born in Liberia and fighting out of Philadelphia, has had mixed luck on ShoBox. A three-fight veteran of the developmental series, Teah scored a unanimous decision over then-undefeated O’Shaquie Foster in 2015 but dropped a majority decision to Montana Love in 2018. Most recently on ShoBox, Teah scored a unanimous decision over Kenneth Sims Jr. in November 2018. The 33-year-old Teah, who did not start boxing until the age of 19, also owns an impressive win over Sonny Fredrickson and beat Dieumerci Nzau his last time out in March 2020.

“I don’t mind being the underdog and it won’t be the first time for me,” Teah said. “I have ShoBox wins against O’Shaquie Foster and Kenneth Sims, Jr., and I always seem to perform better when the lights and cameras are focused on me. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Lopez vs. White – Eight-Round Super Featherweight Bout

Born in Sonora, Mexico, and raised in Denver, Colo., Lopez had a successful amateur career before turning professional in 2016. He compiled an amateur record of 50-5, winning gold at the 2010 Colorado State Silver Gloves Tournament and the Colorado State Golden Gloves Tournament in 2009 and 2015. Lopez’s career-best pro win came on ShoBox in September 2018 when he outboxed the power-punching James Wilkins in a step-up fight. Trained by his father Evenezer, Lopez has added two wins since then, including a first-round TKO over Richard Flores.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to be back on ShoBox and, this time, with such a strong team behind me,” said the 24-year-old Lopez. “I respect my promoter, Lou DiBella, a lot and have no doubt that he can put me in the position to become a champion. I’m ready for the challenge and can’t wait for March 10.”

The Washington, D.C. native White was a former No. 1-ranked amateur, amassing a 145-16 record. He was teammates with future world champions Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson on the Junior National travel squad, competing in the Junior World Championships in Kiev, Ukraine in 2013. White turned professional at 18, winning his first four bouts, three by way of knockout, before losing a decision to fellow undefeated foe Adam Lopez. White has since bounced back by winning six fights in a row, including a seventh-round TKO over previously unbeaten prospect Ronaldo Solis. White, 23, is the cousin of 2000 U.S. Olympian Clarence Vinson.

“I am honored for this opportunity to fight on SHOWTIME against the undefeated Misael Lopez,” said White. “I respect his fight game, but I am looking forward to displaying my superior skill set. On March 10, there will be lights, cameras, and plenty of action.”

Ortiz vs. Hill – Eight-Round Lightweight Bout

The 27-year-old Ortiz has developed a cult following in his hometown region, fighting seven times in the greater Philadelphia area. Ortiz rallied off five straight wins in the “City of Brotherly Love” before making his ShoBox debut in September 2018, a majority decision victory over then-unbeaten Wesley Ferrer in Shawnee, Okla. Ortiz picked up two wins in 2019, including a unanimous decision over previously undefeated Philadelphian Jeremy Cuevas, but did not fight in 2020. An accomplished amateur, Ortiz is a five-time Pennsylvania Golden Gloves Champion, a bronze medalist at the National Golden Gloves and a gold medalist at the National Silver Gloves.

“The pandemic was a major setback for me and the careers of many other fighters, of course, but it kept me focused,” said Ortiz. “I stayed in the gym getting ready for when the opportunity came, and here it is. Hill is a tall, awkward fighter, but I am up for the challenge. It doesn’t matter who is in front of me, I am here to fight. This will be my second fight on SHOWTIME and I feel that, this time, I’ll be coming back stronger, both mentally and physically. The audience will see the best of me.”

New Orleans’ Jeremy Hill blends his unique size, accuracy and power in both hands inside the ring with showmanship and charisma outside of it. A successful amateur who rose all the way to the No. 4 ranked U.S. lightweight amateur, Hill won the Male Elite Champion at the Ringside World Championships in 2017 and turned professional in April 2018 after posting a 55-10 record in the unpaid ranks. Hill, 28, is coming off a TKO over Travis Castellon in November but will be facing his first undefeated opponent in Ortiz since beating the 1-0 Lashawn Alcocks in his fourth pro fight. He also owns a unanimous decision over then-once-beaten Xavier Wilson in July, one of Hill’s four wins in 2020.

“I’m excited and thankful for the opportunity,” said Hill. “I’ve been working hard and grinding for a chance like this. I feel like I’m overdue for this type of fight and this kind of exposure, so I’m just ready to show everyone what I can do. I’m about to cut up on national TV.”

Padilla vs. Velasquez – Eight-Round Super Featherweight Bout

Padilla, 22, was born in Vieques, Puerto Rico, and currently lives and fights out of Berlin, N.J. The all-action, power-punching southpaw has stopped all but one of his professional challengers, including six opponents who failed to make it out of the first round. His last time out in January 2020, Padilla needed just 2:46 to stop Israel Suarez-Olmeda. Padilla turned professional in December 2016 after a stellar amateur career that included three National Championships and a record of 90-7. He trains alongside former world champions Tevin Farmer and Jason Sosa under trainer Raul “Chino” Rivas.

“First and foremost, I want to thank God, my family and my team for keeping me positive through these hard times,” said Padilla. “I am very excited for this opportunity to showcase my skills in front of a national audience. I have sacrificed a lot to get to this point in my career. It takes a lot of dedication to the sport and I am confident that it will pay off. It has been 13 long years of working hard to show the world who Victor Padilla is and, on March 10, a new chapter will begin. Thomas Velasquez is a good fighter and this is a good matchup, but may the best man win.”

Velasquez, another Philadelphia native, made his professional debut in 2015 and looked to be rapidly rising through the ranks, winning his first nine fights including five by way of knockout. A draw with Tyrome Jones in September 2017 stalled his career to a near standstill, as he did not fight again until 2020 when he scored a third-round KO over veteran Gustavo Molina in his return bout. The 25-year-old will look to regain the momentum he had earlier in his career with a win over the highly regarded Padilla. As an amateur, Velasquez had a 30-3 record and won the Pennsylvania State Golden Gloves. He is trained by Hamza Muhammad, who also trains the newly crowned WBO Junior Featherweight World Champion Stephen Fulton Jr.

“I could not be happier to have this opportunity to show the world what I can do,” said Velasquez. “It doesn’t matter who is standing in the opposite corner, I fight to provide a better life for my twin daughters. I look forward to putting on a spectacular performance on March 10 and leaving that ring with my unbeaten record intact.”

International Boxing Hall of Famer Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with fellow Hall of Famer and boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

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For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports