All posts by FNU47

EIGHT-DIVISION CHAMPION MANNY PACQUIAO MEETS UNBEATEN CHAMPION KEITH THURMAN IN WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CLASH LIVE ON PAY-PER-VIEW


Saturday, July 20 in the Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View Event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas – (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)

Blockbuster Night Presented by PBC & FOX Sports Features Primetime Show on FOX & FOX Deportes Headlined by Caleb Plant Defending His World Title Preceding Pay-Per-View Telecast

Tickets on Sale Now!

LAS VEGAS (May 21, 2019) – Boxing’s only eight-division world champion, Philippine Senator and regular WBA welterweight champion Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao returns to face undefeated Super WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman in a powerhouse 147-pound showdown live on Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event on Saturday, July 20 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
 
Preceding the pay-per-view is a FOX PBC Fight Night also taking place at MGM Grand that is headlined by undefeated IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant making his first title defense against unbeaten contender Mike Lee.
 
Possessing speed, power and tremendous boxing skills, Thurman represents the most dangerous challenger that the future Hall of Famer Pacquiao has faced in his recent ring appearances. 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.
 
“Senator Pacquiao is thrilled to be back in ‘Viva Las Vegas,’ fighting at the best venue for boxing — the MGM Grand Garden Arena. This is where the Pacquiao vs. Thurman world welterweight championship belongs,” said Sean Gibbons, President of MP Promotions.  “We’re excited to be working with our partners at PBC, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions. Manny is fighting in the biggest fights on a global scale and it doesn’t get any more global than FOX Sports Pay-Per-View. Fans have always enjoyed watching Pacquiao and Thurman compete in the ring and we are confident they will, once again, give boxing fans worldwide everything they’re expecting, and more. God bless Manny and Keith for stepping up to give us this fight!”
 
“We’re looking forward to working with our partners in bringing yet another blockbuster back home to MGM Grand here in Las Vegas,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “This fight is a tremendous opportunity for both guys in terms of where they are in their respective careers. Pacquiao is currently the biggest name in the sport and Thurman is a young skilled undefeated fighter in the prime of his career, making for a compelling matchup. I know both fighters will be ready for the challenge that lies ahead of them come July 20, and I can’t wait to see this one go off.”
 
“This will be a sensational matchup between two great fighters and we’re looking forward to hosting this championship event at MGM Grand in July,” said Richard Sturm, President of Las Vegas Live Entertainment and Sports. “Fans have always enjoyed watching Pacquiao and Thurman compete in the ring and we are confident they will, once again, give boxing fans worldwide everything they’re expecting, and more.”


“FOX Sports is thrilled to present our second Premier Boxing Champions Pay-Per-View featuring one of boxing’s biggest stars, Pacquiao, facing the champion Thurman, who wowed nearly three-million viewers live on FOX in January with his latest title defense,” said Bill Wanger, FOX Sports EVP, Programming, Live Operations and Research. “This promises to be a can’t miss night of boxing with an unprecedented FOX Sports PBC doubleheader, as we open the evening with the FOX PBC Fight Night, headlined by newly crowned champion Plant defending his title against the undefeated Lee. Plant set the FS1 viewership record for a boxing show in January when he won his title, and we’re sure this match up will deliver even bigger audiences leading into the Pacquiao vs. Thurman Pay-Per-View.”
 
A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s reigning Fighter of the Decade, Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs), who hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, is the only sitting Congressman and Senator to win a world title. After serving two terms as Congressman, Pacquiao was elected to a Philippine Senate seat in May 2016, capturing over 16 million votes nationally. Pacquiao’s boxing resume features victories over at least seven current and future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez.
 
In his last match on January 19, Pacquiao put on a vintage performance against four-division champion Adrien Broner, scoring a 12-round unanimous decision in the 70th match of his illustrious career. It was his first time fighting in the U.S. in two years. Before that, he scored an impressive knockout over Lucas Matthysse to win his version of the WBA welterweight championship in Malaysia last July 15.
 
“All my life I have confronted challenges — in life, in politics, and inside the ring,” said Pacquiao.  “Keith Thurman is the type of challenge I crave as a fighter. He is the biggest and best test. That is why I want to fight him. We are going to give boxing fans an exciting fight and a great night.”
 
The 30-year-old Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) is the longest reigning welterweight champion in boxing, having collected his WBA title with a stoppage victory over Diego Chaves in 2013. He has successfully defended that title eight times and became a unified welterweight champion when he defeated Danny Garcia by split decision to win the WBC title. Plagued by a litany of injuries, including bone chips in his right elbow that had to be surgically removed, Thurman was out of action for nearly two years before getting back into the ring with a hard fought victory against Josesito Lopez in January on FOX.
 
Having taken up the sport when he was in grade school, the Clearwater, Florida native blossomed under the tutelage of his first trainer, Ben Getty, to become an outstanding amateur. Though Getty has passed away, Thurman still carries those boxing and life lessons with him whenever he steps into the ring with his current longtime trainer Dan Birmingham. His power punching earned him the nickname “One Time.”
 
“I’m extremely excited for this opportunity to get a fight that I’ve wanted for a long time,” said Thurman. “The right circumstances have aligned for it to happen now and I’m grateful for that. Me and my team are looking forward to it. It’s going to be an honor to be in the ring with Manny Pacquiao. It’s going to be fun to go back to MGM Grand in my first pay-per-view with FOX Sports. I believe that Ben Getty would be very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish. He said I’d be able to dominate the welterweight division and be a multi-million-dollar fighter and a star in the sport.
 
“Manny Pacquiao is beatable. He’s been beaten before in his career. He’s a fan favorite and a legend. For me his boxing tactics are predictable. He fights in spurts and you have to take advantage of that. You have to be respectful of his power. But I believe my movement, athleticism and ring knowledge will be able to present him something he’s not seen in all his years of boxing.”


Click HERE for Fighter Bios
 
# # #
 
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.comht
tp://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage
 and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionswww.facebook.com/foxsportswww.facebook.com/foxdeportes and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.

UNDEFEATED SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION CALEB PLANT MAKES FIRST TITLE DEFENSE IN PRIMETIME SHOWDOWN AGAINST UNBEATEN MIKE LEE


Saturday, July 20 in the Main Event of FOX PBC Fight Night & on FOX Deportes from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
(7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT)

FOX PBC Fight Night Precedes PBC on FOX Sports
Pay-Per-View Event Headlined by Manny Pacquiao vs. Keith Thurman Welterweight World Title Matchup

Tickets on Sale Now!

LAS VEGAS (May 21, 2019) – Undefeated IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant will make the first defense of his title against unbeaten contender Mike Lee in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, July 20 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
 
Televised coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and will precede the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View event that also takes place at MGM Grand and is headlined by eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao facing WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith Thurman.
 
“Caleb Plant put the boxing world on notice with his exciting title-winning performance in January and will look to build on that showing against an unbeaten contender in Mike Lee on July 20,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “His first defense of the title will put Plant in primetime on FOX and FOX Deportes in Las Vegas and building up to the Pacquiao vs. Thurman pay-per-view event. With two undefeated fighters going toe-to-toe in this first main event of the evening, fans are in for a memorable night of action.”
 
Tickets for the event, which is presented by TGB Promotions and Sweethands 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.
 
Plant vs. Lee will see two hungry unbeaten fighters square off, as Plant looks to defend his title and cement himself as the class of the 168-pound ranks, while Lee will look to join the super middleweight elite as a world champion for the first time.
 
To win the title, Plant (18-0, 10 KOs) turned the tables on the hard-hitting Venezuelan slugger Jose Uzcategui in their IBF championship fight in January on FS1. Going into the match the consensus was that Uzcategui was the harder puncher and that Plant would have to withstand his power to walk away with the belt. It was the 26-year-old Plant, however, who stunned Uzcategui by dropping him to the canvas twice on the way to a convincing unanimous decision. It was an emotional night for Plant, who is from Ashland City, Tenn. and now lives in Las Vegas. He had dedicated his career-best victory to the memory of his late daughter Alia, who suffered from a rare disorder that caused seizures.
 
“I’m more than ready to return to the ring on July 20 as the main event on FOX at MGM Grand in Las Vegas,” said Plant. “I’ll be defending my IBF world title in tremendous fashion and this is one fight you guys will not want to miss. I’m taking this fight just as seriously as my last opponent.  
 
“This guy is undefeated and looking to stay that way, but unfortunately for him, he took on the wrong challenge against the wrong guy. Come July 20, he’ll realize he’s in deeper water than he’s ever been in. My last fight was for Alia, but this fight I’m dedicating to my beautiful mother Beth Ann. May you Rest in Peace, Love you Momma.”
 
The 31-year-old Lee (21-0, 11 KOs) graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in business, but decided to pursue his boxing dreams rather than take a job on Wall Street. A native of Wheaton, Illinois who now lives in Chicago, Lee has made a steady climb up the ladder and has been campaigning at light heavyweight. He will be moving down to super middleweight to challenge for his first world championship. Lee is coming off an impressive unanimous decision victory over Jose Hernandez on last June 8.
 
“I’ve have dreamt of the opportunity to fight for a world title for years,” said Lee. “All the years of hard work, pain and sacrifice have led me to this moment. On July 20 I will be victorious and prove everyone wrong that didn’t believe I was good enough to even get here. 
 
“When I spent almost two years in and out of hospitals battling an autoimmune disease there were moments I never thought I could get back to this level and there were doctors who told me my fighting days were done. But I have won every fight since and I plan to prove that anything is possible if you want it bad enough. I could not have done this without my Dad, my advisor Mike Borao and my trainers Jamal Abdullah and Julian Chua.” 


Click HERE for fighter bios
 
# # #
 
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.comht
tp://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage
 and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionswww.facebook.com/foxsports &www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
 

BARE KNUCKLE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP PAULIE MALIGNAGGI VS. ARTEM LOBOV NEW YORK PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES & PHOTOS


BKFC Returns Saturday, June 22 Headlined by Malignaggi vs. Lobov Grudge Match Live on Pay-Per-View from Florida State Fairgrounds Entertainment Hall in Tampa, Fla.

Also Featuring UFC Veteran Chris Leben Against Bellator Standout Brennan Ward!

Click HERE for Photos from BKFC

NEW YORK (May 20, 2019) – Former boxing world champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi and UFC veteran Artem “The Russian Hammer” Lobov went face-to-face Monday at a heated press conference in New York to officially announce their Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship showdown the headlines action on Saturday, June 22 live on pay-per-view from Florida State Fairgrounds Entertainment Hall in Tampa, Fla.
 
Also squaring off Monday before they battle on BKFC 6 were UFC veteran Chris Leben and longtime Bellator standout Brennan Ward. Televised coverage on June 22 will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. and also feature Reggie Barnett against Johnny Bedford in a showdown for the BKFC Lightweight Championship.
 
The event will be broadcast across the United States and Canada, exclusively on pay-per-view through MultiVision Media, Inc., on all major television distribution outlets for $39.99. It will also be available worldwide via stream to all in-home and out-of-home connected devices at FITE-TV and www.bareknuckle.tv.


Tickets for “BKFC 6” are available tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET exclusively atwww.bareknuckle.tv. Florida will become the latest state to host a BKFC event after previous contests have been held in Wyoming and Mississippi, plus an event that took place in Cancun, Mexico.
 
Here is what the press conference participants had to say Monday:
 
PAULIE MALIGNAGGI
 
“I’ve always been known as one of the toughest guys in boxing. Lobov is known as a punching bag with a loud mouth.
 
“If I had it my way, I’d knock him out in the last round. I want to pummel him from start to finish. He’s going to come out trying hard, and then he’s going to get gun shy. He’s going to hesitate to even take a step.
 
“I’m always looking for my next challenge. I wasn’t planning on this, but it was sold to me, and it appealed to me. Artem is a punching bag and I usually hit that for free.
 
“I never lie, because I don’t have to fear anyone. You only lie because you’re afraid. Why are Lobov and his team lying? You know why. I don’t care what they think. I’m going to put this guy out next month.
 
“As I train, I realize that my hands are like razor blades. Get a good look at Lobov’s face, because next month I’m going to make it look like a road map with lines all over it.”
 
ARTEM LOBOV
 
“I feel I have the upper hand in this fight. With age, it’s easier to get knocked out. He’s never hurt anybody in the ring, so it’s going to be a bad matchup for him.
 
“I see me stopping him. He doesn’t want it anymore. In order to be a fighter and really compete, you have to have the fire. His fire is long gone.
 
“My strategy is to come in there and shove my fist down his throat. It’s personal now with the way he’s been talking and acting. I’m going to put him away.
 
“Paulie likes to hide behind the jab and feint. He never lets his hands go. He just hides and tries to make it to the end of the fight.
 
“I’m going to let it all go in that ring on June 22. I’m going to be the ‘Russian Hammer’ from the start until the finish. I want to meet him in the ring and put him away like true warriors do.
 
“I never wrap my hands. Not when I spar, not when I hit the bag or anything. It’s made them tougher. They may not look pretty, but they do a lot of damage.
 
“It’s game over for Paulie. I heard he’s known as the ‘Magic Man’, but I just hope he doesn’t disappear before the fight.”
 
CHRIS LEBEN
 
“Bare knuckle is definitely an exciting sport. It’s all of the good stuff. Two guys going toe-to-toe. It’s what I do best and it puts me in a dangerous position to hurt my opponents. When I first saw BKFC I felt like this sport was made for me.
 
“You can’t really cover up without the glove as a shield in bare knuckle, so it changes how you defend. But it also changes how you hit and where your range is at.
 
“I think this sport was made for me and it’s going to show in the fight. We’re both heavy hitters. Brennan will be my toughest BKFC opponent to date and I’m not taking him lightly. I’m riding a resurgence and it’s not going to stop.
 
“I’m pulling out all the stops and doing everything I can to prepare. Because on June 22, I’m knocking him out.”
 
BRENNAN WARD
 
“Training camp has been going great. I’m really excited because I’ve been waiting to do a bare knuckle fight for a while. I knew right away that this was for me.
 
“I think I have a great skillset for bare knuckle. I’m quick and quick on my feet. I’m strong and have heavy hands. I’m able to brawl or box.
 
“It’s basically a normal training camp for me, but with more boxing than ever. I’ve always boxed a lot anyway, so it’s something that’s come natural for me.
 
“I’m a different fighter than who Leben has fought in BKFC. This sport is so well-suited for me. I just want to brawl. I wasn’t as into the other disciplines in MMA, so when BKFC came around, I was ready to sign on.
 
“I think I’m going to be a force to be reckoned with at BKFC. I’m going to find a nice home and do work in the ring.”
 
DAVID FELDMAN, BKFC Founder & President
 
“This event is getting the kind of coverage it truly warrants. This is going to be a stacked pay-per-view event from top to bottom.
 
“The main event here is a highly anticipated battle. This is the biggest bare knuckle fight in history.
 
“We’re really happy with what we’ve been able to build. If you’ve seen any of our events, you know that it’s non-stop action from the start. We’re proud of what we’ve delivered to fight fans.
 
“People originally said that Artem had no chance against Paulie, but once they saw Artem in his first BKFC fight, fans can see that this might be tougher than anticipated. This is different than boxing and different than MMA. Getting hit with that bare knuckle is different than anything you’ve experienced before.
 
“I’m so excited to bring this fight to Florida and bring this fight to their fans. June 22 live on pay-per-view, this is one you surely do not want to miss.”
 
BRIAN RICCO, Executive Producer & Distributor
 
“We’re very excited to be on our sixth BKFC show in less than a year. Everything has been amazing. We’re expecting a big fight between two great fighters and we’re looking forward to bringing this event to fight fans around the world.”
 
# # #
 
About Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
On June 2, 2018, Philadelphia-based Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) made combat sports history when it promoted the first legal, sanctioned and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. “BKFC 1: The Beginning” took place in Cheyenne, Wyoming and featured 10 professional bouts, all under the auspices and control of the Wyoming Combative Sports Commission. BKFC uses only established fighters who have previously competed professionally in boxing, MMA, kickboxing and/or Muay Thai. All BKFC bouts are sanctioned and regulated by ABC member athletic commissions. For more information visit www.bareknuckle.tv or follow on Twitter at @BareKnuckleFC, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/bareknucklefc and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bareknucklefc.

COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF 10-BOUT MMA CARD FOR HISTORIC SOUTH AMERICA DEBUT IN LIMA, PERU ON FRIDAY, MAY 31


‘COMBATE PERU,’ THE BIGGEST MMA EVENT IN PERU HISTORY,
AIRS LIVE ON UNIVISION, UDN AND DAZN 
FROM COLISEO MANUEL BONILLA
 
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
 
LOS ANGELES – May 20, 2019 – Combate Americas today announced the completion of a 10-bout fight card, including a new main event, for its much-anticipated debut in South America with the largest-scale Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event in Peru history, at Coliseo Manuel Bonilla in the capital city of Lima, on Friday, May 31.
 
‘Combate Peru’ airs  live on television in Spanish in the U.S. on both Univision (12 a.m. ET/PT) and UDN (12 a.m. ET/9 p.m.PT), and in English in the U.S. and Canada on DAZN (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).
 
The flagship show will mark Combate Americas’ entry into a third country and second continent with its aggressively expanding live television event series.
 
Priced from 88 soles, tickets for ‘Combate Peru’ are on sale atCombateAmericas.com/Peru.
 
In the new lightweight (155 pounds) main event, previously announced, undefeated Daniel “Golden Boy” Zellhuber (6-0) will collide with fellow unbeaten, rising star Gian Franco Cortez (4-0).

The 19-year-old Zellhuber of Mexico City, Mexico was originally slated to faceRolando Bedoya (11-1), but Bedoya has since withdrawn from the commitment. 
 
Fighting out of Lima, the 22-year-old Cortez is coming off a spectacular, first round (1:35) TKO (punches) of Steven Muñoz on March 23. 
 
Cortez made his professional debut on October 7, 2017, scoring a knockout onBenji Ayala just 15 seconds into the first round of action.
 
Also announced today was a new bantamweight (135 pounds) matchup between undefeated David “The Black Spartan” Martinez (3-0) of Mexico City andWilliam Sanchez (0-0) of Lima.

Sanchez will make his professional debut after a nearly untarnished, 5-1 run as an amateur.
 
Martinez was originally slated to face 2017 “COPA COMBATE” tournament competitor Kevin “El Frio” Moreyra (4-2) of Lima before Moreyra’s camp determined he would no longer be able to make the contracted weight of the bout.
 
Moreyra will move up to the next weight class, featherweight (145 pounds), and will square off with Bruno “Jacunda” Pereira (10-6-1) of Lima via Macapa, Amapa, Brazil in a ‘Combate Peru’ preliminary card bout.
 
In other preliminary card action announced today, fellow Lima competitors Yuri Valenzuela (12-6-1) and Vicente Vargas (10-4) will face off at bantamweight, while unbeaten upstarts Jose Alberto Ochoa (2-0) of Lima and Omar Torres (2-0) of Arequipa, Peru will battle each other in a flyweight (125 pounds) affair.
 
The previously announced co-main event between Marlon “Deriko Siete” Gonzales (14-4-2) Lima and Pablo Villaseca (14-5) of Santiago, Chile will be contested at a catchweight of 150 pounds.
 
COMBATE AMERICAS: COMBATE PERU

 
LIGHTWEIGHT MAIN EVENT:
Daniel Zellhuber vs. Gian Franco Cortez
 
CATCHWEIGHT (150 LBS.) CO-MAIN EVENT:
Marlon Gonzales vs. Pablo Villaseca
 
FEATURED STRAWWEIGHT BOUT:
Alitzel Mariscal vs. Maria Paola Buzaglo
 
PRELIMINARY BOUT CARD:
Bantamweight: Rodrigo Vera vs. Eduardo Torres
Bantamweight: Renzo Mendez vs. Andres Ayala
Featherweight: Kevin Moreyra vs. Bruno Pereira
Bantamweight: Yuri Valenzuela vs. Vicente Vargas
Catchweight (120 pounds): Jennifer Gonzalez vs. Dana Zighelboim Grau
Bantamweight:  David Martinez vs. William Sanchez
Flyweight: Jose Alberto Ochoa vs. Omar Torres
 

Lightweight Keyshawn Davis preparing to go gold digging next year in Japan at 2020 Olympics


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 20, 2019) – Team USA lightweight Keyshawn Davis has been preparing all of his young life to represent his country in the Olympics. If everything goes as planned and remains on schedule, the Norfolk, Virginia native will be boxing for gold next year in Japan.

 
The 20-year-old Davis, who sports a 110-15 amateur record, is racking up medals at such a torrid pace that he desperately needs to expand his display case. He is a two-time Elite National (2017-18) and two-time National PAL (2013-14) champion, as well as a gold medalist at the 2017 Eastern Elite Qualifier, 2017 Youth Open and 2017 National Golden Gloves.
 
Internationally, he’s done some serious damage, too. The highlight of his amateur career, to date, is winning gold at last year’s Strandja Tournament in Bulgaria. Davis recently captured silver at the 2019 Pan-American Games Qualifier in Nicaragua, in addition to the 2018 Chemistry Cup in Germany.
 
“I won my first International gold medal in Bulgaria,” Davis agreed with it being the highlight of his amateur career. “I was also selected as the Most Outstanding Boxer.”
 
His victory at the 2018 USA Nationals qualified him for the 2020 Olympic Trials for Boxing, while his silver at the Pan American Games Qualifier qualified him for the Pan American Games (July 27-August 2) in Lima, Peru. This year he will also be competing at the Elite Men’s World Championships (Sept. 7-21) in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
 
“Qualifying for the Olympic Trials really wasn’t much of an accomplishment for me because it was expected,” Davis noted. “For me it was to get on Team USA, again and this is my second year on the team.
 
“There’s no real competition for me to qualify for the USA Olympic Boxing Team. My last fight in The Nationals was a little bit of a challenge (vs. Dalis Kaleiopu), because I slipped and got up.”
 
At the Pan American Games, Davis could very well face the Cuban boxer who defeated him by a score of 3-2 at the Pan American Games Qualifier, Andy Cruz, setting up a possible rubber match between the two elite boxers next year at the Olympic Games.
 
“There’s a very good chance we’ll fight again at the Pan-Am Games, most likely in Japan, as well,” Davis added. “We have to win two rounds to qualify for the finals and for me to get my revenge. Cruz has a lot more International experience than I do. He’s 26 years old and World Champion in our weight class.”
 
Davis started boxing when he was nine when, tired of Keyshawn and his two brothers fighting each other and in school, his mother asked if they wanted to go to the gym to learn how to box. They did and today, his older (Kelvin) and younger (Keon) brothers are also amateur boxers.
  
Not long after that he met Troy Isley, who is a fellow member of Team USA, and today they’re as close as brothers.
 
“I met Troy way back, after I first started boxing,” Davis remembered. “We’d meet up at the Nationals and other tournaments and hang together with my brothers. My coach retired, so I went to Troy’s gym (Alexandria, VA) and started working with Coach Kay (Koroma, USA Assistant National Boxing Coach). We’re getting close to our dream (representing the USA in the Olympics) that started so long ago that it seems unreal to be getting close. You can expect two boxers from Virginia to come back from Japan with gold medals. We’re like brothers.”
 
“Coach Kay first cornered me when I was 13. He’s a great coach who wants us to succeed in life, not just in the ring. He wants the best for us. We have one of the best U.S. boxing teams in a long time and it’s going to show in Japan. We always help each other out and this is a very exciting time for us right now.”
 
Another close friend of Keyshawn’s is, 2018 Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson, who has been through what Keyshawn is approaching, and is now at the level as a professional prospect in which Davis aspires to reach.
 
“Shakur has always supported me,” Davis continued. “We talk a lot. Honestly, it’s hard for me not to think about turning pro, because my amateur career will be over after the Olympics. I’ve always been taught to have a plan, so I’ve been preparing, business-wise, looking into my options (manager and promoter), and to stay on the right track from the amateurs to pros.”
 
If he wasn’t a boxer, Davis figures he’d be a realtor, but he’s thoroughly enjoying the life as a boxer.
 
“This has been a great experience,” Davis spoke about his amateur boxing career, “especially this year getting ready for the Pan AMs. I’ve had opportunities to travel and meet people, but the best part is being part of a team like this. Boxing is an individual sport but, outside the ring, we’re always pushing hard for each other.
 
“I thank God every day when I get up for putting me in this position. All I want to do is provide for me and my family. At my age, I’m ahead of the game.”
 
INFORMATION:
www.usaboxing.org
Twitter: @USABoxing
Instagram: @USABoxing
Facebook: /USABoxing

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Returns Saturday, June 22 Headlined by Paulie Malignaggi vs. Artem Lobov Grudge Match Live on Pay-Per-View from Florida State Fairgrounds Entertainment Hall in Tampa, Fla.


Stacked Night of BKFC 6 Action Features UFC Veteran Chris Leben Against Bellator Standout Brennan Ward, Plus! BKFC Lightweight Championship Showdown Between Reggie Barnett & Johnny Bedford

Tickets on Sale Friday!

PHILADELPHIA (May 20, 2019) – A highly anticipated grudge match between former boxing world champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi and UFC veteran Artem “The Russian Hammer” Lobov will headline Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) action on Saturday, June 22 live on pay-per-view from Florida State Fairgrounds Entertainment Hall in Tampa, Fla.
 

The televised portion of the can’t-miss night of fights will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT and will also see former UFC Veteran Chris Leben in his second BKFC attraction, as he takes on longtime Bellator standout Brennan Ward. Plus, the finals of the BKFC Lightweight Tournament will pit Reggie Barnett against Johnny Bedford in a showdown for the BKFC Lightweight Championship.

“Coming off of our epic battle on April 6 between Artem Lobov and Jason Knight, the momentum is incredible coming into BKFC 6,” said BKFC Founder and President David Feldman. “With the feud that Paulie and Artem have already, this promises to be super exciting. This is bare knuckle and everything changes when they fight bare knuckle. So, whatever plans you have can go out the window quickly. That’s what makes this so exciting and why I am so excited for this fight. I think we will have a lot of eyes on this event and we are very happy to be hosting this in Tampa, one of the best fight markets in the country. I truly can’t wait for June 22.”
 
The event will be broadcast across the United States and Canada, exclusively on pay-per-view through MultiVision Media, Inc., on all major television distribution outlets for $39.99. It will also be available worldwide via stream to all in-home and out-of-home connected devices at FITE-TV and www.bareknuckle.tv.


Tickets for “BKFC 6” will be available starting Thursday, May 16 exclusively atwww.bareknuckle.tv. Florida will become the latest state to host a BKFC event after previous contests have been held in Wyoming and Mississippi, plus an event that took place in Cancun, Mexico.
 
Malignaggi vs. Lobov will see the much-discussed rivalry between Malignaggi and MMA star Conor McGregor come to a head when Malignaggi squares off against one of McGregor’s teammates and friends in Lobov. Prior to Lobov’s BKFC debut in which he defeated Jason Knight in April, Malignaggi and Lobov exchanged words and nearly came to blows at a media day in New York. With the June 22 fight date set and buzz continuing to grow, they will soon settle the conflict in the ring.
 
“I’m very excited to make my BKFC debut and for this fight to take place in Florida. Bringing BKFC to another state is only going to help this sport grow faster and attract more attention to bare knuckle fighting,” said Malignaggi. “It’s no secret, Artem and I have some bad blood between us. I don’t like him and I’m looking forward to sinking my fists into his face. June 22 can’t come soon enough. Fans are going to really enjoy this one as the biggest BKFC card yet, and it’ll set the stage for even bigger and better events as more fighters realize that they can make a good living and have a great career in this discipline of combat sports.”
 
“I’m really looking forward to this fight,” said Lobov. “Paulie has been doing a lot of talking. He hasn’t been able to keep his mouth shut, but on June 22 I’m going to silence him. He’s an old boxer who’s coming off of the couch. He’s only doing this because he didn’t manage his money better, so now he has to take a fight against me, ‘The Russian Hammer.’ I expect to maul Paulie in there. He doesn’t know what he’s in for. I’m going to introduce him to some things that he’s never seen before and this is going to be a real fight.”
 
A two-time, two-division boxing champion, Malignaggi joined BKFC earlier this year and plans to show off the skills that made him a world champion at 147 and 140-pounds. Representing his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, Malignaggi faced top competition and big stars such as Miguel Cotto, Zab Judah, Ricky Hatton, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, Amir Khan and more throughout a career that spanned sixteen years. He put on title-winning performances against Lovemore Ndou and Vyacheslav Senchenko while also defeating Judah, Juan Diaz and Pablo Cesar Cano amongst his notable wins. He has not fought since 2017, but remains a staple of the of the combat sports world through his renowned work as a color commentator and analyst.
 
A 32-year-old fighter from Russia, Lobov defeated Jason Knight by unanimous decision in an exciting brawl to make his BKFC debut successful in April. Lobov made his name on Season 22 of The Ultimate Fighter as part of Team McGregor, where he worked his way to the finals of the tournament before losing to Ryan Hall. Now fighting out of Ireland, where he continues to train with McGregor, he challenged Cub Swanson in a UFC main event in 2016, after picking up victories over Chris Avila and Alex White. While he lost his last three UFC bouts by decision, he owns 13 professional MMA wins.


Click HERE for Malignaggi and Lobov fighter bios
 
Originally from Portland, Oregon and now training out of Chula Vista, California, Leben first emerged onto the scene in the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter before going on to become a WEC Middleweight Champion. A veteran of over 20 UFC events, his career includes a five-fight win streak that led to a challenge of Anderson Silva. Leben will be opposed by New London, Connecticut’s Ward, a 30-year-old veteran of 15 Bellator events, including a victory in Bellator’s Season Nine Middleweight Tournament.
 
A pro boxer with a 6-2 record, the 32-year-old Barnett has earned his spot in the Lightweight Tournament Final with a victory over Rusty Crowder in April. Fighting out of Chesapeake, Virginia, Barnett will face Forth Worth, Texas native Bedford to capture the first BKFC Lightweight Title. Bedford punched his ticket to the final with an April triumph over Abdiel Velazquez.
 
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About Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
On June 2, 2018, Philadelphia-based Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) made combat sports history when it promoted the first legal, sanctioned and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. “BKFC 1: The Beginning” took place in Cheyenne, Wyoming and featured 10 professional bouts, all under the auspices and control of the Wyoming Combative Sports Commission. BKFC uses only established fighters who have previously competed professionally in boxing, MMA, kickboxing and/or Muay Thai. All BKFC bouts are sanctioned and regulated by ABC member athletic commissions. For more information visit www.bareknuckle.tv or follow on Twitter at @BareKnuckleFC, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/bareknucklefc and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bareknucklefc.

Split-T Management’s Holmes, Miller and Dixon Get Big Wins on Saturday Night


NEW YORK (May 20, 2019) –Three cites, three wins for Split-T Management fighters this past Saturday night as Ardreal Holmes and Raquel Miller remained undefeated while Carlos Dixon scored a big knockout in his hometown.


Holmes went to 9-0 with a six-round unanimous decision over veteran Lanardo Tyner in Dearborn, Michigan.


The 24 year-old Holmes of Flint, Michigan was systematic in winning by shutout tallies on two cards at 60-54 and 58-56 to raise the former amateur star’s record to 9-0.


Miller moved a step closer to winning a world championship as she captured the NABF Middleweight title with a 7th round stoppage over Erin Toughill inHawaiian Gardens, California.


Miller of San Francisco knocked Toughill down in the 1st round with a body shot, and then she dropped Toughill with a vicious combination that was punctuated by a nasty left hook in the 7th round that sent Toughill to the canvas.  Toughill got up, but was in no condition to continue, and the bout was stopped at 1:01.


CLICK FOR LINK OF KNOCKOUT


With the win, the fighter dubbed “Pretty Beast” is now 9-0 with four knockouts.


Also on Saturday night in Louisville, Kentucky, 22 year-old super bantamweight, Carlos Dixon stopped Jeno Tonte in the 2nd round of their scheduled six-round bout.


With the win over the 17 fight veteran, Dixon of Louisville, is now 8-1 with six knockouts.


Holmes and Miller are promoted by DiBella Entertainment.

Roy Jones, Jr. protégé Ikram Kerwat 1st female boxer to headline on UFC FIGHT PASS


BOUTS WILL STREAM LIVE ON UFC FIGHT PASS® THIS
THURSDAY NIGHT FROM CASINO DEL SOL IN TUCSON, ARIZONA
AT 10 P.M. E.T. / 7 P.M. P.T.

TUCSON, Arizona (May 22, 2019) – Tunisia native and mother of two, Ikram Kerwat, headlines this Thursday evening for her first time in the initial female main event streamed on RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS®, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, live from Casino Del Sol’s outdoor AVA Amphitheater in Tucson, Arizona.
 
Kerwat (9-1, 5 KOs), fighting out of Frankfurt, Germany, throws-down with 9-time world title challenger Simone DaSilva (15-12, 6 KOs), of Brazil, in the 10-round main event for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) female super featherweight championship.
 
Kerwat vs. DaSilva is presented by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions and Kerwat is trained by living legend and 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr.
 
“Ikram is an exciting fighter with awesome power and good hand speed,” Jones evaluated his protege. “She’s always looking to improve, and I look forward to her next voyage towards a world title.”
 
The 35-year-old Kerwat is a former WBC International female lightweight champion, who will be fighting in the United States for the fourth time as a pro boxer. “Fighting in the U.S. was always one of my biggest dreams,” she commented. “It’s amazing. I already have a fanbase and they are really awesome. I like the enthusiasm and positive energy of U.S. people.
 
“This is my first main event and I can’t wait to step into the ring. To be live streamed on UFC FIGHT PASS is very important to me, my fans and, of course, my family. My last fight was also live streamed on FIGHT PASS and it was amazing. I’m happy and thankful for that.
 
“I want to give a big shout out to my family and my coach and promoter, Roy Jones, Jr., his wonderful wife, Natlyn Jones, and, of course, the RJJ Promotions team for this opportunity and their kindness.”

(L-R) Ikram Kerwat & Roy Jones, Jr.
 
A pro since 2015, Kerwat first met Jones at the WBC Convention three years ago in Miami. “It’s an honor for me to lean from a legendary boxer like Roy,” she added. “He’s a boxing guru! Before I met Roy, I was a brawler, more of an aggressive fighter. Now, I’d say I learned to skillfully box. I’ve made a lot of improvements and I developed more, boxing-wise. I grew mentally, which is the most important part in boxing and life.”
 
Da Silva may have fought in nine world titles fights, but Ikram doesn’t feel that she’s at a disadvantage because of her opponent’s edge in quality experience. “My opponent is experienced, but this means nothing to me,” she remarked. “I fear nobody, but I respect all boxers who step in the ring. I do not underestimate anyone, nothing more, and nothing less. I don’t look at her, I look at myself. This is only thing I have control over. I do my job, live my dream, and I have fun doing it. I enjoy every single minute of it. This next step is very important for us. Every single fight brings me a step closer to my goal, which means that every single fight is significant for my career. Fights like this even more so.”
 
Although she had only three amateur matches, including a gold medal performance in the Berlin Championships and taking bronze in the German Championships, Ikram is positioning herself for a world title fight in the not too distant future, assuming she gets past Da Silva.
 
“I trained myself (as an amateur) and that wasn’t easy for me, because I really wasn’t a trainer, but I wanted it so bad and now even more,” Kerwat concluded. “I have two kids and I used to say boxing is my third child. And it’s the oldest. I protest and love it, making sure that I progress and develop, getting better and better.”
 
In the co-featured event, unbeaten bantamweight Max “The Baby Face Assassin” Ornelas (12-0-1, 4 KOs), ranked No. 11 in the world by the World Boxing Organization (WBO), as well as the reigning NABA USA bantamweight champion, clashes with Alex “Xhino” Rangel (17-9, 4 KOs), of Mexico, in an eight-round bout.  
 
Tucson’s Alfonso Olvera (11-5-2, 4 KOs) meets Carlos “Silk” Villa (14-3-1, 6 KOs), of San Antonio, in the six-round Special Welterweight Attraction, and undefeated middleweight prospects, Tucson’s Nicholas Rhoads (5-0, 2 KOs) takes on Eduardo Ayala (4-0, 1 KO), of Phoenix, square off in a four-round match.
 
Former UFC fighter Joe “Diesel” Riggs (47-18-1, 1 NC), fighting out of Phoenix, makes his professional boxing debut in the FIGHT PASS opener versus pro-debuting Daviante Jones, also of Phoenix, in a four-round bout.
 
Undefeated Kazakhstan fighter Madiyar Asjkeyev (11-0, 6 KOs) faces Cecil McCalla (21-3, 8 KOs) to open the non-FIGHT PASS segment of the show in a 10-round bout for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super welterweight title.
 
A pair of Tucson middleweights, Arturo Resendiz (2-0, 2 KOs) and Jose “Raging Bull” Pena (2-1, 1 KO), are matched in the four-round swing bout.
Cards are subject to change.
 
Ticket prices range from $105.00 (VIP) to $17.00 (pavilion) and are available for purchase online at www.casinodelsol.com.
 
Doors open at 6 p.m. PT, first bout at 6:15 p.m. PT.
 
For more information about the event, please visit:
Websites:  http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.comwww.casinodelsol.com,www.ufc.tv/page/fightpass 
Twitter: @RoyjonesJRfa, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @CDSResort
Instagram: @RoyJonesJRboxing, @artofmusiclv, @rivalboxinggear, @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @casinodelsolresort
Facebook: /KeithVeltre, /UFCFightPass, /CasinoDelSol

DEONTAY WILDER THRILLS BARCLAYS CENTER CROWD WITH SCINTILLATING FIRST ROUND KNOCKOUT OF DOMINIC BREAZEALE SATURDAY NIGHT ON SHOWTIME® TO ENTER RARIFIED AIR OF HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING CHAMPIONS


Gary Russell Jr. Retains Featherweight Title with TKO Over Kiko Martinez        
 
Juan Heraldez and Argenis Mendez Fight to Majority Draw In Telecast Opener 
Live from Brooklyn
 
Watch The Encore Presentation Monday At 10 P.M. ET/PT On
SHOWTIME EXTREME®

Click HERE for Photos from Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
HERE for Photos from Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
(Photos added shortly)

Click HERE for Photos from Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions
Click HERE for Photos from Sean Michael Ham/Mayweather Promotions
 
BROOKLYN (May 19, 2019) – WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder delivered the 40th knockout of his career in devastating fashion Saturday night, sending mandatory challenger Dominic “Trouble” Breazealeflat on his back with a trademark right hand in front of a raucous crowd at Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions. Successfully defending his belt for the ninth time, Wilder joins illustrious company alongside Hall of Famers Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and more and becomes the 10th fighter in history to make nine or more consecutive successful heavyweight title defenses. Watch HERE: https://s.sho.com/2Hp0AEh
 
In the buildup to tonight’s world championship bout, Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KOs) repeatedly promised that the fight would not last long. The towering Tuscaloosa, Ala. native kept his word, scoring the 20th first round knockout of his career and his 15th knockdown as heavyweight world champion. Breazeale (20-2, 18 KOs) was able to withstand Wilder’s first early onslaught, but could not beat referee Harvey Dock’s 10-count when Wilder connected flush with the most dangerous right hand in boxing later in the opening round.
 
“Everything just came out of me tonight”, said Wilder. “I know it’s been a big buildup, there’s been a lot of animosity and a lot of words that were said and it just came out of me tonight.  That’s what makes boxing so great.
 
“I just told Breazeale I love him and of course I want to see him go home to his family.  I know we say some things, but when you can fight a man and then you can hug him and kiss him, I wish the world was like that.  We shake hands and we live to see another day and that’s what it’s all about.”
 
As the attention of the heavyweight division turns to what’s next, Wilder insists that a fight with Tyson Fury, the only man he has faced and not defeated, or Anthony Joshua remains on the table and in the works.
 
“I understand what Fury did,” said Wilder. “When you get dropped on the canvas like that I understand you have to get yourself back together. But the rematch will happen, like all these other fights will happen.  The great thing is all these fights rare in discussion.  The big fights will happen.  I just want you to have patience.”
 
Breazeale, whose only two defeats have now come against both Wilder and Joshua, was disappointed he wasn’t allowed to continue the fight.
 
“I think the ref stopped it a little early because I could hear him saying seven and eight, but that’s boxing,” said Breazeale. “He did his job and kept us safe for our next fight.
 
“I got on my feet and had my legs under me. It’s the heavyweight division so there’s going to big shots from guys with power. This was a situation where he landed the big right hand before I did. I thought I was going to come on in the later rounds. I’ll be back and go for the heavyweight title again.”
 
In the co-feature, WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. (30-1, 18 KOs) put on yet another professional display to defend his belt for the fourth time against a valiant Kiko Martinez (39-9-2, 28 KOs). Due to a gash that opened up over Martinez’s left eye, referee Ricky Gonzalez stopped the fight in the fifth round upon the advice of the ringside physician, resulting in a technical knockout.
 
Russell, who was fighting for the first time in a year, showed no signs of ring rust and displayed his full skillset including his trademark lightning quick hands. The 30-year-old Capitol Heights, Md. native was dominant from the opening bell and landed on a remarkable 40% of his power punches. In an all-action fight with little downtime, Martinez did more than enough to play his part. The Spaniard constantly came forward but Russell continued to target the cut that opened up over his eye after a right hook in the second round. The ringside official called for the stoppage of the fight at 2:52 of round number five.      
 
“I did pretty good,” said the 2008 U.S. Olympian Russell to SHOWTIME ringside reporter Jim Gray. “We stayed behind the jab and he couldn’t get past it.  We knew that intellect over athleticism would get it done.
 
“We want [WBA Featherweight Champion] Leo Santa Cruz,” Russell continued while wearing a shirt that read ‘Leo Next’. “We want to make this fight happen.  The fire is all the way hot on this side of the field.  You will get burned.  I would love for that fight to happen this year. Let’s make it happen.”
 
“It was a good stoppage for a very tough fight,” said the former world champion Martinez. “I’m definitely a visual fighter so the cut made it tough. Gary was in great physical condition and it was a very hard fight.
 
“I’m going to rest a little bit now, but I’ll be back. I thought I had some good moments and had a good division. I think I’ll drop back down to 122-pounds to win a world title there.”
 
In the telecast opener, undefeated prospect Juan Heraldez (16-0-1, 10 KOs) and former world champion Argenis Mendez (25-5-2, 12 KOs) fought to a highly competitive majority draw. Two judges scored the fight 95-95, while a third had Mendez winning 97-93.
 
Fighting in front of his mentor Floyd Mayweather, Las Vegas’ Heraldez controlled many of the early rounds by setting the pace and establishing his jab. Heraldez outlanded Mendez 126-108 in total punches and 70-30 in jabs throughout the 10 rounds. Falling behind early, Mendez, a seasoned veteran and 2004 Dominican Republic Olympian, used his experience to grow back into the fight. The tempo picked up in the fifth round, as both fighters landed several heavy blows but the momentum shifted towards Mendez. The 32-year-old Mendez, who has fought seven current or former champions, closed out the fight exceptionally strong, winning the final round on all three judges’ scorecards. Without doing so, Mendez would have lost the fight.


“I thought I won the fight,” said a disappointed Mendez. “He didn’t do anything to me. How did he win the fight? If I have to prove I beat him in a rematch, I’ll be ready. I won’t leave it up to the judges.


“My speed and my power made it difficult for him. I thought my counterpunching was really good. He tired toward the later rounds and that let me get a little closer to him to get my offense going.”
 
Similarly, Heraldez thought he did enough to win the fight which he viewed as a potential coming out party.
 
“I thought I won a close decision,” Heraldez said. “I didn’t think it was a draw. He didn’t do anything that hurt me at any point.
 
“He wasn’t really engaging with me. He was just trying to move around and pick his shots, but it wasn’t anything I wasn’t ready for. I’ll either take the rematch with Mendez or move forward toward my goal of a world title.”
 
Preceding the telecast, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN featured three undercard attractions streamed live on the SHOWTIME Sports social platforms. A battle between heavyweights Robert Alfonso (18-0-1, 8 KOs) and Iago Kiladze (26-4-1, 18 KOs) ended in a split-draw after eight rounds of action. While one judge scored the fight 77-75 for Alfonso, another had it 77-75 for Kiladze, with the third judge scoring it 76-76, resulting in the draw.
 
Also entering the ring was 2016 U.S. Olympian Gary Antuanne Russell (9-0, 9 KOs), the younger brother of the featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr., who droppedMarcos Mojica (16-4-2, 12 KOs) twice to earn a stoppage 2:13 into the third round. Rounding out the action was Brooklyn-native and 2016 Haitian Olympian Richardson Hitchins (9-0, 5 KOs), who scored a TKO of Alejandro Munera (4-2-3, 4 KOs) after Munera was knocked down in round three and unable to continue despite making it to the final bell of the round.



#          #          #
 
ABOUT WILDER VS. BREAZEALE
Wilder vs. Breazeale was a BombZquad event headlined by Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder defending his WBC title against top contender Dominic Breazeale Saturday, May 18 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
 
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® began at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and featured WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jrdefending his title against former world champion Kiko Martínez, plus unbeaten super lightweight contender Juan Heráldez squaring-off against former world champion Argenis Méndez in a 10-round attraction. The Heraldez vs. Mendez fight was co-promoted with Mayweather Promotions.
 
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sportswww.PremierBoxingChampions.com
follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.

WOMEN’S MMA FLYWEIGHT TITLE IS UP FOR GRABS AT NEF 39

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (May 17, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Saturday, June 22 with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 39: ALL-AMERICAN.”  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a women’s amateur title fight to the card.  Glory Watson (4-0) is scheduled to face Caree Hill (4-1) for the vacant NEF Women’s Amateur Flyweight Title.  The bout will be presented by NEF in conjunction with Queen MMA Media.

Undefeated Glory Watson will look to continue her winning ways in the NEF cage and, in doing so, make history as the promotion’s first women’s 125-pound titleholder.  In 2018, she was the runner up for “Rookie of the Year” as voted by NEF fans.  Earlier this year, Watson submitted a very tough Rachael Lippert (4-3) at “NEF 37.”  She followed up that performance with a unanimous decision victory this spring on a fight card in Massachusetts.  Watson represents Young’s MMA based in Bangor, Maine.

“I am looking forward to stepping up and attempting to earn the 125 title,” said Watson. “Caree Hill is a good opponent, and will present a new set of challenges for me as a fighter. This fight, win or lose, will test my skill and my heart. My time in the amateur ranks may be limited, so I plan to work my way to the top.”

Caree Hill will make the 3,000 mile journey across country from Portland, Oregon to face Watson for the strap.  After winning her first three amateur fights, Hill took some time off from the cage following her first loss in 2017.  She returned late in 2018 with a unanimous decision victory in her most recent bout.  Hill holds a win in the cage of national promotion Legacy FC.  She represents Team Quest which was founded by MMA pioneers and UFC legends Randy Couture (19-11) and Dan Henderson (32-15).  Hill is in good company with Team Quest.  The West Coast-based team has produced many of the top names in the sport over the years, including Chael Sonnen (30-16), Nate Quarry (12-4), and the late Evan Tanner (32-8) just to name a few.

“I’m honored for the opportunity to fight for the flyweight championship for New England Fights,” remarked Hill when reached for comment.  “I relish the challenge of fighting an undefeated fighter in her own backyard. I never back down from a challenge. This is guaranteed to be an exciting fight.”

The title fight between Watson and Hill joins two other championship contests already announced for the “NEF 39” card.  Josh “Hook On” Harvey (6-0-1) is scheduled to defend the professional featherweight title against Jordan Downey (5-4), while Nate Boucher (4-3) will square off with Robert Presley (5-4) for the vacant amateur men’s flyweight belt.  Also announced for the card, Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (9-7) faces Lewis Corapi (8-5) in a professional lightweight bout.

“NEF 39: ALL-AMERICAN,” will take place on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com.