WBO World Titles Bouts: Lomachenko-Lopez, Navarrete-Villa and Salamov-Vlasov Eliminator

LAS VEGAS (September 8, 2020) — Four belts, one champion. A universally recognized lightweight king will be crowned Saturday, Oct. 17, live on ESPN from MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Unified WBO Lightweight Champion Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko, the pound-for-pound “Boxing Baryshnikov” from Ukraine, will fight unbeaten IBF world champion Teofimo Lopez, the knockout artist from Brooklyn who has lobbed verbal haymakers at Lomachenko for more than two years. The two will fight from the MGM Grand Conference Center aka the “Las Vegas Bubble.”

Promoted by Top Rank, Lomachenko-Lopez (ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET) headlines a can’t-miss month of boxing on the ESPN family of networks, which also includes the long-awaited return of Japanese pound-for-pound superstar Naoya “Monster” Inoue, who will defend his WBA and IBF bantamweight world titles on Halloween evening, Saturday, Oct. 31, against Australian contender Jason “Mayhem” Moloney.

“Lomachenko-Lopez is the best fight that can be made in boxing, and we are delighted that it will be available to fans for no extra charge live on ESPN,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Teofimo and Vasiliy demanded the fight, and we are glad we could make it happen. Vasiliy has never backed down from a challenge since he turned pro under the Top Rank banner, and Teofimo is a fearless young champion daring to be great. This has all the makings of a modern boxing classic.”

Lomachenko said, “Teofimo Lopez can talk all he wants. He’s very good at talking. He has done nothing but say my name for the past two years. I am a fighter, and my goal is to win another world title. Good for Teofimo. When we fight in Las Vegas, he will eat my punches and his words. I will be the better man, and four world titles will come home with me to Ukraine.”

Egis Klimas, Lomachenko’s manager, stated, “Nobody has seen Lomachenko at 100 percent inside the ring. If Teofimo can push Loma to at least 80 percent, it means Teofimo is the best opponent Loma has faced.”

Lopez said, “I will beat up Lomachenko and take his belts. Simple as that. I’m coming to Las Vegas to make history. I don’t like the guy, and I’m going to have fun as Lomachenko’s face is beaten and marked up by my hands. The Takeover is here, and the reign of Lomachenko, the little diva, is coming to an end.”

Added Matt Kenny, Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions, ESPN: “Boxing has long been part of the fabric of our company and we could not be more excited for the October schedule on ESPN platforms, which includes the highly anticipated lightweight title bout between Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez on October 17. Top Rank was one of the very first organizations to safely stage live events during the pandemic and as the calendar turns to fall, ESPN will be home to fights that will excite boxing enthusiasts and capture the attention of casual fans.”

Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) enters this bout coming off a scintillating decision win over British star Luke Campbell last August in front of a sold-out O2 Arena in London. A two-time Olympic gold medalist who went 396-1 in the amateur ranks, Lomachenko tied a boxing record by winning a world title in his third pro fight. He is a former featherweight and junior lightweight world champion who won the lightweight crown in May 2018 with a body shot knockout over Jorge Linares. In seven years as a pro, Lomachenko is 13-1 with 9 knockouts in world title fights and is ranked by many pundits as this generation’s most accomplished pugilist. From 2016-2017, he made four consecutive fighters quit on their stools, earning him the “No-Mas-chenko” moniker.

Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs), the brash Brooklynite who initially gained attention because of his post-fight “Fortnite” dances and backflip celebrations, soon emerged as boxing’s most charismatic young superstar following his 2016 pro debut. He was the consensus 2018 Prospect of the Year, a campaign punctuated by a one-punch, first-round knockout over Mason Menard on the Lomachenko-Jose Pedraza undercard. Following the Menard knockout, he donned the jersey of Kyler Murray, who’d won the Heisman Trophy earlier that evening. Lopez climbed the rankings in 2019 with wins over Diego Magdaleno, Edis Tatli and Masayoshi Nakatani.

Last December, Lopez knocked out Richard Commey in two rounds to win the IBF world title. Sitting ringside was Lomachenko, who entered the ring during the post-fight pandemonium. Arum waved him over to take a photo with the newly crowned champion. The stage had been set. #LomaLopez was going to happen.

The lightweight unification battle is only the tip of the Top Rank on ESPN boxing iceberg. Here’s what else is in store in October.

Friday, October 9
Emanuel Navarrete (32-1, 28 KOs) vs. Ruben Villa (18-0, 5 KOs)
MGM Grand Las Vegas
12 Rounds, Vacant WBO Featherweight World Title
ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

After five defenses of his WBO junior featherweight world title, Navarrete is ready to conquer the featherweight division. The “Mexican Iron Man” and boxing’s most active world champion, Navarrete fought six world title bouts in just over 14 months (December 2018 to February 2020). He last fought a non-title bout against Uriel Lopez on June 20 in Mexico City, scoring a sixth-round TKO. The WBO No. 1 featherweight contender, Navarrete has won 27 consecutive bouts, including 14 of his last 15 by stoppage. Villa, from Salinas, Calif., has defeated contenders Alexei Collado, Jose Enrique Vivas and Luis Alberto Lopez in his last three bouts to earn the world title shot.

Friday, October 23
Artur Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs) vs. Adam Deines (19-1-1, 10 KOs)
Moscow
12 Rounds, Beterbiev’s WBC/IBF Light Heavyweight World Titles
ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT
Undercard: ESPN+, 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT

In the ESPN-televised co-feature, a WBO light heavyweight world title eliminator, No. 1-ranked contender Umar Salamov will face No. 2-ranked contender Maxim Vlasov, with the winner expected to fight Joe Smith Jr. for the vacant world title. Both Salamov and Vlasov recently signed promotional contracts with Top Rank.

Photos by M. Williams / Top Rank

Weigh-In Results: Jamel Herring vs. Jonathan Oquendo

TOMORROW at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT live on ESPN+
from the MGM Grand Conference Center – Grand Ballroom (Las Vegas)

(ESPN+ 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)
Jamel Herring 129.5 lbs vs. Jonathan Oquendo 129.6 lbs
(Herring’s WBO Jr. Lightweight World Title — 12 Rounds)

Steven Nelson 167.6 lbs vs. DeAndre Ware 168 lbs
(Nelson’s NABO Super Middleweight Title — 10 Rounds)

Photos by Mikey Williams

Multi-Year Contract Extends Ward’s ESPN Tenure – Continues as ringside analyst for Top Rank on ESPN Continues as host of ESPN+ Originals Ring Science with Andre Ward and Unguarded

Undefeated two-division world champion and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward, has agreed to a new multiyear deal with ESPN, it was announced today. Under the agreement, Ward will continue to serve as a boxing analyst for Top Rank on ESPN and contribute to content across platforms at the organization.

“We are thrilled to have renewed our agreement with Andre,” said Mark Gross, ESPN senior vice president, production and remote events. “Andre has proved that his experience in the ring, and wealth of knowledge and passion for boxing, enriches our live boxing coverage. His contributions to boxing across other platforms and programs also makes for a truly unique perspective on the sport for fans.”

“I have been blessed to work alongside some of the best in the business. I’ve had many mentors who’ve contributed to my growth over the years,” said Ward. “I have a few specific goals when I’m behind the mic: I want to be an asset to ESPN, to the fighters and the sport and to be the best that I can possibly be week to week. Opportunities are limited in the sports media field and I’m thankful for the seat I get to sit in and the whole ESPN team.”

In addition to his work as a ringside analyst for live boxing events, he also hosts two shows on ESPN+: Ring Science with Andre Ward, which debuted in April of 2019 and features in-depth analysis of fighters’ styles, strengths and weaknesses as they prepare to face off and Unguarded, in which Ward interviews top athletes in boxing for one-on-one, candid conversations.

Ward is a former number one pound-for-pound fighter, Unified Light Heavyweight Champion of the World and recipient of the 2020 Boxing Writers Association’s Sam Taub Excellence in Broadcast Journalism award. He retired as an active fighter with a perfect 32-0 record in September of 2017.

LAS VEGAS (August 27, 2020) — Finally! After a pair of fight dates fell by the wayside, Unified WBO Junior Welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez and former world champion Viktor Postol are set to fight Saturday evening from the MGM Grand “Bubble” (ESPN+ coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET). They were scheduled to fight Feb. 2 in China and May 9 in Fresno, Calif., but the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled those plans.

In other action Saturday evening, junior welterweight contender Arnold Barboza Jr. will fight Canadian veteran Tony Luis, and Dominican knockout artist Elvis Rodriguez will look to extend his knockout streak to seven against Cody Wilson in a six-rounder at welterweight.

This is what Ramirez and Postol had to say at Thursday’s press conference.

Jose Ramirez

“After the big win against Hooker, I am ready to go and continue my journey to become undisputed champion. I know Viktor Postol stands in the way of that, and he is a very experienced fighter. I have been training very, very hard for this fight.

“Due to the pandemic, the fight got rescheduled, but I stayed at the gym. I remained composed and patient. I have a great team and my family behind me. I’m a man of faith. I believe everything happens for a reason, and now that I’m here, I can’t wait to showcase my talent on August 29. I want to show the world how much I have grown and matured as a unified champion. My goal is to become {undisputed} world champion.

“For the first date for this fight, I did a full training camp. The fight got rescheduled the same day I was supposed to depart, but luckily, I didn’t get to the airport. For the second date, I was in camp for five weeks before I got the call that the fight was going to get canceled again. Now, this is another nine-week camp that I’ve been on. My last fight was 13 months ago, but it feels like it was yesterday because I’ve been in the gym the whole year and with this fight on my mind the whole time.”

Viktor Postol

“The first training camp was tough because I came to the U.S. two months before the fight and we actually departed to China for the first fight date. It was a long flight. This camp has also been very long. I came three months before the fight date, but I feel good. I feel ready to fight.

“Jose is a good fighter. He is a good champion, but I know I have a good chance to win this fight. I have the motivation because this fight is for two belts. I’ll be ready.”

PHOTOS BY MIKEY WILLIAMS / TOP RANK

(August 27, 2020) — Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois, the heavyweight division’s most feared young knockout artist, will defend his WBO International belt Saturday against Dutch upstart Ricardo Snijders in a scheduled 12-rounder from BT Sport Studio in London.

Dubois-Snijders headlines a scheduled six-bout card on ESPN+ beginning at 2 p.m. ET, which kicks off a boxing marathon exclusively on the streaming service. Later that day, WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez will defend his world titles against former world champion Viktor Postol (7:30 p.m. ET).

The 22-year-old Dubois (14-0, 13 KOs) went 5-0 with 5 knockouts in 2020, including a fifth-round demolition over the previously unbeaten Nathan Gorman. He won the British and Commonwealth titles to rise to the top of the domestic heavyweight crop and closed out the year last December with a second-round stoppage over Kyotaro Fujimoto. Dubois is well known to ESPN+ viewers, as his last seven bouts have streamed live on the platform. As he awaits a potential showdown with unbeaten countryman Joe Joyce, he must defeat Snijders (18-1, 8 KOs), who has fought all but one of his pro bouts in his home country.

In other streaming action on the Dubois-Snijders card:

WBO European junior welterweight champion Sam Maxwell (13-0, 11 KOs) will make the second defense of his belt in a 10-rounder against Joe Hughes (17-5-1, 7 KOs), a former English and European champion looking to break a two-bout losing skid.

LAS VEGAS (August 26, 2020) — The Mean Machine is ready to rise again. Welterweight contender Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas, a two-time Lithuanian Olympian coming off a valiant effort last December against Terence “Bud” Crawford, will face NABO welterweight title-holder Mikael Zewski in a 10-rounder Saturday, Sept. 12 from the MGM Grand Conference Center.

In the 10-round featherweight co-feature, three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga will fight recent world title challenger Joet González for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Featherweight Championship title.

Kavaliauskas-Zewski and Marriaga-Gonzalez will stream live on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The undercard, also on ESPN+, starts at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT.

“Mean Machine proved he’s a top welterweight with his performance against Terence Crawford. He’s itching to get back into championship contention, and Zewski should give him a tough challenge,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Viewers will get a high-energy, action-packed fight with the Marriaga-Gonzalez bout.”

Kavaliauskas (21-1-1, 17 KOs) is a seven-year pro who earned a mandatory shot at Crawford with wins over the world-rated David Avanesyan, Juan Carlos Abreu and the previously unbeaten Roberto Arriaza. The Crawford bout headlined the post-Heisman Trophy ceremony telecast on ESPN last December, and Kavaliauskas was competitive with the pound-for-pound great until a pair of knockdowns ended things in the ninth round. He is still ranked in the Top 15 by the WBO and WBC and hopes a win over Zewski (34-1, 23 KOs) moves him closer to a second world title opportunity. Zewski, from Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, is 8-0 with 3 KOs since a 2015 decision loss to Konstantin Ponomarev in Las Vegas.

Kavaliauskas said, “I am excited to return to the ring, as I still have unfinished business. I still believe I have what it takes to become a world champion, and that journey resumes against a tough opponent in Mikael Zewski.”

Zewski said, “This is the fight I’ve been waiting for. Kavaliauskas is a fast and extremely powerful boxer, but I have all the tools to win. The stakes are high, and a win will propel me into a world championship fight. This is my ninth fight in Las Vegas. I’ll feel right at home.”

Marriaga (29-3, 25 KOs) is itching to return after his July 16 ESPN main event was canceled when Mark John Yap missed weight by nearly nine pounds. The Colombian slugger has won four in a row by knockout since challenging Vasiliy Lomachenko for a junior lightweight world title in August 2017. Gonzalez (23-1, 14 KOs) last fought in October 2019, dropping a unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson for the vacant WBO featherweight world title. With Stevenson having vacated the title to campaign at junior lightweight, Gonzalez’s path to a second world title shot goes through Marriaga.

Marriaga said, “I was disappointed after what happened with Yap, but Joet Gonzalez always comes to fight. It’s going to be a toe-to-toe battle. I believe my experience and power will be the difference. I will not underestimate him, as I must win to move forward in my career.”

Gonzalez said, “It’s a real privilege to be coming back at this time. I want to thank my manager, Frank Espinoza, and my promoter, Golden Boy, for making this possible. Marriaga is a very tough fighter. He’s been in the ring with Nicholas Walters, Oscar Valdez and Vasiliy Lomachenko, so this will give everyone a good indication of where I stand in the division. I plan to make the most of this opportunity and score a big win so I can show everyone that I deserve to be at the top of the division.”

In undercard action:

Genaro Gamez (10-1, 7 KOs), who scored a first-round knockout inside the “Bubble” on July 7, will fight Puerto Rican veteran Anthony Mercado (13-4, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder at junior welterweight.

Undefeated featherweight prospect Angel Alejandro (9-0, 4 KOs), from Dallas, Texas, will face fellow Lone Star State native Jorge Ramos (7-2-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

In a six-round bantamweight tilt, Manuel Flores (8-0, 5 KOs), from Coachella, Calif., will fight Jonathan Rodriguez (8-0, 3 KOs).

Lightweight prospect Eric Puente (3-0), who is training out of the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside, Calif., will fight an opponent to be named in a four-rounder.

Thomas Wu will make his professional debut in a four-round junior welterweight bout against an opponent to be named.

Tim Tszyu has beaten Jeff Horn by technical knockout in their contest in Townsville.

The decision came when Horn failed to come out for the ninth round, having been comprehensively beaten by his younger opponent.

Tszyu worked over Horn throughout the fight with some vicious body shots and punishing right hands.

Horn was knocked down in the third round thanks to a brutal left uppercut, but gamely hung on in typical fashion for another four rounds before failing to rise from his stool.

More on https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-26/jeff-horn-vs-tim-tszyu-live-boxing-blog/12598204?section=sport&sf237180853=1

LAS VEGAS – Joe “The Beast” Smith Jr. once again lived up to his moniker. The Long Island native, nearly four years since he knocked Bernard Hopkins through the ropes, knocked out Eleider “Storm” Alvarez in the ninth round of a WBO light heavyweight world title eliminator.

A right-left combination sent Alvarez (25-2, 13 KOs) through the ropes, and he could not beat the count.

Smith (26-3, 21 KOs), who was leading on all three judges’ cards (80-72 and 79-73 2X) at time of the stoppage, has won two in a row since losing to WBA world champion Dmitry Bivol via decision.

Smith said, “Coming into this camp, I knew I had to work on my boxing. I wanted to be sharp, throw a lot of straight punches. I watched his fight with {Sergey} Kovalev, and Kovalev kind of set the way to beat him. So we watched that and worked off of it. I knew coming in today I had to box a little more because he’s got that great right hand. He caught me with it a couple times, but I can take a punch, too.

“Every time he hit me, I wanted to come and stop him in his tracks, and I did that. I stuck to my game plan, and it was a great fight.

“I feel this one is a big one. I really needed it. I wanted to prove I’m not just a knockout guy. I proved my boxing ability, too, and I showed that tonight.”

Photos by Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Horn-Tszyu stream begins at 5 a.m. ET/2 a.m. PT for a special Aussie edition of Breakfast and Boxing

(August 21, 2020) —Australia’s most anticipated fistic showdown in years has an American streaming home.

Former welterweight world champion and Manny Pacquiao conqueror Jeff “The Hornet” Horn will face WBO Global Junior Middleweight Champion Tim Tszyu Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, Australia. A socially distanced crowd of more than 16,000 fans are expected for Horn-Tszyu, which will headline a special edition of Breakfast and Boxing exclusively on ESPN+ (5 a.m. ET/2 a.m. PT).

Horn (20-2-1, 13 KOs), from Brisbane, toppled Pacquiao in July 2017 via unanimous decision to win the WBO welterweight world title. Horn-Pacquiao, the Top Rank on ESPN series premier, peaked at 4.4 million viewers. Horn defended his title once before losing via ninth-round stoppage to Terence “Bud” Crawford in June 2018. He is 2-1 since the Crawford loss, most recently splitting a pair of action classics against countryman Michael Zerafa in 2019.

Tszyu (15-0, 11 KO), the Sydney-born son of legendary former world champion Kostya Tszyu, returns from a nearly nine-month layoff. He graduated from prospect to contender in 2019, closing out the year in December with a fourth-round TKO over Jack Brubaker that streamed live on ESPN+.

“In my career, what I’ve accomplished and what I’m doing, my dad doesn’t play much of a role. I do my own stuff,” Tszyu told ESPN recently. “He taught me one thing and that’s work ethic, because of that I am who I am. If you want to succeed you have to put in the work.

“I’m proud of what my dad achieved. He’s the greatest boxer in Australian and Russian sports history. I do everything that he’s done. There’s a blueprint. If I could do half of what he did, I’m going to be a great in this sport.”

The Horn-Tszyu stream will also include unbeaten junior lightweight prospect Liam Wilson (6-0, 4 KOs) against Jackson Woods (4-1-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder, former Australian 154-pound champion Joel Camilleri (18-6-1, 8 KOs) versus Adam Copland (5-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight bout, and Australian middleweight prospect Issac “The Headsplitter” Hardman (6-0, 5 KOs ) against seven-year veteran Jamie Weetch (12-3, 5 KOs) in a six-rounder.

Undisputed WBO Lightweight Champion Katie Taylor (15-0, 6 KOs) weighed 134.3 lbs & Delfine Persoon (44-2, 18 KOs) weighed 132.7 lbs.

WBO Global Welterweight Champion Luther Clay (13-1, 5 KOs) weighed 145.8 lbs & Chris Kongo (11-0, 6 KOs) weighed 145.6.

Fight venue: Matchroom Fight Camp action in Brentwood, Essex. TV: Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and DAZN in the US, as part of Whyte-Povetkin.

Photos by Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing

LAS VEGAS (August 20, 2020) — Light heavyweights Joe Smith Jr. and Eleider “Storm” Alvarez took the MGM Grand “Bubble” stage for the main event press conference Thursday afternoon in advance of Saturday’s WBO world title eliminator, which will stream live on ESPN+ (coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET).

This is what two of the division’s heaviest hitters had to say.

Eleider Alvarez

“I feel 100 percent. I feel no pain since the recovery {from an injured shoulder}, so I feel great.

“{The Michael Seals knockout} was my first fight in 11 months, so I’m happy to be back. I want to put on a good performance. I felt that with the performance against Seals, I tried. I would’ve been happy with a decision. I was trying different things, but I got the knockout.

“When Oscar Rivas and I first came to Montreal, we didn’t speak English. We didn’t speak French. I knew a little bit of English, but over 10 years, I’ve learned to speak French. I’m even better in French than English. It’s been a special experience for me and here we are talking in French.

“It was hard for all the boxers, especially in the first two months to train, because everything was closed. We had to adapt to that. Now, things seem to be getting a little more back to normal. The gym is open. It’s not what it was. Hopefully, the pandemic can be over, and we can get back to normal. There were challenges, but we had them like every other fighter.

“I want to be champion of the world for a second time. Whether it’s by knockout or decision, I know Joe Smith comes to fight. I’m going to do the best I can to win this because I want to be champion of the world for a second time.”

Joe Smith Jr.

“Being the underdog, I always feel like I have something to prove. I don’t mind it. I like getting in there and proving the world that I belong at the top and should be a champion.

“The {first-round knockout} over Fonfara, I was like a 20-1 underdog in that fight. I came out and definitely shocked the world with that knockout. It got me here. It got me all the fights and the opportunities that I’ve gotten since. It all led up to this, and this one’s the big one. I’m really excited to be here and looking forward to getting another shot at a title.

“Same thing with Jesse Hart. I was pretty much the underdog in that fight. He was talking a lot, and I just kept it cool. I went in there and did what I had to do, and I got the win. That’s what I gotta keep doing.

“This is the number one priority right now for me. I’m just focused on getting this win Saturday night, so I trained very hard. I’m well prepared. As far as the tree business is going {Smith and his father own and operate Team Smith Tree Service on Long Island}, it’s definitely doing well. Due to the storms, we picked up some work. It was a little slow for some time because of the COVID 19, but it definitely has picked up. My father’s out there every day. He’s doing all the estimates. He’s running the business. I just pop in here and there. I haven’t been doing much with the business. I’ve just been focused on this.

“The only thing, this guy over here is trying to stop me from accomplishing the goal that I have set for myself.

“I’m just going to get in there and give it my all. I plan on coming out on top. I just want to put on a great show for everybody and have a great night.”

About ESPN+
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Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

PHOTOS by MIKEY WILLIAMS / TOP RANK

Katie Taylor – Bray, Ireland – 15-0, 6 KOs – will be defending her Undisputed WBO Lightweight World Title in a rematch against Delfine Persoon on Saturday at Matchroom Fight Camp action in Brentwood, Essex, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and DAZN in the US, as part of Whyte-Povetkin:

“I’m very very excited. I’ve said it before, this is why I’m in the sport of boxing, to be involved in fights like this. This is a legacy building fight for me and Delfine. We’re both in this sport to prove that we are the best. You have two fighters here that absolutely believe that they are going to win. We both think we’re going to win. That’s what makes this such a fantastic fight. I want to be involved in the biggest fights and that’s why I wanted this rematch. I want to prove that I am the best. There will be criticism whether I win or lose. This is why I’m in boxing – to be the best. I want to be known as the pound for pound No 1. No crowd, all the belts on the line? This is the purest form of boxing you will ever see. I’m prepared for whatever comes my way on Saturday. May the best boxer win.

Delfine Persoon – Roeselare, Belgium – 44-2, 18 KOs – challenging Katie Taylor:

“It’s up to me to prove that I also deserve the Titles. In New York, for us, it was not the correct decision. Everybody thinks [I won the first fight with Taylor]. It’s good there is a rematch. We will see who is the best fighter. We didn’t think [Taylor would grant a rematch]. We were very surprised Katie is taking this risk. For her, it is a big risk. If she loses, it isn’t good for her career.

“A war? This is boxing. Punch, punch back. It is not a war. Grabbing and holding is not boxing. Boxing offensively, jabbing and working, is the way to box. I respect her style. I must prove my style, like I did in New York, but even better. But I like to box in front. Boxing with my heart can be a problem, sometimes I forget to use my [brain]. I must not give her time to hold me. Don’t give her the time.

“I could see I am bigger than her. I have to start the fight faster than last time, with a higher tempo. But I can’t change the whole thing. My way of boxing is with pressure. I can box also on the back foot but, a lot of the time, my opponents don’t pressure me. But I can+ do it. I spar with guys in Belgium who are stronger than me. They give me problems and I find solutions. Against a girl, I always feel stronger because I train with men.

Luther Clay – Bracknell, England – 13-1, 5 KOs – defending his WBO Global welterweight Title against Chris Kongo:

“He’s probably quite powerful, I guess. I don’t know. We’ll see. I know Chris is a good boxer and everyone rates him and everything. I’m interested to test myself and see it it’s really real. He has the reputation and the clout. That’s what I want. Chris Kongo is saying he’s going to knock me out and I’m saying okay, come with it. I haven’t been to the well yet. I feel like I’ve been cruising. If he wants to take me there then I’m interested. If he’s the man to take me there I look forward to it. I want to dig deep and see what I’ve got in me too. I’m maybe too chilled right now. I don’t feel the pressure now but maybe I will on the night. I’m just ready to go.”

Chris Kongo – Bermonsdey, England – 11-0, 6 KOs – challenging Luther Clay for the WBO Global Welterweight Title:
“I just want to thank you (Eddie Hearn) and Dillian Whyte for getting me on this platform. I believe this is my time to shine, to show what everyone has been talking about. I’m ready and raring to go. This fight won’t last. Someone is going down and I’m sure it ain’t me. I’m going to go in there and be the usual Chris Kongo. When I’m myself, everything just flows naturally in the ring. When I’m thinking, I make sure I listen to my coaches in the corner. That’s the main thing for me. I see him as a quality opponent. He’s got a few good fundamentals. On the night, I believe he is very limited in certain things he does. I don’t think he has any type of good fishing quality that you need as an elite fighter Speed kills. When I show my speed, everything will come off. You will see him on the floor, guaranteed. I don’t think I’ll let this go the distance. Everyone I’ve ever had hurt in a fight, they’ve never seen the last bell.”

Photos via Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

Katie Taylor says she will silence her critics by putting on a “dominant performance” when she defends her Undisputed WBO Lightweight Championship against Delfine Persoon in a huge rematch at Matchroom Fight Camp this Saturday August 22, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and DAZN in the US.

The undefeated Irish star (15-0, 6 KOs) captured the WBC crown with a majority-decision victory last June in New York, which was greeted with dismay by Belgium’s Persoon after ten thrilling rounds that had the MSG crowd on their feet throughout, and they will renew their rivalry this weekend in the biggest women’s rematch in the history of the sport.

Taylor is looking to get a more definitive win over Persoon before moving on to further legacy fights as she continues to cement herself as one of the best female fighters of all time. A second fight with newly-crowned Undisputed Welterweight ruler Jessica McCaskill could be on the cards after the American caused a huge upset against long-reigning champion Cecilia Braekhus over the weekend.

“I’m in this sport to create history and leave a great legacy,” said Taylor. “These are the kind of fights that are going to leave a great legacy in my career. The first fight was too close for my liking. It has been hanging over my head over the last year, so I was delighted when the rematch was nailed down. I’m looking forward to putting on a more dominant performance on August 22nd and shutting up everyone that has criticised me over the last year.

“I did watch the fight back and it was obviously a very close fight. That’s why there is a rematch. I definitely couldn’t have given her more than five rounds, so for people to say it was a disgraceful decision or it was a robbery, is a disgrace in itself. I felt like I deserved to win the fight even though it was very close. I wanted this rematch. At the end of the day, I want to be involved in the biggest fights and the fights that people are interested in. This is a huge fight for me and for Persoon. It’s a huge fight for the sport.

“I think I’m going to be a completely different fighter on August 22nd. I think people are going to see a completely different performance and a completely different fight from my perspective. I got drawn into a bit of a fight in the first one and sometimes that happens. I’m definitely going to be a bit more disciplined in this fight. I’m going to be ready for whatever Persoon throws at me. I’m completely prepared for this fight. I’ve been training for a big fight since January so I’m more than ready to step in and put on a dominant performance.”

Taylor vs. Persoon 2 lands on a huge night of action that sees Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) defend his Interim WBC Heavyweight World Title against Russia’s Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs), Luther Clay (13-1, 5 KOs) defends his WBO Global Welterweight Title against Chris Kongo (11-0, 6 KOs), Super-Middleweights Jack Cullen (18-2, 9 KOs) and Zak Chelli (7-1, 3 KOs) meet over eight rounds and Croatian Heavyweight contender Alen Babic (3-0, 3 KOs) steps up to face Shawndell Winters (13-3, 12 KOs) over eight rounds.

Jessica McCaskill put the boxing world on notice as she claimed the undisputed crown from Cecilia Brækhus in a thrilling upset from the streets of downtown Tulsa and live on DAZN. At stake for Brækhus was shattering boxing’s most prestigious record – 25 consecutive world title defenses – one that she now holds with heavyweight legend Joe Louis.

The former unified super lightweight champion McCaskill (9-2, 3 KOs) edged out a majority decision victory over Brækhus (36-1, 9 KOs) in one of the biggest upsets in boxing this year. McCaskill was the far busier fighter throughout the 10-round title tilt, throwing 230 more punches than the decade-long welterweight ruler.

(via www.boxingnews24.com”

Photo by Ed Mulholland / Matchroom

Congrats to the new WBO Youth Jr. Featherweight Champion Ricardo “Hindu” Espinoza (25-3 21 KO’s), who defeated Brandon “El Metrallo” Valdes (13-1 7 KO’s) via unanimous decision @ Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee. Scorecards: 97-93, 98-92 and 99-91. Boxeo Telemundo

👊🏻¡GRAN COMBINACIÓN DE GOLPES!

🥊El ‘Hindú’ Espinoza está dando todo frente al “Metrallo” Valdés

👇🏻Revive el round 10 con nosotros#BoxeoTelemundo pic.twitter.com/KPV9wD073E

— Boxeo Telemundo (@BoxeoTelemundo) August 15, 2020

👑 ¡POR DECISIÓN UNÁNIME!

🎉 El nuevo campeón mundial juvenil súper gallo de la OMB: el mexicano Ricardo ‘Hindú’ Espinoza 🥊

Da ❤️ para felicitarlo#BoxeoTelemundo pic.twitter.com/N6UNT36UGd

— Boxeo Telemundo (@BoxeoTelemundo) August 15, 2020

Weigh-In: Undisputed WBO Welterweight Champion “The First Lady” Cecilia Brækhus 145 lbs vs Jessica McCaskill 144.4 lbs—10 rds for tomorrow night at Tulsa, Oklahoma. TV: DAZN

August 13, 2020; Tulsa, OK, USA; Undisputed Women’s welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus and Jessica McCaskill face off after weighing in for the Matchroom card on August 15, 2020 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

This Saturday, live on DAZN, Cecilia Brækhus (36-0, 9 KOs) will look to cement her legacy as undisputed welterweight champion with an opportunity to break Joe Louis’s 72-year-old record for most consecutive world title defenses. In the way of making history is the former super lightweight champion Jessica McCaskill (8-2, 3 KOs) who will enter the ring on Saturday night looking to transform her ring story with a victory over Brækhus. Both main event fighters successfully made weight on Friday afternoon in Tulsa ahead of their highly-anticipated bout tomorrow night on DAZN (8 p.m. ET).

August 14, 2020; Tulsa, OK, USA; Jessica McCaskill steps on the scale to weigh in for the August 15, 2020 Matchroom fight card in Tulsa, OK. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

August 13, 2020; Tulsa, OK, USA; Undisputed Women’s welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus and Jessica McCaskill face off after weighing in for the Matchroom card on August 15, 2020 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

August 13, 2020; Tulsa, OK, USA; Undisputed Women’s welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus and Jessica McCaskill face off after weighing in for the Matchroom card on August 15, 2020 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

📷 Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing

BRÆKHUS vs. MCCASKILL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Undisputed Welterweight crown on the line in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday.

Cecilia Brækhus

“This is going be a hell of a fight. I think everyone who knows our careers, fights, and how hard we work – they will know this will be a great fight. We have both been fighting since January, we both have been in camp, so we will see come Saturday that I’m in the best shape and form ever.

“Jessica’s hungry, she knows what doors can open if she beats me. I have seen her against Katie Taylor and gave her problems, so you know she’s hard working and dedicated. I feel I have better skills. I try not to focus on the record, I focus on my task in camp, but you know it would be huge. That’s a record that won’t be broken in quite a while.”

Jessica McCaskill

“I have had pretty enormous fights leading up this fight. I’m confident in my fighting and skills, and that’s all I worry about. Cecilia has an amazing record, history that she has created, but some of that history is before this era and it can be seen differently compared to the fighters in this era. I’m here to challenge everything she has put on the table. Cecilia wants to hear that I will knock her out and not here to rub her back. She wants me to be the
best fighter.

“You’re going to see the best form of fighting. A lot of brawling, a lot of things you haven’t seen out of me, a lot of fireworks.”

Photo by Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

LAS VEGAS (August 13, 2020) — WBO Junior Lightweight World Champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring hopes the wait is finally over. Herring, a decorated U.S. Marine veteran from Coram, N.Y., will make his second world title defense Saturday, Sept. 5 against Puerto Rican challenger Jonathan Oquendo at the MGM Grand Conference Center. Herring and Oquendo were scheduled to fight July 2, then July 14, but Herring twice tested positive for COVID-19.

In the 10-round super middleweight co-feature, it’s a battle of the Midwest as Omaha’s unbeaten Steven “So Cold” Nelson takes on Toledo’s DeAndre Ware.

Herring-Oquendo and Nelson-Ware will stream live on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET, with undercard action to stream on ESPN+ beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.

“Jamel has had a run of bad luck, but his fortunes will change for the better inside the ‘Bubble’ on September 5,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Oquendo is a crafty veteran who understands this may be his last shot at a world title, and I expect him to give ‘The Fighting Marine’ one heck of a fight.”

Herring said, “This postponement is a blessing in disguise because I feel 10 times better than I did three weeks ago. I’m grateful to have another opportunity to get back in the ring. I’ve fully recovered from COVID-19 and I’m more than ready for anything Jonathan Oquendo brings on September 5. Our team has a great game plan and we are eager to carry it out.”

Oquendo said, “I am very happy with finally getting this opportunity to challenge Herring for his world title, as the fight has been canceled twice because of COVID-19. At one point, I thought that maybe the fight was not going to happen, but thanks to God, we are now ready for September 5.

“We are going to win. We are in a very positive mindset. We are going to leave everything in the ring. It’s now or never. It would be a great accomplishment to become world champion at 37. That’s what we are going to do.”

Herring (21-2, 10 KOs) returns following the longest layoff of his career, nearly 10 months since he outpointed the previously unbeaten Lamont Roach Jr. at an outdoor ballpark in Fresno, Calif. Soon after his most recent positive COVID-19 test, he received a clean bill of health and resumed training camp in Omaha, Neb. Oquendo (31-6, 19 KOs) rebounded from a March 2019 decision defeat to Roach to shut out Charles Huerta last September. He is 5-1 since a December 2015 defeat to Jesus Cuellar for the WBA featherweight world title.

Nelson (16-0, 13 KOs), who trains alongside Herring and pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford in Omaha, recently moved down from light heavyweight and is ranked No. 8 by the WBO at super middleweight. He last fought in January, knocking out then-unbeaten prospect Cem Kilic on ESPN. A talented artist who designs his fight night attire— he entered the ring as The Grinch with a Santa hat against Kilic — Nelson hopes to notch his fourth knockout in a row. Ware (13-2-2, 8 KOs), a Toledo firefighter when he’s not fighting in the ring, is two fights removed from a February 2019 decision win over the previously unbeaten Ronald Ellis.

Nelson said, “I’ve been training and staying ready in Omaha with my team. Now it’s time to clock in for overtime. No audience? I don’t need cheers to do my job. I’m focused on the task at hand, which is to defeat DeAndre Ware.”

UNBEATEN WBO European Jr. Lightweight Champion Archie Sharp believes he is already a world-level talent and has sensationally called out American superstars Jamel Herring and Shakur Stevenson.

The Welling fighter will be protecting both his 18-0 unbeaten record and his WBO European Super-Featherweight crown on Saturday night when he steps in the ring against Tottenham man Jeff Ofori.

A supremely confident Sharp believes he is well-placed to steal the show and puts much of that down to the work he has been doing with his ‘mind coach’, Linda.

“With Linda, my mind coach, we’ve been working on a lot of programs. Mentally, I’m the strongest I’ve ever been.”

It’s not a secret that the ‘Sharpshooter’ has sought the unorthodox methods of mind coach Linda Keen before, but Archie believes that the current coronavirus situation has made her input even more crucial to his fight preparations.

“Being mentally strong is the most important thing for what we’ve been going through,” he explained. “Im buzzing to be back. My batteries are recharged and I’m ready to go and put a show on.”

To many boxing fans, Saturday’s scrap between Sharp and Ofori is the sleeper candidate for fight-of-the-night and most believe that 30-year-old Ofori will present a stiff challenge for the younger champion.

Sharp doesn’t see it that way.

“I believe I’m at world level now.

“I’ve got a lot of heart, I’ve got a granite chin and I can punch. My footwork and my movement have always been unbelievable and on the 15th August you’re going to see a lot more of that.”

Archie accepts that Ofori will try and push the action when the pair clash on Saturday night, but believes “everyone has a plan till they get in there”.

“This fella I’m fighting, Jeff Ofori, is going to be coming like a man possessed” he admits, but says “I’m in the best shape ever and for sure I’m going to be looking at stealing the show.”

Whilst there is clearly business to take care of on BT Sport on Saturday night, Archie is a man who knows his own mind and knows where he wants to take his career.

“I want to be the best in this game” he said, adding “Carl Frampton is the main man on the show and that’s a fight I’m looking at.

“Ideally, I just want to fight the WBO world champion and at the minute that’s Jamal Herring.”

Frampton and Herring are two big names to have in your crosshairs, but the ambitious ‘Sharpshooter’ doesn’t want to stop there.

“Shakur Stevenson can have it as well.”

BT Sport Fight Night Live: Frampton vs Traynor is this Saturday night / coverage starts at 8pm on BT Sport 2

WBO Europe Vice President and first Hungarian World Champion István “Koko” Kovacs visited with the young athletes at the “Iron Kids Triatlon”, Saturday in Nagyatàd, Hungary. The participants received sports bags and equipment from the WBO Kids Drug Free program. It was a fun-filled day for participants and spectators.

Ramirez-Postol, Take 3! The long-awaited showdown between Unified WBO Junior Welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez and former world champion and challenger Viktor “The Iceman” Postol will take place at the MGM Grand Conference Center Saturday, Aug. 29.

Ramirez and Postol were set to fight February 2 in China and May 9 in Fresno, Calif., but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both were subsequently canceled. This time, they will enter the “Bubble.

In the 10-round junior welterweight co-feature, unbeaten contender Arnold Barboza Jr., from South El Monte, Calif., will fight Canadian veteran Tony “Lightning” Luis in his toughest test to date. Ramirez-Postol and Barboza-Luis will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 10 p.m ET, with undercard action to stream live at 7:30 p.m. ET.

“Jose has stayed in the gym with his great trainer, Robert Garcia, throughout the pandemic,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “I have no doubt we will see the best version of Jose Ramirez, a wonderful young man and one of the world’s best fighters. He will need to be on his game because Postol is a worthy contender who has proven himself at the world-class level.”

Ramirez (25-0, 17 KOs) enters the fight coming off a career-high 13-month layoff. Last July, he knocked out Maurice Hooker to unify the WBC and WBO titles and stake his claim as the world’s best 140-pounder. Since winning the vacant WBC title against Amir Imam in March 2018, Ramirez defeated the previously undefeated Antonio Orozco, top contender Jose Zepeda and Hooker. The Orozco and Zepeda title defenses took place in front of more than 10,000 fans at Fresno’s Save Mart Center, a short drive from his hometown of Avenal.

During the early stages of the pandemic, Ramirez teamed up with Central Valley community leaders to assist the region’s agricultural workers. With Ramirez leading the way, they donated essential supplies and more than 1,000 wellness boxes, which included N95 masks, paper towels, toilet paper, rice, masa, beans and hand sanitizer. Ramirez now turns his focus to Postol (31-2, 12 KOs), a former WBC world champion whose only two losses have come against current IBF/WBA junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor and pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford. Postol has won two bouts since the Taylor defeat, most recently topping Mohamed Mimoune via decision last April in Las Vegas.

“I’m excited to finally be back. It’s always an honor stepping into the ring, fighting a guy like Postol and defending my belts,” Ramirez said. “God knows that my goal is to become the undisputed champion, and this gets me one step closer to my goal.”

Postol said, “I’m just looking forward to fighting. I’m coming to win those world titles. I have been training since this fight was first announced, so I’m focused and ready to go.”

Barboza Jr. (23-0, 10 KOs) makes his 2020 debut following a 2019 campaign that saw him climb the world rankings with three statement-making wins. He knocked out former world champion Mike Alvarado on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Anthony Crolla undercard at Staples Center, stopped veteran Ricky Sismundo in four rounds at Banc of California Stadium, and scored a body shot knockout over William Silva last November in Las Vegas. Barboza is currently ranked eighth by the WBC and 10th by the WBO at 140 pounds.

“Tony Luis is as tough as they come. He won’t lay down for me. He sees this as a big opportunity, and I can’t let him take it,” Barboza said. “To be honest, the whole no fans thing, I’m more curious than anything. I’ve fought in front of limited fans deep on undercards before. Once you’re in the ring, there’s no difference. I am happy to be part of this ‘Bubble’ experience because it will go down in history.”

Luis (29-3, 10 KOs), from Cornwall, Canada, is a volume puncher with a knack for upsetting undefeated fighters. Since 2014, he has taken the ‘0’ from three then-unbeaten prospects, including a nationally televised decision over Karl Dargan in January 2015. Luis has won 10 consecutive fights since an April 2015 decision loss to Derry Matthews for an interim lightweight world title in Matthews’ hometown of Liverpool, England.

Luis said, “I want to thank Top Rank and my promoter, Liveco Boxing, for this amazing opportunity. I’m proud of myself for not giving up throughout all the uncertainty over the past several months. I knew this pandemic would be a test of character, and I forced myself to stay dedicated, knowing that if an opportunity arose, I’d be ready to strike. I have not lost in over five years, I’m in the best shape in my life, and I feel that Arnold Barboza Jr. is the perfect opponent to showcase my skills and take my career to the next level. Everyone dreams of fighting in Las Vegas. On August 29, my dream will come true, and I plan to make the most of this opportunity. For a small-town kid, we proved a lot of people wrong. Let’s get it on.”

Use the hashtag #RamirezPostol to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Undefeated WBO Junior Lightweight World Champion Ewa Brodnicka has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and has targeted a unification clash with the winner of Terri Harper vs. Natasha Jonas.

Poland’s Brodnicka (19-0, 2 KOs), a former European Lightweight Champion, outpointed Irma Balijagic Adler to land the interim WBO Super-Featherweight World Title in May 2017 before capturing the full crown against Sarah Pucek in Czestochowa a year later.

‘Kleo’ has made five successful defences of her title, all in Poland, most recently decisioning Belgium’s Djemilla Gontaruk in March, and the 36-year-old is determined to get her hands on Harper’s WBC and IBO belts.

Brodnicka is the latest addition to Matchroom’s unrivalled stable of women’s boxing talent that includes Undisputed Lightweight World Champion Katie Taylor and Undisputed Welterweight ruler Cecilia Braekhus, amongst a host of other top contenders.

“I’m delighted to team up with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing,” said Brodnicka. “Women’s boxing is on fire right now and I want to be in all the big fights starting with the unification match up between the winner of Harper and Jonas. I’m excited for the future and can’t wait for my return to the ring.”

“I’m delighted to welcome Ewa to the team” said Eddie Hearn. “This sets up a huge unification fight between the winner of Terri Harper vs. Natasha Jonas at Fight Camp at a time where women’s boxing continues to go from strength to strength.”

Cecilia Brækhus is ready to burst out of her Big Bear training camp and become a record breaker as the undisputed Welterweight champion puts her titles on the line against Jessica McCaskill on the streets of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday August 15, live on DAZN.

Brækhus (36-0 9 KOs) tackles the unified Super-Lightweight champion McCaskill (8-2 3 KOs) knowing that victory will see her pass Joe Louis 72 year record of 25 straight successful World championship defenses – but history isn’t in the Norwegian’s mind having had plenty of time to prepare for face the tenacious Chicagoan.

The pair were set to clash in April in Maryland but for the COVID-19 pandemic to put a halt to all sporting events. Brækhus started camp for that fight in January – her second outing with trainer Abel Sanchez – and believes an elongated spell in the Big Bear mountains with her esteemed coach will give her the edge in Tulsa.

“I’ve been in Big Bear since January because I wanted to be back in the ring as soon as possible and wanted everyone to know that I’d be ready at the first opportunity,” said Brækhus. “When I got the chance to be one of the first to fight for Matchroom on a big show I was very happy.

“I’m in the best shape ever, I feel amazing. I feel strong, I’m in the best condition I’ve ever been in and I’ve worked great with Abel. We’ve made small adjustments; we’re not trying to make me a new fighter but just take the things that I’m already good at and adding things to it to make me a more complete and dangerous fighter.

“Working with Abel has been so much fun, I’m learning and developing every day and I’m having a great time.

“I’m in an amazing place in Big Bear, training in the heart of nature, with the mountains and the fresh air, it’s a home away from home as it’s what I grew up with in Norway.

“I missed belonging to one gym, it’s been a good thing for me, not traveling around from country to country and gym to gym, it takes a toll on you. Being in Big Bear gives you more strength and power, and the high altitude has had a good effect on me.

“Abel is so professional and has worked with so many champions, I don’t have to tell him anything or explain anything, we just get down to work. He is a great guy, a motivator and that’s something that doesn’t get mentioned very often. The training in Big Bear is brutal but Abel leads by example and that’s really important.”

Brækhus-McCaskill tops the bill on a massive night of action in the unique setting of the downtown Tulsa streets as Matchroom return Stateside.

BRÆKHUS YOUTUBE FEATURE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2Go_K-lAZQ

BRÆKHUS-MCCASKILL ZOOM PRESS CONFERENCE WITH EDDIE HEARN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZwvaA0v8dk

August, 2, 2020 – Angelo Leo is the new WBO Jr. Featherweight World Champion. The 26-year-old Mayweather Promotions fighter dominated Tramaine Williams en route to a unanimous decision live on SHOWTIME Saturday night from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. in the network’s first live boxing event since March 13. Leo won by scores of 117-111 and 118-110 twice.

Leo (20-0, 9 KOs), who was originally scheduled to face Stephen Fulton, Jr. in the main event of Saturday’s card presented by Premier Boxing Champions before Fulton tested positive for COVID-19, used a dominant body attack and consistent pressure to overwhelm Williams (19-1, 6 KOs), who stepped up from the co-main event to face Leo. Albuquerque’s Leo had a 248-196 edge in punches landed while landing 39 percent of his power punches. 102 of his 248 connects were body punches.

Leo, who was ranked WBO’s No. 2 junior featherweight going into the fight, is now expected to defend his title against Fulton, ranked No. 1 by the WBO, within the next 180 days.

“It still hasn’t sunk in yet, it just feels surreal,” said Leo. “The first few rounds I was just feeling him out, getting his timing, getting the feel of him. I felt him kind of loosening up and breaking down, and that’s when I started putting the pressure on him a little more.

“That was the key factor in this fight, the body work and the pressure. I’m pretty sure Albuquerque is celebrating tonight. I think they have four world champions, because you can’t exclude Holly Holm. You have Johnny [Tapia], Danny [Romero], Holly and now me. There’s four champions in that city and I think I’ve made history there.”

Fulton, who watched the fight on television while quarantining following his positive test, was interviewed following the fight by SHOWTIME host Brian Custer.

“Congratulations to Leo, he did it,” said the Philadelphia native. “But listen, I’m ready for him. I’ve been ready. Just be ready to face me when it’s time. That’s all I’ve got to say.”

Photo by Amanda Westcott / Showtime

Uncasville, Conn. – July 30, 2020 – Fighters taking part in Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main and co-main events participated in a virtual media availability ZOOM webinar on Thursday in advance of SHOWTIME®’s first live boxing event since March.

On Wednesday evening, it was announced previous main event fighter Stephen Fulton Jr. tested positive for COVID-19 and was removed from the 122-pound title fight versus Angelo Leo. Tramaine Williams will now step in to face fellow unbeaten Leo for the vacant WBO Jr. Featherweight World Championship in the main event. Ra’eese Aleem, who was previously scheduled to face Williams, will instead face 122-pound contender Marcus Bates in a rematch of their 2018 bout that saw Aleem walk away with a unanimous decision victory.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast also features a light heavyweight rematch between Houston’s Joe George and Argentina’s Marcos Escudero that opens the telecast. The card is presented by Premier Boxing Champions and promoted by TGB and Mayweather Promotions in association with Kings Promotions. The main event is promoted in association with New World Sports and Warriors Boxing.

SHOWTIME Sports’ President of Sports & Event Programming Stephen Espinoza also spoke on Thursday’s conference call.

FLASH QUOTES:

ANGELO LEO

“These things happen in boxing, so you just have to stay focused and prepared for anything. Luckily, Tramaine isn’t too much of a different fighter from Fulton. He’s got similar styles, the only difference is he’s southpaw. We’ll make some small adjustments but I’m in shape for whoever. I’m in the best shape of my life and once I get in that ring, I’ll make the necessary adjustments.

“I definitely want to paint a Picasso-like painting for the fans on Saturday night. Something really nice. I want to leave the fans happy with a great performance and I want them to know who the real Angelo Leo is.”

TRAMAINE WILLIAMS

“When I got the news that I would be stepping up the main event, it was bittersweet. It was bitter because Stephen Fulton prepared eight weeks to fight for a world title. He’s been dreaming of that his whole life and he didn’t get that opportunity so my heart goes out to him. It was sweet on my end because I get to fight for a world title and that’s something I’ve always wanted to do my whole life.

“About a year ago, I started a top-five or top-ten fighters I had on notice. I always paid attention to all of the fighters in my weight class. I’ve been prepared for the chance to face Leo for a while. I’ve had my eye on all of these guys for a year and some change now. It’s not like he’s a random opponent for me, I’ve had my eye on him.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA

“We are thrilled with the quality of the card, we are obviously disappointed for Stephen [Fulton], but it’s not a huge surprise to be completely honest. We have worked very hard to minimize the risk but we know we can’t eliminate the risk altogether. In some sense, this was inevitable. We were going to get some positive tests and we worked hard to be prepared. One of the things that we did notice in observing other combat sports and other sports generally, was that there really is no way to avoid positive tests. At this point, our focus was on being prepared and having backup fighters prepared, trained, COVID-tested, so that in the event of an unfortunate positive test we would be prepared and could move forward hopefully seamlessly as we have on this card.

“I think the key for this card is storylines. Even before the changes this was a card filled with up-and-coming young boxers, promising prospects and rising stars. With the loss of Stephen Fulton Jr., that has remained the same nonetheless. We have Angelo Leo, a Mayweather Promotions prospect from Albuquerque, N.M., who is a very good young boxer and excellent body puncher looking for the opportunity at his first world title. Tramaine Williams came here expecting to be on the undercard in the co-feature and instead he has found himself with the biggest opportunity of his career. We thank the WBO for working with us and maintaining the title fight. We have now instead of the No. 1 and No. 2 contenders in the WBO, we have the No. 2 and No. 6 so no real drop-off in quality of the fight.”