Click HERE for Photos from Esther Lin/SHOWTIME Click HERE for Photos from Sean Michael Ham/ Premier Boxing Champions CARSON, CALIF. (July 1, 2021) – Unbeaten Interim WBA Super Featherweight Champion Chris “Primetime” Colbert and hard-hitting contender Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar faced off Thursday at the final press conference before they meet in the main event of action live on SHOWTIME this Saturday, July 3 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.
Also featured at Thursday’s press conference were unbeaten rising star Michel Rivera and lightweight contender Jon Fernández, who square off in the co-main event of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
To open the telecast, SHOWTIME will air a special replay of last Saturday night’s exciting pay-per-view main event fight between Gervonta Davis and Mario Barrios.
The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.
Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:
CHRIS COLBERT
“I was going to knock [Yuriorkis] Gamboa out cold, and now ‘King Tug’ has to take the knockout.
“My hard work is finally paying off. All I have to do is stay focused, dedicated, and disciplined, and then I’ll be the face of boxing in a couple of years.
“This venue is really known for wars. Come Saturday night I’m definitely going to bring the heat.
“I’m ready for this fight. Nyambayar knows he’s in for trouble on Saturday. Nobody out there can take a fight with me on a week-and-half notice and not be in for trouble.
“Me and Michel Rivera got a lot of rounds in together during training down in Miami. We did a great job all camp and I’m just ready and excited to get in the ring.
“I’ve been knocking out everyone they put in front me. They still don’t give me the respect I deserve yet. I just have to keep doing my thing on Saturday night and embarrass him.
“I can’t tell you if he’s my toughest opponent yet. I know that he’s not beating me, and that’s a promise. There’s no way a 126-pounder will come up in weight and beat me.
“He’s a fighter with only one loss, he can come back from that. But it’s not going to matter on Saturday night. He’s supposed to be confident in himself. He can’t say he’s going to get washed Saturday, but that’s what is going to happen.
“I appreciate ‘Tug’ for taking the fight, but Saturday night I’m going to get in there, dominate and beat him up. This is a Nissan vs. a Lamborghini, and I’m the Lambo.
“I agree that ‘King Tug’ might be better opposition than Yuriorkis Gamboa would have been. But it doesn’t matter if it was Gamboa, ‘King Tug’, or Arnold Schwarzenegger in there with me, it was always going to be the same outcome on Saturday night.
“My hair is orange this week as a dedication to the cause of fighting Multiple sclerosis. One of my friends, Dave, back in New Jersey has it and he told me his story of how he was paralyzed as a kid and also had MS. Then I saw him on the Stairmaster in the gym the next day for like an hour. I saw that and realized there’s no excuses I can make for not being in the gym. I do the different hair colors to make people feel special. I want them to know that I’m fighting for them.
“Nobody in the 130-pound division can beat me. I’m going to continue to prove that every time I step into the ring. I’m going to deliver a dominating performance. Don’t be surprised when I stop him.
“I don’t think this is going past 10 rounds. I’m going to keep proving that I have power on Saturday night. I’m not discrediting his skills, but I’m just different.”
TUGSTSOGT NYAMBAYAR
“I’m really excited for this fight. It’s my first fight at 130 pounds and I want to show what I can do. I’m ready for this opportunity.
“Just know this, we are here to win. My team is here to win. I’m ready for Chris Colbert. That’s it.
“I don’t care that I’m fighting on short notice at a higher weight. I believe in myself. I can fight at 122, I can fight at 126 and I can fight at 130.
“Two weeks’ notice is enough for me. If I didn’t take the fight, Colbert wouldn’t have a fight. So he should be thankful. Let’s see what happens. I’m going to whoop his ass.
“I believe in my speed and I believe in my power. I believe in myself. I just want to test myself. This is a good opportunity versus a good fighter.”
“I don’t think that he can stop me. Watch me on Saturday night. I’m ready.
“I’m not worried about anything he says. I’m just focused on the sight. I really believe in myself and that I’m going to hurt him on Saturday night.
“Colbert has similar speed compared to Gary Russell Jr., so it’s not going to be anything I haven’t seen before. The adjustments from the Russell fight have been made in the gym over time.
“I’m very happy to be fighting at Dignity Health Sports Park because Los Angeles is my second home. It’s very exciting to be fighting here and with a crowd there watching. The Mongolian fans are going to show up on Saturday.”
MICHEL RIVERA
“I had a good camp and I have a good team, led by Herman Caicedo who is my coach along with Jukka Toivola. I know that this is a good opportunity and I worked so hard for this fight. I’m so excited for July 3 and I know that this is my chance to show I’m great and to shine.
“Jon Fernandez is a good boxer and he’s a good puncher. I don’t know much about him, but I know that he’s Spanish and he’s a tall guy. He hits hard but I’m in the type of condition to be great in this fight.
“I’m sure that on July 3 when people are watching the fight, they will see who the best boxer is. I’m ready for everything. If he wants to fight instead of box, I will fight too. I have the skills. I believe that I am faster than him. I don’t have problems with his height. You can see in my past fights where I was fighting at 144, and I looked good with big boxers too. I don’t have a problem with it. Everybody will have to tune in July 3 on SHOWTIME, and they will see Michel Rivera beating Jon Fernandez.
“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. I’m Dominican, and in the Dominican Republic you don’t get much opportunity. I came here and I am making my name. Everybody will know that I’m ready to fight the top names at 135 – the best boxers. I have the skills and the talent. I’m young and I’m pretty, too.
“It’s good that he sounds confident. I am confident too. That makes for a great war. He has a lot of knockouts, but they weren’t against any boxers like me. I’m focused. Like I said, he’s a good boxer, but I’m better. I’m trusting my talent and I’m trusting my condition.
“My perspective remains the same after this press conference. Fernandez is a proud fighter and I expect nothing less than what he said. I’m also a proud fighter and I’m convinced that I’m better than him. I consider myself better prepared and ready to be considered one of the top boxers in the 135-pound division.
“Training with Chris Colbert was a great experience, and the sparring sessions were awesome. He made me better, just like I made him better. He’s a great person. My fellow Dominican fighter Jeison Rosario wished me luck and told me he knows I’m going to be a world champion someday, and that he will be supporting me and watching the fight from the Dominican Republic.
“Of course I believe that I am the next world champion from the Dominican Republic. I can beat all of the top boxers, the top five, in the 135-pound division. I want to make my name at 135 because I know this is a strong division now. I want everybody to know me at this weight.
“I promise a good fight. Everybody will see the next superstar in the ring on July 3.”
JON FERNANDEZ
“I’m very excited to be here for this fight. Training camp in Madrid and Mexico have been great. We’ve had an outstanding preparation. I’m facing a great opponent in Michel Rivera, but this is the door I need to open to be in the big leagues of boxing. I don’t plan on missing out on this chance.
“I’m glad he’s confident in his abilities, but I think this is a 50-50 match. It’s going to be a great fight and we’re definitely on the same level. There’s no difference in skill levels. I’m going to use my height and show off my boxing ability on Saturday night.
“Rivera is a very good boxer, and has many skills, but I believe that I have equal skills and more power. If I get the opening, I can knock Rivera out.
“I promise that we’re going to put on a great show and deliver fireworks in the ring. My hand will be raised when the fight is over.
“There’s nothing like fighting in Los Angeles. I have already been here before, but nothing can compare to being in the big show.
“Everyone in Spain is supporting me. My city of Bilbao has sent me all its love and they believe in me 100%. Even some famous soccer players have reached out to me. Players from Athletic Bilbao and (former Spain national team striker) Fernando Torres.
“I would like to win in order to open the door for other Spaniard boxers who come behind me and relish this opportunity – like my brother Eker, who is about to make his professional debut. I want to make him proud and put Spain on the map as far as boxing is concerned.
“If I win, it’s not just because of my power. It’s going to be a close fight, but I’m going to give everything I have to come out with the victory.”
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ABOUT COLBERT VS. NYAMBAYAR Colbert vs. Nyambayar will undefeated Interim WBA Super Featherweight Champion Chris “Primetime” Colbert face hard-hitting contender Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar on Saturday, July 3, headlining the live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
The SHOWTIME telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with a special replay of last Saturday night’s exciting pay-per-view main event fight between Gervonta Davis and Mario Barrios prior to the live co-main event from California featuring unbeaten rising star Michel Rivera battling lightweight contender Jon Fernández.
BOSTON (July 1, 2021) – Former college football star, super welterweight boxer Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams, recently defeated his first world champion, Yuri Foreman, and the veteran New Haven, Connecticut fighter’s boxing career has been revitalized.
This past March 6th, Williams (18-5-2, 6 KOs) was originally supposed to fight Foreman, who withdrew after the weigh in due to sickness. Williams stayed in training camp, took a stay busy fight, and continued preparing for Foreman.
Williams dropped Foreman twice in the sixth round and won the decision by judges’ scores of 77-73, 77-73, 75-75. “Thirty-seconds more and I think I would have stopped him,” Williams said.
Foreman, 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). Williams and Foreman sparred many years ago at the Joe Grier Boxing Academy in Patterson, New Jersey.
“I’ve been chasing him a long time,” Williams noted. “I stayed in camp when our fight was canceled, took a confidence-building fight, and stayed ready for Yuri. He is a good boxer, not a brawler, and he was in tremendous shape. Yuri’s very intelligent in the ring and fighting him was a good learning experience for me. For example, he was working behind his jab to try and get me to lunge. I had to think more in the ring against him.
“I’m sure he was disappointed after the fight, but he’s a world champion who was in against Miguel Cotto and two of his other losses were to world champions (Cotto andErislandy Lara). This was a huge opportunity for me. I’m excited about my career again. We’ll wait and see what fights are ahead for me.
Williams was a standout cornerback at Southern Connecticut State University who was invited to several NFL tryout camps. He came close to making the cut with the then-Oakland Raiders. “Quiet Storm” has been promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES) since he turned pro in 2013.
“This is Jimmy’s biggest win of his career,” Williams’ manager Ryan Roach (Fighter Locker) commented. “He just opened a lot of doors for himself. I’m proud of him, he worked hard. He made the sacrifices champions make. Taking out a name like Yuri Foreman is why fighter’s go to work every day. We are working on his next fight date now. Stay tuned, ‘Quiet Storm’ fans.”
Fighter Locker’s growing stable of gifted boxers include California super flyweight Rocco “So Cal Kid” Santomauro (21-1, 6 KOs), Troy, NY ABF American West super lightweight Ray Jay “The Destroyer” Bermudez (12-0, 9 KOs), Toronto, Canada welterweight West Haven, CT UBO International ABF USA super welterweight Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams (18-5-2, 6 KOs), super middleweight “The Amazing” Shawn McCalman (7-0, 4 KOs), super bantamweight Daniel “G.D.F.E.” Bailey, Jr. (6-0, 4 KOs), lightweight Leonel de los Santos (3-0, 3 KOs), a2-time Dominican Republic Olympian, Boston featherweight Troy Anderson, Jr. (1-0, 1 KO), pro-debuting Dominican Republic welterweight Juan Solano, and Salt Lake City, 2016 Brazilian Olympic silver medalist Yuberjen Martinez, Brazilian Olympian Jorge Vivas, Colorado super middleweight Marvin “Too Much” Cordova, Jr. (23-2-1, 12 KOs), West Palm Beach, FL light heavyweight Robert Daniels, Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs), Utah brothers, super lightweight Ignacio Chairez (8-0-1, 5 KOs) and lightweight Gabriel Chairez (4-0-1, 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.
CAST YOUR VOTE FOR CLARESSA SHIELDS AS 2021 BEST BOXERHERE.
Salita Promotions wishes to congratulate women’s pound-for-pound #1 boxer and three-division world champion Claressa Shields for being nominated for a 2021 ESPY Award for Best Boxer.
Presented by Capital One and the ESPN network, the ESPY’s allow fans to choose the yearly winners by way of online voting.
Aside from making her successful MMA fighting debut in June, Shields (11-0-0, 2 KOs) made history last March by dethroning Canada’s Marie-Eve Dicaire and becoming the first boxer in the four-belt era, male or female, to be an undisputed champion in two divisions. She also retained her WBC and WBO junior middleweight titles with the victory and claimed Dicaire’s IBF belt, as well as the vacant WBA Championship.
Shields is in strong company with the other nominees, including unified super middleweight champ Canelo Alvarez, unified lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez and WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury.
CAST YOUR VOTE FOR THE GWOAT HERE AND TUNE IN TO THE ESPYS ON JULY 10 AT 8 P.M. ET ON ABC.
“Claressa is a once-in-a-generation athlete who is taking women’s combat sports and her fight for equality, inside and outside the ring, to new heights every time she steps into the ring,” said her promoter, Dmitriy Salita. “She is an example to young athletes and especially young female athletes that with hard work you can reach your dreams. 2021 is another history-making year for Claressa with no end in sight to what she can accomplish.”
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About Salita Promotions Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.
Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.
(June 28, 2021) WBO #3, IBF #7, WBC #14 bantamweight Nikolai Potapov continued his “Hunt for The Monster” on Sunday morning (June 27) by scoring an eight-round unanimous decision over Tanzania’s Oscar Richard.
Fighting in the main event of a 14-fight event at the Soviet Wings Sport Palace in Moscow, Russia and live on Russian TV and Salita Promotions’ YOUTUBE CHANNEL, Potapov (23-2-1, 11 KOs) showed off his world-class skills by dominating the game Richard (7-4-1, 2 KOs) throughout.
Potapov, of Podolsk, Russia, was happy to stay busy with the victory and hopes it continues to propel him to the fight he wants: a shot at three-weight world champion and current unified bantamweight world champion Naoya “The Monster” Inoue of Japan.
“I commend my opponent,” said Potapov, post-fight, “he had no fear in him. It felt good to get in eight good rounds after six months. I am sharp and ready to slay ‘The Monster’ as soon as I get him in a ring.”
Potapov, who had over 180 amateur fights and won numerous national and international tournaments, says the vaunted Inoue is nothing he hasn’t seen before.
“I’ve beaten hard punchers like him before,” said Potapov of Inoue. “I know his style inside and out and beating him will not be a problem. Bring me ‘The Monster!’”
Potapov’s long-time promoter, Dmitriy Salita, says that Potapov’s focus has been on Inoue for a long time.
“Since the first time he saw Inoue fight he’s been saying he knows how to beat him,” said Salita. “All his experience fighting around the world, he says he knows exactly how to nullify a fighter who relies on his power like that.”
Salita, who presented the event on his popular YOUTUBE CHANNEL says he’s happy with the large viewership who were allowed to watch several exciting overseas prospects before their North American debuts.
“I am delighted that we were able to provide boxing fans with an opportunity to watch free live boxing featuring some of the best contenders and prospects from Russia,” said Salita. “Thousands of fans tuned in, participated in a live chat and talked boxing. OurYOUTUBE CHANNEL has been a phenomenal platform to give needed exposure to talent from around the world and connect them with the boxing community. There is much more to come in the coming months!”
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About Salita Promotions Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.
Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.
LOS ANGELES (June 28, 2021) – Undefeated former WBO Super Middleweight Champion and Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (41-0, 27 KOs), currently a highly ranked light heavyweight contender, will have a lot on the line July 9th against world light heavyweight title challenger Sullivan Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs),including world title fight implications and, ultimately, his boxing legacy,
Zurdo vs. Barrera, presented by Golden Boy Promotions, will be streamed exclusively on DAZN, live from Banc of California Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Football Club (pro soccer), located in downtown Los Angeles.
To get a world light heavyweight title shot against any of the reigning champions – WBC & IBF Artur Beterbiev (16-0 (16 KOs), WBA Super Dmitry Bivol (18-0, 11 KOs) or WBO Joe Smith (27-3, 21 KOs) – Barrera stands in Ramirez’ way in the 12-round Zurdo vs. Barrera main event. Ramirez is ranked No. 3 by the WBA and WBO, as well as No. 5 by the IBF.
“That’s what the fans want but I’m not sure if these fighters are ready for me,” Ramirez boldly said about Beterbiev, Bivol and Smith. “I wasn’t impressed by any of the three in their recent bouts. They can run as much as they want, but they can’t hide forever. I know I’m the best in the division and, sooner or later, I will be snatching each of the belts and taking their souls one by one.”
Ramirez, who recently turned 30 (June 19), was the first Mexican fighter to capture a world super middleweight title, which he relinquished in 2019 to move up to the light heavyweight division, in which he is 2-0 (2 KOs) having defeated Tommy Karpency(29-6-1) and Alphonso Lopez (32-3) last December to capture the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) crown.
A decorated Cuban amateur boxer (285-27 record), 39-year-old Barrera defeated future pro world champions such as Chad Dawson, Beibut Shumenov and Mariano Natalio Carrera prior to defecting from Cuba to Miami and turning pro.
Barrera, fighting out of Cuba by way of Miami, is 3-3 vs. past or present world champions with victories against Jeff Lacy (WTKO4), Karo Murat (WKO12) andFelix Valera (WDEC10), losing to Bivol (TKO12), Smith (DEC10), and Hall of FamerAndre Ward (DEC 12).
“I always expect the best from my opponents,” Ramirez noted. “Barrera is a professional and I know he will be ready when the lights are on. He displayed that he’s a strong fighter when he beat and broke Joe Smith, Jr.’s jaw in their bout. A victory for Barrera can resurge his career and alter my path; so, I prepare for the best version of Barrera, and I will not let anything deter my goals.
“I’ve been working hard. There’s new stuff I’ve been fine tuning and I can’t wait to showcase it July 9th. Come fight night, I know all my hard work will pay off.” Tickets are priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $35, excluding applicable service charges, and available to purchase at www.bancocaliforniastadium andwww.ticketmaster.com.
Brandon Glanton Defeats Efetobor Apochi by Split Decision in Cruiserweight Co-Main Event Action All Rivera Defeats Omar Juárez by Majority Decision in a Stellar Super Lightweight Affair Click HERE for Photos Credit: Sean Michael Ham/TGB Promotions MINNEAPOLIS (June 27, 2021) – Cuban sensation and unbeaten WBA Super Middleweight Champion David Morrell Jr. (5-0, 4 KOs)defeated challenger Mario Cázares (12-1, 5 KOs) with a knockout just 2:32 in to the first round of their contest that headlined FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes on Sunday from The Armory in Minneapolis.
“I didn’t expect that to end so quickly,” said Morrell. “I thought it would be more like a five or six round fight. However, once Cazares stepped in the ring, I noticed that he was not ready to fight on my level. He wasn’t ready for this kind of test or this level of fight.”
On the devastating knockout, Morrell said, “When I saw the opening, I took him out. When I hit him, I saw his legs wobble and I knew he was gone, completely out.”
“I’m ready for anyone at 168 pounds and now the world can see it,” continued Morrell. “I would love to fight Caleb Plant. I’m ready to fight Plant. He’s an excellent boxer, but I’m ready to go.”
In the co-main event on FOX, cruiserweight Brandon Glanton (14-0, 11 KOs) defeated Efetobor Apochi (11-1, 11 KOs) by split decision in their 10-round bout. Glanton scored a knockdown to close out the sixth stanza as Apochi fell into the ropes. That knockdown proved the difference as judge Nelson Vazquez scored the bout 96-93 for Apochi, but was overruled by judges Mike Fitzgerald and John Mariano who both scored the contest 95-94 for Glanton. The loss is the first of Apochi’s professional career.
“I knew it was a close fight because at the very end he didn’t hurt me, but I staggered,” said Glanton. “We always talk about balance in the gym, though. I got the split decision because balance is something that we constantly work on. He didn’t hurt me, that’s why I was able to keep fighting.
“Thank God the judges saw it the right way,” continued Glanton. “That knockdown is something we worked on in the gym. I hope the boxing world sees what my coach is doing. The small details, the intricate things, make the difference in a fight like this. All the little details that he schools me on is what he told me would be the difference in this fight, and I’ll be damned if it wasn’t.”
“What can I say?” asked Apochi. “I thought I won the fight. I used my jab, showed some heart, had some good movement in there, but I’m not the judges. I don’t know what they saw, but I thought that I did what I had to do. He’s a tough guy. I won’t take anything away from him. He took some tough shots and he was still there.”
On the possibility of a rematch, Glanton said, “If they want the rematch, then I’ll do it again. I think I’ve proven what I needed to prove, but it’s easier the second time.”
“Of course, I want a rematch with Glanton,” continued Apochi. “I want a rematch with him right now!”
In the FOX telecast opener, All Rivera (22-5, 18 KOs) defeated Omar “El Relámpago” Juárez(11-1, 5 KOs) by majority decision in 10-round attraction, giving Juárez the first loss of his professional career. Rivera scored a knockdown in the ninth frame, which was the difference in the contest as judge Scott Erickson scored the fight a 95-95 draw, but judge Octavio Rodriguez scored the bout 95-94 for Rivera and judge Kyle Shiely scored the fight 95-93 for Rivera.
“I was confident that I was going to get the decision,” said Rivera. “I was blocking a lot of the shots that Juárez was throwing. I was landing the more powerful punches. Juárez was doing good work in there, but we were landing the more effective shots. I feel like when I hurt him I maybe could have done a little more to get him out of there early and avoid the decision. But he’s a stronger fighter and I respect his talent.”
Juárez said, “I honestly thought that I did enough to get the win. I did get knocked down. There was one round where I stayed in there and took a couple hits, but I felt like I was the smarter fighter in there. I adjusted well and I thought I did well over all. Almost all of the greats have losses and I know I’m going to be great one day. I just have to fight through this adversity.”
On their professional experience levels, Rivera said, “I’ve been in the ring 27 times now professionally, and I think Juárez is still a kid who’s developing his skills. I’ve fought some of the best fighters around. I’ve won belts. So, I definitely think my experience played a difference tonight.”
“He was the better man today,” Juárez concluded. “I’m not going to take anything away from him. He’s a hard fighter. He’s from the Philippines, which has a lot of strong fighters. I respect him a lot, but I’ll be back.”
When asked about the knockdown, Rivera said, “We actually worked on that shot in camp. We also worked on the follow-up sequence. So, when it landed my corner wanted me to take it to the body to finish him, but he’s a tough fighter.
“I’m here for any 140-pound fighter that wants to step in there with me,” concluded Rivera.
In FS1 PBC Fight Night action, Nathaniel Gallimore (22-5-1, 17 KOs) defeated Leon Lawson(14-1, 7 KOs) by majority decision in a 10-round super welterweight showdown. Judge John Mariano scored the bout 95-95, while judges Patrick Morley and Mike Fitzgerald scored the contest 96-94 and 97-93 respectively for Gallimore. According to CompuBox, Gallimore landed 78 total punches to Lawson’s 66.
The FS1 co-feature showcased light heavyweight prospect Atif Oberlton (3-0, 3 KOs) scoring a technical knockout over Jasper McCargo (4-2-2, 2 KOs) at the :44 mark of the fifth round of their scheduled eight-round bout. Oberlton landed a sequence of punches that sent McCargo to the canvas near the end of round four. Oberlton then jumped on McCargo early in the fifth round, landing a left to the belt line that buckled McCargo and forced referee Gary Miezwa to call a stop to the action.
The FS1 telecast opener featured super welterweight prospect Travon Marshall (2-0, 1 KO) defeating Ruben Torres (4-2, 1 KO) in a four-round contest. Marshall was able to shut Torres out by unanimous decision (40-35, 40-35, 40-35).
The event was promoted by TGB Promotions and Warriors Boxing.
(Photo Credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME) Click HERE for Photos from Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME Click HERE for Photos from Sean Michael Ham/Mayweather Promotions Click HERE for Photos from Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions
ATLANTA (June 27, 2021) – Gervonta “Tank” Davis, one of the biggest stars in all of boxing, put on a career-defining performance Saturday night live on SHOWTIME PPV from the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta, scoring a scintillating 11th round TKO over the previously-undefeated Mario Barrios to capture the WBA Super Lightweight Championship in the action-packed Premier Boxing Champions event. Watch the stoppage HERE.
“I made it tough. I definitely could have made it easier but I went up two weight classes and I got the job done,” said the 26-year-old Baltimore native, who was headlining his second SHOWTIME PPV. “I hit him with some clean shots, but I’m the type of fighter that wants to catch you with clean shots. I don’t just want to throw any type of shot. The shots I was throwing were missing, but eventually I caught up with him.”
In a fight that lived up to its potential, Davis (25-0, 24 KOs) and Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs) combined to put on an unforgettable main event in front of a sold-out crowd of 16,570. After a slow opening four rounds in which Davis landed just 11 punches, the fight produced fireworks beginning in the fifth round. In the eighth round, “Tank” sent “El Azteca” to the canvas for both the first and second times of his career. First, Davis connected on a sweeping right hook that sent the former champion to the canvas. Moments later, a straight left hand by Davis dropped Barrios again. The brave Barrios rose to his feet, surviving Davis’ attempts to finish him in the eighth.
With International Boxing Hall of Famer and promoter Floyd Mayweather encouraging Davis in his corner, the southpaw came out rejuvenated in the eleventh round, realizing that the fight could be close on the scorecards. “Tank” dropped Barrios for the third time in the fight, this time with a left uppercut to the body. The bloodied Barrios rose again, only to be greeted with another barrage of punches from Davis. Referee Thomas Taylor stepped in to stop the fight at 2:13 of the eleventh round.
“I knew for sure if I catch him, I’m crackin,” Davis told SHOWTIME’s Jim Gray. “So I caught him, and it showed. My coach was telling me to go to a jab style but I’m a southpaw so they know I’m going to that jab side. So I would try and bait him in. I faked like I was going left, and I threw my right. And my hook over top, and that’s where I caught him.”
In the final six-and-a-half rounds, Davis landed 85 punches. He landed 45 percent of his power punches (82/182), while Barrios more than held his own, out-landing Davis in six of the ten completed rounds.
“I knew he was hurt. I just had to catch him at the right time,” Davis continued. “Floyd [Mayweather] came to me and was honest and said I was down,” continued Davis, who was actually ahead on all three judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage. “So he said ‘Show me that you’re great.’ And you know how we do it in the doghouse, baby!”
With the victory, Davis now holds world championships in three different divisions simultaneously, a feat only accomplished by a few other fighters in history, including Henry Armstrong and Canelo Alvarez.
“He has the potential to be one of the greatest ever,” said Mayweather. “When I first met ‘Tank’ when he was 14 or 15 years old, I told him I’d make him a world champion. And that you’ll be one of the best someday. I’m proud of him.”
“I’ve never been a hater. Congrats to ‘Tank’,” said Barrios. “He came here and did his thing. It was nothing short of an exciting fight and that’s exactly what both of us predicted. He was the better man tonight, but I’ll definitely be back.
“’Tank’ is explosive. He caught me slipping and it’s boxing. At the end of the day, one punch can change the fight. That’s exactly what I felt happened. Congrats to him.”
In a back-and-forth co-main event, Orlando’s Erickson “Hammer” Lubin (23-1, 17 KOs) overcame some adversity to score the most important victory of his career over former unified world champion Jeison Rosario (20-3-1, 14 KOs). The WBC No. 1-ranked contender at 154 pounds, Lubin scored a sixth-round KO (1:42) in the WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator. Watch HERE.
“I just followed the game plan,” said the 25-year-old Lubin, who improves to 6-0 since suffering the only loss of his career to 154-pound kingpin Jermell Charlo. “I would just go back to my corner after each round and Coach [Kevin] Cunningham and my team would just say, ‘Stick to the jab. Stay consistent with your jab.’ I’m way faster than him and I knew he had good power and he was trying to counter me. So I would fade him out and use my jab consistently.”
In the third round, Lubin nearly put an early end to the action with a huge frame that had Rosario on the back foot. In the closing moments of the round, Lubin landed a right hook that had Rosario wobbling back to his corner after the bell rang. Miraculously, in the next round, Rosario was able to recover and completely turned the tables, wobbling Lubin with a left jab.
The action turned up even more in the sixth round. Lubin, sensing that Rosario was susceptible to the body attack, landed a vicious left-right body combination that sent Rosario to his knees in what ultimately proved to be the turning point of the fight. Rosario, clearly hurt, was never able to recover and Lubin finished him off moments later against the ropes.
“I started to hurt him in the body as soon as the first round started,” the 2016 “Prospect Of The Year” Lubin said. “I started with the body and I saw him grunt. So I was able to hurt him to the body. I just wanted to distract him with the jab, then go downstairs. And I was able to get him out. I knew even if he got up after the knockdown that the fight was over. I know I’m a great finisher and I knew I was going to get him out of there as soon as I saw him drop.”
Lubin landed 44 percent of his power punches (80/288) and 20 of his landed punches were to the body. With the win, Lubin puts himself squarely in the picture for a second world title opportunity.
“I want a shot at the world title next,” he said. “I want everyone at 154 pounds. I’m No. 1 in the WBC but I chose to fight Rosario. I don’t duck anybody. I want to say that I fought everyone in my division when I win the world title.”
“Right now, I feel so bad,” said Rosario. “There is no lesson to be learned yet, everything is so raw still. I lost again, and it’s so frustrating. I was convinced I was going to win. The fight started to turn in the second round. I was just trying to keep up and listen to my corner. Lubin is a great fighter. He deserved to win. I hope he enjoys his victory.”
On the biggest stage of his career, Dominican Republic’s Carlos Adames (20-1, 16 KOs) rose to the occasion, scoring a highlight-reel third-round knockout over the streaking Alexis Salazar (23-4, 9 KOs) in the second fight of the pay-per-view. The time of the stoppage was 2:59 of the third round. Watch the KO HERE.
In the eventful and decisive third round, referee Jim Korb deducted two points from Adames for excessive holding. However, Adames made certain that the point deduction would have no impact on the fight’s result. He dropped Salazar with a lead left hook flush on the chin, a punch that Salazar never saw coming. The 25-year-old Mexican was able to get back to his feet, but Korb called for the stoppage when it was evident that a dazed Salazar was unable to continue.
“I was in control the entire fight, and that’s what reduced him to turning around at times,” said the 27-year-old Adames. “I was working with the jab to the body at first so that was working, and then I came with the left hook. I did my job and followed my strategy from A to Z and was able to succeed the way I wanted to.
“The key moment of the fight was when I managed to disrupt his focus. Once I was able to do that then it was easy pickings for me.”
“I was feeling good in there and I thought I was winning rounds,” said Salazar, whose 15-fight win streak was put to an end with one punch. “But he started grabbing me and that’s when he got me with an uppercut. That swung the fight. I just have to get back to work and keep looking for more opportunities.”
In the opening bout of the SHOWTIME PPV telecast, the hard-hitting Batyr Akhmedov (9-1, 8 KOs) scored a TKO victory over former world champion Argenis Mendez (25-7-3, 12 KOs) in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight Title Eliminator. Mendez suffered a right hand injury and did not get off his stool to come out for the ninth round. The official time of the stoppage was 3:00 of round number eight.
“The fight went as planned,” said Akhmedov, who overcame the first cut of his career over his left eye after an accidental head clash in the second round. “We were expecting a tough fight like that. I’ve been out of the ring for a long time, so I needed to get those rounds in. My plan is to fight for the world title next. We knew he would be uncomfortable to fight and tricky. He was headbutting and elbowing me. It was good experience for me.”
In the battle of Olympians, it was Akhmedov who pressed the action and was far busier from the onset. He went to the body early and often, landing 57 body punches, wearing Mendez down as the rounds passed by. The 30-year-old Akhmedov landed 115 of the 306 power punches he threw, while the 34-year-old Mendez landed 84 of his 223 power punches, including just 13 body connects. At the time of the stoppage, Akhmedov was ahead on all three judges’ scorecards.
“Mendez is a tough guy who fights top fighters,” continued Akhmedov. “We knew it wouldn’t be a walk in the park. When I hurt him, my corner was telling me to slow down and take my time before going for the knockout.”
“I started feeling (injured) in the second and third round,” said a disappointed Mendez. “My knuckles were broken and I couldn’t throw a punch anymore after I cut him with my right hand in the first round. I tried to keep fighting from the fourth round on, but to no avail. It was useless.”
With the win, Akhmedov keeps himself in the running for top fights in the deep 140-pound division. Mendez drops to 2-4-2 in last eight fights.
SHOWTIME will add a special replay of tonight’s pay-per-view main event fight between Gervonta Davis and Mario Barrios to the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast headlined by Chris “Primetime” Colbert vs. Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar next Saturday, July 3 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME. The replay of tonight’s SHOWTIME PPV headline attraction from State Farm Arena in Atlanta will serve as the opening fight of the live telecast from Carson, Calif. on Independence Day weekend.
ALL ACCESS: DAVIS-BARRIOS EPILOGUE premieres immediately following next week’s live telecast of Colbert vs. Nyambayar. The Emmy® Award-winning series ALL ACCESS was behind-the-scenes all week in Atlanta to capture never-before-seen moments from fight week. The epilogue will reveal intimate scenes from the locker rooms before and after the fight and inside the ropes from tonight’s action.
Veteran sportscaster Brian Custer hosted the SHOWTIME PPV telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo handled blow-by-blow action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and three-division world champion Abner Mares. Three Hall of Famers rounded out the SHOWTIME telecast team – Emmy® award winning reporter Jim Gray, unofficial scorer Steve Farhood and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. The executive producer was four-time Emmy® award winner David Dinkins, Jr. The telecast was directed by Bob Dunphy. Former junior middleweight world champion Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez and sportscaster Alejandro Luna served as expert analysts in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP). # # #
Split-T Management Fighters Featured All Over North America On Saturday
Giovani Santillan Takes on Cecil McCalla in Las Vegas (ESPN+)
Diego Pacheco battles Fellow Undefeated Jesus Moroyoqui Palomares in Mexico (DAZN)
Charles Conwell fights Silverio Ortiz plus Haven Brady Jr. battles Nathan Benichou in Ashland, Kentucky
NEW YORK (June 25, 2021)–On Saturday, boxing’s top management company, Split-T Management will have four of it’s top fighters featured in bouts throughout North America.
At the Virgin Hotel In Las Vegas, undefeated welterweight Giovani Santillan battles Cecil McCalla in a 10-round bout.
In Guadalajara, Mexico, rising undefeated prospect Diego Pacheco takes on undefeated Jesus Palomares in an eight-round super middleweight fight.
In Ashland, Kentucky, world-ranked super welterweight Charles Cinwell takes on Silverio Ortiz, while Haven Brady Jr. takes on Nathan Benichou in a four-round featherweight bout.
Photo by Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images
Santillan, who is promoted by Thompson Boxing and Top Rank, has a record 26-0 with 15 knockouts. Santillan of San Diego, has wins over Michael Balasi (10-2), Daniyar Hanyk (10-0), Osenohan Vazquez (7-1-1), Eduardo Rivera (9-1-2), Ernesto Ortiz (10-2), Omar Tienda (18-3), Sammy Valentin (12-0), Dodzi Kemeh (19-1), Alejandro Barboza (11-1) and his last bout when defeated former world champion Antonio DeMarco on June 16, 2020 in Las Vegas.
McCalla of Randallstown, Maryland, has a record of 23-4 with 10 knockouts.
McCalla has defeated the likes of Ivan Zigar (1-0-1), Antonio Walls (2-0), John Mackey (11-2-1), Gary Lynch (4-0) and Oscar Godoy (13-2). McCalla has won two in a row, and is coming off of a 2nd round stoppage over Fidel Monterrosa Munoz on October 16th in Plant City, Florida.
Santillan weighed 147.6 lbs and McCalla was 147 lbs at Friday’s weigh-in.
The bout can be seen on ESPN+ at 7:15 PM.
Photo by Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing
Pacheco of Los Angeles is 11-0 with eight knockouts.
The 20 year-old Pacheco will be facing his 5th undefeated foe of his three-year career. He already has wins over Felix Aguilar, Guillermo Maldonado, Jose Esparza and Terry Ferandez. Pacheco also has a 2nd round stoppage over Juan Antonio Mendez (12-2). Pacheco is coming off a unanimous decision over Rodolfo Gomez Jr. on February 21st in Miami.
Palomares of Sonora, Mexico is 7-0-1 with four knockouts, and has defeated two undefeated opponents in his last two bouts. He has a 2nd round stoppage over Christian Hermosillo (3-0) and in his last bout Palomares won a unanimous decision over Jaime Portillo on November 19th in Sonora, Mexico.
Both Pacheco and Palomares were 167 lbs at Friday’s weigh-in
In Ashland, Kentucky Conwell and Brady were able to book fights following bouts being postponed in Miami.
Conwell of Cleveland is ranked number-seven by the IBF, has a record of 14-0 with 11 knockouts,
The 2016 United States Olympian is the USBA champion, who has made three defenses has wins over Roque Zeoeda (4-1-3), Travis Scott (19-3), His USBA title winning effort over Courtney Pennington (12-3-3) and defenses over undefeated Webdy Toussaint (12-0) and Madiyar Ashkeyev (14-0).
Conwell, who is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Holden Productions checked in at 158 lbs.
Ortiz of Yucitan, Mexico has a record of 37-26 with 18 knockouts, and is a 21 year veteran,
He has fought many world champions and title challengers and has sprung upsets over Daniel Seda, Miguel Angel Huerta, Mian Hussein and Ramzan Baysarov
Brady of Albany, Georgia is 2-0 with both wins coming via knockout. He weighed 128 lbs.
The 19 year-old Brady, who is promoted by Top Rank, is coming off a 2nd round stoppage over Michael Land on December 12th in Las Vegas.
Benichou of Puebla, Mexico has a record of 2-4 with two knockouts.
Weston, Florida (June 11, 2021)–TOMORROW NIGHT at The Bonaventure Resort Spa in Weston, Florida, undefeated featherweight Edward Vazquez will be back in action when he takes on Yeison Vargas in a six-round bout.
Vazquez of Fort Worth, Texas, has a record of 9-0 with one knockout. The 25 year-old Vazquez is managed by DKO Management, will be making his first start since winning an eight-round split decision over Irvin Gonzalez (14-2) on November 28th in Las Angeles to capture the WBC USNBC Title.
Vazquez also has wins over Everado Jhoao (1-0), Brandon Arvie (2-0), Brandon Cruz (6-0) and Adan Ochoa (11-1).
Vargas of Colombia is 16-6 with 11 knockouts.
Vargas, 30, has wins over Ramiro Rojas (12-1-1) and Sander Diaz (5-1-1).
Vargas’ six losses are to fighters with a combined record of 116-5-4
“It has been a pleasure to work with Blake Davis and the entire BAD Promotions team In putting this bout together. We look forward to Edward earning his 10th straight victory in convincing fashion on Saturday night,” said Dave Dubinsky, cgno-manager of DKO Boxi
“Edward had an amazing training camp, under the tutelage of Raymond Barrera, and he is ready to go. Edward fears no one, and he will prove once again that he is the most dynamic prospect in the featherweight division,” said DKO Boxing co-manager, Jim Kurtz
Said John Anderson who promoted Vazquez under the KO Night Boxing banner, “KO Night Boxing is so excited for Edward to be fighting in Florida . Edward has been in some unbelievable exciting fights as of late. I thought he was fight of the night on the Tyson -Jones card his last time out and he showed the same type of fight on ESPN before that . Edward Vazquez is what boxing needs more of and that’s the warrior spirit he brings .I expect nothing less on Saturday night.”
Vazquez weighed 125.8 lbs at Friday’s weigh-in. Vargas was 126 lbs.
Atlantic City, NJ (June 25, 2021)–, Hard Hitting Promotions is pleased to formally announce a landmark boxing series at The Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City titled, Boardwalk Boxing Powered by Hard Hitting Promotions and Showboat Hotel.
The series was announced at a packed press conference that took place this past Tuesday at The Showboat Hotel, with the first event taking place on Saturday, July 31st.
“I am so glad to be part of this. This is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Manny Rivera, Partner with Hard Hitting Promotions. “This is just a small piece of what is going to happen in Atlantic City. This has been a vision for the last three and a half years. What we will be doing is putting on great fights and high quality events, and we can see this as the start of bringing big time boxing in Atlantic City like it used be. You can see what we are trying to do in our first event, by having excellent fights with all of the fighters getting tested in real fights.”
“Starting on July 31st, we will start a 12-fight series with Hard Hitting Promotions. This is the largest commitment to boxing in Atlantic City in an Atlantic City property since the 1990’s,” said Brandon Dixon, president of Tower Investments. “We are committed to making boxing an integral part of the city’s non-casino entertainment in addition to our professional boxing series, we will be rolling out a truly unique amateur fight series.”
In the main event on July 31st, undefeated Christian Tapia battles Mason Menard in a 10 round fight for the NABA Super Featherweight title.
Tapia of Coamo, Puerto Rico, has a record of 11-0 with 10 knockouts,
Tapia, 27 years-old is a four-year professional, and is coming off a 4th round stoppage over Carlos Colon on March 7th, 2020 in Atlantic City..
Menard of Rayne, Louisiana has an impressive mark of 36-5 with 25 knockouts.
The 32 year-old Menard is a 14 year-professional who has racked up wins over Thomas Dardar (8-1), Lonnie Smith (14-3-2), Ivan Otero (8-1), Oscar Bravo (21-4), Eudy Bernardo (21-0), Bahodir Mamadjonov (19-2). Menard is coming off a close majority decision defeat to highly ranked Emmanuel Tagoe (31-1) on November 27th in Hollywood, Florida.
In the co-feature, undefeated bantamweight Dylan Price of Sicklerville, New Jersey takes on tough Edwin Rodriguez in an eight-round bout.
Price, 22 years-old of Sicklerville, NJ is 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Price, a four-year professional, has stopped his last four opponents, and is coming off a 2nd round destruction over Elias Joaquino on April 17th in Philadelphia.
Rodriguez, 28 year-old of Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico has a record of 11-5-2 with five knockouts.
Rodriguez, a nine-year veteran, has wins over Carlos Rodriguez (12-1), Juan Carlos Camacho (6-0) and highly regarded Saul Sanchez (12-0). Rodriguez is coming off a disputed draw with decorated contender Joshua Greer (22-2-1) on November 14th in Las Vegas.
Local favorite, Anthony “Juice” Young returns in an eight-round bout against veteran, Todd Manuel in a welterweight fight.
Young of Atlantic City is 21-2 with eight knockouts.
Young, 33, will be making his 13th appearance in his hometown, is coming off the best win of his career, as he stopped former super welterweight world champion Sadam Ali in three-rounds on March 4, 2019 in Las Vegas,
Manuel of Rayne, Louisiana is 19-17-1 with five knockouts, has posted wins over K Lon Spencer (4-0), Arthur Thomas (1-0) and Tom Howard (8-1). Manuel is on a two-fight winning streak, and in his last contest, he won an eight-round unanimous decision against Jesus Angulo on June 4th in Mexico.
In six-round bouts:
Ricardo Caraballo (6-1, 2 KOs) of Riverview, Florida takes on an opponent to be named in a flyweight fight.
Emmnauel Rodriguez (9-0, 4 KOs) of Quebardillas, PR will fight an opponent to be named.
Jan Carlos Rivera (4-1, 4 KOs) of Philadelphia will take part in a welterweight bout.
Jerome Conquest (10-5, 1 KO) of Philadelphia fights an opponent to be named.
In a four-round bout, welterweight Dezmond Lucas (2-0, 1 KO) of Bronx, NY will make an appearance against an opponent to be named.
Tickets for this amazing evening boxing are $150, $100, $75 and $55 and can be purchased.
