LAS VEGAS (June 24, 2020) —Jose Pedraza and Mikkel LesPierre will give it another shot. The junior welterweights will face off in the 10-round main event Thursday, July 2 from the MGM Grand Conference Center—Grand Ballroom. Pedraza-LesPierre was originally scheduled for June 18, but the bout was postponed after LesPierre’s manager tested positive for COVID-19.

Week 4 of the Top Rank on ESPN summer series begins Tuesday, June 30 at the MGM Grand, when top junior welterweight contender Alex Saucedo faces Sonny Fredrickson in a 10-round showdown.

The Pedraza-LesPierre and Saucedo-Fredrickson cards will air on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

“Mikkel and Jose deserve this opportunity, and I commend both camps for agreeing to reschedule this fight on short notice,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Alex Saucedo is destined to be a world champion, but he has an incredibly tall task in Sonny Fredrickson. We have another great week in store at MGM Grand.”

June 30
MGM Grand Conference Center – Grand Ballroom

Main Event
Alex Saucedo (29-1, 19 KOs) vs. Sonny Fredrickson (21-2, 14 KOs)
10 Rounds, Junior Welterweight

Saucedo has fought only once — a first-round knockout over Rod Salka — since he was knocked out by Maurice Hooker in November 2018 in a bid for the WBO junior welterweight world title. The Oklahoma City product is entering his second fight with head trainer Pedro Neme and will move closer to a second world title opportunity with a victory over the 6-foot-1 Fredrickson. From Toledo, Ohio, Fredrickson is a former U.S. amateur standout who is hoping to re-establish his momentum following a majority decision defeat to Samuel Teah last November.

“I have gotten a lot of quality sparring during the last few months, and I believe that’s going to show on June 30,” Saucedo said. “We have done 130 rounds in this camp sparring three times a week. We were able to get some taller guys to prepare for what Sonny brings to the table. I’ve worked on the things I need to win this fight. I’m still the same aggressive fighter, but we put a lot more movement in there. I’ve gone back to basics.”

Undercard

Junior welterweight prospect Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas (16-1, 9 KOs) will seek to increase his winning streak to 11 when he faces the battle-hardened Salvador Briceno (17-5, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Vargas fought four times in 2019, including a win over Noel Murphy that earned him the IBF North American junior welterweight strap. Briceno is 4-2 in his last six fights, including competitive showings in decision losses to unbeaten prospects Gabriel Flores Jr. and Yomar Alamo.

Former U.S. amateur superstar Javier Martinez, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will make his professional debut against an opponent to be named in a six-rounder at middleweight. Martinez won the U.S. Olympic Trials at 165 pounds and was ranked number one in the nation at that weight, but after being named an alternate for the Olympic squad, he turned pro with Top Rank and noted manager Tim VanNewhouse.

Junior welterweight rising star John “El Terrible” Bauza (13-0, 5 KOs) will return from a nearly one-year layoff against the Irish-born, New York-based Larry Fryers (11-2, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

Unbeaten Cleveland native Fred Wilson Jr. (6-0-2, 2 KOs) will face Rance Ward (4-1-1, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder at junior middleweight.

In a six-round junior welterweight bout, Adrian Valdovinos (5-0-1, 4 KOs) will fight Gerardo Alvarez (2-2-2, 0 KOs).

July 2
MGM Grand Conference Center – Grand Ballroom

Main Event
Jose Pedraza (26-3, 13 KOs) vs. Mikkel LesPierre (22-1-1, 10 KOs)
10 rounds, Junior Welterweight

Pedraza, who won world titles at junior lightweight and lightweight, is taking another run at the super lightweight division following last September’s decision loss to Jose “Chon” Zepeda. His opponent LesPierre challenged Maurice Hooker for a world title last year, dropping a unanimous decision. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brooklyn resident received deliveries and assisted doctors and nurses at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in Manhattan.

“I didn’t want to wait around for this fight, so I’m glad we got the deal done,” Pedraza said. “My march toward a junior welterweight world title continues July 2 in Las Vegas.”

“I want to thank Top Rank and DiBella Entertainment for making this fight happen through the trials and tribulations,” LesPierre said. “I’m honored to be the main event on July 2, and I am ready to showcase my talent to the world and prove my world championship caliber.”

Undercard

Robeisy Ramirez (3-1, 3 KOs) is out for revenge. The two-time Olympic gold medalist from Cuba will fight Adan Gonzales (5-2-2, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder at featherweight. It was Gonzales who shocked the boxing world last August when he spoiled Ramirez’s pro debut with a four-round split decision victory. Ramirez has scored three knockout wins since then, including June 9 at MGM Grand. Gonzales has not fought since the Ramirez fight.

Top junior lightweight contender Albert Bell (16-0, 5 KOs), from Toledo Ohio, will face Filipino puncher Mark Bernaldez (20-3, 14 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight bout. Bell graduated from prospect to contender last June on the Tyson Fury-Tom Schwarz undercard, defeating Andy Vences (22-0-1 at the time) over 10 rounds. He returned in October and shut out Frank De Alba.

Featherweight prospect Carlos Jackson (16-0, 11 KOs), who has knocked out five of his last six opponents, will face Jose Enrique Vivas (18-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-rounder.

Elvis Rodriguez (6-0-1, 6 KOs), the southpaw sensation from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, will seek to register his fifth consecutive knockout in a six-round junior welterweight tilt against Daniel Murray (5-3, 0 KOs). The only blemish on Rodriguez’s record came in this third pro fight, a technical draw following an accidental clash of heads.

Featherweight prospect Luis Melendez (8-1, 6 KOs) will fight an opponent to be named in an eight-round bout.

Top Rank on ESPN: Joshua Greer Jr., Jose Pedraza and Emanuel Navarrete to Headline at MGM Grand and TV Azteca Studios

Greer-Mike Plania, Pedraza-Mikkel LesPierre and Navarrete-Uriel Lopez to top Week 2 cards LIVE on ESPN & ESPN Deportes

LAS VEGAS (June 9, 2020) — Don’t blink. Top Rank on ESPN’s summer schedule resumes with a trio of shows, commencing Tuesday, June 16, with the return of bantamweight contender Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer Jr. in a 10-rounder against 23-year-old Filipino upstart Mike Plania at the MGM Grand Conference Center – Grand Ballroom in Las Vegas.

The action continues from MGM Grand Thursday, June 18, when former two-weight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza will face former world title challenger Mikkel LesPierre in a 10-round super lightweight showdown.

Week 2 concludes Saturday, June 20, at TV Azteca Studios in Mexico City, when WBO junior featherweight world champion Navarrete will fight Uriel “Yuca” Lopez in a 10-round featherweight bout. Navarrete-Lopez will headline one of two June cards from TV Azteca Studios, which will be promoted by Top Rank in association with Zanfer Promotions.

All three Week 2 events will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (in Spanish), with start times to be announced shortly.

“It is exciting to see these great fighters back in action and in fights that promise to be action-packed,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Greer and Pedraza have tough opponents in front of them, but if they are victorious, we could see them in world title fights before the end of the year. Navarrete is the king of the 122-pounders, a throwback fighter who wants to stay as active as possible.”

June 16
MGM Grand Conference Center – Grand Ballroom

Main Event
Joshua Greer Jr. (22-1-1, 12 KOs) vs. Mike Plania (23-1, 12 KOs)
10 rounds, Bantamweight

Greer, the Chicago product who taunts potential KO victims with custom-made pillows, is knocking on the doorstep of a world title shot. He has won 19 fights in a row and is currently the WBO No. 1 contender at bantamweight. Plania, meanwhile, has won eight straight bouts since a March 2018 decision loss to Juan Carlos Payano, a fight that propelled Payano to a world title shot against pound-for-pound great Naoya Inoue.

“Whoever the opponent is, it doesn’t matter. I prepare the same,” Greer said. “Every fight is a world title fight for me. I’m ranked number one in the world, so I have to take advantage of this opportunity. ‘Mr. ESPN’ is back!”

Co-Feature
Antonio DeMarco (33-8-1, 24 KOs) vs. Giovani Santillan (25-0, 15 KOs)
10 rounds, Welterweight

Former lightweight world champion DeMarco, who is coming off a competitive decision loss to top contender Jamal James, represents a quantum leap in class for the 28-year-old Santillan. A native of San Diego who has stopped his last four opponents, Santillan hopes to become the first man to knock out DeMarco in nearly eight years. In his last bout, he overcame a nearly 19-month layoff to knock out Wilfrido Buelvas in two rounds.

Undercard

Nikoloz Sekhniashvili (5-0, 4 KOs), a 26-year-old who hails from the nation of Georgia, will make his 2020 debut against Detroit native Isiah Jones (8-1, 3 KOs) in a six-rounder at super middleweight. Sekhniashvili, trained by Javiel Centeno, is part of a deep stable of fighters that includes Puerto Rican phenom Xander Zayas and lightweight contender George Kambosos Jr.

Super featherweight prospect Edward Vazquez (7-0, 1 KO), from Fort Worth, Texas, will face an opponent to be named in a six-rounder.

Puerto Rican-born heavyweight Hector Perez (6-2, 3 KOs) will fight southpaw spoiler Juan Torres (5-2-1, 2 KOs), from Cypress, Texas, in a six-round bout. Torres has won two straight and has never been knocked out in a professional match.

June 18
MGM Grand Conference Center – Grand Ballroom

Main Event
Jose Pedraza (26-3, 13 KOs) vs. Mikkel LesPierre (22-1-1, 10 KOs)
10 rounds, Super Lightweight

Pedraza, who won world titles at junior lightweight and lightweight, is taking another run at the super lightweight division following last September’s decision loss to Jose “Chon” Zepeda. His opponent LesPierre challenged Maurice Hooker for a world title last year, dropping a unanimous decision. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brooklyn resident received deliveries and assisted doctors and nurses at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in Manhattan.

“I am very excited to finally return to the ring after this long break. During quarantine, I made adjustments and trained hard from home, Pedraza said. “Despite everything that is happening in the world, my team and I have had a great training camp. I have done many runs up the mountains in Cidra, Puerto Rico. I am now focused on giving the fans a great show on June 18 against Mikkel LesPierre. We know he is a world-class fighter, but I am, too, and I am determined to return to the top once again.”

“I’m excited and blessed to be a part of the first round of televised sports as we navigate through this pandemic,” LesPierre said. “Jose Pedraza is a good fighter and a former world champion, but I feel that I have the tools to beat him. It will be a great fight and an opportunity for me to take my career to the next level. The Maurice Hooker fight was just a taste of what the elite level is all about. I’m determined to get back to title contention. This fight is the first step toward that goal. I’m ready to go.”

Co-Feature
Gabriel Flores Jr. (17-0, 6 KOs) vs. Josec Ruiz (21-2-3, 14 KOs)
10 rounds, Lightweight

The 20-year-old Flores, fresh off a win on the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury 2 undercard, returns in his first scheduled 10-rounder. Flores, the Stockton, California native who signed with Top Rank when he was 16 years old, packed more than 10,000 spectators into the Stockton Arena last May to establish himself as one of the sport’s top regional ticket-sellers. Ruiz is unbeaten in his last 16 bouts.

Undercard

David “The Lion of Zion” Kaminsky (6-0, 3 KOs) will face noted spoiler Clay Collard (6-2-3, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder at super middleweight. Collard, who also is a veteran MMA pro, has defeated unbeaten prospects in his last two fights.

In four-round bouts each, Puerto Rican super featherweight Frevian Gonzalez (2-0, 1 KO) will fight an opponent to be named, while super lightweight Victor Rodriguez (2-0, 1 KO) will face Justin Horsley (0-1).

June 20
TV Azteca Studios

Main Event
Emanuel Navarrete (31-1, 27 KOs) vs. Uriel Lopez (13-13-1, 6 KOs)
10 rounds, Featherweight

Boxing’s most active world champion, Navarrete defended his title five times (all by KO) in nine months, most recently knocking out Jeo Santisima on the Wilder-Fury 2 Pay-Per-View undercard. Navarrete is fighting as a featherweight for the first time in nearly three years in what will be his sixth bout in 13 months. Lopez has a 2016 knockout victory over longtime Japanese contender Ryo Matsumoto.

Undercard action will feature Carlos “Chinito” Ornelas (25-2, 14 KOs), who will take on Edwin “Pupo” Palomares (12-3-1, 3 KOs) in a 10-rounder at featherweight. Featherweight prospect Sergio Chirino Sanchez (14-1, 8 KOs) will look to extend his winning streak to six against Gustavo Alan Pina (8-2, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout.

Former interim world champion Silvia Torres (20-2-2, 7 KOs) will face 21-bout veteran Edith de Jesus Flores in an eight-rounder at light flyweight.

Mexico City-based flyweight prospect Ivan Armando Garcia (5-0, 3 KOs) will fight Roberto Palomares (5-4-1, 1 KO) in his first scheduled six-rounder.

Former two-division world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza is on the hunt again.

In a fight held at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Pedraza (26-2, 13 KOs) knocked out Mexican veteran Antonio Lozada Jr. in the ninth round to win the vacant WBO Latino Lightweight title. Lozada (40-3-1, 24 KOs) had not tasted defeat in nearly six years, while Pedraza rebounded from a game effort in a decision loss to Vasiliy Lomachenko last December.

Pedraza knocked down Lozada with a counter left hand, which spelled the beginning of the end for Lozada, who made his name in March 2018 with a stunning 10th-round knockout of the previously unbeaten Puerto Rican star Felix Verdejo.

“I would like to be world champion again at 135, maybe make a title defense and then move up to 140,” Pedraza said. “Lozada was a tough opponent who came to fight with all of his heart. He was a great test for me, and I passed it with flying colors. I can’t wait to see what is next.”

Photo: Mikey Williams

Weigh-In Results WBO Bouts in Kissimmee: Ito-Herring, Pedraza-Lozada, Cintrón-Eto

Three WBO Bouts to take place tomorrow night (Saturday May 25th) at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.

ESPN & ESPN Deportes (10 p.m. ET)
WBO Jr. Lightweight World Champion Masayuki Ito weighed 129.4 lbs and challenger Jamel Herring 129.6 lbs. Judges/Referee: Lisa Giampa, Alex Levin and Thomas Nardone/Frank Gentile

In the co-feature, for the vacant WBO Latino Lightweight Championship, two-division world champion José Pedraza weighed 134.8 lbs and Antonio Lozada 134.4 lbs. Judges/Referee: Michael Ross, Rodolfo Aguilar and Fred Fluty/Telis Assimenios.

ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET)
For the vacant WBO International Jr. Bantamweight Title, WBO #5 ranked and two-time Puerto Rican Olympian Jeyvier Cintron weighed 114-6 lbs and former interim Flyweight World Champion and WBO #4 ranked Koki Eto of Japan, weighed 114.6 lbs.

WBO Bouts in Kissimmee: Ito-Herring, Pedraza-Lozada, Cintrón-Eto

Three WBO Bouts to take place this upcoming Saturday May 25th at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.

Masayuki Ito won the WBO Junior Lightweight title last July in Kissimmee, Florida. For title defense number two, he’s returning to the city of his greatest triumph.

Ito, who recently signed a long-term co-promotional contract with Top Rank, will defend his title against 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team captain and U.S Marine Corps veteran Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring. Ito-Herring will headline a special Memorial Day weekend edition of Top Rank on ESPN beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

In the co-feature, for the vacant WBO Latino Lightweight Championship, two-division world champion José Pedraza (25-2, 12 KOs) faces Mexican warrior Antonio Lozada (40-2-1, 34 KOs).

The entire undercard will stream live in the United States exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT and will showcase a host of prospects in competitive matchups including a match for the vacant WBO International Jr. Bantamweight Title, when WBO #5 ranked and two-time Puerto Rican Olympian Jeyvier Cintron (10-0, 5 KOs) battles former interim Flyweight World Champion and WBO #4 ranked Koki Eto (24-4-1, 19 KOs) of Japan, in a 10-rounder.

Ito-Herring:
Ito (25-1-1, 13 KOs) claimed the vacant WBO junior lightweight title with an upset decision win over Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz at the Kissimmee Civic Center. The Diaz fight marked Ito’s United States debut and the first time he’d fought away from his native Japan. He returned home for his first title defense on Dec. 30, scoring a seventh-round TKO over Evgeny Chuprakov.

Herring (19-2, 10 KOs), who served two tours of duty in Iraq as a field electrician, turned pro in December 2012 and won the first 15 bouts of his career. He lost a pair of fights as a lightweight, including a razor-thin decision to Ladarius Miler in August 2017. Following the Miller defeat, Herring signed on with Top Rank, hired trainer/manager Brian McIntyre and moved down to 130 pounds. Since then, he is 3-0, including an ESPN-televised decision victory over John Vincent Moralde last September on the Jose Ramirez-Antonio Orozco card in Fresno, California. In his last bout, Dec. 14 in Corpus Christi, Texas, he notched a clear points decision over Adeilson Dos Santos.

Vacant WBO Latino Bout Pedraza-Lozada:
Pedraza (25-2, 12 KOs) won the IBF junior lightweight title in 2015 and made a pair of title defenses. Following a 2017 TKO loss to Gervonta Davis, he moved up to the lightweight division. In his third bout at lightweight, he won a unanimous decision over Ray Beltran to claim the WBO title. Less than four months later, he faced off against WBA champion Vasiliy Lomachenko to unify world titles. He was competitive, but Lomachenko scored a pair of 11th-round knockdowns to secure the unanimous decision.

Lozada (40-2-1, 34 KOs) burst onto the world stage last March, knocking out highly touted prospect Felix Verdejo in the 10th and final round. Since then, he is 1-0-1, including a disputed draw versus Hector Ambriz.

Eto-Cintrón:
Eto (24-4-1, 19 KO) edged Kompayak Porpramook for the interim WBA belt in 2013 thanks to a pivotal knockdown in the 12th round, but lost the title to Sirichai Thaiyen soon after. After picking up a trio of knockouts, he challenged Carlos Cuadras for the WBC super flyweight title, losing a unanimous decision in his native Japan.

He’s since won seven straight over marginal competition, six by knockout, and sits in all four sanctioning bodies’ top 10s at 115.

Cintron (10-0, 5 KO) signed with Top Rank back in 2017 ahead of his professional debut and has had some fairly standard prospect matchmaking. With only 10 fights, of which he has won five by KO, the #5 ranked by the WBO and Latino champion of that entity at 115 pounds, look to impress.

Though he debuted at bantamweight, this will be the 24-year-old’s fourth fight at 115 pounds.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with All Star Boxing and Teiken Promotions, tickets to this world championship event go on sale Friday, April 26 at 10 a.m. ET. Priced at $100 (ringside) and $50 (general admission), including all taxes and facility fees, tickets may be purchased online via ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800.745.3000 or in person Osceola Heritage Park box office (open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. — 4 p.m. and on event days). For more information: www.ohpark.com.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (April 25, 2019)— Masayuki Ito won the WBO junior lightweight title last July in Kissimmee, Florida. For title defense number two, he’s returning to the city of his greatest triumph.

Ito, who recently signed a long-term co-promotional contract with Top Rank, will defend his title against 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team captain and U.S Marine Corps veteran Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring Saturday, May 25 at Osceola Heritage Park. Ito-Herring will headline a special Memorial Day weekend edition of Top Rank on ESPN beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, former two-division world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza looks to get back in the win column against Antonio Lozada Jr.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with All Star Boxing and Teiken Promotions, tickets to this world championship event go on sale Friday, April 26 at 10 a.m. ET. Priced at $100 (ringside) and $50 (general admission), including all taxes and facility fees, tickets may be purchased online via ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800.745.3000 or in person Osceola Heritage Park box office (open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. — 4 p.m. and on event days). For more information: www.ohpark.com.

“I am excited to return to the United States to defend my world title,” Ito said. “I will be at my best, as I know Herring is a tough and experienced fighter. While I ultimately want to unify the 130-pound division, Herring is the task at hand. There is no sense in talking about the future until I take care of business on May 25.”

“I need to thank my management team and Top Rank for this opportunity,” Herring said. “Not only is this fight landing on Memorial Day weekend, but May 25 would’ve been my daughter Ariyanah’s 10th birthday. She passed away from sudden infant death syndrome, and I am dedicating this fight to her.

“I have tremendous respect for Ito, but I plan on being his most difficult challenge. I don’t want to release too much of the game plan, but I won’t be bullied like his last two opponents once the bell rings.”

Ito (25-1-1, 13 KOs) claimed the vacant WBO junior lightweight title with an upset decision win over Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz at the Kissimmee Civic Center. The Diaz fight marked Ito’s United States debut and the first time he’d fought away from his native Japan. He returned home for his first title defense on Dec. 30, scoring a seventh-round TKO over Evgeny Chuprakov.

Herring (19-2, 10 KOs), who served two tours of duty in Iraq as a field electrician, turned pro in December 2012 and won the first 15 bouts of his career. He lost a pair of fights as a lightweight, including a razor-thin decision to Ladarius Miler in August 2017. Following the Miller defeat, Herring signed on with Top Rank, hired trainer/manager Brian McIntyre and moved down to 130 pounds. Since then, he is 3-0, including an ESPN-televised decision victory over John Vincent Moralde last September on the Jose Ramirez-Antonio Orozco card in Fresno, California. In his last bout, Dec. 14 in Corpus Christi, Texas, he notched a clear points decision over Adeilson Dos Santos.

Pedraza (25-2, 12 KOs) won the IBF junior lightweight title in 2015 and made a pair of title defenses. Following a 2017 TKO loss to Gervonta Davis, he moved up to the lightweight division. In his third bout at lightweight, he won a unanimous decision over Ray Beltran to claim the WBO title. Less than four months later, he faced off against WBA champion Vasiliy Lomachenko to unify world titles. He was competitive, but Lomachenko scored a pair of 11th-round knockdowns to secure the unanimous decision. Lozada (40-2-1, 34 KOs) burst onto the world stage last March, knocking out highly touted prospect Felix Verdejo in the 10th and final round. Since then, he is 1-0-1, including a disputed draw versus Hector Ambriz.

“I feel very happy because on May 25 I will be fighting in a big world championship event where I will be facing a great Mexican warrior like Antonio ‘Cañitas’ Lozada in front of my people in Kissimmee,” Pedraza said. “I know I will get all that affection and support of all the Puerto Rican fans. They can’t miss this great card. I want them to enjoy it and leave the venue happy.

“I’m more than ready to get back in the picture for a world championship opportunity.”

The entire undercard will stream live in the United States exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT and will showcase a host of prospects in competitive matchups.

Jeyvier Cintron (10-0, 5 KOs), one of the sport’s fastest-rising 115-pound prospects, will face his toughest test to date against former interim flyweight world champion and one-time super flyweight world title challenger Koki Eto (24-4-1, 19 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Cintron represented his native Puerto Rico at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, becoming the first two-time boxing Olympian in his nation’s history.

NABO junior welterweight champion Yomar “The Magic” Alamo (16-0, 12 KOs) will defend his belt in a 10-rounder against an opponent to be determined.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Use the hashtag #ItoHerring to join the conversation on social media.

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BoxingScene.com was on hand for one of Jose Pedraza’s recent training sessions. The WBO super lightweight champion will return to the ring on December 8th in the biggest fight of his career against WBA super lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (11-1).

The unification clash will be televised by ESPN and takes place at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican has enlisted the services of Diego and Jessie Magdaleno who are both southpaws like Lomachenko.

Diego, who is a two-time title challenger and also helped Jorge Linares prepare for his fight against Lomachenko in May, said that Pedraza has looked really good in camp.

“Pedraza is a good fighter. I think I am doing a good job mimicking Lomachenko’s footwork. I have good footwork so I think I am doing good at it. I am really pushing him to do the best he can,” Magdaleno told BoxingScene.com.

Pedraza has also received solid sparring from Jessie, who lost his WBO super bantamweight title earlier this year. While Jessie isn’t as tall as Lomachenko, he has great hand speed which makes him a good fit to help prepare for the two-time Olympic gold medal winner.

“Lomachenko is taller but he really isn’t that tall. I recommended my brother and when I called him he was down to train and came right in. He is giving him great work as well, ” said Diego.

The elder Magdaleno brother is signed to Pepe Gomez’s Cancun Boxing and said that he will be returning to the ring in mid January as he looks to pick up his 4th win in a row.

NEW YORK CITY (Sept. 25, 2018) – Vasiliy Lomachenko is ready to take another bite out of the Big Apple. Lomachenko, the pound-for-pound superstar and WBA lightweight world champion, will look to unify world titles for the first time as a professional when he clashes with WBO champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 9 p.m. ET, live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. This marks Lomachenko’s fourth main event appearance at a Madison Square Garden venue.

Lomachenko-Pedraza will headline a special edition of Top Rank on ESPN, which will follow the 84th Annual Heisman Memorial Trophy Presentation.

Promoted by Top Rank, ticket and undercard information for this world championship event will be announced soon.

“Boxing fans are excited that Vasiliy Lomachenko will be back in action on Dec. 8,” said Top Rank CEO Bob Arum. “He knows that in WBO champion Jose Pedraza, he faces a tough opponent with a style that may give him a lot of trouble.”

“I am ready to fight an excellent opponent like Jose Pedraza,” Lomachenko said. “My goal has always been to unify the titles, and Pedraza is standing in my way. There is something special about fighting in New York City and at Madison Square Garden. The fans in New York City are true boxing fans, and I can’t wait to put on another spectacular performance for them.”

“I am grateful to have this opportunity, since I didn’t get the chance to unify titles when I was champion in the junior lightweight division,” Pedraza said. “In this division, I will achieve my goal, and I will do it against one of the best boxers in the world. There will be a surprise on Dec. 8!”

“We are thrilled to bring fans one of the year’s marquee boxing events to ESPN,” said ESPN’s Burke Magnus, executive vice president, programming and scheduling. “Currently ranked as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, Lomachenko is who fans want to watch. His historic victory last year on this night was a tremendous success, and we look forward to showcasing the world’s best once again.”

Lomachenko (11-1, 9 KOs) is widely considered to be the greatest amateur boxer in history, as he posted a 396-1 record with Olympic gold medals for his native Ukraine in 2008 and 2012. In the pro ranks, he has continued to etch his name in the history books. Lomachenko tied a boxing record by winning a world title in his third pro bout on June 21, 2014, a clear points win against Gary Russell Jr. to claim the vacant WBO featherweight title. He made three defenses of that title before moving up to 130 pounds. In his debut at 130 pounds, Lomachenko knocked out Roman Martinez with an uppercut-hook combination to win the WBO junior lightweight world title. Following the Martinez bout, Lomachenko began an unprecedented streak of four consecutive opponents – Nicholas Walters, Jason Sosa, Miguel Marriaga, and Guillermo Rigondeaux – retiring on their stools. The Rigondeaux bout, which took place last December at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, was the first time in boxing history that a pair of two-time Olympic gold medalists fought as professionals. After six rounds, Rigondeaux quit on his stool.

With nothing left to prove at 130 pounds, Lomachenko moved up to lightweight and challenged WBA champion Jorge Linares. On May 12 at Madison Square Garden, Lomachenko suffered a labral tear of his right shoulder in the second round and was knocked down with a right hand in the sixth, only to come back and stop Linares with a left hand to the body in the 10th round. The Linares victory signified another milestone for Lomachenko. In becoming a three-weight world champion in 12 professional fights, he broke the previous record set by Jeff Fenech (20 fights) in 1988. Lomachenko has knocked out eight consecutive opponents dating back to his fourth professional bout in 2014.

Pedraza (25-1, 12 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, has climbed back to the top of the sport following a January 2017 TKO loss to Gervonta Davis that saw him relinquish his IBF junior lightweight world title. He returned 14 months later as a lightweight on March 17, shutting out Jose Luis Rodriguez over eight rounds at the Hulu Theater at Madison Garden. After a hard-fought 10-round unanimous decision against Antonio Moran on June 9, Pedraza traveled to Glendale, Ariz., on Aug. 25 to face WBO lightweight world champion Ray Beltran. He scored an 11th-round knockdown to seal the unanimous decision victory, becoming only the second male Puerto Rican fighter to win world titles at 130 and 135 pounds.

During the press conference the WBO gave to Jose “Sniper” Pedraza the belt that accredited him as the Lightweight World Champion (135 pounds) after defeating the Mexican Raymundo Beltrán last Saturday in Arizona.

WBO Bouts this Saturday in San Juan, Puerto Rico:

The series “Sabado de Campeones en Casino Metro Boxing Nights” returns this Saturday, September 1, with the unbeaten Puerto Ricans Jeyvier Cintron and Luis “Popeye” Lebron in title bouts to be held at the San Juan Ballroom of the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino in San Juan, in a presentation of PR Best Boxing Promotions (PRBBP), which will be broadcast by Wapa Deportes.

“After a year we return to the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino with a great event and good fights for the delight of the fans and the audience that you will enjoy through Wapa Deportes. Jeyvier Cintrón fights again in this scenario for a belt and Popeye Lebron returns to Puerto Rico as a champion to defend his title, both against experienced opponents in the main matches,” said Iván Rivera, president of PRBBP. “We want to thank the Sheraton and Metro Casino because we are here again with another great program.”

In the main event, the two-time Puerto Rican Olympian (2012 and 2016), Cintron (7-0, 4 kos), who comes from defeating Venezuela’s Gregory Vera last month to win the WBO Youth bantamweight crown, will drop to 115 pounds to dispute the vacant WBO Latino title in that weight against the Mexican Francisco Alonso Melendez (15-2, 13 kos) to 10 rounds. Cintron, who belongs Top Rank, will fight for the second time on the Island, while this clash will be his sixth in 2018.

“I want you to know that God gave me a talent and I came to boxing to achieve great things, and among those great things is to mark my name in the history of boxing in Puerto Rico, I say it today and it will be like that. They will soon have a name in the book of Puerto Rican champions called Jeyvier Cintron,” said Cintron, who is trained by former world champion in two divisions Ivan ” Iron Boy” Calderón.

While Melendez said that “I feel happy to represent Mexico, it’s going to be a classic Mexico-Puerto Rico, I’m excited, ready.”

In the co-main event, Popeye Lebron (12-0-1, 6 kos), who will fight for the first time since April 2017 in Puerto Rico, will defend for the second time his WBO Latino featherweight title (126 pounds) against Chilean Robinson Laviñanza (13-4-2, 5 kos). Lebrón is currently ranked #12 by the WBO in the featherweights.

“I was told that Robinson Laviñanza had a delay in the flight, I want to tell him to come in good condition, because I am ready and we will have a good fight this Saturday,” said Lebron.

In other matches of the show, Henry “Moncho” Lebrón (5-0, 4 kos) will face the Mexican Luis Gerardo Ávila (6-11-3, 4 kos) in a six round fight at 130 pounds, while Luis Meléndez (2-0, 2 kos), from Miami, Florida, will face Elliot de Jesus (1-2) at 126 pounds in a four round scheduled bout.

Photo and video by Victor Planas

GLENDALE, Ariz. (Aug. 23, 2018) – The stakes are high for WBO lightweight world champion Ray Beltran and challenger José “Sniper” Pedraza, with the winner expected to fight WBA lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko later this year. Beltran and Pedraza met at the final press conference for the next edition of “Top Rank on ESPN”, which will take place Saturday evening at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona (10:30 ET/7:30 PST).

In the co-feature, Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe will make the first defense of his WBO junior featherweight title against Japanese challenger Hidenori Otake. And, in a six-round super featherweight special attraction, 2016 U.S. Olympian Mikaela Mayer will make her long-awaited ESPN network debut against former world title challenger Edina Kiss.

Here is what they had to say.

Ray Beltran

“Now I have the belt and people see me as a champion. But before that, I already felt like a champion. It’s good to get recognition from the boxing world, but like I said before, I don’t feel different. Things have changed around me, but I’m still the same guy. I’m a contender. I’m the underdog. Once you get the world title, there are new challenges. You’re always looking for the best challenges out there, and now I have a very important fight against a very difficult and tough opponent. In my mind, I don’t get overconfident. I get confident, but not overconfident.”

“In 1996, I came to the United States illegally. I did it, not because I wanted to, but because I had to. Thanks to that, I’m making my dream come true. I want to dedicate this fight to all of the immigrants all over the world, especially to my Mexican people. I represent them with so much pride. Just to show the world that we don’t come to commit no crime. We come here to get a better future for our family. I represent that. I represent the truth.”

José Pedraza

“It means a lot to me. This is the second opportunity I’m getting for a world title. I really want to win this world title because I want to bring happiness to Puerto Rico after what happened with Hurricane Maria.”

“It will be a lot of emotion and happiness for me when they say, ‘and the new champion’. but I don’t like to get ahead of myself. One step at a time, but if I win the title, it’s going to mean a lot to Puerto Rico. It’s going to bring happiness to my people.”

Isaac Dogboe

“First and foremost, I give all the glory to the almighty God for bringing me here safely and making me who I am today. Otake is a great guy, and I can’t wait to get back on ESPN. It’s a big platform for myself and also a great platform to showcase my talent once again. I want to say thank you to Bob Arum and Top Rank promotions and all the staff for putting this show together. It’s great. It is always a huge platform. Like I said, Otake is a great guy. Physically, he’s strong. This is his second world title challenge, his second opportunity, and we know he’s going to come out fighting. He’s going to come out guns blazing. But, you know, like we always say, we don’t have to get ready, we’re always prepared. Everything he brings to the table, we have an answer for it. Come Saturday night, you don’t have to stay at home. Everyone has to come down to the Gila River Arena. It’s going to be fireworks because there’s no way that something we worked so hard for is going to slip through our hands. He says he’s going to be fighting for his soul. I have no need for his soul because I did not create him. I just want to knock him out on Saturday night and retain my title.”

“Hidenori is very tough, and he’s a credit to Japan. He’s one of the guys who’s making Japan boxing rise. At this moment, he’s a stumbling block that’s in my way to get to a unification fight. We are looking to go out there Saturday night and put on a masterclass performance and look forward to unify the division, God willing. With Top Rank and Bob Arum, we can hopefully fight at the end of the year or early next year in a unification fight. Hard work never stops. Right now, our main target is to take care of Hidenori Otake.”

Hidenori Otake

“First of all, I am so very happy to be here. I want to thank Bob Arum and everyone at Top Rank for giving me this amazing opportunity. As you may know, in my first world title match in England {against Scott Quigg}, I lost. As happy as I am, taking that into consideration, I have trained very hard to make the most of this opportunity.”

ESPN, 10:30 p.m. ET
Ray Beltran (champion) vs. José Pedraza (challenger), 12 rounds, WBO lightweight title

Mikaela Mayer vs. Edina Kiss, 6 rounds, super featherweight

Isaac Dogboe (champion) vs. Hidenori Otake (challenger), 12 rounds, WBO junior featherweight title

Tickets to this world championship doubleheader, priced at $125, $75, $50, and $25, not including applicable fees, are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at the Gila River Arena Box Office, by phone at 800.745.3000, or online at www.gilariverarena.com.

Use the hashtags #BeltranPedraza, #DogboeOtake, and #MayerKiss to join the conversation on social media.

PHOENIX (Aug. 22, 2018) – Ray Beltran is returning home to defend his title and Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe is looking to bring some lightning and thunder to the desert.

Beltran will defend the WBO lightweight title against former 130-pound champion José Pedraza, Dogboe will make the first defense of his WBO 122-pound world title against Hidenori Otake, and Mayer will face off against Edina Kiss in a six-round special attraction.

Beltran-Pedraza, Dogboe-Otake will be televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The entire undercard will stream on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m ET.

On Wednesday, many of the fighters from Saturday’s 11-fight card worked out for the media at Michael Carbajal’s 9th Street Gym. This is what they had to say.

Ray Beltran

On life as a world champion: “Things have changed a little bit, the way people talk to me and act around me. For me, I still feel like I’m a contender. I’m still the underdog.”

“I think fighting Jose Pedraza and defending my world title near my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona, is a dream come true. Defending my title against a Puerto Rican, with the rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico, there’s nothing better than that.”

On fighting in Arizona: “You know how I am. I try to fight and put on a good show and try to make my fans happy. It’s going to be a great fight!”

José Pedraza

On the significance of becoming a two-weight world champion: “It would mean a lot to me because not everyone gets the opportunity to become a world champion. Even fewer boxers become two-division world champions. I am going to take full advantage of this opportunity.”

On staying active in 2018 with three fights: “I like to be more active. I can see the difference. I am more focused. I see that now I’m more mature as a fighter.”

On fighting pressure fighters like Beltran: “A pressure fighter is a perfect style for me because I am more of a boxer. The pressure Beltran puts on a fighter is different because he knows how to cut the ring off very well. He’s going to be tough, but I know we’re going to be victorious.”

Isaac Dogboe

On life as a world champion: “I give praise to the man upstairs, God of creation. We thank him for everything that has happened to Team Dogboe. Being a world champion is great.”

On the reception he received in his native Ghana after winning the title: “The whole nation came out to meet me at the airport. It was amazing.”

On joining the rich history of Ghanaian world champions: “I am very humbled. Boxing in Ghana isn’t as regarded as it is over here. We’ve been able to revive boxing over there. They are loving it. We are changing the perspective of the sport. It is great.”

On Hidenori Otake: “Otake is very strong, physically strong. He has a great record. You can’t underestimate Otake. We’re not underestimating him at all. He’s someone we have our eyes on, and we’re making sure, come Saturday, we are going to take him out.”

On the lack of trash talk compared to before the Jessie Magdaleno fight: “Otake is a gentleman. He’s so humble, and when two humble warriors come together, it’s mutual respect. And that’s how we’re taking it.”

Hidenori Otake

On Isaac Dogboe: “He is a good pressure fighter and a strong fighter. I’m going to use his pressure and his power against him.”

On the recent success of Japanese fighters: “Japanese boxers have been fighting very well recently, and I am looking to do the same. It’s great for Japanese boxing when we come to America and do very well.”

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) announced the officials for two WBO World title bouts to be held this Saturday, August 25th in Arizona.

In the main event, WBO Lightweight (135 lbs) World Champion Raymundo Beltrán, from México, will face WBO ranked number two José Pedraza, from Puerto Rico.

For this bout, which will headline the card presented by Top Rank from the Gila River Arena in Glendale, the referee will be Tony Weeks, from the United States.

Arizona’s Rubin Taylor, as well as Lisa Giampa and Robert Hoyle, both from Nevada, were appointed judges for the bout. The WBO Supervisor will be WBO President Francisco “Paco” Valcárcel, Esq.

For Beltrán (35-7-1, 21 KOs), it will be his first defense of the title he won by beating WBO Africa Lightweight titlist Paulus Moses via unanimous decision. On his part, Pedraza (24-1, 12 KOs) is looking to be crowned a two division World Champion with a victory over Beltrán. He previously held a title as a Junior Lightweight (130 lbs).

In the co-main event of the evening, WBO Junior Featherweight World Champion Isaac Dogboe, from Ghana, will battle WBO ranked number six Hidenori Otake (31-2-3, 14 KOs), from Japan.

For this bout, the referee will be Chris Flores, from the United States.

Illinois’s Patrick Morley, Texas’s Javier Álvarez and Connecticut’s Glenn Feldman were appointed judges for the bout. The WBO Supervisor will be WBO Vice-President North America/Chairman of North American Boxing Organization Richard de Cuir.

For Dogboe (19-0, 13 KOs), it will be his first defense of the title he won by defeating former WBO World Champion Jessie Magdaleno by 11-round knockout.

Beltrán-Pedraza and Dogboe-Otake will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. ET, with undercard action streaming live beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

Photo by Mikey Williams

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Ray Beltran and Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe will head to the desert this Saturday for their first title defenses.

In the main event at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Beltran, who resides in nearby Phoenix, will defend the WBO Lightweight title against Jose “Sniper” Pedraza, a former junior lightweight world champion looking to bring another world title home to Puerto Rico. And, in the all-action co-feature, Dogboe will defend the WBO Junior Featherweight title against Hidenori Otake.

Beltran-Pedraza and Dogboe-Otake will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. ET, with undercard action streaming live beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

Tickets to this world championship doubleheader, priced at $125, $75, $50, and $25, not including applicable fees, go on sale Thursday, July 26 at 10 a.m PST. Tickets can be purchased at the Gila River Arena Box Office, by phone at 800.745.3000, or online at gilariverarena.com.

“I’m living the dream. It feels great to be a world champion. I am very motivated to defend my title, and it’s very special to me because I’m fighting in my adopted home,” Beltran said. “Pedraza is a very skillful fighter and is going to bring his best to take the belt from us, but I’m not just fighting for the belt, I’m also fighting to keep it in Phoenix and my birthplace of Los Mochis, Mexico. This belt represents my family’s future, and it’s going nowhere.”

“This is a great opportunity and a great challenge. Beltran is a veteran and is finally a world champion after trying for so long,” Pedraza said. “I think for that reason it’s going to be a great fight because he will not want to lose the title. I’m 100 percent prepared for war.”

“I’m making my first defense against Otake, a Japanese warrior. It’s going to be fireworks,” Dogboe said. “I’m not stepping back. We’re on a quest to make this division exciting and great again. We’re shaking up the division. Isaac ‘Royal Storm’ Dogboe, you all know I bring lightning and thunder!”

“I would like to express my appreciation to everyone who made this fight possible. I am truly grateful for this opportunity,” Otake said. “In capturing the world title for my first time on Aug. 25, I’d like to show everyone that age does not matter. Since comments can reveal strategy, I can’t say anymore.”

Beltran (35-7-1, 21 KOs) is a story of perseverance who finally broke through as a world champion five month shy of his 37th birthday. In his last bout, an ESPN-televised contest against Paulus Moses on Feb. 16 in Reno, Nevada, Beltran dug deep to win the vacant WBO lightweight title by unanimous decision. The scores — 117-111, 117-111 and 116-112 — did not reflect the back-and-forth nature of the bout. Once Manny Pacquiao’s chief sparring partner, Beltran had three previous cracks at a world title, most notably a 2013 draw against Ricky Burns that most ringside observers felt should have been a clear Beltran victory. The following year, he lost a wide unanimous decision to pound-for-pound elite Terence Crawford, who had beaten Burns to win the WBO lightweight crown. Beltran, a Phoenix resident who is originally from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, will be fighting in his adopted home state for the first time since 2005.

Pedraza (24-1, 12 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, is on a mission to become a two-weight world champion. A former IBF junior lightweight world champion who made two successful defenses of his title, he lost his belt via seventh-round TKO to Gervonta Davis in January 2017. Following a 14-month layoff, he moved up to the lightweight division and signed a promotional contract with Top Rank. Pedraza is 2-0 as a lightweight in 2018, winning an eight-round unanimous decision against Jose Luis Rodriguez on March 17 and a 10-round unanimous decision against Antonio Moran on June 9 as the co-feature to the Terence Crawford-Jeff Horn welterweight title bout in Las Vegas.

Dogboe (19-0, 13 KOs) established himself as one of boxing’s best young champions in 2018 with a pair of signature victories. He knocked out Cesar Juarez in the fifth round on Jan. 6 in his hometown of Accra, Ghana, to win the interim WBO junior featherweight title. On April 28 in Philadelphia, Dogboe won the title in dramatic fashion, surviving a first-round knockdown to stop Jessie Magdaleno in the 11th round in a Fight of the Year contender. A 2012 Olympian, Dogboe had a rapid rise through the pro ranks, winning the WBO Oriental and WBO Africa featherweight titles en route to junior featherweight title contention. Boxing is in the Dogboe lineage as his father/trainer, Paul Dogboe, once served as a boxing coach and a physical instructor in the British Army.

Otake (31-2-3, 14 KOs), from Tokyo, has been a professional for more than 12 years and is riding a nine-bout winning streak dating back to Nov. 22, 2014. On that day, he challenged Scott Quigg for the WBA super bantamweight title, dropping a unanimous decision. He won the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title on March 17, 2017 with a unanimous decision against Jelbirt Gomera. Otake defended the OBPF title three times, most recently scoring a 10th-round TKO over Brian Lobetania in Tokyo on March 13.

 

 

CIDRA, P.R. – José “Sniper” Pedraza already knows how it feels to have a world title in his hands. Now, the former world champion guarantees he will experience that sensation again on Aug. 25 at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

On that night, Pedraza (24-1, 12 KOs) will challenge WBO Lightweight champion Ray Beltran (35-7-1, 21 KOs) in the main event of an ESPN-televised card.

Pedraza, who will depart for Las Vegas on Saturday to finish training camp, worked out for the Puerto Rican media Wednesday afternoon. This is what he had to say.

About his world title fight: “I feel very motivated, and I know I will have a great fight against Ray Beltran. He is a strong fighter who always leaves everything in the ring and battled for a long time until becoming a world champion. I know that this will be a classic war between Mexico and Puerto Rico.”

On what fans can expect from him on Aug. 25: “Fans can expect great boxing skills and a great victory from myself. I am focused on my career and on this fight. On Aug. 25, Puerto Rico will have a new world champion.”

###

Beltran-Pedraza, the Isaac Dogboe-Hidenori Otake WBO junior featherweight title bout, and Mikaela Mayer vs. Edina Kiss will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. ET, with undercard action streaming live beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

Tickets to this world championship doubleheader, priced at $125, $75, $50, and $25, not including applicable fees, are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at the Gila River Arena Box Office, by phone at 800.745.3000, or online at www.gilariverarena.com.

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing,facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/espndeportes; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, @ESPN @ESPNBoxeo, @ESPNDeportes.

Use the hashtags #BeltranPedraza, #DogboeOtake, and #MayerKiss to join the conversation on social media.

Beltran to defend WBO lightweight title against Jose Pedraza Aug. 25 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona

LIVE on ESPN and ESPN Deportes

(Aug. 6, 2018) — Ray Beltran scratched and clawed and spent nearly 19 years as a pro boxer before earning his first world title. He outpointed Paulus Moses on Feb. 16 in Reno, Nevada, to win the vacant WBO lightweight title, a lifelong dream finally fulfilled. A native of Los Mochis, Mexico, Beltran is now a proud resident of Phoenix, a short drive from where he will make his first title defense.

Beltran (35-7-1, 21 KOs) will defend his title against former 130-pound world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza as the headliner of an ESPN-televised card, Aug. 25 at the Gila River Area in Glendale, Arizona.

Beltran returned home Saturday for a full slate of media activities, including an open workout at Gent’s Boxing Club in Glendale and as a guest broadcaster for the second inning of the Arizona Diamondbacks Alumni Game.

This is what he had to say.

On his future: “Hopefully, we have another big fight coming up against {Vasiliy} Lomachenko. I’m pretty happy when I fight the best. I’ve had no easy fights in my boxing career. We made our own way. We made our own name. We got a contract with Top Rank after 20-something fights. Nobody created our record. I have a lot of knockouts, but I have more power than it looks like on {my record}. All the losses that I have, four or five were robberies. I’m ready. Right now, I’m focused on Pedraza, but we dream big.”

On fighting for Phoenix and Mexico: “I feel like my heart is in half. I feel like a Phoenix fighter, but I’m also a Mexican fighter from my hometown. I can’t believe what I’ve come from. I come from nothing. I come from a place where nobody is supposed to make it. I think it’s important that the people where I came from know about it, so they get the message — whatever you want to do in life, if you work hard, you can make a change.”

On his opponent: “Pedraza is a former world champion. I believe he’s going to bring some heat. He’s going to come and fight hard to take the belt away from me. He bobs and moves around the ring a lot. He’s got good footwork, but we’ve been working at Wild Card with all different types of styles.”

Beltran-Pedraza and the Isaac Dogboe-Hidenori Otake WBO junior featherweight title bout will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. ET, with undercard action streaming live beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

Tickets to this world championship doubleheader, priced at $125, $75, $50, and $25, not including applicable fees, are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at the Gila River Arena Box Office, by phone at 800.745.3000, or online at www.gilariverarena.com.

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing,facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/espndeportes; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, @ESPN @ESPNBoxeo, @ESPNDeportes.

Use the hashtags #BeltranPedraza and #DogboeOtake to join the conversation on social media.

Photo by Chas Wright

Live at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona

Tickets on sale Friday at 10 a.m. PST

GLENDALE, Ariz. (July 23, 2018) — Ray Beltran and Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe will head to the desert on Aug. 25 for their first title defenses.

In the main event at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Beltran, who resides in nearby Phoenix, will defend the WBO lightweight title against Jose “Sniper” Pedraza, a former junior lightweight world champion looking to bring another world title home to Puerto Rico. And, in the all-action co-feature, Dogboe will defend the WBO junior featherweight title against Hidenori Otake.

Beltran-Pedraza and Dogboe-Otake will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. ET, with undercard action streaming live beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

Tickets to this world championship doubleheader, priced at $125, $75, $50, and $25, not including applicable fees, go on sale Thursday, July 26 at 10 a.m PST. Tickets can be purchased at the Gila River Arena Box Office, by phone at 800.745.3000, or online at www.gilariverarena.com.

“I’m living the dream. It feels great to be a world champion. I am very motivated to defend my title, and it’s very special to me because I’m fighting in my adopted home,” Beltran said. “Pedraza is a very skillful fighter and is going to bring his best to take the belt from us, but I’m not just fighting for the belt, I’m also fighting to keep it in Phoenix and my birthplace of Los Mochis, Mexico. This belt represents my family’s future, and it’s going nowhere.”

“This is a great opportunity and a great challenge. Beltran is a veteran and is finally a world champion after trying for so long,” Pedraza said. “I think for that reason it’s going to be a great fight because he will not want to lose the title. I’m 100 percent prepared for war.”

“I’m making my first defense against Otake, a Japanese warrior. It’s going to be fireworks,” Dogboe said. “I’m not stepping back. We’re on a quest to make this division exciting and great again. We’re shaking up the division. Isaac ‘Royal Storm’ Dogboe, you all know I bring lightning and thunder!”

“I would like to express my appreciation to everyone who made this fight possible.
I am truly grateful for this opportunity,” Otake said. “In capturing the world title for my first time on Aug. 25, I’d like to show everyone that age does not matter. Since comments can reveal strategy, I can’t say anymore.”

Beltran (35-7-1, 21 KOs) is a story of perseverance who finally broke through as a world champion five month shy of his 36th birthday. In his last bout, an ESPN-televised contest against Paulus Moses on Feb. 16 in Reno, Nevada, Beltran dug deep to win the vacant WBO lightweight title by unanimous decision. The scores — 117-111, 117-111 and 116-112 — did not reflect the back-and-forth nature of the bout. Once Manny Pacquiao’s chief sparring partner, Beltran had three previous cracks at a world title, most notably a 2013 draw against Ricky Burns that most ringside observers felt should have been a clear Beltran victory. The following year, he lost a wide unanimous decision to pound-for-pound elite Terence Crawford, who had beaten Burns to win the WBO lightweight crown. Beltran, a Phoenix resident who is originally from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, will be fighting in his adopted home state for the first time since 2005.

Pedraza (24-1, 12 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto, is on a mission to become a two-weight world champion. A former IBF junior lightweight world champion who made two successful defenses of his title, he lost his belt via seventh-round TKO to Gervonta Davis in January 2017. Following a 14-month layoff, he moved up to the lightweight division and signed a promotional contract with Top Rank. Pedraza is 2-0 as a lightweight in 2018, winning an eight-round unanimous decision against Jose Luis Rodriguez on March 17 and a 10-round unanimous decision against Antonio Moran on June 9 as the co-feature to the Terence Crawford-Jeff Horn welterweight title bout in Las Vegas.

Dogboe (19-0, 13 KOs) established himself as one of boxing’s best young champions in 2018 with a pair of signature victories. He knocked out Cesar Juarez in the fifth round on Jan. 6 in his hometown of Accra, Ghana, to win the interim WBO junior featherweight title. On April 28 in Philadelphia, Dogboe won the title in dramatic fashion, surviving a first-round knockdown to stop Jessie Magdaleno in the 11th round in a Fight of the Year contender. A 2012 Olympian, Dogboe had a rapid rise through the pro ranks, winning the WBO Oriental and WBO Africa featherweight titles en route to junior featherweight title contention. Boxing is in the Dogboe lineage as his father/trainer, Paul Dogboe, once served as a boxing coach and a physical instructor in the British Army.

Otake (31-2-3, 14 KOs), from Tokyo, has been a professional for more than 12 years and is riding a nine-bout winning streak dating back to Nov. 22, 2014. On that day, he challenged Scott Quigg for the WBA super bantamweight title, dropping a unanimous decision. He won the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title on March 17, 2017 with a unanimous decision against Jelbirt Gomera. Otake defended the OBPF title three times, most recently scoring a 10th-round TKO over Brian Lobetania in Tokyo on March 13.

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing,facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/espndeportes; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, @ESPN @ESPNBoxeo, @ESPNDeportes.

Use the hashtags #BeltranPedraza and #DogboeOtake to join the conversation on social media.

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) will oversee seven headline bouts around the world this weekend, two of which are for world titles.

Starting Friday, June 8, in Verona, New York, WBO number one ranked Junior Featherweight Diego De La Hoya (20-0, 9 KOs) will defend his NABO 122 lbs title against José “Sugar” Salgado (35-4-2, 28 KOs) in a 10-round duel. The bout is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and will go on stage at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in the aforementioned city.

The fight will be televised live on ESPN3, starting at 9:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). ESPN2 will air the fights at 12:30 a.m. ET/9:30 p.m. PT. and ESPN Deportes will air the fights the following day at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

De La Hoya-Salgado will take place during the International Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekend, where “Dr. Ironfist” Vitali Klitschko, Erik “El Terrible” Moráles, and Ronald “Winky” Wright will be exalted, along with other important boxing figures such as Peter Kohl, Steve Albert, Jim Gray and Lorraine Chargin.

On Saturday, June 9 in Argentina, Facundo Galovar (10-2-1, 7 KOs), of Tucumán, and Rolando Mansilla (13-5-1, 5 KOs), of Entre Ríos, will face off for the vacant WBO Latino Super Middleweight belt in a scheduled 10 round bout. The card will take place at the Club Atlético Central Córdoba in San Miguel, as part of an event promoted by Argentina Boxing Promotions.

Also on Saturday, but in the Philippines, two WBO Jr. Featherweight title bouts will take place, when local pugilist Jeo “Santino” Santisima (15-2, 13 KOs) faces Likit Chane (16-6, 10 KOs), from Thailand, for the vacant WBO Oriental 122 lbs belt, and local Albert Pagara (29-1, 20 KOs), who is ranked No. 9 by the WBO, battles Laryea Gabriel Odoi (20-3-2, 14 KOs), of Ghana, for the vacant Inter-Continental Junior Featherweight title. Both fights are scheduled for 12 rounds in an event promoted by ALA Promotions at the Maasin City Complex.

In England, the former WBO Lightweight Champion Terry Flanagan (33-0, 13 KOs), from Manchester, will seek to reign in a second division, when he clashes with Texan Maurice Hooker (23-0-3, 16KOs) for the vacant WBO Junior Welterweight crown. The duel will be the main event of a card presented by Queensberry Promotions. The fight will be held at Manchester Arena. Flanagan and Hooker are ranked in the first and second positions, respectively, at the Junior Welterweight division.

During his reign in the Lightweight division, Flanagan successfully defended the title five times.

The fight will be televised by BT Sports, on Showtime Boxing’s Facebook page, as well as in Showtime Sports’ YouTube Channel and Panama Cable Onda Sports beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.

Another WBO world title fight will be staged this Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here, welterweight campion Jeff Horn, of Australia, will face WBO Super Champion and former Lighweight and Junior Welterweight champion Terence Crawford, of Omaha, Nebraska.

For Horn (18-0-1, 12 KOs), it will be the second defense of the title he won by beating legendary WBO Super Champion, Manny Pacquiao.

With a victory over Horn, Crawford (32-0-0, 23 KOs) would join Oscar De La Hoya (130 lbs, 135 lbs, 160 lbs), Miguel Cotto (140 lbs, 147 lbs, 154 lbs), Jorge Arce (108 lbs, 115 lbs, 122 lbs) and Fernando Montiel (112 lbs, 115 lbs, 118 lbs) as the only three divisions champions of the entity. Boxing is a great and energy-intensive sport that is enjoyed the world over. As we always do we try to find you the best sporting equipment there is available in the marketplace. We took a look at many different pairs of boxing gloves in order to see which ones we liked the best. ow to be a great boxer, you cannot just buy your way into the sport, but it is very important to have the right gear for boxing before you even go ahead. Top list of Boxing, MMA, Sparring and Training gloves. We revised our list to ensure that we are providing the Best Professional Collection.

Also on the card, WBO Latino Lightweight Champion and ranked No. 5 by this sanctioning body, Antonio Moran (23-2, 16KOs), from Mexico, is heading for his second title defense, when he faces former Jr. Lightweight Champion, and WBO 14th ranked Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (23-1, 12KOs), from Puerto Rico, in scheduled 10 round match.

Horn-Crawford and Pedraza-Moran will be broadcast live via ‘ESPN+’ App, starting at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT. The event is promoted by Top Rank.

Crawford vs. Horn and Pedraza vs. Antonio Moran to be aired on ESPN+ beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET

LAS VEGAS – Jose “Sniper” Pedraza is nearing a title shot. Pedraza will see action June 9 on the Terence Crawford vs. Jeff Horn world championship event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Pedraza (23-1, 12 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, will challenge Antonio Moran (22-2, 15 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the WBO Latino lightweight belt.

Tickets for Crawford vs. Horn, priced at $500, $300, $200, $100, and $50 (limited availability), are on sale now and can be purchased online through axs.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts box office.

Pedraza, a former super featherweight champion who made two successful title defenses, returned from a 14-month layoff on March 17 to score a shutout, eight-round decision over Jose Luis Rodriguez. Moran is riding a three-bout winning streak since a split decision defeat to Emanuel Lopez.

“I am excited because this will be my first fight in Las Vegas, which everyone knows is the fight capital of the world. I am determined to give a great performance,” Pedraza said. “I know Moran is a good fighter and coming to upset my plans, but I have worked very hard to make sure that does not happen. I expect to be victorious on June 9 and will continue to show I am a force at lightweight.”

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing, Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/espndeportes; Twitter: @trboxing, @ESPN, @ESPNBoxeo, @ESPNDeportes. Use the hashtag #CrawfordHorn to join the conversation on social media.

The ESPN App and ESPN+ are available on mobile and TV-connected devices and on ESPN.com. The new ESPN App with ESPN+ is available on devices and platforms including Amazon (Fire TV, Fire Stick, Fire Smart TVs, Fire tablets), Android (Android phones, Android TV), Apple (iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and supported in the Apple TV App), Chromecast and Roku.

ESPN+ is the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment and ESPN. ESPN+ also offers fans two exclusive, original boxing programs The Boxing Beat with Dan Rafael (Mondays, weekly) and In This Corner (twice monthly). In addition to boxing content, fans that subscribe to ESPN+ get thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks – for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year).[FB1]

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment, in partnership with ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks. This includes hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, Grand Slam tennis, Top Rank boxing, PGA Tour golf, college sports, international rugby, cricket, the full library of ESPN Films (including 30 for 30) and more. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is an integrated part of a completely redesigned ESPN App. Already the leading sports app, the new ESPN App is the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans and a showcase of the company’s culture of innovation. With a richer, increasingly more personalized experience, the new ESPN App curates all of ESPN’s incredible content into an experience unique to each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also available through ESPN.com.

Info by Top Rank Press

 

El excampeón mundial peleará el 9 de junio en el MGM Grand de Las Vegas.

El excampeón mundial José “Sniper” Pedraza no tendrá que esperar mucho tiempo para regresar al ring. El púgil puertorriqueño tiene en agenda retar al mexicano Antonio “Toño” Morán por la faja Latina de la Organización Mundial de Boxeo (OMB), versión de las 135 libras.

El duelo será el 9 de junio y tendrá como escenario el MGM Grand de Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Nos llegó una comunicación de que José formará parte de la cartelera de Terence Crawford. Vamos a pelear por el cinturón Latino con la posibilidad de que sea una eliminatoria por el título mundial”, especificó Luis Espada, padrastro y entrenador de Pedraza.

Pedraza (23-1, 12 KO) regresó a la ruta ganadora el pasado marzo cuando venció por decisión unánime a José Luis Rodríguez en Nuevas York. Eso, junto a que firmó con la empresa Top Rank, coloca al boricua en una posición para aspirar a una faja mundial. Actualmente, Reymundo Beltrán es el monarca de la OMB en la división ligera.

“Si José le gana a Morán, esa pelea de título mundial podría llegar para el otoño. Definitivamente, antes de que termina el 2018 peleará por un campeonato”, dijo Espada. “Todo dependerá de cómo salga de la pelea contra Morán, pero estaríamos mirando para octubre o noviembre”.

Morán (23-2, 16 KO), conquistó el cinturón Latino de la OMB el pasado octubre cuando venció a Salvador Briseno por nocaut en el segundo asalto.

“Morán el alto y se ajuste bien al estilo de boxeo de Pedraza. Comenzamos a trabajar enseguida que salió de la pasada pelea porque sabíamos que existía la posibilidad de que volviera para mayo o junio. Pronto estaremos buscando a boxeadores altos que lo ayuden en los guanteos”, concluyó Espada.

http://www.primerahora.com/deportes/boxeo/nota/sniperpedrazabuscaraeltitulolatinodelaomb-1280863/