Undefeated Super Lightweight Sensation Omar Juárez Battles Argentina’s Elías Araujo in FOX PBC Fight Night Co-Main Event & on FOX Deportes This Saturday, April 17 from Los Angeles
SAN ANTONIO, TX. (April 14, 2021) – Undefeated super lightweight sensation Omar “El Relampago”Juárez will look to continue his ascent up the 140-pound rankings when he takes on Argentina’s Elías “El Macho” Araujo in a 10-round showdown that serves as the FOX PBC Fight Night co-main event and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, April 17 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
The 21-year-old Juarez (10-0, 5 KOs) will return to action after a dominant 2020 that saw him add four victories to his resume. This included fighting to eight rounds for the first time, which he did twice in winning unanimous decisions over Dakota Linger and Willie Shaw.
The Brownsville, Texas native most recently dropped Raul Chirino three times in December on his way to a first round knockout victory. His 2021 will kick off with him facing Araujo (21-2, 8 KOs), an Argentine fighter who on paper is the stiffest test of Juarez’s career.
Here is what Juarez had to say about facing that test, training camp and more:
On his recent training camp:
“It was another brutal camp in San Antonio with coach Rick Nunez. We got a lot of hard rounds in with some very tough sparring partners. I’ve been working on throwing more power shots while sustaining good defense. I’ve made all the sacrifices necessary to be in the best shape of my life and I’ll be at my best come this Saturday.”
On his upcoming fight with Elias Araujo: “Araujo has a good record with a lot of experience, and he has double the number of fights that I’ve had. Since Araujo has only fought once in the U.S., I know he’s coming to fight, so I’m expecting to go to war. This will be my toughest fight so far in my career, and I’m going to be ready for anything he brings to the ring.”
On making his 2021 debut on FOX: “I’m so grateful to be fighting once again FOX PBC Fight Night. It’s the big stage that gets me excited and I want nothing more than to put on a great performance for the fans. It doesn’t get bigger than FOX, so believe me when I say I’m ready to let my hands go.”
On what fans can expect to see in this fight:
“I’m coming to make a statement in this fight. Araujo has never been stopped, so to end this fight early will be something special that no one has ever done. Fans can expect to see me throw a lot of power shots with bad intentions.”
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ABOUT HARRISON VS. PERRELLA Harrison vs. Perrella will see former WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Tony “Superbad” Harrison enter the ring to face hard-hitting southpaw Bryant “Goodfella” Perrella in the super welterweight main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, April 17 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features undefeated rising contender Omar “El Relampago” Juárez battling Elías Araujo in the 10-round super lightweight co-main event. The telecast opener will see the return of sensational prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr. against James Martin in an eight-round welterweight matchup.
The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
Four-Part Documentary Series Chronicling The Rivalry and The Era
of Durán, Hagler, Hearns, and Leonard
Premieres Sunday, June 6, at 8 p.m. ET/PT
Exclusively on SHOWTIME
Photo credit: The Ring Magazine via Getty Images
NEW YORK – April 15, 2021 – From 1980 through 1989, four great champions and future Hall of Famers raised the level of their sport. It was boxing at its best, at its most enthralling. Over the span of one glorious decade, they fought each other nine times. Roberto “Manos de Piedra” Durán, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard, known collectively as the “Four Kings,” formed a fierce rivalry and arguably the greatest period in the history of the sport.
SHOWTIME SPORTS DOCUMENTARY FILMS will be presenting THE KINGS, a four-part series chronicling the four fighters’ dramatic and divergent ascents to greatness and the legendary matches they produced. They dominated an era of their own creation, but not each other. The weekly series premieres on Sunday, June 6 at 8 p.m. ET / PT on SHOWTIME, with all episodes being made available across the network’s on-demand and streaming platforms at premiere.
Today marks the 36th anniversary of the epic middleweight championship battle between Hagler and Hearns. Long considered the high-water mark of the Four Kings era, Hagler-Hearns stands out for the drama and brutal non-stop action that was compressed into just over eight minutes from start to finish. The fight and the opening stanza were consensus Fight of the Year and Round of the Year, respectively, but many consider both as one of, if not the, all-time best in their respective categories.
Below, please find the observations and recollections of those who covered that fight, many who are featured in THE KINGS.
“I remember the week of the fight, Hagler wore a baseball hat with ‘WAR’ on the front, and I thought, ‘eh, the usual pre fight hype’, until the first bell, then I said, “WOW, Hagler was right.”
– Teddy Atlas, Hall of Fame trainer and boxing analyst
“I covered the fight as a columnist for The New York Times. Here was my lead: Until Thomas Hearns fell, with the assistance of a smashing right to the face by Marvelous Marvin Hagler, and was ruled the loser at 2:01 of the third round, hardly a second passed that one of the fighters wasn’t throwing and landing a stunning blow.”
– Ira Berkow, ringside for The New York Times
“The excitement at the outdoor arena at Caesars Palace was palpable. As I sat ringside I did something I now do regularly before a match. When both Hagler and Hearns had entered and were in the ring I took my headsets off just to feel the emotion of the crowd better. I wanted to live that moment. Now, I do that before every big match just before it begins. At the end of the first round, I said on the telecast, ‘This is one of the best rounds in middleweight boxing history.’ I may have been underselling it.”
– Al Bernstein, SHOWTIME Boxing analyst /ringside, called the fight as part of the live closed-circuit telecast team
“I knew trouble was brewing when in the last leg of their nationwide press tour, Marvin stuck dinner napkins in both ears as Tommy stood to continue three weeks of boasting about a third-round knockout. ‘He’s half right,’ Hagler later groused. The first round sucked the air out of the arena and the finish was Hagler’s violent response to all the forces he believed had tried to deny him greatness his whole career. Marvin took all his frustrations out on poor Tommy and left him in a heap on the floor, broken like an old beach chair.”
– Ron Borges, ringside for the Boston Globe
“I was sitting first-row ringside that night next to Ed Schuyler Jr., the great AP boxing writer. We were anticipating a good fight, but we had no idea how good. The bell rang and suddenly Hagler and Hearns were fighting in a fury that was hard to comprehend and just as hard to describe. When the round ended, I remember looking at Schuyler shaking my head, not saying a word, and he did the same to me back. It was like ‘What did we just see?’ I’ve seen thousands of fights, but to this day that three minutes of mayhem is forever etched in my mind. No need to watch the old video, I remember it almost punch by punch. Greatest first round ever, and top five in greatest fights I’ve ever covered.”
– Tim Dahlberg, ringside for the Associated Press
“A wise old journalist once told me, ‘If you’re covering a fight, or anything for that matter, that’s truly sensational, don’t try to write it that way. Underplay it.’ I think of that advice whenever anybody mentions Hagler-Hearns. For fight fans, it was invigorating, inspiring, incredible – everything we could ever hope for. For fight writers, it was a bit different. How could we describe that first round without overstepping our bounds? Sometimes it’s easier being a fan.”
– Steve Farhood, SHOWTIME Boxing analyst / Covered the fight as senior writer for KO magazine
“I will always remember sitting in the truck, as the producer of the telecast, and telling Marc Payton, the director, to stick with the hand-held camera in the last minute of the first round, mesmerized that they had planted themselves in front of that camera. It was the longest three minutes of action in my entire career. I turned to Marc at the end of the round and just asked, ‘What the hell was that?’ It was actually a more emphatic expletive than that.”
– Ross Greenburg, executive producer of the fight telecast
“At the end of the first round I was literally speechless. The action had been so incredibly intense – they had attacked each other with the kind of ferocity you only see in a horror movie – that I had watched it all with my mouth wide open, and in the dry desert air my mouth had become completely bone dry, so I was unable to get a word out when Ian Darke asked me for my comment. Eventually I managed to say, ‘That’s the greatest round of boxing I’ve ever seen.’ And all these years later, it still remains so.”
– Colin Hart, ringside for The Sun and BBC Radio
“Whenever I’m asked to name the most exciting sporting event I ever attended, I respond, ‘Hagler-Hearns.’ Never do I have to explain.”
– Barry Horn, ringside for the Dallas Morning News
“Greatest first round in the history of boxing at any weight. Hearns hits him with the best right hand he ever threw, wobbles him, opens a cut on his forehead but two rounds later Marvin fights off the blood and knocks him out. Seventy years covering boxing and I never saw anything like it.”
– Jerry Izenberg, ringside for The Star-Ledger
“Being at ringside for the eight minutes of fury known as the Marvin Hagler-Thomas Hearns fight was as close as anyone could come to understanding the days of gladiators in the Roman Colosseum. The first round was all-out warfare with both fighters exchanging their best power shots. Hearns tried to box in the second, but Hagler wouldn’t let him, and when the blood started pouring from a cut on Hagler’s forehead in the third and there was a danger the fight might be stopped, Hagler later said, ‘It turns me on, the monster comes out.’ Boy, did it! I never will forget the image of one of Hearns’ handlers cradling him like a child and carrying him to the corner, which is why I led with that picture. Easily the most savage boxing match I’ve witnessed between two all-time greats.”
– Greg Logan, ringside for Newsday
“Although the action and drama lasted eight-plus breathless minutes, it actually was over in the first minute or so when KO star Hearns landed a flush right and Hagler didn’t blink. It was then I realized that Hagler, normally a patient stalker, had signaled his intention to use his middleweight strength to challenge a big welterweight by pounding his chest defiantly just before the opening bell rang. A night and fight to remember.”
– Larry Merchant, ringside commentator for delay telecast
“Obviously the greatest round of boxing I’ve ever seen, let alone called. One of those moments that you knew the magnitude of as it was happening. That first round felt like it was a half hour long.”
– Barry Tompkins, SHOWTIME Boxing analyst / ringside to call the delay fight telecast
“I didn’t know what to expect since it was my first time watching a fight at a movie theater. Whites and Blacks in Memphis only socialized around sports back then. It was a mixed crowd in the theater, but the same reaction: pure joy and excitement. Everyone stood throughout the entire fight. It was violent, courageous, and thrilling.”
– George Willis, covering from a closed-circuit outlet in Memphis for The Commercial Appeal
“I covered that fight, and many others, for The Detroit News. I’ll never forget the absolute savagery in the way Hearns and Hagler went at each other from the opening bell, and the way the crowd roared with every punch. One telling moment: Hearns connected with a wicked left hook that turned Hagler half around from the force of the punch — but never fazed him. It has been called the greatest short fight in history, and that stands up to this day. The first round set the tone. I remember after the fight someone asked Larry Merchant of HBO how he scored that first round. ‘I gave them both 11,’ he replied. That said it all.”
– Mike O’Hara, ringside for The Detroit News
“My memory of the first round: action so immediate and reckless that spectators were left breathless. So were the reporters at ringside. I was there for the Boston Globe, and I remember the veteran scribes who sat paralyzed after the bell, unable to type or scratch notes, me included. A deep gash opened above Hagler’s right eye, and Hearns’ right hand fractured. In the third round, with blood running down Hagler’s nose, the referee stopped the bout and asked Hagler if he could continue. Hagler snapped: ‘I’m not missing him, am I?’ When the bout resumed Hagler attacked quickly, bounced three long rights off of Hearns’ head, and watched him twist downward to the canvas.”
– Steve Marantz, ringside for the Boston Globe
“I remember how difficult it was, on a tight deadline, to give justice to that spectacular first round. How many superlatives could I pack into the story without inducing nausea? Hagler quietly, confidently selling the fight – simply, wearing a cap with ‘War’ emblazoned on the front. Then that nail-hard infantryman, coming, always coming after Hearns. Hearns out on his feet, chin on referee Richard Steele’s shoulder and then carried to his corner. I can still hear the crowd roaring throughout the short fight, knowing all of us were witnessing a brawl for the ages.”
– John Phillips, ringside for Reuters
“What I remember about this war was there was no feeling (each other) out, they just came out slugging from the opening bell! It was so loud outside at Caesars Palace, the most iconic venue, that made this fight even more special. I wish more fights were outside. I also thought that Referee Richard Steele did a great job and just let them fight!”
– Marc Ratner, Nevada State Athletic Commission Inspector for Hagler-Hearns
“Hagler-Hearns was the first major fight I covered and the first time I was ever in Las Vegas. I was there to do sidebars and run quotes for Greg Logan, who was doing the main story for Newsday. I got a seat in press row when press row was truly ringside, literally within 10 feet of the ring apron. And after the incredible first round, I was on my feet, my legs quivering, when I noticed all the other older, more grizzled reporters were standing too, stunned by what we all had just seen. At that moment, Eddie Schuyler of the AP turned to me and deadpanned in that sardonic manner of his, ‘You know, kid, they aren’t all like this.’ He turned out to be right. Over the next 38 years and who knows how many first rounds, I have yet to see another one like that.”
– Wally Matthews, ringside for Newsday
THE KINGS is produced by Box To Box Film in association with Ingenious Media. The series is executive produced by James Gay-Rees (Amy, Senna, Drive To Survive) and Paul Martin (Diego Maradona, Drive To Survive), produced by Fiona Neilson (Oasis: Supersonic, Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams) and directed by Mat Whitecross (Oasis: Supersonic, Road To Guantanamo, Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams).
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.
“I want to be the first one to finish Phil Davis in his life,” – Nemkov
“He’s coming to make a statement that he is the rightful champion. And I am coming to say, ‘No you not!’” – Davis
“The plan is to go out there and dominate, win in the best fashion and get to him before he gets to me,” – Anderson
“I can fight with anybody in this tournament,” – Yagshimuradov
NEW YORK – April 14, 2021 – Newly-crowned light heavyweight king Vadim Nemkov and No. 2 ranked light heavyweight Phil Davis previewed their BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME main event fight during a virtual media availability Wednesday. In an anticipated rematch three years in the making, Nemkov and Davis will battle for both the light heavyweight strap and to advance to the semifinals of the BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix live on SHOWTIME on Friday, April 17 from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
BELLATOR MMA 257: Nemkov vs. Davis 2 is the third of three straight weeks of BELLATOR MMA action on SHOWTIME and begins live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Completing the stacked main card are three other must-watch bouts, including No. 3 ranked Corey Anderson welcoming the highly-touted Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov to the BELLATOR cage in a Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal matchup, a 175-pound contract weight bout between MMA legend Paul Daley and the always-exciting Sabah Homasi and a women’s flyweight contest matching Veta Arteaga against Desiree Yanez.
SHOWTIME is offering viewers who are new to the SHOWTIME streaming service a 30-day free trial, followed by a discounted monthly subscription fee of $4.99/month for the next six months. Viewers can sign up at SHO.com/BellatorMMA.
Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:
Vadim Nemkov, BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Champion
“Yes, I am entering the Grand Prix as a champion but I try to move those things out of my head, so I’m entering the tournament like a regular fighter and I just want to win. For me, it’s much more important to win this tournament right now. Not the belt.
“I want to win this tournament. I want to prove myself to everybody. I’m in my prime age right now. I already have a lot of experience. I’m well prepared for this tournament and because I’m younger, that’s even more of a plus for me.
“I’m very glad that I have three fights this year to defend my title. That’s really good for me to fight a lot and to prove that I am the best. That I am a champion. Not wasting any time. I’m really happy that these other legends in the tournament want my belt and I have a chance to fight with them and prove that I am better.
“I’m ready to fight with Phil Davis for five rounds. I’m prepared for it. But I want to finish it. I don’t want to spend five rounds with Phil Davis and I want to be the first one to finish him in his life.”
Phil Davis, BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Competitor
“Honestly, it’s sort of cliché but the toughest test in this tournament would be Nemkov. He’s champion for a reason. He’s a tough cat and he’s the guy to beat. I want to get this light heavyweight belt and then after that, clean up the rest of the tournament.
“This fight is going to be crazy. I can promise you that. With Nemkov, you know when you skate by with a win. This time, he’s coming to make a statement that he is the rightful champion. And I am coming to say, ‘No you not!’ It’s definitely going to be a very aggressive and exciting fight.
“I look back at that loss and I never would wish I would lose, but at the same time, I do feel like it adds a little more theatrics to this moment and how sweet it would be to win the belt back from a very close decision in such an amazing light heavyweight tournament.
“All of those matchups [rematches with Nemkov, Johnson, Bader] are freaking awesome. I am definitely motivated to avenge a loss but I am just more motivated about winning this tournament because it has some of the who’s who of the sport and of the light heavyweight division. Whoever wins this, the fans will say, ‘That guy is freaking awesome. You went head-to-head with all the killers in this division.’
“I think it’s a mistake to think that you know a guy or think that you know what he’s going to do. I approach it almost as a brand-new fighter, brand-new fight. It keeps me from falling into the trap of underestimating him or maybe thinking he didn’t improve in certain areas. I have limited knowledge of what you like to do and what I think your plan of attack will be and my job is just to come at you with a blank slate because a lot of times, especially with rematches, they tend to be completely different from the first one.”
Corey Anderson, BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix competitor
“The re-focus is back. I spent so much time with my son during the quarantine. Watching him grow and building that relationship and just remembering that every move I make is for my family so I can give them a better life. I need to go out there and be smart about it. Now that I have two with my baby girl, and not only having her as a baby but delivering the baby myself, it just put a whole different aspect on everything.
“The moment I got the release and everything settled from UFC and signed with BELLATOR, I knew I was valued more over here already before even meeting anybody. My manager let people know that we got out of UFC and within an hour, hour-and-a-half, BELLATOR hit us with a huge offer that we couldn’t pass. The people I was with at the time were like, ‘Yo, if you don’t take that money you are stupid.’ So, we took that and that showed me how much they valued me as a fighter. In a matter of 24 hours, a new promotion had offered me my worth in money, actually reached out and talked to me and then they wanted to meet with my face-to-face. That’s something that in my seven years in UFC, I still hadn’t had a face-to-face meeting with Dana White.
“I go into training camp and I look at my training partners like I’m going to look at my opponent. Granted, I’m not going out there to hurt them. I don’t plan on hurting my opponent if I don’t have to in the fight. But the plan is to go out there and dominate and win in the best fashion and get to him before he gets to me. It can be the No. 1 ranked guy or the lowest ranked guy in the world, but the plan is to go out there and fight like Corey Anderson fights. Go out there and be the mixed martial artist that you train to be every day.
“He was the champ somewhere else. He is legitimate enough to be in this tournament with the other seven fighters. With that being said, I’m not going in there and looking past him because he’s not a name we know. I’m not looking in there thinking that I because I was in the UFC and I fought at the top that this guy is not ready. I’m going out there thinking this guy is as dangerous as anybody else. He has two fists. He has two legs, two eyes and two ears. He can hear, see and throw whatever he wants to throw when he sees it.
“BELLATOR’s light heavyweight division has all the numbers. We have all the skills. We have all the names. In 205 over there in UFC, all you really have right now is the champ and Glover. People over here already beat both of those guys. It’s kind of like, it shouldn’t even be a question.”
Click HERE to view Yagshimuradov’s full media session
“Sometimes I don’t even know how to describe my own fighting style. It’s some kind of weird style. Usually, I start adapting to my opponent during the fight. If the guy tries to wrestle, I strike with him. If the guy tries to strike, I wrestle with him.
“I don’t like to predict the fights, especially my own fights. It’s easier to predict somebody else’s fight but it’s hard to say what’s going to happen. Everything about what is going to happen is going to be shown Friday night in the cage. The only thing I can tell you about what I’m going to do is I’m going to go out there and fight with the guy.
“I don’t feel any kind of pressure because there are a lot of big names in this tournament. It’s only names. They are still fighters even though they may be more known fighters and more promoted fighters than me. In my career, I’ve fought competition that’s not worse and, in some moments, even better than these guys. I have really good experience so I can fight with any of them.
“I think Yoel Romero would the guy I’d like to fight. It’s not like I really want to fight him or there’s something special about this fight, but I was always a fan of his fight style and the way he acts in the public. I kind of respect this guy so if you ask me who I would like to fight from this tournament, it would be Yoel Romero.”
“In regards to Homasi saying he’s not fazed by my record, I think he has to say that for his confidence. I know already that he’s nervous. He’s already doubting himself. It’s a big change from the interview when we were supposed to fight pre-COVID when he was saying that he was a fan of me and he’s been watching me fight for a while. That just tells me that he’s nervous about the fight and it’s just for his confidence that he’s saying stuff like that. Just to reassure him that he deserves to be in there with me.
“Who knows what’s next. I’m just here to fight Friday night and put on a fantastic performance. Stop the guy. Take him out of there and leave no questions to my ability and just put on a great show.
“I’m just looking forward to fighting regardless of who’s in there with me on Friday night. It just so happens that it’s going to be Sabah. On paper, he should bring it. It should be a standup war but I don’t think it’s going to be as much of a war while standing and I think there’s going to be quite a few takedown attempts.
“Very few people who meet me have the same idea as prior to meeting me. Everybody thinks I’m this psychotic fighting machine but deep down I’m a martial artist. What brought me to martial arts was ninjas. That is what got me into martial arts. It wasn’t the fact that I was some kind of street fighter. I just wanted to be a ninja. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to do the meditation things. Intertwine my fingers and summon a dragon or something like that. Deep down, I’m a martial artist and that’s what keeps me going. It’s the endless search of perfection that drives me. I just want to be the best martial artist I can be. I’ve just recently been awarded my black belt in Brazilian jiujutsu and I’m still here in BELLATOR competing against these guys after so many fights and so many years in the game.”
“After this win, I see myself just climbing the ladder. Getting closer to a title shot.
“It’s more of a mental state with me. Something mentally clicked for me and I’m putting everything together now. I have the skillset. Everything is coming together and it’s perfect timing for me.
“I just have to respect his power. But he has to respect mine too. Other than that, I see myself beating him everywhere. I don’t care how many fights he has. I fought people with more fights than him. I do it every day in the gym and to me this is just a fight.”
CORONA, CA (April 13, 2021) – Thompson Boxing Promotions returns on Sunday, April 18th, 2021, with yet another action-packed night of fights as 3.2.1. Boxing returns with three exciting bouts. Former super lightweight world title contender, Petr “Zar” Petrov (41-6-2, 22 KOs), who was scheduled to open up the show, is now off the card.
The 8-round main event featuring Ruben “Ace” Torres (14-0, 11 KOs) vs. Diego Contreras (11-3, 5 KOs), will remain intact. The 8-round co-main event will now showcase Mexican power puncher, Miguel “El Explosivo” Madueño (22-0, 20 KOs) vs. Bergman Aguilar (15-6-1, 5 KOs). The opening bout will stage TBP’s George “El YuYu” Acosta (10-1, 1 KO) vs. Edgar “Pito Lupillo” Ramirez (17-16-1, 14 KOs) in super lightweight bout scheduled for 6-rounds.
The free stream will air live on the Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), as well as their Facebook and YouTube pages. 3.2.1. Boxing will take place at the Omega Products International EventCenter in Corona, CA, and will start at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET.
Madueño, who hails from Guasave, Mexico, will be making his USA debut. The knockout artist possesses power in both hands and promises to display ferociousness in the ring this Sunday.
“I want to make my USA debut a memorable day, showcasing an immense display of speed and power that God has blessed me with,” said Miguel Madueño, who is coming to U.S. soil for the first time will make his home in Santa Fe Springs, CA. “Anyone who has seen me fight, knows I like to throw a lot of power punches. I can’t wait to get going against Aguilar this Sunday afternoon.”
“We’re thrilled to show the world the talents of Madueño,” said promoter Ken Thompson. “It’s unfortunate that Petr Petrov couldn’t make it to the States, but we feel we have a fantastic bout to fill in the slot.”
“Everyone should be tuning in to see this kid Madueño,” said Alex Camponovo, Thompson Boxing’s general manager and creator of 3.2.1 Boxing. “We have been forced to delay his American debut due to the pandemic and I am sure he will make the bet of the opportunity that just opened up for him.”
Beto Duran will operate as the blow-by-blow commentator with expert commentary by Doug Fischer and Steve Kim. Jessica Rosales will serve as the onsite ringside reporter.
3.2.1 Boxing is sponsored by Thompson Building Materials, transforming spaces in beautiful places; Omega Products International, the leading stucco manufacturer in the United States; Henry / Fortifiber, moisture system control as easy as 1,2,3, and Makita, rule the outdoors.
For more information, regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. You can also follow the conversation on social media, please use #321Boxing and #ThompsonBoxing.
Please check our Facebook Page, watch our YouTube channel on Thompson Boxing TV and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing. Fight Hub TV is a proud Media Partner with Thompson Boxing’s 3.2.1. Boxing shows and a great resource for all things Boxing.
MAJOR SHAKEUP IN RANKINGS FOR MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT, WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND DIVISIONS
Click here for additional information detailing fighter eligibility, as well as additional voting criteria.
MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND 1. Patricio Pitbull (32-4)2. Vadim Nemkov (12-2)3. Gegard Mousasi (47-7-2)4. Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC)5. Juan Archuleta (25-2)6. Douglas Lima (32-8)7. AJ McKee (17-0)8. Phil Davis (22-5)9. Corey Anderson (14-5)10. Yaroslav Amosov (25-0)
MEN’S HEAVYWEIGHT C. Ryan Bader (28-6)1. Timothy Johnson (15-6)2. Cheick Kongo (30-11-2)3. Valentin Moldavsky (10-1)4. Tyrell Fortune (10-1)5. Fedor Emelianenko (39-6)6. Linton Vassell (20-8)7. Steven Mowry (8-0)8. Matt Mitrione (13-8)9. Sergei Kharitonov (32-8)10. Javy Ayala (11-8)
MEN’S LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTC. Vadim Nemkov (12-2)1. Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC)2. Phil Davis (22-5, 1 NC)3. Corey Anderson (14-5)4. Lyoto Machida (26-11)5. Julius Anglickas (9-1)6. Grant Neal (5-0)7. Christian Edwards (4-0)8. Tyree Fortune (5-0)9. Melvin Manhoef (32-15-1)10. Alex Polizzi (7-1)
MEN’S MIDDLEWEIGHTC. Gegard Mousasi (47-7-2)1. John Salter (18-4)2. Anatoly Tokov (29-2)3. Austin Vanderford (10-0)4. Fabian Edwards (9-1)5. Costello van Steenis (13-2)6. Johnny Eblen (7-0)7. Charlie Ward (9-4)8. Mike Shipman (14-3)9. Romero Cotton (5-0)10. Ed Ruth (8-3)
MEN’S WELTERWEIGHTC. Douglas Lima (32-8)1. Yaroslav Amosov (25-0)2. Michael Page (18-1)3. Jason Jackson (14-4)4. Neiman Gracie (10-2)5. Logan Storley (11-1)6. Derek Anderson (17-3)7. Joey Davis (8-0)8. Sabah Homasi (15-8)9. Oliver Enkamp (10-2)10. Jaleel Willis (14-2)
MEN’S LIGHTWEIGHTC. Patricio Pitbull (32-4)1. Brent Primus (10-1)2. Patricky Pitbull (23-9)3. Goiti Yamauchi (25-5)4. Benson Henderson (28-10)5. Sidney Outlaw (15-4)6. Myles Jury (19-5)7. Adam Piccolotti (12-4)8. Alfie Davis (14-3)9. Dan Moret (15-6) NR10. Aviv Gozali (5-0) ∇1
MEN’S FEATHERWEIGHTC. Patricio Pitbull (32-4)1. AJ McKee (17-0)2. Emmanuel Sanchez (20-5)3. Adam Borics (17-1)4. Pedro Carvalho (11-4)5. Daniel Weichel (40-12)6. Aaron Pico (7-3)7. Jay Jay Wilson (7-0)8. Jeremy Kennedy (16-3, 1 NC)9. Tywan Claxton (6-2)10. Mads Burnell (14-3)
MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHTC. Juan Archuleta (25-2)1. Sergio Pettis (20-5)2. Patchy Mix (13-1)3. Magomed Magomedov (18-1) ∆14. Raufeon Stots (15-1)∇15. James Gallagher (11-1)6. Leandro Higo (20-5)7. Josh Hill (20-3)8. Jornel Lugo (6-0) ∆29. Cass Bell (5-2)∇110. Brian Moore (13-7) NR
WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHTC. Cris Cyborg (23-2, 1 NC)1. Julia Budd (14-3)2. Arlene Blencowe (13-8)3. Cat Zingano (12-4)4. Leslie Smith (12-8-1)5. Sinead Kavanagh (7-4)6. Janay Harding (6-4)7. Amanda Bell (7-7) ∆18. Leah McCourt (4-1)∇19. Olga Rubin (6-2)10. Jessy Miele (9-5)
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHTC. Juliana Velasquez (11-0)1. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-1)2. Liz Carmouche (15-7)3. Kana Watanabe (10-0-1) ∆14. Denise Kielholtz (6-2)∇15. Alejandra Lara (9-4)6. Kate Jackson (11-5-1)7. Veta Arteaga (5-4)8. Mandy Böhm (7-0)9. Valerie Loureda (3-0)10. Bruna Ellen (5-3)
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
Sunday, June 6 at 8 p.m. ET/PT Exclusively on SHOWTIME
Photos: [L-R] Stephen Green-Armytage; Michael Brennan; Getty Images; Getty Images
NEW YORK – April 12, 2021 –In boxing, it is said that styles make fights. From 1980 through 1989, it was the style of four great fighters that not only made legendary fights, it ushered in a boxing renaissance. The fierce rivalry between world champions and future Hall of Famers known as the “Four Kings” – Roberto “Manos de Piedra” Durán, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard – produced a Golden Age defined by the nine world championship fights between them and solidified their place among the greatest to ever live.
SHOWTIME SPORTS DOCUMENTARY FILMS today announced THE KINGS, a four-part series chronicling the four fighters’ dramatic and divergent ascents to greatness and the legendary matches they produced. The weekly series premieres on Sunday, June 6 at 8 p.m. ET /PT on SHOWTIME, with all episodes being made available across the network’s on-demand and streaming platforms at premiere.
THE KINGS spotlights boxing’s evolution from the end of Muhammad Ali’s era to the era of the Four Kings, set against the seismic political and socio-economic shifts taking place in the United States. The Four Kings rose to fame as the presidency of Jimmy Carter and economic recession gave way to the boon of 1980s capitalism and excess harnessed by the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Through in-depth interviews and archival footage, the series also examines the very personal battles that each man waged on his unique journey to the center of the sports world.
“These four men defined an era in boxing,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, SHOWTIME Sports. “Their individual stories, forever linked by the spectacular battles they waged, reflect a tumultuous period in American culture and history. THE KINGS takes the viewer beyond the glorious action of some of history’s most memorable prizefights to illuminate each man’s dramatic journey and the societal context that made them stars of sports and popular culture.”
Following a brief fallow period in the wake of Ali’s retirement, boxing was revitalized when Leonard became a world champion in 1979 and waged his first battle with Durán in 1980. From that point, the Four Kings engaged in a decade-long run of riveting fights that far outperformed any other sport in attention and revenue. They were the most popular stars of sports and American culture.
From 1979 through 1985, as a mark of their incredible achievements, the Boxing Writers Association of America bestowed these men the coveted title of “Fighter of the Year” annually with the lone exception of 1982 – with Leonard, Hagler and Hearns each winning twice. In the nine world title fights between them, there were four knockouts and three of the bouts were recognized by The Ring magazine as “Fight of the Year.” The Ring magazine “Round of the Year” (and to many, the round of all time) from round one of Hagler-Hearns is, perhaps, the most iconic single round of boxing of all time. Fittingly, THE KINGS premieres in the 45th anniversary year of Leonard winning an Olympic gold medal, and the 40th anniversary year of the welterweight world title unification battle between Leonard and Hearns, widely considered their greatest fight and a symbol of the era.
THE KINGS is produced by Box To Box Film in association with Ingenious Media. The series is executive produced by James Gay-Rees (Amy, Senna, Drive To Survive) and Paul Martin (Diego Maradona, Drive To Survive), produced by Fiona Neilson (Oasis: Supersonic, Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams) and directed by Mat Whitecross (Oasis: Supersonic, Road To Guantanamo, Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams).
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS, and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Amazon, Apple®, Google, LG Smart TVs, Oculus Go, Roku®, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Viewers can also watch on computers at Showtime.com. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.
Six time, five division World Champion and Promoter Lee Mcallister and the British & Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA) jointly announced an historic all female professional boxing event, titled LET BATTLE COMMENCE – THE LIONESSES, in association with Bounty Competitions, RDX, Empire Pro Tape and Go Sports & Entertainment that will take place in the United Kingdom on Saturday 24th April 2021 and will be broadcast live and free to view on FITE TV as well as further linear and digital channels globally (please check local listings)
To date the LET BATTLE COMMENCE series, which were broadcast live on FITE TV and delayed broadcast in the UK on Sports Channel Network (Freeview/YouView Channel 265), has featured female contests on all events.
The inaugural LET BATTLE COMMENCE event took place on the 18th July 2020 and hosted the professional boxing debut of ten time Kick Boxing World Champion Caitlin Foran against PBC International Silver Champion Jaime Bates.
LET BATTLE COMMENCE II, which was broadcast live on Friday 4th September 2020, featured three female contests, the first featured PBC International Silver Super Flyweight Champion Nicola Hopewell versus Tasha Boyes, also featured on the card were Elite Amateur StarsHollie Towl and Ellie Coulson who made their respective professional boxing debuts against Jaime Bates and Beccy Ferguson.
LET BATTLE COMMENCE – THE LIONESSES, in association with Bounty Competitions, RDX, Empire Pro Tape and Go Sports & Entertainment that takes place behind closed doors at the Northern Hotel in Aberdeen on the 24th April 2021 is set to enter the record books as the first all Female professional boxing event to take place not only in the UK but also the first in Europe.
The stellar card features no less than four highly decorated former Amateur Champions;
Nicola Hopewell is a development national champion and regional and National amateur England boxing flyweight champion with multiple box cup titles. On the 24th April Nicola Hopewell will be making her third Professional outing and faces a tough test against Sheffield’s Juliette Winter
Hollie Towl is a 5 time ABA national champion! At three different weights won back to back over five years !! A huge accolade and unprecedented! Hollie is also a national England boxing youth lightweight champion and multiple box cup including Irish titles. Hollie Towl, who will be making her second appearance in the LET BATTLE COMMENCE series, faces former Kick Boxing rising star Cara MacLochlainnwho makes her Professional Boxing debut on the event.
Ellie Coulson is a three time national finalist and England boxing national youth middleweight champion with again multiple box cup titles.Ellie Coulson will also be making her second appearance in the series, this time she faces Ester Konecna from the Czech Republic.
The fourth is former GB squad member and three-time ABA champion Angelica Finch, who will box at Featherweight. Angelica Finch has a tough professional boxing debut as she takes on Shrewsbury’s former PBC International Silver Super Bantamweight Champion Jaime Bates
Joining the highly decorated quorum of Champions on the LET BATTLE COMMENCE – THE LIONESSES, in association with Bounty Competitions, RDX, Empire Pro Tape and Go Sports & Entertainment event are;
Former Elite Amateur, South Shields’ Estelle Scott, will make her professional debut against fellow pro debutant Kirsty Biswas from Middlesbrough.
Manchester’s former PBC International Silver Super Bantamweight Champion Sophie Varley, who now competes at Super Flyweight, will faceNatasha Boyes.
LET BATTLE COMMENCE – THE LIONESSES, in association with Bounty Competitions, RDX, Empire Pro Tape and Go Sports & Entertainment will take place on the 24th April 2021 and will be broadcast live and free to view on FITE TV, AVO NETWORK, SPORTS CHANNEL NETWORK, SOWETO TV as well as further linear and digital channels globally (please check local listings)
Welterweight Prospect Eimantas Stanionis Notches Unanimous Decision Over Thomas Dulorme in WBA Title Eliminator; IBF Junior Bantamweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas Defends Title Against Jonathan Rodríguez in Televised Opener SHOWTIME®in Premier Boxing Champions Event Click HERE for Photos from Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME (Photos will be uploaded shortly) Click Here to Watch Jaron Ennis’ Sixth-Round Knockout UNCASVILLE, Conn. – April 10, 2021 – Rising welterweight star Jaron “Boots” Ennis aced the toughest test of his professional career with a sensational sixth-round knockout win over former world champion Sergey Lipinets in the main event on Saturday night’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, live on SHOWTIME from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
The win puts Philadelphia’s Ennis (27-0, 25 KOs) one step closer to his first world title opportunity as he dismantled the former 140-pound world champion over six rounds of their welterweight battle. As he has done often throughout his career, the 23-year-old switched effortlessly between an orthodox and southpaw stance and exhibited tremendous power from both sides. Ennis finished the fight with an eye-popping 53% connect rate on his power punches and out-landed Lipinets 91 to 48.
“I’ll always be hard on myself when I look back at my performance,” said Ennis. “My goal is to keep getting better, sharper, faster and stronger so I can become world champion. As long as I keep fighting top guys, I’m happy. I feel like I will be world champion by the end of this year or beginning of next year. Patience is the key though.”
The 32-year-old Joe Goossen-trained Lipinets (16-2-1, 12 KOs) of Woodland Hills, Calif., showed determination in weathering the onslaught of combinations from Ennis. An uppercut floored the Kazakhstan-born Lipinets and sent him to the canvas for the second time in his professional career in the fourth round. Prior to tonight, Lipinets had only been down in his other professional loss which came at the hands of four-division world champion Mikey Garcia.
“Lipinets has been in there with the best before, so I wasn’t surprised he held up for a while,” added Ennis. “I knew he’d be durable. That’s why I didn’t jump on the gas right away. I just took my time and broke him down.”
In the sixth round, Ennis poured it on Lipinets from all angles as he beautifully assembled combinations. The budding superstar has yet to go past the sixth round in his professional career as he has amassed a remarkable 89% knockout ratio. Ennis was up 49-45 on two scorecards and 50-44 on the final judges’ card prior to the right hook to left uppercut combination that resulted in the fight being stopped at 2:11 of round six. Saturday night marked Ennis’ first time headlining SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
“I think I graduated tonight,” stated Ennis. “It’s on the up and up now. It’s onto bigger and better fights now.”
In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature, a pair of hard-hitting welterweights went toe-to-toe as Eimantas Stanionis (13-0, 9 KOs) beat former world title challengerThomas Dulorme (25-5-1, 16 KOs) via unanimous decision in a WBA Welterweight Title Eliminator. This was the most difficult challenge of the rising 26-year-old’s career as Dulorme took him past the ninth round for the first time. The three ringside judges scored the fight 115-113, 116-112 and 117-111.
“It’s been a dream since I was a kid watching SHOWTIME to be on this stage,” said Stanionis. “I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. I’ve had a long hard journey to get here, but it’s been worth it.”
The two fighters combined for nearly 1,400 punches in their exciting welterweight battle. Stanionis outlanded the 31-year-old Dulorme 232 to 193 and edged his opponent with higher connection percentages across the board. Most notably, Stanionis worked well behind his powerful jab, landing 123 total throughout the 12-round fight.
“Dulorme always threw back at me, even if I hurt him,” stated Stanionis, who is one step closer to becoming Lithuania’s first world champion. “I knew that if I was wild, he could have caught me with a good shot. I have more confidence in myself now because I know I can go 12 rounds with a good fighter. I know how the pressure will hit me now. Anything can happen in this sport, so I made sure I was prepared coming into this fight.”
In the 10th round, a nasty cut opened above the left eye of Dulorme which was ruled by referee Harvey Dock to have resulted from a punch. The fight came to a fantastic finish as the Lithuanian prospect went for the knockout in the 12th round but the veteran Dulorme did not subdue to the pressure.
In the telecast opener, IBF Junior Bantamweight World Champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas (31-1-2, 22 KOs) successfully defended his title for the ninth time with a unanimous decision victory over Jonathan Rodríguez (21-2, 16 KOs) in an action-packed 12-round affair. The victory extends Ancajas’ streak of consecutive title defenses to nine, which marks the most of any current world champion. Fighting out of the Philippines, the 29-year-old controlled the pace of the fight with a consistent dedication to the body, where he landed 131 of his 232 total punches.
“I’m very happy to get the win. I waited a long time for the opportunity to get back in the ring and it’s exciting to win in my first fight on this stage fighting on SHOWTIME,” said Ancajas. “This was my toughest fight so far. It was the hardest of any of my nine defenses and it’s exciting that it was on a big card. I trained hard for this opportunity and it feels great to get the win.”
The title fight featured back-and-forth action with Mexico’s Rodriguez pressuring and baiting the champion to fight him at close distance. At the end of the eighth round, Ancajas finished a flurry of punches with a huge right hand that sent Rodriguez to the canvas for the first time in his career.
“I thought he was going to be stopped because I saw him look at his corner and it didn’t look like he wanted to go on,” continued Ancajas. “But he got up and fought and I respect him for doing that.”
The ringside judges scored the fight 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110 for Ancajas, while unofficial ringside scorer Steve Farhood tallied the fight at 114-113. Farhood agreed with the three official judges in giving the final three rounds to Rodriguez. Despite dropping the decision, the 25-year-old Rodriguez impressed fight fans with his tremendous determination and high-level skill in his first world title fight and U.S. debut.
“I don’t think it was a just decision,” said Rodriguez. “I thought maybe a split decision, and I would accept it a little more. But we knew coming in that the judges were against us in this fight.”
On Friday night, BELLATOR on SHOWTIME took center stage at Mohegan Sun Arena with the first fight of the BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix that saw current heavyweight champion Ryan Bader avenge his 2012 loss to Lyoto Machida with a dominating unanimous decision to move onto the next round. Bader made an appearance on Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast to reflect on his impressive victory.
“It was very sweet [to get revenge]. It was a gauge to see how far I’ve grown, since 2012. And I’ve done a lot, and he’s done a lot. So to go out there and implement my game plan and stick to what we do and go out there and be victorious, it couldn’t be sweeter.”
Saturday’sSHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXINGtelecast will replay Sunday, April 11 at 9 a.m. ET/PT and Tuesday, April 13 at 10 p.m. ET on SHOWTIME EXTREME.
Veteran sportscaster Brian Custer hosted the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING 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 telecast team: ringside reporter Jim Gray, boxing historian Steve Farhood as unofficial scorer, and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. The executive producer was four-time Emmy® award winner David Dinkins, Jr. The telecast was produced by Raymond Smaltz and directed by Chuck McKean. Former junior middleweight world champion Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez and sportscaster Alejandro Luna served as expert analysts in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP).
The event was promoted by TGB Promotions. Ennis vs. Lipinets was promoted in association with D&D Boxing.
BELLATOR MMA 256: Bader vs. Machida 2 Main Card: #1-Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC) defeated #4-Lyoto Machida (26-11) via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-45, 49-45) Bader “I don’t know who I’d rather face next. I don’t know much about [Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov] but I know Corey [Anderson] really well. I brought him in for training camps for Phil Davis. He’s a good guy so I’m rooting for him. But if I have to fight him, I know he’s tough. I’m in this tournament and I ran through another tournament before. I had fun so that’s why I came down here. It doesn’t matter who’s in my way. I want that belt back and this was the first step right here. “There’s redemption this whole tournament. I got one back on Machida but I’ve lost to Nemkov and I’ve lost to Anthony Johnson, so I would like to meet one of them in the finals. But honestly, to make it to the finals and fight for the belt, I’d be happy with whoever it is.”
#2-Liz Carmouche (15-7) defeated Vanessa Porto (22-8) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) Carmouche: “As soon as they say I’m clear and I’m good, I’m ready to get right back into fighting camp and go for the belt. If I don’t get a title shot, I’d be disappointed of course. I came in here with the hopes that I would work up the ranks to fight for the title. I just need to know what I need to do. You tell me who I need to beat to get that fight and I’ll do it. I certainly hope that taking somebody who has more fights than I do and beating her tonight would put me in contention for that belt.” #3-Adam Borics (17-1) defeated#8-Jeremy Kennedy (16-3, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) Borics: “I don’t care who my next opponent is, but just give me the winner of the [Featherweight World Grand Prix] tournament. I’m definitely next in line. My goal is to get the winner but let’s see what BELLATOR wants. I am really happy I got this opportunity to fight during these crazy times. I feel that I am ready for a title. I have eight or nine fights with BELLATOR so yes, I would like to fight for the title next.” #3-Cat Zingano (12-4) defeated Olivia Parker (4-2) via submission (armbar) at 2:56 of round one Zingano: “I want to go against the best. I know who’s the best. I know these two girls [Cris Cyborg and Leslie Smith] have a fight coming up in a couple months and I’d love to get a shot at the belt over here in BELLATOR. That would mean a lot to me.” Dan Moret (15-6) defeated #3-Goiti Yamauchi (25-5) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Rising welterweight star Jaron “Boots” Ennis was interviewed on the telecast ahead of his SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event debut tomorrow night against former 140-pound world champion Sergey Lipinets.
“You’re going to see a lot of speed, power, and me having fun. It’s about making statements and getting knockouts at the end of the night,” said the 23-year-old Ennis, who will be taking on the toughest challenge of his career in Lipinets as he pursues a world title shot. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for me to headline my first SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and it’s the start of me being a pay-per-view star. It’s only up after this. It’s time for me to do my thing tomorrow night.” Preliminary Card: Dalton Rosta (5-0) defeated Tony Johnson (9-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Talita Nogueira (8-2) defeated Jessica Borga (3-3) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27) #10-Jornel Lugo (6-0) defeated #8-Cass Bell (5-2) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) Cody Law (3-0) defeated Nathan Ghareeb (2-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Jaylon Bates (2-0) defeated Jeffrey Glossner (2-2) via submission (guillotine) at 1:27 of round two Nainoa Dung (4-2) defeated Izzy William (4-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) Diana Avsaragova (3-0) defeated Tara Graff (1-3) via knockout (punches) at :29 of round one John Douma (5-2) defeated Will Smith (3-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
MADRID, SPAIN (April 8, 2021) – Super lightweight contender, Petr “Zar” Petrov (41-6-2, 22 KOs), is looking to propel himself back into the world title picture as he believes his third chance will be the charm. First, Petrov must defeat Bergman “Snake” Aguilar (15-6-1, 5 KOs) on Thompson’s 3.2.1. Boxing event, next Sunday, April 18th, at the Omega Products Event Center in Corona, CA. The bout, scheduled for 8-rounds, will be the opening fight on the three-fight card.
The free stream will air live on the Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), as well as their Facebook and YouTube pages. 3.2.1. Boxing will take place at the Omega Products International EventCenter in Corona, CA, and will start at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET.
Here is what Petr Petrov had to say about his upcoming fight, training from Madrid, Spain, a potential future world title shot, and more. On his upcoming bout against Aguilar:
“This is a chance to show how far I’ve grown as a fighter. I truly believe I’m the best version of myself and having Danny Zamora in my corner for this fight will be a big help. I want to put on a great performance that has people wondering how I would fare against top level guys. Aguilar is a tough durable guy who has been in the ring with some good fighters, so I know he’s coming to fight.”
On recent training camp:
“I’m wrapping up my final days of training camp in Madrid, Spain, and I’m feeling very strong. Being home, and refocusing, gave me a new perspective. I arrive to the U.S. this Sunday, which is plenty of time to acclimated to the time change. I feel more an enthused than ever.”
On what a win will do for his career:
“I have been out of the ring for a year-and-a-half, even though I had three fights since my loss to Ivan Baranchyk, but that is the fight people remember. I want people to see my improvement and realize I can be a force at the 140 lbs. division.”
On how far he believes he’s away from a world title shot:
“I think with a couple of wins I’ll be in line for a title eliminator if I put on exciting performances. With Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor fighting to unify the division, I think soon some belts will open up. I have to perform and be ready to succeed at each and every step along the way. I’m hoping by the end of 2021 I can be in a big fight with a world champion.”
Beto Duran will operate as the blow-by-blow commentator with expert commentary by Doug Fischer and Steve Kim. Jessica Rosales will serve as the onsite ringside reporter.
3.2.1 Boxing is sponsored by Thompson Building Materials, transforming spaces in beautiful places; Omega Products International, the leading stucco manufacturer in the United States; Henry / Fortifiber, moisture system control as easy as 1,2,3, and Makita, rule the outdoors.
For more information, regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. You can also follow the conversation on social media, please use #321Boxing and #ThompsonBoxing.
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